Evidence and causes of recent decreases in nitrogen deposition in temperate forests in Northeast China

High reactive nitrogen (N) emissions due to anthropogenic activities in China have led to an increase in N deposition and ecosystem degradation. The Chinese government has strictly regulated reactive N emissions since 2010, however, determining whether N deposition has reduced requires long-term monitoring. Here, we report the patterns of N deposition at a rural forest site (Qingyuan) in northeastern China over the last decade. We collected 456 daily precipitation samples from 2014 to 2022 and analysed the temporal dynamics of N deposition. NH4+-N, NO3--N, and total inorganic N (TIN) deposition ranged from 10.5 ± 3.5 (mean ± SD), 6.1 ± 1.6, and 16.6 ± 4.7 kg N ha-1 year-1, respectively. Over the measurement period, TIN deposition at Qingyuan decreased by 55 %, whereas that in comparable sites in East Asia declined by 14-34 %. We used a random forest model to determine factors influencing the deposition of NH4+-N, NO3--N, and TIN during the study period. NH4+-N deposition decreased by 60 % because of decreased agricultural NH3 emissions. Furthermore, NO3--N deposition decreased by 42 %, due to reduced NOx emissions from agricultural soil and fossil fuel combustion. The steep decline in N deposition in northeastern China was attributed to reduced coal consumption, improved emission controls on automobiles, and shifts in agricultural practices. Long-term monitoring is needed to assess regional air quality and the impact of N emission control regulations.

[Multicenter retrospect analysis of early clinical features and analysis of risk factors on prognosis of elderly patients with severe burns]

Objective: To investigate the early clinical characteristics of elderly patients with severe burns and the risk factors on prognosis. Methods: This study was a retrospective case series study. Clinical data of 124 elderly patients with severe burns who met the inclusion criteria and were admitted to the 12 hospitals from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, including 4 patients from the Fourth People's Hospital of Dalian, 5 patients from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, 22 patients from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital of Jinan University, 5 patients from Heilongjiang Provincial Hospital, 27 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University, 9 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, 10 patients from Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 9 patients from Tongren Hospital of Wuhan University & Wuhan Third Hospital, 12 patients from the 924th Hospital of PLA, 6 patients from Zhangjiagang First People's Hospital, 4 patients from Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, and 11 patients from Zhengzhou First People's Hospital. The patients' overall clinical characteristics, such as gender, age, body mass index, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, inhalation injury, causative factors, whether combined with underlying medical diseases, and admission time after injury were recorded. According to the survival outcome within 28 days after injury, the patients were divided into survival group (89 cases) and death group (35 cases). The following data of patients were compared between the two groups, including the basic data and injuries (the same as the overall clinical characteristics ahead); the coagulation indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, D-dimer, fibrinogen degradation product (FDP), international normalized ratio (INR), and fibrinogen; the blood routine indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as white blood cell count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit; the organ function indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, urea, serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, globulin, blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, electrolyte indexes (potassium, sodium, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in blood), uric acid, myoglobin, and brain natriuretic peptide; the infection and blood gas indexes within the first 24 hours of injury such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, pH value, oxygenation index, base excess, and lactate; treatment such as whether conducted with mechanical ventilation, whether conducted with continuous renal replacement therapy, whether conducted with anticoagulation therapy, whether applied with vasoactive drugs, and fluid resuscitation. The analysis was conducted to screen the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns. Results: Among 124 patients, there were 82 males and 42 females, aged 60-97 years, with body mass index of 23.44 (21.09, 25.95) kg/m2, total burn area of 54.00% (42.00%, 75.00%) total body surface area (TBSA), and full-thickness burn area of 25.00% (10.00%, 40.00%) TBSA. The patients were mainly combined with moderate to severe inhalation injury and caused by flame burns. There were 43 cases with underlying medical diseases. The majority of patients were admitted to the hospital within 8 hours after injury. There were statistically significant differences between patients in the 2 groups in terms of age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and inhalation injury, and PT, APTT, D-dimer, FDP, INR, white blood cell count, platelet count, urea, serum creatinine, blood glucose, blood sodium, uric acid, myoglobin, and urine volume within the first 24 hours of injury (with Z values of 2.37, 5.49, 5.26, 5.97, 2.18, 1.95, 2.68, 2.68, 2.51, 2.82, 2.14, 3.40, 5.31, 3.41, 2.35, 3.81, 2.16, and -3.82, respectively, P<0.05); there were statistically significant differences between two groups of patients in whether conducted with mechanical ventilation and whether applied with vasoactive drugs (with χ2 values of 9.44 and 28.50, respectively, P<0.05). Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, serum creatinine within the first 24 hours of injury, and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury were the independent risk factors for the mortality within 28 days after injury in elderly patients with severe burns (with odds ratios of 1.17, 1.10, 1.10, 1.09, and 1.27, 95% confidence intervals of 1.03-1.40, 1.04-1.21, 1.05-1.19, 1.05-1.17, and 1.07-1.69, respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions: The elderly patients with severe burns had the injuries mainly from flame burns, often accompanied by moderate to severe inhalation injury and enhanced inflammatory response, elevated blood glucose levels, activated fibrinolysis, and impaired organ function in the early stage, which are associated with their prognosis. Age, total burn area, full-thickness burn area, and serum creatinine and APTT within the first 24 hours of injury are the independent risk factors for death within 28 days after injury in this population.

Priming transcranial direct current stimulation for improving hemiparetic upper limb in patients with subacute stroke: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that modulates brain states by applying a weak electrical current to the brain cortex. Several studies have shown that anodal stimulation of the ipsilesional primary motor cortex (M1) may promote motor recovery of the affected upper limb in patients with stroke; however, a high-level clinical recommendation cannot be drawn in view of inconsistent findings. A priming brain stimulation protocol has been proposed to induce stable modulatory effects, in which an inhibitory stimulation is applied prior to excitatory stimulation to a brain area. Our recent work showed that priming theta burst magnetic stimulation demonstrated superior effects in improving upper limb motor function and neurophysiological outcomes. However, it remains unknown whether pairing a session of cathodal tDCS with a session of anodal tDCS will also capitalise on its therapeutic effects.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This will be a two-arm double-blind randomised controlled trial involving 134 patients 1-6 months after stroke onset. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to receive 10 sessions of priming tDCS+robotic training, or 10 sessions of non-priming tDCS+robotic training for 2 weeks. The primary outcome is the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-upper extremity, and the secondary outcomes are the Wolf Motor Function Test and Modified Barthel Index. The motor-evoked potentials, regional oxyhaemoglobin level and resting-state functional connectivity between the bilateral M1 will be acquired and analysed to investigate the effects of priming tDCS on neuroplasticity.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Shanghai Yangzhi Rehabilitation Center (reference number: Yangzhi2023-022) and will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki of 1964, as revised in 2013.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2300074681.

Enhancing microalgal biomass production in lab-scale raceway ponds through innovative computational fluid dynamics-based electrode deflectors

The design of novel electrode deflector structures (EDSs) introduced a promising strategy for enhancing raceway ponds performance, increasing carbon fixation, and improving microalgal biomass accumulation. The computational fluid dynamics, based flow field principles, proved that the potency of arc-shaped electrode deflector structures (A-EDS) and spiral electrode deflector structures (S-EDS) were optimal. These configurations yielded superior culture effects, notably reducing dead zones by 9.1% and 11.7%, while elevating biomass increments of 14.7% and 11.5% compared to the control, respectively. In comparison to scenarios without electrostatic field application, the A-EDS group demonstrated pronounced post-stimulation growth, exhibiting an additional biomass increase of 11.2%, coupled with a remarkable 23.6% surge in CO2 fixation rate and mixing time reduction by 14.7%. A-EDS and S-EDS, combined with strategic electric field integration, provided a theoretical basis for promoting microalgal biomass production and enhancing carbon fixation in a raceway pond environment to similar production practices.

Effective removing of rotifer contamination in microalgal lab-scale raceway ponds by light-induced phototaxis coupled with high-voltage pulse electroshock

Rotifer reproduction control in open microalgae cultivation systems poses a significant challenge for large-scale industries. Conventional methods, such as electric, meshing, and chemical techniques, are often expensive, ineffective, and may have adverse environmental-health impacts. This study investigated a promising control technique through light-induced phototaxis to concentrate rotifers in a specific spot, where they were electroshocked by local-limited exposure dose. The results showed that the rotifers had the most pronounced positive and negative phototropism with phototaxis rates of 66.7 % and -78.8 %, respectively, at blue-light irradiation of 30 µmol∙m-2∙s-1 and red-light irradiation of 22.5 µmol∙m-2∙s-1 for 20 min. The most effective electroshock configuration employed 1200 V/cm for 15 min with a 1-second cycle time and a 10 % duty cycle, resulting in a 75.0 % rotifer removal rate without impacting microalgae growth. The combination of the two light beams could effectively lead rotifers to designated areas where they were electrocuted successfully.

Regulation of microclimate and shading effects of microalgal photobioreactors on rooftops: Microalgae as a promising emergent for green roof technology

Urban areas remarkably affect global public health due to their emissions of greenhouse gases and poor air quality. Although urban areas only cover 2% of the Earth's surface, they are responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. Dense buildings limit vegetation, leading to increased air pollution and disruption of the local and regional carbon cycle. The substitution of urban gray roofs with microalgal green roofs has the potential to improve the carbon cycle by sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere. Microalgae can fix 15-50 times more CO2 than other types of vegetation. Advanced microalgal-based green roof technology may significantly accelerate the reduction of atmospheric CO2 in a more effective way. Microalgal green roofs also enhance air quality, oxygen production, acoustic isolation, sunlight absorption, and biomass production. This endeavor yields the advantage of simultaneously generating protein, lipids, vitamins, and a spectrum of valuable bioactive compounds, including astaxanthin, carotenoids, polysaccharides, and phycocyanin, thus contributing to a green economy. The primary focus of the current work is on analyzing the ecological advantages and CO2 bio-fixation efficiency attained through microalgal cultivation on urban rooftops. This study also briefly examines the idea of green roofs, clarifies the ecological benefits associated with them, discusses the practice of growing microalgae on rooftops, identifies the difficulties involved, and the positive aspects of this novel strategy.

Patterns and drivers of atmospheric inorganic nitrogen deposition in Northeast Asia

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition due to intensified emissions of NH3 and NOx is a global problem with profound consequences on living organisms and the environment. Although N emission rates are currently considered to be high in East Asia, reports on the current N deposition level and composition are still limited, especially in northeastern China, where official N deposition monitoring sites are unavailable. This limits our understanding of the spatio-temporal N deposition patterns and their influencing factors at regional to continental scales. Here, we used data collected mostly during 2019 at 38 sites, comprising 7 sites in northeastern China and 31 EANET (Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia) sites in middle and east Russia, Mongolia, central and southern China, South Korea and Japan to explore the spatial-seasonal variations and drivers of ammonium and nitrate deposition across the Northeast Asia. Total bulk inorganic N (TIN) deposition was 3.7-24.5 kg N ha-1 yr-1 and NH4+-N/NO3--N ratio in the TIN was 0.8-2.8 in northeastern China. The bulk/wet TIN deposition averaged 7.5 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (predominantly in the form of ammonium-N: NH4+-N/NO3--N = 1.4) over the Northeast Asia region, with the highest rates being observed in northeastern China (11.6), as well as central and southern China (10.7), followed by east Russia, South Korea and Japan (5.6), and the lowest in middle Russia and Mongolia (1.5). This regional bulk/wet TIN deposition level is about twice of the wet TIN deposition level in Europe and the United States. The TIN deposition in summer and spring was 45-467% higher than in autumn and winter. Out of the ten land uses considered, only agricultural and urban land uses significantly positively correlated with NH4+-N and NO3--N deposition rates across all monitored sites. This study suggests that the ongoing agricultural and urban expansions are likely to enhance N deposition and its associated effects across global ecosystems.

Silkworm glycosaminoglycans bind to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus and facilitate its entry

Interacting with cell surface attachment factors or receptors is the first step for virus infection. Glycans cover a thick layer on eukaryotic cells and are potential targets of various viruses. Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis viruses (BmNPV) is a baculovirus that causes huge economic loss to the sericulture industry but the mechanism of infection is unclear. Looking for potential host receptors for the virus is an important task. In this study, we investigated the role of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) modifications, including heparan sulfate (HS) and chondroitin sulfate (CS), during BmNPV infection. Enzymatic removal of cell surface HS and CS effectively inhibited BmNPV infection and replication. Exogenous HS and CS can directly bind to BmNPV virion in solution and act as neutralizers for viral infection. Furthermore, the expression of enzymes involved in GAG biosynthesis was upregulated in the BmNPV susceptible silkworm after virus administration, but down-regulated in the resistant strain after virus treatment, suggesting that BmNPV was able to utilize host cell machinery to promote the biosynthesis of GAGs. This study demonstrated HS and CS as important attachment factors that facilitate the viral entry process, and targeting HS and CS can be an effective means of inhibiting BmNPV infection.

[Research progress of mucormycosis in burns]

Mucormycosis is a relatively rare but dangerous infectious diseases. Burn patients, especially severe burn patients, are at high risk of mucormycosis. In recent years, the incidence of mucormycosis in burn patients has increased. At present, there are a few domestic literatures on mucormycosis in burns, with most being case reports without systematic summary. Based on the relevant literature at home and abroad in recent years, this article reviewed the epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, and treatment methods of mucormycosis in burns, hoping to provide some basis for the diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis in burns in China.

Outcome of stroke patients eligible to mechanical thrombectomy managed by spoke center, primary stroke center or comprehensive stroke center in the East of France

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Patients with suspected stroke are referred to the nearest hospital and are managed either in a spoke center (SC), a primary stroke center (PSC), or a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) in order to benefit from early intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). In case of large vessel occlusion (LVO), mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is only performed in the CSC, whereas the effectiveness of MT is highly time-dependent. There is a debate about the best management model of patients with suspected LVO. Therefore, we aimed to compare functional and safety outcomes of LVO patients eligible for MT managed through our regional telestroke system.

METHOD

We performed a retrospective analysis of our observational prospective clinical registry in all consecutive subjects with LVO within six hours of onset who were admitted to the SC, PSC, or CSC in the east of France between October 2017 and November 2022. The primary endpoint was the functional independence defined as modified Rankin scale (mRS) score 0 to 2 at 90 days. Secondary endpoints were functional outcome, early neurological improvement, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

Among the 794 included patients with LVO who underwent MT, 122 (15.4%) were managed by a SC, 403 (50.8%) were first admitted to a PSC, and 269 (33.9%) were first admitted to the CSC. The overall median NIHSS and ASPECTS score were 16 and 8, respectively. Multivariate analysis did not find any significant difference for the primary endpoint between patients managed by PSC versus CSC (OR 1.06 [95% CI 0.64;1.76], P=0.82) and between patient managed by SC versus CSC (OR 0.69 [0.34;1.40], P=0.30). No difference between the three groups was found except for the parenchymal hematoma rate between PSC and CSC (15.7 versus 7.4%, OR 2.25 [1.07;4.74], P=0.032).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with a first admission to a CSC, the clinical outcomes of stroke patients with LVO eligible for MT first admitted to a SC or a PSC are similar.

Considerable effects of lateralization and aging in intracortical excitation and inhibition

Introduction

Findings based on the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation and electromyography (TMS-EMG) to determine the effects of motor lateralization and aging on intracortical excitation and inhibition in the primary motor cortex (M1) are inconsistent in the literature. TMS and electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) measures the excitability of excitatory and inhibitory circuits in the brain cortex without contamination from the spine and muscles. This study aimed to investigate the effects of motor lateralization (dominant and non-dominant hemispheres) and aging (young and older) and their interaction effects on intracortical excitation and inhibition within the M1 in healthy adults, measured using TMS-EMG and TMS-EEG.

Methods

This study included 21 young (mean age = 28.1 ± 3.2 years) and 21 older healthy adults (mean age = 62.8 ± 4.2 years). A battery of TMS-EMG measurements and single-pulse TMS-EEG were recorded for the bilateral M1.

Results

Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to investigate lateralization and aging and the lateralization-by-aging interaction effect on neurophysiological outcomes. The non-dominant M1 presented a longer cortical silent period and larger amplitudes of P60, N100, and P180. Corticospinal excitability in older participants was significantly reduced, as supported by a larger resting motor threshold and lower motor-evoked potential amplitudes. N100 amplitudes were significantly reduced in older participants, and the N100 and P180 latencies were significantly later than those in young participants. There was no significant lateralization-by-aging interaction effect in any outcome.

Conclusion

Lateralization and aging have independent and significant effects on intracortical excitation and inhibition in healthy adults. The functional decline of excitatory and inhibitory circuits in the M1 is associated with aging.

The impact of main Areca Catechu root exudates on soil microbial community structure and function in coffee plantation soils

Coffee is an important cash crop worldwide, but it has been plagued by serious continuous planting obstacles. Intercropping with Areca catechu could alleviate the continuous planting obstacle of coffee due to the diverse root secretions of Areca catechu. However, the mechanism of Areca catechu root secretion in alleviating coffee continuous planting obstacle is still unclear. The changes of coffee rhizosphere soil microbial compositions and functions were explored by adding simulated root secretions of Areca catechu, the primary intercropping plant species (i.e., amino acids, plant hormone, organic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and sugars) in current study. The results showed that the addition of coffee root exudates altered soil physicochemical properties, with significantly increasing the availability of potassium and organic matter contents as well as promoting soil enzyme activity. However, the addition of plant hormone, organic acids, or phenolic acids led to a decrease in the Shannon index of bacterial communities in continuously planted coffee rhizosphere soil (RS-CP). The inclusion of phenolic acids specifically caused the decrease of fungal Shannon index. Plant hormone, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and sugars increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria with reduced bacterial pathogens. Flavonoids and organic acids increased the relative abundance of potential fungal pathogen Fusarium. The polyphenol oxidase, dehydrogenase, urease, catalase, and pH were highly linked with bacterial community structure. Moreover, catalase, pH, and soil-available potassium were the main determinants of fungal communities. In conclusion, this study highlight that the addition of plant hormone, phenolic acids, and sugars could enhance enzyme activity, and promote synergistic interactions among microorganisms by enhancing the physicochemical properties of RS-CP, maintaining the soil functions in coffee continuous planting soil, which contribute to alleviate the obstacles associated with continuous coffee cultivation.

[Observation of liver indexes in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma treated with CAR-T-cells based on BCMA]

Objective: To observe the characteristics of the evolution of liver indexes in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) treated with CAR-T-cells based on BCMA. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed of patients with RRMM who received an infusion of anti-BCMA CAR-T-cells and anti-BCMA combined with anti-CD19 CAR-T-cells at our center between June 1, 2019, and February 28, 2023. Clinical data were collected to observe the characteristics of changes in liver indexes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBIL), and direct bilirubin (DBIL) in patients, and its relationship with cytokine-release syndrome (CRS) . Results: Ninety-two patients were included in the analysis, including 41 patients (44.6%) in the group receiving a single infusion of anti-BCMA CAR-T-cells, and 51 patients (55.4%) in the group receiving an infusion of anti-BCMA combined with anti-CD19 CAR-T-cells. After infusing CAR-T-cells, 31 patients (33.7%) experienced changes in liver indexes at or above grade 2, which included 20 patients (21.7%) with changes in one index, five patients (5.4%) with changes in two indexes, and six patients (6.5%) with changes in three or more indexes. The median time of peak values of ALT and AST were d17 and d14, respectively, and the median duration of exceeding grade 2 was 5.0 and 3.5 days, respectively. The median time of peak values of TBIL and DBIL was on d19 and d21, respectively, and the median duration of exceeding grade 2 was 4.0 days, respectively. The median time of onset of CRS was d8, and the peak time of fever was d9. The ALT, AST, and TBIL of patients with CRS were higher than those of patients without CRS (P=0.011, 0.002, and 0.015, respectively). CRS is an independent factor that affects ALT and TBIL levels (OR=19.668, 95% CI 18.959-20.173, P=0.001). The evolution of liver indexes can be reversed through anti-CRS and liver-protection treatments, and no patient died of liver injury. Conclusions: In BCMA-based CAR-T-cell therapy for RRMM, CRS is an important factor causing the evolution of liver indexes. The evolution of liver indexes after CAR-T-cell infusion is transient and reversible after treatment.

Sunlight filtered via translucent-colored polyvinyl chloride sheets enhanced the light absorption capacity and growth of Arthrospira platensis cultivated in a pilot-scale raceway pond

In this research, the effects of filtered sunlight traveling through translucent-colored polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets on the photoconversion efficiency of Arthrospira platensis are investigated. Filtered sunlight improves the phycobilisome's capacity to completely absorb and transport it to intracellular photosystems. Findings indicated that filtered sunlight via orange-colored PVC sheet increased biomass dry weight by 21% (2.80 g/L), while under blue-colored PVC sheet decreased by 32% (1.49 g/L), when compared with translucent-colored (control) PVC sheet (2.19 g/L) after 120 h of culture. The meteorological conditions during the 1st week of cultivation reported higher light flux than the subsequent weeks. Furthermore, sunlight filtered through orange PVC sheet enhanced protein, allophycocyanin, phycocyanin, chlorophyll-a and carotenoids synthesis by 13%, 15%, 13%, 22%, and 27%, respectively. This practical and inexpensive solar radiation filtration system supports large-scale production of tailored bioactive compounds from microalgae with high growth rate.

Molecular approaches to enhance astaxanthin biosynthesis; future outlook: engineering of transcription factors in Haematococcus pluvialis

Microalgae are the preferred species for producing astaxanthin because they pose a low toxicity risk than chemical synthesis. Astaxanthin has multiple health benefits and is being used in: medicines, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and functional foods. Haematococcus pluvialis is a model microalga for astaxanthin biosynthesis; however, its natural astaxanthin content is low. Therefore, it is necessary to develop methods to improve the biosynthesis of astaxanthin to meet industrial demands, making its commercialization cost-effective. Several strategies related to cultivation conditions are employed to enhance the biosynthesis of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis. However, the mechanism of its regulation by transcription factors is unknown. For the first time, this study critically reviewed the studies on identifying transcription factors, progress in H. pluvialis genetic transformation, and use of phytohormones that increase the gene expression related to astaxanthin biosynthesis. In addition, we propose future approaches, including (i) Cloning and characterization of transcription factors, (ii) Transcriptional engineering through overexpression of positive regulators or downregulation/silencing of negative regulators, (iii) Gene editing for enrichment or deletion of transcription factors binding sites, (iv) Hormonal modulation of transcription factors. This review provides considerable knowledge about the molecular regulation of astaxanthin biosynthesis and the existing research gap. Besides, it provides the basis for transcription factors mediated metabolic engineering of astaxanthin biosynthesis in H. pluvialis.

Advanced microbial protein technologies are promising for supporting global food-feed supply chains with positive environmental impacts

This study focuses on microbial protein (MP) as a promising food-feed alternative source that may contribute to overcoming the increased food challenge. It analyzes the traditional and advanced MP technologies, their progress, sustainability, and environmental limitations. Traditional MP technologies are reliable for global food-feed supply chains but face higher production costs and negative environmental impacts. Advanced MP systems utilize sustainable sources like food waste, but limited availability and characteristics necessitate pretreatments. Power-to-protein technology looks promising due to its ability to capture CO₂ and avoiding external organic carbon addition, although more research is still needed. Cultivating indigenous microorganisms in agricultural wastewater, such as biofloc technology, offer potential for nutrient recovery and reduced environmental impacts. Microalgal biomass is sustainable but faces challenges of low palatability, productivity, and high costs, while ongoing studies try to solve these challenges. This review concludes that the advanced MP technologies are environmentally friendly and promising, while further studies are necessary to enhance performance and commercial implementation.

[Effects and mechanism of annexin A1-overexpressing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome]

Objective: To explore the effects and mechanism of annexin A1 (ANXA1)-overexpressing human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) in the treatment of mice with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: The experimental study method was adopted. After the adult AMSCs were identified by flow cytometry, the 3rd passage cells were selected for the follow-up experiments. According to the random number table (the same grouping method below), the cells were divided into ANXA1-overexpressing group transfected with plasmid containing RNA sequences of ANXA1 gene and no-load control group transfected with the corresponding no-load plasmid. The other cells were divided into ANXA1-knockdown group transfected with plasmid containing small interfering RNA sequences of ANXA1 gene and no-load control group transfected with the corresponding no-load plasmid. At post transfection hour (PTH) 72, the fluorescence expression was observed under a fluorescence microscope imaging system, and the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 were detected by Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction respectively (with the sample numbers being 3). Fifty male C57BL/6J mice aged 6-8 weeks were divided into sham injury group, ARDS alone group, normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice in the last 4 groups were treated with endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide to make ARDS lung injury model, and mice in sham injury group were simulated to cause false injury. Immediately after injury, mice in sham injury group and ARDS alone group were injected with normal saline through the tail vein, while mice in normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group were injected with normal AMSCs, ANXA1-overexpressing AMSCs, and ANXA1-knockdown AMSCs, correspondingly. At post injection hour (PIH) 24, 5 mice in each group were selected, the Evans blue staining was performed to observe the gross staining of the right lung tissue, and the absorbance value of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) supernatant of left lung was detected by microplate reader to evaluate the pulmonary vascular permeability. Three days after injection, the remaining 5 mice in each group were taken, the right lung tissue was collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the pathological changes and immunohistochemical staining to observe the CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages, and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of left lung were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t test, one-way analysis of variance, and least significant difference test. Results: At PTH 72, AMSCs in both ANXA1-overexpressing group and ANXA1-knockdown group expressed higher fluorescence intensity than AMSCs in corresponding no-load control group, respectively. At PTH 72, compared with those in corresponding no-load control group, the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 in ANXA1-overexpressing group were significantly increased (wth t values of 249.80 and 6.56, respectively, P<0.05), while the protein and mRNA expressions of ANXA1 in ANXA1-knockdown group were significantly decreased (wth t values of 176.50 and 18.18, respectively, P<0.05). At PIH 24, compared with those in sham injury group (with the absorbance value of BALF supernatant being 0.041±0.009), the lung tissue of mice in ARDS alone group was obviously blue-stained and the absorbance value of BALF supernatant (0.126±0.022) was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the degree of blue-staining in lung tissue of mice was significantly reduced in normal cell group or ANXA1-overexpressing group, and the absorbance values of BALF supernatant (0.095±0.020 and 0.069±0.015) were significantly decreased (P<0.05), but the degree of blue-staining in lung tissue and the absorbance value of BALF supernatant (0.109±0.016, P>0.05) of mice in ANXA1-knockdown group had no significant change. Compared with that in normal cell group, the absorbance value of BALF supernatant of mice in ANXA1-overexpressing group was significantly decreased (P<0.05). Three days after injection, the lung tissue structure of mice in ARDS alone group was significantly damaged compared with that in sham injury group. Compared with those in ARDS alone group, hemorrhage, infiltration of inflammatory cells, alveolar collapse, and interstitial widening in the lung tissue of mice were significantly alleviated in normal cell group and ANXA1-overexpressing group, while no significant improvement of above-mentioned lung tissue manifestation was observed in ANXA1-knockdown group. Three days after injection, the numbers of CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages in the lung tissue of mice in ARDS alone group were significantly increased compared with those in sham injury group. Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the numbers of CD11b and F4/80 positive macrophages in lung tissue of mice in normal cell group, ANXA1-overexpressing group, and ANXA1-knockdown group reduced, with the most significant reduction in ANXA1-overexpressing group. Three days after injection, compared with those in sham injury group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in ARDS alone group were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared with those in ARDS alone group, the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in normal cell group and ANXA1-overexpressing group, as well as the level of IL-1β in BALF supernatant of mice in ANXA1-knockdown group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with that in normal cell group, the level of TNF-α in BALF supernatant of mice was significantly decreased in ANXA1-overexpressing group (P<0.05) but significantly increased in ANXA1-knockdown group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Overexpression of ANXA1 can optimize the efficacy of AMSCs in treating ARDS and enhance the effects of these cells in inhibiting inflammatory response and improving pulmonary vascular permeability, thereby alleviating lung injury of mice with ARDS.

Salvage camrelizumab for an intractable NK/T cell lymphoma patient with two instances of intestinal perforation: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

The prognosis of natural killer/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL) with multifocal small intestine involvement complicated by intestinal perforation is extremely poor. There is no evidence-based treatment strategy for this intractable condition.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 30-year-old male was admitted to our hospital in April 2017 and presented with recurrent fever for three months and multiple painless subcutaneous nodules in the abdominal wall. An excision biopsy of the subcutaneous nodules in the abdominal wall revealed NKTCL. The patient was diagnosed with stage IVB NKTCL with skin and multifocal small intestinal involvement according to the imaging results. The first intestinal perforation occurred due to tumor infiltration before the initial treatment. The second intestinal perforation occurred after receiving two cycles of chemotherapy with a modified SMILE regimen. The histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) chidamide was administered as a single-agent therapy after recovery from the second intestinal perforation. Complete remission was achieved. Unfortunately, five months later, the patient was confirmed to have relapsed and received the salvage chemotherapy. The patient suffered from disease progression again after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy. At this point, from May 29, 2018, the patient started to receive injections of the anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) antibody camrelizumab as a salvage treatment. Two months after the initial anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab injection, the response was partial remission. Disease progression was confirmed in March 2021, with a progression-free survival time of 34 months.

CONCLUSIONS

NKTCL patients with multifocal small intestine involvement have a high risk of intestinal perforation. The possible etiologies of bowel perforation include tumor infiltration, tumor necrosis in response to therapy, and acute inflammation. The anti-PD-1 antibody camrelizumab may be a new candidate agent for treating this type of intractable NKTCL. Further observations are necessary to identify the efficacy and safety of new agents in the future.

Transradial access with Simmons guiding catheter for carotid artery stenting: Feasibility and procedural complications in a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing number of transradial approach (TRA) for carotid artery stenting (CAS), however, similar techniques and materials as for femoral access are used. We report the results of TRA lower profile technique for CAS using a 7 F Simmons guiding catheter, especially in terms of feasibility and procedural safety in a single center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 68 consecutive patients with symptomatic extracranial carotid stenoses who underwent 75 CAS between January 2018 and December 2021. The success and crossover rate, procedural time, fluoroscopy, clinical outcomes, technical considerations, and procedural complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

TRA CAS with Simmons guiding catheter was successful in 67/75 (89.3%) cases, with a 7 (9.3%) crossover rate. Fluoroscopy mean time was 15.8 minutes. Two forearm hematomas were described. No ischemic or surgical site complications were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

In our experience frontline TRA with a 7 F Simmons guiding catheter is feasible with high procedural success and a low rate of access site complications.

[Visual analysis of the current research status and development of burn-related coagulation dysfunction]

Objective: To conduct a visual analysis of the literature on burn-related coagulation dysfunction and to explore the current research status, evolution process, hot topics, and future research trends in burn-related coagulation dysfunction at home and abroad. Methods: The bibliometrics method was used. The literature on burn-related coagulation dysfunction which were published in Web of Science and China National Knowledge Internet databases from January 1, 1950 to May 1, 2022, and met the inclusion criteria were retrieved for publication volume analysis. The literature on burn-related coagulation dysfunction were retrieved as above in the core collection of Web of Science and China National Knowledge Internet databases, and CiteSpace 5.8.R3 software was used to perform co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis, and literature co-citation analysis of key words. Results: A total of 501 and 235 literature on burn-related coagulation dysfunction were retrieved from Web of Science database and China National Knowledge Internet database, respectively. The literature on burn-related coagulation dysfunction emerged from 1975 and 1950, respectively, in China and abroad, which were gradually increased later. The frequency and centrality of Chinese key words such as , , were high in 235 literature in China National Knowledge Internet database, and the frequency and centrality of key words such as burn, coagulation, and deep vein thrombosis were high in 340 literature in the core collection of Web of Science database. In China National Knowledge Internet database, the top 6 Chinese key words in terms of burst intensity were , , , , , , and the first 3 among which were burst key words in the early stage; and in the core collection of Web of Science database, the key words with higher burst intensity were disseminated intravascular coagulation and pulmonary embolism, which were the burst key words in the early stage. The representative clustering labels in China National Knowledge Internet database were #0 , #1 , and #2 , etc., and the representative clustering labels in the core collection of Web of Science database were #0 risk, #1 surgical patient, and #2 sepsis. Early researches in China National Knowledge Internet database and the core collection of Web of Science database focused on the presence of burn-related coagulation dysfunction itself, while the late researches focused on the relationship between burn-related coagulation dysfunction and inflammation, immunity, coagulation in general, and wounds. From 2010 onwards, there were a large number of core cited literature in the core collection of Web of Science database, and the prevention and treatment of vein thromboembolism was the most popular research direction in recent years. The researches on optimization and standardization of diagnostic methods and the overall mechanism of burn-related coagulation dysfunction would be the main research directions in the future. Conclusions: The research hotspots and evolution processes of burn-related coagulation dysfunction at home and abroad have both similarities and differences, and the current research hotspot is the relationship between coagulation and inflammation, immunity. With researches increasingly deepening, the researches on optimization and standardization of diagnostic methods and the overall mechanism of burn-related coagulation dysfunction will be the main research directions in the future.

[Research advances on the role of complement system activation in post-burn immunity]

Immune activation is one of the major factors of secondary injury post burn, and is the main organismal response in the anti-infection process. As an important part of the innate immune response, the complement system is able to induce the activation of immune cells after burns, promote inflammation and mediate the breakdown of the immune barrier, and even engage in complex cross-linking with the coagulation cascade. This article reviews the role of complement system activation in post-burn immunity and its possibility of clinical translation from the perspectives of innate immunity, acquired immunity, and cross-linking of the complement system with the coagulation cascade.

Numerical simulation of vortex flow field generated in a novel nested-bottled photobioreactor to improve Arthrospira platensis growth

In this study, computational fluid dynamics were employed to examined clockwise and anticlockwise vortexes in the rising and down coming sections of novel nested-bottle photobioreactor. The radial velocity was increased by four times which significantly reduced dead zones compared to traditional PBR. The (NB-PBR) comprised of integrated bottles connected by curved tubes (d = 4 cm) that generated dominant vortices as the microalgae solution flows through each section (h = 10 cm). The (NB-PBR) was independent of the inner and outer sections which increased the mixing time and mass-transfer coefficient by 13.33 % and 42.9 %, respectively. Furthermore, the results indicated that the (NB-PBR) showed higher photosynthesis efficiency preventing self-shading and photo-inhibition, resulting in an increase in biomass yield and carbon dioxide fixation by 35 % and 35.9 %, respectively.

Isosteviol derivatives as protein tyrosine Phosphatase-1B inhibitors: Synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking

Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP1B) antagonizes insulin signaling and acts as a potential therapeutic target for insulin resistance associated with obesity and type II diabetes. In this work, a series of isosteviol derivatives 1-28 was synthesized and the inhibitory activity on PTP1B was evaluated by double antibody sandwich ELISA (DAS-ELISA) in vitro. Most isosteviol derivatives showed moderate PTP1B inhibitory activities. Among them, derivatives 10, 13, 24, 27 showed remarkable bioactivities with IC₅₀ values ranging from 0.24 to 0.40 µM. Particularly, derivative 24 exhibited the best inhibitory activity against PTP1B (IC₅₀ = 0.24 µM) in vitro; moreover, it showed 7-fold selectivity to PTP1B over T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP) and 14-fold selectivity to PTP1B over cell division cycle 25 homolog B (CDC25B). Molecular docking studies demonstrated the hydrogen bond interaction between 24 and LYS-116 residue in PTP1B might be essential for the inhibitory activity. The results suggested that derivative 24 has great potential to be employed as drug candidate for the treatment of obesity and type II diabetes.

[Study on the relationship between the age at natural menopause and postmenopausal metabolic syndrome]

To explore the relationship between the early or delayed age at natural menopause and metabolic syndrome (MS) in women. A total of 4 734 natural menopausal women who completed the baseline survey from November 2017 to January 2020 in the Guangzhou Middle-aged and Elderly Chronic Disease Prospective Cohort Study were selected in this cross-sectional study. Data on general demographic characteristics, disease history and female physiological health indicators were collected. Logistic regression model and restricted cubic spline curve were used to analyze the relationship between the age at natural menopause and MS. The results showed that the mean age of the subjects was (60±6) years old. The median (Q₁,Q₃) age at natural menopause was 50 (49, 52) years old, and the prevalence of MS was 14.8%(699/4 734). After adjusting for confounders, the age at natural menopause was closely related to MS in an approximate"U"shape. Compared with the group of normal age at natural menopause, the early age at menopause (OR=1.52, 95%CI: 1.12-2.06) and delayed age at menopause (OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.36-2.30) had a higher risk of MS. In the group with time since menopause ≤6 years and 7-9 years, the risk of MS in the group with delayed age at menopause was 2.40 times (95%CI: 1.54-3.75) and 2.19 times (95%CI: 1.11-4.31) higher than that in the group with normal menopausal age, respectively. In conclusion, the early and delayed age at natural menopause increased the risk of MS. The increased risk of MS in delayed age at natural menopause mainly occurred within 10 years since menopause.

Serum CCL28 as a biomarker for diagnosis and evaluation of Sjögren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the significance of serum CCL28 in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) diagnosis and evaluation.

METHOD

The expression of CCL28 mRNA in salivary glands of SS patients from the GEO database was analysed. Serum levels of CCL28 of SS patients, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and healthy controls (HCs) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels and the focus score of labial salivary gland (LSG) in patients with SS were also measured, and the correlation between serum IgA levels and serum CCL28 was explored. In addition, the level of serum CCL28 was compared between two subsets of SS patients who were classified by clinical symptoms and laboratory tests.

RESULTS

SS patients displayed decreased expression of CCL28 mRNA in salivary glands, accompanying more severe pathological injury. Serum levels of CCL28 in both primary and secondary SS patients were significantly lower than those in the HC group, whereas no significant differences were observed between RA patients or SLE patients and HCs. Compared with RA and SLE patients alone, serum levels of CCL28 were dramatically lower in patients with SS secondary to RA or SLE. No remarkable correlation between serum IgA and CCL28 levels was observed, while the focus score of LSG negatively correlated with serum CCL28 levels. Serum levels of CCL28 were lower in SS patients who had dental caries and thrombocytopenia.

CONCLUSION

Serum CCL28 is a useful biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of SS.

The Mechanisms of Silkworm Resistance to the Baculovirus and Antiviral Breeding

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is not only an economic insect but also a model organism for life science research. Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) disease is a major infectious disease in the world's sericulture industry. The cocoon loss caused by this disease accounts for more than 60% of the total loss caused by all silkworm diseases. To date, there has been no effective solution for preventing and treating this disease. The most effective measure is to breed disease-resistant varieties. The quickest way to breed disease-resistant varieties is to apply genetic modification. However, this requires that we obtain disease resistance genes and know the mechanism of disease resistance. Since the discovery of disease-resistant resources in 1989, scholars in the sericulture industry around the world have been inspired to search for resistance genes. In the past two decades, with the help of multi-omics technologies, screening of resistance genes, gene localization, protein modification, virus-host interactions, etc., researchers have found some candidate genes that have been proposed to function at the cellular or individual level. Several disease-resistant varieties have been obtained and used in production through hybrid breeding, RNA interference, and genetic modification. This article summarizes and reviews the discovery of and research advances related to silkworm resistance to BmNPV. It is anticipated that the review will inspire scientific researchers to continue searching for disease resistance genes, clarify the molecular mechanism of silkworm disease resistance, and promote disease-resistant silkworm breeding.

Plasma amyloid-beta in relation to cardiac function and risk of heart failure in the general population

Background

Amyloid-β is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and its pathology has been hypothesized as a multiple organ syndrome that may also affect cardiac function. There are limited data on association of plasma amyloid-β with cardiac dysfunction and risk of HF in the general population.

Objective

To determine the association of plasma amyloid-β40 (Aβ40) and amyloid-β42 (Aβ42) with echocardiographic measurements of cardiac dysfunction, and with incident heart failure (HF) in the general population.

Methods

We included 4156 participants of the population-based cohort (mean age 71.4 years, 57.1% women), who had plasma amyloid-β measured between 2002 and 2005, and were free of dementia and HF at baseline. Multivariable linear regression models were used to explore the associations of plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 with echocardiographic measures. Participants were followed for the occurrence of HF until December 2016. Cause-specific hazard models were used to assess the association of plasma amyloid-β with incident HF and competing risk event. Models were adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors.

Results

Higher plasma Aβ40 concentrations were associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (β, −0.39; 95% CI, −0.68 to −0.10) and larger left ventricular mass (β, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.06 to 1.34). Aβ42 was not significantly associated with echocardiographic measures cross-sectionally. During follow-up (median 10.2 years), 472 incident HF cases were identified. Higher plasma Aβ40 was associated with an increased risk of incident HF (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.51), more profound in men than in women (P value for interaction: 0.022). One SD increase in Aβ40 was associated with a 31% increase in the hazard of HF in men (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.54) but the association was not significant in women (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.20). Higher plasma Aβ42 concentrations were associated with increased risk of HF (HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.24), while further adjustment for concomitant Aβ40 attenuated this association (HR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.92 to 1.16).

Conclusion

Higher levels of plasma Aβ40 were independently associated with worse cardiac function and higher risk of new-onset HF in the general population, in particular among men.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): The Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw); the Dutch Heart Foundation;This study is further funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme as part of the Common mechanisms and pathways in Stroke and Alzheimer's disease (CoSTREAM) project.

Aortic valve calcium in relation to subclinical cardiac dysfunction and risk of heart failure in the general population

Background

Emerging evidence suggests that aortic valve calcium (AVC) is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes, while the association of (early) AVC with subclinical cardiac dysfunction and with risk of heart failure (HF) remains unclear.

Purpose

To determine the association of CT-assessed AVC with echocardiographic measurements of cardiac dysfunction, and with HF in the general population.

Methods

We included 2,348 participants (mean age 68.5 years, 52% women) of the Rotterdam Study, who had AVC measured between 2003 and 2006, and without a history of HF at baseline. Linear regression models were used to explore cross-sectional associations of AVC with echocardiographic measures at baseline. All participants were followed for HF event until December 2016. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association of AVC with incident HF. Models were adjusted for potential confounders.

Results

The presence of AVC was associated with 3.14 g/m2 (95% CI, 1.50 to 4.79) higher mean left ventricular mass indexed by body surface area. One-unit larger log (AVC+1) was associated with 0.01 mm (95% CI 0.01 to 0.02) larger mean left atrial size. During a median follow-up of 9.8 years, 182 incident HF cases were identified. Presence of AVC was associated with 37% greater risk for HF (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.87). One-unit larger log (AVC+1) was associated with 11% larger risk of HF (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.18). Compared with the AVC =0, AVC ≥100 had 1.70 folded risk of HF (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.17 to 2.49).

Conclusions

The levels of AVC were associated with markers of left ventricular structure and with risk of HF, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Larger CT-assessed AVC is an indicative of increased risk for development of HF.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Netherlands Organization for the Health Research and Development (ZonMw)Dutch Heart Foundation (03-004-2021-T050)

Comparative transcriptome and proteome reveal synergistic functions of differentially expressed genes and proteins implicated in an over-dominant silkworm heterosis of increased silk yield

We previously observed an over-dominant silkworm heterosis of increased yield in a cross of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhydrosis virus-resistant strain NB with a susceptible strain 306. In the present study, we found that heterosis also exists in crosses of NB with other susceptible strains, indicating it is a more general phenomenon. We performed comparative transcriptome and proteome and identified 1624 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 298 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in silk glands between parents and F1 hybrids, of which 24 DEGs/DEPs showed consistent expression at mRNA and protein levels revealed by Venn joint analysis. Their expressions are completely non-additive, mainly transgressive and under low-parent, suggesting recombination of parental genomes may be the major genetic mechanism for the heterosis. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that they may function in generally similar but distinctive aspects of metabolisms and processes with signal transduction and translation being most affected. Notably, they may not only up-regulate biosynthesis and transport of silk proteins but also down-regulate other unrelated processes, synergistically and globally remodelling the silk gland to increase yield and cause the heterosis. Our findings contribute insights into the understanding of silkworm heterosis and silk gland development and provide targets for transgenic manipulation to further increase the silk yield.

Bombyx mori Flap endonuclease 1 correlates with the repair of ultraviolet-induced DNA damage

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) can cause DNA damage in microorganisms. Flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) is a structure-specific nuclease and plays important roles in DNA replication and repair. At present, the properties and functions of FEN1 have not been characterized in detail in invertebrates such as Bombyx mori. In this study, Bombyx mori FEN1 (BmFEN1) was expressed in E. coli, and was shown to have nuclease activity that nonspecifically cleaved DNA in vitro. However, inside the cell, BmFEN1 did not cleave DNA randomly. Truncated BmFEN1 missing the nuclear localization signal (346-380 aa) still had the nuclease activity, but was no longer precisely localized to the sites of UV-induced DNA damage. It was further found that BmFEN1 favored the faster repair of UV-damaged DNA. The present study will provide a reference for further understanding the functions of BmFEN1 and UV-induced DNA damage repair mechanisms in insects.

TV-NARX and Coiflets WPT based time-frequency Granger causality with application to corticomuscular coupling in hand-grasping

The study of the synchronous characteristics and functional connections between the functional cortex and muscles of hand-grasping movements is important in basic research, clinical disease diagnosis and rehabilitation evaluation. The electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyographic signal (EMG) signals of 15 healthy participants were used to analyze the corticomuscular coupling under grasping movements by holding three different objects, namely, card, ball, and cup by using the time-frequency Granger causality method based on time-varying nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input (TV-NARX) model and Coiflets wavelet packet transform. The results show that there is a bidirectional coupling between cortex and muscles under grasping movement, and it is mainly reflected in the beta and gamma frequency bands, in which there is a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) among the different grasping actions during the movement execution period in the beta frequency band, and a statistically significant difference (p < 0.1) among the different grasping actions during the movement preparation period in the gamma frequency band. The results show that the proposed method can effectively characterize the EEG-EMG synchronization features and functional connections in different frequency bands during the movement preparation and execution phases in the time-frequency domain, and reveal the neural control mechanism of sensorimotor system to control the hand-grasping function achievement by regulating the intensity of neuronal synchronization oscillations.

Proteomic and Targeted Metabolomic Studies on a Silkworm Model of Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive movement disorder that is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Animal models of PD have become very popular in the past two decades to understand the etiology, pathology, and molecular and cellular pathways associated with PD. In this study, we report the first neurotoxin-induced silkworm model for PD by chronic feeding with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and explore the possible molecular mechanisms associated with PD using proteomic and targeted metabolomic approaches. Although silkworm is phylogenetically distant from humans and rats, 6-OHDA treatment produced similar PD phenotypes, including motor dysfunction, dopaminergic neuron degeneration, and decreased levels of dopamine. Major neurotransmitters in the silkworm head tissue were profiled, revealing key molecules implicating neurodegenerative disorder. Proteomics analysis revealed a major downregulation of nearly 50 structural proteins constituting cuticles and microfilaments, indicating mechanical damage in the silkworm tissues. The results suggest that 6-OHDA treatment could induce PD-like symptoms in silkworms and activate similar proteomic and metabolic pathways to those in rats or higher animals. This study demonstrates the feasibility and value of the silkworm-based PD model, which may provide important clues for understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying PD. The mass spectrometry raw files have been deposited to iProx via the project ID IPX0004206000.

Retraction Note: METTL3 promotes the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma through mediating M6A modification of EZH2

The article "METTL3 promotes the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma through mediating M6A modification of EZH2, by Q.-Z. Meng, C.-H. Cong, X.-J. Li, F. Zhu, X. Zhao, F.-W. Chen, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (8): 4328-4336-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202004_21014-PMID: 32373970" has been retracted by the authors. After publication, several issues were raised on PubPeer about the reliability of the published results. The same authors stated that the study was not performed in accordance with the standard procedures required. In particular, Figure 1 also presents some concerns as it does not reflect the experimental data reported in the study. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/21014.

Magnetic/electric field intervention on oil-rich filamentous algae production in the application of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene based wastewater treatment

Globally, the release of acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS) wastewater from numerous industries is a serious concern. Recently, oil-rich filamentous algae Tribonema sp has been grown utilizing toxic but nutrient-rich ABS effluent. Here, Tribonema sp. was cultivated under intervention of different magneto-electric combinatory fields (MCFs) (control, 0.6 V/cm, 1 h/d-1.2 V/cm, 1 h/d-0.6 V/cm, and 1 h/d-1.2 V/cm). Results showed MCF (1 h/d-0.6 V/cm) intervention increased the biomass by 9.7% (2.4 g/L) combined with high removal efficiencies (95% and 99%) of ammonium nitrogen and total phosphorus. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate increased to 82%, 6% higher than the control. Moreover, MCF of 1 h/d-0.6 V/cm significantly increased lipid and carbohydrate by 7.71% and 4.73% respectively. MCF increased premium fatty acid content such as palmitic acid (C16:0), myristic acid (C14: 0), and hexadecenoic acid (C16:1). MCF intervention also supported a diverse microbial flora, offering a favorable solution for ABS wastewater treatment.

Enhancing Hydrogen Adsorption Capacity of Metal Organic Frameworks M(BDC)TED0.5 through Constructing a Bimetallic Structure

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) have promising application prospects in the field of hydrogen storage. However, the successful application of MOFs in the field is still limited by their hydrogen storage capacity. Herein, a series of M _x M_1-x (BDC)TED_0.5 (M = Zn, Cu, Co, or Ni) with a bimetallic structure was constructed by introducing two metal ions in the synthesis process. The results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma showed that the bimetallic structure with different content ratios can be stably constructed by a hydrothermal method. Among them, the Cu-based bimetal MOFs Cu_0.625Ni_0.375(BDC)TED_0.5 exhibited the best hydrogen storage capacity of 2.04 wt% at 77 K and 1 bar, which was 22% higher than that of monometallic Ni(BDC)TED_0.5. The enhanced hydrogen storage capacity can be attributed to the improved specific surface area and micropore volume of bimetal MOFs by introducing an appropriate amount of bimetallic atoms.

Prospective assessment of aneurysmal rupture risk scores in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a multicentric cohort

PURPOSE

The natural evolution of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) is indeed difficult to predict at the individual level.

OBJECTIVE

In a large prospective multicentric European cohort, we aimed to evaluate whether the PHASES, UCAS, and ELPASS scores in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage would have predicted a high risk of aneurysmal rupture or growth.

METHODS

Academic centers treating patients with intracranial aneurysms were invited to prospectively collect de-identified data from all patients admitted at their institution for a subarachnoid hemorrhage-related to intracranial aneurysmal rupture between January 1 and March 31, 2021 through a trainee-led research collaborative network. Each responding center was provided with an electronic case record form (CRF) which collected all the elements of the PHASES, ELAPSS, and UCAS scores.

RESULTS

A total of 319 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were included at 17 centers during a 3-month period. One hundred eighty-three aneurysms (57%) were less than 7 mm. The majority of aneurysms were located on the anterior communicating artery (n = 131, 41%). One hundred eighty-four patients (57%), 103 patients (32%), and 58 (18%) were classified as having a low risk of rupture or growth, according to the PHASES, UCAS, and ELAPSS scores, respectively.

CONCLUSION

In a prospective study of European patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, we showed that 3 common risk-assessment tools designed for patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms would have not identified most patients to be at high or intermediate risk for rupture, questioning their use for decision-making in the setting of unruptured aneurysms.

[Effects of non-muscle myosin Ⅱ silenced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation on lung extracellular matrix in rats after endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury]

Objective: To investigate the effects of non-muscle myosin Ⅱ (NMⅡ) gene silenced bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) on pulmonary extracellular matrix (ECM) and fibrosis in rats with acute lung injury (ALI) induced by endotoxin/lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: The experimental research methods were adopted. Cells from femur and tibial bone marrow cavity of four one-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were identified as BMMSCs by flow cytometry, and the third passage of BMMSCs were used in the following experiments. The cells were divided into NMⅡ silenced group transfected with pHBLV-U6-ZsGreen-Puro plasmid containing small interference RNA sequence of NMⅡ gene, vector group transfected with empty plasmid, and blank control group without any treatment, and the protein expression of NMⅡ at 72 h after intervention was detected by Western blotting (n=3). The morphology of cells was observed by an inverted phase contrast microscope and cells labeled with chloromethylbenzoine (CM-DiⅠ) in vitro were observed by an inverted fluorescence microscope. Twenty 4-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into blank control group, ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group according to the random number table, with 5 rats in each group. Rats in blank control group were not treated, and rats in the other 3 groups were given LPS to induce ALI. Immediately after modeling, rats in ALI alone group were injected with 1 mL normal saline via tail vein, rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were injected with 1×107/mL BMMSCs and NMⅡ gene silenced BMMSCs of 1 mL labelled with CM-DiⅠ via tail vein, and rats in blank control group were injected with 1 mL normal saline via tail vein at the same time point, respectively. At 24 h after intervention, the lung tissue was collected to observe intrapulmonary homing of the BMMSCs by an inverted fluorescence microscope. Lung tissue was collected at 24 h, in 1 week, and in 2 weeks after intervention to observe pulmonary inflammation by hematoxylin eosin staining and to observe pulmonary fibrosis by Masson staining, and the pulmonary fibrosis in 2 weeks after intervention was scored by modified Ashcroft score (n=5). The content of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), and MMP-9 was detected by immunohistochemistry in 2 weeks after intervention (n=3), the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase (MPO) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at 24 h after intervention (n=3), and the protein expressions of CD11b and epidermal growth factor like module containing mucin like hormone receptor 1 (EMR1) in 1 week after intervention were detected by immunofluorescence staining (n=3). Data were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, Bonferroni method, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results: At 72 h after intervention, the NMⅡprotein expression of cells in NMⅡ silenced group was significantly lower than those in blank control group and vector group (with P values <0.01). BMMSCs were in long spindle shape and grew in cluster shaped like vortexes, which were labelled with CM-DiⅠ successfully in vitro. At 24 h after intervention, cell homing in lung of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was more pronounced than that in ALI+BMMSC group, while no CM-DiⅠ-labelled BMMSCs were observed in lung of rats in blank control group and ALI alone group. There was no obvious inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in blank control group at all time points, while inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly less than that in ALI alone group at 24 h after intervention, and alveolar wall turned to be thinner and a small amount of congestion in local lung tissue appeared in rats of the two groups in 1 week and 2 weeks after intervention. In 1 week and 2 weeks after intervention, collagen fiber deposition in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly aggravated compared with that in blank control group, while collagen fiber deposition in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly improved compared with that in ALI alone group. In 2 weeks after intervention, modified Ashcroft scores for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were 2.36±0.22, 1.62±0.16, 1.06±0.26, respectively, significantly higher than 0.30±0.21 in blank control group (P<0.01). Modified Ashcroft scores for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly lower than that in ALI alone group (P<0.01), and modified Ashcroft score for pulmonary fibrosis of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly lower than that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). In 2 weeks after intervention, the content of α-SMA in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The content of MMP-2 in lung tissue of rats in the 4 groups was similar (P>0.05). The content of MMP-9 in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group was significantly increased compared with that in blank control group (P<0.01), and the content of MMP-9 in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.01). At 24 h after intervention, the activity of malondialdehyde, SOD, and MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI alone group, ALI+BMMSC group, and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly increased compared with that in blank control group (P<0.01), the activity of malondialdehyde in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group and the activity of SOD in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group were significantly increased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the activity of SOD in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). The activity of MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI+BMMSC group and ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI alone group (P<0.01), and the activity of MPO in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly decreased compared with that in ALI+BMMSC group (P<0.01). In 1 week after intervention, the protein expression of CD11b in lung tissue of rats in ALI+NMⅡ silenced BMMSC group was significantly increased compared with those in the other three groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the protein expressions of EMR1 in lung tissue of rats in the four groups were similar (P>0.05). Conclusions: Transplantation of NMⅡ gene silenced BMMSCs can significantly improve the activity of ECM components in the lung tissue in LPS-induced ALI rats, remodel its integrity, and enhance its antioxidant capacity, and alleviate lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis.

Biomass production of carbohydrate-rich filamentous microalgae coupled with treatment and nutrients recovery from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene based wastewater: Synergistic enhancement with low carbon dioxide supply strategy

This study attempted to remove acrylonitrile and acetophenone from simulated acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) based wastewater while recovering nitrogen and phosphorus using the carbohydrate-rich filamentous microalgae Tribonema sp.. Results showed that typical acetophenone and acrylonitrile presented significant inhibitory effect on Tribonema sp. growth and co-metabolism of CO₂ improved the tolerance of Tribonema sp. to toxic pollutants. The microalgae biomass increased by 34.47% (3.16 g/L) and 58.17% (3.97 g/L) via supplementing 2% CO₂ in the 100 mg/L acrylonitrile and acetophenone groups, respectively. The filamentous microalga was rich in carbohydrates and its productivity was further enhanced by 32.52% and 70.34%, respectively, in 100 mg/L acrylonitrile and acetophenone groups with 2% CO₂ supplement. The synergistic CO₂ supply strategy effectively enhanced the biomass production of filamentous microalgae, and moreover, improved the treatment efficiency of ABS based wastewater simulated by acetophenone or acrylonitrile addition, while at same time enhanced the recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients.

[Two cases of Vibrio vulnificus primary sepsis]

This article analyzed the medical records of two patients with Vibrio vulnificus primary sepsis who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University and reviewed the latest literature. On November 6, 2019, a 54-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital. The patient's lower limbs were red, swollen, and painful with ecchymosis and hemorrhagic bullae after he ate freshwater products. The emergency fasciotomy was performed 3 h after admission, and the multiple organ failure occurred after operation. The patient was given up treatment 24 h after admission. On August 12, 2020, a 73-year-old male patient was admitted to the hospital. He was in shock state on admission and had hemorrhagic bullae on his right lower limb after he ate seafood. At 3 h post admission, he underwent emergency surgical exploration and amputation of right thigh. Six days later, he received negative pressure wound treatment on the stump. On the 13th day post admission, his families forgo the active treatment and he died 15 d after admission. The two cases were both failed to be diagnosed at the first time, and the disease progressed rapidly. Necrotizing fasciitis and multiple organ failure occurred. After the diagnosis was confirmed, timely fasciotomy and high amputation were performed respectively. The microbiological examinations both reported Vibrio vulnificus. Although the 2 cases were not cured successfully, the course of disease and some indexes of patient with early amputation were better than those of patients with fasciotomy. Vibrio vulnificus is widely distributed and frequently detected in fresh water products. The pathogenic pathway is fuzzy and complex, and it is easy to be misdiagnosed. It is necessary to establish the treatment process of Vibrio vulnificus sepsis. Early and aggressive surgical intervention should be carried out as soon as possible, fasciotomy and debridement should be thorough, and the patients with hemorrhagic bullae should be amputated early. Postoperative comprehensive measures are also important for improving the survival rate of patients.