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This paper reports a study that used a quantitative method to explore literacy planning in Chinese kindergartener families as well as the influences of socioeconomic status (SES) on it. The conceptual framework of family language policy (FLP), which consists of three components--language ideology, language management, and language practice, was adopted to examine literacy planning. The SES factors investigated included mother's education, mother's occupation, father's education, father's occupation, and household income. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey of 664 kindergartener families from 10 kindergartens in a Chinese city. Descriptive statistics revealed reasonable language ideology and practice but relatively weak language management in Chinese kindergartener families. Structural equation modelling corroborated the relationships between language ideology, language management, and language practice hypothesised in the FLP theory. It also indicated that only mother's education significantly predicted the literacy planning of a family. Implications for early intervention for children's language development were discussed.

To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the hotspots and research progress of tea beverage at home and abroad, this research paper analyzed the annual publication volume, author co-occurrences, co-citations, research institutions, the number of country publications, journals, and research hotspots of 1247 English literature collected by WOS from 2002 to 2022 using the Web of Science core collection database as the data source and the visual data analysis software CiteSpace v 6.1.6R. The results of the analysis showed that the heat for research on tea beverage at home and abroad continued to rise, and the annual number of publications showed a rising trend year by year. The number of core authors with more than four articles was 584, accounting for 82.4% of the total number of authors. The majority of institutional publications came from Chinese universities, of which the first institution with the highest number of publications was Anhui Agricultural University. The People's Republic of China was the most actively published country, followed by USA and JAPAN. The journals with high publication volume were mainly concentrated in the field of agricultural and food chemistry, and Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry was the journal with the highest co-citation frequency, with a total of 988 citations. The "caffeine" "acid" and "catechin" were high-frequency keywords in tea beverage research, with research hotspots focusing on the detection and extraction of active substances in tea beverage, fermented teas, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In summary, research on tea beverage was still on the rise, but existing studies suffered from a lack of cooperation among authors, limited research areas and convergent research methods, etc. Scholars should strengthen multifaceted cooperation and communication to broaden the breadth and depth of the research, and to jointly promote the development of research in this field. This study provided a reference for a more in-depth understanding of the current status of global tea beverage research in the future.

Abstract Background The emergence of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) may provide a promising tool for early and comprehensive identification of the causative pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In this study, we aim to further evaluate the etiological diagnostic value of mNGS in suspected CAP. Methods A total of 555 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples were collected for pathogen detection by mNGS from 541 patients with suspected CAP. The clinical value was assessed based on infection diagnosis and treatment guidance. The diagnostic performance for pathogen identification by mNGS and sputum culture and for tuberculosis (TB) by mNGS and X-pert MTB/RIF were compared. To evaluate the potential for treatment guidance, we analyzed the treatment regimen of patients with suspected CAP, including imaging changes of lung after empirical antibacterial therapy, intensified regimen, antifungal treatment, and a 1-year follow up for patients with unconfirmed diagnosis and non-improvement imaging after anti-infective treatment and patients with high suspicion of TB or NTM infection who were transferred to the Wuhan Pulmonary Hospital for further diagnosis and even anti-mycobacterium therapy. Results Of the 516 BALF samples that were analyzed by both mNGS and sputum culture, the positivity rate of mNGS was significantly higher than that of sputum culture (79.1% vs. 11.4%, P = 0.001). A total of 48 samples from patients with confirmed TB were analyzed by both mNGS and X-pert MTB/RIF, and the sensitivity of mNGS for the diagnosis of active TB was significantly lower than that of X-pert MTB/RIF (64.6% vs. 85.4%, P = 0.031). Of the 106 pathogen-negative cases, 48 were ultimately considered non-infectious diseases, with a negative predictive value of 45.3%. Of the 381 pathogen-positive cases, 311 were eventually diagnosed as CAP, with a positive predictive value of 81.6%. A total of 487 patients were included in the evaluation of the therapeutic effect, and 67.1% improved with initial empirical antibiotic treatment. Of the 163 patients in which bacteria were detected, 77.9% improved with antibacterial therapy; of the 85 patients in which fungi were detected, 12.9% achieved remission after antifungal therapy. Conclusions Overall, mNGS had unique advantages in the detection of suspected CAP pathogens. However, mNGS was not superior to X-pert MTB/RIF for the diagnosis of TB. In addition, mNGS was not necessary as a routine test for all patients admitted with suspected CAP. Furthermore, when fungi are detected by mNGS, antifungal therapy should be cautious.

BackgroundHepatorenal syndrome (HRS) bears a very poor prognosis with unmet need for safe and effective therapies. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to re-assess safety and efficacy of terlipressin versus placebo or noradrenaline for HRS, based on previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs).MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE (OvidSP) and Cochrane registers were searched for trials reporting HRS treatment by terlipressin or noradrenaline. Search terms included: “hepatorenal syndrome”, “terlipressin”, “noradrenaline”, and corresponding synonyms. Comparisons between terlipressin, noradreanaline, placebo and albumin were included. Meta-analysis was conducted for treatment response (both HRS reversal and complete response), mortality and adverse events.Results15 RCTs were included, enrolling 1236 HRS patients (type 1: 1166, type 2: 70). Treatment with terlipressin+albumin resulted in significantly higher treatment response than placebo+albumin or albumin alone (risk ratio [RR]:2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.96 to 3.84; I2 = 28%, p = 0.23; n = 6). Noradrenaline was equally effective in treatment response compared to terlipressin (RR:1.19, 95% CI:0.96 to 1.46; I2 = 16%, p = 0.31; n = 7), but trials were limited by its non-blind design and small size. Sensitivity analysis showed no survival benefit with terlipressin compared to either placebo (RR:1.03, 95% CI:0.83 to 1.28; I2 = 0%, p = 0.72; n = 3) or noradreanline (RR:0.83, 95% CI:0.69 to 1.00; I2 = 4%, p = 0.39; n = 7) at 30 days of follow-up. Terlipressin carried higher risk of treatment-related adverse events compared to either placebo (RR:2.92, 95% CI:1.48 to 5.77; I2 = 0%, p = 0.75; n = 3) or noradrenaline (RR:2.45, 95% CI:1.37 to 4.37; I2 = 0%, p = 0.92; n = 5).ConclusionTerlipressin is superior to placebo, and comparable to noradreanline in treatment response, but survival benefit is lacking. Noradrenaline, with low certainty, may be a better alternative for HRS.

Abstract Sepsis is recognized as a major contributor to the global disease burden, but there is a lack of specific and effective therapeutic agents. Utilizing Mendelian randomization (MR) methods alongside evidence of causal genetics presents a chance to discover novel targets for therapeutic intervention. MR approach was employed to investigate potential drug targets for sepsis. Pooled statistics from IEU-B-4980 comprising 11,643 cases and 474,841 controls were initially utilized, and the findings were subsequently replicated in the IEU-B-69 (10,154 cases and 454,764 controls). Causal associations were then validated through colocalization. Furthermore, a range of sensitivity analyses, including MR-Egger intercept tests and Cochran's Q tests, were conducted to evaluate the outcomes of the MR analyses. Three drug targets (PSMA4, IFNAR2, and LY9) exhibited noteworthy MR outcomes in two separate datasets. Notably, PSMA4 demonstrated not only an elevated susceptibility to sepsis (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.20–1.45, p = 1.66E−08) but also exhibited a robust colocalization with sepsis (PPH4 = 0.74). According to the present MR analysis, PSMA4 emerges as a highly encouraging pharmaceutical target for addressing sepsis. Suppression of PSMA4 could potentially decrease the likelihood of sepsis.

Objectives This study aimed to analyze the safety, efficacy, and application prospects of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of primary hyperthyroidism.Methods Eight patients with primary hyperthyroidism who underwent ultrasound-guided glandular volume reduction between January 2021 and December 2022 were included in this study. Pre- and postablative examinations, including grayscale ultrasound, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), laboratory examination, antithyroid drug (ATD) dosage, and quality of life (QoL) assessment via Thyroid-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome Short-Form (ThyPRO-39), were analyzed retrospectively. The main ultrasound follow-up times were 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after ablation. Thyroid function was reviewed 1 week after ablation, and the subsequent reexamination time was determined according to the patient’s specific test results and ATD adjustment. The final efficacy was comprehensively analyzed according to the patient’s medication status, thyroid function, thyroid volume, and QoL score.Results All 8 patients successfully received MWA for primary hyperthyroidism, and none of them experienced serious complications. By the end of the follow-up, 5 of the 8 patients had stopped taking ATDs, 3 of the 8 patients had reduced ATD dosages, and all of them maintained stable thyroid function. Although descriptive analysis was performed because of the small sample size, patients’ thyroid volume reduction, and obvious improvements in goiter symptoms, hyperthyroid symptoms, anxiety, etc., were observed during our follow-up.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided MWA for reducing thyroid gland volume in primary hyperthyroidism patients is a new, safe, and effective minimally invasive treatment method that is a good choice for patients who cannot or refuse traditional treatment methods.

Abstract The left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder is an important medical device for closing the LAA and preventing stroke. The device‐related thrombus (DRT) prevents the implantation of the occluder in exerting the desired therapeutic effect, which is primarily caused by the delayed endothelialization of the occluder. Functional coatings are an effective strategy for accelerating the endothelialization of occluders. However, the occluder surface area is particularly large and structurally complex, and the device is subjected to a large shear friction in the sheath during implantation, which poses a significant challenge to the coating. Herein, a hydrogel coating by the in situ UV‐triggered polymerization of double‐network polyelectrolytes is reported. The findings reveal that the double network and electrostatic interactions between the networks resulted in excellent mechanical properties of the hydrogel coating. The sulfonate and Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD) groups in the coating promoted hemocompatibility and endothelial growth of the occluder, respectively. The coating significantly accelerated the endothelialization of the LAA occluder in a canine model is further demonstrated. This study has potential clinical benefits in reducing both the incidence of DRT and the postoperative anticoagulant course for LAA closure.

Abstract Background Celastrol has been revealed to exhibit anticancer pharmacological activity, however, the molecular mechanisms of celastrol involved in pancreatic cancer remain to be further elucidated. The present study was to illustrate whether celastrol suppresses pancreatic cancer through modulating RNA m6A modification. Methods Effect of celastrol treatment on the malignant phenotypes of pancreatic cancer cells was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, EdU assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry analysis and subcutaneous xenograft experiments. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was carried out to analyze the genes differentially expressed in celastrol-treated pancreatic cancer cells. RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were employed to evaluate the expression of the indicated genes. RNA dot blot and quantification of total RNA m6A modification assays, MeRIP-qPCR assay, RIP-qPCR assay, RNA stability and protein stability assays were applied to evaluate the regulatory mechanism of celastrol treatment in pancreatic cancer cells. Results We demonstrated that celastrol suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, and decreased tumor growth in vivo. Specifically, Bcl-2, Claspin, METTL3 and YTHDF3 were identified as the potential targets of celastrol treatment in pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, our results indicated that celastrol treatment downregulated METTL3 and decreased m6A levels of Claspin and Bcl-2 mRNA, leading to the degradation of Claspin and Bcl-2 mRNA in pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, we revealed that celastrol treatment downregulated Claspin and Bcl-2, at least in part, in an m6A-YTHDF3-mediated manner in pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusion Our study highlighted a novel mechanism underlying celastrol-induced cellular proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells via m6A-YTHDF3-mediated downregulation of Claspin and Bcl-2.

Elevation gradients strongly influence the diversity pattern of soil microorganisms. To date, many studies have elucidated the response of soil microbes to changes in elevation gradients. However, the effects of these gradients on the assembly mechanisms and network complexity of rhizospheric microbial communities remain underexplored. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study assessed the response of rhizospheric fungal communities of Pinus hwangshanensis along different elevation gradients in the Huangshan Mountain scenic area with regard to diversity, community composition, and assembly mechanisms using high-throughput amplicon sequencing. The results revealed significant differences in rhizospheric fungal community composition across three elevation gradients. The soil organic matter and pH were the most relevant factors influencing the changes in rhizospheric fungal community composition. The rhizospheric fungal diversity was significantly lower at both low and high elevations compared to the medium elevation. The rhizospheric fungal community assembly showed a more deterministic process at low and high elevations than at the medium elevation, indicating that stronger environmental filtering contributed to reduced fungal diversity at the extremes of the elevation gradient. In addition, rhizospheric pathogens, particularly Dermateaceae, acted as keystone taxa, diminishing the stability of co-occurrence networks at the medium elevation. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of rhizospheric fungal community patterns and their ecological functions along elevation gradients in mountainous regions.

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs), the most prevalent viral contaminant in food, account for a substantial proportion of nonbacterial gastroenteritis cases. Extensive work has been focused on the diagnosis of HuNoVs in clinical samples, whereas the availability of sensitive detection methods for their detection in food is lacking. Here, we developed a virus enrichment approach utilizing graphene-based nanocomposites (CTAB-rGO-Fe3O4) that does not rely on large instruments and is suitable for on-site food pretreatment. The recovery efficiency of the developed virus enrichment procedure for serially diluted GII.4 norovirus ranged from 10.06 to 72.67% in strawberries and from 2.66 to 79.65% in oysters. Furthermore, we developed a real-time recombinase polymerase amplification (real-time RPA) assay, which can detect as low as 1.22 genome copies µL−1 of recombinant plasmid standard and has no cross-reactivity with genomes of astrovirus, rotavirus, adenovirus, and MS2 bacteriophage. Notably, the combined virus enrichment and real-time RPA detection assay enhanced the detection limits to 2.84 and 37.5 genome copies g−1 in strawberries and oysters, respectively, compared to those of qPCR. Our strategy, the graphene-based virus enrichment method combined with real-time RPA, presents a promising tool for sensitively detecting HuNoVs in food samples.

Abstract The human microbiome exhibits a profound connection with the cancer development, progression, and therapeutic response, with particular emphasis on its components of the mycobiome, which are still in the early stages of research. In this review, we comprehensively summarize cancer‐related symbiotic and pathogenic fungal genera. The intricate mechanisms through which fungi impact cancer as an integral member of both gut and tissue‐resident microbiomes are further discussed. In addition, we shed light on the pivotal physiological roles of various nutrients, including cholesterol, carbohydrates, proteins and minerals, in facilitating the growth, reproduction, and invasive pathogenesis of the fungi. While our exploration of the interplay between nutrients and cancer, mediated by the mycobiome, is ongoing, the current findings have yet to yield conclusive results. Thus, delving into the relationship between nutrients and fungal pathogenesis in cancer development and progression would provide valuable insights into anticancer therapy and foster precision nutrition and individualized treatments that target fungi from bench to bedside.

Background Glycemic control is usually poor in patients with endogenous-insulin-deficient diabetes, while low-carbon diets (LCD) are beneficial for glycemic control among patients with diabetes. However, few studies on LCD in patients with endogenous-insulin-deficient diabetes have been reported. Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of LCD for patients with endogenous-insulin-deficient diabetes. Methods A total of 80 patients with endogenous-insulin-deficient diabetes (fasting C-peptide≤0.5 ng/mL) who were hospitalized in Shanghai Eighth People's Hospital from August 2018 to August 2022 were selected as research subjects and divided into the control diet (CD) group with 55 cases and LCD group with 25 cases. The CD group and LCD group were matched by propensity score matching (PSM) in a 1∶1 ratio based on age and diabetes duration as matching indicators and caliper value as 0.3. The two groups of patients were compared in terms of glycemic control on the first day of hospitalization and at discharge, including average blood glucose, coefficient of variation (CV), percentages of time in range (TIR), time below range (TBR) and time above range (TAR); use of antidiabetic drugs, including the numbers and dosages of daily insulin injection and the types of oral antidiabetic agents; incidence of adverse events, including proportion of individuals who developed diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or hypoglycemia. Results After PSM, 22 patients were included in the CD group and LCD group, respectively. The percentages of CV〔 (26.03±7.61) % vs. (33.79±12.46) % 〕and TAR〔 (20.19±17.57) % vs. (30.43±15.74) %〕were lower in the LCD group than in the CD group (both P

To address the challenges posed by the complex shapes of hollow parts, this study examined the ultrasonic-assisted granular medium hydroforming (UGMF) process for tubular components. The dynamics of the deformation behavior and deformation control during 6063-T5 aluminum alloy tube free forming by UGMF were studied via simulations and experiments. Based on the ABAQUS software platform, a coupled method based on finite element (FE) simulation analysis and discrete element (DE) analysis for the UGMF free forming process was used. The results showed that ultrasonic vibration (UV) could reduce the forming force required for expansion and promote the flow of material at the end to the forming area as well as inhibit the decrease in the wall thickness. The accuracy of the FE-DE coupled simulation model and a parabolic geometric model was verified by testing. The results found that UV enhances material flow, decreases the forming force needed, and minimizes damage to the granular surface.

The host’s physiological well-being is intricately associated with the gut microbiota. However, previous studies regarding the intestinal microbiota have focused on domesticated or captive birds. This study used high-throughput sequencing technology to identify the gut bacterial communities of sympatric bean geese, hooded cranes, and domestic geese. The results indicated that the gut bacterial diversity in domestic geese and hooded cranes showed considerably higher diversity than bean geese. The gut bacterial community compositions varied significantly among the three hosts (p < 0.05). Compared to the hooded crane, the bean goose and domestic goose were more similar in their genotype and evolutionary history, with less difference in the bacterial community composition and assembly processes between the two species. Thus, the results might support the crucial role of host genotypes on their gut microbiota. The gut bacteria of wild hooded cranes and bean geese had a greater capacity for energy metabolism compared to domestic geese, suggesting that wild birds may rely more on their gut microbiota to survive in cold conditions. Moreover, the intestines of the three hosts were identified as harboring potential pathogens. The relative abundance of pathogens was higher in the hooded crane compared to the other two species. The hooded crane gut bacterial community assemblage revealed the least deterministic process with the lowest filtering/selection on the gut microbiota, which might have been a reason for the highest number of pathogens result. Compared to the hooded crane, the sympatric bean goose showed the least diversity and relative abundance of pathogens. The intestinal bacterial co-occurrence network showed the highest stability in the bean goose, potentially enhancing host resistance to adverse environments and reducing the susceptibility to pathogen invasion. In this study, the pathogens were also discovered to overlap among the three hosts, reminding us to monitor the potential for pathogen transmission between poultry and wild birds. Overall, the current findings have the potential to enhance the understanding of gut bacterial and pathogenic community structures in poultry and wild birds.

Abstract Purpose With the in-depth application of machine learning(ML) in clinical practice, it has been used to predict the mortality risk in patients with traumatic brain injuries(TBI). However, there are disputes over its predictive accuracy. Therefore, we implemented this systematic review and meta-analysis, to explore the predictive value of ML for TBI. Methodology We systematically retrieved literature published in PubMed, Embase.com, Cochrane, and Web of Science as of November 27, 2022. The prediction model risk of bias(ROB) assessment tool (PROBAST) was used to assess the ROB of models and the applicability of reviewed questions. The random-effects model was adopted for the meta-analysis of the C-index and accuracy of ML models, and a bivariate mixed-effects model for the meta-analysis of the sensitivity and specificity. Result A total of 47 papers were eligible, including 156 model, with 122 newly developed ML models and 34 clinically recommended mature tools. There were 98 ML models predicting the in-hospital mortality in patients with TBI; the pooled C-index, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.87), 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75, 0.82), and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.92), respectively. There were 24 ML models predicting the out-of-hospital mortality; the pooled C-index, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.83 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.85), 0.74 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.81), and 0.75 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.82), respectively. According to multivariate analysis, GCS score, age, CT classification, pupil size/light reflex, glucose, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) exerted the greatest impact on the model performance. Conclusion According to the systematic review and meta-analysis, ML models are relatively accurate in predicting the mortality of TBI. A single model often outperforms traditional scoring tools, but the pooled accuracy of models is close to that of traditional scoring tools. The key factors related to model performance include the accepted clinical variables of TBI and the use of CT imaging.

Human breast milk, the best source of nutrition for newborns, can reduce the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Bioactive peptides are important components of human breast milk. However, their function in BPD are unclear. We screened a novel peptide (named MDABP) in the breast milk of mothers of premature infants, which has beneficial effects in experimental BPD. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of MDABP in vivo and vitro. Newborn Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were exposed to normoxia (21 % O2) or hyperoxia (85 % O2) and injected with MDABP or PBS from postnatal days 1 to 7 (PN1-PN7). On PN7, the lungs were harvested for histological and biochemical analysis. The results revealed that MDABP improved alveolar simplification and pulmonary vascular retardation, promoted alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) proliferation and inhibited cell apoptosis. In vitro, MDABP, but not scrambled MDABP, promoted cell proliferation and reduced cell injury without obvious toxicities. RNA-sequencing in A549 cells showed a total of 214 genes were significantly differentially expressed between the MDABP + hyperoxia and hyperoxia groups, including 80 upregulated and 134 downregulated genes. KEGG pathway analysis showed that significant differentially expressed genes were related to the ferroptosis signaling pathway. Rescue experiments showed that MDABP reduced the hyperoxia- and ferroptosis-induced damage to AEC by decreasing the levels of Fe2+ and ROS and increasing the levels of GSH and GPX4. The p-value of the above experiment was less than 0.05, which was considered statistically significant. This study provides a new basis for developing treatments for BPD.

Heat stroke (HS) is a febrile illness characterized by an elevation in the core body temperature to over 40°C, accompanied by central nervous system impairment and subsequent multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. In recent years, the mortality rate from HS has been increasing as ambient temperatures continue to rise each year. The cardiovascular system plays an important role in the pathogenesis process of HS, as it functions as one of the key system for thermoregulation and its stability is associated with the severity of HS. Systemic inflammatory response and endothelial cell damage constitute pivotal attributes of HS, other factors such as ferroptosis, disturbances in myocardial metabolism and heat shock protein dysregulation are also involved in the damage to myocardial tissue in HS. In this review, a comprehensively detailed description of the pathogenesis of HS-induced myocardial injury is provided. The current treatment strategies and the promising therapeutic targets for HS are also discussed.

The gut microbes regulate a variety of essential functions in avian hosts. Gut microbes are crucial for understanding avian specie’s ecological role and potential impact on the ecosystem. A wide range of factors shape the gut microbial diversity and communities in avian hosts, including similarity in genotype and shared evolutionary history, particularly in two closely related host species than distinctly related hosts. In this study, high-throughput sequencing methods were applied to compare and study the similarities and differences in the gut fungal communities of two geese from the same genus Anser, Greater white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons, WG), Bean goose (Anser fabalis, BG) with Hooded crane (Grus monacha, HC) sympatric in overlapping niches at Shengjin lake, China. Our findings supported our hypothesis that the two closely related geese shared similar gut fungal alpha diversity patterns compared to Hooded cranes due to similarity in genotype and evolutionary history. In particular, the fungal community composition in the gut of Greater white-fronted goose showed larger variation relative to the other two species. This result suggested that dietary preferences might regulate the gut fungal communities, as Hooded crane and Bean goose share parallel dietary preferences. The results of the abundance null deviation model showed higher values of null deviation (NDV) in Greater white-fronted goose and Bean goose, indicating that the two closely related goose species might be associated with more robust gut filtering for their fungal community relative to Hooded crane species. The fungal co-occurrence networks were complex, with higher stability in the two congeneric geese species relative to Hooded crane. Moreover, 29 animal fungal putative pathogens were identified with high diversity and relative abundance in the two congeneric geese due to their complex migration patterns compared with Hooded cranes. However, due to niche overlap, direct or indirect association may lead to the dissemination of gut microbes among sympatric avian species. These findings have important implications for ecological research, conservation efforts, and wildlife health management. Moreover, these findings illuminate potential ecological and conservation repercussions and increase our understanding of the complex interactions between avian species and their gut flora.

ABSTRACTObjective: The clinical and genetic characteristics of a child with inherited bone marrow failure syndrome as prominent clinical manifestations and special facial features were analyzed, and the etiology and mechanism were explored in, combination with clinical practice. Methods: Blood samples and clinical information were collected separately from the proband and their biological parents. The pathogenic variant was verified using next-generation sequencing technology screening, and the candidate variable sites were confirmed by using Sanger sequencing among all members of the family. Results: A heterozygous nonsense mutation in exon 17 of KAT6A (NM_006766), c.4177G > T (p.E1393*) predicted to cause truncation within the acidic domain of the protein was identified. Pedigree analysis did not reveal any variation in this locus between the proband's father and mother. No report of this pathogenic variant was found in a literature search of domestic and foreign databases, indicating that it is a newly discovered mutation. According to the guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics, the variation was preliminarily determined to be a pathogenic. The newly discovered heterozygous mutation in KAT6A may be the cause of the disease in this child. Additionally, inherited bone marrow failure syndrome is a prominent manifestation. Conclusion: This study not only provides us with an in-depth understanding of this rare syndrome but also deepens our understanding of the function of KAT6A.

ABSTRACTDysregulation of the gut microbiota by environmental factors is associated with a variety of autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. In addition, naturally-occurring extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs) might directly enter the gut via the food chain. However, following gut microbiota exposure to eARGs, the ecological processes shaping the microbiota community assembly, as well as the interplay between the microbiota composition, metabolic function, and the immune responses, are not well understood. Increasing focus on the One Health approach has led to an urgent need to investigate the direct health damage caused by eARGs. Herein, we reveal the significant influence of eARGs on microbiota communities, strongly driven by stochastic processes. How eARGs-stimulate variations in the composition and metabolomic function of the gut microbiota led to cytokine responses in mice of different age and sex were investigated. The results revealed that cytokines were significantly associated with immunomodulatory microbes, metabolites, and ARGs biomarkers. Cytokine production was associated with specific metabolic pathways (arachidonic acid and tryptophan metabolic pathways), as confirmed by ex vivo cytokine responses and recovery experiments in vivo. Furthermore, the gut microbial profile could be applied to accurately predict the degree of intestinal inflammation ascribed to the eARGs (area under the curve = 0.9616). The present study provided a comprehensive understanding of the influence of an eARGs on immune responses and intestinal barrier damage, shedding light on the interplay between eARGs, microbial, metabolites, and the gut antibiotic resistome in modulating the human immune system.

Abstract Deciphering the three-dimensional atomic structure of solid-solid interfaces in core-shell nanomaterials is the key to understand their catalytical, optical and electronic properties. Here, we probe the three-dimensional atomic structures of palladium-platinum core-shell nanoparticles at the single-atom level using atomic resolution electron tomography. We quantify the rich structural variety of core-shell nanoparticles with heteroepitaxy in 3D at atomic resolution. Instead of forming an atomically-sharp boundary, the core-shell interface is found to be atomically diffuse with an average thickness of 4.2 Å, irrespective of the particle’s morphology or crystallographic texture. The high concentration of Pd in the diffusive interface is highly related to the free Pd atoms dissolved from the Pd seeds, which is confirmed by atomic images of Pd and Pt single atoms and sub-nanometer clusters using cryogenic electron microscopy. These results advance our understanding of core-shell structures at the fundamental level, providing potential strategies into precise nanomaterial manipulation and chemical property regulation.

Using social networks as one of the new instruments of information and communication technologies in recent years has gained popularity. Social networks are used in various political, social, cultural, and educational fields. In education, students increasingly use social networks to create and maintain social relationships and support informal learning methods. The current study investigated the relationship between the use of social networks and academic engagement in Chinese EFL language learners. Using a convenience sampling method, the researcher invited 591 EFL students from Guangdong Province, China to participate in the study. The participants consisted of 307 male learners and 284 female learners, of whom 345 (58.38 %) were B.A., 234 (39.59 %) were M.D. and 2.03 % were Ph.D. To obtain the necessary data, the researcher employed two questionnaires. The researcher distributed the questionnaires that were Social Network Usage Questionnaire and Academic Engagement Questionnaire to the participants. Employing the multivariate regression method and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS and Amos, the researcher analyzed the collected data. The results show that there is a significant and positive association between learners' social network usage, their ethnographic factor (age), and their academic engagement. However, other ethnographic factors such as gender and educational level do not affect learners' social networks usage. Also, there is a significant and positive association between the amount of use of social networks for entertainment and components of academic engagement which are cognitive, emotional, and socio-behavioral factors. The use of technology, especially the use of social networks, enhances learners’ academic engagement and increases their motivation, energy, and mastering abilities. They provide the ability to easy access for all learners and provide personalized/individual course materials.

Leukemia stem cells (LSC) are a rare population capable of limitless self-renewal and are responsible for the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of leukemia. Elucidation of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of LSC function could provide novel treatment strategies. Here, we show that TWIST1 is extremely highly expressed in the LSC of MLL-AF9+ acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and its upregulation is positively regulated by KDM4C in a H3K9me3 demethylation-dependent manner. We further demonstrate that TWIST1 is essential for the viability, dormancy, and self-renewal capacities of LSC, and that it promotes the initiation and maintenance of MLL-AF9-mediated AML. In addition, TWIST1 directly interacts and collaborates with HOXA9 in inducing AML in mice. Mechanistically, TWIST1 exerts its oncogenic function by activating the WNT5a/RAC1 axis. Collectively, our study uncovers a critical role of TWIST1 in LSC function and provides new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of MLL-AF9+ AML.

Objective: Major infectious disease outbreaks are highly susceptible to diffuse outbreaks due to their sudden and more widespread nature. Compared to previous outbreaks such as the Spanish flu and SARS in China, COVID-19 has greatly affected the health of citizens and the economic development of countries worldwide, and is representative of major infectious disease outbreaks in many ways. Information avoidance, a common information behaviour during major infectious disease outbreaks, can alleviate the stress caused by information overload as a strategy to reduce negative emotions and maintain optimism. However, it can also bias risk perceptions and avoid content of greater value. Therefore, a deeper understanding of public information behaviour, particularly how and why relevant information is circumvented, places a demand on researchers. Methods: A meta-ethnographic qualitative research methodology was used, and the seven steps of the methodology were strictly followed, including identifying integration themes, defining the connotations of integration themes, reading original studies, identifying relationships between studies, inter-translation between studies, synthetic translation, and presenting integration results. 26 original studies were integrated in a unified research framework, with a macro perspective that integrates consistent as well as complex and even contradictory findings and identifies dominant factors. Conclusions: Identify demographic factors, information literacy, risk perception, cognitive structure, information quality, information sources, external characteristics of information, and environmental characteristics sub-dimensions around the dimensions of ‘individual’, ‘information’ and ‘environment’. The study also explored the factors under each sub-dimension. The study finally identified three dimensions, nine sub-dimensions and 26 factors, and obtained a more complete theoretical framework to construct a “model of factors influencing public information avoidance behaviour in major infectious disease epidemics”, with a view to providing a theoretical basis and practical reference for relevant departments in guiding public information behaviour and health practices in major infectious disease epidemics.

Abstract Biomass microbiota and chemical constituent are closely associated with final anaerobic fermentation performance. But the limiting factors affecting anaerobic fermentation quality and bacterial community have been rarely explored. This study aimed to elucidate the relative contribution of initial microbiota and chemical constituent of sweet sorghum on its final anaerobic fermentation quality. Sweet sorghum at two developmental stages (heading-stage, G1; hard-dough-stage, G2) was treated as follows: G1 microbiota + sterilized G1 (M1C1), G2 microbiota + sterilized G1 (M2C1), G1 microbiota + sterilized G2 (M1C2), and G2 microbiota + sterilized G2 (M2C2). The results showed that chemical constituent rather than microbiota changes remarkably influenced the production of lactic acid, propionic acid and ammonia-N, the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Weissella, Lactococcus, Pediococcus, and Pantoea of sweet sorghum after anaerobic fermentation. The chemical constituent was the key limiting factor affecting the anaerobic fermentation quality of sweet sorghum. This study could provide a reference for clarifying the key limiting factors affecting anaerobic fermentation and making recommendations for production. Graphical Abstract

Ready-mixed-concrete (RMC) is an important green and clean building material which is widely used in modern civil engineering. For the large-scale planar foundations of urban public buildings, huge amounts of RMC need to be continuously delivered to the construction site according to strict time windows, which brings the problem of multi-plants collaborative supply. In this paper, considering transportation capacity, initial setting time, and interrupt pumping time, a collaborative scheduling model for production and transportation of RMC with the objective of minimizing the penalty cost of interruption pumping and vehicle waiting time and fuel consumption cost was established. According to the characteristics of the problem, a double chromosome synchronous evolution genetic algorithm was designed. Finally, the model and algorithm proposed in the paper were verified by data experiments. The computing results showed that in two cases of different scenarios, such as ordinary constructions and emergency constructions, the proposed scheduling model can save 18.6 and 24.8% cost respectively. The scheduling model and algorithm proposed in the paper can be applied directly to improve the operational efficiency of RMC supply chain.

The key issues that have always affected the production yield of the construction industry are delays and cost overruns, especially when dealing with large-scale projects and super-high buildings in which multiple tower cranes with overlapping areas are often deployed because of urgent due date and limited space. The service scheduling of tower cranes, which act as the crucial site equipment for lifting and transporting materials, is one of the main problems not only related to the construction progress and project cost but also affecting equipment health, and it may bring security risks. The current work presents a multi-objective optimization model for a multiple tower cranes service scheduling problem (MCSSP) with overlapping areas while achieving maximum interval time of cross-tasks and minimum makespan. For the solving procedure, NSGA-Ⅱ is employed with double-layer chromosome coding and simultaneous coevolutionary strategy design, which can obtain a satisfactory solution through effectively allocating tasks within overlapping areas to each crane and then prioritizing all the assigned tasks. The makespan was minimized, and stable operation of tower cranes without collision was achieved by maximizing the cross-tasks interval time. A case study of the megaproject Daxing International Airport in China has been conducted to evaluate the proposed model and algorithm. The computational results illustrated the Pareto front and its non-dominant relationship. The Pareto optimal solution outperforms the results of the single objective classical genetic algorithm in terms of overall performance of makespan and interval time of cross-tasks. It also can be seen that significant improvement in the time interval of cross-tasks can be achieved at the cost of a tiny increase in makespan, which means effective avoidance of the tower cranes entering the overlapping area at the same time. This can help eliminate collision, interference and frequent start-up and braking of tower cranes, leading to safe, stable and efficient operation on the construction site.

After spinal cord injury (SCI), a fibroblast- and microglia-mediated fibrotic scar is formed in the lesion core, and a glial scar is formed around the fibrotic scar as a result of the activation and proliferation of astrocytes. Simultaneously, a large number of neurons are lost in the injured area. Regulating the dense glial scar and replenishing neurons in the injured area are essential for SCI repair. Polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB), known as an RNA-binding protein, plays a key role in neurogenesis. Here, we utilized short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to knock down PTB expression. We found that reactive spinal astrocytes from mice were directly reprogrammed into motoneuron-like cells by PTB downregulation in vitro. In a mouse model of compression-induced SCI, adeno-associated viral shRNA-mediated PTB knockdown replenished motoneuron-like cells around the injured area. Basso Mouse Scale scores and forced swim, inclined plate, cold allodynia, and hot plate tests showed that PTB knockdown promoted motor function recovery in mice but did not improve sensory perception after SCI. Furthermore, ASO-mediated PTB knockdown improved motor function restoration by not only replenishing motoneuron-like cells around the injured area but also by modestly reducing the density of the glial scar without disrupting its overall structure. Together, these findings suggest that PTB knockdown may be a promising therapeutic strategy to promote motor function recovery during spinal cord repair.

On September 16, 2022, the first imported monkeypox case was reported in the Chinese Mainland. Laboratory tests including nucleic acid detection were carried out in Chongqing Nan'an Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention. After that, monkeypox virus was isolated by the Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention and preserved at the National Pathogen Resource Center on September 18, 2022. The National Pathogen Resource Center shared the basic information of monkeypox virus strain, samples, biosafety, strain imaging, RT-PCR primers, and probes sequence timely to support the prevention and control of monkeypox epidemic and facilitate the scientific research on vaccine development, drug screening and evaluation of monkeypox virus in the future.

This study investigated the effects of developmental stage and store time on the chemical composition, microbial community, co-occurrence networks and fermentation characteristics of sweet sorghum silage. Sweet sorghum harvested at two developmental stages (heading stage, S1; hard dough stage, S2) was treated as follows: (I) natural fermentation of S1 (NS1); (II) natural fermentation of S2 (NS2) and ensiled for 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days. After 60 days of ensiling, NS2 silage had higher lactic acid concentration and the ratio of lactic to acetic acid, and lower pH value and acetic acid concentration than NS1 silage. Meanwhile, NS2 silage also had higher ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) content than NS1 silage, but the NH3-N content of both treatments was lower than 100 g/kg TN. Leuconostoc and Lactococcus were respectively dominant in both 7-day NS1 and NS2 silages, while Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in 30-day NS1 and NS2 silages. The developmental stage altered the bacterial co-occurrence networks of fresh and ensiled sweet sorghum. Spearman’s correlation heatmap showed that the higher lactic acid content and ratio of lactic to acetic acid in NS2 silage could be associated with the higher water-soluble carbohydrate content in S2 material, the higher abundance of Lactococcus in the initial phase of ensiling and the higher abundance of Lactobacillus in the late phase of ensiling. These results concluded that the sweet sorghum harvested at the hard dough stage is preferred for silage production over the sweet sorghum harvested at the heading stage.HIGHLIGHTS Microbial succession pattern was studied on fresh and ensiled samples. Growth stage affected the chemical and microbial parameters of sweet sorghum. Epiphytic microbiota was correlated with the chemical composition of forage. Metagenomic sequencing showed Lactobacillus was dominated in all silages. Growth stage accelerated the fermentation of sweet sorghum silage.

Abstract In this study, the anaerobic fermentation technique was conducted to accomplish the clean recycling of surplus napiergrass. The surplus napiergrass harvested at two harvest dates (early vegetative stage, NI; late vegetative stage, NII) was treated as follows: (i) natural fermentation of NI (NNI); (ii) natural fermentation of NII (NNII) and stored for 1, 3, 7, 15, 30 and 60 days. After 60 days of anaerobic fermentation, NNI had higher lactic acid concentration and ratio of lactic to acetic acid, but lower pH value and ammonia–nitrogen concentration than NNII. Lactobacillus and Enterobacter were, respectively, dominant in both 7-day NNI and NNII, while Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in 30-day NNI and NNII. Both harvest date and store time altered the bacterial co-occurrence networks of fresh and fermented napiergrass. The complexity of the bacterial networks decreased from NII, NI, NNII to NNI. The correlations were primarily positive in the bacterial networks of NI, NII, NNII-7 and NNII-30 with positive correlative proportion of 53.0%, 64.3%, 53.1% and 55.6%, but negative in those of NNI-7 (47.4%) and NNI-30 (46.2%) with positive correlative proportion of 47.4% and 46.2%, respectively. Overall, the fermentation quality and microbial community structure of napiergrass during anaerobic fermentation were highly influenced by harvest date and store time. Based on the principle of stable fermentation and high quality, anaerobic fermentation of NI for at least 15 days is recommended. The in-depth understanding of microbial community dynamics and co-occurrence networks during anaerobic fermentation of napiergrass is important for revealing the fermentation mechanism and can contribute to resource recycling without increasing cost. Graphical Abstract

AIM: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of olopatadine combined with pranoprofen in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.METHODS: Using “olopatadine eye drops”, “pranoprofen eye drops” and “allergic conjunctivitis” as keywords, the controlled clinical trials of olopatadine combined with pranoprofen in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis were searched from Embase, Cochrane library, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP database, with an retrieval time from the establishment of the database to January 1, 2022; The Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was used to assess the quality of the included studies, and the Egger's test was performed for publication bias of the included literatures. Meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3.RESULTS: A total of 24 eligible Chinese literatures were included, with 2 443 patients(2 547 eyes)in total. The test group was administrated olopatadine combined with pranoprofen, and the control group was treated with olopatadine monotherapy; The results of Meta-analysis showed that the clinical efficiency of the test group was better than that of the control group(OR=4.42, 95%CI:3.37-5.80,P

Autoimmune disorders are common in patients with primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs). However, the prevalence of autoimmunity is low in patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), mostly due to the absence of antibodies. Chronic or persistent immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which is usually considered an antibody-mediated disease, is uncommon in patients with XLA. In this study, we detailly described a surprising autoimmune phenomenon, chronic ITP, in a small boy diagnosed with XLA. This is an interesting phenotype found in XLA, and it is helpful to understand the immune pathogenesis of autoimmunity in patients with XLA.

Abstract Background Recently, Zika virus (ZIKV) re-emerged in India and was potentially associated with microcephaly. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ZIKV pathogenesis remain to be explored. Results Herein, we performed a comprehensive RNA-sequencing analysis on ZIKV-infected JEG-3, U-251 MG, and HK-2 cells versus corresponding uninfected controls. Combined with a series of functional analyses, including gene annotation, pathway enrichment, and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, we defined the molecular characteristics induced by ZIKV infection in different tissues and invasion time points. Data showed that ZIKV infection and replication in each susceptible organ commonly stimulated interferon production and down-regulated metabolic-related processes. Also, tissue-specific immune responses or biological processes (BPs) were induced after ZIKV infection, including GnRH signaling pathway in JEG-3 cells, MAPK signaling pathway in U-251 MG cells, and PPAR signaling pathway in HK-2 cells. Of note, ZIKV infection induced delayed antiviral interferon responses in the placenta-derived cell lines, which potentially explains the molecular mechanism by which ZIKV replicates rapidly in the placenta and subsequential vertical transmission occurs. Conclusions Together, these data may provide a systemic insight into the pathogenesis of ZIKV infection in distinct human tissue-derived cell lines, which is likely to help develop prophylactic and therapeutic strategies against ZIKV infection.

ABSTRACT The evolutionary relationship between arginine and lysine biosynthetic pathways has been well established in bacteria and hyperthermophilic archaea but remains largely unknown in haloarchaea. Here, the endogenous CRISPR-Cas system was harnessed to edit arginine and lysine biosynthesis-related genes in the haloarchaeon Natrinema gari J7-2. The ΔargW, ΔargX, ΔargB, and ΔargD mutant strains display an arginine auxotrophic phenotype, while the ΔdapB mutant shows a lysine auxotrophic phenotype, suggesting that strain J7-2 utilizes the ArgW-mediated pathway and the diaminopimelate (DAP) pathway to synthesize arginine and lysine, respectively. Unlike the ArgD in Escherichia coli acting as a bifunctional aminotransferase in both the arginine biosynthesis pathway and the DAP pathway, the ArgD in strain J7-2 participates only in arginine biosynthesis. Meanwhile, in strain J7-2, the function of argB cannot be compensated for by its evolutionary counterpart ask in the DAP pathway. Moreover, strain J7-2 cannot utilize α-aminoadipate (AAA) to synthesize lysine via the ArgW-mediated pathway, in contrast to hyperthermophilic archaea that employ a bifunctional LysW-mediated pathway to synthesize arginine (or ornithine) and lysine from glutamate and AAA, respectively. Additionally, the replacement of a 5-amino-acid signature motif responsible for substrate specificity of strain J7-2 ArgX with that of its hyperthermophilic archaeal homologs cannot endow the ΔdapB mutant with the ability to biosynthesize lysine from AAA. The in vitro analysis shows that strain J7-2 ArgX acts on glutamate rather than AAA. These results suggest that the arginine and lysine biosynthetic pathways of strain J7-2 are highly specialized during evolution. IMPORTANCE Due to their roles in amino acid metabolism and close evolutionary relationship, arginine and lysine biosynthetic pathways represent interesting models for probing functional specialization of metabolic routes. The current knowledge with respect to arginine and lysine biosynthesis is limited for haloarchaea compared to that for bacteria and hyperthermophilic archaea. Our results demonstrate that the haloarchaeon Natrinema gari J7-2 employs the ArgW-mediated pathway and the DAP pathway for arginine and lysine biosynthesis, respectively, and the two pathways are functionally independent of each other; meanwhile, ArgX is a key determinant of substrate specificity of the ArgW-mediated pathway in strain J7-2. This study provides new clues about haloarchaeal amino acid metabolism and confirms the convenience and efficiency of endogenous CRISPR-Cas system-based genome editing in haloarchaea.

ABSTRACT This work evaluated the dynamic changes of phyllosphere microbiota and chemical parameters at various growth stages of Pennisetum giganteum and their effects on the bacterial community, cooccurrence networks, and functional properties during anaerobic fermentation. P. giganteum was collected at two growth stages (early vegetative stage [PA] and late vegetative stage [PB]) and was naturally fermented (NPA and NPB) for 1, 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days, respectively. At each time point, NPA or NPB was randomly sampled for the analysis of chemical composition, fermentation parameter, and microbial number. In addition, the fresh, 3-day, and 60-day NPA and NPB were subjected to high-throughput sequencing and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional prediction analyses. Growth stage obviously affected the phyllosphere microbiota and chemical parameters of P. giganteum. After 60 days of fermentation, NPB had a higher lactic acid concentration and ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid but a lower pH value and ammonia nitrogen concentration than NPA. Weissella and Enterobacter were dominant in 3-day NPA and Weissella was dominant in 3-day NPB, while Lactobacillus was the most abundant genus in both 60-day NPA and NPB. The complexity of bacterial cooccurrence networks in the phyllosphere decreased with P. giganteum growth. The ensiling process further decreased the complexity of bacterial networks, with the simplest bacterial correlation structures in NPB. There were great differences in the KEGG functional profiles of PA and PB. Ensiling promoted the metabolism of lipid, cofactors, vitamins, energy, and amino acids but suppressed the metabolism of carbohydrates and nucleotides. Storage time had a greater influence than growth stage on bacterial community diversity, cooccurrence networks, and functional profiles of P. giganteum silage. Differences in bacterial diversity and functionality of P. giganteum silage caused by growth stage appear to be offset by long-term storage. IMPORTANCE The phyllosphere microbiota consists of various and complex microbes, including bacteria with crucial relevance to the quality and safety of fermented food and feed. It initially derives from soil and becomes specific to its host after interaction with plants and climate. Bacteria associated with the phyllosphere are highly abundant and diverse, but we know little about their succession. Here, the phyllospheric microbiota structure was analyzed within the growth of P. giganteum. We also evaluated the effects of phyllosphere microbiota and chemical parameter changes on the anaerobic fermentation of P. giganteum. We observed remarkable differences in bacterial diversity, cooccurrence, and functionality of P. giganteum at various growth stages and storage times. The obtained results are important for understanding the fermentation mechanism and may contribute to high-efficient production without additional cost.