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Abstract Background To investigate the changes in the unhealthy eye-related behaviors of junior middle school students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the double reduction policy and its relationship with myopia. Methods Data were obtained from the 2019–2022 Tianjin Children and Youth Myopia, Common Diseases and Health Influencing Factors Survey. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and a generalized linear model (GLM) were applied to analyze the effect of eye-related behavior classes on myopia. Results A total of 2508 junior middle school students were included. The types of eye-related behavior were categorized into the medium-healthy behavior group, heavy academic burden and near-eye behavior group, insufficient lighting group and high-healthy behavior group. Students with heavy academic burdens and near-eye behavior were more likely to develop myopia than were those in the high-healthy group (OR = 1.466, 95% CI = 1.203–1.787; P

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes a highly contagious disease that threatens the global swine industry. Recent studies have focused on the damage that PRRSV causes to the reproductive system of male pigs, although pathological research is lacking. Therefore, we examined the pathogenic mechanisms in male piglets infected with PRRSV. Gross and histopathological changes indicated that PRRSV affected the entire reproductive system, as confirmed via immunohistochemical analysis. PRRSV infected Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. To test the new hypothesis that PRRSV infection in piglets impairs blood – testis barrier (BTB) development, we investigated the pathology of PRRSV damage in the BTB. PRRSV infection significantly decreased the quantity and proliferative capacity of Sertoli cells constituting the BTB. Zonula occludens-1 and β-catenin were downregulated in cell – cell junctions. Transcriptome analysis revealed that several crucial genes and signalling pathways involved in the growth and development of Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and tight junctions in the testes were downregulated. Apoptosis, necroptosis, inflammatory, and oxidative stress-related pathways were activated, whereas hormone secretion-related pathways were inhibited. Many Sertoli cells and spermatogonia underwent apoptosis during early differentiation. Infected piglets exhibited disrupted androgen secretion, leading to significantly reduced testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone levels. A cytokine storm occurred, notably upregulating cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. Markers of oxidative-stress damage (i.e. H2O2, malondialdehyde, and glutathione) were upregulated, whereas antioxidant-enzyme activities (i.e. superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase) were downregulated. Our results demonstrated that PRRSV infected multiple organs in the male reproductive system, which impaired growth in the BTB.

IntroductionThis study characterized Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from seafood and freshwater products in China (2020).Methods and ResultsIn total, 122 (95.31%) V. alginolyticus isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic category, and 2 (1.56%) isolates were resistant to at least 3 antibiotic categories and belong to multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates. A high prevalence rate was observed to be blaCARB (98.04%) encoding beta-lactam resistance, followed by tet (97.06%) encoding tetracycline resistance and fos (4.90%) encoding resistance to fosfomycin. Among the 57 V. alginolyticus isolates, the commonest virulence genes were type III secretion system translocated gene vopD, vopB, and vcrH (54.4%, 31/57), type III secretion system regulated gene tyeA (54.39%), followed by vscI and vscF (50.88%) encoded type III secretion system inner rod protein and needle protein, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) showed considerable genetic diversity, with 34 distinct sequence types (STs) identified among 55 isolates. ST421 (n = 5), ST166 (n = 4), ST523 (n = 3), ST516 (n = 3), and ST507 (n = 3) were dominant STs among 55 V. alginolyticus isolates.DiscussionThese findings highlight the widespread occurrence of V. alginolyticus in both freshwater and seafood products, underscoring the critical need for vigilant monitoring of these bacteria. Such measures are essential for ensuring effective food safety management and safeguarding public health.

In recent years, the epidemiological profile of Getah virus (GETV) has become increasingly serious, posing a huge threat to animal and public health in China. GETV can cause multi-species infection, including horses, pigs, rats, cattle, kangaroos, reptiles and birds. However, there were few reports on the efficiency of the virus entering the host via routes of different systems. In the present study, a GETV strain (SC201807) was obtained from a piglet's blood in 2018 in Sichuan, China. First, we established a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) SYBR assay specific to GETV. Then, we evaluated the infection efficiency of different routes using mouse animal model. 108 male mice were randomly divided into four groups as follows: intramuscular, intraoral and intranasal infection routes, and negative control. All mice in the experimental group were inoculated with 4 × 102.85 TCID50 GETV virus. Tissue tropism experiments show that GETV has a wide range of tissue distribution, and intramuscular infection is the first to infect all tissues of the body, and suggest that oral infection may be a new GETV transmission route. Histopathological examination results showed that intramuscular injection of GETV mainly caused different degrees of pathological damage to the tissues, and could rapidly induce a large amount of inflammatory regulatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α. Our data may help us to evaluate the risk of transmission of Porcine Getah virus and provide an experimental basis for the prevention and control of Porcine Getah virus.

Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim. (ESM) which accumulates several principal flavonoid compounds including epimedin A, B, C and icariin, is extensively utilized in traditional herbs for sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis etc. In China, ESM has a wealth of wild plant resources and characterized by significant variability in medicinal compounds accumulation. Understanding the diversity of ESMs can lead to better utilization of these plant resources. In this study, we integrated the metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of three ESMs that originated in Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi in China. Results showed that the flavonoid biosynthesis as well as the related gene expression in these ESMs revealed substantial differences. For example, the epimedin A, B, C and icariin as well as some related gene expression in ESMs from Anhui are significantly lower than those of in others. These results suggested that the ESMs from wild population without quality checkout may not be suitable for directly use as the materials for preparation of Chinese medicine and ESMs with different accumulation of metabolites could be used for distinct applications.

Abstract Sharing of genetic elements among different pathogens and commensals inhabiting same hosts and environments has significant implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in settings with high antimicrobial exposure. We analysed 661 Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica isolates collected within and across hosts and environments, in 10 Chinese chicken farms over 2.5 years using data-mining methods. Most isolates within same hosts possessed the same clinically relevant AMR-carrying mobile genetic elements (plasmids: 70.6%, transposons: 78%), which also showed recent common evolution. Supervised machine learning classifiers revealed known and novel AMR-associated mutations and genes underlying resistance to 28 antimicrobials, primarily associated with resistance in E. coli and susceptibility in S. enterica. Many were essential and affected same metabolic processes in both species, albeit with varying degrees of phylogenetic penetration. Multi-modal strategies are crucial to investigate the interplay of mobilome, resistance and metabolism in cohabiting bacteria, especially in ecological settings where community-driven resistance selection occurs.

Objective Campylobacter species are the main causes of foodborne illness worldwide, posing significant threats to public health. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance and genomic characterization of C. jejuni/C.coli from retail chickens in Beijing. Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted on 126 C. jejuni/C. coli isolated from retail chickens in Beijing, following CLSI protocols. Whole genomes of all isolates were sequenced using the Illumina platform. Results More C. coli (83.82%) showed multi-drug resistance than C. jejuni (8.62%). Genomic analysis demonstrated 42 sequence types (STs) and 12 clonal complexes (CCs), from which CC828 and CC52 were dominant. cdtA, cdtB and cdtC encoding cytotoxic protein were present spontaneously in most C. jejuni but not found in any C. coli isolates. The abundances of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence genes (VGs) in C. jejuni and C. coli were significantly different, with ARGs numbered in C. coli and VGs in C. jejuni. Conclusions High prevalence of multi-drug resistance C. coli and C. jejuni isolated from Beijing chickens were challenging clinical antibiotic usages in the treatment of Campylobacter infection. The surveillance of particular C. jejuni and C. coli STs correlated with higher resistance and virulence needs to be strengthened in the future.

An inducer is a key component in a cryogenic pump to improve its cavitation performance. The thermodynamic effects of the cryogenic medium make the cryogenic cavitation flow extremely complicated. For this reason, it is crucial to investigate the cryogenic cavitation flow of the inducer which is equipped upstream of the cryogenic pump. In this paper, the isothermal cavitation model is modified based on the law of heat conduction, and the cryogenic cavitation model of the inducer is developed by considering thermodynamic effects. The turbulence model is also modified to account for the compressibility of cryogenic cavitation flow. The methods of numerical calculations are performed to investigate the influence of thermodynamic effects on cryogenic cavitation of the inducer. The law of the spatio-temporal evolution of cryogen cavitation in the inducer is clarified. The initial position, development and collapse phenomenon of cavitation are obtained. The relationship between the generation and collapse of the cavitation and the work capacity of the inducer’s blade, the relationship between thermodynamic effects and the influence of the inducer’s blade tip leakage vortex and thermodynamic on cryogenic cavitation of the inducer are revealed.

In this paper, we investigate the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) and mass transfer of a Newtonian fluid propelled by a pressure gradient and alternating current (AC) electric field in a parallel microchannel with sinusoidal roughness and modulated charged surfaces. The two-wall roughness is described by in-phase or out-of-phase sine functions with a small amplitude δ. By employing the method of perturbation expansion, the semi-analytical solutions of the Poisson–Boltzmann (P–B) equation based on the Debye–Hückel approximation and the modified Navier–Stokes (N–S) equation are obtained. The numerical solution of the concentration equation is obtained by the finite difference method. The effects of sinusoidal roughness, modulated charged surface, and the AC electric field on the potential field, velocity field, and concentration field are discussed. Under the influence of the modulated charged surface and sinusoidal roughness, vortices are generated. The velocity oscillates due to the effect of the AC electric field. The results indicate that solute diffusion becomes enhanced when the oscillation Reynolds number is below a specific critical value, and it slows down when the oscillation Reynolds number exceeds this critical value.

Objective To analyze the commonality and characteristics between voluntary blood donors and hematopoietic stem cell donors in this region, and explore the potential for integration and development between China Marrow Donors Program (CMDP) and voluntary blood donors, especially platelet donor databases, so as to improve recruitment success rate and inventory rate. Methods The database modeling and comparison methods were used to screen and stratify the matching and integration degree between the voluntary blood donors in recent 10 years and the marrow donors in the Shaanxi Branch of CMDP. The frequencies of HLA-A,-B alleles, HPA alleles and haplotypes were calculated with Arlequin 3. 5. 2. 2 software, and the matching probability of different platelet donor reserve pools was conducted according to the phenotypic frequencies. Results Among the voluntary donors with known HLA genotypes in this region, according to their blood donation behavior,the active blood donors excavated were divided into the first, second, third and fourth echelons of platelet donor reserve pools, with 696, 2 752, 9 092 and 12 028 donors, respectively. The first echelon had the highest proportion of 10-50 times of platelet donations and 10-20 times of whole blood donations, with 13.65% and 26.01%, respectively. The second echelon had 10-20 times of whole blood donations and 10-50 times of platelet donations, accounted for 15.04% and 1.38%, respectively, which were significantly different from other echelons' blood donation characteristics (P

Objectives Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict endogenous active metabolites with protective effects in diabetic kidney disease (DKD).Methods We utilized metabolomics to screen differentially expressed metabolites in kidney tissues of mice with type 2 DKD and predicted potential targets using relevant databases. The interaction network between endogenous active metabolites and target proteins was established by integrating differentially expressed metabolites and proteins associated with DKD identified through proteomics. Gene ontology (GO) and signaling pathway enrichment analysis were performed. The biological functions of the active candidate metabolites and their effects on downstream pathways were also verified.Results Metabolomics revealed 130 differentially expressed metabolites. Through co-expression network analysis coupled with the investigation of differentially expressed proteins in proteomics, 2-hydroxyphenylpropionylglycine (2-HPG) emerged as a key regulator of DKD. 2-HPG was found to modulate the progression of DKD by regulating the conformation and activity of synaptophysin 1 (SYNJ1), with a correlation coefficient of 0.974. In vivo experiments revealed that SYNJ1 expression was significantly downregulated in the Macroalbuminuria Group compared to the Control Group and negatively correlated with proteinuria (r = −0.7137), indicating its important role in DKD progression. Immunofluorescence demonstrated that treatment with 2-HPG restores the expression of the foot process marker protein Wilms tumor-1 (WT-1) in podocytes injured by high glucose levels. Western blot and polymerase chain reaction support the involvement of SYNJ1 in this process.Conclusions This study demonstrated the significance of the 2-HPG/SYNJ1 signaling axis in safeguarding the foot process of podocytes in DKD.

Salmonella, especially antimicrobial resistant strains, remains one of the leading causes of foodborne bacterial disease. Retail chicken is a major source of human salmonellosis. Here, we investigated the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and genomic characteristics of Salmonella in 88 out of 360 (24.4%) chilled chicken carcasses, together with 86 Salmonella from humans with diarrhea in Qingdao, China in 2020. The most common serotypes were Enteritidis and Typhimurium (including the serotype I 4,[5],12:i:-) among Salmonella from both chicken and humans. The sequence types were consistent with serotypes, with ST11, ST34 and ST19 the most dominantly identified. Resistance to nalidixic acid, ampicillin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol were the top four detected in Salmonella from both chicken and human sources. High multi-drug resistance (MDR) and resistance to third-generation cephalosporins resistance were found in Salmonella from chicken (53.4%) and humans (75.6%). In total, 149 of 174 (85.6%) Salmonella isolates could be categorized into 60 known SNP clusters, with 8 SNP clusters detected in both sources. Furthermore, high prevalence of plasmid replicons and prophages were observed among the studied isolates. A total of 79 antimicrobial resistant genes (ARGs) were found, with aac(6′)-Iaa, blaTEM-1B, tet(A), aph(6)-Id, aph(3″)-Ib, sul2, floR and qnrS1 being the dominant ARGs. Moreover, nine CTX-M-type ESBL genes and the genes blaNMD-1, mcr-1.1, and mcr-9.1 were detected. The high incidence of MDR Salmonella, especially possessing lots of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in this study posed a severe risk to food safety and public health, highlighting the importance of improving food hygiene measures to reduce the contamination and transmission of this bacterium. Overall, it is essential to continue monitoring the Salmonella serotypes, implement the necessary prevention and strategic control plans, and conduct an epidemiological surveillance system based on whole-genome sequencing.

Objective To study the relationship between the plasma IgG, IgM, neutralizing antibody titer and sex, age, collection interval in convalescent patients with COVID-19, so as to guide the plasma collection of convalescent patients with COVID-19. Methods COVID-19 convalescent plasma was collected to determine the antibody titer, and the difference and correlation of data in each group were analyzed by SPSS statistical analysis software. Results The median titers (AU/mL)of IgG, IgM and neutralizing antibodies in males and females were 484.24 vs 516.04, 2.13 vs 1.73, and 1 124.74 vs 1 143.99, respectively, and there was no significant difference(P>0.05) . Age had weak positive correlation with IgG and neutralizing antibody, and the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.188 (P

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a series of outbreaks and related investigations have indicated that the virus can be transmitted via cold-chain environment media. The causal relationship between the cold chain and the introduction and spread of viruses has been established. However, due to its stealthy nature, cold-chain environment media is often overlooked. Herein, we aim to provide a systematic review of the existing evidences and logical chains of virus transmission and introduction through cold-chain, from the perspectives of epidemiological investigations, laboratory researches, and molecular epidemiological evidences of cold-chain-related outbreaks. Additionally, scientific evidences also include the survival capacity of the virus in cold-chain environments, as well as modeling of virus transmission and risk assessment. These evidences and the logical framework related to cold-chain transmission put forward the initiation of cold-chain-based epidemiology (CCBE) as one of the important portions of the epidemiology of infectious diseases. Close multidisciplinary collaboration in this field will be essential for the preparation of future pandemics.

Abstract Background It has been reported Interferon‐λ (IFN‐λ) has stronger antiviral effect than other interferons. IFN‐λ can induce antiviral interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) in epithelia to protect against virus. Pseudorabies virus (PRV) infection in pigs resulting in fatal encephalitis in newborn piglets, respiratory disorders in finishing pigs, reproductive disorders in sows and other symptoms. Objectives Since the effect of IFN‐λ on inhibiting PRV proliferation is still unknown. Inthis study, we investigate the relative contribution of porcine IFN‐λ3 toward controlling the infection of PRV in vitro. Our findings may provide a new insight for the prevention and treatment of PRV. Methods Therefore, the antiviral assay, western blot, qRT‐PCR and ELISA assay were used to investigating the contribution of IFN‐λ against PRV in PK‐15 cells. Results Here, we demonstrate that the replication of PRV in PK‐15 cells was inhibited after pre‐treatment with IFN‐λ3, and such inhibition was dose dependent. Overexpression of IFN‐λ3 receptor (IFNLR) also restricted virus titre in PK‐15 cells. In addition, IFN‐λ3 also increased the mRNA and protein expression of interferon‐stimulated genes 15 (ISG15), 2′‐5′‐oligoadenylate synthase 1 (OAS1), IFN‐inducible transmembrane 3 (IFITM3) and myxoma resistance protein 1 (Mx1) in PRV‐infected PK‐15 cells. Other than modulation ISGs, IFN‐λ specifically activated IFN‐γ mRNA expression not IFN‐α or IFN‐β. Conclusions IFN‐λ3 had antiviral activity against PRV and the upregulation of ISGs and IFN‐γ mRNA expression may be the mechanism of IFN‐λ3's antiviral activities. Thus, IFN‐λ3 has a decisive function that greatly limits PRV replication in PK‐15 cells. Our study explores the antiviral activity of IFN‐λ3 on PRV for the first time.

Continuous wave (CW) green lasers have a lot of important applications in many fields, including holography, interferometry, atom cooling and trapping, and quantum optics, and they are usually achieved by frequency-doubling 1 µm lasers based on the Nd3+ gain media. In this paper, we present an all-solid-state CW green laser with an output wavelength of 522 nm, which was directly attained by employing a Pr3+:YLF crystal pumped with a high-power fiber-coupled blue laser diode (LD) module as the gain medium. Due to the negative thermal lens effect of the Pr3+:YLF crystal, the designed laser resonator had to be lengthened with the increase in the incident pump power. As a result, when a 0.5% doped Pr3+:YLF crystal was employed as the gain medium and the incident pump power was 12 W, the length of the resonator was optimized to 311.3 mm and the maximum output power of 522 nm green laser was up to 886 mW. The obtained conversion efficiency and beam quality M2 were 11.25% and 1.15, respectively. The long-term power stability within 4.5 h was better than ±1.5% at an output power of 700 mW. The obtained watt-level green laser can also be used to generate high power CW deep UV laser for laser processing of silicon and organic materials, inspection, etc.

Background:Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM) is an effective traditional Chinese medicine for treating DKD, but the exact mechanism is elusive. In this study, we aimed to investigate and confirm the method underlying the action of the active components of SM in the treatment of DKD.Methods: Renal tissue transcriptomics and network pharmacology of DKD patients was performed to identify the active components of SM and the disease targets of DKD. Next, the point of convergence among these three groups was studied. Potential candidate genes were identified and analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The component-target networks were modelled and visualized with Cytoscape. In addition, docking studies were performed to validate our potential target predictions. Lastly, in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to understand the role of Dehydromiltirone (DHT), the active component of SM, in the phenotypic switching of mesangial cells.Results: Transcriptomics of DKD patients’ renal tissues screened 4,864 differentially expressed genes. Eighty-nine active components of SM and 161 common targets were found. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that 161 genes were enriched in apoptosis, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetes complications. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations show that DHT can bind to functional PIK3CA pockets, thereby becoming a possible inhibitor of PIK3CA. In vitro study demonstrated that DHT reduced the expression of phenotypic switching markers α-SMA, Col-I, and FN in HMCs by downregulating the over-activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway through the inhibition of PIK3CA. Furthermore, the DKD mouse model confirmed that DHT could reduce proteinuria and improve glomerular hypertrophy in vivo.Conclusion: DHT was identified as the key active component of SM, and its therapeutic effect on DKD was achieved by inhibiting the phenotypic switching of mesangial cells via the PIK3CA signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the appropriate optimal capacity and matching probability of the platelet donor database with known HLA/HPA genotype in Shaanxi aera, and provide data support for subsequent construction, maintenance and application of the local platelet donor database. Methods A total of 11 755 individuals from the Shaanxi Branch of China Marrow Donor Program, 401 and 249 unrelated random platelet donors in Shaanxi aera were enrolled to the population study of HLA-A, -B polymorphisms, HPA genotyping and CD36 antigen expression, respectively. The frequencies of HLA-A, -B alleles, HPA alleles and haplotypes were calculated with Arlequin 3. 5. 2. 2 software; matching probability and capacity evaluation of platelet donor database was conducted according to the phenotypic frequencies. Results The population genetic and phenotypic polymorphisms data of HLA-A, -B and HPA1-6, 10, 15, 21 in Shaanxi aera were obtained. The frequency of CD36 type Ⅰ or Ⅱ deficiency was 0.40%(1/249). According to the subsequent calculating and deriving, with a database size of 194 donors, the patient having approximate 95% probability could achieve matching of HPA1-6, 10, 15, 21 genotype. With a database size of 1500 donors, there is a 95% probability of matching at least one donor with HLA-A-B phenotype frequency >0.002 or haplotype frequency >0.001; meanwhile, the probability of matching a cross-reactive group donor should be 44.95%-97.57%. Based on database size of 8 856 and 15 033, the probabilities of matching HLA-A, -B phenotype were about 80% and 90%, respectively. Conclusion The differences in the distribution of HLA/HPA polymorphism in different regions make the establishment mode and optimal capacity of platelet donor database different. It is necessary to apply a variety of platelet matching transfusion strategies to expand the range of donor selection, thereby effectively reducing the database construction cost and resource requirements.

Abstract Pseudorabies virus (PRV), also known as suid Alphaherpesvirus 1 (SuHV-1), which is one of the most devastating infectious pathogen of swine industry worldwide. Vaccination is the safest and most effective PRV prevention and control strategy. B cell receptor (BCR) is membrane-bound immunoglobulin located on the surface of B cells capable of specifically binding foreign antigens, which is one of the most important molecules regulating the proliferation and function of B cells. Here, to assess the molecular diversity of BCR H-CDR3 repertoire after different PRV strains infection, we detected the IGHV, IGHD, IGHJ genes usage and CDR3 sequence changes of mice spleen with PRV vaccine strain (Bartha-K61), variant strain (XJ) and mock infection by high-throughput sequencing. We found that PRV-infected groups shared partial BCR sequences, which are most likely to be PRV-specific BCR candidates. However, there were still differences in the IGHV genes usage as well as the combined usage of IGHV and IGHJ genes between the Bartha-K61 strain and XJ strain infection groups. In addition, the CDR3 sequences exhibited large differences in the types and lengths in PRV infection groups. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the host adaptive immune response to PRV infection and provides a theoretical basis for further research on novel and efficient PRV vaccines in the future.

Abstract JEV is one of the zoonotic pathogens that cause serious diseases in humans. JEV infection can cause abortion, mummified foetus and stillbirth in sows, orchitis and semen quality decline in boars, causing huge economic losses to pig industry. In order to investigate the epidemiology of JEV in pigs in Sichuan province, a rapid and efficient fluorescent Reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification (RT-RAA) detection method was established. Aborted fetuses and testicular swollen boar samples were detected by RT-RAA in pigs in the mountain areas around Sichuan Basin, and the detection rate of JEV was 6.49%. The positive samples were identified as JEV GI strain and GIIIstrain by sequencing analysis. We analyzed the whole gene sequence of a positive sample for the GI virus. The Envelope Protein (E protein) phylogenetic tree analysis was far related to the Chinese vaccine strain SA14-14-2, and was most closely related to the JEV GI strains SH17M-07 and SD0810 isolated from China. The results showed that we established an efficient, accurate and sensitive method for clinical detection of JEV, and JEV GI strains were prevalent in Sichuan area. It provides reference for the prevention and control of JEV in Sichuan.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a severe and frequent complication of sepsis that occurs in intensive care units with inflammation and rapid decline in renal function as the main pathological features. Systemic inflammation, microvascular dysfunction, and tubule injury are the main causes of sepsis-induced AKI (SI-AKI). The high prevalence and death rate from SI-AKI is a great challenge for clinical treatment worldwide. However, in addition to hemodialysis, there is no effective drug to improve renal tissue damage and alleviate the decline in kidney function. We conducted a network pharmacological analysis of Salvia miltiorrhiza (SM), a traditional Chinese medicine, which is widely used for the treatment of kidney disease. Then, we combined molecular docking and a dynamics simulation to screen for the active monomer dehydromiltirone (DHT) that has therapeutic effects on SI-AKI and investigated its potential mechanism of action through experimental validation. The components and targets of SM were obtained by searching the database, and 32 overlapping genes were screened by intersection analysis with AKI targets. GO and KEGG data showed that the functions of a common gene were closely related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and apoptosis. The molecular docking results combined with molecular dynamics simulations provide evidence for a binding model between DHT and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), both of which are mainly driven by van der Waals interactions and a hydrophobic effect. In vivo, we found that mice pretreated with an intraperitoneal injection of DHT (20 mg/kg/d) for 3 days ameliorated CLP surgery-induced renal function loss and renal tissue damage and inhibited inflammatory mediators IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and MCP-1 production. In vitro, the DHT pretreatment decreased LPS-induced expression of COX2, inhibited cell death and oxidative stress, alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction, and restrained apoptosis in HK-2 cells. Our research indicates that the renal preventive effect of DHT is related to maintaining mitochondrial dynamic balance, restoring mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. The findings in this study provide a theoretical basis and a novel method for the clinical therapy of SI-AKI.

Abstract Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important zoonotic pathogen, Genotypes 3 and 4 are the main zoonotic genotype. Due to the lack of mature and effective culture cell lines, researches on genotype IV swine HEV (SHEV‐4) infection and pathogenic mechanism have been carried out in pigs, gerbils and non‐human primate models. Objectives The aim of this study was to establish a rat infection model by intra‐peritoneal infection with SHEV‐4, which provided a new research idea and scientific basis for further revealing the mechanism of HEV infection and preventing HEV infection. Methods SHEV‐4 virus was administered intra‐peritoneally to 6‐ to 8‐week‐old mice to observe the serological changes and virus release. Results According to the results of the rat serum HEV IgG, ALT and AST levels, swine HEV, minus‐strand HEV RNA can infect Sprague–Dawley rats across species, and there are no obvious clinical symptoms after infection. HEV RNA was detected in most tissues and organs after infection, but the viral load was low. The liver had pathological changes of chronic hepatitis. Conclusions We found that the rat model of porcine HEV infection is a small animal model suitable for the study of HEV infection.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer. Owing to the high morbidity rate of RCC, there is an urgent need for intensive research on robust materials to diagnose and treat RCC. Nanomaterials have been developed largely in the last three decades because of their numerous advantages, such as high specific surface area, simple surface functionalization, rapid onset of therapeutic action, superior biological activity, and other unique physical–chemical characteristics. Herein, first, various types of nanomaterials used in RCC treatment are introduced, including inorganic nanomaterials, lipid nanomaterials, synthetic polymer nanomaterials, and natural nanomaterials. Second, the different diagnosis and therapeutic mechanisms of nanomaterials in the kidneys are reviewed and these advantages of nanomaterials are highlighted. Furthermore, nanomaterials are investigated for the preclinical and clinical detection and treatment of RCC. Finally, the challenges and outlook of various nanomaterials for RCC diagnostic and treatment are discussed.

ABSTRACT Cronobacter is a foodborne pathogen associated with severe infections in restricted populations and particularly with high mortality in neonates and infants. The prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype of Cronobacter cultured from powdered infant formula and supplementary food were studied. The virulence factors, AMR genes, and genomic environments of the multidrug-resistant isolates were further studied. A total of 1,055 Cronobacter isolates were recovered from 12,105 samples of powdered infant formula and supplementary food collected from 29 provinces between 2018 and 2019 in China. Among these, 1,048 isolates were from infant supplementary food and 7 were from powdered infant formula. Regarding antimicrobial resistance susceptibility, 11 (1.0%) isolates were resistant and two showed resistance to four antimicrobials (ampicillin [AMP], tetracycline [TET], sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim [SXT], and chloramphenicol [CHL]), defined as MDR. These two MDR isolates were subsequently identified as Cronobacter sakazakii sequence type 4 (ST4) (C. sakazakii Crono-589) and ST40 (C. sakazakii Crono-684). Both MDR isolates contain 11 types of virulence genes and 7 AMR genes on their genomes. Meanwhile, the IncFIB plasmids of both MDR C. sakazakii isolates also harbored 2 types of virulence genes. Results of the genomic comparative analysis indicated that food-associated C. sakazakii could acquire antimicrobial resistance determinants through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). IMPORTANCE As a foodborne pathogen, Cronobacter can cause serious infections in restricted populations and lead to death or chronic sequelae. Although a number of investigations showed that Cronobacter isolates are susceptible to most antimicrobial agents, MDR Cronobacter isolates, isolated mainly from clinical cases but occasionally from foods, have been reported in recent years. In this study, we successfully identified two MDR Cronobacter sakazakii isolates from infant foods based on nationwide surveillance and genome sequencing in China. Genomic analysis revealed that these two MDR C. sakazakii strains acquired resistance genes from other species via different evolution and transmission routes. It is important to monitor MDR C. sakazakii isolates in infant foods, and appropriate control measures should be taken to reduce the contamination with and transmission of this MDR bacterium.

Salmonella enterica serotype Indiana (S. Indiana) in Chinese poultry meat has aroused widespread concern because of its high prevalence and strong antimicrobial resistance. In consideration of the relationship in our previous study between S. Indiana and co-resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime (CIP-CTX), which were the first-line drug which were used in Salmonella infection in clinical, the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of 224 CIP-CTX co-resistant S. Indiana isolated from retail chicken samples in China were investigated, with the aim of characterizing the AMR profiles and related resistance mechanisms to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime among these CIP-CTX co-resistant S. Indiana isolates, all of which showed multi-drug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes. GyrA (S83F and D87N/G) with ParC (T57S and S80R) were the dominant amino acid substitution types, with oqxA, oqxB, and aac (6′)-Ib-cr identified as common plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR)-encoding genes. Five blaCTX-M gene subtypes were identified with blaCTX-M-65 ranking at the top. Equally important, we obtained one isolate CFSA664 harboring the mcr-1 gene was ESBL producer with co-resistance to nine in ten classes of tested drugs inclduing colistin. A single circular chromosome and 3 circular plasmids were found in its genome. Among the 26 AMR genes identified, 24 were located on plasmid pCFSA664-1, including three ESBL genes, while plasmid pCFSA664-3 owning only the mcr-1 gene and sharing the same backbone structure with plasmids from Enterobacteriaceae. No insertion sequences were found near the mcr-1 gene but a relaxase-encoding gene in the flank, which could transfer into E. coli J53 at a relatively high frequency. S. Indiana in this study exhibited highly drug-resistant phenotypes, contributing to the acceleration of the dissemination and emergence of this pathogen among different sources. Surveillance and a One Health strategy are needed to limit the emergence of S. Indiana along the food chain.

Both Epimedium sutchuenense Franch. 1894 and E. fargesii Franch. 1894 are perennial herbs with excellent ornamental values due to their showy flowers. However, little molecular research has been done on these species. Here, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of E. sutchuenense and E. fargesii was analyzed and reported. The cp genome sizes of E. sutchuenense and E. fargesii were 157, 263 and 157, 133 bp, respectively. Both the two cp genomes contained a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs) (25,782 and 25,796 bp), separated by the small single-copy (SSC) region (17,106 and 17,071 bp) and a large single-copy (LSC) region (88,593 and 88,470 bp). A total of 113 unique genes were annotated in each of the two cp genomes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and four rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis supported a close relationship between E. sutchuenense and E. wushanense, while E. fargesii had no clear clustering branch.

Epimedium jinchengshanense Y. J. Zhang & J. Q. Li 2014 is an important ornamental and medicinal herb, but of unclear taxonomy. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of E. jinchengshanense was sequenced. The genome was 157,169 bp in length, with a large single-copy region of 88, 520 bp, a small single-copy region of 17,075 bp and 2 inverted repeat regions of 25, 787 bp. The genome consisted of 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The GC contents were 38.78%. Phylogenetic analysis showed a close relationship between E. jinchengshanense and E. ilicifolium, which was explained by the morphological similarity of flowers and leaves of the two species.

Members of the genus, Klebsiella , are becoming increasingly challenging to control due to the recent convergence of multidrug resistant (MDR) and hypervirulent (hv) phenotypes in some species of concern to One Health . This short review will provide an introduction to this bacterial genus in the hospital and other settings, update Klebsiella taxonomy, and comment on recent findings describing the prevalence of Klebsiella species in the food chain, a hitherto infrequently recognised ecologic niche. The paper will also consider this bacterium in the context of the One Health paradigm and its importance to food safety and security.

The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, virulence profiles, and molecular characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) obtained from ready-to-eat (RTE) foods in China. Two hundred seventy-six RTE food-associated S. aureus isolates were collected from 25 provinces across China in 2018, then characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, virulence factors detecting, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), spa typing, SCC mec typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Two hundred fifty isolates (90.6%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent; 73 (26.4%) isolates were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Thirty MRSA isolates were identified, among which nine toxin genes ( sea, seb, sec, sed, seh, selk, sell, selq , and tsst-1 ) were detected. Sixty percent (18/30) of the MRSA isolates harbored multiple toxin genes. Four virulence gene patterns were identified, with seb-selk-selq (30/30) being the most common pattern. Thirteen sequence types, as well as 13 spa and 4 SCC mec types were found among 30 MRSA isolates. The most prevalent MRSA lineages were CC59-t437-SCC mec IV/V (23.3% [7/30]), CC398-t011-SCC mec V (23.3% [7/30]), and CC1-t114-SCC mec IV (16.7% [5/30]). Our findings highlight the importance for the identification of prevalent clones, assessment of drug-resistance and virulence, and formulation of food safety measures for public health.

Background: Hemodialysis patients, who are often excluded from cardiovascular (CV) clinical trials, are associated with higher CV morbidity and mortality. The risk stratification scheme for these patients is lacking. Therefore, this investigation examined the independent CV prognostic value of high-sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and added prognostic value over echocardiographic parameters and other clinical risk predictors in asymptomatic stable maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods: 181 patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing MHD were eligible from the dialysis center of Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine between October 2017 and September 2018. These patients were followed until September 2020 or until death. The median follow-up was 31 (IQR: 21–33) months. Outcome measures were all-cause mortality, first fatal or nonfatal CV events (CVEs), and 4-point composite major adverse CVEs (MACE). We performed multivariable Cox regression analysis using demographic, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data to identify predictors of CV outcomes. We also evaluated the increased discriminative value associated with the addition of echocardiographic parameters and hs-cTnT using net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI). Results: During follow-up, 37 patients died, 84 patients suffered one or more CVEs, and 78 patients developed 4-point MACE. In univariable analyses, age, dialysis vintage, diastolic blood pressure, parathyroid hormone concentrations, hs-cTnT, B-type natriuretic peptide, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and E/E′ predicted all end points. hs-cTnT remained a strong predictor for each end point in multivariate analysis, whereas LVMI and E/E′ did not. The addition of hs-cTnT on top of clinical and echocardiographic variables was associated with improvements in reclassification for CVEs (NRI = 44.6% [15.9–74.3%], IDI = 15.9% [5.7–31.0%], all p < 0.001), all-cause mortality (NRI = 35.5% [10.1–50.2%], p < 0.001, IDI = 4.4% [1.3–8.5%], p = 0.005), and 4-point MACE (NRI = 47.2% [16.1–64.9%], p < 0.001, IDI = 16.9% [5.5–37.3%], p = 0.005). Adding echocardiographic variables on top of clinical variables and hs-cTnT was not associated with significant improvements in NRI and IDI (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our data suggest that hs-cTnT is a powerful independent predictor of CV outcome and all-cause mortality in stable MHD patients. The additional use of echocardiography for improvement of risk stratification is not supported by our results.

A transient computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on dynamic mesh is adopted to investigate the static and dynamic performances of an annular seal with a tilted rotor. The reliability of the CFD method is verified by the experimental data, and then the variations of dynamic performance and sealing performance under different length-diameter ratios and misalignment angles are investigated by the method. The results show that the leakage flowrate of the tilted annular seal decreases with the increasing length-diameter ratio, while the whirl frequency ratio increases with the length-diameter ratio. The increase of misalignment angle has little detrimental effect on the stability of long shaft system in the three misalignment modes. In addition, the misalignment mode for the tilted position at the half-length of the annular seal can reduce the leakage flowrate.

IFN is the most potent antiviral cytokine required for the innate and adaptive immune responses, and its expression can help the host defend against viral infection. Arteriviruses have evolved strategies to antagonize the host cell’s innate immune responses, interfering with IFN expression by interfering with RIG, blocking PRR, obstructing IRF-3/7, NF-κB, and degrading STAT1 signaling pathways, thereby assisting viral immune evasion. Arteriviruses infect immune cells and may result in persistence in infected hosts. In this article, we reviewed the strategies used by Arteriviruses to antagonize IFN production and thwart IFN-activated antiviral signaling, mainly including structural and nonstructural proteins of Arteriviruses encoding IFN antagonists directly or indirectly to disrupt innate immunity. This review will certainly provide a better insight into the pathogenesis of the arthritis virus and provide a theoretical basis for developing more efficient vaccines.

ABSTRACT Sequence type 88 (ST88) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been recognized as an important pathogen that causes infections in humans, especially when it has strong biofilm production and multidrug resistance (MDR). However, knowledge of the determinants of resistance or virulence and genomic characteristics of ST88 MRSA from China is still limited. In this study, we employed the antimicrobial resistance (AMR), biofilm formation, and genomic characteristics of ST88 MRSA collected from various foods in China and estimated the worldwide divergence of ST88 MRSA with publicly available ST88 genomes. All ST88 isolates studied were identified as having resistance genes, while 50% (41/82) harbored MDR genes. All isolates carried core virulence genes related to immune modulation, adherence, secreted enzymes, and hemolysin. In addition, all 20 Chinese ST88 isolates showed biofilm production capacity, three strongly so. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis showed that Chinese ST88 clones formed an independent MRSA lineage, with two subclades associated with acquisition of type IVc staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) elements. In contrast, all African ST88 strains were subtyped as SCCmecIVa, where the African clades were mixed with a few European and American isolates, suggesting potential transmission from Africa to these regions. In summary, our results revealed the evolution of ST88 MRSA in humans, animals, and foods in Africa and Asia. The food-associated ST88 genomes in this study will remedy the lack of food-associated ST88 isolates, and the study in general will extend the discussion of the potential exchanges of ST88 between humans and foods or food animals. IMPORTANCE ST88 MRSA has frequently been detected in humans, animals, and foods mainly in Africa and Asia. It can colonize and cause mild to severe infections in humans, especially children. Several studies from African countries have described its genotypic characteristics but, limited information is available on the evolution and characterization of ST88 MRSA in Asia, especially China. Meanwhile, the molecular history of its global spread remains largely unclear. In this study, we analyzed the genomic evolution of global ST88 MRSA strains in detail and identified key genetic changes associated with specific hosts or regions. Our results suggested geographical differentiation between ST88 MRSA’s evolution in Africa and its evolution in Asia, with a more recent clonal evolution in China. The introduction of ST88 MRSA in China was aligned with the acquisition of SCCmecIVc elements, specific virulent prophages, and AMR genes.

Seneca Valley virus (SVV), a non-enveloped positive single-stranded virus can cause vesicular disease in swine. However, the mechanisms by which SVV activates an innate immune response remain unknown. Mitofusin-2 (MFN2), a mitochondria-shaping protein regulating mitochondrial fusion and fission, plays a crucial role in innate immune responses. But, the roles of Mfn2 in SVV infection have not been elucidated. Here, we show that SVV inhibited Mfn2 expression and NLRP3 inflammasome, activating RIG-I/IRF7 signaling pathway to increase IFN-λ3 expression. Overexpression of Mfn2 inhibited RIG-I/IRF7 signaling pathway, thus decreasing IFN-λ3 expression and promoting SVV replication. Interestingly, overexpression of Mfn2 also activated NLRP3 inflammasome but did not inhibit SVV proliferation. That may mean the RIG-I/IRF7 signaling pathway plays a more important role in SVV proliferation in PK-15 cells. This study could provide important insights into the modulation of host metabolism during SVV infection and provide a strong theoretical basis for a better understanding of the pathogenic mechanism and immune activation mechanism of SVV.

Herpesviruses belong to large double-stranded DNA viruses. They are under a wide range of hosts and establish lifelong infection, which creates a burden on human health and animal health. Innate immunity is the host’s innate defense ability. Activating the innate immune signaling pathway and producing type I interferon is the host’s first line of defense against infectious pathogens. Emerging evidence indicates that the cGAS-STING signaling pathway plays an important role in the innate immunity in response to herpesvirus infections. In parallel, because of the constant selective pressure imposed by host immunity, herpesvirus also evolves to target the cGAS-STING signaling pathway to inhibit or escape the innate immune responses. In the current review, we insight on the classical cGAS-STING signaling pathway. We describe the activation of cGAS-STING signaling pathway during herpesvirus infections and strategies of herpesvirus targeting this pathway to evade host antiviral response. Furthermore, we outline the immunotherapy boosting cGAS-STING signaling pathway.

Objective To study the epidemiological characteristics of foodborne disease events reported by media from 2014 to 2019 in China. Methods The foodborne disease events were collected from the "food safety public opinion daily" , an internal issue of China National Centerfor Food Safety Risk Assessment, and statistical analysis was conducted according to the type, time and place of food safety incidents. Results Total of 727 events were reported by the media from 2014 to 2019 in China, 327 of these could be identified with clear causes. The events caused by microbes and poisonous mushroom were the most common, accounted for 12.93% (94/727) and 13.34% (97/727) respectively. Chemical substances accounted for 6.74% (49/727) , poisonous plants and animals accounted for 11.97% (87/727) , and the events which could not be identified with clear causes accounted for 55.02% (400/727) . 224 events were reported in East China, which was significantly higher than other places in China(P

Objective To investigate the distribution of virulence genes and pathotypes of diarrheogenic Escherichia coli(DEC) from commercial pig farms, providing reference data for prevention and control of foodborne diseases caused by the bacteria from the pork production industry. Methods The virulence genes of Escherichia coli(E. coli), isolated from 12 pig farms, were detected by multiplex real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR). Results Among 985 E. coli isolated from pig farms, DEC accounted for 28.83%(284/985), including 225 enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC, 22.84%, 225/985), 14 enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC, 1.42%, 14/985), 12 enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC, 1.22%, 12/985), 10 enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC, 1.02%, 10/985), 9 enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC, 0.91%, 9/985), 13 hybrid EHEC-ETEC(1.32%, 13/985), and 1 hybrid EPEC-ETEC(0.10%, 1/985). Among all those strains, one from the nose swab of a breeder had the same EHEC-ETEC virulence genotype as those positive samples detected in pig nose swab and feces. It was also found that the contamination rate of DEC in early fattening stage was significantly higher than that in late fattening stage(χ2=1.10, P

Objective To develop two rapid identification method of Cronobacter use polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF-MS), and to achieve high-throughput and low-cost screening of suspicious colonies of Cronobacter on chromogenic medium. Methods A pair of genus specific primers for Cronobacter were designed by internal transcribed spacer(its) gene, and 7 standard strains were set as reference strains to re-identify 214 strains which were preliminarily identified as Cronobacter collected in 2013. 84 isolates were selected randomly and identified by MALDI-TOF-MS and VITEK gram-negative bacteria identification card. Results The molecular weight of 7 reference strains were the same as expected, and PCR result of 214 isolates were positive. All 84 strains were identified as Cronobacter by both MALDI-TOF-MS and VITEK, and the coincidence rate was 100%. Conclusion PCR and MALDI-TOF-MS have the advantages of high-throughput, low-cost and short time consuming, which could achieve the preliminary screening of a large number of suspicious colonies, and could provide technical support for Cronobacter surveillance and control in China.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a major cause of human salmonellosis globally. Food animals are major NTS reservoirs. An increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in foodborne NTS has led to clinical treatment failures. Here, to examine the prevalence and perform characterization of foodborne NTS with AMR in China, we tested the antimicrobial susceptibility of 1,256 NTS isolates cultured from retail foods in 2020 in China. The antimicrobial susceptibility of 26 antimicrobial agents representing 12 classes was evaluated with the broth-microdilution method; the presence of ten mcr genes was screened with multi-PCR. The complete closed genomes of mcr -gene-carrying isolates were generated by hybrid assembly through whole genome sequencing on both the PacBio and Illumina platforms. Genomic features and genetic environments of the mcr-1 gene were analysed. The overall drug resistance rate was 92.28%, and the multi-drug resistance (MDR) rate was 76.53%. A total of 341 AMR profiles were determined, and resistance was highest to nalidixic acid (63.38%). Among 887 NTS isolates with MDR, 232 showed co-resistance to cefotaxime and ciprofloxacin, and 25 were resistant to ten classes of antimicrobial agents. The resistance of NTS isolated from different regions varied. Isolates from raw chicken sources most frequently showed resistance. Four NTS carried the mcr-1 gene and represented four different serotypes. Four mcr-1 gene-bearing plasmids from the four Salmonella isolates were classified into two replicon types (IncI2 and IncHI2A). Two mcr-1 genes in IncI2 type plasmids were found to be located between a PAP2 family protein-encoding gene and a relaxase-encoding gene, whereas the other two mcr-1 gene structures in IncHI2A type plasmids showed variations in the presence of insertion sequences. Our data demonstrated severe AMR among foodborne NTS isolated from food in China, thus highlighting the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance to decrease the spread of AMR, particularly to critical drugs in human medicine.

Macrophages are crucial components of the immune system and play a critical role in the initial defense against pathogens. They are highly heterogeneous and plastic and can be polarized into classically activated macrophages (M1) or selectively activated macrophages (M2) in response to local microenvironments. Macrophage polarization involves the regulation of multiple signaling pathways and transcription factors. Here, we focused on the origin of macrophages, the phenotype and polarization of macrophages, as well as the signaling pathways associated with macrophage polarization. We also highlighted the role of macrophage polarization in lung diseases. We intend to enhance the understanding of the functions and immunomodulatory features of macrophages. Based on our review, we believe that targeting macrophage phenotypes is a viable and promising strategy for treating lung diseases.

This paper analyzes the M/M/c queueing system with server working breakdown and impatient customers under the classical truncated retry strategy. The steady-state equilibrium conditions of the system are obtained using the matrixgeometric solution method. Then the steady-state probabilities and the performance indicators of the system in the steadystate case are obtained using the Markov process theory and Gauss-Seidel iterative algorithm. Numerical experiments are conducted to assess the system’s steady-state performance indicators. Finally, we developed an optimization model for the system and derived the optimal parameters from the analysis of the optimization function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Annular seals can induce fluid excitation forces that severely affect the stability of the pump rotor systems. In this paper, a transient computational fluid dynamic method with a mesh deformation technique is used to study the fluid excitation forces generated on the long annular seal caused by cylindrical whirls and conical whirls. The reliability of the method is verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental results. The whirl motion, composed of cylindrical and conical whirls, is realized by the phase difference between the whirl movements at the annular seal inlet and outlet, and the effects of the phase difference and inlet preswirl on the fluid excitation forces are studied numerically. The results show that the fluid excitation forces significantly depend on the phase difference of the rotor whirl movement, and tangential force acts as a stabilizing force only when the phase difference approaches 45°. The tangential forces of the cylindrical whirl, the conical whirl and the form of cylindrical and conical combined whirl are sensitive to inlet preswirl, while the effect of inlet preswirl on the radial forces becomes obvious only when the rotor whirls in the form of combined whirls.

Anthropogenic environments such as those created by intensive farming of livestock, have been proposed to provide ideal selection pressure for the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and spread to humans. Here, we performed a longitudinal study in a large-scale commercial poultry farm in China, collecting E. coli isolates from both farm and slaughterhouse; targeting animals, carcasses, workers and their households and environment. By using whole-genome phylogenetic analysis and network analysis based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we found highly interrelated non-pathogenic and pathogenic E. coli strains with phylogenetic intermixing, and a high prevalence of shared multidrug resistance profiles amongst livestock, human and environment. Through an original data processing pipeline which combines omics, machine learning, gene sharing network and mobile genetic elements analysis, we investigated the resistance to 26 different antimicrobials and identified 361 genes associated to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes; 58 of these were known AMR-associated genes and 35 were associated to multidrug resistance. We uncovered an extensive network of genes, correlated to AMR phenotypes, shared among livestock, humans, farm and slaughterhouse environments. We also found several human, livestock and environmental isolates sharing closely related mobile genetic elements carrying ARGs across host species and environments. In a scenario where no consensus exists on how antibiotic use in the livestock may affect antibiotic resistance in the human population, our findings provide novel insights into the broader epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in livestock farming. Moreover, our original data analysis method has the potential to uncover AMR transmission pathways when applied to the study of other pathogens active in other anthropogenic environments characterised by complex interconnections between host species.

Objective To analyze beauvericin and enniatins concentrations in the culture complex after Isaria cicadae Miquel was inoculated on different media for certain time. Methods One strain of Isaria cicadae Miquel was inoculated on 4 kinds of liquid culture media and 4 kinds of solid culture media. After incubation for 1-7 weeks under 25 ℃, high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was employed to detect beauvericin and enniatins. Results The detection rates of beauvericin in Isaria cicadae Miquel culture on 4 kinds of liquid media ranged between 42.9%-100.0%, and the beauvericin concentrations varied from 1.0 to 94.6 μg/L. The positive rates of beauvericin in Isaria cicadae Miquel culture on 4 kinds of solid media were 100.0%, and the beauvericin concentrations ranged from 60.9 to 44 677.5 μg/kg. Enniatins were negative for Isaria cicadae Miquel on 8 kinds of culture media. Conclusion The strain of Isaria cicadae Miquel used in our study could produce beauvericin in 8 kinds of culture media after incubation for certain time, and the beauvericin concentrations in solid media were much higher than in liquid media. The strain of Isaria cicadae Miquel didn’t produce enniatins in 8 kinds of culture media after incubation for certain time.

Objective To study the mutation and expression of genes of Salmonella when screened by different concentrations of quinolone and fluoroquinolones during propagation and their relation with antibiotic resistance. Methods Salmonella strain was cultured in broth medium and screened on nutrition plate with different concentration of quinolone and fluoroquinolones. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the screened subculture was tested by broth microdilution method, mutation of genes in quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing method, and expression level of the encoding genes of multi-drug associated efflux pump AcrAB-TolC was detected by real-time qPCR. Results Antibiotic resistance level of the subcultures screened from LB plate with quinolone and fluoroquinolones inducement increased in different extents. Mutation of Asp87Tyr in gyrA in QRDR was detected from the fifth to the seventh generation of nalidixic acid screened strains. Mutation of Asp87Asn in gyrA in QRDR was detected from the fourth to the seventh generation of ciprofloxacin screened strains. No amino acid mutation was detected from gyrA in the first to the seventh generation of gatifloxacin, levofloxacin and delafloxacin screened strains. Compared to the expression level of the multi-drug efflux pump AcrAB-TolC encoding genes of the original strain, those of the screened strains had significantly (P

Objective Laboratory investigation was performed on a suspected case of infant botulism. Methods Thirty samples of stool, left-over food and environment swabs related to the case were collected, Clostridium spp. isolation, identification and toxicity determination by mouse assay were carried out, and toxin production for isolate was conducted. Results Mice injected with the stool culture supernatant showed the typical signs of botulism including irritable, dyspnea, bellows breathing and quadriplegia followed by death. The toxicity of the stool culture supernatant was enhanced after the treatment by trypsinization but ceased after being heated at 100℃. The polyvalent antibody against botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and the monovalent antibody against BoNT type E could protect mice from death. One gram-positive Clostridium isolate was cultured from infant stool sample. The morphology of the colony on the Columbia blood agar plate showed characteristics of irregular, translucent and flat with rootlike growth. It was positive for type E BoNT-encoding gene and identified as C. butyricum by 16S rRNA sequencing. Toxin production test illustrated that the C. butyricum isolate could produce type E BoNT. Conclusion This was an infant botulism caused by type E BoNT-producing C. butyricum.

The aim of this study was to perform an epidemiological analysis of the viral strains isolated from outpatients with acute gastroenteritis in Dalian, Liaoning province, China to determine the epidemiology of Norovirus (NoV). Fecal samples were collected from 789 outpatients with acute gastroenteritis in the Xigang district of Dalian, Liaoning province, China from July 2015 to December 2016. Norovirus was detected by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A selection of the positive samples identified was subsequently sequenced, and these data were analyzed by using the Norovirus Typing tool. Results showed that 38.02% (300/789) of the fecal samples were positive for NoV, of which 95.67% (287/300) were identified as genotype GII with 1.33% (4/300) identified as GI. A further 3.00% (9/300) were combined infections with both GI and GII Norovirus. When analyzing the age distribution, the infections primarily occurred in adults especially the elderly whose NoV positive rate was much higher than the average. Winter was the season when most cases were recorded during 2015 and 2016; however, another infection peak was observed in July 2016. Thirty Norovirus positive samples were successfully sequenced, and results showed that GII.4 was the most commonly identified genotype, along with GII.3 and GII.17. Norovirus is the most common pathogen for acute gastroenteritis in Dalian, Liaoning province of China. The current NoV genotype prevalence in Dalian was found to be similar to that in other regions of China. Genotype GII.4 was the most common genotype in our study, GII.3 and GII.17 were also identified.

Objective A case-control study on Clostridium spp. contamination on infant population and infant formula powdered was carried out, the data on Clostridium spp. exposure in some parts of China was obtained. Methods Epidemiological information and samples were collected from 6 locations in 6 provinces in China. The isolation and identification, of Clostridium spp. were performed. Results Totally 501 infants were investigated. Among them, 247 were exclusive breastfeeding and 254 were mixed feeding. According to the month grouping, 367 were 0-6 months and 134 were 7-12 months. A total of 813 samples were collected. After testing, 246 strains of Clostridium spp. were obtained and the positive rate was 30.3% (246/813). C. sporogenes (8.4%, 68/813), C. bifermentans (6.2%, 50/813) and C. butyricum (4.6%, 37/813) had the highest detection rate.37.3% (187/501) of the stool samples were Clostridium spp. positive, followed by 22.3% (27/121) of the infant formula powder, 19.5% (25/128) of the environmental swab and 11.1% (7/63) of the food samples. The detection rate of Clostridium spp. in mixed feeding group was significantly higher than that of breast-feeding group (χ2=40.833, P

Abstract Background Even though enterococci can cause serious infections in multiple sites, they are a rare cause of pneumonia. We reported a uremic patient with vancomycin-resistant E. faecium (VRE-fm) pneumonia, possibly related to epileptic seizures. Case presentation A 57-year old man with uremia on hemodialysis was admitted to the hospital with complaint of recurrent epileptic seizures, followed by a two-week history of recurrent fever and cough with purulent sputum. Chest CT demonstrated multiple exudation of both lungs. He was diagnosed as community acquired pneumonia. Despite antibiotic combination therapy, abnormal chest shadows aggravated. Sputum and blood cultures were initially negative, but later blood culture grew VRE-fm. We suspected aspiration of gastrointestinal content induced by epilepsy as the most likely mechanism. The patient was successfully treated with a four-week course of linezolid according to the antibiotic susceptibility testing. Conclusions Physicians should consider multi-drug resistant organisms such as VRE in uremic patients with pneumonia that fails to resolve with broad-spectrum antibiotics, especially in the cases with aspiration induced by epilepsy, immunocompromised conditions, and repeated or prolonged hospitalizations.