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Trichosporeae is the largest and most taxonomically difficult tribe of Gesneriaceae due to its diverse morphology. Previous studies have not clarified the phylogenetic relationships within this tribe on several DNA markers, including the generic relationships within subtribes. Recently, plastid phylogenomics have been successfully employed to resolve the phylogenetic relationships at different taxonomic levels. In this study, plastid phylogenomics were used to explore the relationships within Trichosporeae. Eleven plastomes of Hemiboea were newly reported. Comparative analyses, phylogeny and morphological character evolution within Trichosporeae were conducted on 79 species representing seven subtribes. The Hemiboea plastomes range from 152,742 bp to 153,695 bp in length. Within Trichosporeae, the sampled plastomes range from 152,196 bp to 156,614 bp and GC content from 37.2% to 37.8%. A total of 121–133 genes were annotated in each species, including 80–91 protein-coding genes, 34–37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The contraction and expansion of IR borders were not detected, and gene rearrangements and inversions did not occur. The 13 hypervariable regions were proposed as the potential molecular markers for species identification. A total of 24,299 SNPs and 3,378 indels were inferred, and most of the SNPs were functionally missense and silent variations. There were 1968 SSRs, 2055 tandem repeats and 2802 dispersed repeats. The RSCU and ENC values indicated that the codon usage pattern was conserved in Trichosporeae. Both the phylogenetic frameworks based on the whole plastome and 80 CDSs were basically concordant. The sister relationships between Loxocarpinae and Didymocarpinae were confirmed, and Oreocharis was a sister group of Hemiboea with high support. The morphological characters showed a complex evolutionary pattern of Trichosporeae. Our findings may contribute to future research on genetic diversity, morphological evolutionary patterns, and conservation of the tribe Trichosporeae.

Background: Calcium silicate biomaterials (CSB) have witnessed rapid development in the past 30 years. This study aimed to accomplish a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the published research literature on CSB for biomedical applications and explore the research hotspot and current status.Methods: Articles related to CSB published in the last three decades (1990–2020) were retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection. The R bibliometrix package and VOSviewer were used to construct publication outputs and collaborative networking among authors, their institutes, countries, journals’ matrices and keywords plus.Results: A total of 872 publications fulfilling the search criteria were included. CSB is mainly reported for bone tissues and dental applications. Among researchers, Chang J from Chinese Academy of Sciences and Gandolfi MG from the University of Bologna are the most productive author in these two fields, respectively. China was the leading contributor to the research on CSB in the medical field. A total of 130 keywords appeared more ten or more times were identified. The term “mineral trioxide aggregate” ranked first with 268 occurrences. The co-occurrence analysis identified three major clusters: CSB in dentistry, bone tissue and vitro bioactivity.Conclusion: Calcium silicate biomaterials have a promising scope for various biomedical applications ranging from regeneration of hard tissues (bone and teeth) to skin, tumor, cardiac muscle and other soft tissues. This study may help researchers further understand the frontiers of the field.

Pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma (ASPC) is a rare subtype of pancreatic cancer with lethal malignancy, and few studies have focused on the heterogeneity of ASPC. Here, we performed a single-cell sequencing procedure on pancreatic tumor tissue from an ASPC patient and a patient with high-grade intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). Through the combined analysis of single-cell sequencing data from five pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients, one IPMN patient, and one ASPC patient in a public database, we identified 11 main types of cells, including macrophages, B cells, cancer stem cells, ductal cells, fibroblasts, endo/stellate cells, neutrophils, acinar cells, T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, dendritic cells, and mast cells. Then, the different characteristics and differentiation paths of the immune microenvironment among IPMN, ASPC, and PDAC in macrophages, T cells, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) were identified through multiple bioinformatics analyses. Two novel special cancer-associated fibroblasts were identified as nCAFs and imCAFs. Then, cancer cells in duct cells were identified using the infercnv software. Two ASPC-specific subgroups of cancer cells with squamous cell features were identified. Finally, the identified specific CAFs and cancer cells were mapped to TCGA-PAAD cohort through the cibersoftx software. All of these identified subgroups were calculated to have a significant prognostic value in pancreatic cancer patients. These findings will promote the clinical application of single-cell sequencing data of pancreatic cancer and deepen our understanding of ASPC.

Classical cavernous sinus embolism is a rare clinical finding, presented most commonly by complaints of headache, diplopia, visual field defects, facial pain, and progressive neurological deficits. Many patients exhibit symptoms of III, IV, and VI nerve palsies. We hereby report a rare case of aseptic cavernous sinus embolism developed in a 75-year-old male with primary lung cancer who presented with binocular diplopia due to unilateral third and sixth cranial nerve palsies with pupil-sparing. The possibility of cavernous sinus cancer embolus should be considered if the routine examination excluded metastases, infiltration, carcinomatous meningitis, or the paraneoplastic process. 18F-FDG PET imaging may provide a promising diagnostic modality for the diagnosis of cancer embolus.

Cathepsin B (CTSB) is a lysosomal protease implicated in the progression of various diseases. A large number of CTSB-related studies have been conducted to date. However, there is no comprehensive bibliometric analysis on this subject. In our study, we performed quantitative analysis of CTSB-related publications retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) of the Web of Science Core Collection (reference period: 2011–2021). A total of 3,062 original articles and reviews were retrieved. The largest number of publications were from USA (n = 847, 27.66%). The research output of each country showed positive correlation with gross domestic product (GDP) (r = 0.9745, P < 0.0001). Active collaborations between countries/regions were also observed. Reinheckel T and Sloane BF were perhaps the most impactful researchers in the research landscape of CTSB. Plos ONE was the most prevalent (119/3,062, 3.89%) and cited journal (3,021 citations). Comprehensive analysis of the top citations, co-citations, and keywords was performed to acquire the theoretical basis and hotspots of CTSB-related research. The main topics included CTSB-related cancers and inflammatory diseases, CTSB-associated cell death pattern, and the applications of CTSB. These results provide comprehensive insights into the current status of global CTSB-related research especially in pancreas, which is worthy of continued follow-up by practitioners and clinicians in this field.

BackgroundEnteropeptidase (EP) is a type II transmembrane serine protease and a physiological activator of trypsinogen. Extensive studies related to EP have been conducted to date. However, no bibliometric analysis has systematically investigated this theme. Our study aimed to visualize the current landscape and frontier trends of scientific achievements on EP, provide an overview of the past 120 years and insights for researchers and clinicians to facilitate future collaborative research and clinical intervention.MethodsQuantitative analysis of publications relating to EP from 1900 to 2020 was interpreted and graphed through the Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science Core Collection (limited to SCIE). Microsoft office 2019, GraphPad Prism 8, VOSviewer, and R-bibliometrix were used to conduct the bibliometric analysis.ResultsFrom 1900 to 2020, a total of 1,034 publications were retrieved. The USA had the largest number of publications, making the greatest contribution to the topic (n = 260, 25.15%). Active collaborations between countries/regions were also enrolled. Grant and Hermontaylor were perhaps the most impactful researchers in the landscape of EP. Protein Expression and Purification and the Journal of Biological Chemistry were the most prevalent (79/1,034, 7.64%) and cited journals (n = 2,626), respectively. Using the top 15 citations and co-citations achievements clarified the theoretical basis of the EP research field. Important topics mainly include the structure of EP, the affective factors for activating substrates by EP, EP-related disorders, and inhibitors of EP.ConclusionBased on the bibliometric analysis, we have gained a comprehensive analysis of the global status and research frontiers of studies investigating EP, which provides some guidance and reference for researchers and clinicians engaged in EP research.

Background: Contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) is used to diagnose small fiber neuropathy (SFN). We established the normal values of CHEPs parameters in Chinese adults, optimized the test technique, and determined its reproducibility.Methods: We recruited 151 healthy adults (80 men; mean age, 37 ± 14 years). CHEPs was performed on the right forearm to determine the optimal number of stimuli, and then conducted at different sites to establish normal values, determine the effects of demographic characteristics and baseline temperature, and assess the short- (30 min) and long-term (1 year) reproducibility. N2 latency/height varied with age and sex, while P2 latency/height and N2–P2 amplitude varied with age. The optimal number of stimuli was three.Results: N2 latency/height (t = 5.45, P < 0.001) and P2 latency/height (χ2 = −4.06, P < 0.001) decreased and N2–P2 amplitude (t = −5.01, P < 0.001) and visual analog scale score (χ2 = −5.84, P < 0.001) increased with increased baseline temperature (35 vs. 32°C). CHEPs parameters did not differ with time (baseline vs. 30 min vs. 1 year).Conclusion: We established normal CHEPs values in Chinese adults. We found that CHEPs parameters changed with baseline temperature and that the short- and long-term test reproducibility were satisfactory.

Purpose: Cerebral aspergillosis (CA) is a rare but often fatal, difficult-to-diagnose, opportunistic infection. The utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for diagnosis of CA is unclear. We evaluated the usefulness of mNGS of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of CA.Methods: This prospective study involved seven consecutive patients with confirmed CA in whom CSF mNGS was performed. Serum (1→3)-β-D-glucan and galactomannan levels were determined, and histopathological examination and mNGS of the CSF were conducted. CSF specimens from three non-infected patients were used as positive controls.Results: mNGS of the CSF was positive in six of the seven confirmed CA cases (85.71% sensitivity). In the cryptococcal meningitis group (control), mNGS of the CSF was positive for Aspergillus in two patients (84.62% specificity). The positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, and Youden’s index of mNGS for CA in the CSF were 5.565, 0.169, and 0.7, respectively. Among the six mNGS-positive cases, more than two Aspergillus species were found in four (4/6, 66.67%). In the positive controls, the addition of one A. fumigatus spore yielded a standardised species-specific read number (SDSSRN) of 25.45 by mNGS; the detection rate would be 0.98 if SDSSRN was 2.Conclusion: mNGS facilitates the diagnosis of CA and may reduce the need for cerebral biopsy in patients with suspected CA.Trial Registration Number: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800020442.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and malignant brain tumor, and almost half of the patients carrying EGFR-driven tumor with PTEN deficiency are resistant to EGFR-targeted therapy. EGFR amplification and/or mutation is reported in various epithelial tumors. This series of studies aimed to identify a potent compound against EGFR-driven tumor. We screened a chemical library containing over 600 individual compounds purified from Traditional Chinese Medicine against GBM cells with EGFR amplification and found that cinobufagin, the major active ingredient of Chansu, inhibited the proliferation of EGFR amplified GBM cells and PTEN deficiency enhanced its anti-proliferation effects. Cinobufagin also strongly inhibited the proliferation of carcinoma cell lines with wild-type or mutant EGFR expression. In contrast, the compound only weakly inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells with low or without EGFR expression. Cinobufagin blocked EGFR phosphorylation and its downstream signaling, which additionally induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity in EGFR amplified cancer cells. In vivo, cinobufagin blocked EGFR signaling, inhibited cell proliferation, and elicited apoptosis, thereby suppressing tumor growth in both subcutaneous and intracranial U87MG-EGFR xenograft mouse models and increasing the median survival of nude mice bearing intracranial U87MG-EGFR tumors. Cinobufagin is a potential therapeutic agent for treating malignant glioma and other human cancers expressing EGFR.

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure both plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) and phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) levels in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) patients, and to compare them with that of healthy controls. The correlation between plasma or CSF TDP-43/pTDP-43 and clinical indicators of ALS patients was assessed.Methods: Paired plasma and CSF TDP-43/pTDP-43 levels in 69 ALS patients and 59 healthy controls were measured by sandwich ELISA. Time to generalization (TTG), an indicator suggested that the time of symptoms spreading from spinal or bulbar localization to both, was evaluated in all patients screened for mutations in genes associated with ALS.Results: Both of the plasma TDP-43 and pTDP-43 levels were significantly higher in ALS patients than HCs (P < 0.001). The pTDP-43/TDP-43 ratios in plasma were significantly higher in HCs than ALS patients (P < 0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) value was 0.924 for plasma TDP-43 level, with a 91.3% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity. Moreover, the correlation between plasma and CSF TDP-43 was observed in each ALS patient (r = 0.195, P = 0.027). A correlation between CSF pTDP-43 levels and the ALSFRS-R (r = −0.245; P = 0.042) was established. A correlation was observed between plasma TDP-43 levels and TTG in ALS patients, which indicated that high levels of plasma TDP-43 correlated with prolonged TTG (r = 0.415; P = 0.004).Conclusion: The plasma TDP-43 and pTDP-43 levels might play an important role in diagnosis in the future study of ALS. The plasma TDP-43 might differentiate ALS and HC groups based on high sensitivity and specificity, and as an indicator of progression of disease.

Deaths due to invasive fungal disease (IFD) have been increasing every year. Early and rapid detection is important to reduce the mortality rate associated with IFD. In this study, we explored a novel diagnostic method for detecting IFD, which involves the G Factor α subunit (GFαSub) from Limulus polyphemus. The GFαSub double-sandwich method was developed to detect (1,3)-β-D-glucans in human serum using purified GFαSub and horseradish peroxidase-labeled GFαSub. The GFαSub double-sandwich method and the G test were performed and compared. Using GFαSub sequence analysis, the expression plasmid pET30a-GFαSub252-668 was synthesized, and GFαSub252-668 was expressed and purified via isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside induction and nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid affinity. The optimization method was established via the orthogonal method. Using this method, the sera of 36 patients with IFD and 92 volunteers without IFD underwent detection, and the receiver operating characteristic curve of the GFαSub252-668 double-sandwich method was described. The sensitivity and specificity of the GFαSub252-668 double-sandwich method were 91.67 and 82.61%, respectively, and there was good correlation with the G test for the serum specimens of 36 patients with pulmonary IFD (R2 = 0.7592). In conclusion, our study suggests that the GFαSub252-668 double-sandwich method was satisfactory at detecting IFD cases. This method can be promoted and further developed as a novel method for diagnosing IFD.

Cortical T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)-hyperintense lesions in anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-associated encephalitis with seizures (FLAMES) are mostly unilateral and rarely spread to the bilateral cortex and meninges. We describe a case of MOG-immunoglobulin G (IgG) associated disorder (MOGAD) in a 39-year-old male with bilateral meningo-cortical involvement. The patient was hospitalized for epilepsy, fever, and headache. The initial MRI revealed abnormalities in the sulci of the bilateral frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. He was considered to have infectious encephalitis and given empiric antibiotic and antiviral therapy, which were ineffective. His condition rapidly improved after the patient was switched to high-dose immunoglobulin therapy. No tests supported the presence of central nervous system (CNS) infections or autoimmune encephalitis. The second and third MRI scans showed reduced but still clearly observable meningo-cortical lesions. The patient was discharged without a definite diagnosis, but reported severe left vision impairment 25 days later. A fourth MRI showed signs typical of demyelinating CNS disease in addition to the original meningo-cortical lesions. The patient's symptoms were initially relieved by low-dose corticosteroid therapy, but they eventually returned, and he was re-admitted. The original lesions were diminished on the fifth MRI scan, but new lesions had developed in the deep white matter. A positive cell-based assay for MOG-IgG in serum confirmed MOGAD. The patient received high-dose corticosteroid treatment followed by an oral methylprednisolone taper, and his visual acuity gradually improved. The sixth and final MRI showed substantial decreases in the original lesions without new lesion formation. This unique case presents the complete diagnosis and treatment process for MOGAD with bilateral meningo-cortical involvement and may provide a reference for prompt diagnosis.

Background and AimsPrevious studies have demonstrated the anti-hypertensive effect of chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) in hypertensive rats. The present study investigated the anti-hypertensive effect of CIHH in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in anti-hypertensive effect of CIHH.MethodsFifteen-week-old male SHR and WKY rats were divided into four groups: the SHR without CIHH treatment (SHR-CON), the SHR with CIHH treatment (SHR-CIHH), the WKY without CIHH treatment (WKY-CON), and the WKY with CIHH treatment (WKY-CIHH) groups. The SHR-CIHH and WKY-CIHH rats underwent 35-days of hypobaric hypoxia simulating an altitude of 4,000 m, 5 h per day. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were recorded by biotelemetry, and angiotensin (Ang) II, Ang1–7, interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-α, and IL-10 in serum and the mesenteric arteries were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The microvessel tension recording technique was used to determine the contraction and relaxation of the mesenteric arteries. Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s staining were used to observe vascular morphology and fibrosis. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), ACE2, AT1, and Mas proteins in the mesenteric artery.ResultsThe biotelemetry result showed that CIHH decreased arterial blood pressure in SHR for 3–4 weeks (P < 0.01). The ELISA and immunohistochemistry results showed that CIHH decreased Ang II, but increased Ang1–7 in serum and the mesenteric arteries of SHR. In the CIHH-treated SHR, IL-6 and TNF-α decreased in serum and the mesenteric arteries, and IL-10 increased in serum (P < 0.05–0.01). The microvessel tension results revealed that CIHH inhibited vascular contraction with decreased Ang1–7 in the mesenteric arteries of SHR (P < 0.05–0.01). The staining results revealed that CIHH significantly improved vascular remodeling and fibrosis in SHR. The western blot results demonstrated that CIHH upregulated expression of the ACE2 and Mas proteins, and downregulated expression of the ACE and AT1 proteins (P < 0.05–0.01).ConclusionCIHH decreased high blood pressure in SHR, possibly by inhibiting RAS activity, downregulating the ACE-Ang II-AT1 axis and upregulating the ACE2-(Ang1-7)-Mas axis, which resulted in antagonized vascular remodeling and fibrosis, reduced inflammation, and enhanced vascular relaxation.

Objectives: This study compared neurofilament light chain (NFL) levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) with levels in patients with other neurological diseases and healthy controls and assessed correlations between NFL levels and clinical indicators of sALS.Methods: We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to determine the NFL levels in the CSF of 45 patients with sALS, 21 patients with other central nervous system diseases (OCNSDs), 18 with immune-mediated peripheral neuropathy (IMPN), 14 with non-immune-mediated peripheral neuropathy (NIMPN), and 19 healthy controls (HCs).Results: The median NFL levels in the CSF of the sALS, OCNSD, IMPN, NIMPN, and HC groups were 6510, 5372, 4320, 1477, and 756 pg/mL, respectively. The CSF NFL levels did not differ significantly among the sALS, IMPN, and OCNSD groups, but were significantly higher than those of the NIMPN and HC groups. The NFL CSF levels were significantly higher in the NIMPN group than the HCs. There was a negative correlation between the NFL level and ALS function score (ALSFRS-R), and a positive correlation with the disease progression rate in patients with sALS.Conclusion: CSF NFL may not be sufficient to distinguish ALS from other central nervous system diseases or peripheral neuropathy, but it predicts ALS severity and progression.

Background: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant neuromuscular disease characterized by muscle weakness and multisystemic impairments, which significantly impact the quality of life. There is currently an increasing consensus on the necessity of a multidisciplinary assessment in patients with DM1, to improve the management of the disease.Methods: To analyze the prevalence and pairwise relationships between various organs involved, we performed a retrospective study by reviewing demographic and clinical information of DM1 patients including age, disease duration, clinical history, muscular impairment rating scale score (MIRS), results of blood biochemistry, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, and ophthalmologic examination.Results: Ninety three DM1 patients (60 males and 33 females), aged 34.7 ± 12.6 (mean ± standard deviation) years were recruited. Of which, two congenital cases were of maternal and paternal inheritance, respectively. In the other 91 patients, cataract was found in 44.1% of patients, followed by hypogonadism (40.8%), frontal balding (40.7%), and cardiac abnormalities (34.5%). Thyroid dysfunction and insulin insensitivity were relatively uncommon. Age (p < 0.001) is independently correlated with cataract, and MIRS correlates positively with cardiac abnormalities (p = 0.005) and frontal balding (p = 0.015). Male patients more frequently had frontal balding (Risk ratio, 3.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.493–10.611) compared with female patients. Male patients with cataract presented more frequent cardiac abnormalities (Risk ratio, 4.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.055–18.358) compared with non-cataract male patients. Hypogonadism in male patients was characterized as decreased testosterone level, accompanied by elevated levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone.Conclusions: In Chinese patients with DM1, we conclude that (1) cataract, hypogonadism, frontal balding and cardiac abnormalities are frequently observed; (2) age is an independent indicator to cataract and MIRS is the only predictor for cardiac abnormalities and frontal balding; (3) a positive correlation between ophthalmologic and cardiac impairments in male patients is found; (4) endocrine abnormalities show diverse manifestations and hormone tests are recommended; (5) particular attention should be given to patients with older age and higher MIRS score.

AimOur previous study demonstrated that chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (CIHH) can confer hepatic protection by reducing endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in high-fat-high-fructose induced metabolic syndrome (MS) rats. It is known that there is a functional coupling between autophagy and ERS. This study aimed to investigate the effect of CIHH on autophagy function and adenosine mono-phosphate-activated protein kinase-mammalian target of rapamycin (AMPKα-mTOR) signaling pathway in hepatic tissue of MS rats.Main Methods6-week old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into: control (CON), CIHH (treated with hypobaric hypoxia simulating 5000-m altitude for 28 days, 6 h daily), MS (induced by 16-week high fat diet and 10% fructose water feeding), and MS + CIHH groups (exposed to CIHH after 16-week MS model). Food and water intakes, body weight, Lee’s index, fat coefficient, systolic arterial pressure, blood biochemicals, and histopathology of liver were measured, the expression of phosphorylated (p)-AMPK, p-mTOR, autophagy-related and ERS-related proteins were assayed in hepatic tissue.Key FindingsThe MS rats displayed obesity, hypertension, polydipsia, glucose and lipids metabolism disorders, increased inflammatory cytokine, hepatic tissue morphological and functional damage, and the up-regulated expressions of ERS-related, autophagy-related proteins and p-mTOR, and the down-regulated expression of p-AMPKα. All aforementioned abnormalities in MS rats were ameliorated in MS + CIHH rats.SignificanceIn conclusion CIHH confers hepatic protection through activating AMPK-mTOR signaling pathway and the autophagy function, thus inhibiting ERS in hepatic tissue.

“Social mindfulness” refers to being thoughtful of others and considering their needs before making decisions, and can be characterized by low-cost and subtle gestures. The present study compared the behavioral and neural responses triggered by observing others’ socially mindful/unmindful choices and how these responses were modulated by the social status of the agency. At the behavioral level, observing socially mindful choices made observers feel better, rate the actors as more likable, and behave more cooperatively than did observing socially unmindful choices. Analysis of event-related potentials in the brain revealed that compared with socially unmindful choices, mindful choices elicited more negative feedback-related negativity (FRN). Notably, while this effect of social mindfulness was only significant when the actor’s social status was medium and high, it was undetectable when the actor’s social status was low. These results demonstrate that the social mindfulness of others can be rapidly detected and processed, as reflected by FRN, even though it does not seem to receive further, more elaborate evaluation. These findings indicated that low-cost cooperative behaviors such as social mindfulness can also be detected and appreciated by our brain, which may result in better mood and more cooperative behaviors in the perceivers. Besides, the perception of social mindfulness is sensitive to important social information, such as social status.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are intracellular carbon and energy storage materials produced in various microorganisms under nutrient-limited conditions. PhaR is a regulatory protein involved in PHA synthesis. Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) is one of the most important bacterial pathogens in rice and has PHA biosynthesis genes in its genome, but the biological function of phaR in Xoo is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of the mutagenesis of phaR gene in Xoo strain PXO99A. Compared to the wildtype, the PhaR gene knock-out mutant PXO99ΔphaR was hypermotile and showed decreased growth rates in both rich and limited nutrient media. PXO99ΔphaR also showed almost 75% decrease in extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production. When inoculated in rice leaves by leaf-clipping method, PXO99ΔphaR displayed reduced virulence in terms of lesion length and bacterial multiplication compared with the wildtype strain. PXO99ΔphaR also showed enhanced hypersensitive response (HR) induction in the leaves of non-host Nicotiana benthamiana with elevated hpa1 gene expression. Introduction of a cosmid containing the phaR coding sequence restored the phenotypes of the mutant to those of the wildtype strain. These results suggest that PhaR gene is an important gene that affects multiple bacterial characteristics, including EPS production, growth rate, defense response induced harpin production and motility, related to its virulence in plant.

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) is the major antibody in teleost fish and plays an important role in humoral adaptive immunity. The N-linked carbohydrates presenting on IgM have been well documented in higher vertebrates, but little is known regarding site-specific N-glycan characteristics in teleost IgM. In order to characterize these site-specific N-glycans, we conducted the first study of the N-glycans of each glycosylation site of the grass carp serum IgM. Among the four glycosylation sites, the Asn-262, Asn-303, and Asn-426 residues were efficiently glycosylated, while Asn-565 at the C-terminal tailpiece was incompletely occupied. A striking decrease in the level of occupancy at the Asn-565 glycosite was observed in dimeric IgM compared to that in monomeric IgM, and no glycan occupancy of Asn-565 was observed in tetrameric IgM. Glycopeptide analysis with liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry revealed mainly complex-type glycans with substantial heterogeneity, with neutral; monosialyl-, disialyl- and trisialylated; and fucosyl-and non-fucosyl-oligosaccharides conjugated to grass carp serum IgM. Glycan variation at a single site was greatest at the Asn-262 glycosite. Unlike IgMs in other species, only traces of complex-type and no high-mannose glycans were found at the Asn-565 glycosite. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization analysis of released glycans confirmed the overwhelming majority of carbohydrates were of the complex-type. These results indicate that grass carp serum IgM exhibits unique N-glycan features and highly processed oligosaccharides attached to individual glycosites.

Acetylene gas (C2H2) is one of the main arc discharge characteristic gases dissolved in power transformer oil. It is of great potential to monitor the fault gas on-line by applying gas sensor technology. In this paper, gas sensors based on nanorods and nanoneedles assembled hierarchical NiO structures have been prepared. Herein, we focus on investigate the relationship between the sizes of the assembling blocking units and gas sensing properties. It can be found that the addition of CTAB/EG plays a vital role in controlling the sizes of blocking unit and assembly manner of 3D hierarchical structures. A comparison study reveals that an enhanced gas sensing performance toward C2H2 for the sensor based on nanoneedle-assembled NiO flowers occurs over that of nanorod-assembled NiO. This enhancement could be ascribed to the larger specific area of needle-flower, which provides more adsorption and desorption sites for chemical reaction as well as effective diffusion channels for C2H2. Besides, a method of calculating the specific surface area without BET testing was presented to verify the results of gas sensing measurement. The possible growth mechanism and gas sensing mechanism were discussed. Such a synthesis way may open up an avenue to tailor the morphologies and control the sizes of blocking units of some other metal oxides and enhance their gas sensing performances.

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is associated with deficits in social communication and avoidance of social contact. It has been hypothesized that people with IAD may have an impaired capacity for empathy. The purpose of the current study was to examine the processing of empathy for others’ pain in IADs. Event-related potentials produced in response to pictures showing others in painful and non-painful situations were recorded in 16 IAD subjects and 16 healthy controls (HCs). The N1, P2, N2, P3, and late positive potential components were compared between the two groups. Robust picture × group interactions were observed for N2 and P3. The painful pictures elicited larger N2 and P3 amplitudes than the non-painful pictures did only in the HC group but not in the IAD group. The results of this study suggest that both of the early automatic and of the later cognitive processes of pain empathy may be impaired in IADs. This study provides psychophysical evidence of empathy deficits in association with IAD. Further studies combining multidimensional measurements of empathy are needed to confirm these findings.

Subunit vaccines that are poorly immunogenic are often combined with adjuvants for immunization. Our previous research identified a pneumolysin variant (ΔA146Ply), a Toll-like receptor 4 agonist, that was an effective adjuvant in the protection of fusion protein DnaJ-ΔA146Ply against mucosal Streptococcus pneumoniae infections. For pneumococcal vaccines, World Health Organization recommend injection as a regular vaccination approach. Subcutaneous immunization is a common and effective method of injection, so we explored the immunity mechanism of subcutaneous immunization with DnaJ-ΔA146Ply. We found that mice immunized subcutaneously with fusion proteins ΔA146Ply-DnaJ and DnaJ-ΔA146Ply produced a higher anti-DnaJ IgG titer than when DnaJ alone was administered. DnaJ-ΔA146Ply induced both B-cell and T-cell-dependent protection against both colonization and lethal pneumococcal infections. Levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A were also elevated in DnaJ-ΔA146Ply immunized mice. However, all these effects were negated in TLR4−/− mice compared to WT mice immunized with DnaJ-ΔA146Ply. B-cell-deficient μMT mice, nude mice, IFN-γ−/−, and IL-4−/− mice immunized with DnaJ-ΔA146Ply could not resist infection with pneumococci. IL-17A−/− and TLR4−/− mice did not benefit from DnaJ-ΔPly immunization in colonization experiments although their survival was not impaired compared with WT mice. Collectively, our data indicated that ΔA146Ply can be a potential subcutaneous adjuvant, and the DnaJ-ΔA146Ply fusion protein induces both humoral and cellular immune response to resist S. pneumoniae infection. The protective effect of colonization also depends on TLR4.

Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is characterized by impairments in social communication and the avoidance of social contact. Facial expression processing is the basis of social communication. However, few studies have investigated how individuals with IGD process facial expressions, and whether they have deficits in emotional facial processing remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to explore these two issues by investigating the time course of emotional facial processing in individuals with IGD. A backward masking task was used to investigate the differences between individuals with IGD and normal controls (NC) in the processing of subliminally presented facial expressions (sad, happy, and neutral) with event-related potentials (ERPs). The behavioral results showed that individuals with IGD are slower than NC in response to both sad and neutral expressions in the sad–neutral context. The ERP results showed that individuals with IGD exhibit decreased amplitudes in ERP component N170 (an index of early face processing) in response to neutral expressions compared to happy expressions in the happy–neutral expressions context, which might be due to their expectancies for positive emotional content. The NC, on the other hand, exhibited comparable N170 amplitudes in response to both happy and neutral expressions in the happy–neutral expressions context, as well as sad and neutral expressions in the sad–neutral expressions context. Both individuals with IGD and NC showed comparable ERP amplitudes during the processing of sad expressions and neutral expressions. The present study revealed that individuals with IGD have different unconscious neutral facial processing patterns compared with normal individuals and suggested that individuals with IGD may expect more positive emotion in the happy–neutral expressions context.Highlights:• The present study investigated whether the unconscious processing of facial expressions is influenced by excessive online gaming. A validated backward masking paradigm was used to investigate whether individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and normal controls (NC) exhibit different patterns in facial expression processing.• The results demonstrated that individuals with IGD respond differently to facial expressions compared with NC on a preattentive level. Behaviorally, individuals with IGD are slower than NC in response to both sad and neutral expressions in the sad–neutral context. The ERP results further showed (1) decreased amplitudes in the N170 component (an index of early face processing) in individuals with IGD when they process neutral expressions compared with happy expressions in the happy–neutral expressions context, whereas the NC exhibited comparable N170 amplitudes in response to these two expressions; (2) both the IGD and NC group demonstrated similar N170 amplitudes in response to sad and neutral faces in the sad–neutral expressions context.• The decreased amplitudes of N170 to neutral faces than happy faces in individuals with IGD might due to their less expectancies for neutral content in the happy–neutral expressions context, while individuals with IGD may have no different expectancies for neutral and sad faces in the sad–neutral expressions context.

The present study investigates the temporal dynamics of the brain activity predicting the sensory outcomes of observed hand-object interactions of others from a third-person perspective. Participants are presented with pictures of a hand grasping or withdrawing from noxious and neutral objects. They are then asked to judge whether this hand-object interaction causes painful consequences. In the early stages of stimulus processing, the effect of hand action was observed in the event-related potential (ERP) components N1, P2, and N2. Significant interactions of action × object were observed in the later components P3 and late positive potential (LPP). These results suggest that when observing the hand-object interaction from the third-person perspective, the action type of others can be processed in an automatic style. On the other hand, integrating the information of action and object to predict the sensory consequence of this interaction is a top-down, cognitive controlled processing. The current findings are different from previous studies using first-person perspective visual stimuli which support that the processing of hand-object interaction is rapid and automatic.

Mental time travel refers to the ability to recall past events and to imagine possible future events. Schizophrenia patients have problems in remembering specific personal experiences in the past and imagining what will happen in the future. This study aimed to examine episodic past and future thinking in schizophrenia spectrum disorders including schizophrenia patients and individuals with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) proneness who are at risk for developing schizophrenia. Thirty-two schizophrenia patients, 30 SPD proneness individuals, and 33 healthy controls participated in the study. The Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT) and the Sentence Completion for Events in the Future Test (SCEFT) were used to measure past and future thinking abilities. Results showed that schizophrenia patients showed significantly reduced specificity in recalling past and imagining future events, they generated less proportion of specific and extended events compared to healthy controls. SPD proneness individuals only generated less extended events compared to healthy controls. The reduced specificity was mainly manifested in imagining future events. Both schizophrenia patients and SPD proneness individuals generated less positive events than controls. These results suggest that mental time travel impairments in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and have implications for understanding their cognitive and emotional deficits.

The influences of peer relationships on adolescent subjective well-being were investigated within the framework of social network analysis, using exponential random graph models as a methodological tool. The participants in the study were 1,279 students (678 boys and 601 girls) from nine junior middle schools in Shenzhen, China. The initial stage of the research used a peer nomination questionnaire and a subjective well-being scale (used in previous studies) to collect data on the peer relationship networks and the subjective well-being of the students. Exponential random graph models were then used to explore the relationships between students with the aim of clarifying the character of the peer relationship networks and the influence of peer relationships on subjective well being. The results showed that all the adolescent peer relationship networks in our investigation had positive reciprocal effects, positive transitivity effects and negative expansiveness effects. However, none of the relationship networks had obvious receiver effects or leaders. The adolescents in partial peer relationship networks presented similar levels of subjective well-being on three dimensions (satisfaction with life, positive affects and negative affects) though not all network friends presented these similarities. The study shows that peer networks can affect an individual's subjective well-being. However, whether similarities among adolescents are the result of social influences or social choices needs further exploration, including longitudinal studies that investigate the potential processes of subjective well-being similarities among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental time travel refers to the ability to recall episodic past and imagine future events. The present study aimed to investigate cultural differences in mental time travel between Chinese and Australian university students. A total of 231 students (108 Chinese and 123 Australians) participated in the study. Their mental time travel abilities were measured by the Sentence Completion for Events from the Past Test (SCEPT) and the Sentence Completion for Events in the Future Test (SCEFT). Results showed that there were no cultural differences in the number of specific events generated for the past or future. Significant differences between the Chinese and Australian participants were found mainly in the emotional valence and content of the events generated. Both Chinese and Australian participants generated more specific positive events compared to negative events when thinking about the future and Chinese participants were more positive about their past than Australian participants when recalling specific events. For content, Chinese participants recalled more events about their interpersonal relationships, while Australian participants imagined more about personal future achievements. These findings shed some lights on cultural differences in episodic past and future thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our daily life, it is very common to make decisions in uncertain situations. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been widely used in laboratory studies because of its good simulation of uncertainty in real life activities. The present study aimed to examine the neural correlates of uncertain decision making with the IGT. Twenty-six university students completed this study. An adapted IGT was administered to them, and the EEG data were recorded. The adapted IGT we used allowed us to analyze the choice evaluation, response selection, and feedback evaluation stages of uncertain decision making within the same paradigm. In the choice evaluation stage, the advantageous decks evoked larger P3 amplitude in the left hemisphere, while the disadvantageous decks evoked larger P3 in the right hemisphere. In the response selection stage, the response of "pass" (the card was not turned over; the participants neither won nor lost money) evoked larger negativity preceding the response compared to that of "play" (the card was turned over; the participant either won or lost money). In the feedback evaluation stage, feedback-related negativity (FRN) was only sensitive to the valence (win/loss) but not the magnitude (large/small) of the outcome, and P3 was sensitive to both the valence and the magnitude of the outcome. These results were consistent with the notion that a positive somatic state was represented in the left hemisphere and a negative somatic state was represented in the right hemisphere. There were also anticipatory ERP effects that guided the participants' responses and provided evidence for the somatic marker hypothesis with more precise timing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]