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Abstract Fatty acids (FAs) are vital biomolecules crucial for determining food quality for higher trophic levels. To investigate FA transfer and turnover time in predators, we conducted a diet switch experiment using jellyfish polyps. These polyps were fed food sources including Artemia sinica nauplii and FA‐manipulated copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei, maintained on distinct algal diets with varied FA compositions. Our findings reveal that copepods may have a strong potential to synthesize long‐chain polyunsaturated FA to maintain biochemical homeostasis when consuming low‐quality food. Consequently, the species‐specific fatty acid composition within plankton, combined with effects of seasonal environmental fluctuations and climate change, leads to changes in the FA composition of foundational food web components. These alterations create a complex “nutrient black box” effect as they propagate up trophic levels. Our study shows that jellyfish polyps fail to accumulate EPA and DHA but display high levels of ARA compared to their zooplankton and phytoplankton food sources, suggesting a potential association with dietary EPA and DHA through an unidentified pathway. Certain FA components indicate variations in the turnover time when polyps undergo a dietary shift. Understanding the trajectory of FA metabolism across the “phytoplankton–zooplankton” interface, along with its turnover time, provides crucial insights for modeling diet estimation of components within food webs.

Heterosigma akashiwo is a harmful algal bloom species that causes significant detrimental effects on marine ecosystems worldwide. The algicidal bacterium Pseudalteromonas sp. LD-B1 has demonstrated potential effectiveness in mitigating these blooms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying LD-B1’s inhibitory effects on H. akashiwo remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed the comprehensive methodology, including morphological observation, assessment of photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), and transcriptomic analysis, to investigate the response of H. akashiwo to LD-B1. Exposure to LD-B1 resulted in a rapid decline of H. akashiwo's Fv/Fm ratio, with cells transitioning to a rounded shape within 2 hours, subsequently undergoing structural collapse and cytoplasmic leakage. Transcriptomic data revealed sustained downregulation of photosynthetic genes, indicating impaired functionality of the photosynthetic system. Additionally, genes related to the respiratory electron transfer chain and antioxidant defenses were consistently downregulated, suggesting prolonged oxidative stress beyond the cellular antioxidative capacity. Notably, upregulation of autophagy-related genes was observed, indicating autophagic responses in the algal cells. This study elucidates the molecular basis of LD-B1's algicidal effects on H. akashiwo, advancing our understanding of algicidal mechanisms and contributing to the development of effective strategies for controlling harmful algal blooms.

Abstract Adsorption coupled with photocatalytic degradation is proposed to fulfill the removal and thorough elimination of organic dyes. Herein, we report a facile hydrothermal synthesis of MIL-100(Fe)/GO photocatalysts. The adsorption and photocatalytic degradation process of methylene blue (MB) on MIL‐100(Fe)/GO composites were systematically studied from performance and kinetic perspectives. A possible adsorption‐photocatalytic degradation mechanism is proposed. The optimized 1M8G composite achieves 95% MB removal (60.8 mg/g) in 210 min and displays well recyclability over ten cycles. The obtained MB adsorption and degradation results are well fitted onto Langmuir isotherm and pseudo‐second order kinetic model. This study shed light on the design of MOFs based composites for water treatment. Graphical Abstract

The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) stands out among the four surviving species of Asian pangolins, being the sole species present in Pakistan and listed as endangered owing to trafficking and illicit commerce. In the present study, we explored the population status of the Indian pangolin and the existing suitable habitats in Nowshera district, Pakistan. We employed the line transect method to confirm the species presence and subsequent population estimation. In a survey effort of 156 km2, a total of 56 signs of Indian pangolin were recorded within the research area. Amongst the 56 signs, 46 were burrows (living burrows (53.57%) and feeding burrows (28.57%)). Digging was observed nine (16.07%) times, along with one direct sighting (1.7%). Our results revealed a population estimate of only 29 pangolins in the Nowshera district, with a population density of 0.013 individuals/km2. Later, MaxEnt was applied to the species’ presence points, along with climatic and topographical variables. The MaxEnt model accuracy was good (AUC = 0.811). Of the total area studied, 210 km2 (12.01%) were highly suitable and 238 km2 (13.61%) were moderately suitable habitat for the Indian pangolin. To safeguard the fragile population and habitat of the Indian pangolin, we highly suggest strengthening watch and ward and law enforcement in the study area. By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses both the direct threats to Indian pangolins and the underlying factors driving their decline, we can effectively protect this endangered species and ensure the preservation of its essential habitats for robust conservation.

Abstract Background Very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEOIBD) with interleukin-10 (IL10R) signaling deficiency usually requires enterostomy in patients who are refractory to traditional treatment. This study aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes after enterostomy for VEOIBD patients with IL10R signaling deficiency. Methods The medical records of all patients undergoing enterostomy for signaling deficiency were retrospectively assessed during 2012.1–2022.7 in a tertiary teaching hospital, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Data on disease history, diagnosis and details of enterostomy and stoma closure and follow-up were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the risk factors associated with the long-term outcome of delayed stoma closure. Results A total of 46 patients underwent an enterostomy, 19 who required emergency enterostomy and 27 with selective enterostomy. After ten years of follow-up, 35 patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and 25 patients were alive after HSCT. The median timeframe between HSCT and stoma closure was 19.6 [15.9,26.2] months. Nineteen patients underwent stoma closure and had an average age of 3.9 ± 1.5 years; 6 patients were waiting for stoma closure. Based on a univariate logistic model, risk factors significantly associated with late stoma closure were age at enterostomy and age at HSCT. However, multivariate logistic regression showed no statistically significant factor associated with late stoma closure. There was no significant difference between the stoma closure group and delay closure group in the z scores of weight for age at follow up. Conclusions This study determined the long-term outcomes after enterostomy for VEOIBD with interleukin-10 signaling deficiency. The appropriate time point of enterostomy and HSCT may improve quality of life in the long term.

Abstract Background The within-species diversity of symbiotic bacteria represents an important genetic resource for their environmental adaptation, especially for horizontally transmitted endosymbionts. Although strain-level intraspecies variation has recently been detected in many deep-sea endosymbionts, their ecological role in environmental adaptation, their genome evolution pattern under heterogeneous geochemical environments, and the underlying molecular forces remain unclear. Results Here, we conducted a fine-scale metagenomic analysis of the deep-sea mussel Gigantidas platifrons bacterial endosymbiont collected from distinct habitats: hydrothermal vent and methane seep. Endosymbiont genomes were assembled using a pipeline that distinguishes within-species variation and revealed highly heterogeneous compositions in mussels from different habitats. Phylogenetic analysis separated the assemblies into three distinct environment-linked clades. Their functional differentiation follows a mosaic evolutionary pattern. Core genes, essential for central metabolic function and symbiosis, were conserved across all clades. Clade-specific genes associated with heavy metal resistance, pH homeostasis, and nitrate utilization exhibited signals of accelerated evolution. Notably, transposable elements and plasmids contributed to the genetic reshuffling of the symbiont genomes and likely accelerated adaptive evolution through pseudogenization and the introduction of new genes. Conclusions The current study uncovers the environment-driven evolution of deep-sea symbionts mediated by mobile genetic elements. Its findings highlight a potentially common and critical role of within-species diversity in animal-microbiome symbioses. Video Abstract

There is increased interest in the conversion of solar energy into green chemical energy because of the depletion of fossil fuels and their unpleasant environmental effect. Photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water involves the direct conversion of solar energy into H2 fuels, which exhibits significant advantages and immense promise. Nevertheless, photocatalytic efficiency is considerably lower than the standard range of industrial applications. Low light absorption efficiency, the rapid recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes, slow surface redox reaction kinetics and low photostability are well known to be key factors negatively affecting photocatalytic hydrogen production. Therefore, to construct highly efficient and stable photocatalysts is important and necessary for the development of photocatalytic hydrogen generation technology. In this review, quantum dots (QDs)-based photocatalysts have emerged with representative achievements. Due to their excellent light-harvesting ability, low recombination efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes, and abundant surface active sites, QDs have attracted remarkable interest as photocatalysts and/or cocatalyst for developing highly efficient photocatalysts. In this review, the application of QDs for photocatalytic H2 production is emphatically introduced. First, the special photophysical properties of QDs are briefly described. Then, recent progress into the research on QDs in photocatalytic H2 production is introduced, in three types: semiconductor QDs (e.g., CdS, CdMnS, and InP QDs), metal QDs (e.g., Au, Pt and Ag QDs), and MXene QDs and carbon QDs (CDQs). Finally, the challenges and prospects of photocatalytic H2 evolution with QDs in the future are discussed.

BackgroundA congenital duodenal diaphragm (CDD) is a rare cause of duodenal obstruction in infants and children. The traditional approach to treatment has been surgical intervention either with excision and duodenoplasty or with bypass through a duodenoduodenostomy, which is invasive and carries the risk of anastomotic leakage.AimsTo summarize the key points of differential diagnosis and treatment of a CDD under gastroscopy and to evaluate its efficacy and safety.MethodsThe clinical data of patients with a duodenal obstruction diagnosed and treated by gastroscopy in our hospital between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The gastroscopic features of the CDD were summarized. The clinical outcomes of patients with CDD treated by gastroscopy were collected and investigated.ResultsA total of 13 children with a duodenal obstruction underwent a gastroscopic examination and/or treatment, and of these, 10 were diagnosed as having a CDD and 3 were finally diagnosed as having an annular pancreas. A dome-shaped structure during inspiration (9/10) and a guidewire that could be inserted through the opening into the distal lumen (6/10) were the gastroscopic features of the CDD, while the annular pancreas had none of these features. The 10 patients, 4 men and 6 women with the CDD, were treated through endoscopic diaphragmotomy and dilation. The age and weight at operation was 15 days to 7 years (M: 2.25 years) and 2.85–22 kg (M: 13.6 kg), respectively. A total of 11 endoscopic operations were performed in the 10 patients. The time of single operation was 15–55 min (M: 38 min). The patients did not experience complications such as bleeding, pneumoperitoneum, and duodenal papilla injury during the operation. Feeding was started 12–24 h after surgery, and the patients were discharged 2–10 days (M: 7 days) postoperatively. The patients were followed up for 3–36 months (M: 17 months), and none of them had a recurrence of vomiting. However, three showed a recurrence of stenosis in upper gastrointestinal imaging, one of whom underwent a partial diaphragm resection again 2 months after the primary treatment.ConclusionsA CDD can be confirmed by endoscopy based on its characteristic features. Endoscopic diaphragmotomy and balloon dilation are safe and effective, which can be a new option for minimally invasive treatment of a CDD.

Regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA) is a common manifestation of ischemic heart disease detected through echocardiography. Currently, RWMA diagnosis heavily relies on visual assessment by doctors, leading to limitations in experience-based dependence and suboptimal reproducibility among observers. Several RWMA diagnosis models were proposed, while RWMA diagnosis with more refined segments can provide more comprehensive wall motion information to better assist doctors in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. In this paper, we proposed the STGA-MS model which consists of three modules, the spatial-temporal grouping attention (STGA) module, the segment feature extraction module, and the multiscale downsampling module, for the diagnosis of RWMA for multiple myocardial segments. The STGA module captures global spatial and temporal information, enhancing the representation of myocardial motion characteristics. The segment feature extraction module focuses on specific segment regions, extracting relevant features. The multiscale downsampling module analyzes myocardial motion deformation across different receptive fields. Experimental results on a 2D transthoracic echocardiography dataset show that the proposed STGA-MS model achieves better performance compared to state-of-the-art models. It holds promise in improving the accuracy and reproducibility of RWMA diagnosis, assisting clinicians in diagnosing ischemic heart disease more reliably.

CO2 hydrogenation to yield long-chain hydrocarbons has attracted tremendous attention in both academic and industrial field. CuFe-based bimetal catalysts have been widely applied in CO2 hydrogenation owing to their low cost, facile preparation, and excellent performance. In this study, a series of CuFe-based catalysts with different Cu/Fe molar ratios have been synthesized from layered double hydroxide precursor. The optimized CuFe8-LDO catalyst with Cu:Fe=1:8 exhibits a C5+ selectivity of 45% at CO2 conversion of 9.5%. Through systematic characterizations including TEM, TPR, TPD, XPS, it is revealed the abundant and highly dispersed CuO favors the reduction of iron species, and enhances CO adsorption capacity of as-prepared catalysts. This study provides an in-deep understanding of Cu on CO2 hydrogenation performance of Fe-based catalysts.

Abstract Background Escherichia fergusonii is a common conditionally pathogenic bacterium that infects humans and animals. E. fergusonii has been reported to cause diarrhea, respiratory disease, and septicemia, but it is rarely reported to cause skin infections in animals. E. fergusonii has been isolated from the skin and muscular tissue of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla aurita). To date, there have been no reports of Chinese pangolins with clinical signs of skin diseases. Case presentation This case report describes the clinical case of a subadult (bodyweight: 1.1 kg) female Chinese pangolin from wild rescue with pustules and subcutaneous suppurative infection due to E. fergusonii in the abdominal skin. Bacterial culture, Biochemical analysis, PCR and histopathology were utilized to identify the bacteria in the pustule puncture fluid and infected tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of E. fergusonii-related pustules on a Chinese pangolin. Conclusion This case report presents the first observed skin infection in a Chinese pangolin. E. fergusonii infection should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis of pustules and subcutaneous suppurative skin conditions in Chinese pangolins, and we also provide several recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Abstract The impact of millions of individual genetic variants on molecular phenotypes in coding sequences remains unknown. Multiplexed assays of variant effect (MAVEs) are scalable methods to annotate relevant variants, but existing software lacks standardization, requires cumbersome configuration, and does not scale to large targets. We present satmut_utils as a flexible solution for simulation and variant quantification. We then benchmark MAVE software using simulated and real MAVE data. We finally determine mRNA abundance for thousands of cystathionine beta-synthase variants using two experimental methods. The satmut_utils package enables high-performance analysis of MAVEs and reveals the capability of variants to alter mRNA abundance.

Since hyperspectral remote sensing images are three-dimensional data cubes with spatial and spectral information, with many wavebands and high inter-band correlation, the number of training samples required for classification is greatly increased. In order to achieve better classification of hyperspectral remote sensing images with small samples, this paper proposes a hyperspectral remote sensing image classification method based on Multi-Scale Dense Network (MSDN) with 3D Gabor filter. The method extracts the texture features of hyperspectral remote sensing images by using 3D Gabor filter; then extracts the spatial spectral features of hyperspectral remote sensing images at different scales in both horizontal and vertical directions by using Multiscale Dense Network; and finally achieves the classification of hyperspectral remote sensing images by using Softmax classifier. The introduction of 3D Gabor filter in this method can improve the extraction effect of the features of hyperspectral remote sensing images, and at the same time reduce the dependence of the multiscale dense network on the labeled samples in the classification of hyperspectral remote sensing images. Experiments are conducted on three publicly available hyperspectral remote sensing datasets, and the experimental results are compared with other classification methods to prove that the method has better classification performance.

ABSTRACTSolid-state recycling of used aluminum alloy beverage cans was accomplished by thermomechanical consolidation of the sheet fragments produced by shredding the cans. Different samples were obtained using two thermomechanical consolidation routes, one involving direct hot extrusion of a sheet fragment compact and the other involving upset hot-forging of a sheet fragment compact followed by hot extrusion of the forged ingot. The microstructures and mechanical properties of the samples were investigated. It was found that the samples contained less pores and exhibited better mechanical properties with a higher extrusion temperature and involving upset forging than with only hot extrusion, the highest tensile strength is 209.5 MPa and the largest elongation to fracture is 29.1%. The surface layers of the samples exhibited a clearly higher strength and tensile ductility than the interior. They also showed significantly different fracture behaviors, with the former being like fully ductile fracture and the latter involving delamination of the sheet fragments, suggesting that the bonding between the fragments is significantly stronger in the surface layer, possibly due to a higher amount of plastic deformation in it. Overall, the best quality solid state recycled material has tensile properties comparable with those of wrought aluminum alloy with the same composition.

Background To assess in vivo confocal microscopy features of corneal sub-basal nerve plexus in patients with congenital or aponeurogenic blepharoptosis using a fully automated software (ACCMetrics). Patients and methods This prospective study included 33 patients with blepharoptosis and 17 normal controls. The corneal sub-basal nerve plexus was assessed using in vivo confocal microscopy, and the ocular surface status was evaluated by tear break-up times. Results The mean age of 33 patients with blepharoptosis and 17 normal controls were 38.77 ± 22.81 years and 48.35 ± 17.15 years, respectively. The mean duration of blepharoptosis was 16.42 ± 15.60 years. In 13 patients with unilateral blepharoptosis, there was no significant difference between affected eyes and contralateral eyes (all ps > .05), except for wider corneal nerve fibre width (CNFW) in affected eyes (0.024 ± 0.001 versus 0.023 ± 0.001 mm/mm2, p = .021). In 20 patients with bilateral blepharoptosis, there was no significant difference between the eyes. No significant difference was detected between 19 cases with congenital blepharoptosis and 14 cases with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis. When compared with normal controls, eyes with both unilateral and bilateral blepharoptosis had significantly wider CNFW. But from the point of aetiology, only eyes with congenital blepharoptosis presented with wider CNFW (p = .001), rather than the eyes with aponeurogenic blepharoptosis (p = .093). Besides, four young patients with congenital blepharoptosis revealed very sparse sub-basal nerve plexus. Conclusions These data suggested that corneal confocal microscopy demonstrated no significant changes in patients with blepharoptosis as compared with normal controls, except for relatively wider CNFW in congenital affected eyes. However, in some children and young adults with congenital blepharoptosis, the density of corneal sub-basal nerve plexus was evidently decreased, which needs to be cautioned when ones with congenital blepharoptosis want to take corneal surgeries or wear contact lens.Key messages When compared with normal controls, no significant effect was found in the influence of blepharoptosis on the most of corneal nerve parameters, except for corneal nerve fibre width (CNFW) in the group of congenital blepharoptosis. The age of onset of blepharoptosis may influence corneal nerve fibres, so timely surgical treatment of congenital blepharoptosis is not only conducive to the development of normal vision, but also beneficial to the reduction of corneal nerve lesions to some extent. We noted that some young blepharoptosis patients revealed sparse corneal nerve, which should be taken precaution when ones with congenital blepharoptosis who want to take corneal surgeries or wear contact lens.

Band structure modulation may drive topological phase transitions, but tuning topological phases within the same material is challenging. Here, quantum oscillations are used to map the Berry phase and Dirac bandgap closing and reopening in a strain-induced topological insulator phase transition in ZrTe5.

Abstract Zooplankton can affect and regulate the biological carbon pump in the biogeochemical cycles of marine ecosystems through diel vertical migration (DVM) behaviour. The diel vertical distribution and migration of a zooplankton community were studied at a continuous survey station in the Caroline Seamount area of the western tropical Pacific Ocean. Using a MultiNet sampling system, 346 zooplankton species/taxa were collected and identified. The vertical distribution patterns of abundance and composition of the zooplankton community differed between daytime and nighttime. The highest biodiversity index occurred in the 100–200-m ocean depth layer, but some zooplankton species remained in the deep-water layer below 300 m. The DVM patterns of the various dominant species differed, even when the species belonged to the same order or family. Dissolved oxygen and seawater temperature were the main environmental factors affecting the diel vertical distribution of the zooplankton community. The oxygen minimum zone was identified as performing the dual role of “ecological barrier” and “refuge” for zooplankton. The active carbon flux mediated by the zooplankton DVM in the Caroline Seamount area was 14.5 mg C/(m2·d). Our findings suggest that zooplankton DVM can affect and mediate the biological carbon pump in the Caroline Seamount area.

The human visual system, dependent on retinal cells, can be regarded as a complex combination of optical system and nervous system. Artificial retinal system could mimic the sensing and processing function of human eyes. Optically stimulated synaptic devices could serve as the building blocks for artificial retinas and subsequent information transmission system to brain. Herein, photonic synaptic transistors based on polycrystalline MoS2, which could simulate human visual perception and brain storage, are presented. Moreover, the photodetection range from visible light to near-infrared light of MoS2 multilayer could extend human eyes’ vision limitation to near-infrared light. Additionally, the photonic synaptic transistor shows an ultrafast speed within 5 μs and ultralow power consumption under optical stimuli about 40 aJ, several orders of magnitude lower than biological synapses (50 ms and 10 fJ). Furthermore, the backgate control could act as emotional modulation of the artificial brain to enhance or suppress memory function, i.e. the intensity of photoresponse. The proposed carrier trapping/detrapping as the main working mechanism is presented for the device. In addition, synaptic functionalities including short synaptic plasticity, long synaptic plasticity and paired-pulse facilitation could be successfully simulated based on the prepared device. Furthermore, the large difference between short synaptic plasticity and long synaptic plasticity reveals the better image pre-processing function of the prepared photonic synapses. The classical Pavlovian conditioning associated with the associative learning is successfully implemented as well. Therefore, the efficient and rich functionalities demonstrate the potential of the MoS2 synaptic device that integrates sensing-memory-preprocessing capabilities for realizing artificial neural networks with different emotions that mimic human retina and brain.

The effects of gadolinium addition on crystallographic characteristics (lattice parameters, c/a ratios, solid solution substitutional position) and physical properties (electrical conductivity, Vickers hardness and mechanical performance) of Mg–Gd alloy were investigated in the present work. The results show that the Gd atoms in Mg–Gd binary alloy prefer to be located on the prismatic plane. The solid solution strengthening and ductilizing effect of Mg–Gd alloy mainly occurs in the composition range of 1–4 wt.% Gd. With the increase of Gd content, the axial ratio c/a of the extruded alloy first decreases and then increases, which is consistent with the change law of the alloy ductility. With the increase of Gd content in the low addition range, the starting resistance of basal slip increases sharply, while that of prismatic slip increases slowly. The difference between these two kinds of resistance gradually approaches to a certain extent with the increase of Gd content, which is beneficial to the coordination of basal slip and prismatic slip, and plays a plasticizing role. However, when the Gd content exceeds a certain amount, the volume fraction of the second phase in the alloy is too high, which is unfavourable to the elasticity. Under the high addition of Gd, when the starting resistance of prismatic slip and basal slip tend to be close and the difference is relatively constant, the hardening exponent also decreases to a relatively low stable value.

Abstract Background Pleistocene climate fluctuations have strongly modified species genetic diversity and distributions. The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) has been recognized as a critically endangered animal due to heavy poaching and trafficking. However, the effect of Pleistocene climate fluctuations on the genetic diversity and spatial distribution of the Chinese pangolin remains largely unknown. Here, we combined whole genome sequencing data, analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes, and a large amount of occurrence data from field surveys to infer the ancestral demographic history and predict the past spatial dynamics of the Chinese pangolin in Guangdong Province, China. Results Our results indicated that there were two subpopulations, which showed similar trends of population size change in response to past climatic changes. We estimated a peak effective population size (N e) during the last interglacial (LIG), followed by a marked decrease (~ 0.5 to fivefold change) until the last glacial maximum (LGM) and a rebound to a small peak population size during the Mid-Holocene (MH). The estimated time of the separation event between two subpopulations was approximately 3,000–2,500 years ago (ka). We estimated that the distribution of suitable areas shrank by 14.4% from the LIG to LGM, followed by an expansion of 31.4% from the LGM to MH and has been stable since then. In addition, we identified an elevational shift and suitable area decreased significantly during the LGM, but that the geographic extent of suitable areas in the western region increased from the LIG to present. The eastern region of Guangdong Province had the highest habitat suitability across all the climate scenarios. Conclusions Our results suggested that Pleistocene climate fluctuations played an important role in shaping patterns of genetic diversity and spatial distribution, and that human stressors likely contributed to the recent divergence of two Chinese pangolin subpopulations sampled here. We argue that a key protected area should be established in the eastern region of Guangdong Province. As such, this study provides a more thorough understanding of the impacts of Pleistocene climate fluctuations impacts on a mammalian species in southern China and suggests more robust management and conservation plans for this Critically Endangered species of special interest.

The Yellow River estuary is an important feeding, reproduction, and development ground for a variety of marine economic species, and understanding the changes in species composition and abundance around the Yellow River estuary is of great significance. In this study, a trawl survey and seawater eDNA survey were carried out simultaneously around the Yellow River estuary with the objective of both understanding the composition of marine teleost around the Yellow River estuary and providing a reference for the application of eDNA in fishery resources surveys. The results showed that 31 species of marine teleost in total were detected using the trawl survey, and 33 species were detected using eDNA technology. The number of species detected by both methods was 21. In these 21 species, the Pearson’s correlation coefficients between their eDNA relative abundance and catch per unit effort (CPUE) were very high (0.993 for weight and 0.993 for quantity), while the Spearman’s correlation coefficients were 0.659 and 0.595, respectively. There were significant positive correlations between the biomass of specific species and their eDNA relative abundance. Species composition difference analysis based on eDNA showed that the species compositions of two low-salinity and low-water-depth survey stations were distinctly different from the others. This study not only scientifically monitors and evaluates the species diversity and abundance of teleost around the Yellow River estuary but also provides a reference for the application of eDNA in fishery resources surveys.

SiO2-supported NiIr alloy acted as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the hydrogenation of benzonitrile, crotonaldehyde and benzylideneacetone, showing much higher activity than monometallic Ni/SiO2 and Ir/SiO2 catalysts and superior selectivity to benzyl-benzylidene-amine, butanal and 4-Phenyl-butan-2-one at high conversion. Furthermore, the main active sites were investigated on the basis of the relationship of TOFs and the alloy composition for the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde, benzonitrile and benzylideneacetone, and the active site was the isolated Ni atom surrounded by Ir atoms for the hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde and related to the structure of substrate in selective hydrogenation.

Abstract Background Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is a relatively common congenital disability. Accumulating extracellular matrix (ECM) prompts intestinal fibrosis remodelling in the aganglionic segments of HSCR. The contributions of various cellular subsets in the fibrogenesis of HSCR segments are poorly understood. Methods Single‐cell transcriptomics from 8 aganglionic segments and 5 normal segments of 7 HSCR subjects and 26 healthy segments of seven healthy donors were analysed. Fibrotic phenotype and alterations were explored using differential expression analysis and single‐cell trajectory analysis. Fibrosis‐related transcription factors were inferred through single‐cell regulatory network inference. Bulk transcriptomic data, proteomic data, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real‐time polymerase chain reaction were used to validate the alterations in the HSCR intestine. Results Various collagen, fibronectin and laminin protein‐coding genes expression were up‐regulated in the stromal and glial cells of the HSCR intestine. The number of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts in the aganglionic segments increased, and more myofibroblasts were activated at an earlier stage in HSCR segments, which infers that there is an intestinal fibrosis phenotype in HSCR segments. The fibrotic regulators POSTN, ANXA1 and HSP70 were highly expressed in the ECM‐related cellular subsets in the transitional segments and aganglionic segments. The transcription factor regulatory network revealed that fibrosis‐related and megacolon‐related NR2F1 in the fibroblasts and glial subsets was up‐regulated in the aganglionic segment. Conclusions This work identifies intestinal fibrosis and related regulators in aganglionic segments of HSCR; hence, anti‐fibrotic therapy may be considered to prevent HSCR‐associated enterocolitis (HAEC), relieve intestinal stricture and improve cell therapy.

Understanding inbreeding depressions (IBDs), the effect on the phenotypic performance of inbreeding, is of major importance for evolution and conservation genetics. Inbreeding depressions in aquatic animals were well documented in a domestic or captive population, while there is less evidence of inbreeding depression in natural populations. Chinese shrimp, Fenneropenaeus chinensis, is an important species in both aquaculture and fishery activities in China. To investigate inbreeding depression in natural populations, four Fenneropenaeus chinensis natural populations (Huanghua, Qinhuangdao, Qingdao, and Haiyang) were collected from the Bohai and Yellow seas. Microsatellite markers were used to evaluate individual inbreeding coefficients (F) of all samples. Furthermore, the effects of inbreeding on growth traits were investigated. The results showed marker-based F was continuous and ranged from 0 to 0.585, with an average of 0.191 ± 0.127, and there was no significant difference among the average F of the four populations. Regression analysis using the four populations showed inbreeding had a very significant (p < 0.01) effect on body weight. When analyzing a single population, regression coefficients were also all negative and those in Huanghua and in Qingdao were significant at the level of p < 0.05 and < 0.01, respectively. Inbreeding depressions, expressed as the percent change in body weight per 10% increase in F, were 2.75% in Huanghua, 2.22% in Qingdao, and 3.69% in all samples. This study provided a piece of rare evidence of inbreeding depression in natural populations and also guidance toward the conservation of wild Fenneropenaeus chinensis resources.

Background: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) closely link inflammation and thrombosis. The immune-related GTPase family M protein (IRGM) and its ortholog of mouse IRGM1 are positively correlated with plaque rupture during atherosclerosis process. However, whether and how IRGM/IRGM1 affects NETs formation and atherosclerotic thrombosis remains unknown, which will further promote the development of antithrombotic treatment tools. Methods: The thrombi images, platelet activation makers and NETs makers were detected in the serum of STEMI patients and controls. To futher investigate IRGM/IRGM1 affects NETs formation and atherothrombosis in vivo, ApoE-/-Irgm1+/- and ApoE-/- mice received diets rich in fat and 2.5% FeCl3 was then used to induce experimental arterial thrombosis in an atherosclerosis background. In vitro, PMA and thrombin were used to stimulate neutrophils and platelets, respectively, and the expression of IRGM/IRGM1 were modified. To reveal the molecular mechanisms, MAPK-cPLA2 signals inhibitors were used. Results: Serum IRGM was positively correlated with PF4 and neutrophil elastase. Subsequently, Irgm1 deficient mice have a longer occlusion time and lower growth rate. In vitro, as expected, IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency inhibits platelet activation and platelet-neutrophil interaction. More importantly, IRGM promoted NETs production through activating MAPK-cPLA2 signals in PMA stimulated neuropils, whereas inhibiting the production of NETs eliminated the difference in platelet activation and thrombosis caused by IRGM/Irgm1 modification in vivo and vitro. Similarly, inhibition of platelet activation also eliminated the influence of IRGM/Irgm1 modification on NETs production. Conclusions: Overall, our data indicate that IRGM/Irgm1 deficiency in neuropils inhibits the intense interaction between neutrophils and platelets, and ultimately inhibits thrombosis.

Abstract We demonstrate terahertz dielectric metasurfaces with anisotropic multipoles within the framework of the generalized Huygens principle, in which the interference among these multipoles achieves giant phase shift with broadened bandwidth and high transmission coefficients. More importantly, owing to the anisotropic design, various phase delays between π/2 and 3π/2 are obtained, which convert the incident linearly polarized terahertz wave into right/left-handed circularly polarized light, elliptically polarized light and cross-polarized light. Both simulation and experimental results verify complete terahertz polarization control with the ellipticity ranging from 1 to − 1, which paves a way for polarization-related applications of terahertz meta-devices.

Abstract To investigate the mechanism of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) deficiency in children with biliary atresia (BA) and its effect on liver fibrosis. The serum vitamin D and 25(OH)D, and expression of 25 hydroxylase (CYP2R1 and CYP27A1) in the liver of BA patients were detected and compared with those in the control group. We investigated the effect of differential expression of CYP2R1 in hepatocytes on the expression of genes related to liver fibrosis in primary hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) of BA and animal models of cholestasis. The ratio of 25(OH)D/vitamin D in the BA group was significantly lower than that in the control group. The mRNA and protein expression of CYP2R1 and CYP27A1 in liver tissue of the BA group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Exogenous active vitamin D (calcitriol) inhibited the proliferation and migration of primary HSCs isolated from BA patients, and reduced the expression of fibrosis-related genes in vitro. Downregulation of expression of CYP2R1 in hepatocytes increased expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, collagen (Col)-1α1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, and decreased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in cocultured primary HSCs of BA. Upregulation of expression of CYP2R1 in mice with bile duct ligation significantly increased the level of 25(OH)D, decreased the expression of TGF-β1, Col-1α1 and TIMP-1, and increased the expression of MMP-2. Children with BA have impaired vitamin D activation due to CYP2R1 deficiency. The dysactivation of vitamin D can promote the proliferation and activation of HSCs and participate in the development of hepatic fibrosis in BA.

Abstract Background Biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating inflammatory and fibrosing cholangiopathy of neonates with unknown aetiology. We aim to investigate the relationship between these two main characteristics. Methods Single‐cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics were performed on liver samples from a cohort of 14 objects (BA: n = 6; control: n = 8). We conducted data integration and cell‐type annotation based on gene expression profiling. Furthermore, we identified fibrosis‐related immune cells according to their spatial locations, GO and KEGG analysis. Finally, SPOTlight and CIBERSORTx were used to deconvolute ST data and microarray data of the GSE46960 cohorts, respectively. Results Immune subpopulations inhabiting the ‘fibrotic niche’ (areas of scarring), comprising ‘intermediate’ CD14++CD16+ monocytes, scar‐associated macrophages, natural killer T cells, transitional B cells and FCN3+ neutrophils were identified. GO and KEGG analyses showed that pathways including ‘positive regulation of smooth muscle cell/fibroblast proliferation’ and ‘positive regulation of/response to VEGFR/VEGF/EGFR/FGF’ were enriched in these cell types. Interactions analysis showed that communication among ‘FGF_FGFR’, ‘RPS19‐C5AR1’, ‘CD74_COPA/MIF/APP’ and ‘TNFRSF1A/B_GRN’ was extensive. Finally, the results of deconvolution for ST data and microarray data validated that the proportions of certain identified fibrosis‐related cell types we identified were increased in BA. Discussion Fibrosis is an important feature of BA, in which the immune system plays an important role. Our work reveals the subpopulations of immune cells enriched in the fibrotic niche of BA liver, as well as key related pathways and molecules; some are highlighted for the first time in liver fibrosis. These newly identified interactions might partly explain why the rate of liver fibrosis occurs much faster in BA than in other liver diseases. Conclusion Our study revealed the molecular, cellular and spatial immune microenvironment of the fibrotic niche of BA.

Abstract Anthropogenic and climatic factors affect the survival of animal species. Chinese pangolin is a critically endangered species, and identifying which variables lead to local extinction events is essential for conservation management. Local chronicles in China serve as long‐term monitoring data, providing a perspective to disentangle the roles of human impacts and climate changes in local extinctions. Therefore, we established generalized additive models to identify factors leading to local extinction with historical data from 1700–2000 AD in mainland China. Then we decreased the time scale and constructed extinction risk models using MaxEnt in a 30‐year transect (1970–2000 AD) to further assess extinction probability of extant Chinese pangolin populations. Lastly, we used principal component analysis to assess variation of related anthropogenic and climatic variables. Our results showed that the extinction probability increased with global warming and human population growth. An extinction risk assessment indicated that the population and distribution range of Chinese pangolins had been persistently shrinking in response to highly intensive human activities (main cause) and climate change. PCA results indicated that variability of climatic variables is greater than anthropogenic variables. Overall, the factors causing local extinctions are intensive human interference and drastic climatic fluctuations which induced by the effect of global warming. Approximately 28.10% of extant Chinese pangolins populations are confronted with a notable extinction risk (0.37 ≤ extinction probability≤0.93), specifically those in Southeast China, including Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan and Fujian Provinces. To rescue this critically endangered species, we suggest strengthening field investigations, identifying the exact distribution range and population density of Chinese pangolins and further optimizing the network of nature reserves to improve conservation coverage on the landscape scale and alleviate human interference. Conservation practices that concentrate on the viability assessment of scattered populations could help to improve restoration strategies of the Chinese pangolin.

Ascites disease, caused by Edwardsiella tarda, is one of the most destructive diseases in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). Genetic improvement of host germplasm aiming at resistance to E. tarda is the fundamental way to control this disease. However, genetic parameters for this trait in turbot are so far completely unknown, which are necessary for designing breeding protocols. In the current study, genetic parameters of this trait were estimated based on phenotype data collected using infection artificially. Challenge test survival was defined using three different trait definitions: Survival days after infection (SD), survival status at the half lethal time (SS50), test-day survival (TDS), and each trait definition was analyzed using appropriate models. In the challenge test, all the fish died from 6 to 14 days post infection. The heritability for SD and SS50 based on animal model were 0.43 ± 0.11 and 0.24 ± 0.07. When sire-dam model was used, all the heritability estimates were consistent and high, ranged from 0.72 to 0.76. Genetic correlation between resistance to E. tarda and harvest body weight, approximated by Pearson correlations between their average family estimated breeding values (EBVs), ranged from 0.14 to 0.45. These results indicated that selective breeding for resistance to E. tarda can be successfully applied in the breeding population.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and prognosis of biliary atresia (BA) with normal or minimally elevated gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT).MethodsThe clinical data of patients with BA in our hospital between 2012 and 2017 were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into a low-GGT group (GGT ≤ 300 IU/L) and a high-GGT group (GGT > 300 IU/L) according to the preoperative GGT level. The perioperative clinical parameters, the postoperative jaundice clearance within 6 months, and the 2-year native liver survival were compared among the groups.ResultsA total of 1,998 children were included in this study, namely, 496 in the low-GGT group and 1,502 in the high-GGT group. The ages and weights at the surgery in the low-GGT group were significantly lower than those in the high-GGT group (64.71 ± 21.35 vs. 68.64 ± 22.42 days, P = 0.001; 4.67 ± 1.03 vs. 4.89 ± 0.98 kg, P < 0.001). The levels of serum ALP, ALT, and AST in the low-GGT group were significantly higher than those in the high-GGT group before and 2 weeks after the surgery (ALP: 647.52 ± 244.10 vs. 594.14 ± 228.33 U/L, P < 0.001; ALT: 119.62 ± 97.14 vs. 96.01 ± 66.28 U/L, P < 0.001; AST: 218.00 ± 173.82 vs. 160.71 ± 96.32 U/L; P < 0.001). The INR of the low-GGT group was higher than that of the high-GGT group (1.05 ± 0.34 vs. 0.98 ± 0.20, P < 0.001), while FIB was lower than the high-GGT group (2.54 ± 0.67 vs. 2.73 ± 1.44 g/L; P = 0.006). The decreasing amplitude of TB and DB within 2 weeks after surgery in the low-GGT group was smaller than those in the high-GGT group (TB: 51.62 ± 71.22 vs. 61.67 ± 53.99 μmol/L, P = 0.003; DB: 33.22 ± 35.57 vs. 40.20 ± 35.93 μmol/L, P < 0.001). The jaundice clearance rate in the low-GGT group was significantly lower than that in the high-GGT group at 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery (17.70 vs. 26.05%; 35.17 vs. 48.58%; 38.62 vs. 54.64%, P < 0.001). In addition, the 2-year native liver survival rate in the low-GGT group was significantly lower than that of the high-GGT group (52.5 vs. 66.3%, P < 0.001 HR 1.80, 95% CI 1.38–2.33).ConclusionCompared to patients with high GGT, patients with normal or minimally elevated pre-operative GGT in BA were found to have poorer pre-operative liver function parameters, and post-operatively had lower jaundice clearance rates and worse 2-year native liver survival. This suggests a lower GGT at presentation in biliary atresia could be a sign of more severe liver injury.

Outbreaks of scyphozoan Aurelia coerulea and Nemopilema nomurai in the coastal sea of China are managed in recent years because they have severely jeopardized local socioeconomic development and ecological health. In this study, we propose specific strategies to control these blooms based on the different physio-ecological characteristics of their polyps, which can produce medusae by strobilation. High densities of A. coerulea polyps can survive chronically on the surfaces of some artificial constructions submerged in harbors or bays, China. Through buddings, they can resist the invasion of biofouling organisms and proliferate on the surfaces of some fouling organisms (e.g., ascidians, and bryozoans). However, N. nomurai polyps have not been recorded in natural environment. The in situ experiments found that polyps on settling plates fail to survive via podocysts due to severe biofouling invasion and post-strobilated degeneration in late spring and summer. As a result, the population size following is strongly dependent on the sexual recruitment of medusae during late summer and autumn. Therefore, we suggest that the reasonable governance strategy is to manage polyp populations together with biofouling organisms for A. coerulea blooms, however, with a focus on the medusa stage (particularly young medusae) to decrease the sexual reproduction in N. nomurai blooms. Accordingly, massive occurrences of A. coerulea in Qingdao Middle Port, China were alleviated by eliminating polyps and biofouling organisms on the undersurfaces of floating docks and then brushing the surfaces with modified alloprene paints. Some applicable control measures, including resource utilization of N. nomurai medusae and more severe and earlier summer fishing moratoriums, were used to possibly help restrain outbreaks of N. nomurai in Chinese coastal waters.

The northern Chinese coastal seas have been observed to constitute a large jellyfish blooming hotspots during the las decades. The spatial distribution of the abundance and biomass of large jellyfish was investigated in this area through a bottom trawl survey during the summer of 2021. Nemopilema nomurai, Cyanea spp., Aurelia coerulea, Aequorea spp., and Ulmaridae (undefined sp.) were identified during the investigation. The realized niches of the three most abundant species (N. nomurai, Cyanea spp., and A. coerulea) were measured through the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model to explain their spatial distribution patterns. Nemopilema nomurai was used as a representative species to estimate the feeding rate and feeding pressure of large jellyfish on the zooplankton. During N. nomurai blooms, the potential consumption of zooplankton by N. nomurai was enormous and even exceeded the zooplankton productivity in regions where N. nomurai assembled in this study. Reductions in absolute and relative abundance were noted in small copepods at mid-bloom and bloom stations compared to non-bloom stations. The realized niches of large jellyfish and their relationships with the zooplankton in this study would be helpful for understanding their biogeographic distribution and ecological roles in the northern Chinese coastal seas under future climate change scenarios.

Understanding the life history strategy of organisms is key to predicting their population dynamics. The population of scyphozoan jellyfish has displayed an increasing trend in recent decades, yet its life history strategy is not fully understood. To interpret the reproduction strategy of scyphozoan jellyfish from an evolutionary ecology perspective, we dissected 10 asexual generations of Aurelia coerulea polyps to investigate the relationships between transgenerational effects on their budding reproduction and strobilation. Our results reveal that a polyp’s average budding reproduction rate declined 32.82% through asexual generations within the experimental time. Furthermore, a longer culture duration counteracted the transgenerational effects on budding rates and strobilation afterward. Thus, this effort provides insight into the necessity of sexual reproduction in organisms involving a metagenic life cycle, i.e., to renew the asexual reproduction ability of a population. Besides this, we suggest taking note that it is necessary to know the “asexual age” of polyps when performing experimental studies and mathematical modeling to explore their population dynamics. Our results also present a valuable data set to interpret the evolution of the scyphozoan jellyfish’s life history strategy under multifactorial environments.

Type 2 innate lymphocytes (ILC2s), promoting inflammation resolution, was a potential target for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Our previous studies confirmed that R. astragali and R. angelicae sinensis could intervene in immunologic balance of T lymphocytes. C. lonicerae also have anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects. In this study, the possible molecular mechanisms of the combination of these three herbs for the functions of ILC2s and macrophages contributing to the resolution of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were studied. Therefore, we used R. astragali, R. angelicae sinensis, and C. lonicerae as treatment. The synovial inflammation and articular cartilage destruction were alleviated after herbal treatment. The percentages of ILC2s and Tregs increased significantly. The differentiation of Th17 cells and the secretion of IL-17 and IFN-γ significantly decreased. In addition, treatment by the combination of these three herbs could increase the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 secreted, active the STAT6 signaling pathway, and then contribute to the transformation of M1 macrophages to M2 phenotype. The combination of the three herbs could promote inflammation resolution of synovial tissue by regulating ILC2s immune response network. The synergistic effects of three drugs were superior to the combination of R. astragali and R. angelicae sinensis or C. lonicerae alone.

Aurelia coerulea, a type of scyphozoan jellyfish, has massively appeared in the coastal waters of China in recent years and caused great damage, but the asexual reproduction of A. coerulea polyp predicted by local temperature could not correspond well to the field abundance of jellyfish in summer. To understand the influence of winter and spring conditions on the reproductive process and to provide the basis for jellyfish population prediction, A. coerulea polyps, originally reared from planula larvae of medusae collected from Jiaozhou Bay (120.2°E, 36.1°N), were investigated at orthometric 3 overwintering temperatures (2, 5, and 8°C), 3 spring warming speeds (1°C increment every 5 days, 7.5 days, and 10 days), and 3 feeding frequencies (once per 9 days, 6 days, and 3 days), representing the range of environment conditions in winter and spring where they exist. Polyps had earlier strobilation, higher strobilation frequency, and more ephyra and bud production during warmer winter, but had intensive strobilation after colder winter when the temperature began to rise in spring. When warming speed was fast in spring, the percentage of the first strobilation was higher and ephyrae were released more intensively. However, when warming speed was slow in spring, the polyp could conduct secondary strobilation, resulting in higher strobilation frequency and more ephyrae with a longer period. High feeding frequency helped polyps accumulate more energy and promote asexual reproduction, especially beneficial to the second strobilation. This experiment shows that winter and spring temperature in addition to food availability has a significant effect on the asexual reproduction of polyp. However, these may not be only factors necessarily lead to jellyfish outbreaks in the natural environment. In the context of global warming, whether reproduction of polyps will eventually lead to the outbreak of jellyfish needs to be multifacetedly analyzed based on the complex situation in the field, such as the concentration and timing of jellyfish appearance, and their interactions with other species.

Developing efficient and stable photocatalysts is crucial for photocatalytic hydrogen production. Cocatalyst loading is one of the effective strategies for improving photocatalytic efficiency. Here, Ti3C2Tx (Tx = F, OH, O) nanosheets have been adopted as promising cocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen production due to their metallic conductivity and unique 2D characterization. In particular, surface functionalized Ti3C2(OH)x and Ti3C2Ox cocatalysts were synthesized through the alkalization treatment with NaOH and a mild oxidation treatment of Ti3C2Fx, respectively. ZnIn2S4/Ti3C2Tx composites, which were fabricated by the in-situ growth of ZnIn2S4 nanosheets on the Ti3C2Tx surface, exhibited the promoted photocatalytic performance, compared with the parent ZnIn2S4. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be further optimized through the surface functionalization of Ti3C2Fx. As a result, the optimized ZnIn2S4/Ti3C2Ox composite with oxygen functionalized Ti3C2Ox cocatalyst demonstrated excellent photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activity. The characterizations and density functional theory calculation suggested that O-terminated Ti3C2Ox could effectively facilitate the transfer and separation of photogenerated electrons and holes due to the formation of a Schottky junction, with the largest difference in work function between ZnIn2S4 and Ti3C2Ox. This work paves the way for photocatalytic applications of MXene-based photocatalysts by tuning their surface termination groups.

Abstract Inducing autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis may provide a therapeutic treatment for atherosclerosis (AS). For the treatment of progressive AS, arsenic trioxide (ATO) has been used to coat vascular stents. However, the effect of ATO on autophagy of macrophages is still unknown. Therefore, the aims of this study were to characterize the effects and the mechanism of actions of ATO on autophagy in macrophages. Our results showed that ATO-induced activation of autophagy was an earlier event than ATO-induced inhibition of the expression of apoptosis markers in macrophages and foam cells. Nuclear transcription factor EB (TFEB) prevents atherosclerosis by activating macrophage autophagy and promoting lysosomal biogenesis. Here, we report that ATO triggered the nuclear translocation of TFEB, which in turn promoted autophagy and autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Both the latter events were prevented by TFEB knockdown. Moreover, ATO decreased the p-AKT and p-mTOR in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thus inducing autophagy. Correspondingly, treatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) abolished the autophagy-inducing effects of ATO. Meanwhile, PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin) cooperated with ATO to induce autophagy. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were generated in macrophages after treatment with ATO. The ROS scavenger N-acetyl-1-cysteine (NAC) abolished ATO-induced nuclear translocation of TFEB, as well as changes in key molecules of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and downstream autophagy. More importantly, ATO promoted autophagy in the aorta of ApoE−/− mice and reduced atherosclerotic lesions in early AS, which were reversed by 3-MA treatment. In summary, our data indicated that ATO promoted ROS induction, which resulted in nuclear translocation of TFEB and inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. These actions ultimately promoted macrophage autophagy and reduced atherosclerotic lesions at early stages. These findings may provide a new perspective for the clinical treatment of early-stage atherosclerosis and should be further studied.

Pterygium is a common conjunctival disease which is mainly attributed to chronic ultraviolet light exposure. Previous studies have focused primarily on the clinical characteristics, surgical management and the pathogenesis of pterygium, but the differences between primary pterygium and recurrent pterygium have been less frequently documented. This article reviews the differences in clinical manifestations, histopathological findings, and laboratory parameters between primary pterygium and recurrent pterygium and summarises the latest findings regarding these differences.

Abstract Background For the majority of rare clinical missense variants, pathogenicity status cannot currently be classified. Classical homocystinuria, characterized by elevated homocysteine in plasma and urine, is caused by variants in the cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) gene, most of which are rare. With early detection, existing therapies are highly effective. Methods Damaging CBS variants can be detected based on their failure to restore growth in yeast cells lacking the yeast ortholog CYS4. This assay has only been applied reactively, after first observing a variant in patients. Using saturation codon-mutagenesis, en masse growth selection, and sequencing, we generated a comprehensive, proactive map of CBS missense variant function. Results Our CBS variant effect map far exceeds the performance of computational predictors of disease variants. Map scores correlated strongly with both disease severity (Spearman’s ϱ = 0.9) and human clinical response to vitamin B6 (ϱ = 0.93). Conclusions We demonstrate that highly multiplexed cell-based assays can yield proactive maps of variant function and patient response to therapy, even for rare variants not previously seen in the clinic.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a fast-spreading disease across the globe, which is caused by diabetes. The DR may lead the diabetic patients to complete vision loss. In this scenario, early identification of DR is more essential to recover the eyesight and provide help for timely treatment. The detection of DR can be manually performed by ophthalmologists and can also be done by an automated system. In the manual system, analysis and explanation of retinal fundus images need ophthalmologists, which is a time-consuming and very expensive task, but in the automated system, artificial intelligence is used to perform an imperative role in the area of ophthalmology and specifically in the early detection of diabetic retinopathy over the traditional detection approaches. Recently, numerous advanced studies related to the identification of DR have been reported. This paper presents a detailed review of the detection of DR with three major aspects; retinal datasets, DR detection methods, and performance evaluation metrics. Furthermore, this study also covers the author's observations and provides future directions in the field of diabetic retinopathy to overcome the research challenges for the research community.

Context Zuogui Wan is a classic traditional Chinese prescription. Preliminary studies have confirmed that it could improve sperm quality significantly. Objective To investigate the effect of Zuogui Wan on testis structure and c-kitproto-oncogeneprotein (c-Kit) and octamer-binding transcription factor-4 (Oct4) expression in a rat model of impaired spermatogenesis. Material and methods Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into Blank control, Tripterygium glycosides (GTW) and Zuogui Wan groups (n = 12). GTW was used to generate models of impaired spermatogenesis. Then Zuogui Wan group was administered 6 g/kg/d of Zuogui Wan granules for 4 weeks. Changes in the pathological structure and ultrastructure were observed with optical microscope and transmission electron microscope. Expression of c-Kit and Oct4 were quantified by RT qPCR and Western blots. Results Both the pathological damage and the damages in the ultrastructure of spermatogenic epithelium had improved in Zuogui Wan group. Compared with the GTW model group (0.47 ± 0.19; 0.38 ± 0.14), c-Kit and Oct4 protein expression increased in the Zuogui Wan group (0.75 ± 0.27; 0.65 ± 0.23). C-Kit and Oct4 mRNA expression increased in Zuogui Wan group (1.06 ± 0.16; 1.85 ± 1.04) compared to the GTW model group (0.66 ± 0.23; 0.46 ± 0.29). Conclusions Zuogui Wan is capable of restoring the damage to the testis structure and ultrastructure and regulates the expression of c-Kit and Oct4 at protein and mRNA levels, inhibiting apoptosis and promoting proliferation of spermatogenic cells.

In Arabidopsis, LZY proteins are involved in specifying the angle of root growth relative to the direction of gravity. Here the authors identify RLD1, a LZY-interacting protein that is recruited to the plasma membrane in a polar manner and is required to establish asymmetric auxin transport and set root angles.

The biomass and estimated production, feeding rate of chaetognaths were studied in the Yellow Sea. Sagitta crassa, Sagitta enflata, Sagitta bedoti, and Sagitta nagae were found during the study period, and S. crassa and S. nagae were the dominant species. The mean chaetognath biomass was in the range of 2.56 - 5.57 mg DM m-3, and S. crassa and S. nagae comprised 49 - 90 and 10 - 33%, respectively. The geographical distribution pattern was differed between different species. The annual average estimated feeding rate and production of chaetognaths was evaluated as 55.24 mg C m-3 year-1 and 15.90 mg C m-3 year-1, respectively. The body length of Sagitta species less than 9 - 11 mm had relatively high feeding rate in August, September, and December because of their relatively high total biomass, while the body length with 8 - 16, 11 - 15, and 6 - 16 mm groups had relatively high feeding rate in March, May, and June, respectively. The average feeding pressure on zooplankton biomass and production by chaetognaths could be evaluated as 1.07 and 18.95%, respectively, and the biomass and production of small copepods, and nauplius and copepodite of large copepods would be seriously impacted during whole year.

Fenneropenaeus chinensis is an important economic species in the north of China, and plays an important role in both marine fishing and aquaculture. Long-term overfishing has led to the rapid decline of wild F. chinensis resources. The traditional trawl survey could not meet the demands of the F. chinensis resource survey. In this study, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology was used to evaluate the biomass of F. chinensis in the traditional Qinghai (Qingdao Haiyang) fishing ground in the southern sea area of the Shandong Peninsula, with the purpose of verifying whether eDNA technology can provide a new resource assessment method for fisheries resource species such as F. chinensis. The eDNA quantitative results of the Qingdao water samples ranged from 1972 copies/L to 6937 copies/L, with an average of 4366 ±1691 copies/L. Those in Haiyang water samples ranged from 4795 copies/L to 8715 copies/L, with an average of 6737 ± 1348 copies/L. The concentration of eDNA in shrimp culture ponds ranged from 1.14 × 106 copies/L to 7.61 × 106 copies/L, with an average of 3.33 × 106 ± 2.28 × 106 copies/L. The amount of eDNA released by each gram of F. chinensis per 24 h was about 2.91 × 106 copies. According to this calculation, it was estimated that the distribution of F. chinensis was about one shrimp in every 300 m2 sea area. Similarly, it is estimated that one shrimp is distributed every 240 m2 in the Haiyang sea area. The result of this study confirms the feasibility of using eDNA to evaluate the biomass of shrimps.

Glucocorticoids inhibit angiogenesis in the femoral head, which fails to nourish the bone tissue and leads to osteonecrosis. Restoring angiogenesis is not only essential for vessel formation, but also crucial for osteogenesis. Poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) is commonly used in the bone tissue engineering field. Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) and osteopractic total flavone (OTF) promote angiogenesis and osteogenesis, respectively. We designed a sequentially releasing PLLA scaffold including PLLA loaded with OTF (inner layer) and PLLA loaded with PNS (outer layer). We assessed the osteogenic effect of angiogenesis in this scaffold by comparing it with the one-layered scaffold (PLLA embedded with OTF and PNS) in vivo. Results from the micro-CT showed that the data of bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume (BV), and percent bone volume (BV/TV) in the PO-PP group were significantly higher than those in the POP group (p < 0.01). Histological analyses show that the PO-PP scaffold exhibits better angiogenic and osteogenic effects compared with the one-layered scaffold. These might result from the different structures between them, where the sequential release of a bi-layer scaffold achieves the osteogenic effect of vascularization by initially releasing PNS in the outer layer. We further explored the possible mechanism by an immunohistochemistry analysis and an immunofluorescence assay. The results showed that the protein expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1(CD31) in the PO-PP scaffold were significantly higher than those in the POP scaffold (p < 0.01); the protein expressions of osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the PO-PP scaffold were significantly higher than those in the POP scaffold (p < 0.05). Upregulating the expressions of angiogenic and osteogenic proteins might be the possible mechanism.

The etiology and pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have not yet been fully elucidated, with greater adverse drug effects in traditional treatment of RA. It is particularly necessary to develop and study Chinese herbal formula as a supplement and alternative drug for the treatment of RA. The traditional Chinese medicine compound Longteng Decoction (LTD), as an empirical prescription in the treatment of RA in Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, has been widely used in clinic. Type 2 innate lymphocytes (ILC2s) have specific transcription factors and signature cytokines that are very similar to Th cells, which have been proved to be necessary in addressing RA inflammation, and are potential targets for RA prevention and treatment. Our previous studies have confirmed that LTD can intervene in the differentiation of peripheral blood Th17 and Treg cells, reduce joint pain index and swelling degree, shorten the time of morning stiffness, reduce ESR, and inhibit joint inflammation. However, it is unclear whether LTD can promote the regression of RA synovial inflammation by regulating the immune response mechanism of ILC2s.Therefore, our team established a collagen-induced arthritis mouse model and conducted an experimental study with LTD as the intervention object. The results showed that joint swelling, synovial inflammatory infiltration, and articular cartilage destruction were alleviated in CIA mice after intervention with LTD. The proliferation and differentiation of Th17 inflammatory cells and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-17 and IFN-γ) were inhibited. In addition, LTD can also activate ILC2s to secrete the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4, activate the STAT6 signaling pathway, and act synergistic with Treg cells to inhibit the infiltration of type M1 macrophages in synovial tissue and promote its transformation to M2 phenotype. Taken together, these results confirm that LTD can be used as an adjunct or alternative to RA therapy by modulating the ILC2s immune response network and slowing down the inflammatory process of synovial tissue.

To obtain a clear understanding of the over-summering life history strategy of the dominant species A. bifilosa in the Jiaozhou Bay, the effects of high temperature and food concentration (represented by chlorophyll a, Chl a) simulating in situ summer conditions on the reproduction and post-embryonic development of A. bifilosa were studied. We found that the A. bifilosa population did not disappear from the seawater column in summer, and its abundance increased from June to July, and then sharply declined in August. Both temperature and food concentration had a significant influence on the reproduction of A. bifilosa. The results showed that 20 °C could not trigger the decline in population abundance and the resting egg strategy, and 28 °C was the upper threshold of A. bifilosa in the Jiaozhou Bay. Higher food concentration was essential for A. bifilosa to maintain population recruitment at a higher temperature. Nauplii could develop to adults in the higher-food-level treatments (10 and 15 μg/L Chl a). However, nauplii could not develop to copepodite at 28 °C with 5 μg/L Chl a. Neither temperature nor food concentration could induce resting eggs, and no resting eggs were detected in our study. A principal components analysis showed that temperature plays a more vital role than food concentration in determining the population recruitment of A. bifilosa. We suggest that A. bifilosa populations could sustain the high-temperature season independent of producing resting eggs in the Jiaozhou Bay, and implications for the over-summering life history strategy of A. bifilosa in the Jiaozhou Bay should be further discussed.

Existing image-to-image translation methods usually adopt an encoder-decoder structure to generate images. The encoder extracts the features of input images using a sequence of convolution layers until a bottleneck, and then, the intermediate features are decoded to the target image. However, the existence of bottleneck layer in such structure may lead to blurry and bad quality of the translated images, since different domain translations may be related to the global or local region in the input image or even in an abstract level. To prevent these problems, we propose the channel attention networks for image translation in this paper. It is a novel model that supports the multi-domain image-to-image translation using one single model. Conditioning on the target domain label, an auto-encoder-like network with multiple attention connections is trained to translate the input image into the target domain. The attention connections better shuttle the low-level information in the encoder to the decoder, which helps to preserve the structure. A multi-level attention mechanism is also designed in the proposed model to further improve the performance of our model. More specially, the feature maps in the encoder are first squeezed by average pooling and used to output a channel-wise attention mask. The attention mask softly determines which channels of the feature maps are translated and which channels are kept. By enforcing the model to learn a cyclic domain transformation during training, our model does not require paired training data, which greatly improves the versatility to different kinds of data. We experimentally demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed model on the facial and clothing image translation tasks. The extensive ablations are also conducted to further validate the contribution of the proposed attention module used in our model.

Objectives: Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare neonatal liver disease of which the early diagnosis remains a challenge for clinicians. Our center has established a nomogram diagnostic model based on clinical characteristics and liver function characteristics. We aim to develop and validate a nomogram that includes additional ultrasound and finds hepatobiliary abnormality with better BA early screening performance.Methods: In this single-center, retrospective cohort analysis, 1,001 neonatal obstructive jaundice (NOJ) patients between 2012 and 2015 were enrolled. Multivariable analysis was used to identify clinical characteristics, laboratory liver function characteristics, and ultrasonic features that may early screen BA. A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of BA using multiple logistic regression analysis. This nomogram was subsequently validated using another cohort of 501 NOJ patients between 2015 and 2017. Calibration curve analysis and decision curve analyses were performed to evaluate and interpret the nomogram's clinical benefits.Results: Gender, direct bilirubin (DB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), fasting gallbladder visibility, fasting gallbladder filling, and common bile duct visibility were found to have profound statistical significance between the BA and non-BA groups (P < 0.05). The significant features were used to build the nomogram. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) value of the novel nomogram (0.87) was superior to those of the former nomogram (0.83) and GGT alone (0.81) in the prediction of BA. The calibration curve revealed a close resemblance between the predicted and actual BA probabilities. Also, the net benefit from the decision curve analysis (DCA) of the nomogram (0.54) was superior to those of the former nomogram (0.49) and GGT alone (0.45) at 80% of threshold possibility.Conclusions: The nomogram has demonstrated better performance for BA screening by including additional information of the US finding, holding a promising future as a non-invasive method for BA patients.