Physiological and transcriptomic responses of Aurelia coerulea polyps to acidified seawater conditions

Scyphozoan jellyfish, known for their evolutionary position and ecological significance, are thought to exhibit relatively notable resilience to ocean acidification. However, knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying the scyphozoan jellyfish response to acidified seawater conditions is currently lacking. In this study, two independent experiments were conducted to determine the physiological and molecular responses of moon jellyfish (Aurelia coerulea) polyps to within- and trans-generational exposure to two reduced pH treatments (pH 7.8 and pH 7.6). The results revealed that the asexual reproduction of A. coerulea polyps significantly declined under acute exposure to pH 7.6 compared with that of polyps at ambient pH conditions. Transcriptomics revealed a notable upregulation of genes involved in immunity and cytoskeleton components. In contrast, genes associated with metabolism were downregulated in response to reduced pH treatments after 6 weeks of within-generational acidified conditions. However, reduced pH treatments had no significant influence on the asexual reproduction of A. coerulea polyps after exposure to acidified conditions over a total of five generations, suggesting that A. coerulea polyps may acclimate to low pH levels. Transcriptomics revealed distinct gene expression profiles between within- and trans-generational exposure groups to two reduced pH treatments. The offspring polyps of A. coerulea subjected to trans-generational acidified conditions exhibited both upregulated and downregulated expression of genes associated with metabolism. These physiological and transcriptomic characteristics of A. coerulea polyps in response to elevated CO2 levels suggest that polyps produced asexually under acidified conditions may be resilient to such conditions in the future.

Biodiversity and distribution patterns of blooming jellyfish in the Bohai Sea revealed by eDNA metabarcoding

BACKGROUND

The mass occurrence of scyphozoan jellyfish severely affects marine ecosystems and coastal economies, and the study of blooming jellyfish population dynamics has emerged in response. However, traditional ecological survey methods required for such research have difficulties in detecting cryptic life stages and surveying population dynamics owing to high spatiotemporal variations in their occurrence. The environmental DNA (eDNA) technique is an effective tool for overcoming these limitations.

RESULTS

In this study, we investigated the biodiversity and spatial distribution characteristics of blooming jellyfish in the Bohai Sea of China using an eDNA metabarcoding approach, which covered the surface, middle, and bottom seawater layers, and sediments. Six jellyfish taxa were identified, of which Aurelia coerulea, Nemopilema nomurai, and Cyanea nozakii were the most dominant. These three blooming jellyfish presented a marked vertical distribution pattern in the offshore regions. A. coerulea was mainly distributed in the surface layer, whereas C. nozakii and N. nomurai showed a upper-middle and middle-bottom aggregation, respectively. Horizontally, A. coerulea and C. nozakii were more abundant in the inshore regions, whereas N. nomurai was mainly distributed offshore. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed a strong correlation between the eDNA of the three dominant blooming jellyfish species and temperature, salinity, and nutrients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms the applicability of the eDNA approach to both biodiverstiy evaluation of blooming jellyfish and investigating their spatial distribution, and it can be used as a supplementary tool to traditional survey methods.

Abnormal cell wall structure caused by boron nutrient imbalance in orchards could affect psyllid feeding behaviour, resulting in epidemic variation of Asian citrus psyllid

The control of Huanglongbing (HLB), one of the most destructive pests of citrus, relies heavily on the reduction of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama. An in-depth understanding of ACP feeding behaviours among citrus plants is urgent for comprehensive management of orchards. An investigation was conducted in 37 citrus orchards in HLB epidemic areas, sampling shoots in the area with aggregation feeding of ACP (ACPf) and shoots in a neighbouring area without ACP feeding (CK), to study the interaction between leaf chemical composition and ACP psyllid feeding behaviours. Results of FTIR showed a strong absorption peak intensity, mainly representing functional groups originating from cell wall components in the leaf with ACP feeding. As compared with the control, cell wall components, such as alkali-soluble pectin, water-soluble pectin, total soluble pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, of the cell wall of ACPf increased by 134.0%, 14.0%, 18.0%, 12.5%, and 20.35%, respectively. These results suggest that cell wall mechanical properties significantly decreased in the term of decreases in pectin performance and cellulose mechanical properties. In addition, there was a remarkably lower boron (B) content in leaves and cell wall components with ACP feeding. Further analysis indicated that leaf B content significantly affected leaf cell wall components. Taken together, we provide evidence to demonstrate that the regional distribution of nutrient imbalance in orchards could affect psyllid feeding behaviour by weakening the cell wall structure, resulting in epidemic variation in ACP. This could help us to understand the management of psyllid infections in orchards with unbalanced nutrition.

Preparation, Microstructure and Thermal Properties of Aligned Mesophase Pitch-Based Carbon Fiber Interface Materials by an Electrostatic Flocking Method

The mesophase pitch-based carbon fiber interface material (TIM) with a vertical array was prepared by using mesophase pitch-based short-cut fibers (MPCFs) and 3016 epoxy resin as raw materials and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as additives through electrostatic flocking and resin pouring molding process. The microstructure and thermal properties of the interface were analyzed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), laser thermal conductivity and thermal infrared imaging methods. The results indicate that the plate spacing and fusing voltage have a significant impact on the orientation of the arrays formed by mesophase pitch-based carbon fibers. While the orientation of the carbon fiber array has a minimal impact on the shore hardness of TIM, it does have a direct influence on its thermal conductivity. At a flocking voltage of 20 kV and plate spacing of 12 cm, the interface material exhibited an optimal thermal conductivity of 24.47 W/(m·K), shore hardness of 42 A and carbon fiber filling rate of 6.30 wt%. By incorporating 2% carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the epoxy matrix, the interface material achieves a thermal conductivity of 28.97 W/(m·K) at a flocking voltage of 30 kV and plate spacing of 10 cm. This represents a 52.1% increase in thermal conductivity compared to the material without TIM. The material achieves temperature uniformity within 10 s at the same heat source temperatures, which indicates a good application prospect in IC packaging and electronic heat dissipation.

The Microstructure and Thermal Conductive Behavior of Three-Dimensional Carbon/Carbon Composites with Ultrahigh Thermal Conductivity

Carbon-based composite materials, denoted as C/C composites and possessing high thermal conductivity, were synthesized utilizing a three-dimensional (3D) preform methodology. This involved the orthogonal weaving of mesophase pitch-based fibers in an X (Y) direction derived from low-temperature carbonization, and commercial PAN-based carbon fibers in a Z direction. The 3D preforms were saturated with mesophase pitch in their raw state through a hot-pressing process, which was executed under relatively low pressure at a predetermined temperature. Further densification was achieved by successive stages of mesophase pitch impregnation (MPI), followed by impregnation with coal pitch under high pressure (IPI). The microstructure and thermal conductivity of the C/C composites were systematically examined using a suite of analytical techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and PLM, amongst others. The findings suggest that the volumetric fraction of fibers and the directional alignment of the mesophase pitch molecules can be enhanced via hot pressing. The high graphitization degree of the mesophase pitch matrix results in an increased microcrystalline size and thus improved thermal conductivity of the C/C composite. Conversely, the orientation of the medium-temperature coal pitch matrix is relatively low, which compensates for the structural inadequacies of the composite material, albeit contributing minimally to the thermal conductivity of the resultant C/C composites. Following several stages of impregnation with mesophase pitch and subsequent impregnation with medium-temperature coal pitch, the 3D C/C composites yielded a density of 1.83 and 2.02 g/cm3. The thermal conductivity in the X (Y) direction was found to be 358 and 400 W/(m·K), respectively.

Interactive effects of multiple antibiotic residues and ocean acidification on physiology and metabolome of the bay scallops Argopecten irradians irradians

Coastal areas are confronted with compounding threats arising from both climatic and non-climatic stressors. Antibiotic pollution and ocean acidification are two prevalently concurrent environmental stressors. Yet their interactive effects on marine biota have not been investigated adequately and the compound hazard remain obscure. In this study, bay scallops Argopecten irradians irradians were exposed to multiple antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, norfloxacin, and erythromycin, each at a concentration of 1 μg/L) combined with/without acidic seawater (pH 7.6) for 35 days. The single and interactive effects of the two stressors on A. irradians irradians were determined from multidimensional bio-responses, including energetic physiological traits as well as the molecular underpinning (metabolome and expressions of key genes). Results showed that multiple antibiotics predominantly enhanced the process of DNA repair and replication via disturbing the purine metabolism pathway. This alternation is perhaps to cope with the DNA damage induced by oxidative stress. Ocean acidification mainly disrupted energy metabolism and ammonia metabolism of the scallops, as evidenced by the increased ammonia excretion rate, the decreased O:N ratio, and perturbations in amino acid metabolism pathways. Moreover, the antagonistic effects of multiple antibiotics and ocean acidification caused alternations in the relative abundance of neurotransmitter and gene expression of neurotransmitter receptors, which may lead to neurological disorders in scallops. Overall, the revealed alternations in physiological traits, metabolites and gene expressions provide insightful information for the health status of bivalves in a natural environmental condition under the climate change scenarios.

Environmental and molecular regulation of diapause formation in a scyphozoan jellyfish

Understanding the mechanisms underlying diapause formation is crucial for gaining insight into adaptive survival strategies across various species. In this study, we aimed to uncover the pivotal role of temperature and food availability in regulating diapausing podocyst formation in the jellyfish Aurelia coerulea. Furthermore, we explored the cellular and molecular basis of diapause formation using single-cell RNA sequencing. Our results showed cell-type-specific transcriptional landscapes during podocyst formation, which were underscored by the activation of specific transcription factors and signalling pathways. In addition, we found that the heat shock protein-coding genes HSC70 and HSP90a potentially act as hub genes that regulate podocyst formation. Finally, we mapped the single-cell atlas of diapausing podocysts and identified cell types involved in metabolism, environmental sensing, defence and development that may collectively contribute to the long-term survival and regulated excystment of diapausing podocysts. Taken together, the findings of this study provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms that regulate diapause formation and contributes to a better understanding of adaptive survival strategies in a variety of ecological contexts.

Intestinal Translocation of Live Porphyromonas gingivalis Drives Insulin Resistance

Periodontitis has been emphasized as a risk factor of insulin resistance-related systemic diseases. Accumulating evidence has suggested a possible "oral-gut axis" linking oral infection and extraoral diseases, but it remains unclear whether periodontal pathogens can survive the barriers of the digestive tract and how they play their pathogenic roles. The present study established a periodontitis mouse model through oral ligature plus Porphyromonas gingivalis inoculation and demonstrated that periodontitis aggravated diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, while also causing P. gingivalis enrichment in the intestine. Metabolic labeling strategy validated that P. gingivalis could translocate to the gastrointestinal tract in a viable state. Oral administration of living P. gingivalis elicited insulin resistance, while administration of pasteurized P. gingivalis had no such effect. Combination analysis of metagenome sequencing and nontargeted metabolomics suggested that the tryptophan metabolism pathway, specifically indole and its derivatives, was involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance caused by oral administration of living P. gingivalis. Moreover, liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands, mainly indole acetic acid, tryptamine, and indole-3-aldehyde, were reduced in diet-induced obese mice with periodontitis, leading to inactivation of AhR signaling. Supplementation with Ficz (6-formylindolo (3,2-b) carbazole), an AhR agonist, alleviated periodontitis-associated insulin resistance, in which the restoration of gut barrier function might play an important role. Collectively, these findings reveal that the oral-gut translocation of viable P. gingivalis works as a fuel linking periodontitis and insulin resistance, in which reduction of AhR ligands and inactivation of AhR signaling are involved. This study provides novel insight into the role of the oral-gut axis in the pathogenesis of periodontitis-associated comorbidities.

Incremental yield of whole-genome sequencing over chromosomal microarray analysis and exome sequencing for congenital anomalies in prenatal period and infancy: systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

First, to determine the incremental yield of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) over quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR)/chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) with and without exome sequencing (ES) in fetuses, neonates and infants with a congenital anomaly that was or could have been detected on prenatal ultrasound. Second, to evaluate the turnaround time (TAT) and quantity of DNA required for testing using these pathways.

METHODS

This review was registered prospectively in December 2022. Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, MEDLINE (Web of Science), The Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched electronically (January 2010 to December 2022). Inclusion criteria were cohort studies including three or more fetuses, neonates or infants with (i) one or more congenital anomalies; (ii) an anomaly which was or would have been detectable on prenatal ultrasound; and (iii) negative QF-PCR and CMA. In instances in which the CMA result was unavailable, all cases of causative pathogenic copy number variants > 50 kb were excluded, as these would have been detectable on standard prenatal CMA. Pooled incremental yield was determined using a random-effects model and heterogeneity was assessed using Higgins' I2 test. Subanalyses were performed based on pre- or postnatal cohorts, cases with multisystem anomalies and those meeting the NHS England prenatal ES inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies incorporating 902 eligible cases were included, of which eight (44.4%) studies focused on prenatal cohorts, incorporating 755 cases, and the remaining studies focused on fetuses undergoing postmortem testing or neonates/infants with congenital structural anomalies, constituting the postnatal cohort. The incremental yield of WGS over QF-PCR/CMA was 26% (95% CI, 18-36%) (I2  = 86%), 16% (95% CI, 9-24%) (I2  = 85%) and 39% (95% CI, 27-51%) (I2  = 53%) for all, prenatal and postnatal cases, respectively. The incremental yield increased in cases in which sequencing was performed in line with the NHS England prenatal ES criteria (32% (95% CI, 22-42%); I2  = 70%) and in those with multisystem anomalies (30% (95% CI, 19-43%); I2  = 65%). The incremental yield of WGS for variants of uncertain significance (VUS) was 18% (95% CI, 7-33%) (I2  = 74%). The incremental yield of WGS over QF-PCR/CMA and ES was 1% (95% CI, 0-4%) (I2  = 47%). The pooled median TAT of WGS was 18 (range, 1-912) days, and the quantity of DNA required was 100 ± 0 ng for WGS and 350 ± 50 ng for QF-PCR/CMA and ES (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

While WGS in cases with congenital anomaly holds great promise, its incremental yield over ES is yet to be demonstrated. However, the laboratory pathway for WGS requires less DNA with a potentially faster TAT compared with sequential QF-PCR/CMA and ES. There was a relatively high rate of VUS using WGS. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Metagenomic insights into jellyfish-associated microbiome dynamics during strobilation

Host-associated microbiomes can play key roles in the metamorphosis of animals. Most scyphozoan jellyfish undergo strobilation in their life cycles, similar to metamorphosis in classic bilaterians. The exploration of jellyfish microbiomes may elucidate the ancestral mechanisms and evolutionary trajectories of metazoan-microbe associations and interactions during metamorphosis. However, current knowledge of the functional features of jellyfish microbiomes remains limited. Here, we performed a genome-centric analysis of associated microbiota across four successive life stages (polyp, early strobila, advanced strobila, and ephyra) during strobilation in the common jellyfish Aurelia coerulea. We observed shifts in taxonomic and functional diversity of microbiomes across distinct stages and proposed that the low microbial diversity in ephyra stage may be correlated with the high expression of the host-derived antimicrobial peptide aurelin. Furthermore, we recovered 43 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes and determined the nutritional potential of the dominant Vibrio members. Interestingly, we observed increased abundances of genes related to the biosynthesis of amino acids, vitamins, and cofactors, as well as carbon fixation during the loss of host feeding ability, indicating the functional potential of Aurelia-associated microbiota to support the synthesis of essential nutrients. We also identified several potential mechanisms by which jellyfish-associated microbes establish stage-specific community structures and maintain stable colonization in dynamic host environments, including eukaryotic-like protein production, bacterial secretion systems, restriction-modification systems, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas systems. Our study characterizes unique taxonomic and functional changes in jellyfish microbiomes during strobilation and provides foundations for uncovering the ancestral mechanism of host-microbe interactions during metamorphosis.

Intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of apoptosis induced by multiple antibiotics residues and ocean acidification in hemocytes of scallop Argopecten irradians irradians: An interactionist perspective

The increasing prevalence of antibiotics in seawater across global coastal areas, coupled with the ocean acidification induced by climate change, present a multifaceted challenge to marine ecosystems, particularly impacting the key physiological processes of marine organisms. Apoptosis is a critical adaptive response essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis and defending against environmental threats. In this study, bay scallops Argopecten irradians irradians were exposed to multiple antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, norfloxacin, and erythromycin, each at a concentration of 1 μg/L) combined with/without acidic seawater (pH 7.6) for 35 days. The single and interactive effects of the two stressors on apoptosis and the underlying mechanisms in hemocytes of A. irradians irradians were determined through flow cytometry analysis, comet assay, oxidative stress biomarkers analysis, and transcriptome analysis. Results showed that apoptosis could be triggered by either AM exposure or OA exposure, but through different pathways. Exposure to AM leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage, which in turn triggers apoptosis via a series of cellular events in both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Conversely, while OA exposure similarly induced apoptosis, its effects are comparatively subdued and are predominantly mediated through the intrinsic pathway. Additionally, the synergistic effects of AM and OA exposure induced pronounced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damages in the hemocytes of A. irradians irradians. Despite the evident cellular distress and the potential initiation of apoptotic pathways, the actual execution of apoptosis appears to be restrained, which might be attributed to an energy deficit within the hemocytes. Our findings underscore the constrained tolerance capacity of A. irradians irradians when faced with multiple environmental stressors, and shed light on the ecotoxicity of antibiotic pollution in the ocean under prospective climate change scenarios.

Microbiota regulates life-cycle transition and nematocyte dynamics in jellyfish

Jellyfish represent one of the most basal animal groups with complex life cycles. The polyp-to-medusa transition, termed strobilation, is the pivotal process that determines the switch in swimming behavior and jellyfish blooms. Their microbiota plays an essential role in strobilation. Here, we investigated microbiota-mediated host phenotype dynamics during strobilation in the jellyfish Aurelia coerulea via antibiotic-induced microbiome alteration. Microbial depletion delayed the initiation of strobilation and resulted in fewer segments and ephyrae, which could be restored via microbial recolonization. Jellyfish-associated cyanobacteria, which were eliminated by antibiotics in the polyp stage, had the potential to supply retinal and trigger the retinoic acid signaling cascade, which drove the strobilation process. The microbiota regulated nematocyte development and differentiation, influencing the feeding and growth of the jellyfish. The findings improve our understanding of jellyfish-microbe interactions and provide new insights into the role of the microbiota in shaping feeding behavior through nematocyte dynamics.

Dual interfaces and confinements on Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterojunction toward high-efficient lithium storage

Ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) as an anode material of lithium-ion battery has been widely investigated due to its high theoretical capacity, environmental friendliness, natural abundance, and low cost. However, it suffers from severe aggregation and volume expansion during energy storage. Herein, we rationally construct an advanced Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterostructure via a hydrothermal and followed nitridation process, where the wrapping of conductive Fe2N on the surface of Fe3O4 effectively improves the electron conductivity and alleviates the volume expansion, and VN inhibits the agglomeration of Fe2N@Fe3O4. Benefiting from the dual conductive confinements and promoted interfacial charge transfer, the Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN heterojunction exhibits excellent rate capability and cycling stability. It possesses the highest reversible capacity of 420.8 mAh g-1 at 1 A g-1 after 600 cycles, which is three times that of Fe3O4. Furthermore, a full cell based on a Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN anode and a LiFePO4 cathode delivers considerable electrochemical performance. This work demonstrates that Fe2N@Fe3O4/VN is a potential anode material and provides a model in constructing other high-performance electrode materials.

Interaction Mechanism between Slags and Alkali Silicate Activators: An Approach Based on the Al Phases

In this study, we examined the early-stage interaction of three types of slag and six activators with different chemical compositions. To determine the degree of hydration (DOH) and hydrate assemblage in alkali-activated slag (AAS), we employed EDX, XRD, and NMR analyses. We found that with increasing silicate concentration in the activator, the DOH in the AAS varied, whereas the proportion of C-(N)-A-S-H increased and the other Al-containing phase decreased. When examining the impact of the activator on glass dissolution, it is apparent that an index based on the degree of depolymerization of the glass structure correlates with the DOH and the proportion of hydrotalcite in the AAS. Coupled with the activator's modulus, this index can be utilised to elucidate the dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism that governs the interaction between the activator and slag.

Application of environmental DNA metabarcoding and quantitative PCR to detect blooming jellyfish in a temperate bay of northern China

Frequently occurring jellyfish blooms have severe impacts on the socioeconomics of coastal areas, which stress the importance of early detection and assessments of blooming jellyfish taxa. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques (quantitative PCR and eDNA metabarcoding) have the advantage of high sensitivity and are an emerging powerful tool for investigations of target species. However, a comprehensive analysis of the biodiversity and biomass of jellyfish taxa in the target area by combining the two eDNA techniques is still lacking. Here, we developed eDNA metabarcoding and quantitative PCR for the detection and assessment of jellyfish taxa in the temperate Yantai Sishili Bay (YSB) and estimated the spatial distribution of Aurelia coerulea. Species-specific quantitative PCR assays targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene of A. coerulea were developed. Additionally, eDNA metabarcoding based on the mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences identified six jellyfish species in YSB. Moreover, our results indicate that A. coerulea aggregations were more likely to occur in the inner part of the bay than in the outer part, and they gathered in the bottom layer of seawater rather than in the surface layer. Our results demonstrate the potential of two eDNA techniques in jellyfish biomass investigation and jellyfish taxa detection. These eDNA techniques may contribute to the discovery of jellyfish aggregation so as to achieve early warning of large-scale jellyfish blooms in coastal areas.

Cortical perforation combined with Masquelet technique to treat extensive bone and soft tissue injury: A case report

INTRODUCTION

We report a case of a serious traffic accident injury to the lower leg involving a large skin defect with the long bone exposed. In this situation, the usual intervention is flap transplantation after debridement and infection control by completely covering the wound. Flap transplantation has certain limitations; therefore, we chose the surgical strategy of cortical bone drilling-induced membrane technology (Masquelet technique).

CASE PRESENTATION

A 28-year-old healthy man was injured in a car accident and presented to the local hospital with a large skin defect and exposed left lower leg long bone. After transfer to our hospital, the patient underwent repeated debridement and skin graft, a cortex borehole combined with bone cement cover, and ankle fusion. The patient achieved full recovery.

CONCLUSION

From our experience in treating this case, we conclude that large skin defects, periosteal stripping, and bone exposure due to physical injury can be successfully treated with cortical perforation and the Masquelet technique so as to avoid flap transplantation. Therefore, this method can be used for large segment bone exposure.

Performance of Adaptive Deep Learning Models for Dose Predictions on High-Quality Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Images

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Online plan generation remains a patient-specific and time-consuming process that can place a significant burden on clinics strained with staffing shortages. As previous research show that dose-volume histogram (DVH) prediction plays a crucial role in automatic treatment planning, the objective of this study is to assess the capability of adaptive deep learning models in predicting dose information in volumetric modulation radiotherapy plans using the high-quality CBCT images and contour information of organs-at-risk (OARs).

MATERIALS/METHODS

The relationship between dose-volume histograms (DVHs) in radiotherapy plans and the geometric information of organs-at-risk (OAR) and planning target volume (PTV) has been well established. To evaluate the performance of the current state-of-the-art convolutional neural network (CNN) models including VIT3D and Unet3D, and intuitive machine learning methods (i.e., SVM and MLP), we implemented those models for dose prediction and conducted a comprehensive analysis with treatment plans created from images acquired from patients who consented to participate an IRB-approved imaging study designed to evaluate the imaging performance of the system. In total, 20 plans created by certified medical dosimetrists were employed in this study, with 15 used for training the machine-learning models and the remaining 5 used for performance testing. Two evaluation metrics were used: 1) root mean square error (RMSE) of the predicted dose and true dose and 2) time spent on dose prediction.

RESULTS

The results of the analysis showed that the ViT-3D (Transformer) model had the lowest RMSE of 3.682 ±0.010, followed by the Unet-3D (CNN) model with an RMSE of. 3.973 ±0.021 The MLP model had an RMSE of 8.007 ±0.019 while the SVM model had the highest RMSE of 9.156 ±0.032. For a fair comparison, we use 4-fold cross validation (each has 15 training plans and 5 testing plans), and report the mean value with standard deviation. All models are optimized with Adam optimizer of a learning rate 0.01, and the training process is stopped after 100 epochs. These findings indicate that the ViT-3D (Transformer) model performed the best in terms of predicting the dose information in volumetric modulation radiotherapy plans based on the CBCT images and contour information of OARs. For tested plan which contains 81 CT images (512 × 512 resolution), the inference time to predict dose information with a general CPU machine (6-Core Intel Core i7) is about 1.5 minutes. With GPU resources, such as NVIDIA A100, the inference process can be finished within seconds.

CONCLUSION

The study demonstrated that current state-of-the-art machine-learning models can achieve promising accuracy in dose prediction using high-quality CBCT images. A well-trained machine-learning model could offer clinicians a quick and reliable prediction of the true dose to patients in the case of significant anatomical changes or provide patient-specific optimization objectives if replanning is warranted.

Regulating d-Band Center of Ti2 C MXene Via Nb Alloying for Stable and High-Efficient Supercapacitive Performances

Ti2 C MXene with the lowest formula weight is expected to gain superior advantages in gravimetric capacitances over other heavier MXenes. Nevertheless, its poor chemical and electrochemical stability is the most fatal drawback and seriously hinders its practical applications. Herein, an alloy engineering strategy at the transition metal-sites of Ti2 C MXene is proposed. Theoretical calculations reveal that the electronic redistribution of the solid-solution TiNbC MXene improves the electronic conductivity, induces the upward d-band center, tailors the surface functional groups, and increases the electron loss impedance, resulting in its excellent capacitive performance and high chemical stability. The as-prepared flexible TiNbC film delivers specific capacitance up to 381 F g-1 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1 and excellent electrochemical stability without capacitance loss after 10000 charge/discharging cycles. This work provides a universal approach to develop high-performance and chemically stable MXene electrodes.

[Study on the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and dyslipidemia in adult residents in Beijing]

Objective: To understand the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and dyslipidemia among adults in Beijing and to provide a scientific basis for relevant intervention. Methods: Data were from Beijing Adult Non-communicable and Chronic Diseases and Risk Factors Surveillance Program in 2017. A total of 13 240 respondents were selected by multistage cluster stratified sampling method. The monitoring contents include a questionnaire survey, physical measurement, collection of fasting venous blood, and determination of related biochemical indicators. SPSS 20.0 software was used for the chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of total dyslipidemia (39.27%), hypertriglyceridemia (22.61%), and high LDL-C (6.03%) were the highest among those exposed to daily secondhand smoke. Among the male respondents, the prevalence of total dyslipidemia (44.42%) and hypertriglyceridemia (26.12%) were the highest among those exposed to secondhand smoke daily. Multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjustment for confounding factors showed that compared with no exposure to secondhand smoke, the population with an average exposure frequency of 1-3 days per week had the highest risk of total dyslipidemia (OR=1.276, 95%CI: 1.023-1.591). Among the patients with hypertriglyceridemia, those exposed to secondhand smoke daily had the highest risk (OR=1.356, 95%CI: 1.107-1.661). Among the male respondents, those exposed to secondhand smoke for 1-3 days per week had a higher risk of total dyslipidemia (OR=1.366, 95%CI: 1.019-1.831), and the highest risk of hypertriglyceridemia (OR=1.377, 95%CI: 1.058-1.793). There was no significant correlation between the frequency of secondhand smoke exposure and the risk of dyslipidemia among female respondents. Conclusions: Secondhand smoke exposure in Beijing adults, especially men, will increase the risk of total dyslipidemia, especially hyperlipidemia. Improving personal health awareness and minimizing or avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke is necessary.

[Diagnostic value of multiparametric MRI-based models in the assessment of extra-prostatic extension of prostate cancer]

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) based models in the assessment of extra-prostatic extension (EPE) of prostate cancer. Methods: This retrospective study included 168 consecutive men with prostate cancers [aged 48 to 82 (66.6±6.8) years] who underwent radical prostatectomy and preoperative mpMRI examinations at the First Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from January 2021 to February 2022. According to European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) score, EPE grade and mEPE score, all cases were independently evaluated by two radiologists, with disagreement reviewed by a senior radiologist as the final result. The diagnostic performance of each MRI-based model for pathologic EPE prediction was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and the differences between the corresponding area under the curve (AUC) were compared using the DeLong test. The weighted Kappa test was used to evaluate the inter-reader agreement of each MRI-based model. Results: A total of 62 (36.9%) prostate cancer patients had pathologic confirmed EPE after radical prostatectomy. The AUC of ESUR score, EPE grade and mEPE score for predicting pathologic EPE were 0.836 (95%CI: 0.771-0.888), 0.834 (95%CI: 0.769-0.887) and 0.785 (95%CI: 0.715-0.844), respectively. The AUC of ESUR score and EPE grade were both superior to that of mEPE score with significant differences (all P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the ESUR score and EPE grade models (P=0.900). EPE grading and mEPE score had good inter-reader consistency, with weighted Kappa values of 0.65 (95%CI: 0.56-0.74) and 0.74 (95%CI: 0.64-0.84), respectively. The inter-reader consistency of ESUR score was moderate, and the weighted Kappa value was 0.52 (95%CI: 0.40-0.63). Conclusion: All MRI-based models showed good preoperative diagnostic value in predicting EPE, among which the EPE grade resulted in more reliable performance with substantial inter-reader agreement.

[A descriptive analysis of hyperlipidemia in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of hyperlipidemia in adult twins in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) and explore the effect of genetic and environmental factors on hyperlipidemia. Methods: Twins recruited from the CNTR in 11 project areas across China were included in the study. A total of 69 130 (34 565 pairs) of adult twins with complete information on hyperlipidemia were selected for analysis. The random effect model was used to characterize the population and regional distribution of hyperlipidemia among twins. The concordance rates of hyperlipidemia were calculated in monozygotic twins (MZ) and dizygotic twins (DZ), respectively, to estimate the heritability. Results: The age of all participants was (34.2±12.4) years. This study's prevalence of hyperlipidemia was 1.3% (895/69 130). Twin pairs who were men, older, living in urban areas, married,had junior college degree or above, overweight, obese, insufficient physical activity, current smokers, ex-smokers, current drinkers, and ex-drinkers had a higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (P<0.05). In within-pair analysis, the concordance rate of hyperlipidemia was 29.1% (118/405) in MZ and 18.1% (57/315) in DZ, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Stratified by gender, age, and region, the concordance rate of hyperlipidemia in MZ was still higher than that in DZ. Further, in within-same-sex twin pair analyses, the heritability of hyperlipidemia was 13.04% (95%CI: 2.61%-23.47%) in the northern group and 18.59% (95%CI: 4.43%-32.74%) in the female group, respectively. Conclusions: Adult twins were included in this study and were found to have a lower prevalence of hyperlipidemia than in the general population study, with population and regional differences. Genetic factors influence hyperlipidemia, but the genetic effect may vary with gender and area.

[A descriptive analysis on hypertension in adult twins in China]

Objective: To describe the distribution characteristics of hypertension among adult twins in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) and to provide clues for exploring the role of genetic and environmental factors on hypertension. Methods: A total of 69 220 (34 610 pairs) of twins aged 18 and above with hypertension information were selected from CNTR registered from 2010 to 2018. Random effect models were used to describe the population and regional distribution of hypertension in twins. To estimate the heritability, the concordance rates of hypertension were calculated and compared between monozygotic twins (MZ) and dizygotic twins (DZ). Results: The age of all participants was (34.1±12.4) years. The overall self-reported prevalence of hypertension was 3.8%(2 610/69 220). Twin pairs who were older, living in urban areas, married, overweight or obese, current smokers or ex-smokers, and current drinkers or abstainers had a higher self-reported prevalence of hypertension (P<0.05). Analysis within the same-sex twin pairs found that the concordance rate of hypertension was 43.2% in MZ and 27.0% in DZ, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). The heritability of hypertension was 22.1% (95%CI: 16.3%- 28.0%). Stratified by gender, age, and region, the concordance rate of hypertension in MZ was still higher than that in DZ. The heritability of hypertension was higher in female participants. Conclusions: There were differences in the distribution of hypertension among twins with different demographic and regional characteristics. It is indicated that genetic factors play a crucial role in hypertension in different genders, ages, and regions, while the magnitude of genetic effects may vary.

[Study on the relationship between indexes of different abnormal weight and dyslipidemia in adults in Beijing City]

Objective: To analyze the relationship and consistency between indexes of different abnormal weight and dyslipidemia in adults in Beijing City. Methods: From August to December of 2017, 4 975 residents aged 18 to 79 years old in 5 districts of Beijing were randomly selected as subjects by using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method. Questionnaire, physical examination and laboratory tests were conducted. The prevalence of overweight/obesity, high body fat rate, central obesity, and high waist-to-height ratio was calculated. Partial correlation was used to analyze the correlation of blood lipid with body mass index (BMI), body fat rate, waist circumference and waist-height ratio. Logistic regression analysis for complex sampling was used to analyze the relationship between indexes of different abnormal weight and dyslipidemia after controlling for relevant risk factors, including age, sex, smoking status, drinking, insufficiency intake of vegetable and fruit, physical inactivity. Kappa value was computed to analyze the consistency between indexes of different abnormal weight. Results: The weighted prevalence of dyslipidemia was 30.48%, and it was higher in men than that in women (40.16% vs. 20.52%, P<0.01). The weighted rate of overweight/obesity, high body fat rate, central obesity, and high waist-to-height ratio was 56.65%, 47.52%, 42.48% and 59.45%, respectively. BMI, body fat rate, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were positively correlated with the level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Logistic regression analysis for complex sampling showed that the high body fat rate (OR=1.67, 95%CI: 1.35-2.07), overweight/obesity (OR=1.65, 95%CI: 1.26-2.14) and high waist-to-height ratio (OR=1.46, 95%CI: 1.09-1.96) were associated with dyslipidemias. Kappa values of high body fat rate with overweight/obesity, high waist-to-height ratio and central obesity were 0.65, 0.53 and 0.58, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: In 2017, the prevalence of dyslipidemia in adults in Beijing City is high, especially in men. Overweight/obesity, high body fat rate and high waist-to-height ratio are associated with dyslipidemia. The high body fat rate is most associated with dyslipidemia.

Asexual reproduction strategies in the moon jellyfish Aurelia (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa)

The genus Aurelia is one of the major contributors to jellyfish blooms in coastal waters, possibly due to its adaptive reproduction strategies. Different Aurelia lineages have adapted their reproduction modes to varying environmental conditions in their respective habitats. To understand the successful adaptation strategies, three strains of Aurelia coerulea and two strains of Aurelia solida polyps from different geographical areas were exposed to a range of temperatures and two food regimes, and the effects on reproduction rates were assessed. Asexual reproduction was significantly affected by the changes in these factors. The highest reproduction rate under sufficient food conditions was observed in the United States strain and the lowest was observed in the Israel strain, regardless of temperature, indicating the differences in the blooming potential. Six asexual reproduction modes were observed, of which lateral budding, lateral budding by means of stolons, and reproduction from parts of stolons were the main modes used by all Aurelia strains, except Aurelia solidaISR, for which reproduction by stolons was the main mode. The capability to switch reproductive strategies in response to environmental cues depending on the lineage predetermines the highly frequent blooming events of Aurelia.

Evaluation of antioxidant capacity and digestive enzyme activities in Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to nanoplastics under different patterns of hypoxia

In the marine environment, plastic pollution may occur simultaneously with hypoxia. However, current ecological risk assessments of nanoplastics have rarely considered the impact of additional environmental factors, such as hypoxia. In this study, we investigated the effect of polystyrene nanospheres (PS-NPs) on the digestive performance (antioxidant system and digestive enzymes) of mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis under different patterns of hypoxia (normoxia, constant hypoxia, and fluctuating hypoxia). The result showed that PS-NPs caused oxidative damage in the digestive glands of mussels, while all patterns of hypoxia exacerbated this oxidative damage. Activities of four digestive enzymes (α-amylase, cellulase, trypsin, and lipase) were examined. Among these, the activity of the α-amylase was inhibited by PS-NPs, and the inhibition was aggravated by all the hypoxia patterns. The cellulase activity and trypsin activity was enhanced by PS-NPs, and the increase was further stimulated by hypoxia. Lipase activity was not affected by PS-NPs alone, but significant inhibition was detected after the coexposure to PS-NPs and hypoxia. Conclusively, the combined stress of hypoxia and nanoplastics can significantly affect the digestive performance of mussels and may alter the mussel nutrient uptake strategy. Our work has provided new insight into the ecological risk assessment of plastics under global climate change.

Intestinal microbiota perturbations in the gastropod Trochus niloticus concurrently exposed to ocean acidification and environmentally relevant concentrations of sulfamethoxazole

Ocean acidification (OA) and antibiotic pollution pose severe threats to the fitness of keystone species in marine ecosystems. However, the combined effects of OA and antibiotic pollution on the intestinal microbiota of marine organisms are still not well known. In this study, we exposed the herbivorous gastropod Trochus niloticus, a keystone species to maintains the stability of coral reef ecosystems, to acidic seawater (pH 7.6) and/or sulfamethoxazole (SMX, 100 ng/L, 1000 ng/L) for 28 days and determined their impacts on (1) the accumulation of SMX in the intestine of T. niloticus; (2) the characteristics of the intestinal microbiota in T. niloticus; (3) the relative abundances of sulfonamide resistance genes (i.e., sul1 and sul2) and intI1 in the intestinal microbiota of T. niloticus. Our results show that OA exposure leads to dramatic microbiota dysbiosis in the intestine of T. niloticus, including changes in bacterial community diversity and structure, decreased abundances of dominant species, existences of characteristic taxa, and altered functional predictions. In addition, SMX exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations had little effect on the intestinal microbiota of T. niloticus, whether in isolation or in combination with OA. However, after exposure to the higher SMX concentration (1000 ng/L), the accumulation of SMX in the intestine of T. niloticus could induce an increase in the copies of sul2 in the intestinal microbiota. These results suggest that the intestinal health of T. niloticus might be affected by OA and SMX, which might lead to fitness loss of the keystone species in coral reef ecosystems.

N-doped rutile TiO2 nanorod@g-C3N4 core/shell S-scheme heterojunctions for boosting CO2 photoreduction activity

A novel core/shell structure composed of N-doped rutile TiO2@g-C3N4 (NT@CNx) with an S-scheme heterojunction is successfully synthesized. The S-scheme heterojunction optimizes the electrochemical property and redox ability of the NT@CNx composite.

Integrative assessment of biomarker responses in Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to seawater acidification and copper ions

The interactive effects of ocean acidification (OA) and copper (Cu) ions on the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis are not well understood. The underlying mechanisms also remain obscure. In this study, individuals of M. galloprovincialis were exposed for 28 days to 25 μg/L and 50 μg/L Cu ions at two pH levels (ambient level - pH 8.1; acidified level - pH 7.6). The mussels were then monitored for 56 days to determine their recovery ability. Physiological parameters (clearance rate and respiration rate), oxidative stress and neurotoxicity biomarkers (activities of superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, catalase, and acetylcholinesterase), as well as the recovery ability of these parameters, were investigated in two typical tissues (i.e., gills and digestive glands). Results showed that (1) OA affected the bioconcentration of Cu in the gills and digestive glands of the mussels; (2) both OA and Cu can lead to physiological disturbance, oxidative stress, cellular damage, energy metabolism disturbance, and neurotoxicity on M. galloprovincialis; (3) gill is more sensitive to OA and Cu than digestive gland; (4) Most of the biochemical and physiological alternations caused by Cu and OA exposures in M. galloprovincialis can be repaired by the recovery experiments; (5) integrated biomarker response (IBR) analysis demonstrated that both OA and Cu ions exposure caused survival stresses to the mussels, with the highest effect shown in the co-exposure treatment. This study highlights the necessity to include OA along with pollutants in future studies to better elucidate the risks of ecological perturbations. The work also sheds light on the recovery of marine animals after short-term environmental stresses when the natural environment has recovered.

[Heritability and genetic correlation of body mass index and coronary heart disease in Chinese adult twins]

Objective: To examine the heritability of body mass index (BMI) and coronary heart disease (CHD), and to explore whether genetic factors can explain their correlation. Methods: Participants were from 11 provinces/municipalities reqistered in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) from 2010 to 2018. Participants data were collected from face-to-face questionnaire survey. Bivariate structure equation model was used to estimate the heritability and the genetic correlation of BMI and CHD. Results: A total of 20 340 pairs of same-sex twins aged ≥25 years were included in this study. After adjusting for age and gender, the heritability of BMI and CHD was 0.52 (95%CI: 0.49-0.55) and 0.76 (95%CI: 0.69-0.81), respectively. Further, a genetic correlation was identified between BMI and CHD (r_A=0.10, 95%CI:0.02-0.17). Conclusion: In Chinese adult twin population, BMI and CHD are affected by genetic factors, and their correlation can be attributed to the common genetic basis.

P-719 Effect of frozen and thawed embryo transfer on metabolism of children in early childhood

Study question

We aimed to investigate the metabolic profile at age 1.5 – 4 years in chidren conceived from FET.

Summary answer

Plasma concentration of ApoE , fasting insulin and 11 small molecule metabolities were different beween FET group and the NC group.

What is known already

Rencently,we showed that FET-conceived male mouse offspring presented glucose metabolism dysfunction mainly manifesting insulin resistance. Observations from human studies indicate that body fat composition in IVF children is disturbed and children conceived by IVF/ICSI have a less favourable glucose and cardiovascular metabolic profile in childhood when compared with naturally conceived. But human study emphasised on metabolic profile of children concieved from FET is limited, one follow-up study have suggested that children conceived by FET often show abnormal lipid metabolism.

Study design, size, duration

284 children at early childhood (1.5-4 years) conceived from FET or naturally conceived were recruited based on the data from electronic Case Report Forms (e-CRF) in the International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital (IPMCHH) from September 2018 to November 2019. A total of 147 children (with 118 born after FET and 29 conceived naturally) was included for biochemical examination and metabolomics analysis.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

The peripheral venous blood of 147 children aged 1.5 - 4 years (with 118 born after FET and 29 conceived naturally) was drawn in the fasting state (&gt;8h). FBG was measured using a glucometer, plasma concentrations of TC,TG, HDL , LDL were measured by chemistry analyzer, commercial ELISA kits were used for the measurment of Apolipoprotein, insulin, leptin, CRP,FT3, FT4, and TSH. Metabolomic analysis was performed on an UPLC-MS/MS system against 210 metabolites.

Main results and the role of chance

The results of present study revealed that the chidren conceived from FET have different metabolite profile than the naturally conceived children. Except for the higher BMI of chidren from FET group, ApoE and insulin were found respectivedly higher and lower in chidren from FET group than in NC group. As for metabolomic analysis,small metabolities which reflect intestinal fermentation such as second bile acid and short chain fatty acids was significantly higher in children conceived from FET; unsaturated fatty acids which are crucial for neurodevelopment was significanty lower in FET group.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Firstly, due to the small sample size, larger sample size and a longer follow-up period will be needed to observe the long-term metabolic profile and neurobehavioral performance of offspring conceived from FET. Secondly, we did not rule out other factors that may have influence on the metabolism of children.

Wider implications of the findings

To our knowledged, we demenstrated the metabolic profile of chidren born after FET in early childhood by metabolomic analysis for the first time.The fast insulin level was significant decreased in FET group than NC group, which is opposes to previous findings.

Trial registration number

2016YFC1000203

Bilateral vertebral arteries entering the C4 foramen transversarium with the left vertebral artery originating from the aortic arch

Vertebral arteries (VAs) serve as major blood vessels to the central nervous system. VAs typically arise from the subclavian arteries and ascend separately within the transverse foramina of the cervical vertebrae (C6-C1) before entering the skull at the foramen magnum and joining at the base of the pons to form the basilar artery of the vertebrobasilar circulation. Therefore, variations in the origin and anatomic course of the VAs have implications for invasive medical procedures involving the superior thoracic/cervical regions or the cervical vertebrae. The current case report describes variation in the entry point of both VAs and the site of origin of the left vertebral artery. The variation was revealed during routine dissection of a 72-year-old female cadaver. It was found that the left vertebral artery originated directly from the aortic arch to abnormally enter the transverse foramen of C4 instead of the transverse foramen of C6. The right vertebral artery arose as usual from the right subclavian artery. However, the right vertebral artery also directly entered the transverse foramen of C4 instead of the transverse foramen of C6.

Interactive effects of ocean acidification, ocean warming, and diurnal temperature cycling on antioxidant responses and energy budgets in two sea urchins Strongylocentrotus intermedius and Tripneustes gratilla from different latitudes

To accurately predict the fitness of marine ectotherms under the climate change scenarios, interactive effects from multiple environmental stressors should be considered, such as ocean acidification (OA), ocean warming (OW) and diurnal temperature cycling (DTC). In this work, we evaluated and compared the antioxidant capacity and metabolism homeostasis of two sea urchins, viz. the temperate species Strongylocentrotus intermedius and the tropical species Tripneustes gratilla, in response to oceanic conditions under a climate change scenario. The two species were treated separately/jointly by acidic (pH 7.6), thermal (ambient temperature + 3 °C), and temperature fluctuating (5 °C fluctuations daily) seawater for 28 days. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) and the cellular energy allocation in the urchins' gonads were assessed subsequently. Results showed that exposure to OA, OW, and DTC all induced antioxidant responses associated with metabolism imbalance in both S. intermedius and T. gratilla. The physiological adjustments and energy strategies towards exposure of OA, OW, and DTC are species specific, perhaps owing to the different thermal acclimation of species from two latitudes. Moreover, decrease of cellular energy allocation were detected in both species under combined OA, OW, and DTC conditions, indicating unsustainable bioenergetic states. The decrease of cellular energy allocation is weaker in T. gratilla than in S. intermedius, implying higher acclimation capacity to maintain the energy homeostasis in tropical urchins. These results suggest that climate change might affect the population replenishment of the two sea urchins species, especially for the temperate species.

Effects of residual feed intake divergence on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood biochemical parameters in small-sized meat ducks

Feed efficiency (FE) is a major economic trait of meat duck. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of residual feed intake (RFI) divergence on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and blood biochemical parameters in small-sized meat ducks. A total of 500 healthy 21-day-old male ducks were housed in individual cages until slaughter at 63 d of age. The growth performance was determined for all the ducks. The carcass yield, meat quality, and blood biochemical parameters were determined for the selected 30 high-RFI (HRFI) and 30 low-RFI (LRFI) ducks. In terms of growth performance, the RFI, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were found to be significantly lower in the LRFI group (P < 0.01), whereas no differences were observed in the BW and body weight gain (P > 0.05). For slaughter performance, no differences were observed in the carcass traits between the LRFI and HRFI groups (P > 0.05). For meat quality, the shear force of breast muscle was significantly lower in the LRFI group (P < 0.05), while the other meat quality traits of breast and thigh muscles demonstrated no differences (P > 0.05). For blood biochemical parameters, the serum concentrations of triglycerides (TG) and glucose (GLU) were significantly lower in the LRFI group (P < 0.05), while the other parameters showed no differences (P > 0.05). The correlation analysis demonstrated a high positive correlation between RFI, FCR, and ADFI (P < 0.01). The RFI demonstrated a negative effect on the breast muscle and lean meat yields, but a positive effect on the shear force of breast muscle (P < 0.05). Further, the RFI demonstrated a positive effect on the TG and GLU levels (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the selection for low RFI could improve the FE of small-sized meat ducks without affecting the production performance. This study provides valuable insight into the biological processes underlying the variations in FE in small-sized meat ducks.

[Impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy for primary liver cancer]

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on clinical outcomes of patients receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study among 215 patients with primary liver cancer receiving immunotherapy between June, 2018 and October, 2020. The patients with balanced baseline characteristics were selected based on propensity matching scores, and among them 33 patients who used NSAIDs were matched at the ratio of 1∶3 with 78 patients who did not use NSAIDs. We compared the overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease control rate (DCR) between the two groups.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in OS between the patients using NSAIDs (29.7%) and those who did not use NSAIDs (70.2%). Univariate and multivariate analyses did not show an a correlation of NSAIDs use with DCR (univariate analysis: OR=0.602, 95% CI: 0.299-1.213, P=0.156; multivariate analysis: OR=0.693, 95% CI: 0.330-1.458, P=0.334), PFS (univariate analysis: HR=1.230, 95% CI: 0.789-1.916, P=0.361; multivariate analysis: HR=1.151, 95% CI: 0.732-1.810, P=9.544), or OS (univariate analysis: HR=0.552, 95% CI: 0.208-1.463, P=0.232; multivariate analysis: HR=1.085, 95% CI: 0.685-1.717, P=0.729).

CONCLUSION

Our results show no favorable effect of NSAIDs on the efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with advanced primary liver cancer, but this finding still needs to be verified by future prospective studies of large cohorts.

[Gene-lifestyle interaction on coronary heart disease in adult twins of China]

Objective: To explore the gene-lifestyle interaction on coronary heart disease (CHD) in adult twins of China. Methods: Participants were selected from twin pairs registered in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR). Univariate interaction model was used to estimate the interaction, via exploring the moderation effect of lifestyle on the genetic variance of CHD. Results: A total of 20 477 same-sex twin pairs aged ≥25 years were recruited, including 395 CHD cases, and 66 twin pairs both had CHD. After adjustment for age and sex, no moderation effects of lifestyles, including current smoking, current drinking, physical activity, intake of vegetable and fruit, on the genetic variance of CHD were found (P>0.05), suggesting no significant interactions. Conclusion: There was no evidence suggesting statistically significant gene-lifestyle interaction on CHD in adult twins of China.

Different patterns of hypoxia aggravate the toxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in the mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis: Environmental risk assessment of plastics under global climate change

Hypoxia, largely triggered by anthropogenic activities and global climate change, exerts widespread and expanding stress on marine ecosystems. As an emerging contaminant, the influence of nanoplastics on marine organisms has also attracted attention in recent years. However, the impact of hypoxia on the risk assessments of nanoplastics is rarely considered. This study investigated the toxicity of PS-NPs (0, 0.5, and 5 mg/L) to the coastal mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis under different patterns of hypoxia (normoxia, constant hypoxia, and fluctuating hypoxia). The results showed that constant hypoxia might reduce the accumulation of PS-NPs in mussels by decreasing the standard metabolic rate. The impairment of PS-NPs on mussel immunity was also exacerbated by constant hypoxia. Fluctuating hypoxia did not affect the accumulation of PS-NPs, but aggravated the oxidative damage caused by PS-NPs. These findings emphasize the importance of environmental factors and their temporal variability in plastic risk assessment.

Exploring the diagnostic utility of genome sequencing for fetal congenital heart defects

OBJECTIVE

The diagnostic yield for congenital heart defects (CHD) with routine genetic testing is around 10-20% when considering the pathogenic CNVs or aneuploidies as positive findings. This is a pilot study to investigate the utility of genome sequencing (GS) for prenatal diagnosis of CHD.

METHODS

Genome sequencing (GS, 30X) was performed on 13 trios with CHD for which karyotyping and/or chromosomal microarray results were non-diagnostic.

RESULTS

Trio GS provided a diagnosis for 4/13 (30.8%) fetuses with complex CHDs and other structural anomalies. Findings included pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in DNAH5, COL4A1, PTPN11, and KRAS. Of nine cases without a possibly genetic etiology by GS, we had follow-up on eight. For five of them (60%), the parents chose to keep the pregnancy. A balanced translocation [46,XX,t(14;22)(q32.33;q13.31)mat] was detected in a trio with biallelic DNAH5 mutations, which together explained the recurrent fetal situs inversus and dextrocardia that was presumably due to de novo Phelan-McDermid syndrome. A secondary finding of a BRCA2 variant and carrier status of HBB, USH2A, HBA1/HBA2 were detected in the trio.

CONCLUSIONS

GS expands the diagnostic scope of mutation types over conventional testing, revealing the genetic etiology for fetal heart anomalies. Patients without a known genetic abnormality indicated by GS likely opted to keep pregnancy especially if the heart issue could be repaired. We provide evidence to support the application of GS for fetuses with CHD. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Characteristics of high-risk cardiovascular disease among residents aged 35-75 in 8 districts of Beijing]

Objective: To understand the characteristics and current situation of high risks related to cardiovascular disease among residents aged 35-75 in Beijing and to provide scientific reference for the formulation and improvement of cardiovascular disease prevention and control strategies and measures. Methods: According to the data of the Cardiovascular Disease Screening and Management Program in Beijing, 93 520 participants aged 35-75 in 8 districts of Beijing were selected for analysis. We used the χ² test to compare the high-risk prevalence of cardiovascular disease in different population characteristics. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between population characteristics and the high risks of cardiovascular disease. Results: The prevalence of high-risk cardiovascular disease was 20.82% (19 471/93 520). The prevalence of high-risk population in the 65-75 years-old was significantly higher than those of other age groups [29.05% (5 151/17 733), χ²=3 359.37, P<0.001], and the prevalence increased with age (trend χ²=3 121.75, P<0.05). The prevalence of high risk in males was significantly higher than that of women (31.19%, 10 752/34 476 vs. 14.77%, 8 719/59 044, χ²=3 559.87, P<0.05). The most common clustered risk factors appeared as hypertension and diabetes (29.80%, 5 802/19 471), hypertension with smoking (37.84%, 4 069/10 752) in males, and hypertension with diabetes mellitus in females (49.32%, 4 300/8 719), in urban areas (33.62%, 2 571/7 647) and in suburbs (27.33%, 3 231/11 824). Lower education [high school (OR=1.56,95%CI:1.46-1.66), middle school (OR=1.99,95%CI:1.88-2.12), primary school and below (OR=2.28,95%CI:2.12-2.45)], non-Han ethnicity (OR=1.19, 95%CI: 1.07-1.33), unmarried (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 1.08-1.24), drinking alcohol (OR=3.06, 95%CI: 2.94-3.19), obesity (OR=1.85, 95%CI: 1.77-1.93), overweight (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.36-1.47), etc., were positively correlated with the high risk of cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: We noticed that the prevalence of high-risk groups of cardiovascular disease aged 35-75 years was around 20% in Beijing, and the proportion in males was higher than females. Low education, drinking, overweight, and obesity were positively correlated with the risks of cardiovascular disease.

[Current status of regular exercise and influencing factors in 18-64 year old labor force population in Beijing]

Objective: To understand the regular exercise status and influencing factors in 18-64 year-old labor force population in Beijing, and provide evidences for behavioral intervention. Methods: Data were collected from Beijing Adult Non-communicable and Chronic Diseases and Risk Factors Surveillance Program from August to December, 2017. The stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 13 240 survey subjects throughout the city. The valid sample size included in this study were 11 604 persons aged 18 to 64 years. Questionnaire was used to collection the information about basic demographic characteristics, chronic disease history and physical activity prevalence of the study subjects. The body height and weight were measured by standard methods. Fasting venous blood samples were collected for the detection of fasting blood glucose, blood lipids and other biochemical indicators. Software SPSS 20.0 was used fort complex sampling sample weighting and data analysis. Results: The proportions of the study subjects who did regular exercise and never had leisure-time activity in 18-64 year-old labor force population in Beijing were 23.74% (95%CI: 21.51%-26.12%) and 64.34% (95%CI: 61.66%-66.94%) respectively; The average daily physical activity time was 23.44 min (95%CI: 21.16-25.71), and the total daily sedentary behavior time was 6.96 hours (95%CI: 6.80-7.13). With the increase of age, the proportions of the study subjects who did regular exercise and never had leisure-time activity increased (P=0.006, P<0.001). With the increase of educational level, the proportion of those who did regular exercise increased (P<0.001), and the proportion of those who never had leisure-time activity decreased (P<0.001); the higher the level of physical activity, the higher the regular exercise proportion (P<0.001); the proportions of employed people who did regular exercise was lower than those in unemployed people (P<0.001); the proportions of women never had leisure-time activity was higher than those in men (P=0.024). The results of multivariate analysis showed that older age and higher education level were positive factors for regular exercise (35- years old: OR=0.653, 95%CI: 0.530-0.804, P<0.001; 50-64 years old: OR=0.695, 95%CI: 0.560-0.864, P=0.001; high school/technical secondary school/technical School: OR=0.679, 95%CI: 0.593-0.777, P<0.001; college graduation: OR=0.478, 95%CI: 0.387-0.590, P<0.001; bachelor degree and above: OR=0.435, 95%CI: 0.347-0.546, P<0.001), while employment (OR=1.631, 95%CI: 1.330-2.000, P<0.001) and married/cohabitation (OR=1.340, 95%CI: 1.093-1.644, P=0.038) were negative factors for regular exercise. Conclusions: The rate of regular exercise in 18-64 year-old labor force population in Beijing needs to be improved. Older age and high educational level were positive factors for regular exercise, while being married and employed were negative factors for it.

[Investigation on knowledge, attitude and behavior of salt reduction in adults of Beijing in 2017]

Objective: To explore the knowledge, attitude and behavior of salt reduction in adults of Beijing in 2017. Methods: Based on the monitoring data of chronic diseases and corresponding risk factors in adults of Beijing in 2017, the indicators of salt reduction knowledge, attitude and behavior of 13 240 participants aged 18-79 years old were analyzed. The awareness rate, attitude support rate and behavior rate were calculated by complex weighting method, and compared among different age groups, genders, residential areas, and history of hypertension. The proportion of people taking various salt reduction measures to the total number of people was compared. Results: The awareness rate of recommended daily salt intake, the awareness of hypertension caused or aggravated by more salt intake, the attitude support rate and behavior rate of adults were 31.77%, 88.56%, 90.27% and 53.86%, respectively. After weighted adjustment, the awareness rate of recommended daily salt intake was 31.08%, which increased with age (χ²_trend=431.56, P<0.001) and education level (χ²_trend=95.44, P<0.001). The awareness rate of women was higher than that of men (χ²=118.89, P<0.001), and the awareness rate of population in urban areas was higher than that of population in suburban areas (χ²=34.09, P=0.001). The awareness rate of hypertension caused or aggravated by eating more salt was 86.73%. The support rate of salt reduction attitude was 90.45%. The rate of salt-reducing behavior was 54.05%. Among different salt reduction measures, reducing salt when cooking was the most common measure (52.41%), while the least common one (35.22%) was using low sodium salt. Logistic regression model analysis showed that the gender, age, education level, self-reported history of hypertension, awareness of salt recommendation, awareness of hypertension caused or aggravated by eating more salt, and salt reduction attitude were significantly associated with salt reduction behavior. Conclusion: In 2017, adults in Beijing have a basic understanding of the impact of high-salt diet on health and support salt reduction, but the rate of salt reduction behavior is still relatively low. There are obvious gender and age differences, and the salt reduction measure is simple. Targeted measures should be taken to promote the formation of salt reduction behavior.

[Analysis of the current status and related factors of oral nutritional supplements intake among 18-79 years old in Beijing in 2017]

Objective: To understand the current status of taking nutrient supplements for residents aged 18 to 79 years old in Beijing and its related factors. Methods: Data were gathered from the 2017 Beijing Non-communicable and Chronic Disease Surveillance Program. Multiple classified cluster sampling method was used, and participants aged 18-79 were sampled from 16 districts. The questionnaire included chronic diseases and related risk factors, health knowledge, and oral nutritional supplements within 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression models were established to analyze associated factors that affect the intake of nutrient supplements. Results: The weighted prevalence of supplements use was 13.1% among 12 696 subjects within the past 12 months. The proportions of multivitamins (4.7%), B vitamins (4.5%), and folic acid (3.2%) were higher. The prevalence of supplement use of young people (18-39 years old) and the elderly (60-79 years old) was higher than middle-aged people (40-59 years old) (χ²=54.09, P<0.001). Except for the age group of 70-79 years old, the consumption rate of women was significantly higher than that of men (P<0.05). After adjusting age and sex, among patients with hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia, the control rates of blood pressure, glucose and lipids of patients who take nutrient supplements were higher than those who do not (P<0.05). And participants who took nutrient supplements had a more heightened awareness rate of health knowledge, such as the hazards of smoking and second-hand smoke, and recommended amount of salt per day (P<0.001). The multi-factor logistic analysis found that nutrient supplement-related factors include women, old age, higher education level, living in urban, insufficient physical activity, sleeping problems, active physical examination, blood pressure control among patients, and health knowledge (P<0.05). Conclusions: The factors of nutrient supplements use were related to sex, age, education level, health status, and health literacy. We should pay attention to key populations and guide them to establish the correct concept of taking nutrient supplements.

Seasonal and spatial variations in nutrients under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors in coastal waters of the northern Yellow Sea, China

Analysis of the common and most influential natural and anthropogenic activities on the spatiotemporal variation in nutrients at a multiannual scale is important. Eleven cruises from 2015 to 2017 were carried out to better elucidate the seasonal and spatial variations in nutrients, as well as the impact factors on dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), phosphorus (DIP) and silicate (DSi). Both nutrient concentrations and forms showed similar and significant seasonal variations over the 3 years, and were closely related to the biomass and species of phytoplankton. Terrestrial inputs had significant effects on the spatial distribution of nutrients throughout the year, especially in the surface water, which showed DIN > DIP>DSi. In summer, shellfish aquaculture and hypoxia jointly affected the spatial distribution of nutrients. The bottom water nutrient concentrations in the aquaculture area were 1.1-2.3 times higher than those outside of the aquaculture area. Seasonal hypoxia can increase the release of DSi and NH₄⁺ from the sediment to the water. In summary, anthropogenic activities and physical conditions jointly influenced the nutrient distributions.

Caloric restriction and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass promote white adipose tissue browning in mice

PURPOSE

Caloric restriction (CR) and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) are considered effective means of body weight control, but the mechanism by which CR and RYGB protect against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity remains elusive. The browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) is a potential approach to combat obesity. Here we assess whether browning of WAT is involved in CR- and RYGB-treatment.

METHODS

The average size of adipocytes was determined by histological analysis. Expression of thermogenic genes in both human subjects and mice were measured by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

The average size of adipocytes was bigger, while the expression of thermogenic genes such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), nuclear factor erythroid-2 like 1 (NRF1) and PPARγ coactivator-1 α (PGC1α) were lower in the WAT of obese subjects when compared to lean controls. Both CR and RYGB promoted weight and fat loss. Increment of the average adipocytes size and down-regulation of thermogenic genes were significantly reversed by both CR and RYGB in the WAT of obese mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed that CR and RYGB significantly improved high-fat diet-induced lipid accumulation by promoting the browning of WAT.

Identification of Regulators for Ciliary Disassembly by a Chemical Screen

Cilia are organelles for cellular signaling and motility. They are assembled in G0/G1 and disassembled prior to mitosis. Compared to what is known about ciliary assembly, less is understood about ciliary disassembly. To uncover new mechanisms of ciliary disassembly, we performed an unbiased chemical screen. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells were experimentally induced for ciliary disassembly by treatment with sodium pyrophosphate. An FDA approved drug library (HY-L022P-1, MedChemExpress) was used for the screening. Primary screening with further experiments has identified microtubule stabilizer taxanes, CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib and Raf inhibitor dabrafenib being effective in inhibiting ciliary disassembly induced experimentally but also under physiological conditions. In addition, their effects on ciliary disassembly in mammalian cells has also been confirmed. Thus, our studies have not only revealed new mechanisms in ciliary disassembly but also provided new tools for studying ciliary disassembly. These discovered drugs may be used for therapeutic interventions of disorders involving ciliary degeneration such as retinopathies.

[Gene-body mass index interaction on coronary heart disease in Chinese adult twins]

Objective: To explore the gene-body mass index (BMI) interaction on coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Chinese adult twins. Methods: A total of 20 340 same-sex twin pairs registered in the Chinese National Twin Registry (CNTR) were enrolled in this study. Classical twin structure equation model was used to estimate the gene-BMI interaction on CHD. Results: After adjusting for age, we found that genetic variance of CHD differed as the function of BMI in male twins, which indicated the presence of a gene-BMI interaction on CHD (P=0.008).The genetic moderating effect (β_a) was -0.14 (95%CI: -0.22--0.04), indicating that for each logarithmic transformation value of BMI increase, genetic path parameters would decrease by 0.14, which would result in the decrease of genetic variance of CHD. And the heritability of CHD was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.65-0.86) among the male twins with lower BMI (<24.0 kg/m²), but 0.56 (95%CI: 0.33-0.74) among the male twins with high BMI (≥24.0 kg/m²). However, there was no evidence suggesting that BMI could moderate genetic variants of CHD in female. Conclusion: We found a significant gene-BMI interaction on CHD in the Chinese male adult twins in China, and the heritability of CHD was higher among the twins whose BMI was <24.0 kg/m².