[Immune reconstitution and influencing factors in HIV infected men who have sex with men with access to antiviral therapy in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 2005 to 2021]

Objective: To analyze immune reconstitution and influencing factors in HIV infected men who have sex with men (MSM) with access to antiviral therapy (ART) in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi) during 2005-2021. Methods: The data were collected from Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. The study subjects were HIV infected MSM with access to the initial ART for ≥24 weeks in Guangxi from 2005 to 2021 and HIV RNA lower than the detection limit within 24 months. The proportion of infected MSM who had immune reconstitution after ART was calculated. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of immune reconstitution. Software SPSS 24.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 3 200 HIV infected MSM were enrolled, in whom 15.56 % (498/3 200) had no immune reconstitution, 14.78% (473/3 200) had moderate immune reconstitution, and the rate of complete immune reconstitution was 69.66% (2 229/3 200). The M (Q1, Q3) of ART time for immune reconstitution was 12 (5, 27) months. Multivariate Cox proportional risk regression model analysis results showed that compared with those with initial ART at age ≥30 years, WHO clinical stage Ⅲ/Ⅳ illness, baseline BMI <18.50 kg/m2 and baseline CD4+T lymphocyte (CD4) counts <200 cells/µl, HIV infected MSM with initial ART at age <30 years, WHO clinical stageⅠ/Ⅱ illness, baseline BMI≥24.00 kg/m2 and baseline CD4 counts ≥200 cells/µl were more likely to have complete immune reconstitution. Conclusions: In the HIV infected MSM in Guangxi, failures to achieve moderate and complete immune reconstitution were observed. Surveillance and ART regimen should be improved for key populations, such as those with older age and low baseline CD4 counts.

Toxic effects of microplastics and nitrite exposure on intestinal histology, digestion, immunity, and microbial community of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Nitrite and microplastics (MPs) are environmental pollutants that threaten intestinal integrity and affect immune function of shrimp. In this study, the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei were exposed to the individual and combined stress of nitrite and microplastics for 14 days, and the changes of intestinal histology and physiological functions were investigated. After single and combined stress, affectations occurred in intestinal tissue; the antioxidant enzyme activities (MDA, H2O2, CAT increased) and gene expression levels (CAT, SOD, GPx, HSP70 up-regulated) changed. The expression levels of detoxification genes (CYP450, UGT down-regulated, GST up-regulated), apoptosis genes (CASP-3 up-regulated) and endoplasmic reticulum stress genes (Bip, GRP94 down-regulated) changed. Furthermore, the stress also increased intestinal microbial diversity, causing bacterial composition variation, especially beneficial bacteria and pathogenic bacteria. These results suggested that nitrite and microplastics stress had adverse effects on the intestinal health of L. vannamei by affecting intestinal tissue morphology, immune response and microbial community.

Efficacy and safety of bipolar fractional radiofrequency vs. 2940-nm Er:YAG ablative fractional laser in striae distensae treatment: A split abdomen study

BACKGROUND

Striae distensae (SD) is a challenging cosmetic condition. Ablative fractional laser (AFL) is an effective method for treating SD. Recently, fractional radiofrequency (FRF) has been shown to be a promising treatment for SD; however, few studies have shown the differences between FRF and AFL in the treatment of SD.

AIMS

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical efficacy and safety of bipolar FRF with 2940-nm erbium yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) AFL in the treatment of SD.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Twenty volunteers with abdominal SD were enrolled in this study. One half of the abdomen was treated with 2940-nm Er:YAG AFL, whereas the other half was treated with bipolar FRF, with three sessions at 4-week intervals. Photographic evaluations of clinical improvement were conducted by two independent investigators before and after treatment, and the patients provided self-assessments. Two participants underwent three punch biopsies, one before treatment and two obtained from bilateral representative skin lesions on the abdomen 3 months following the final treatment.

RESULTS

Clinical improvements were observed in SD on both sides of the abdomen after the two treatments. Post-treatment skin biopsies revealed increased thickness in the epidermis and dermis, and higher collagen and elastin density compared to those at the baseline. No statistically significant differences were observed in the clinical outcomes between the two treatment approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy and safety of bipolar FRF treatment are comparable to those of 2940-nm Er:YAG AFL treatment, providing an alternative and effective treatment for SD.

[Fabrication and evaluation of composite hydroxyapatite coating on ordered micro-/nanotextured titanium surface]

Objective: To develope a titanium specimen with good osteogenic activity through fabrication of a composite hydroxyapatite coating on ordered micro-/nanotextured titanium surface. Methods: An ordered micro-/nanotextured structure was prepared on the surface of titanium (the control), and then hydroxyapatite was deposited on the as-prepared ordered micro-/nanotextured structure by alternative loop immersion method. The ordered micro-/nanotextured structures before and after hydroxyapatite deposition were denoted as HA and MN, respectively. Surface morphology was observed using a scanning electron microscope. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSC) were seeded on the surface of three different materials. Cell morphology was observed with a scanning electron microscope. Cell adhesion and cell proliferation were evaluated using 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and cell counting kit-8 assay, respectively. Extracellular matrix mineralization and the expression levels of osteogenesis-related genes were evaluated by alizarin red staining and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. Each group has three samples in every experiment. Results: After alternative loop immersing, the MN's original microholes (20 μm in diameter) were retained, and the uniform petal-like hydroxyapatite was deposited on the MN's original titania nanotubes (70 nm in diameter). Compared with the control, BMMSC on MN and HA elongated further and intersected along the micron structure with noticeable pseudopodia and pseudoplates, and the trend was more pronounced especially on HA. The number of early adherent cells on HA was remarkably larger than that on the control and MN at each time point (P<0.05). On day 1, the A value of cell proliferation on HA was significantly higher than that on the control and MN (P<0.05). The A value of cell proliferation on HA was significantly lower than that on the control and MN on day 3 (P<0.05). On day 7, the A value of cell proliferation on HA was significantly lower than that on MN (P<0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference in the A value of cell proliferation between HA and the control on day 7 (P>0.05). The Avalue of extracellular matrix mineralization on HA (0.607±0.011) was significantly higher than that on the control and MN (0.268±0.025 and 0.522±0.022, respectively) (t=-0.25, P<0.001; t=-0.34, P<0.001). The expression levels of bone related genes on HA were significantly higher than those on the control and MN (P<0.05). Conclusions: HA could promote the BMMSC adhesion and osteogenic differentiation, support BMMSC proliferation, and demonstrate good osteogenic activity.

[A multicenter study to test the reliability and validity of the frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia and to evaluate the value of clinical application]

Objectives: To verify the reliability and validity of the frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia and to evaluate the value of its clinical application. Methods: A convenience sampling method was used to collect 129 geriatric patients who underwent inguinal hernia surgery from January 2018 to January 2023 in nine hospitals in Liaoning Province. There were 120 males and 9 females, of whom 89 patients were 60 to <75 years old, 33 patients were 75 to <85 years old and 7 patients were ≥85 years old. The 129 patients included 11 elderly patients with inguinal hernia who had recovered from preoperative infection with COVID-19. Statistical methods such as Cronbach's coefficient, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test, Bartlett's test, Pearson's correlation analysis, etc. were calculated to verify the reliability indexes such as feasibility, content validity, structural validity, criterion-related validity, internal consistency reliability, and re-test reliability. Taking the 5-item modified frailty index (5-mFI) as the gold standard, the area under the curve was used to analyze the ability of the two scales to predict the occurrence of postoperative acute urinary retention, postoperative delirium, poor incision healing, operative hematoma seroma, and postoperative complications. Results: The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia showed good reliability and validity (valid completion rate of 99.2%; item content validity index of 1.000, and the scale content validity index of 1.000; exploratory factor analysis extracted a total of 1 principal component, and factor loadings of each item of 0.565 to 0.873; the AUC for frailty diagnosis using 5-mFI as the gold standard of 0.795 (P<0.01) Cronbach's coefficient of 0.916, retest reliability coefficient of 0.926), it could effectively predict postoperative acute urinary retention, delirium, hematoma seroma in the operative area and total complications (AUC of 0.746, 0.870, 0.806, and 0.738, respectively; all P<0.05), and prediction efficiency was higher than that of 5-mFI (AUC of 0.694, 0.838, 0.626 and 0.641, P<0.05 for delirium only), but both scales were inaccurate in predicting poor incision healing (AUC of 0.519, P=0.913 for the frailty assessment scale and 0.455, P=0.791 for the 5-mFI). Conclusions: The frailty assessment scale for elderly patients with inguinal hernia is reliable and significantly predicts the occurrence of postoperative adverse events in elderly inguinal hernia patients. The scale can also be used for preoperative frailty assessment in elderly patients with inguinal hernia after rehabilitation from COVID-19 infection.

A new gene family (BAPs) of Cotesia bracovirus induces apoptosis of host hemocytes

Polydnaviruses (PDVs), obligatory symbionts with parasitoid wasps, function as host immune suppressors and growth and development regulator. PDVs can induce host haemocyte apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we provided evidence that, during the early stages of parasitism, the activated Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV) reduced the overall number of host haemocytes by inducing apoptosis. We found that one haemocyte-highly expressed CvBV gene, CvBV-26-4, could induce haemocyte apoptosis. Further analyses showed that CvBV-26-4 has four homologs from other Cotesia bracoviruses and BV from wasps in the genus Glyptapanteles, and all four of them possessed a similar structure containing 3 copies of a well-conserved motif (Gly-Tyr-Pro-Tyr, GYPY). Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that CvBV-26-4 was secreted into plasma by haemocytes and then degraded into peptides that induced the apoptosis of haemocytes. Moreover, ectopic expression of CvBV-26-4 caused fly haemocyte apoptosis and increased the susceptibility of flies to bacteria. Based on this research, a new family of bracovirus genes, Bracovirus apoptosis-inducing proteins (BAPs), was proposed. Furthermore, it was discovered that the development of wasp larvae was affected when the function of CvBV BAP was obstructed in the parasitized hosts. The results of our study indicate that the BAP gene family from the bracoviruses group is crucial for immunosuppression during the early stages of parasitism.

The plant immune receptor SNC1 monitors helper NLRs targeted by a bacterial effector

Plants deploy intracellular receptors to counteract pathogen effectors that suppress cell-surface-receptor-mediated immunity. To what extent pathogens manipulate intracellular receptor-mediated immunity, and how plants tackle such manipulation, remains unknown. Arabidopsis thaliana encodes three similar ADR1 class helper nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat receptors (ADR1, ADR1-L1, and ADR1-L2), which are crucial in plant immunity initiated by intracellular receptors. Here, we report that Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrPtoB suppresses ADR1-L1- and ADR1-L2-mediated cell death. ADR1, however, evades such suppression by diversifying into two ubiquitination sites targeted by AvrPtoB. The intracellular sensor SNC1 interacts with and guards the CCR domains of ADR1-L1/L2. Removal of ADR1-L1/L2 or delivery of AvrPtoB activates SNC1, which then signals through ADR1 to trigger immunity. Our work elucidates the long-sought-after function of SNC1 in defense, and also how plants can use dual strategies, sequence diversification, and a multi-layered guard-guardee system, to counteract pathogen's attack on core immunity functions.

[Analysis of late-diagnosis and associated factors in newly reported HIV infections among men who have sex with men in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2005-2021]

Objective: To analyze the trend of late-diagnosis of HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) before and after the AIDS Conquering Project in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (Guangxi) and its influencing factors, in order to find out the population groups that need priority intervention at the present stage. Methods: The HIV-infected MSM in Guangxi from 2005-2021 were selected from the National Integrated HIV/AIDS Control and Prevention Data System. The Joinpoint 4.9.1.0 software was used to test the time trend of late-diagnosis and non-late-diagnosis cases, and logistic regression was applied to analyze the factors influencing the proportion of late-diagnosis at each stage. Results: From 2005 to 2021, 5 764 HIV-infected MSM were reported in Guangxi from 2005 to 2021, with an overall late-diagnosis of 28.45% (1 640 cases). Under the 2015 baseline data as the boundary, the proportion of late-diagnosis cases showed a trend of sharp decline followed by stabilization from 2005 to 2015, average annual percent change= -6.90% (P<0.001). The effect of factors such as resident population, occupation as a farmer or worker, and sample originating from medical consultation on late-diagnosis changed considerably before and after the implementation of the project, and the factors influencing late-diagnosis at this stage were age, resident population, occupation as a farmer, worker or student. The factors influencing late-diagnosis at this stage are age, resident population, and occupation as a farmer, worker and a student. Conclusions: The proportion of late diagnosis cases of HIV-infected MSM in Guangxi decreased significantly before and after the project. However, late-diagnosis should not be neglected and precise prevention and control should be carried out for the resident population, farmers, workers or students.

Establishment and validation of serum lipid-based nomogram for predicting the risk of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the value of combined serum lipids with clinical symptoms to diagnose prostate cancer (PCa), and to develop and validate a Nomogram and prediction model to better select patients at risk of PCa for prostate biopsy.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of 548 patients who underwent prostate biopsies as a result of high serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels or irregular digital rectal examinations (DRE) was conducted. The enrolled patients were randomly assigned to the training groups (n = 384, 70%) and validation groups (n = 164, 30%). To identify independent variables for PCa, serum lipids (TC, TG, HDL, LDL, apoA-1, and apoB) were taken into account in the multivariable logistic regression analyses of the training group, and established predictive models. After that, we evaluated prediction models with clinical markers using decision curves and the area under the curve (AUC). Based on training group data, a Nomogram was developed to predict PCa.

RESULTS

210 (54.70%) of the patients in the training group were diagnosed with PCa. Multivariate regression analysis showed that total PSA, f/tPSA, PSA density (PSAD), TG, LDL, DRE, and TRUS were independent risk predictors of PCa. A prediction model utilizing a Nomogram was constructed with a cut-off value of 0.502. The training and validation groups achieved area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.846 and 0.814 respectively. According to the decision curve analysis (DCA), the prediction model yielded optimal overall net benefits in both the training and validation groups, which is better than the optimal net benefit of PSA alone. After comparing our developed prediction model with two domestic models and PCPT-RC, we found that our prediction model exhibited significantly superior predictive performance. Furthermore, in comparison with clinical indicators, our Nomogram's ability to predict prostate cancer showed good estimation, suggesting its potential as a reliable tool for prognostication.

CONCLUSIONS

The prediction model and Nomogram, which utilize both blood lipid levels and clinical signs, demonstrated improved accuracy in predicting the risk of prostate cancer, and consequently can guide the selection of appropriate diagnostic strategies for each patient in a more personalized manner.

First transcriptome profiling in gill and hepatopancrease tissues of Metapenaeus ensis in response to acute ammonia-N stress

The greasyback shrimp, Metapenaeus ensis, suffers from ammonia-N stress during intensive factory aquaculture. Optimizing ammonia-N stress tolerance has become an important issue in M. ensis breeding. The metabolic and adaptive mechanisms of ammonia-N toxicity in M. ensis have not been comprehensively understood yet. In this study, a large number of potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in the transcriptome of M. ensis were identified. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the gill and hepatopancreas at 24 h post-challenges under high concentrations of ammonia-N treatment were detected. We obtained 20,108,851-27,681,918 clean reads from the control and high groups, assembled and clustered a total of 103,174 unigenes with an average of 876 bp and an N50 of 1189 bp. Comparative transcriptome analyses identified 2000 different expressed genes in the gill and 2010 different expressed genes in the hepatopancreas, a large number of which were related to immune function, oxidative stress, metabolic regulation, and apoptosis. The results suggest that M. ensis may counteract ammonia-N toxicity at the transcriptome level by increasing the expression of genes related to immune stress and detoxification metabolism, and that selected genes may serve as molecular indicators of ammonia-N. By exploring the genetic basis of M. ensis' ammonia-N stress adaptation, we constructed the genetic networks for ammonia-N adaptation. These findings will accelerate the understanding of M. ensis' ammonia-N adaptation, contribute to the research of future breeding, and promote the level of factory aquaculture of M. ensis.

[Corrigendum] High expression of the secreted protein dickkopf homolog 4: Roles in invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma and its association with Von Hippel-Lindau gene

Subsequently to the publication of the above paper, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that the β-actin bands data shown to portray the control experiments in the western blots in Fig. 3C and 4F were apparently identical. The authors have re‑examined their data, and realize that the control bands in Fig. 3C had inadvertently been selected incorrectly. The revised version of Fig. 3, containing the correct β-actin bands in Fig. 3C, is shown below. Note that this error did not affect the major conclusions reported in the paper. All the authors agree with the publication of this corrigendum, and thank the Editor of International Journal of Molecular Medicine for allowing them the opportunity to publish this. The authors regret this mistake went unnoticed during the compilation of the figure in question, and apologize to the readership for any confusion that this may have caused. [International Journal of Molecular Medicine 33: 1319‑1326, 2014; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1673].

Zuogui-Jiangtang-Yishen decoction prevents diabetic kidney disease: Intervene pyroptosis induced by trimethylamine n-oxide through the mROS-NLRP3 axis

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become one of the most threatening to the end-stage renal diseases, and the early prevention of DKD is inevitable for Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients.

AIMS

Pyroptosis, a programmed cell death that mediates renal inflammation induced early renal injury. The trimethylamine n-oxide (TMAO) was also an independent risk factor for renal injury. Here, the associations between TMAO-induced pyroptosis and pathogenesis of DKD were studied, and the potential mechanism of Zuogui-Jiangtang-Yishen (ZGJTYS) decoction to prevent DKD was further investigated.

METHOD

Using Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats to establish the early DKD models. The 16S-ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing, fecal fermentation and UPLC-MS targeted metabolism techniques were combined to explore the changes of gut-derived TMAO level under the background of DKD and the effects of ZGJTYS. The proximal convoluted tubule epithelium of human renal cortex (HK-2) cells was adopted to explore the influence of pyroptosis regulated by TMAO.

RESULTS

It was demonstrated that ZGJTYS could prevent the progression of DKD by regulating glucolipid metabolism disorder, improving renal function and delaying renal pathological changes. In addition, we illustrated that gut-derived TMAO could promote DKD by activating the mROS-NLRP3 axis to induce pyroptosis. Furthermore, besides interfering with the generation of TMAO through gut microbiota, ZGJTYS inhibited TMAO-induced pyroptosis with a high-glucose environment and the underlying mechanism was related to the regulation of mROS-NLRP3 axis.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggested that ZGJTYS inhibited the activation of pyroptosis by gut-derived TMAO via the mROS-NLRP3 axis to prevent DKD.

Improved Measurement of the Evolution of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

Reactor neutrino experiments play a crucial role in advancing our knowledge of neutrinos. In this Letter, the evolution of the flux and spectrum as a function of the reactor isotopic content is reported in terms of the inverse-beta-decay yield at Daya Bay with 1958 days of data and improved systematic uncertainties. These measurements are compared with two signature model predictions: the Huber-Mueller model based on the conversion method and the SM2018 model based on the summation method. The measured average flux and spectrum, as well as the flux evolution with the ^{239}Pu isotopic fraction, are inconsistent with the predictions of the Huber-Mueller model. In contrast, the SM2018 model is shown to agree with the average flux and its evolution but fails to describe the energy spectrum. Altering the predicted inverse-beta-decay spectrum from ^{239}Pu fission does not improve the agreement with the measurement for either model. The models can be brought into better agreement with the measurements if either the predicted spectrum due to ^{235}U fission is changed or the predicted ^{235}U, ^{238}U, ^{239}Pu, and ^{241}Pu spectra are changed in equal measure.

Precision Measurement of Reactor Antineutrino Oscillation at Kilometer-Scale Baselines by Daya Bay

We present a new determination of the smallest neutrino mixing angle θ_{13} and the mass-squared difference Δm_{32}^{2} using a final sample of 5.55×10^{6} inverse beta-decay (IBD) candidates with the final-state neutron captured on gadolinium. This sample is selected from the complete dataset obtained by the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment in 3158 days of operation. Compared to the previous Daya Bay results, selection of IBD candidates has been optimized, energy calibration refined, and treatment of backgrounds further improved. The resulting oscillation parameters are sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.0851±0.0024, Δm_{32}^{2}=(2.466±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the normal mass ordering or Δm_{32}^{2}=-(2.571±0.060)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} for the inverted mass ordering.

Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Standards for Training in Exercise Medicine and Curriculum Outline

Over the past 2 decades, fundamentals of exercise medicine, including clinical exercise testing, assessment and promotion of physical activity, exercise prescription, and supervised exercise training/rehabilitation programming have demonstrated considerable clinical value in the management of children and adolescents with congenital and acquired heart disease. Although the principles of exercise medicine have become an integral component in pediatric cardiology, there are no standardized training recommendations for exercise physiology during pediatric cardiology fellowship at this time. Thus, the Pediatric Cardiology Exercise Medicine Curriculum Committee (PCEMCC) was formed to establish core and advanced exercise physiology training recommendations for pediatric cardiology trainees. The PCEMCC includes a diverse group of pediatric cardiologists, exercise physiologists, and fellowship program directors. The expert consensus training recommendations are by no means a mandate and are summarized herein, including suggestions for achieving the minimum knowledge and training needed for general pediatric cardiology practice.

Transcriptome and molecular regulatory mechanisms analysis of gills in the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon under chronic low-salinity stress

Background: Salinity is one of the main influencing factors in the culture environment and is extremely important for the survival, growth, development and reproduction of aquatic animals. Methods: In this study, a comparative transcriptome analysis (maintained for 45 days in three different salinities, 30 psu (HC group), 18 psu (MC group) and 3 psu (LC group)) was performed by high-throughput sequencing of economically cultured Penaeus monodon. P. monodon gill tissues from each treatment were collected for RNA-seq analysis to identify potential genes and pathways in response to low salinity stress. Results: A total of 64,475 unigenes were annotated in this study. There were 1,140 upregulated genes and 1,531 downregulated genes observed in the LC vs. HC group and 1,000 upregulated genes and 1,062 downregulated genes observed in the MC vs. HC group. In the LC vs. HC group, 583 DEGs significantly mapped to 37 signaling pathways, such as the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway; in the MC vs. HC group, 444 DEGs significantly mapped to 28 signaling pathways, such as the MAPK signaling pathway, Hippo signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway. These pathways were significantly associated mainly with signal transduction, immunity and metabolism. Conclusions: These results suggest that low salinity stress may affect regulatory mechanisms such as metabolism, immunity, and signal transduction in addition to osmolarity in P. monodon. The greater the difference in salinity, the more significant the difference in genes. This study provides some guidance for understanding the low-salt domestication culture of P. monodon.

A Polydnavirus Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Negatively Regulates the Host Phenoloxidase Pathway

Polydnavirus (PDV) is a parasitic factor of endoparasitic wasps and contributes greatly to overcoming the immune response of parasitized hosts. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate a wide variety of biological processes at the post-transcriptional level in mammals, but knowledge of PDV PTP action during a parasitoid−host interaction is limited. In this study, we characterized a PTP gene, CvBV_12-6, derived from Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV), and explored its possible regulatory role in the immune response of the host Plutella xylostella. Our results from qPCR show that CvBV_12-6 was highly expressed in hemocytes at an early stage of parasitization. To explore CvBV_12-6 function, we specifically expressed CvBV_12-6 in Drosophila melanogaster hemocytes. The results show that Hml-Gal4 > CvBV_12-6 suppressed the phenoloxidase activity of hemolymph in D. melanogaster, but exerted no effect on the total count or the viability of the hemocytes. In addition, the Hml-Gal4 > CvBV_12-6 flies exhibited decreased antibacterial abilities against Staphylococcus aureus. Similarly, we found that CvBV_12-6 significantly suppressed the melanization of the host P. xylostella 24 h post parasitization and reduced the viability, but not the number, of hemocytes. In conclusion, CvBV_12-6 negatively regulated both cellular and humoral immunity in P. xylostella, and the related molecular mechanism may be universal to insects.

Identifying stage-associated hub genes in bladder cancer via weighted gene co-expression network and robust rank aggregation analyses

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most frequent cancers globally. Although substantial efforts have been put to understand its pathogenesis, its underlying molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated.

METHODS

The robust rank aggregation approach was adopted to integrate 4 eligible bladder urothelial carcinoma microarray datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Differentially expressed gene sets were identified between tumor samples and equivalent healthy samples. We constructed gene co-expression networks using weighted gene co-expression network to explore the alleged relationship between BC clinical characteristics and gene sets, as well as to identify hub genes. We also incorporated the weighted gene co-expression network and robust rank aggregation to screen differentially expressed genes.

RESULTS

CDH11, COL6A3, EDNRA, and SERPINF1 were selected from the key module and validated. Based on the results, significant downregulation of the hub genes occurred during the early stages of BC. Moreover, receiver operating characteristics curves and Kaplan-Meier plots showed that the genes exhibited favorable diagnostic and prognostic value for BC. Based on gene set enrichment analysis for single hub gene, all the genes were closely linked to BC cell proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

These results offer unique insight into the pathogenesis of BC and recognize CDH11, COL6A3, EDNRA, and SERPINF1 as potential biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic roles in BC.

Transcriptome analysis of hepatopancreas in penaeus monodon under acute low pH stress

The decrease of seawater pH can affect the metabolism, acid-base balance, immune response and immunoprotease activity of aquatic animals, leading to aquatic animal stress, impairing the immune system of aquatic animals and weakening disease resistance, etc. In this study, we performed high-throughput sequencing analysis of the hepatopancreas transcriptome library of low pH stress penaeus monodon, and after sequencing quality control, a total of 43488612-56271828 Clean Reads were obtained, and GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the obtained Clean Reads, and a total of 395 DEGs were identified. we mined 10 differentially expressed and found that they were significantly enriched in the Metabolic pathways (ko01100), Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (ko01110), Nitrogen metabolism (ko00910) pathways, such as PIGA, DGAT1, DGAT2, UBE2E on Metabolic pathways; UGT, GLT1, TIM genes on Biosynthesis of secondary metabolites; CA, CA2, CA4 genes on Nitrogen metabolism, are involved in lipid metabolism, induction of oxidative stress and inflammation in the muscular body of spot prawns. These genes play an important role in lipid metabolism, induction of oxidative stress and inflammatory response in the muscle of the shrimp. In summary, these genes provide valuable reference information for future breeding of low pH-tolerant shrimp.

The potential mechanism of Liu-Wei-Di-Huang Pills in treatment of type 2 diabetic mellitus: from gut microbiota to short-chain fatty acids metabolism

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has already become a global pandemic. Recently, reports showed its pathogenesis was closely related to a disorder of gut microbiota. In China, the Liu-Wei-Di-Huang Pills (LWDH) have treated T2DM for thousands of years. However, its therapeutic mechanism associated with gut microbiota is worthy of further study.

AIMS

This study aims to investigate the effects of LWDH on T2DM by regulating gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats.

METHODS

T2DM models were successfully established based on GK rats and administrated with LWDH. The changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and serum insulin (INS) were determined, and the immunohistochemical (IHC) method was used to test INS expression in pancreas. The 16S-ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA) sequencing analysis assessed gut microbiota structural changes; a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS)-based metabolomics method was adopted to detect SCFA levels. The pathological morphology of jejunum was detected by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, and the expression of GPR43, GPR41, GLP-1, and GLP-1R was evaluated by qRT-PCR and ELISA, respectively.

RESULTS

We observed that GK rats treated with LWDH: (a) has altered the microbial structure and promoted the abundance of bacteria in Firmicutes, including Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, and Ruminococcus_2, (b) increased SCFAs levels involving acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid and (c) alleviated T2DM and jejunum injuries potentially based on SCFAs-GPR43/41-GLP-1 pathway.

CONCLUSION

LWDH could improve T2DM by regulating gut microbiota and SCFAs, and the therapeutic mechanism might be related to the SCFAs-GPR43/41-GLP-1 pathway.

[Factors associated with death and attrition in HIV-infected children under initial antiretroviral therapy in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2004 - 2019]

Objective: To investigate death and attrition in HIV-infected children under initial antiretroviral therapy (ART) and associated factors in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in HIV-infected children under initial ART in Guangxi from 2004 to 2019, data from ART information system of National comprehensive AIDS prevention and treatment information system. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess factors associated with the death and attrition. Results: In 943 HIV-infected children, the overall mortality and attrition rates were 1.00/100 person-years and 0.77/100 person-years, respectively. The mortality and attrition rates within the first year of ART were 3.90/100 person-years and 1.67/100 person-years, respectively. The cumulative survival rate during the first, second, fifth and tenth year after ART was 96.14%, 95.80%, 93.68% and 91.54%, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models results showed that being female (aHR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.17-3.40), CD4⁺T lymphocytes (CD4) counts before ART <200 cells/μl (aHR=2.79, 95%CI: 1.54-5.06), weight-for-age Z score before ART <-2 (aHR=2.38, 95%CI: 1.32-4.26), hemoglobin before ART <80 g/L (aHR=2.47, 95%CI: 1.24-4.92), initial ART with LPV/r (aHR=5.05, 95%CI: 1.15-22.12) were significantly associated with death; being female (aHR=2.23, 95%CI: 1.22-4.07) and initial ART with LPV/r (aHR=2.02, 95%CI: 1.07-3.79) were significantly associated with attrition. Conclusions: The effect of ART in HIV-infected children in Guangxi was better, but the mortality and attrition rates were high within the first year of treatment. It is necessary to strengthen the training in medical staff and health education in HIV-infected children and their parents in order to improve the treatment effect.

[Analysis of HIV transmission hotspots and characteristics of cross-regional transmission in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region based on molecular network]

Objective: To analyze HIV transmission hotspots and characteristics of cross-regional transmission in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region (Guangxi) based on the molecular network analysis, and provide evidence for optimization of precise AIDS prevention and control strategies. Methods: A total of 5 996 HIV pol sequences sampled from Guangxi between 1997 and 2020 were analyzed together with 165 534 published HIV pol sequences sampled from other regions. HIV-TRACE was used to construct molecular network in a pairwise genetic distance threshold of 0.5%. Results: The proportion of HIV sequences entering the molecular network of HIV transmission hotspots in Guangxi was 31.5% (1 886/5 996). In the molecular network of HIV cross-regional transmission, the links within Guangxi accounted for 51.6% (2 613/5 062), the links between Guangxi and other provinces in China accounted for 48.0% (2 430/5 062), and the links between Guangxi and other countries accounted for 0.4% (19/5 062). The main regions which had cross-regional linked with Guangxi were Guangdong (49.5%, 1 212/2 449), Beijing (17.5%, 430/2 449), Shanghai (6.9%, 168/2 449), Sichuan (5.7%, 140/2 449), Yunnan (4.2%, 102/2 449), Shaanxi (3.8%, 93/2 449), Zhejiang (2.8%, 69/2 449), Hainan (2.0%, 49/2 449), Anhui (1.5%, 37/2 449), Jiangsu (1.3%, 33/2 449), and other regions (each one <1.0%), respectively. The risk factors of entering the molecular network of HIV transmission hotspots in Guangxi included being aged ≥50 years (compared with being aged 25-49 years, aOR=1.68,95%CI:1.46-1.95), males (compared with females, aOR=1.21,95%CI:1.05-1.40), being single (compared with being married, aOR=1.18,95%CI:1.00-1.39), having education level of high school or above (compared with having education level of junior high school or below, aOR=1.21,95%CI:1.04-1.42), acquired HIV through homosexual intercourse (compared with acquired with HIV through heterosexual intercourse, aOR=1.77, 95%CI:1.48-2.12). The risk factors of cross-regional transmission included males (compared with females, aOR=1.74,95%CI:1.13-2.75), having education level of high school or above (compared with having education level of junior high school or below, aOR=1.96,95%CI:1.43-2.69), being freelancer/unemployed/retired (compared with being farmers, aOR=1.50,95%CI:1.07-2.11), acquired HIV through homosexual intercourse (compared with acquired with HIV through heterosexual intercourse, aOR=3.28,95%CI:2.30-4.72). Conclusion: There are HIV transmission hotspots in Guangxi. Guangxi and other provinces in China form a complex cross-regional transmission network. Future studies should carry out social network surveys in high-risk populations inferred from the molecular network analysis for the timely identification of hidden transmission chains and reduction of the second-generation transmission of HIV.

Identification of multifunctionality of the PmE74 gene and development of SNPs associated with low salt tolerance in Penaeus monodon

Members of the E74-like factor (ELF) subfamily are involved in the immune stress process of organisms by regulating immune responses and the development of immune-related cells. PmE74 of Penaeus monodon was characterized and functionally analyzed in this study. The full length of PmE74 was 3106 bp, with a 5'-UTR of 297 bp, and a 3'-UTR of 460 bp. The ORF (Open reading frame) was 2349 bp and encoded 782 amino acids. Domain analysis showed that PmE74 contains a typical Ets domain. Multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree analysis showed that PmE74 clustered with Litopenaeus vannamei E74 and displayed significant similarity (98.98%). PmE74 was expressed in all tissues tested in P. monodon, with the highest levels of expression observed in the testis, intestine, and epidermis. Different pathogen stimulation studies have revealed that PmE74 expression varies in response to different pathogen stimuli. A 96-h acute low salt stress study revealed that PmE74 in the hepatopancreas was upregulated and downregulated in the salinity 17 group and considerably downregulated in the salinity 3 group, whereas PmE74 in gill tissue was considerably downregulated in both groups. Further, by knocking down PmE74 and learning the trends of its linkage genes PmAQP1, PmNKA, PmE75, PmFtz-f1, PmEcR, and PmRXR in response to low salt stress, it was further indicated that PmE74 could have a vital role in the regulation of low salt stress. The SNP test revealed that PmE74-In1-53 was significantly associated with low salt tolerance traits in P. monodon (P < 0.05). The findings of this study can aid in the advancement of molecular marker-assisted breeding in P. monodon, as well as provide fundamental data and methodologies for further investigation of its low salt tolerance strains in P. monodon.

Langevin dynamics simulation on optimal conditions for large and stable loops of adsorbed homopolymers on substrates

Adsorption of polymer chains on a solid surface is a universal interfacial behavior. Loops in the adsorbed chains are considered to exert a significant effect on the overall properties of a substrate-supported polymer film via entanglement with non-adsorbed chains in the film. In this work, the size and stability of loops formed by adsorbed homopolymer chains on an attractive substrate were studied by Langevin dynamics simulations. The size of loops decreases while the stability increases with increasing attraction strength of the substrate. In contrast, with an increase in the polymer concentration, the size of loops increases but the stability decreases. However, both the size and stability of loops increase with increasing chain length. Simulation results show that the optimal conditions for forming large and stable loops are long homopolymer chains, substrates with moderate attraction strength, and moderate polymer concentration.

Entropy-Enhanced Mechanochemical Activation for Thermal Degrafting of Surface-Tethered Dry Polystyrene Brushes

Dry polymer brushes have attracted great attention because of their potential utility in regulating interface properties. However, it is still unknown whether dry polymer brushes will exhibit degrafting behavior as a result of thermal annealing. Herein, a study of the conformational entropy effect on thermal degrafting of dry polystyrene (PS) brushes is presented. For PS brushes with an initial grafting density (σ_pⁱⁿⁱ) of 0.61 nm^-2, degrafting behavior was observed at 393 K, and the equilibrium σ_p was approximately 0.14 nm^-2 at 413 K. However, for brushes with σ_pⁱⁿⁱ ≤ 0.14 nm^-2, thermal degrafting was not observed even if the temperature was increased to 453 K. Furthermore, we found that the degrafting rate was faster for PS brushes with higher σ_pⁱⁿⁱ and higher molecular weights when σ_pⁱⁿⁱ > 0.14 nm^-2. Our findings confirmed that degrafting is a mechanochemical activation process driven by tension imposed on bonds that anchor the chains to the surface, and the process is amplified by conformational entropy.

First Measurement of High-Energy Reactor Antineutrinos at Daya Bay

This Letter reports the first measurement of high-energy reactor antineutrinos at Daya Bay, with nearly 9000 inverse beta decay candidates in the prompt energy region of 8-12 MeV observed over 1958 days of data collection. A multivariate analysis is used to separate 2500 signal events from background statistically. The hypothesis of no reactor antineutrinos with neutrino energy above 10 MeV is rejected with a significance of 6.2 standard deviations. A 29% antineutrino flux deficit in the prompt energy region of 8-11 MeV is observed compared to a recent model prediction. We provide the unfolded antineutrino spectrum above 7 MeV as a data-based reference for other experiments. This result provides the first direct observation of the production of antineutrinos from several high-Q_{β} isotopes in commercial reactors.

Myeloid Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Mediates Macrophage Polarization and Promotes Vascular Injury in DOCA/Salt Hypertensive Mice

Activation of the renin–angiotensin system has been implicated in hypertension. Angiotensin (Ang) II is a potent proinflammatory mediator. The present study investigated the role of myeloid angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) in control of macrophage phenotype in vitro and vascular injury in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)/salt hypertension. In human THP-1/macrophages, Ang II increased mRNA expressions of M1 cytokines and decreased M2 cytokine expressions. Overexpression of AT1R further increased Ang II-induced expressions of M1 cytokines and decreased M2 cytokines. Silenced AT1R reversed Ang II-induced changes in M1 and M2 cytokines. Ang II upregulated hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)1α, toll-like receptor (TLR)4, and the ratio of pIκB/IκB, which were prevented by silenced AT1R. Silenced HIF1α prevented Ang II activation of the TLR4/NFκB pathway. Furthermore, Ang II increased HIF1α via reactive oxygen species-dependent reduction in prolyl hydroxylase domain protein 2 (PHD2) expression. The expressions of AT1R and HIF1α and the ratio of pIκB/IκB were upregulated in the peritoneal macrophages of DOCA hypertensive mice, and the specific deletion of myeloid AT1R attenuated cardiac and vascular injury and vascular oxidative stress, reduced the recruitment of macrophages and M1 cytokine expressions, and improved endothelial function without significant reduction in blood pressure. Our results demonstrate that Ang II/AT1R controls the macrophage phenotype via stimulating the HIF1α/NFκB pathway, and specific myeloid AT1R KO improves endothelial function, vascular inflammation, and injury in salt-sensitive hypertension. The results support the notion that myeloid AT1R plays an important role in the regulation of the macrophage phenotype, and dysfunction of this receptor may promote vascular dysfunction and injury in salt-sensitive hypertension.

Joint Determination of Reactor Antineutrino Spectra from ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu Fission by Daya Bay and PROSPECT

A joint determination of the reactor antineutrino spectra resulting from the fission of ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu has been carried out by the Daya Bay and PROSPECT Collaborations. This Letter reports the level of consistency of ^{235}U spectrum measurements from the two experiments and presents new results from a joint analysis of both data sets. The measurements are found to be consistent. The combined analysis reduces the degeneracy between the dominant ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu isotopes and improves the uncertainty of the ^{235}U spectral shape to about 3%. The ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu antineutrino energy spectra are unfolded from the jointly deconvolved reactor spectra using the Wiener-SVD unfolding method, providing a data-based reference for other reactor antineutrino experiments and other applications. This is the first measurement of the ^{235}U and ^{239}Pu spectra based on the combination of experiments at low- and highly enriched uranium reactors.

A simulation study on the subdiffusion of polymer chains in crowded environments containing nanoparticles

Polymer chains in crowded environments often show subdiffusive behavior. We adopt molecular dynamics simulations to study the conditions for the subdiffusion of polymer chains in crowded environments containing randomly distributed, immobile, attractive nanoparticles (NPs). The attraction is strong enough to adsorb polymer chains on NPs. The results show that subdiffusion occurs at a low concentration of polymer chains (c_p). A transition from subdiffusion to normal diffusion is observed when c_p exceeds the transition concentration , which increases with increasing concentration of NPs while decreases with increasing size of NPs. The high concentration and small size of NPs exert a big effect on the subdiffusion of polymer chains. The subdiffusive behavior of polymer chains can be attributed to the strong adsorption of polymer chains on the attractive NPs. For the subdiffusion case, polymer chains are adsorbed strongly on multiple NPs, and they diffuse via the NP-exchange diffusion mechanism. However for the normal diffusion case, polymer chains are either free or weakly adsorbed on one or a few NPs, and they diffuse mainly via the adsorption-and-desorption diffusion mechanism.

Virus and endogenous viral element-derived small non-coding RNAs and their roles in insect-virus interaction

RNA interference pathways mediated by different types of small non-coding RNAs (siRNAs, miRNAs and piRNAs) are conserved biological responses to exotic stresses, including viral infection. Aside from the well-established siRNA pathway, the miRNA pathway and the piRNA pathway process viral sequences, exogenously or endogenously, into miRNAs and piRNAs, respectively. During the host-virus interaction, viral sequences, including both coding and non-coding sequences, can be integrated as endogenous viral elements (EVEs) and thereby become present within the germline of a non-viral organism. In recent years, significant progress has been made in characterizing the biogenesis and function of viruses and EVEs associated with snRNAs. Overall, the siRNA pathway acts as the primarily antiviral defense against a wide range of exogenous viruses; the miRNA pathways associated with viruses or EVEs function in antiviral response and host gene regulation; EVE derived piRNAs with a ping-pong signature have the potential to limit cognate viral infection.

Synergistic poly(lactic acid) photoreforming and H2 generation over ternary NixCo1-xP/reduced graphene oxide/g-C3N4 composite

Effective utilization of photoexcited electrons and holes is always a challenge in photocatalytic reactions. Herein, we reported ternary Ni_xCo_1-xP/reduced graphene oxide/g-C₃N₄ (Ni_xCo_1-xP/rGO/CN) composite as a photocatalyst for synergistic poly(lactic acid) photoreforming and H₂ generation in alkaline aqueous solution. The rate of H₂ production over the optimal 15Ni_0·1Co_0·9P/rGO/CN reached 576.7 μmol h^-1 g^-1, which is 3.6 times as high as binary 15Ni_0·1Co_0·9P/CN composite. The apparent quantum efficiency of the optimal 15Ni_0·1Co_0·9P/rGO/CN was 1.7% at λ = 420 nm monochromatic light. Mott-Schottky analysis suggested that the photogenerated electrons transfer along the pathway of CN→rGO→Ni_0·1Co_0·9P, where rGO and Ni_0·1Co_0·9P functioned as the medium for electron transporting and reaction site for H₂ generation, respectively. Meanwhile, poly(lactic acid) was photoreformed into formate and acetate by the photogenerated holes and hydroxyl radical. This work demonstrates that ternary Ni_xCo_1-xP/rGO/CN composite can be applied as a cheap and promising photocatalyst for synergistic plastic photoreforming and H₂ generation.

Ultrasound Localization of Nitinol Wire of Sub-Wavelength Dimension

Goal: To enhance endovascular navigation using surgical guidewires and the use of ionizing radiation, we demonstrate a method for ultrasonic localization of wires with diameters less than the wavelength of ultrasound in the medium. Methods: Nitinol wires with diameters ranging from 50 μm to 250 μm were imaged ultrasonically in a 0.25-in-diameter water-filled tube in a gelatin medium. Imaging frequencies were 5 MHz, 7.5 MHZ, and 10 MHz. Results: For the full range of diameters traversing the phantom, the wires were localized successfully via visual inspection of both regular and difference ultrasound images. Similarly, two convolutional neural networks were trained, and both achieved an accuracy of over 95%. Conclusions: Wires with diameters as small as 50 μm were localized successfully in a water-based gelatin phantom, indicating the potential use of ultrasound to enhance endovascular navigation and surgical treatment.

CLP gene family, a new gene family of Cotesia vestalis bracovirus inhibits melanization of Plutella xylostella hemolymph

Polydnaviruses (PDVs) are obligatory symbionts of parasitoid wasps and play an important role in suppressing host immune defenses. Although PDV genes that inhibit host melanization are known in Microplitis bracovirus, the functional homologs in Cotesia bracoviruses remain unknown. Here, we find that Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV) can inhibit hemolymph melanization of its host, Plutella xylostella larvae, during the early stages of parasitization, and that overexpression of highly expressed CvBV genes reduced host phenoloxidase activity. Furthermore, CvBV-7-1 in particular reduced host phenoloxidase activity within 12 h, and the injection of anti-CvBV-7-1 antibody increased the melanization of parasitized host larvae. Further analyses showed that CvBV-7-1 and three homologs from other Cotesia bracoviruses possessed a C-terminal leucine/isoleucine-rich region and had a similar function in inhibiting melanization. Therefore, a new family of bracovirus genes was proposed and named as C-terminal Leucine/isoleucine-rich Protein (CLP). Ectopic expression of CvBV-7-1 in Drosophila hemocytes increased susceptibility to bacterial repression of melanization and reduced the melanotic encapsulation of parasitized D. melanogaster by the parasitoid Leptopilina boulardi. The formation rate of wasp pupae and the eclosion rate of C. vestalis were affected when the function of CvBV-7-1 was blocked. Our findings suggest that CLP genes from Cotesia bracoviruses encoded proteins that contain a C-terminal leucine/isoleucine-rich region and function as melanization inhibitors during the early stage of parasitization, which is important for successful parasitization.

Expression and functional characterization of odorant-binding protein genes in the endoparasitic wasp Cotesia vestalis

Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are crucial in insect's olfactory perception, which participate in the initial step of odorant molecules transporting from the external environment to olfactory receptor neurons. To better understand the roles for OBPs in olfactory perception in Cotesia vestalis, a solitary larval endoparasitoid of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, we have comprehensively screened the genome of C. vestalis, and obtained 20 CvesOBPs, including 18 classic OBPs and two minus-C OBPs. Motif-pattern analysis indicates that the motifs of C. vestalis OBPs are highly conserved in Hymenoptera. The results of tissue expression analysis show that five OBPs (CvesOBP1/11/12/14/16) are highly expressed in male antennae, whereas six other OBP genes (CvesOBP7/8/13/17/18/19) are significantly transcriptionally enriched in female antennae. The results of RNA interference experiments for three most highly expressed OBP genes (CvesOBP17/18/19) in female antennae demonstrate that they are likely involved in parasitic processes of female wasps, as the wasps take a longer time to target the hosts when they are knocked down.

A simulation study on the effect of nanoparticle size on the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites

The effect of the size of nanoparticles, σ_NP, on the glass transition temperature, T_g, of polymer nanocomposites is studied by using molecular dynamics simulations. The variation of T_g with σ_NP shows two distinct behaviours for polymer nanocomposites at low and high volume fractions of nanoparticles (f_NP). At a low f_NP, T_g decays almost exponentially with σ_NP, whereas at a high f_NPT_g shows a complex behaviour: it initially increases and then decreases with increasing σ_NP. The decrease in T_g with σ_NP is due to the significant decrease of adsorbed polymer monomers, while the increase in T_g with σ_NP is attributed to the slower diffusion of larger nanoparticles. We have also investigated the diffusion and relaxation of polymer chains at a temperature above T_g for both low and high f_NPs. The diffusion constant and relaxation time of polymer chains are highly consistent with the behaviour of T_g.

[Choices of emergency treatment and surgical method for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms]

Objective: To investigate the emergency management process of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA), and analyze the perioperative mortality factors of different surgical methods. Methods: The emergency data and hospitalization data of 91 patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from June 2010 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Twelve of the patients died preoperatively due to excessive blood loss, and the remaining 79 patients were hospitalized for open surgery (OSR) or endovascular repair (EVAR).The differences in age, time to hospital arrival, emergency preparation time, first creatinine value, emergency infusion volume, preoperative drop in blood pressure, preoperative use of vasoactive drugs and iliac artery involvement were compared between preoperative death group (n=12) and preoperative survival group (n=79), OSR group (n=50) and EVAR group (n=29), postoperative death group (n=23) and postoperative survival group (n=56). Results: Seventy-nine patients received open surgery or endovascular repair, and 23 died after operation. Age, time to hospital arrival, first creatinine value and emergency infusion volume were (77±11) years, (18±5)h, (469±150) μmol/L, (4 140±1 743) ml in the preoperative death group and (70±10) years, (12±8) h, (228±174) μmol/L, (1 358±1 211) ml in the preoperative survival group, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no significant differences in preoperative data, intraoperative treatment and postoperative perioperative mortality between the open surgery group and the endovascular repair group (all P>0.05). The intraoperative blood loss, operation time and aortic occlusion rate in the endovascular repair group were 100 (50, 175) ml, (3.2±0.9) h, 13.8%, respectively, which were better than that in the open surgery group 1700 (600, 3425) ml, (5.2±1.1) h, 100%. The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Age, emergency preparation time, first creatinine value, emergency infusion volume, blood pressure decline rate and vasoactive drug utilization rate in the death group were (77±8) years, (4.1±1.7) h, (456±172) μmol/L, (2 024±1 687) ml, 100%, 100%, respectively, and (68±10) years, (2.7±2.2) h, (135±26) μmol/L, (1 085±825) ml, 21.4%, 12.5% in the survival group, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Age, emergency preparation time, first creatinine value, emergency infusion volume, decreased blood pressure and use of vasoactive drugs are all associated with perioperative death in patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. EVAR surgery is a better choice if conditions exist.

[Comparison of the accuracy of intraocular lens power calculation formulas based on the new swept-source optical coherence tomography biometry]

Objective: To compare the accuracy of 6 intraocular lens power calculation formulas based on the new swept-source optical coherence tomography biometry and to analyze the prediction error. Methods: Retrospective case series study. Clinical data were collected from 599 patients (599 eyes) who had underwent uncomplicated phacoemulsification and the IOLMaster 700 examination at the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between November 2018 and November 2019. Among the patients, there were 208 males and 391 females with an age of (69±10) years. According to the axial length (AL), eyes were divided into the short AL group (≤22.5 mm, n=100), the normal AL group (>22.5 mm and<25.5 mm, n=375); and the long AL group (≥25.5 mm, n=124). Eyes were also grouped based on the mean keratometry (Km) as flat (≤42.00 D, n=47), normal (>42.00 D to<46.00 D, n=461), and steep (≥46.00 D, n=91), and by anterior chamber depth (ACD) as shallow (≤2.5 mm, n=71), normal (>2.5 mm to<3.5 mm, n=436), and deep (≥3.5 mm, n=92). The median absolute errors (MedAEs) of the Barrett Universal Ⅱ, Haigis, Hoffer Q, Holladay Ⅰ, Holladay Ⅱ, and SRK/T formulas in different AL, Km, and ACD groups were compared using the Friedman test. Results: The differences in MedAE among the 6 formulas of 599 patients (599 eyes) were statistically significant (χ²=120.549, P<0.001). The MedAE of the Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula was smallest (0.35 D), followed by the SRK/T formula (0.36 D). There was no significant difference between the MedAEs of the Barrett universal Ⅱ and Haigis, SRK/T formula (all P=1.000), but there were statistically significant differences among the other formulas (all P<0.01). In different AL groups, the MedAE of each formula was statistically different (χ²=38.307, 38.779, 112.997; all P<0.01).The Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula resulted in the lowest MedAE in the short AL group (0.40 D) and the long AL group (0.31 D). The MedAE of the SRK/T in the normal AL group was lowest (0.35 D). The 6 formulas showed significant differences in MedAE values in different Km groups (χ²=12.284, 90.924, 39.387; all P<0.05).The Haigis formula achieved the lowest MedAE in the flat Km group (0.26 D) and the steep Km group (0.34 D). The Barrett UniversalⅡ formula achieved the lowest MedAE in the normal Km group (0.33 D). The differences in MedAE values of the 6 formulas in different ACD groups were statistically significant (χ²=37.389, 57.643, 52.845; all P<0.01), and the MedAE values of the Barrett Universal Ⅱ in different ACD groups were smallest (0.46, 0.33, 0.31 D). Conclusions: The Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula perform the best over the entire AL range, followed by the Haigis and SRK/T formulas. The Barrett Universal Ⅱ formula result in the lowest prediction error in the short AL group, the long AL group, and all ACD groups. The Haigis formula may be more accurate when the Km was ≤42.00 D or ≥46.00 D. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2021, 57: 502-511).

Glass transition and dynamics of semiflexible polymer brushes

The glass transition and dynamics of densely grafted semiflexible polymer brushes are studied by molecular dynamics simulation. The glass transition temperature (T_g) increases with the polymer rigidity. The local glass transition temperature (T_g,local) is estimated from the temperature-dependent dynamics of individual segments including the lateral position fluctuation and lateral mean square displacement. Different from the flexible polymer brush, T_g,local of semiflexible polymer brushes is roughly independent of the segment height. Our simulation reveals that the glass transition is in synchronism with an abrupt change of the chain conformation in semiflexible polymer brushes. When the temperature drops to near T_g, the semiflexible polymer chains elongate, tilt, and become more ordered. Moreover, enhanced segmental dynamics is observed at temperatures just above T_g for the semiflexible polymer brushes.

Taxonomic review of the genus Assamacris (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Catantopinae) with a new species and a newly discovered female

Taxonomic review of the genus Assamacris Uvarov, 1942 is given. The genus Traulitonkinacris You Bi, 1983 is synonymized with Assamacris. Traulitonkinacris bifurcatus You Bi, 1983 is transferred to Assamacris as a new combination. Assamacris splendida sp. nov. is described as new species. A newly discovered female of A. curticerca (Huang, 1981) is introduced. A key to the species is updated.

A novel shift in the glass transition temperature of polymer nanocomposites: a molecular dynamics simulation study

The effect of the loading of nanoparticles on the glass transition temperature, Tg, of polymer nanocomposites is studied by using molecular dynamics simulations. Tg is estimated from the variation of system volume with temperature and the temperature-dependent diffusion of the polymer described by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann law. The estimated values of Tg from the two methods are consistent with each other. Results show that Tg can be regulated by changing the volume fraction of nanoparticles, fNP. A novel shift in Tg is observed, that is, Tg increases with fNP at fNP < , while it decreases with increasing fNP at fNP > . The basic mechanism behind the novel shift in Tg is the competition between the attraction of nanoparticles towards polymer chains and the fast diffusion of nanoparticles. The increase in Tg at low fNP is due to the attraction of nanoparticles, whereas the decrease in Tg at high fNP is attributed to the fast diffusion of nanoparticles. The diffusion of the polymer above Tg is also investigated. The diffusion of the polymer decreases with increasing fNP below and increases with fNP above , in agreement with the variation of Tg.

The extraction of phenolic acids and polysaccharides from Lilium lancifolium Thunb. using a deep eutectic solvent

Establishing a fast and effective extraction method for herbs is beneficial for the determination of their main compounds and estimating their quality. In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were optimized to simultaneously extract three main types of phenolic acids, i.e., regaloside B, regaloside C, and regaloside E, and polysaccharides from the bulbs of Lilium lancifolium Thunb. Based on the optimized extraction conditions, i.e., an extraction temperature of 50 °C, an extraction time of 40 min, a solid-liquid ratio of 1 : 25, and a ratio of water in the DES of 20%, the extracted amounts of regaloside B, regaloside C, and regaloside E reached 0.31 ± 0.06 mg g-1, 0.29 ± 0.03 mg g-1, and 3.04 ± 0.38 mg g-1, respectively. The extraction efficiencies were higher than those obtained using conventional organic solvents. Next, the polysaccharide levels were measured and compared with those obtained using a conventional hot water extraction method, and equivalent extraction efficiencies were obtained with the conventional hot water extraction method. This study provides a new application of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for simultaneously extracting phenolic acids and polysaccharides from the bulbs of L. lancifolium Thunb. Considering the biodegradability and pharmaceutical acceptability, DESs as a class of green solvents could have wide applications in the extraction of natural products.

Genome-Wide Profiling of Diadegma semiclausum Ichnovirus Integration in Parasitized Plutella xylostella Hemocytes Identifies Host Integration Motifs and Insertion Sites

Polydnaviruses (PDVs), classified into two genera, bracoviruses (BVs) and ichnoviruses (IVs), are large, double-stranded DNA viruses, which are beneficial symbionts of parasitoid wasps. PDVs do not replicate in their infected lepidopteran hosts. BV circles have been demonstrated to be integrated into host genomic DNA after natural parasitization. However, the integrations of IV circles in vivo remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed the integration of Diadegma semiclausum ichnovirus (DsIV) in the genomic DNA of parasitized Plutella xylostella hemocytes. We found that DsIV circles are present in host hemocytes with non-integrated and integrated forms. Moreover, DsIV integrates its DNA circles into the host genome by two distinct strategies, conservatively, and randomly. We also found that four conserved-broken circles share similar motifs containing two reverse complementary repeats at their breaking sites, which were host integration motifs (HIMs). We also predicted HIMs of eight circles from other ichnoviruses, indicating that a HIM-mediated specific mechanism was conserved in IV integrations. Investigation of DsIV circle insertion sites of the host genome revealed the enrichment of microhomologies between the host genome and the DsIV circles at integration breakpoints. These findings will deepen our understanding of the infections of PDVs, especially IVs.

[Expression and significance of chemokine CXCL12 and receptor CXCR4 in adenomyosis]

Objective: To observe the expression, correlation and significance of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) and chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) in endometrium and myometrium of adenomyosis. Methods: Totally 38 patients were selected in this study, who underwent hysterectomy for adenomyosis at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from October 2017 to December 2018 as the adenomyosis group, and, in the same period, selected 31 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia Ⅲ or cervical cancer undergoing hysterectomy served as control group. The expression levels of mRNA and protein for CXCL12, CXCR4 in the endometrium and myometrium of the two groups were detected by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Results: (1) The protein levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in endometrium in uterus with adenomyosis (0.229±0.025 and 0.226±0.016) were significantly higher than those in endometrium in uterus without adenomyosis (0.153±0.018 and 0.178±0.026); compared with each other, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). And the expressions of CXCL12 and CXCR4 proteins in uterine myometrium of adenomyosis were 0.222±0.045 and 0.126±0.058, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group (0.091±0.029 and 0.099±0.020); compared with each other, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (2) The expression levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNA in endometrium of patients with adenomyosis were 6.31±0.12 and 8.49±0.21, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group (1.23±0.10 and 1.36±0.13); compared with each other, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Moreover, the expression levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNA in myometrium of patients with adenomyosis were 9.11±0.12 and 8.45±0.16, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group (1.18±0.08 and 1.46±0.13); compared with each other, the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). (3) In endometrium and myometrium of uterus with adenomyosis, CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNA expression levels were positively associated (r=0.478, 0.542, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 in the endometrium and myometrium of adenomyosis are increased and positively correlated. The two chemokine may be involved in the development of adenomyosis.

Siwu Paste protects bone marrow hematopoietic function in rats with blood deficiency syndrome by regulating TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Siwu Paste (SWP) was recorded in the first national Pharmacopoeia of China, "Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang", it showed excellent effects in regulating all syndromes relevant to blood.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of Siwu Paste (SWP) on bone marrow hematopoietic by using rats' model with blood deficiency syndrome induced by chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animal model with blood deficiency syndrome was successfully established by evaluating their peripheral blood cell level and erythrocyte membrane energy metabolism enzyme activity. Serum hematopoietic cytokine levels were detected by using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining method was used to observe the pathological morphology of femur bone marrow, and the viability of BMSC was detected by Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8). Furthermore, the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), nuclear transcription factor kB (NF-κB), and NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) protein in femur bone marrow were detected by using Western-blotting and High-content cell imaging analysis system (HCA).

RESULTS

Obtained results showed that SWP could significantly improve the status of anemia, regulate the expressions of serum hematopoietic cytokines, and protect bone marrow hematopoietic cells. Furthermore, the expressions of TLR4, NF-κB, and NLRP3 protein were inhibited in bone marrow hematopoietic cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Siwu Paste (SWP) could recover the bone marrow hematopoietic functions in rats with blood deficiency syndrome. The therapeutic mechanism may be related to the regulation of serum hematopoietic cytokines, and inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway.

Biological Characteristics and Genetic Diversity of Phomopsis asparagi, Causal Agent of Asparagus Stem Blight

Asparagus stem blight is a regional disease. In the present study, we compared strains of Phomopsis asparagi from six different provinces to determine their biological characteristics and genetic diversity, differences in the pycnidium and conidium production, pathogenicity, and growth rate. Considerable differences were established in the pycnidium and conidium production among the P. asparagi strains from the six studied provinces. The largest pycnidium and conidium production had the strains from Fujian, followed by those from Hainan. The virulence of P. asparagi strains was significantly different but without a correlation with the geographical source of the strain. FJ2 had the highest virulence, followed by HN2, SD4, and SD5, whereas SD5 had the lowest virulence. The colony diameter and dry weight of the strains of asparagus stem blight fungus from the six provinces were substantially different. The colonies of HN1-5 had the largest diameters, whereas those of XT1-5, LT1-3, FJ1-5, and SX6 had smaller diameters. Four primers with good repeatability and strong specificity were selected from 100 intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers. ISSR-PCR amplification was performed on 36 strains of asparagus stem blight fungus, and a large number of repeatable DNA fingerprints were obtained. Most of the amplified fragments were within 300 to 500 bp. In all, 69 total points, 64 multiple points, and 92.75% polymorphism points were established. The number of ISSR gene sites detected by four primers ranged from 14 to 20, with an average of 16 multiple sites. The copolymerization was divided into three groups: XT1-5, LT1-3, and FJ1-5, which were clustered into the first group; SD1-6, SX1-6, and HB1-6, clustered into the second group; and HN1-5 in the third group. The results of the cluster analysis revealed that the strains of the neighboring provinces had a nearer phylogenetic relationship than that between distant ones. Therefore, the system evolution of P. asparagi is related to the geographical distribution of its strains.

The role of Smad7 in cutaneous wound healing

Chronic refractory wounds are generally caused by local tissue defects and necrosis, and they are characterized by delayed wound healing as well as high recurrence, which seriously affects life quality. However, effective therapeutics to treat wounds are currently unavailable. Therapy primarily aims to accelerate generation of granulation tissue and decrease recurrence. The pathogenesis of chronic refractory wounds is closely related to multiple complex signaling pathways and a series of cytokines. Among these signaling pathways, TGF-β/Smad7 axis plays a critical role. Specifically, Smad7 is an antagonist of TGF-β that inhibits activation of TGF-β. Moreover, Smad7 promotes wound healing by regulating cytokines and controlling growth, differentiation and apoptosis of cells, which may be exploited to cure the disease. This review aims to reveal the exact functions and mechanisms of Smad7 in regulation of wound healing.

The role of Smad7 in cutaneous wound healing

Chronic refractory wounds are generally caused by local tissue defects and necrosis, and they are characterized by delayed wound healing as well as high recurrence, which seriously affects life quality. However, effective therapeutics to treat wounds are currently unavailable. Therapy primarily aims to accelerate generation of granulation tissue and decrease recurrence. The pathogenesis of chronic refractory wounds is closely related to multiple complex signaling pathways and a series of cytokines. Among these signaling pathways, TGF-β/Smad7 axis plays a critical role. Specifically, Smad7 is an antagonist of TGF-β that inhibits activation of TGF-β. Moreover, Smad7 promotes wound healing by regulating cytokines and controlling growth, differentiation and apoptosis of cells, which may be exploited to cure the disease. This review aims to reveal the exact functions and mechanisms of Smad7 in regulation of wound healing.