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The effects of different drought stress levels on the plant growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings were investigated using different mass fractions of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 (0, 2.5, 5, 10%) to simulate the drought stress. The results showed that the plant height, root length, leaf dry weight (DW), stem DW, root DW, and plant DW all showed no significant difference under mild (2.5% PEG 6000) drought stress, while they exhibited a decreasing trend with an increasing level of PEG. The changing trend in the photosynthetic efficiency, chlorophyll a, and carotenoid content was consistent with the growth index under drought stress. Besides, the content of chlorophyll b in the cucumber seedlings increased under moderate (5% PEG 6000) drought stress, but decreased under severe (10% PEG 6000) drought stress. However, the antioxidase activities, soluble protein content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, total phenols, and total flavonoid content in the cucumber seedlings increased gradually with the increase in the mass fraction of PEG. The results indicated that higher the level of drought stress, the higher inhibition on the seedling growth or more severe damage on the cell membrane, and higher contents of total phenols and flavonoids were obtained.

Soil erosion is one of the most serious ecological and environmental problems facing southern China. The Changhua River Basin on Hainan Island is affected by soil erosion, which is causing the soil environment to become more fragile. Compared with the Revised Soil Erosion Equation (RUSLE), the Chinese Soil Loss Equation (CSLE) is based on a large amount of Chinese local data and research results, which more accurately reflect the actual situation of soil erosion in China and therefore have better accuracy and applicability in the Chinese region. By combining GIS and RS technologies, this study establishes the CSLE model of the Changhua River Basin, quantifies the soil erosion data via image elements from 2020 to 2022 using the spatial interpolation method, classifies the erosion intensity, and analyzes the spatial and temporal change characteristics of soil erosion. The statistical results show that, during the period from 2020 to 2022, the area of slight erosion in the Changhua River Basin increased by 553.25 km2, with a rate of change of 15.83 %, and the areas of mild erosion, moderate erosion, intense erosion, very intense erosion, and severe erosion decreased by 446.42 km2, 64.4 km2, 25.73 km2, 11.25 km2, and 5.45 km2, respectively, with rates of change of −31.05 %, −30.08 %, −36.58 %, −18.02 %, and −13.85 %, respectively. Slight erosion is defined as soil erosion less than the permissible soil loss and is not regarded as soil erosion, and the other erosion intensities showed a yearly decreasing trend, indicating that the soil erosion control was effective during this three-year period. In the work of soil and water conservation, it is especially necessary to determine the main factors influencing soil erosion and predict the areas that may be prone to such erosion. Therefore, on the basis of establishing a characteristic model using land use type, slope and soil type, and through superposition analysis, we obtained the spatial and temporal change characteristics of soil erosion. The research results are as follows: (1) slight erosion is mainly concentrated in forested areas, and forested land has a better capacity for soil and water conservation; (2) mild, moderate, and strong erosion mainly occur in cultivated areas and areas with a slope of 0–5°; (3) areas of built land and areas with a slope of 8°–15° are more prone to intense erosion, although they cover a smaller area; (4) when the slope is greater than 15°, the overlap range with the forest area is larger and the slope is no longer the main factor leading to soil erosion. Thus, it can be seen that forest land significantly reduces the impact of soil erosion. (5) among the different soil types, Technosol, Ferralsol and Fluvisol all have less than 55 per cent uneroded area and are generally less erosion-resistant, while Lixisol and Acrisol are relatively more susceptible to a high degree of erosion hazard (Extremely strong erosion, severe erosion).

ObjectivesThe study aimed to estimate the role of liver fibrosis in the association between occupational physical activity (OPA) and blood pressure (BP), which is modified by lifestyle factors.MethodsThe questionnaire survey and physical examination were completed among 992 construction workers in Wuhan, China. Associations between OPA or lifestyle factors and liver fibrosis indices and blood pressure were assessed using generalized additive models. The mediation analysis was used to evaluate the role of liver fibrosis in the association between OPA and lifestyle factors and BP.ResultsModerate/high OPA group workers had an increased risk of liver fibrosis [odds ratio (OR) = 1.69, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.16–2.47, P < 0.05] compared with low OPA group workers. Smoking or drinking alcohol was related to liver fibrosis (aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index: OR = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.07–4.62 or OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.00–4.15; P < 0.05). Compared with non-drinkers, drinkers were related to a 2.35-mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure (95% CI: 0.09–4.61), and a 1.60-mmHg increase in diastolic blood pressure (95% CI: 0.08–3.13; P < 0.05). We found a significant pathway, “OPA → liver fibrosis → blood pressure elevation,” and lifestyle factors played a regulatory role in the pathway.ConclusionOPA or lifestyle factors were associated with liver fibrosis indices or BP in construction workers. Furthermore, the association between OPA and BP may be partially mediated by liver fibrosis; lifestyle factors strengthen the relationship between OPA and BP and the mediation role of liver fibrosis in the relationship.

Abstract Purpose Obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex psychiatric disorder. Genetic and broad environmental factors are common risk factors for OCD. The purpose of this study is to explore the molecular mechanism of OCD and to find new molecular targets for the diagnosis and management of OCD. Methods All data were downloaded from public dataset. Key modules and candidate key mRNAs were identified based on weighted gene co‐expression network analysis (WGCNA). The “limma” R package was used for differential expression analysis of mRNAs. Subsequently, functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) was also carried out. In addition, a diagnostic model was constructed. Finally, the infiltration level of immune cells in OCD and its correlation with multicentric key DEmRNAs were analyzed. Results Green and red modules were selected as the hub modules. A total of 447 mRNAs were considered candidate key mRNAs according to GS > 0.2 and MM > 0.3. A total of 26 DEmRNAs in the same direction were identified in the GSE60190 and GSE78104 datasets. A total of 26 DEmRNAs were intersected with candidate key mRNAs in WGCNA to obtain 10 intersection DEmRNAs (HSPB1, ITPK1, CBX7, PPP1R10, TAOK1, PISD, MKNK2, RWDD1, PPA1, and RELN). However, only four DEmRNAs (HSPB1, TAOK1, MKNK2, and PPA1) predicted related drugs. Subsequently, receiver operating characteristic analysis shows that the diagnostic model has high diagnostic value. Moreover, six multicentric key DEmRNAs (SNRPF, SNRNP70, PRPF8, NOP56, EPRS, and CCT2) were screened by UpSet package. Finally, six multicentric key DEmRNAs were found to be associated with immune cells. Conclusion The key molecules obtained in this study lay a foundation for further research on the molecular mechanism of OCD.

Green energy storage devices play vital roles in reducing fossil fuel emissions and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Growing markets for portable electronics and electric vehicles create tremendous demand for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with high power and energy density, and novel electrode material with high capacity and energy density is one of the keys to next-generation LIBs. Silicon-based materials, with high specific capacity, abundant natural resources, high-level safety and environmental friendliness, are quite promising alternative anode materials. However, significant volume expansion and redundant side reactions with electrolytes lead to active lithium loss and decreased coulombic efficiency (CE) of silicon-based material, which hinders the commercial application of silicon-based anode. Prelithiation, pre-embedding extra lithium ions in the electrodes, is a promising approach to replenish the lithium loss during cycling. Recent progress on prelithiation strategies for silicon-based anode, including electrochemical method, chemical method, direct contact method, and active material method, and their practical potentials are reviewed and prospected here. The development of advanced Si-based material and prelithiation technologies is expected to provide promising approaches for the large-scale application of silicon-based materials.

Stroke and dementia have been linked to the appearance of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Meanwhile, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) might capture the microstructural change in white matter early. Specific dietary interventions may help to reduce the risk of WMHs. However, research on the relationship between specific nutrients and white matter changes is still lacking. We aimed to investigate the causal effects of essential nutrients (amino acids, fatty acids, mineral elements, and vitamins) on WMHs and DTI measures, including fraction anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), by a Mendelian randomization analysis. We selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with each nutrient as instrumental variables to assess the causal effects of nutrient-related exposures on WMHs, FA, and MD. The outcome was from a recently published large-scale European Genome Wide Association Studies pooled dataset, including WMHs (N = 18,381), FA (N = 17,663), and MD (N = 17,467) data. We used the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method as the primary method, and sensitivity analyses were conducted using the simple median, weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. Genetically predicted serum calcium level was positively associated with WMHs risk, with an 8.1% increase in WMHs risk per standard deviation unit increase in calcium concentration (OR = 1.081, 95% CI = 1.006–1.161, p = 0.035). The plasma linoleic acid level was negatively associated with FA (OR = 0.776, 95% CI = 0.616–0.978, p = 0.032). Our study demonstrated that genetically predicted calcium was a potential risk factor for WMHs, and linoleic acid may be negatively associated with FA, providing evidence for interventions from the perspective of gene-environment interactions.

AbstractIn this study, the region along the Mongolia-China-Russia Economic Corridor was selected as the subject. Here, a freeze-thaw erosion model would be built and used. By contrasting the probability of a geological disaster under the effect of an influencing factor with the probability of a geological disaster in the whole research region, the information value model is realized. In order to identify the most prone factors of freeze-thaw erosion in the research region, we replaced the possibility of geological disasters with the possibility of freeze-thaw erosion. The study region under each influencing factor was separated into five grades. Each grade’s information value was computed using the principles of the information quantity model and the freezing and thawing erosion grade division. Since there were positive and negative information values, for the purposes of calculating probabilities, they were normalized to obtain the similar information value for each grade before calculating the overall similar information value of each factor. The similar information value model (SIVM) underlies this procedure determines the weight. We compared the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and SIVM with the results of 0.070–0.758 and 0.063–0.776, respectively. Finally, the outcomes were confirmed through visual interpretation.

Agonists selectively targeting GPR119 hold promise for treating metabolic disorders. Here, authors reveal that GPR119 adopts a non-canonical consensus structural scaffold with an extended ligand-binding pocket for chemically different agonists.

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested a potential association between nutrients and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), but this association has not been fully addressed.ObjectWe intended to clarify the causal associations between four categories of essential nutrients (amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals and vitamins) and two acute manifestations of CSVD (intracerebral hemorrhage and small vessel stroke) using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodWe obtained European-based large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs) related to CSVD (6,255 cases and 233,058 controls) and nutrient concentrations. Causality evaluation mainly included the results of the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method. The simple median method, the weighted median method and the MR–Egger method were adopted for sensitivity analyses.ResultsFor ICH or SVS, increased levels of phenylalanine (OR = 1.188, p

Freeze–thaw erosion is one of the three major soil erosions in China, including wind erosion and hydraulic erosion, which leads to the destruction of the natural environment, the imbalance of economic development, a threat to personal safety, and irreversible disaster to the country and people. China’s permafrost area accounts for about one-fifth of the country’s land area, and the seasonal permafrost area accounts for half of China’s land area, mainly concentrated in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, Xinjiang Province, Heilongjiang Province, Gansu Province, and other regions. In order to establish an evaluation system for the ecological function reserve of the Greater Hinggan Mountains, nine evaluation indicators were selected from the perspectives of topography, climate, soil, and vegetation conditions. GIS technology, a multiple collinearity test, and principal component analysis were used to comprehensively evaluate the freeze–thaw erosion in the ecological function reserve of the Greater Hinggan Mountains. This study categorized the evaluation results into five intensity levels, from micro to severe. Finally, the degree of influence of different influencing factors on freeze–thaw erosion and the interactions between the factors were analyzed using a geographic detector. The results showed the following: (1) The intensity of freeze–thaw erosion in the study area gradually increased from west to east, and the comprehensive evaluation results were −0.2552 to 0.7581. Overall, moderate, severe, and mild erosion accounted for 29.83%, 25.9%, and 21.54% of the total area of the freeze–thaw zone, respectively. (2) Soil moisture content and the annual range in temperature were the main factors contributing to freeze–thaw erosion. The degree of influence of the two effects on freeze–thaw erosion (q = 0.5997) was better than that of the single-factor effect.

Most commonly used road-based homonymous entity matching algorithms are only applicable to the same scale, and are weak in recognizing the one-to-many and many-to-many types that are common in matching at different scales. This paper explores model matching for multi-scale road data. By considering the sources of various scales and landmark datasets, as well as the spatial relationships between the selected objects and the detailed features of the entities, we propose an improved matching metric, the summation product of orientation and distance (SOD), combined with the shape descriptor based on feature point vectors, the shape area descriptor based on the minimum convex hull, and three other indicators, to establish multiple multi-scale road matching models. Through experiments, the comprehensive road matching model that combines SOD, orientation, distance and length is selected in this paper. When matching the road dataset with a scale of 1:50,000 and 1:10,000, the precision, recall, and F-score of the matching result of this model reached 97.31%, 94.33%, and 95.8%, respectively. In the case that the scale of the two datasets did not differ much, we concluded that the model can be used for matching between large-scale road datasets.

In the process of addressing, when people use words to express indistinctly, they often draw simple sketches to assist expression, which helps people to form a simple spatial scene in the brain and correspond to the actual scene one by one, and finally locate and find the target address. How to establish an one-to-one mapping relationship between the spatial objects in the hand-drawn sketch and in the vector map is the key to the realization of map addressing and location, and this process is also the process of map matching. This paper aims to address difficult problems associated with the features of hand-drawn sketches and vector map matching in order to improve the use of all potential matching points designed for application in hand-drawn sketches and spatial relation matrix structures of vector maps. To accomplish this, we use the N-queen problem solving process and improve the tabu search algorithm. In the matching process under the constraint of a single spatial relationship, and the hierarchical matching process under the constraint of multiple spatial relations, this study verifies the quality of the spatial relationship and the feasibility and effectiveness of the matching method of hand-drawn sketches and vector maps using the improved tabu search algorithm.

Methamphetamine is the most widely used illicit drug in China. Treating methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is challenging due to the lack of effective pharmacotherapies. This study is an experimental study to investigate the efficacy of smartphone-based digital therapeutics in treating MUD at the community level. One hundred participants were recruited and randomized into a digital therapeutics (DTx) group (n = 52) and a treatment as usual (TAU) group (n = 48). The DTx group used a smartphone application to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy, approach bias modification, cognitive training, and contingency management for 8 weeks. The TAU group received counseling from social workers and professional psychotherapists. Cue-induced craving, cognitive functions, PHQ9, and GAD7 were measured at baseline and post-intervention. Wilcoxon tests were performed with bootstrap and multiply imputation to estimate the treatment effect size. The DTx group showed a significant reduction in drug craving [Wilcoxon effect size = −0.267, 95% CI = (−0.435, −0.099), p = 0.002] and a significant improvement in cognitive function [Wilcoxon effect size = 0.220, 95% CI = (0.009, 0.432), p = 0.041]. The DTx group had overall 1, 8, and 24-week attritions of 8%, 11.5%, and 38.5%, respectively. The study shows that Digital therapeutics is feasible and potentially beneficial as a complement to community substance use treatment programs.

Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is the primary cause of reproductive disorders in pigs. The porcine parvovirus 7 (PPV7) subtype was first identified in the United States in 2016. In this study, PPV7 was detected in different porcine samples, including serum, feces, saliva, and milk, from 69 pig farms in the Fujian and Guangdong regions of South China, and its coinfection with porcine circovirus 2 (PCV2), porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3), and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was determined. Whole-genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and recombination analysis were performed on seven isolates, with each selected isolate originating from a different farm. There was a high rate of PPV7 positivity in blood, stool, and saliva but PPV7 DNA was absent from breast milk. The findings also showed that PPV7-positive samples had a high rate of coinfection with PCV2, PCV3, and PRRSV. Real-time PCR was used to determine the viral copy numbers of PCV2, PCV3, PRRSV, and PPV7 in serum samples and to assess whether PPV7 affected PCV2, PCV3, and PRRSV viral loads. Phylogenetic analysis showed that PPV7e and PPV7f were the most prevalent and widespread subtypes in the Fujian and Guangdong regions, respectively. While the PPV7a, PPV7b, PPV7c, and PPV7f subtypes were most prevalent in Fujian Province, PPV7a-e subtypes were prevalent in Guangdong, indicating that PPV7 has rich genetic diversity in these regions. A putative recombinant strain, 21FJ09, was identified using SimPlot and the Recombination Detection Program 4 software.

Intraguild predation (IGP) can have a significant impact on phytoplankton biomass, but its effects on their diversity and assemblage composition are not well understood. In this study, we constructed an IGP model based on the common three-trophic food chain of “fish (or shrimp)–large branchiopods (Daphnia)–phytoplankton”, and investigated the effects of IGP on phytoplankton assemblage composition and diversity in outdoor mesocosms using environmental DNA high-throughput sequencing. Our results indicated that the alpha diversities (number of amplicon sequence variants and Faith’s phylogenetic diversity) of phytoplankton and the relative abundance of Chlorophyceae increased with the addition of Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, while similar trends were found in alpha diversities but with a decrease in the relative abundance of Chlorophyceae in the Exopalaemon modestus treatment. When both predators were added to the community, the strength of collective cascading effects on phytoplankton alpha diversities and assemblage composition were weaker than the sum of the individual predator effects. Network analysis further showed that this IGP effect also decreased the strength of collective cascading effects in reducing the complexity and stability of the phytoplankton assemblages. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the impacts of IGP on lake biodiversity, and provide further knowledge relevant to lake management and conservation.

Type III effectors play a vital role in the establishment of symbiosis. In this study, positive and negative effects of NopT on nodulation were detected in 30 soybean germplasms. The quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to nodule number were identified and their responses to NopT in recombinant inbred lines and chromosome segment substitution lines were evaluated. Ten QTL were identified on chromosomes 02, 05, 06, 10, and 13. One overlapping region on chromosome 02 was responsive to the wild-type rhizobium and the NopT mutant. The expression patterns of the genes in this overlapping region were determined and single nucleotide polymorphisms and haplotypes were analyzed to identify the candidate genes. Four candidate genes were identified as significantly responsive to NopT. Glyma.02G135100 and Glyma.02G100800 expression levels were directly affected by NopT. These results form the basis of future efforts to identify the plant host genes affected by type III effectors.

Lithium metal anodes have attracted extensive attention due to their high theoretical capacity and low redox potential. However, low Coulombic efficiency, serious parasitic reaction, large volume change, and dendrite growth during cycling have hindered their practical application. The engineering of an anode current collector provides important advances to solve these problems, eliminate excess lithium usage, and substantially increase the energy density. In this review, we summarize the engineering strategies of an anode current collector with emphasis on different methods and applications in lithium metal-based systems. Finally, the perspectives and challenges of current collector engineering for lithium metal anode are discussed.

With the increase in the number of patients and prolongation of their lives after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer, the quality of life after surgery has attracted more and more attention. Although anastomotic stenosis is a common complication, it seriously affects the quality of life and psychological state of patients or even threatens their lives. At present, the exact independent influencing factors of anastomotic stenosis after esophageal cancer surgery have not been determined, and relevant treatment options are still controversial. Here, we analyzed the independent risk factors leading to good postoperative anastomotic stenosis, in order to provide a basis for late prevention. At the same time, we deeply discussed the advantages and safety of stent implantation in the treatment of anastomotic stenosis.

Existing diagnosis of the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) heavily depends on the informant's evaluation of the patient's behavior, which is both time consuming and labor demanding. In order to develop a rapid diagnostic tool with high accuracy, machine learning (ML) approaches have been proposed to explore the feasibility of identifying ASD with a limited number of features extracted from behavioral evaluation, neuroimaging and kinematic data. Though restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) is one of the cardinal symptoms of ASD, no study has been conducted to investigate whether restricted kinematic features (RKF) could be used to identify ASD. The present study aimed to address this question. Twenty children with high functioning autism and twenty-three children with typical development (TD) were recruited. They were instructed to perform a motor task that required the execution of the utmost variant movement. Entropy and 95% range of the movement amplitude, velocity and acceleration were computed as indices of RKF. Five ML classifiers were trained and tested including support vector machine (SVM), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Decision tree (DT), Random forest (RF), and K nearest neighbor (KNN). Results showed that the KNN algorithm (k = 1 ) yielded the highest classification accuracy with four kinematic features (accuracy: 88.37%, specificity: 91.3%, sensitivity: 85%, AUC: 0.8815). Our study demonstrated that RKF could help robustly identify ASD. It is inferred that the application of ML on genetic, neuroimaging, psychological and kinematic features might pose a considerable challenge to the current diagnostic criteria of ASD, and might potentially lead to an automated and objective diagnosis of ASD.

The Pt-chitosan-TiO2 charge transfer (CT) complex was synthesized via the sol-gel and impregnation method. The synthesized photocatalysts were thoroughly characterized, and their photocatalytic activity were evaluated toward H2 production through water reduction under visible-light irradiation. The effect of the preparation conditions of the photocatalysts (the degree of deacetylation of chitosan, addition amount of chitosan, and calcination temperature) on the photocatalytic activity was discussed. The optimal Pt-10%DD75-T200 showed a H2 generation rate of 280.4 μmol within 3 h. The remarkable visible-light photocatalytic activity of Pt-chitosan-TiO2 was due to the CT complex formation between chitosan and TiO2, which extended the visible-light absorption and induced the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT). The photocatalytic mechanism of Pt-chitosan-TiO2 was also investigated. This paper outlines a new and facile pathway for designing novel visible-light-driven photocatalysts that are based on TiO2 modified by polysaccharide biomass wastes that are widely found in nature.

In the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) have tumor-like characteristics, mainly manifested by hyperproliferation and resistance to apoptosis and then it will erode the bone and cartilage, eventually leading to joint destruction. Paris saponin VII (PS VII) is an active compound derived from a traditional herbal medicine named Trillium tschonoskii Maxim, which has anti-tumor, analgesic, and immunomodulatory effects. However, its anti-RA effect has not yet been reported. This study was to investigate the effect of PS VII on two rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes lines (RA-FLS and MH7A) and adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats. In vitro, the effects of PS VII on the proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of RA-FLS and MH7A cells were detected by MTT, flow cytometry, and western blot analysis. In vivo, the effect of PS VII on the weight of the rat, paw swelling, ankle joint diameter, arthritis index, serum inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β), histopathological assessment and apoptosis proteins in the synovial tissues were evaluated in AIA rats. The in vitro studies showed that PS VII inhibited the proliferation of RA-FLS and MH7A cells, induced S phase arrest and triggered cell apoptosis mainly through the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and the regulation of JNK and p38 MAPK pathways. The in vivo studies revealed that PS VII could improve ameliorate body weight, paw swelling, ankle joint diameter, reduce the spleen and thymus index, suppress the production of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, improve histopathological changes and regulate the expressions of apoptosis proteins in AIA Rats. In conclusion, PS VII could inhibit the proliferation and trigger apoptosis of RA-FLS and MH7A cells by regulating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and the JNK and p38 MAPK pathways, and alleviate the symptoms of RA, signifying it to be one of the potential anti-RA therapeutics.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe cerebrovascular disease with a high incidence, mortality and disability rate. Danhong injection (DHI) is beneficial for ischemic stroke, but is prohibited for ICH due to risk of bleeding. The present study aims to explore the potential therapeutic time window and molecular mechanism of DHI in a collagenase-induced ICH model in aged rats. DHI administration after ICH could significantly improve body weight and neurological deficits, and reduce the hematoma volume and brain water content when compared to the vehicle control. Furthermore, the protective effect of DHI administration on days 1–3 after ICH was superior to those on days 3–5 or 7–9 after ICH. DHI remarkably increased the Peroxiredoxin 1 (Prx1) expression in astrocytes and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-β (IL-1β) after ICH. The immediate treatment of Prx1 inhibiter chelerythrine (Che) after ICH abolished the protective effect of DHI. Furthermore, the Che treatment reduced the expression of Prx1 in astrocytes, but increased the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β after ICH. DHI treatment could not reverse these changes. Therefore, the earlier DHI is administered, the better the neuroprotective effect. DHI exerts antioxidative and anti-inflammatory function by increasing Prx1 in astrocytes. These present results may change the established understanding of DHI, and reveal a novel treatment approach for ICH.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228391.].

BACKGROUND:The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the main cause of bronchiolitis in infants and interferon (IFN) α is a commercial antiviral drug. The nebulization of IFN α1b could be a viable treatment method. In this study, the therapeutic effects and safety of IFN α1b delivery via nebulization in infant bronchiolitis were investigated in this multi-center prospective study. METHODS AND FINDINGS:Bronchiolitis patients admitted to 22 hospitals who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled and randomly allocated to four groups: control, IFN Intramuscular Injection, IFN Nebulization 1 (1 μg/kg), and IFN Nebulization 2 (2 μg/kg) groups. All patients were observed for 7 days. The therapeutic effects and safety of different IFN delivery doses and delivery modes were evaluated. Coughing severity change, as scored by the researchers and parents, between days 1 and 3 was significantly different between the IFN Nebulization 2 and control groups. Lowell wheezing score change between days 3 and 5 was significantly different between IFN Nebulization 1 and control groups. There were no significant differences among the four groups regarding the number of consecutive days with fever, three-concave sign, fatigue and sleepiness, and loss of appetite. There were no cases of severe complications, no recurrence of fever, and no regression of mental status. CONCLUSIONS:IFN-α1b could more effectively alleviate coughing and wheezing in bronchiolitis. IFN-α1b nebulization had significant advantages in shortening the duration of wheezing and alleviating coughing.

Objective. To evaluate the efficiency of sublingual immunotherapy with Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops in children with single and multiple respiratory allergic diseases. Methods. Seventy-one children with allergic respiratory diseases who had been treated with Dermatophagoides Farinae Drops for one year or more were divided into a single allergic group (12 cases) and multiple allergic group (59 cases). The rhinitis score, daytime and night symptom score of asthma, VAS score, drug score, pulmonary function, and FeNO level before and after treatment were evaluated and compared between the two groups. Results. The rhinitis score, night symptom score, VAS score, and drug score in the single allergic group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (p0.05). The rhinitis score, VAS score, and drug score in the multiple allergic group after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment (p0.05). In both the single allergic group and multiple allergic group, the pulmonary function indexes of the patients were significantly improved after treatment, and the FeNO after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment (p0.05). Conclusion. Sublingual specific immunotherapy is effective in treating multiple and single allergic respiratory diseases in children.

A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the possible association between maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. Twelve datasets from five observational studies were included. Results showed that maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy was not independently associated with ASD (risk ratio: 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.78 to 1.04, p = 0.16, I[superscript 2] = 0%). The results were consistent for heavy alcohol drinking versus no alcohol drinking during pregnancy, and for studies evaluating the influence of maternal alcohol consumption during different trimesters. In conclusion, current evidence does not support that maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy is independently associated with ASD in offspring.

Adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a lately described rare form of leukodystrophy with only one family report from China. As the only disease associated with increased lamina B1 encoded by LMNB1, ADLDs have different clinical presentations, ranging from autonomic to pyramidal tract and cerebellar ataxia. Here, we report a case of ADLD that presented with positional tremor as the initial symptom. T2-weighted brain MRI showed brain atrophy and diffuse high signal intensity of the cerebral white matter and the brain stem. The precise diagnosis was made by identification of the mutated gene. To the best of our knowledge, this is perhaps the first case report of ADLD presenting as tremor in China.

In this study, a specific and sensitive method of liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the determination of penconazole enantiomers in rat plasma. The enantioseparation was achieved on a Chiralpak IC column by using acetonitrile/water (80:20, v/v) as the mobile phase. Penconazole enantiomers and internal standard l-lansoprazole (IS) were detected in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with positive electrospray ionization source. The method was validated over the concentration range of 2.5–250.0 ng mL−1 for penconazole enantiomers. Good linearity was obtained for both enantiomers with correlation coefficients (R) greater than 0.995. The relative error was well within the admissible range of −1.1–3.2%, and relative standard deviation was less than 6.0%. After validation, the established method was successfully applied to a stereoselective toxicokinetic study in female and male rats after oral administration of 50 mg kg−1 racemic penconazole. This is the first experiment regarding the stereospecific toxicokinetic study of penconazole and the bioanalytical approach for its quantitation in vivo.

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is an effective method to obtain microstructural information of materials. However, due to the influence of crystal surface effects, SAXS has a deviation in the characterization of the crystal microstructure. In order to solve the influence of crystal surface effect on the internal defect signal, the microstructure of Octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) crystal was characterized by soaking the sample in the matching solution. We found that the absolute scattering intensity, specific surface and volume fraction of the sample in the matching solution are significantly lower than the initial sample, which solves the influence of the crystal surface effect on the test results. Comparing the scattering results of the samples in different electron density matching solutions, it was found that the best result was obtained when using GPL-107 perfluoropolyether (PFPE) matching solution and the same law was obtained by controlling the experiment with 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL-20) crystal. The fitting density was calculated according to the theoretical density and void volume fraction of the sample, and the calculated results are close to the test results of Particle Density Distribution Analyzer (PDDA). Based on this paper, we provide a method to obtain the correct information of crystal microstructure.

Siji-kangbingdu mixture is an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral herbal mixture which is frequently used by doctors to treat upper respiratory infections. It’s important to establish an efficient and economical quality-control method to ensure the quality consistency and efficacy stability of Siji-kangbingdu mixture. In this study, an integrated multi-evaluation method was established, sequentially involving UPLC-TripleTOF-MS analysis, UPLC fingerprint analysis, and the quantitative analysis of multi-components using the single-marker (QAMS) method. With one chromatographic condition, a total of 71 compounds were identified by MS and MS/MS information, with a mass error of less than 5 ppm; 49 peaks detected in 254 nm were selected to establish the fingerprint similarity model, and 7 chemical compounds were simultaneously determined, namely, chlorogenic acid, liquiritin, rutin, isochlorogenic acid A, forsythin, forsythoside A, and glycyrrhizic acid, with forsythoside A as the reference standard. There was no significant difference in the content of the seven compounds between the QAMS method and the external standard method (ESM). The established multi-evaluation method will largely promote the quality control and standardization process of Siji-kangbingdu mixture. It also provides a reference workflow for the overall evaluation of TCM patent medicines, from chemical profiling to fingerprint and quantitative analysis.