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Abstract Background Wild oat (Avena fatua L.) is a self-pollinating, allohexaploid species in the family Gramineae (grasses), which is a malignant weed that mainly harms crops such as wheat. In recent years, a decline in the control efficiency of flucarbazone-sodium against wild oat has occurred in some regions of China. Results We identified an ALS-resistant A. fatua population (R population). Whole-plant response assays revealed that the R population exhibited a moderate level of resistance (5.9-fold) to flucarbazone-sodium. Pre-treatment with malathion significantly reduced flucarbazone-sodium resistance in the R population. The known mutation sites and ALS gene relative expression that confer resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides were not found in R population. Following flucarbazone-sodium treatment, the expression of eight genes related to metabolic enzymes was investigated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CYP92A6 and the Aldo/keto reductase family were highly expressed in the R population after the application of flucarbazone-sodium. Conclusions The mechanism of flucarbazone-sodium resistance in A. fatua is mediated by NTSR, nor TSR. Two genes, CYP92A6 and the Aldo/keto reductase family, were discovered to be possibly related in the metabolism of NTSR in the A. fatua population, justifying more functional studies. The results will serve as a data resource for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of A. fatua to flucarbazone-sodium.

Hyperlipidemia, commonly referred to as dyslipidemia, is characterized by elevated serum cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels. This condition contributes significantly to the high mortality rates associated with cardiovascular diseases, posing a serious threat to global health. Although statins remain the predominant pharmacological treatment for hyperlipidemia, their associated side effects have led to a growing interest in alternative therapeutic approaches. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is exploring these alternatives, with the Erchen Decoction (ECD) emerging as a promising candidate. This review aims to summarize current clinical research, elucidate the mechanisms of action, and assess the compatibility of ECD in the management of hyperlipidemia. By doing so, we hope to provide valuable insights and references for clinical practice and future research.

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent chronic disease often accompanied by low-grade inflammation. Recently, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has garnered researchers’ interest as an emerging inflammation biomarker. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the relationship between NLR and T2DM using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Method We employed a cross-sectional study design to analyze data from five NHANES cycles from 2007 to 2016, excluding individuals with incomplete data. This study utilized a weighted logistic regression model, subgroup analyses, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis to assess the potential relationship between NLR and T2DM. Results A total of 9903 participants were eligible for the analysis, of which 1280 were diagnosed with T2DM. The T2DM group exhibited significantly higher NLR levels than the non-T2DM group. After adjusting for potential confounders, elevated NLR levels were associated with an increased risk of developing T2DM, indicated by an odds ratio (OR) of 1.14, 95% CI: (1.05,1.24), P = 0.003. The results of the subgroup analyses revealed a significant interaction effect between NLR and T2DM concerning race and hypertension (P for interaction 0.05). RCS analysis showed a significant non-linear relationship between NLR and T2DM, with an inflection point at 2.27 (all P for non-linearity

Phthalates (PAEs) are synthetic compounds extensively employed in consumer products. Blood pressure (BP) in children can vary, the degree of visit-to-visit BP variability (VVV) is at least partially independent of BP. The interactions between PAEs exposure, pubertal-related genetic susceptibility and lifestyles on childhood VVV are not investigated. This study utilized data from a cohort collected from Oct 2017–2020 in Xiamen, China. Seven urine PAE metabolites were measured. The long-term VVV was characterized employing the standard deviation (SD) and average real variability. We constructed a genetic risk score (GRS) of pubertal-related genes and healthy lifestyle scores. Exposed to high levels of mono-2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate (MEHHP) (OR=1.43, 95 %CI=1.07, 1.92) and mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (OR=1.36, 95 % CI=1.01, 1.83) was related to increased SBP-SD, and the OR for high SBP-SD related to high GRS was 1.38 (95 % CI=1.02, 1.85). Compared to participants who had low GRS and low MEHHP exposure, participants exhibiting high GRS and MEHHP levels were more likely to experience high SBP-SD (OR=2.00, P

Objective To explore changes in prevalence characteristics and pathogen spectrum of severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Henan province before and after launching vaccination of enterovirus 71 (EV71) vaccine for developing strategies on HFMD prevention and control. MethodsThe data on all HFMD cases registered in Henan province from 2014 through 2020 were extracted from the Infectious Disease Report Information Management System of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Descriptive statistics was performed on the data to assess changes in constituent ratio of and distribution of pathogens detected in the severe HFMD cases before and after of the launch of EV71 vaccination from 2017 in the province. ResultsDuring 2014 to 2020, totally 13 535 severe HFMD cases were reported in the province, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.58:1 and the most (97.34%, 13 175) of the cases were children under the age of 5 years. A unimodal pattern throughout the year was observed in the incidence of severe HFMD, with the peak season mainly occurring from April to July and 75.53% (10 223) of the registered severe cases occurred during the season. The ratio of severe cases decreased significantly from 3.19% (10 948/343 585) for the period of 2014 – 2016 to 0.93% (2 587/278 075) for the period of 2017 – 2020 with the launch of EV71 vaccination (χ2 = 3672.874, P < 0.001). For the severe HFMD cases reported during 2017 – 2020, the proportion of the cases of one- and two-year-old decreased significantly from 47.23% to 42.83% (χ2 = 16.311, P1 < 0.001) and from 25.57% to 22.84% (χ2 = 8.255, P2 = 0.004); but the proportion of the cases occurred in preschool care facilities increased significantly from 9.13% to 16.24% (χ2 = 112.359, P < 0.001). Following the promotion of EV71 vaccination among the public, the detection rate of EV71 among the severe HFMD cases decreased from 65.14% to 29.63%, while that of other enteroviruses increased from 27.49% to 56.13%, indicating that other enteroviruses became dominant serotypes for pathogens of HFMD epidemic. ConclusionThe ratio of severe cases among registered HFMD cases had significantly decreased after the launch of the EV71 vaccination in Henan province and the dominant pathogen of HFMD changed from EV71 to other enteroviruses. The results suggest that EV71 vaccination ought to be promoted among key populations and in peak season to prevent severe HFMD epidemic.

Desalination technology, including thermal and membrane methods, holds great promise as a viable solution to alleviate the scarcity of freshwater resources. The membrane distillation technology, among various membrane separation technologies, exhibits remarkable potential for economic and sustainable freshwater production due to its low energy consumption and exceptional desalination capability. However, the performance of membrane distillation is significantly constrained by membrane fouling and temperature polarization, which severely impedes its large-scale implementation. Consequently, extensive research efforts have been devoted to membrane modification strategies aimed at enhancing fouling resistance and minimizing temperature polarization. Based on this foundation, the present study provides a concise overview of membrane fouling and temperature polarization, elucidating their detrimental impacts on the progress of membrane distillation. The present study provides an analysis of the current research status regarding the mitigation of membrane fouling through the development of specialized wettable surfaces and the reduction of temperature polarization via controlled heating. Furthermore, this work highlights the existing challenges faced by membrane distillation membranes. It is recommended that future research on membrane distillation membranes should focus on the following aspects: 1) Utilizing materials with high thermal conductivity and strong light absorption properties to fabricate membranes with limited field heating functionality and specialized wettable surfaces; 2) Developing a versatile membrane distillation system capable of accommodating feed liquids containing multiple pollutants; 3) Designing an integrated Janus membrane, incorporating a hydrophilic layer with high thermal conductivity and light absorption capabilities.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter 2.5) and its components and severe obesity in children and adolescents. Methods: Data for children and adolescents aged 9–18 in this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2019 Chinese National Survey on Students’ Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). Data for PM2.5 and its components were obtained from the Tracking Air Pollution in China (TAP) dataset and matched with information on these children. Logistic regression models were used to assess the risk of severe obesity associated with long-term exposure to PM2.5 and its components. Results: A total of 160,205 children were included in the analysis. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 may increase the odds of severe childhood obesity, with this effect being more pronounced in girls. Among boys, the component with the most significant impact on severe obesity was organic matter (OM). The impact of PM2.5 and its components on severe obesity was greater in children from low economic and low parental education level households. Children with unhealthy lifestyle habits have higher odds of severe obesity due to long-term exposure to PM2.5 and its components. Conclusions: The findings of this research support the development of strategies aimed at addressing severe obesity in children, suggesting that adopting healthy lifestyle practices could mitigate the odds of severe obesity due to PM2.5 and its components. There is a need for an increased focus on children in economically underdeveloped areas and those with unhealthy lifestyle habits, particularly those in rural areas and those who do not engage in adequate physical activity or get enough sleep.

Abstract To develop and evaluate the performance of a deep learning model (DLM) that predicts eyes at high risk of surgical intervention for uncontrolled glaucoma based on multimodal data from an initial ophthalmology visit. Longitudinal, observational, retrospective study. 4898 unique eyes from 4038 adult glaucoma or glaucoma-suspect patients who underwent surgery for uncontrolled glaucoma (trabeculectomy, tube shunt, xen, or diode surgery) between 2013 and 2021, or did not undergo glaucoma surgery but had 3 or more ophthalmology visits. We constructed a DLM to predict the occurrence of glaucoma surgery within various time horizons from a baseline visit. Model inputs included spatially oriented visual field (VF) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) data as well as clinical and demographic features. Separate DLMs with the same architecture were trained to predict the occurrence of surgery within 3 months, within 3–6 months, within 6 months–1 year, within 1–2 years, within 2–3 years, within 3–4 years, and within 4–5 years from the baseline visit. Included eyes were randomly split into 60%, 20%, and 20% for training, validation, and testing. DLM performance was measured using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and precision-recall curve (PRC). Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were utilized to assess the importance of different features. Model prediction of surgery for uncontrolled glaucoma within 3 months had the best AUC of 0.92 (95% CI 0.88, 0.96). DLMs achieved clinically useful AUC values (> 0.8) for all models that predicted the occurrence of surgery within 3 years. According to SHAP analysis, all 7 models placed intraocular pressure (IOP) within the five most important features in predicting the occurrence of glaucoma surgery. Mean deviation (MD) and average retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness were listed among the top 5 most important features by 6 of the 7 models. DLMs can successfully identify eyes requiring surgery for uncontrolled glaucoma within specific time horizons. Predictive performance decreases as the time horizon for forecasting surgery increases. Implementing prediction models in a clinical setting may help identify patients that should be referred to a glaucoma specialist for surgical evaluation.

Green foxtail is a troublesome weed in crop fields across China. A nova target HPPD inhibitor is widely used to control weeds in agricultural production. Mesotrione, an HPPD inhibitor, cannot control green foxtail effectively under the recommended field dose, indicating that green foxtail is tolerant to mesotrione. Interestingly, a green foxtail biotype that exhibits a greater tolerance to mesotrione (GR50 value 463.2 g ai ha−1) than that of the wild biotype (GR50 value 271.9 g ai ha−1) was found in Jilin Province, China. The HPPD genes isolated from the two biotypes genome were aligned, while no difference was found in the amino acid of the HPPD compared with that of the wild biotype. Through the qPCR experiment, the HPPD gene copy number variation and overexpression were also not found. Cytochrome P450 inhibitors (malathion and PBO), pretreatment, could effectively reverse the tolerance. Compared with the MT biotype, the in vivo activity of P450s was higher after the mesotrione treatment in the HT biotype. Therefore, P450s might be involved in the mechanism of tolerance.

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is one of the most serious diseases affecting potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts with a length of more than 200 nucleotides that have no protein-coding potential. Few studies have been conducted on lncRNAs related to plant immune regulation in plants, and the molecular mechanisms involved in this regulation require further investigation. We identified and screened an lncRNA that specifically responds to P. infestans infection, namely, StlncRNA13558. P. infestans infection activates the abscisic acid (ABA) pathway, and ABA induces StlncRNA13558 to enhance potato resistance to P. infestans. StlncRNA13558 positively regulates the expression of its co-expressed PR-related gene StPRL. StPRL promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and transmits a resistance response by affecting the salicylic acid hormone pathway, thereby enhancing potato resistance to P. infestans. In summary, we identified the potato late blight resistance lncRNA StlncRNA13558 and revealed its upstream and downstream regulatory relationship of StlncRNA13558. These results improve our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions’ immune mechanism and elucidate the response mechanism of lncRNA-target genes regulating potato resistance to P. infestans infection.

Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) is a common malignant weed in corn fields in China. Recently, the acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor, nicosulfuron, has shown decreasing efficacy against crabgrass. In order to elucidate the molecular basis of resistance to nicosulfuron in crabgrass, we conducted bioassays, combined with gene sequence analysis, relative expression and relative copy number analysis, to characterize resistance in crabgrass populations collected from Beijing, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Anhui provinces. Whole-plant dose-response results indicated that only population collected in Heilongjiang province (HLJ) had developed low level of resistance to nicosulfuron compared with the sensitive population (SD22). No known resistant mutation of ALS gene was found in HLJ population. The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that the ALS gene copy number did not differ significantly between the HLJ and SD22 populations. However, the ALS gene expression in the HLJ was 2.07-fold higher than that of the SD22 population at 24 h after treatment with nicosulfuron. Pretreatment with the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) inhibitor malathion, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), and the glutathione S-transferase (GST) inhibitor 4-Chloro-7-nitro-1,2,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl) all partially reversed HLJ resistance. Among them, the synergistic effect of PBO and nicosulfuron is the most significant. This is the first report of resistance to nicosulfuron in crabgrass through ALS gene overexpression and possible metabolic resistance.

Aim This study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of autophagy in acute kidney injury (AKI) induced acute lung injury (ALI).Methods The male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups: normal saline-treated sham rats (sham group), normal saline-treated ischemia-reperfusion injury rats (IRI group), 3-methyladenine-treated IRI rats (3-MA group), and rapamycin-treated IRI rats (RA group). The rats in the IRI rat model received the nephrectomy of the right kidney and was subjected to 60 mins of left renal pedicle occlusion, followed by 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of reperfusion. The levels of Scr, BUN, wet-to-dry ratio of lung, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress were determined. The damage to tissues was detected by histological examinations. The western blot and immunohistochemistry methods were conducted to determine the expression of indicated proteins.Results Renal IRI could induce the pulmonary injury after AKI, which caused significant increases in the function index of pulmonary and renal, the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. In comparison to the IRI group, the RA group showed significantly decreased P62 and Caspase-3 expression and increased LC-II/LC3-I, Beclin-1, Bcl-2, and unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase 1 expression. Meanwhile, by suppressing the inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as inhibiting the pathological lesions in kidney and lung tissues, the autophagy could effectively ameliorate IRI-induced AKI and ALI.Conclusions Autophagy plays an important role in AKI-induced ALI, which could be used as a new target for AKI therapy and reduce the mortality caused by the complication.

Hemorrhoids are a proctological disease primarily characterized by bleeding, prolapse, edema, and pain, severely affecting the quality of life. Surgery is an effective treatment for hemorrhoids, but the cost is relatively high, and complications such as difficulty in defecation, persistent pain, and heavy bleeding may occur postoperatively. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a distinctive advantage in alleviating the clinical symptoms of hemorrhoid patients, reducing pain, and improving the quality of life. However, there are few summary literature about the mechanism of TCM in the prevention and treatment of hemorrhoids. Based on the etiology of hemorrhoids in both traditional Chinese and Western medicine, this paper reviews the recent research on the mechanism of TCM in the treatment of hemorrhoids, hoping to provide a basis for the better application of TCM in clinical and experimental research.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin primarily produced by Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum), is widely present in food and feed, posing great hazards to human and livestock health. In this study, a strain of Acinetobacter pittii (A. pittii) S12 capable of degrading DON was isolated from soil samples and identified through morphological characterization, biochemistry analysis, and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. The results of HPLC-MS indicated that the degradation products underwent a conversion from [M-H]- to [M+CH3CO], with concomitant transformation of the hydroxyl group into an acetyl moiety. Based on transcriptome sequencing analysis, the acyltransferase encoded by DLK06_RS13370 was predicted to be the pivotal gene responsible for DON biotransformation. The result of molecular docking analysis suggest a high affinity between the enzyme and DON. The recombinant protein encoded by DLK06_RS13370 was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and demonstrated the capacity to catalyze the conversion of DON into 3-Acetyl-deoxynivalenol (3-ADON), as confirmed by HPLC analysis. In conclusion, our findings confirm that the acyltransferase encoded by DLK06-RS13370 is responsible for the acetylation of DON. This sheds light on the co-occurrence of DON and its acetyl-derivatives in wheat-based products. Data Availability: Not applicable.

Genome editing provides novel opportunities for the precise genome engineering of diverse organisms. Significant progress has been made in the development of genome-editing tools for Bombyx mori (B. mori) in recent years. Among these, CRISPR/Cas9, which is currently the most commonly used system in lepidopteran insects, recognizes NGG protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequences within the target locus. However, Cas9 lacks the ability to target all gene loci in B. mori, indicating the need for Cas9 variants with a larger editing range. In this study, we developed a high-throughput screening platform to validate Cas9 variants at all possible recognizable and editable PAM sites for target sequences in B. mori. This platform enabled us to identify PAM sites that can be recognized by both xCas9 3.7 and SpCas9-NG variants in B. mori and to assess their editing efficiency. Cas9 shows PAM sites every 13 base pairs in the genome, whereas xCas9 3.7 and SpCas9-NG have an average distance of 3.4 and 3.6 base pairs, respectively, between two specific targeting sites. Combining the two Cas9 variants could significantly expand the targeting range of the genome, accelerate research on the B. mori genome, and extend the high-throughput rapid screening platform to other insects, particularly those lacking suitable NGG PAM sequences.

Objective To analyze differences in clinical symptoms and severity of elderly coronvirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients infected with Delta, Omicron BA.1 and Omicron BA.2 variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). MethodsFrom China′s Infectious Disease Information System, provincial center for disease control and prevention, and local designated hospitals, we collected socio-demographic and clinical information on 60 years and older COVID-19 patients reported in the four large-scale COVID-19 epidemics in Henan province during 2022 and the SARS-CoV-2 variants for the patients′ infections were identified based on gene sequencing in combination with epidemi-ological investigation. Chi-square and Fisher′s precision probability test were used to compare the differences in the incidence of patients infected with different variants and multivariate logistic regression was adopted analyze the influencing factors of disease severity. ResultsThe total number of elderly cases for the four local COVID-19 epidemics was 234, including 118, 36, and 80 cases infected with SARS-CoV-2 Delta, Omicron BA.1, and Omicron BA.2 variant. Of all the cases, 56.8% were female; 47.6% suffered from underlying diseases; and 88.0% had COVID-19 vaccination. The main clinical manifestations for all the cases were fever, fatigue and upper respiratory symptoms such as cough, sore and dry throat. The symptomatic proportion in the cases with Delta variant infection was significantly higher than that in the cases with Omicron variant infection (34.7% vs. 19.0%, P = 0.007). The proportion of severe or critical conditions was significantly higher in the cases with Delta variant infection than that in the cases with Omicron variant infection (12.7% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.002). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed following risk factors for the occurrence of severe or critical conditions among the elderly cases: infected with Delta variant (odds ratio [OR] = 5.7, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.1 – 31.2), aged ≥ 80 years (OR = 8.4, 95% CI = 2.0 – 34.4), suffering from dyskinesia (OR = 5.3, 95% CI: 1.5 – 18.3), and suffering from diabetes (OR = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.1 – 31.3). ConclusionIn COVID-19 patients aged 60 years and above, clinical symptoms and the occurrence of server or critical conditions differ by different SARS-CoV-2 variants and the patients with Delta variant infection, at older age, and with underlying diseases are at a higher risk of having severe or critical conditions.

Abstract Background The composition and diversity of root microbial community are affected by plant genotypes and soil environment, which in turn affect plant growth and development. Grafting rootstock types of the apple tree can affect phenotypes in cultivation practice, but it is not clear whether grafting rootstock types can affect the composition and diversity of root microbial community and the resistance of apple tree to apple Valsa canker. Methods To explore root microbial differences and the correlation, 16S rRNA and ITS genes were sequenced using Novaseq technology. Results The results showed that the influence of grafting rootstock types on the composition of the root fungal community was greater than that of bacteria. And the bacterial community richness was higher in the healthy (OTUs: 1693) and dwarfing rootstock (OTUs: 1526) than in the disease (OTUs: 1181) and standard rootstock (OTUs: 1412), while the fungal community richness was the opposite. Moreover, the bacterial abundance of root zone, rhizosphere, and root endophytic microorganisms with the same grafting rootstock type exhibited a decreasing trend. Results of Nested PCR assay on soil and root tissue of Valsa mali showed that the content of V. mali in dwarfing rootstocks are lower than standard rootstocks. These results suggest that apple trees grafting with dwarfing rootstocks are more resistant to V. mali than standard rootstocks. Conclusions Under different grafting types, the effect on the composition of fungal community in apple tree root was greater than that of bacteria. The bacterial community in dwarfing rootstocks is more abundant and diverse, including more beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, dwarfing rootstock is more conducive to the resistance to apple Valsa canker from biological control.

In this paper, we prepared a self-crosslinking amino-functional graphene oxide/styrene acrylic hybrid emulsion (AGO/SA). The styrene acrylic emulsion (SA) was synthesized with acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate (AAEM) by semicontinuous seeded emulsion polymerization. Then, amino-functionalized graphene oxide (AGO) was prepared via the modification of graphene oxide (GO) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and reacted with the SA emulsion as a crosslinking agent by in situ polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravity analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to explore the chemical structures and morphologies of the samples. The anti-corrosion performance of the AGO/SA coatings was evaluated by Tafel polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Along with the crosslink between AGO and SA, the micropores in the matrix were reduced, the coating expressed improved corrosion resistance due to the graphene barrier, and the hybrid emulsion with 0.7 wt.% AGO exhibited the best anti-corrosion properties. These results indicate that AGO can act as both a crosslinking agent and an anti-corrosion agent in self-crosslinking hybrid emulsions, which have great potential in the field of environmentally friendly emulsions.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of regular aerobic exercise on the improvement of renal function in patients with chronic kidney disease through meta-analysis and to provide targeted exercise recommendations for patients with CKD.Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and other databases were searched, and randomized controlled trials on the effects of regular aerobic exercise on renal function-related indexes in patients with CKD were collected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the included literature was evaluated using the Cochrane evaluation tool second generation, and statistical analysis was performed using R analysis software.Results: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a total of patients with CKD were included, and the results of the meta-analysis showed that regular aerobic exercise significantly improved the estimated glomerular filtration rate SMD = 0.65, 95% CI [0.30, 1.00], serum creatinine SMD = -0.63, 95% CI [-0.86, -0.40], 24-h urine protein volume in patients with CKD SMD = -0.41, 95% CI [-0.70, -0.11], and serum urea nitrogen SMD = -0.66, 95% CI [-1.20, -0.12]. Single exercise session longer than 30 min significantly improved the estimated glomerular filtration rate in CKD patients (p < 0.01), and walking and running as exercise modalities significantly improved CKD patients’ SCr levels were significantly improved by walking and running as exercise modalities (p < 0.05), and the improvement effect was not significant when cycling was selected as an exercise modality.Conclusion: Regular aerobic exercise has a significant effect on the estimated glomerular filtration rate, serum creatinine, 24-h urine protein amount, and blood urea nitrogen in CKD patients. Aerobic exercise with a single exercise duration longer than 30 min has a more significant effect on the estimated glomerular filtration rate, and aerobic exercise by walking or running can more effectively improve the serum creatinine in CKD patients.

Osteoporosis is a common bone metabolic disease among the middle-aged and elderly, with its high incidence rate and a major cause of disability and mortality. Early studies found that bone metabolic homeostasis is achieved through osteogenesis-osteoclast coupling. Although current anti-osteoporosis drugs can attenuate bone loss caused by aging, they present specific side effects. With the discovery of CD31hi Emcnhi blood vessels in 2014, the effect of H-type blood vessels on bone metabolism has been valued by researchers, and the ternary regulation theory of bone metabolism of “Angiogenesis-Osteoclast-Osteogenesis” has also been recognized. Nowadays, more studies have confirmed that peripheral nerves substantially impact bone metabolism. However, due to the complex function of peripheral nerves, the crosstalk mechanism of “Peripheral nerve-Angiogenesis-Osteoclast-Osteogenesis” has not yet been fully revealed. Neuropeptide serves as signaling molecules secreted by peripheral nerves that regulate blood vessels, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts’ functions. It is likely to be the breakthrough point of the quaternary regulation theory of “Peripheral nerve-Angiogenesis-Osteoclast-Osteogenesis”. Here, we discuss the effect of peripheral nerves on osteoporosis based on neuropeptides.

Domestic workers usually perform manual work in households. Unlike fixed work, their work tends to be individualized and atomized. Their person–job fit and relationship with employers might exert some influence on their health, both physical and psychological. This quantitative study explores the association between person–job fit, health status, and depressive symptoms among Chinese domestic workers by identifying the employer–employee relationship as a mediator. Data is collected from a survey of Chinese domestic workers conducted in four cities of Nanjing, Wuxi, Guangzhou, and Foshan (N = 1,003) in 2019. We test our theoretical model by conducting structural equation modeling. The results show that demand–ability fit is indirectly related to heath status and depressive symptoms via the employer–employee relationship. Need–supply fit is significantly associated with health status and depressive symptoms both directly (70% for health status and 72% for depressive symptoms, separately) and indirectly, via the mediating effect of the employer–employee relationship (30% for health and 28% for depressive symptoms, separately). Our findings suggest that appropriate policy and vocational training should be implemented to improve the health status of Chinese domestic workers.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria have been shown to play important roles in maintaining host fitness under periods of abiotic stress, and yet their effect on mulberry trees which regularly suffer drought after flooding in the hydro-fluctuation belt of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region in China remains largely uncharacterized. In the present study, 74 bacterial isolates were obtained from the rhizosphere soil of mulberry after drought stress, including 12 phosphate-solubilizing and 10 indole-3-acetic-acid-producing isolates. Bacillus megaterium HGS7 was selected for further study due to the abundance of traits that might benefit plants. Genomic analysis revealed that strain HGS7 possessed multiple genes that contributed to plant growth promotion, stress tolerance enhancement, and antimicrobial compound production. B. megaterium HGS7 consistently exhibited antagonistic activity against phytopathogens and strong tolerance to abiotic stress in vitro. Moreover, this strain stimulated mulberry seed germination and seedling growth. It may also induce the production of proline and antioxidant enzymes in mulberry trees to enhance drought tolerance and accelerate growth recovery after drought stress. The knowledge of the interactions between rhizobacteria HGS7 and its host plant might provide a potential strategy to enhance the drought tolerance of mulberry trees in a hydro-fluctuation belt.

BackgroundFor the past few years, only a few monovalent EV71 vaccines have been developed, while other enterovirus vaccines are in short supply. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis to explore the epidemiological characteristics, routine laboratory diagnosis, clinical signs and risk factors for hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).MethodsPubMed, Embase and the Web of Science were searched for eligible reports published before April 16, 2021, with no publication time or language restrictions. The primary outcome was the odds ratio of the epidemiological characteristics, routine laboratory diagnosis, and clinical signs associated with HFMD severity and death.ResultsAfter screening 10522 records, we included 32 articles comprising 781903 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease. Patients with severe illness developed some clinical signs (hypersomnia (OR = 21.97, 95% CI: 4.13 to 116.74), convulsion (OR = 16.18, 95% CI: 5.30 to 49.39), limb shaking (OR = 47.96, 95% CI: 15.17 to 151.67), and breathlessness (OR = 7.48, 95% CI: 1.90 to 29.40)) and had some changes in laboratory parameters (interleukin-6 levels standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.57, 95%CI: 0.55 to 2.60), an increased neutrophils ratio (SMD = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.17 to 0.93), cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4+) (SMD = -1.38, 95%CI: -2.33 to -0.43) and a reduced lymphocytes ratio (SMD = -0.48, 95%CI: -0.93 to -0.33)) compared with patients with mild illness. The risk factors for death included cyanosis (OR = 5.82, 95% CI: 2.29 to 14.81), a fast heart rate (OR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.65 to 6.30), vomiting (OR = 2.70, 95% CI: 1.33 to 5.49) and an increased WBC count (SMD = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.93).ConclusionsChina has the highest incidence of HFMD. Our meta-analyses revealed important risk factors that are associated with the severity and mortality of HFMD.

The evolved acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibiting herbicide-resistant redroot amaranth has been confirmed in China and caused a great loss in soybean production. This study was conducted to evaluate the growth and competitiveness of ALS-resistant (R) and ALS-susceptible (S) redroot amaranth biotypes. Seeds of both R and S biotypes were subjected to different temperature regimes. Data revealed that the germination percentage and seedling vigor of both biotypes did not differ largely from each other at 10/20 to 30/40 °C. Under noncompetitive conditions, there were no significant leaf number, plant height, or dry weight differences between the R and S biotypes. Moreover, replacement series experiment results indicated that the R and S biotypes have a similar competitive ability. This study shows that there are no significant differences in growth or competitiveness between the R and S redroot amaranth biotypes regarding the physiological characteristics evaluated. Therefore, the proportion and distribution of the R biotype will not be affected in the absence of the ALS-inhibiting herbicide. Some other effective management practices should be adopted to cope with this troublesome weed.

Antibacterial hand sanitizers could play a prominent role in slowing down the spread and infection of hand bacterial pathogens; luteolin (LUT) is potentially useful as an antibacterial component. Therefore, this study elucidated the antibacterial mechanism of LUT against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and developed an antibacterial hand sanitizer. The results showed that LUT had excellent antibacterial activity against both E. coli (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 312.5 μg/mL, minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) = 625 μg/mL), and S. aureus (MIC = 312.5 μg/mL, MBC = 625 μg/mL). Furthermore, LUT induced cell dysfunction in E. coli and S. aureus, changed membrane permeability, and promoted the leakage of cellular contents. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed that LUT treatment affected cell structure and disrupted cell membrane integrity. The Fourier transform infrared analysis (FTIR) also confirmed that the LUT acted on the cell membranes of both E. coli and S. aureus. Overall, the application of LUT in hand sanitizer had better inhibition effects. Therefore, this study could provide insight into expanding the application of LUT in the hand sanitizer markets.

Cytokinins (CKs) can modulate plant immunity to various pathogens, but how CKs are involved in plant defense responses to the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea is still unknown. Here, we found that B. cinerea infection induced transcriptional changes in multiple genes involved in the biosynthesis, degradation, and signaling of CKs, as well as their contents, in pathogen-infected Arabidopsis leaves. Among the CKs, the gene expression of CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE 5 (CKX5) was remarkably induced in the local infected leaves and the distant leaves of the same plant without pathogen inoculation. Cis-zeatin (cZ) and its riboside (cZR) accumulated considerably in infected leaves, suggesting an important role of the cis-zeatin type of CKs in the plant response to B. cinerea. Cytokinin double-receptor mutants were more susceptible to B. cinerea infection, whereas an exogenous CK treatment enhanced the expression levels of defense-related genes and of jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene (ET), but not salicylic acid (SA), resulting in higher resistance of Arabidopsis to B. cinerea. Investigation of CK responses to B. cinerea infection in the JA biosynthesis mutant, jar1-1, and ET-insensitive mutant, ein2-1, showed that CK signaling and levels of CKs, namely, those of isopentenyladenine (iP), isopentenyladenine riboside (iPR), and trans-zeatin (tZ), were enhanced in jar1-1-infected leaves. By contrast, reductions in iP, iPR, tZ, and tZ riboside (tZR) as well as cZR contents occurred in ein2-1-infected leaves, whose transcript levels of CK signaling genes were likewise differentially regulated. The Arabidopsis Response Regulator 5 (ARR5) gene was upregulated in infected leaves of ein2-1 whereas another type-A response regulator, ARR16, was significantly downregulated, suggesting the existence of a complex regulation of CK signaling via the ET pathway. Accumulation of the cis-zeatin type of CKs in B. cinerea-infected leaves depended on ET but not JA pathways. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that CK responds to B. cinerea infection in a variety of ways that are differently modulated by JA and ET pathways in Arabidopsis.

Using soft pneumatic actuator is a feasible solution in the complex unstructured environment, owing to their inherent compliance, light weight, and safety. However, due to the limitations of soft actuators' materials and structures, they fall short of motion accuracy and load capacity, or need large-size, bulky compressors. Meanwhile, in order to gain better control, it is essential for them to sense the environments as well. This leads to high-price sensors or a complicated manufacture technique. Here, a self-sensing vacuum soft actuation structure is proposed, aiming at acquiring good balance among precision, output force, and actuation pressure. The actuator mainly comprises a flexible membrane and a compression spring. When actuated, the flexible membrane outside the actuator compresses the internal spring skeleton, realizing large contractile motion in axial direction. Its built-in force sensor can indirectly measure the absolute displacement of the actuator with certain accuracy (about 5% F.S.). Besides, it does not require high actuation pressure to generate enough output force. The actuator is quite easy to manufacture with low cost, and there are a variety of materials to choose from. We established quasi-static models for actuators built of two different kinds of membrane materials, and tested their accuracy and output force. In addition, to break through the limits of vacuum actuation, a method of positive-negative pressure combined actuation has been proposed, which lowers the requirements for air source equipments, increases actuation pressure, and reduces potential safety threats at the same time. This kind of soft actuators can also effectively resist and detect impacts. The design of a two-finger dexterous robot hand and robot joint based on this soft actuator illustrates its broad application prospects in the fields of mobile robots, wearable devices, and human–robot interaction.

Inducible gene expression systems are important tools for studying gene function and to control protein synthesis. With the completion of the detailed map of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) genome, the study of Bombyx mori has entered the post-genome era. While the functions of many genes have been described in detail, many coding genes remain unidentified. Except for the available tetracycline induction system, there is currently a dearth of other effective induction systems for B. mori. A genetic code expansion system can be used for protein labeling and to regulate gene expression. Here, we have established a genetic code expansion system for B. mori based on the well-researched tRNAPyl/PylRS pair from Methanosarcina mazei. We used H-Lys(Boc)-OH, which is a lysine derivative to efficiently and tightly control the expression of the reporter gene DsRed[TAG]EGFP (D[TAG]G), which encoded a H-Lys(Boc)-OH-bearing protein fused with DsRed and EGFP (here regarded as D[Boc]G) in B. mori cell lines BmE and BmNs. In D[TAG]G, the amber stop codon is recognized as the orthogonal tRNAPyl. Successful application of genetic code expansion system in silkworm cell lines will support the research into the function of silkworm genes and paves the way for the identification of new genes and protein markers in silkworm.

Rosa roxburghii tratt (RRT), widely distributed in the southwest of China, is favored by consumers for its good taste and healthy functions. In this study, thirty-seven compounds of Rosa roxburghii Tratt (RRT) were identified and quantified by gas chromatography–olfactometry (G–O) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Furthermore, ethyl 2-methylpropanoate, ethyl butanoate, ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, and ethyl hexanoate were present with much higher odor activity values (OAVs) than other compounds. The key notes were confirmed by omission tests. Possible interaction among key notes was investigated through odor intensity determination and sensory analysis. It showed fruity and woody notes had synergistic effects. Full factorial design was used to evaluate the notes contribution to the whole odor. One important finding is the major effect of order interactions, fruity note (X1) and woody note (X4) especially, emphasizing the existence of complex interactions occurring between odor notes. The interaction X1X4 was further investigated. The woody note has a positive effect when the fruity note is also in the mixture but tends to show a negative effect otherwise.

The endophytic microbiome is thought to play an important role in promoting plant growth and health. Using culture-independent and culture-dependent protocols, this study characterized the seasonal shifts in the endophytic fungal microbiota of four mulberry (Morus L.) cultivars having different levels of resistance to mulberry fruit sclerotiniosis. Core endophytes can be obtained by two approaches, and they were divided into two clusters by season. Spring samples harbored higher operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and α-diversity, while autumn samples had more sequences or isolates of the fungal class Dothideomycetes with the representative orders Capnodiales and Pleosporales. While comparing different mulberry cultivars, we found that the total number of OTUs in susceptible cultivars was higher than that of resistant cultivars, and Cladosporium sp. were observed in all. Notably, the causal agent of fruit sclerotiniosis (Scleromitrula shiraiana) was only detected in susceptible cultivars. Collectively, our work elucidated significant variations in the mulberry endophytic microbiome, mainly because of seasonal shifts, and the fact that the host cultivars and mulberry endophytic fungal community appeared to have a certain connection with the resistance level of mulberry fruit to sclerotiniosis. These results provided valuable information on the isolation and culturing of mulberry endophytes that could be applied to improve mulberry fruit production and health.

Abstract Background Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibition is a new therapeutic strategy for many malignancies. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of BRD4 inhibition by JQ1 on in vitro cell growth, migration and invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC). Methods The human normal epithelial cells and SACC cells (ACC-LM and ACC-83) were treated with JQ1 at concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.5 or 1 μM. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate cell proliferation. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution was evaluated by Flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence staining was used to examine the expression of BRD4 in SACC cells. The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay and western blot assay were performed to examine messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels in SACC cells. Wound-healing assay and transwell assay were used to evaluate the activities of migration and invasion of SACC cells. Results JQ1 exhibits no adverse effects on proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis of the normal human epithelial cells, while suppressed proliferation and cell cycle, and induced apoptosis of SACC cells, down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of BRD4 in SACC cells, meanwhile reduced protein expressions of c-myc and BCL-2, two known target genes of BRD4. Moreover, JQ1 inhibited SACC cell migration and invasion by regulating key epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) characteristics including E-cadherin, Vimentin and Twist. Conclusions BRD4 is an important transcription factor in SACC and BRD4 inhibition by JQ1 may be a new strategy for SACC treatment.

The increasing life expectancy of humans has led to a growing numbers of patients with chronic diseases and end-stage organ failure. Transplantation is an effective approach for the treatment of end-stage organ failure; however, the imbalance between organ supply and the demand for human organs is a bottleneck for clinical transplantation. Therefore, xenotransplantation might be a promising alternative approach to bridge the gap between the supply and demand of organs, tissues, and cells; however, immunological barriers are limiting factors in clinical xenotransplantation. Thanks to advances in gene-editing tools and immunosuppressive therapy as well as the prolonged xenograft survival time in pig-to-non-human primate models, clinical xenotransplantation has become more viable. In this review, we focus on the evolution and current status of xenotransplantation research, including our current understanding of the immunological mechanisms involved in xenograft rejection, genetically modified pigs used for xenotransplantation, and progress that has been made in developing pig-to-pig-to-non-human primate models. Three main types of rejection can occur after xenotransplantation, which we discuss in detail: (1) hyperacute xenograft rejection, (2) acute humoral xenograft rejection, and (3) acute cellular rejection. Furthermore, in studies on immunological rejection, genetically modified pigs have been generated to bridge cross-species molecular incompatibilities; in the last decade, most advances made in the field of xenotransplantation have resulted from the production of genetically engineered pigs; accordingly, we summarize the genetically modified pigs that are currently available for xenotransplantation. Next, we summarize the longest survival time of solid organs in preclinical models in recent years, including heart, liver, kidney, and lung xenotransplantation. Overall, we conclude that recent achievements and the accumulation of experience in xenotransplantation mean that the first-in-human clinical trial could be possible in the near future. Furthermore, we hope that xenotransplantation and various approaches will be able to collectively solve the problem of human organ shortage.

Previous studies have shown that Pb-BHA complexes (lead complexes of benzohydroxamic acid) have better collecting ability and can be used in flotation experiments with BHA acting as a collector and lead ions acting as activators. However, the structures of Pb-BHA complexes adsorbed on a mineral surface remain unclear. In this work, the adsorption behavior of Pb-BHA complexes on the scheelite surface was studied by flotation experiments and adsorption capacity measurements, and the structures of the adsorbed Pb-BHA complexes were determined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). The adsorption capacity results showed that more BHA was adsorbed on the scheelite surface in Pb-BHA flotation, and the XPS and TOF-SIMS analysis showed that the species of Pb-BHA complexes adsorbed on the scheelite surface were similar in activation flotation and Pb-BHA flotation. Therefore, the different contents of the complexes on the scheelite surface were responsible for the flotation behavior. XPS and TOF-SIMS showed that BHA combined with lead ions to form complexes with different structures, such as five- and four-membered ring structures. Structure fragment inference based on the measurements indicated that lead ions formed monomer complexes with two BHAs, and that lead hydroxide polymers with a certain degree of polymerization bonded with oxygen atoms in the complexes. The Pb-BHA complexes combine with oxygen atoms on the scheelite surface to form an adsorbate, rendering the surface hydrophobic.

As a primary strategy for production of biological drugs, recombinant proteins produced by transient transfection of mammalian cells are essential for both basic research and industrial production. Here, we established a high-throughput screening platform for improving the expression levels of recombinant proteins. In total, 10,011 small molecule compounds were screened through our platform. After two rounds of screening, we identified two compounds, Apicidin and M-344, that significantly enhanced recombinant protein expression. Both of the selected compounds were histone deacetylase inhibitors, suggesting that the two small molecules increased the expression levels of recombinant proteins by promoting histone acetylation. Moreover, both molecules showed low cytotoxicity. Therefore, our findings suggest that these small molecules may have wide applications in the future.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) long protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve. METHODS:We searched the PubMed (1992-2016), Cochrane Library (1999-2016), Web of Science (1950-2016), Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM, 1979-2016), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI, 1994-2016). Any randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared GnRH-ant protocol and GnRH-a long protocol in patients with normal ovarian reserve were included, and data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The meta-analysis was performed by Revman 5.3 software. RESULTS:Twenty-nine RCTs (6399 patients) were included in this meta-analysis. Stimulation days (mean difference (MD) [95% confidence interval (CI)] = -0.8 [-1.36, -0.23], P = 0.006), gonadotrophin (Gn) dosage (MD [95% CI] = -3.52 [-5.56, -1.48], P = 0.0007), estradiol (E2) level on the day of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) administration (MD [95% CI] = -365.49 [-532.93, -198.05], P

The key point of our work was evaluating the impact of terpene alcohols on the aroma expression of terpenes recombination in Chrysanthemum essential oils. Using pure commercial products, various aromatic recombinations were prepared, consisting of terpenes recombination and six terpene alcohols, all the concentrations found in Chrysanthemum essential oils. There were five groups of terpene alcohols mixtures performed very interesting with the addition or omission tests. The “olfactory threshold„ of the terpenes recombination had a notable decrease when adding isoborneol, d-Fenchyl alcohol respectively through the Feller’s additive model analysis. Furthermore, the descriptive test indicated that the addition of terpene alcohols mixture had the different effect on fruity, floral, woody, green, and herbal aroma intensity. Specifically, when isoborneol was added to the terpenes recombination in squalane solution, it was revealed that isoborneol had a synergy impact on herbal and green notes of the terpenes recombination and masked the fruity note.