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Abstract Cyanobacteria are important primary producers, contributing to 25% of the global carbon fixation through photosynthesis. They serve as model organisms to study the photosynthesis, and are important cell factories for synthetic biology. To enable efficient genetic dissection and metabolic engineering in cyanobacteria, effective and accurate genetic manipulation tools are required. However, genetic manipulation in cyanobacteria by the conventional homologous recombination-based method and the recently developed CRISPR-Cas gene editing system require complicated cloning steps, especially during multi-site editing and single base mutation. This restricts the extensive research on cyanobacteria and reduces its application potential. In this study, a highly efficient and convenient cytosine base editing system was developed which allows rapid and precise C → T point mutation and gene inactivation in the genomes of Synechocystis and Anabaena. This base editing system also enables efficient multiplex editing and can be easily cured after editing by sucrose counter-selection. This work will expand the knowledge base regarding the engineering of cyanobacteria. The findings of this study will encourage the biotechnological applications of cyanobacteria.

Objectives: One of the largest health concerns, postpartum depression (PPD), has detrimental effects on new mothers, their child, and their family. Investigating under-researched risk factors for postpartum depression in Asian women is the goal of this review of the literature. Methods: The literature was searched using a number of electronic research databases. This review included studies that meet the following requirements: (a) they evaluated risk variables; (b) they were conducted in Asian countries using quantitative or qualitative methods; and (c) they were published in English in peer-reviewed journals between 2007 and 2023. A total of 90 studies from 14 different countries were reviewed, compiled, and synthesized. Results: In Asian countries, where rates ranged from 0.82 % to 93 %, South Korea and Japan had the lowest and highest rates of postpartum depression, respectively. The risk factors for postpartum depression were divided into five main categories: biological/physical (e.g., ABO blood group, oxytocin level), psychological (e.g., antenatal depression, body dissatisfaction, child care stress), obstetric/pediatric (e.g., loss of baby, abortions, pain), socio-demographic (e.g., low social support, poverty, loss of autonomy), and cultural (e.g., gender preference). Conclusion: This phenomenon is prevalent in Asian cultures as it is in European Countries. The repercussions of untreated postpartum depression can lead to long-term psychological and developmental issues in children and strain the familial bonds essential for a nurturing environment. Moreover, understanding the specific risk factors faced by Asian women can pave the way for culturally sensitive interventions and support systems designed to address and mitigate these challenges effectively.

Misinformation affects various aspects of people's lives, such as politics, entertainment, and social interactions. However, effective intervention measures to combat misinformation are lacking. The inoculation theory has become a prevalent measure of misinformation. This study employed inoculation theory and developed an interactive game to help the public counter misinformation. In this game, players take on the role of the misinformation spreader, intending to add more followers to their virtual accounts using different strategies. A total of 180 Chinese participants were randomly assigned to game-based inoculation, graphic-based inoculation, and control groups. The results indicated that both types of inoculation interventions significantly decreased the perceived credibility and sharing intention of misinformation. Game-based inoculation was more effective than graphic-based inoculation in terms of misinformation perceived credibility, and the intervention effects were stable after 2 weeks. The graphic-based inoculation contained the sleeper effect, which interventions required a period of time to take effect. Neither inoculation produced countereffects on perceived credibility and nor sharing intention of accurate information.

Abstract Misinformation affects various aspects of people’s lives, such as politics, entertainment, and social interactions. However, effective intervention measures to combat misinformation are lacking. The inoculation theory has become a prevalent measure of misinformation. This study employed inoculation theory and developed an interactive game to help the public counter misinformation. In this game, players take on the role of the misinformation spreader, intending to add more followers to their virtual accounts using different strategies. A total of 180 Chinese participants were randomly assigned to game-based inoculation, graphic-based inoculation, and control groups. The results indicated that both types of inoculation interventions significantly decreased the perceived credibility and sharing intention of misinformation. Game-based inoculation was more effective than graphic-based inoculation in terms of misinformation perceived credibility, and the intervention effects were stable after 2 weeks. The graphic-based inoculation contained the sleeper effect, which interventions required a period of time to take effect. Neither inoculation produced countereffects on perceived credibility and nor sharing intention of accurate information.

BackgroundThe prevalence of misinformation poses a substantial threat to individuals’ daily lives, necessitating the deployment of effective remedial approaches. One promising strategy is psychological inoculation, which pre-emptively immunizes individuals against misinformation attacks. However, uncertainties remain regarding the extent to which psychological inoculation effectively enhances the capacity to differentiate between misinformation and real information. ObjectiveTo reduce the potential risk of misinformation about digital health, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of psychological inoculation in countering misinformation with a focus on several factors, including misinformation credibility assessment, real information credibility assessment, credibility discernment, misinformation sharing intention, real information sharing intention, and sharing discernment. MethodsFollowing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a meta-analysis by searching 4 databases (Web of Science, APA PsycINFO, Proquest, and PubMed) for empirical studies based on inoculation theory and outcome measure–related misinformation published in the English language. Moderator analyses were used to examine the differences in intervention strategy, intervention type, theme, measurement time, team, and intervention design. ResultsBased on 42 independent studies with 42,530 subjects, we found that psychological inoculation effectively reduces misinformation credibility assessment (d=–0.36, 95% CI –0.50 to –0.23; P

Space electric propulsion technology has entered a new stage of maturity and full application in China. In order to further promote and accelerate the development of electric propulsion technology, this paper adopted the methods of investigation and comparative analysis and used the power as the standard to classify and summarize space electric propulsion from the three power ranges of "medium, micro, and ultra". It also focused on the application requirements for electric propulsion in future space missions and the characteristics of various technical directions of electric propulsion. The development status and shortcomings of electric propulsion technology at home and abroad were put forward, as well as the key difficulties to be overcome. The main development trend was studied and judged, and the common problems were summarized. Proposals for the development of space electric propulsion technology in the next 10 years were put forward for the reference of satellite users, departments of overall design, and technical departments of space electric propulsion.

BackgroundFetal ventriculomegaly (VM) is one of the most common abnormalities of the central nervous system (CNS), which can be significantly identified by brain anomalies prenatally by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Aberrant white blood cells (WBCs) levels indicate that the maternal is suffering from the infection. Previous studies have confirmed that prenatal infection can affect fetal brain structure, but there is no research revealed the association between maternal blood parameters with fetal VM until now.MethodsWe measured the width of the lateral ventricle of 142 fetuses, which were divided into the fetal VM group (n = 70) and the normal lateral ventricle group (n = 72). We compared maternal blood cell levels between the two groups and investigate potential biomarkers of fetal VM.ResultHigh levels of maternal WBC and neutrophil (NE#) levels were observed in fetuses with VM (p < 0.001), while lymphocyte percentage, monocytes (MO#), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet were also increased in the fetal VM group (p = 0.033, 0.027, 0.034, and 0.025, respectively). receiver–operator curve (ROC) analysis suggested that WBC and NE# counts might be useful to distinguish fetuses with enlarged lateral ventricles (AUC = 0.688, 0.678, respectively).ConclusionThe current study emphasizes the importance of maternal infection for fetal brain growth, which could provide important information for prenatal diagnosis of CNS anomalies. Future research needs longitudinal analysis and exploration of the influence of maternal blood inflammatory marker levels on fetal brain development.

Structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) studies have shown abnormalities in the brain structure of ASD patients, but the relationship between structural changes and social communication problems is still unclear. This study aims to explore the structural mechanisms of clinical dysfunction in the brain of ASD children through voxel-based morphometry (VBM). After screening T1 structural images from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database, 98 children aged 8–12 years old with ASD were matched with 105 children aged 8–12 years old with typical development (TD). Firstly, this study compared the differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between the two groups. Then, this study evaluated the relationship between GMV and the subtotal score of communications and social interaction on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) in ASD children. Research has found that abnormal brain structures in ASD include the midbrain, pontine, bilateral hippocampus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left temporal pole, left middle temporal gyrus and left superior occipital gyrus. In addition, in ASD children, the subtotal score of communications and social interaction on the ADOS were only significantly positively correlated with GMV in the left hippocampus, left superior temporal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus. In summary, the gray matter structure of ASD children is abnormal, and different clinical dysfunction in ASD children is related to structural abnormalities in specific regions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unclear etiology, and due to the lack of effective treatment, ASD patients bring enormous economic and psychological burden to families and society. In recent years, many studies have found that children with ASD are associated with gastrointestinal diseases, and the composition of intestinal microbiota (GM) is different from that of typical developing children. Thus, many researchers believe that the gut-brain axis may play an important role in the occurrence and development of ASD. Indeed, some clinical trials and animal studies have reported changes in neurological function, behavior, and comorbid symptoms of autistic children after rebalancing the composition of the GM through the use of antibiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics or microbiota transfer therapy (MMT). In view of the emergence of new therapies based on the modulation of GM, characterizing the individual gut bacterial profile evaluating the effectiveness of intervention therapies could help provide a better quality of life for subjects with ASD. This article reviews current studies on interventions to rebalance the GM in children with ASD. The results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum may be an effective strain for the probiotic treatment of ASD. However, the greater effectiveness of MMT treatment suggests that it may be more important to pay attention to the overall balance of the patient’s GM. Based on these findings, a more thorough assessment of the GM is expected to contribute to personalized microbial intervention, which can be used as a supplementary treatment for ASD.

Fake news impacts individuals' behavior and decision-making while also disrupting political processes, perceptions of medical advice, and societal trends. Improving individuals' ability to accurately assess fake news can reduce its harmful effects. However, previous research on media literacy interventions designed for improving fake news credibility assessments has yielded inconsistent results. We systematically collected 33 independent studies and performed a meta-analysis to examine the effects of media literacy interventions on assessing fake news credibility (n = 36,256). The results showed that media literacy interventions significantly improved fake news credibility assessments (Hedges' g = 0.53, 95% confidence interval [0.29–0.78], p < 0.001). Gaming interventions were the most effective intervention form. Conversely, the intervention channel, outcome measurement, and subject characteristics (age, gender, and country development level) did not influence the intervention effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]