Preliminary analysis of pathways and their implications during salinity stress in abalone

Transcriptome sequencing has offered immense opportunities to study non-model organisms. Abalone is an important marine mollusk that encounters harsh environmental conditions in its natural habitat and under aquaculture conditions; hence, research that increases molecular information to understand abalone physiology and stress response is noteworthy. Accordingly, the study used transcriptome sequencing of the gill tissues of abalone exposed to low salinity stress. The aim is to explore some enriched pathways during salinity stress and the crosstalk and functions of the genes involved in the candidate biological processes for future further analysis of their expression patterns. The data suggest that abalone genes such as YAP/TAZ, Myc, Nkd, and Axin (involved in the Hippo signaling pathway) and PI3K/Akt, SHC, and RTK (involved in the Ras signaling pathways) might mediate growth and development. Thus, deregulation of the Hippo and Ras pathways by salinity stress could be a possible mechanism by which unfavorable salinities influence growth in abalone. Furthermore, PEPCK, GYS, and PLC genes (mediating the Glucagon signaling pathway) might be necessary for glucose homeostasis, reproduction, and abalone meat sensory qualities; hence, a need to investigate how they might be influenced by environmental stress. Genes such as MYD88, IRAK1/4, JNK, AP-1, and TRAF6 (mediating the MAPK signaling pathway) could be useful in understanding abalone's innate immune response to environmental stresses. Finally, the aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway hints at the mechanism by which new raw materials for protein biosynthesis are mobilized for physiological processes and how abalone might respond to this process during salinity stress. Low salinity clearly regulated genes in these pathways in a time-dependent manner, as hinted by the heat maps. In the future, qRT-PCR verification and in-depth study of the various genes and proteins discussed would provide enormous molecular information resources for the abalone biology.

Comparative Responses of Orange-Foot and Common-Foot Haliotis gigantea to Carotenoid-Enriched Diets: Survival, Heat Tolerance, and Bacterial Resistance

Carotenoids, known to enhance survival, heat tolerance, and bacterial resistance, play an essential role in the nutrition of economically important aquatic animals. This study specifically examined their impact as feed additives on the abalone Haliotis gigantea. We prepared 13 compound feeds with varying levels of astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene, and administered them to both common-footed and orange-footed H. gigantea. The survival rate of H. gigantea was about 70-80%, with no significant differences in survival observed among the various carotenoid-supplemented feeding groups or when compared with the control group, nor between orange-footed and common-footed individuals. In heat attachment duration experiments, orange-foot abalones exhibited longer attachment durations with certain concentrations of astaxanthin and zeaxanthin, whereas common-foot abalones showed extended durations with astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, and β-carotene, indicating that common-foot abalones might benefit more from these carotenoids. Additionally, our results showed similar patterns and levels of Vibrio harveyi AP37 resistance in both orange-footed and common-footed H. gigantea, suggesting a uniform response to carotenoid supplementation in their bacterial defense mechanisms. This study suggests the potential benefits of carotenoid supplementation in H. gigantea and contributes to the theoretical basis for developing high-quality artificial compound feeds.

Ecological benefits of artificial light at night (ALAN): Accelerating the development and metamorphosis of marine shellfish larvae

Urbanization has led to increasing use of artificial light at night (ALAN), which has rapidly become an important source of pollution in many cities. To identify the ALAN effects on the embryonic development of the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai, we first exposed larvae to natural light with a light period of 12 L:12D (control, Group CTR). We then exposed larvae to three different light regimes. Larvae in Group NL were exposed to full spectrum artificial light from 18:00 to 00:00 to simulate the lighting condition at night, whereas Groups BL and YL were illuminated at the same time interval with 450 nm of short-wavelength blue light and 560 nm of long-wavelength orange light, respectively, to simulate billboard lighting at night. There were significantly higher hatching success and metamorphosis rates of larvae in Group BL than in Group YL or CTR (P < 0.05). The larvae in Group YL had the highest abnormality rate and took the longest time to complete metamorphosis. Transcriptomic studies revealed significantly higher expression levels of genes related to RNA transport, DNA replication, and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathways in Group BL compared to the other groups. In the metabolomic analysis, we identified prostaglandin B1, tyramine, d-fructose 6-phosphate, L-adrenaline, leukotriene C4, and arachidonic acid as differential metabolic markers, as they play a vital part in helping larvae adapt to different ALAN conditions. Multi-omics correlation analysis of pairwise comparisons between all of the groups suggested that the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) and arachidonic acid metabolism pathways were significantly enriched (P < 0.05). Further quantitative analysis of the fatty acid (FA) contents revealed that 42 out of 50 FAs were down-regulated in Group BL and up-regulated in Group YL, which suggested that the synthesis, catabolism, and metabolism of FAs are crucial for the larval response to different spectral components of ALAN. For the first time, we report positive rather than negative effects of artificial blue light at night on the embryonic development of a benthic marine species. These results are significant for unbiased and full-scale assessment of the ecological effects of ALAN and for understanding the structural stability of the marine benthic community.

Comparative Cytogenetic Analysis of Diploid and Triploid Pacific Abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

INTRODUCTION

The Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, is one of the most commercially important marine shellfish in China. Cell engineering breeding is an important tool in abalone genetic breeding, and the triploids obtained through this method have high commercial value. However, current research mainly focuses on establishing induction methods and evaluating the growth traits of triploids, while there is a lack of basic research on triploid cytogenetics.

METHOD

In this study, Cytogenetic analysis of triploid Haliotis discus hannai larvae (produced by chemical treatment) and diploid larvae was performed.

RESULT

The results showed that triploid H. discus hannai had a chromosome number of 3n = 54, consisting of 30 metacentric (m) and 24 submetacentric (sm) chromosomes, while the diploids had a chromosome number of 2n = 36, consisting of 20 metacentric (m) and 16 submetacentric (sm) chromosomes. Notably, both triploids and diploids displayed variation in the number of NORs and/or their diameter. The average number of NORs in triploid was significantly higher than that in diploids (p < 0.05), but the average diameter of NORs of triploid was no significant different from that of diploid (p > 0.05). Additionally, 5S rDNA localization to 3 submetacentric chromosomes was observed in triploids, compared to 2 submetacentric chromosomes in diploids. The number of 18S rDNA sites displayed positional conservancy and quantitative variability in both diploids and triploids. Specifically, 18S rDNA was found at the end of the chromosome in both groups, with triploids exhibiting a significantly higher number of loci than diploids (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study provides valuable insights into the cytogenetic characteristics of triploid H. discus hannai, which could facilitate further research on the stability of the chromosome set in this species.

Reaching adults who smoke cigarettes in rural Appalachia: Rationale, design & analysis plan for a mixed-methods study disseminating pharmacy-delivered cessation treatment

INTRODUCTION

Unlike other U.S. geographical regions, cigarette smoking prevalence remains stagnant in rural Appalachia. One avenue for reaching rural residents with evidence-based smoking cessation treatments could be utilizing community pharmacists. This paper describes the design, rationale, and analysis plan for a mixed-method study that will determine combinations of cessation treatment components that can be integrated within community pharmacies in rural Appalachia. The aim is to quantify the individual and synergistic effects of five highly disseminable and sustainable cessation components in a factorial experiment.

METHODS

This sequential, mixed-method research design, based on the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance) framework, will use a randomized controlled trial with a 25 fully crossed factorial design (32 treatment combinations) to test, alone and in combination, the most effective evidence-based cessation components: (1) QuitAid (yes vs. no) (2) tobacco quit line (yes vs. no) (3) SmokefreeTXT (yes vs. no) (4) combination NRT lozenge + NRT patch (vs. NRT patch alone), and (5) eight weeks of NRT (vs. standard four weeks).

RESULTS

Logistic regression will model abstinence at six-months, including indicators for the five treatment factors and all two-way interactions between the treatment factors. Demographic and smoking history variables will be considered to assess potential effect modification. Poisson regression will model quit attempts and percent of adherence to treatment components as secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This study will provide foundational evidence on how community pharmacies in medically underserved, rural regions can be leveraged to increase utilization of existing evidence-based tobacco cessation resources for treating tobacco dependence.

CLINICAL TRIALS

NCT05660525.

Impact of ocean acidification on shells of the abalone species Haliotis diversicolor and Haliotis discus hannai

Ocean acidification (OA) results from the absorption of anthropogenic CO2 emissions by the ocean and threatens the survival of many marine calcareous organisms including molluscs. We studied OA effects on adult shells of the abalone species Haliotis diversicolor and Haliotis discus hannai that were exposed to three pCO2 conditions (ambient, ∼880, and ∼1600 μatm) for 1 year. Shell periostracum corrosion under OA was observed for both species. OA reduced shell hardness and altered the nacre ultrastructure in H. diversicolor, making its shells more vulnerable to crushing force. OA exposure did not reduce the shell hardness of H. discus hannai and did not alter nacre ultrastructure. However, the reduced calcification also decreased its resistance to crushing force. Sr/Ca in the shell increased with rising calcification rate. Mg/Ca increased upon OA exposure could be due to a complimentary mechanism of preventing shell hardness further reduced. The Na/Ca distribution between the aragonite and calcite of abalone shells was also changed by OA. In general, both abalone species are at a greater risk in a more acidified ocean. Their shells may not provide sufficient protection from predators or to transportation stress in aquaculture.

Relativistic ultrafast electron diffraction at high repetition rates

The ability to resolve the dynamics of matter on its native temporal and spatial scales constitutes a key challenge and convergent theme across chemistry, biology, and materials science. The last couple of decades have witnessed ultrafast electron diffraction (UED) emerge as one of the forefront techniques with the sensitivity to resolve atomic motions. Increasingly sophisticated UED instruments are being developed that are aimed at increasing the beam brightness in order to observe structural signatures, but so far they have been limited to low average current beams. Here, we present the technical design and capabilities of the HiRES (High Repetition-rate Electron Scattering) instrument, which blends relativistic electrons and high repetition rates to achieve orders of magnitude improvement in average beam current compared to the existing state-of-the-art instruments. The setup utilizes a novel electron source to deliver femtosecond duration electron pulses at up to MHz repetition rates for UED experiments. Instrument response function of sub-500 fs is demonstrated with < 100 fs time resolution targeted in future. We provide example cases of diffraction measurements on solid-state and gas-phase samples, including both micro- and nanodiffraction (featuring 100 nm beam size) modes, which showcase the potential of the instrument for novel UED experiments.

Reproduction strategy of nocturnal marine molluscs: running for love

The cost of reproduction is the core driver of life history evolution in animals. This paper demonstrates that the cumulative distance moved and the duration of movement of sexually immature abalones, Haliotis discus hannai, kept in various male and female groups, were significantly higher than those of sexually mature individuals, except when kept in mixed cultures of mature males and females. After mixed-culture, sexually mature males moved significantly further and for a longer duration than mature female abalones, and even more so than mature male abalones of any other group. Examination of the LC-MS metabolomics of mature males cultured with sexually mature females (AM) and those cultured with sexually immature females (JM) showed that cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) acted as a differential metabolic biomarker. After 24-h uninterrupted sampling, the concentration of 5-HT and the expression levels of the 5-HT2 and 5-HT6 receptors in AM were significantly higher than those in JM. After further injection of 5-HT2 and 5-HT6 receptor antagonists, the concentrations of cAMP and PKA rose again, but the cumulative movement duration and distance of male abalones decreased significantly, showing that 5-HT was involved in the regulation of movement behavior of male abalones through the 5-HT2 and 5-HT6 receptor-activated cAMP-PKA pathways. The results demonstrated a significant increase in the movement endurance of mature male abalones cultured with mature females, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the adaptive life history strategies of abalones and suggesting ways to protect diverse benthic resources for abalones during the reproductive stage.

Comprehensive Comparison of Effects of Antioxidant (Astaxanthin) Supplementation from Different Sources in Haliotis discus hannai Diet

Dietary antioxidant supplementation, especially astaxanthin, has shown great results on reproductive aspects, egg quality, growth, survival, immunity, stress tolerance, and disease resistance in aquatic animals. However, the effects of dietary astaxanthin supplementation from different sources are still unknown. A comprehensive comparison of survival, growth, immune response, antioxidant activity, thermal resistance, disease resistance, and intestinal microbial structure was conducted in dietary antioxidant supplementation from the sources of Gracilaria lemaneiformis (GL), industrial synthetic astaxanthin (80 mg/kg astaxanthin actual weight, named as group 'SA80'), Phaffia rhodozyma (80 mg/kg astaxanthin actual weight, named as group 'PR80') and Haematococcus pluvialis (120 mg/kg astaxanthin actual weight, named as group 'HP120') at their optimal supplementation amounts. Furthermore, the SA80, PR80, and HP120 groups performed better in all aspects, including survival, growth, immune response, antioxidant activity, thermal resistance, and disease resistance, compared with the GL group. The PR80 and HP120 group also had a better growth performance than the SA80 group. In terms of heat stress and bacterial challenge, abalone in the PR80 group showed the strongest resistance. Overall, 80 mg/kg astaxanthin supplementation from Phaffia rhodozyma was recommended to obtain a more effective and comprehensive outcome. This study contributes to the discovery of the optimum dietary astaxanthin supplementation source for abalone, which is helpful to improve the production efficiency and economic benefits of abalone. Future research can further explore the action mechanism and the method of application of astaxanthin to better exploit its antioxidant role.

[Efficacy of non-surgical comprehensive treatment for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical esophagus invasion]

Objective: To analyze the treatment effects and side effects of non-surgical comprehensive treatment for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma invading cervical esophagus. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on sixty-six patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma invade the esophagus. These patients were treated in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery of Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital between January 2011 and May 2022, including sixty-five males and one female, aged 43-71 years. Treatment regimen consisted of induction chemotherapy and concurrent chemoradiothrapy and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapy, three of these cases were treated with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immunotherapy. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Side effects were evaluated with the established CTCAE (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) 5.0 criteria. The factors affecting prognosis were analyzed by Cox multivariate regression analysis. Results: Sixty-four (97.0%, 64/66) patients completed the radiotherapy and chemotherapy plan. The most common grade three side effects were radioactive oropharyngeal mucositis (89.1%, 57/64) and leukopenia (23.4%, 15/64). Five (7.8%, 5/64) patients showed grade three hoarseness; two patients (3.1%, 2/64) suffered from grade three swallowing dysfunction and required feeding tube and intravenous nutrition; the remaining patients(89.1%) retained good vocal and swallowing functions. The overall survival (OS) of all patients was 81.5% after one year, 54.0% after three years, and 39.9% after five years; the progression-free survival (PFS) was 78.3% after one year, 54.9% after three years, and 42.6% after five years; local control rate (LCR) was 80.9% after one year, 62.5% after three years, and 52.0% after five years. T4a patients showed better OS, PFS and LCR than T4b patients, with statistically significant differences (χ2=8.10, 8.27, and 6.64, respectively, all P<0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that lymph node metastasis was an independent factor affecting prognosis (χ2=10.21, P<0.05). Conclusion: Non-surgical comprehensive treatment can provide with another option of radical treatment for locally advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma with cervical esophagus invasion, offering the patients higher rate of larynx and esophageal preservation with tolerable side effects.

Molecular Characterization and Function of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7) in the Pacific Abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play important roles in a lot of biological processes, such as bone development, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, growth, etc. However, the functions of abalone BMP genes are still unknown. This study aimed to better understand the characterization and biological function of BMP7 of Haliotis discus hannai (hdh-BMP7) via cloning and sequencing analysis. The coding sequence (CDS) length of hdh-BMP7 is 1251 bp, which encodes 416 amino acids including a signal peptide (1-28 aa), a transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) propeptide (38-272 aa), and a mature TGF-β peptide (314-416 aa). The analysis of expression showed that hdh-BMP7 mRNA was widely expressed in all the examined tissues of H. discus hannai. Four SNPs were related to growth traits. The results of RNA interference (RNAi) showed that the mRNA expression levels of hdh-BMPR I, hdh-BMPR II, hdh-smad1, and hdh-MHC declined after hdh-BMP7 was silenced. After RNAi experiment for 30 days, the shell length, shell width, and total weight were found to be reduced in H. discus hannai (p < 0.05). The results of real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR revealed that the hdh-BMP7 mRNA was lower in abalone of the S-DD-group than in the L-DD-group. Based on these data, we hypothesized that BMP7 gene has a positive role in the growth of H. discus hannai.

Metabolic and transcriptional responses demonstrating enhanced thermal tolerance in domesticated abalone

Global warming threatens aquatic systems and organisms. Many studies have focused on the vulnerability and stress responses of aquaculture organisms to future thermal conditions. However, it may be of more practical significance to reveal their acclimation potential and mechanisms. In this study, the physiological, metabolic, and transcriptional responses to long-term temperature acclimation of northern and southern populations of Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai, a commercially important gastropod sensitive to environmental changes, were compared. This study conducted two common-garden experiments, including a thermostatic experiment in the lab and an aquaculture experiment on the farm. The abalone population cultured in warmer southern waters was tolerant of ongoing high temperatures, whereas the abalone population originally cultured in cooler northern waters exhibited vulnerability to high temperatures but could enhance its thermal tolerance through the process of natural selection in warmer southern waters. This difference was linked to divergence in the metabolic and transcriptional processes of the two populations. The tolerant population exhibited a greater capacity for carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism regulation and energy redistribution to cope with heat stress. This capacity may have been selected for, and accumulated, over many generations because the tolerant population originated from the intolerant population over two decades ago. This work provides insight into the vulnerability and acclimation potential of abalone to heat stress and discloses the molecular and metabolic traits underlying this phenomenon. Future research on the ability of abalone and other commercial shellfish species to acclimate to global warming should take this potential into account.

Divergent Carry-Over Effects of Hypoxia during the Early Development of Abalone

After being exposed to environmental stimuli during early developmental stages, some organisms may gain or weaken physiological regulating abilities, which would have long-lasting effects on their performance. Environmental hypoxia events can have significant effects on marine organisms, but for breeding programs and other practical applications, it is important to further explore the long-term physiological effects of early hypoxia exposure in economically significant species. In this study, the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai was exposed to moderate hypoxia (∼4 mg/L) from zygote to trochophora, and the assessments of hypoxia tolerance were conducted on the grow-out stage. The results revealed that juvenile abalones exposed to hypoxia at the early development stages were more hypoxia-tolerant but with slower weight growth, a phenomenon called the trade-off between growth and survival. These phenotypic effects driven by the hypoxia exposure were explained by strong selection of genes involved in signal transduction, autophagy, apoptosis, and hormone regulation. Moreover, long non-coding RNA regulation plays an important role modulating carry-over effects by controlling DNA replication and repair, signal transduction, myocardial activity, and hormone regulation. This study revealed that the ability to create favorable phenotypic differentiation through genetic selection and/or epigenetic regulation is important for the survival and development of aquatic animals in the face of rapidly changing environmental conditions.

Effects of one-year exposure to ocean acidification on two species of abalone

Ocean acidification (OA) resulting from the absorption of excess atmospheric CO₂ by the ocean threatens the survival of marine calcareous organisms, including mollusks. This study investigated the effects of OA on adults of two abalone species (Haliotis diversicolor, a subtropical species, and Haliotis discus hannai, a temperate species). Abalone were exposed to three pCO₂ conditions for 1 year (ambient, ~ 880, and ~ 1600 μatm), and parameters, including mortality, physiology, immune system, biochemistry, and carry-over effects, were measured. Survival decreased significantly at ~ 800 μatm pCO₂ for H. diversicolor, while H. discus hannai survival was negatively affected only at a higher OA level (~ 1600 μatm pCO₂). H. diversicolor exhibited depressed metabolic and excretion rates and a higher O:N ratio under OA, indicating a shift to lipids as a metabolism substrate, while these physiological parameters in H. discus hannai were robust to OA. Both abalone failed to compensate for the pH decrease of their internal fluids because of the lowered hemolymph pH under OA. However, the reduced hemolymph pH did not affect total hemocyte counts or tested biomarkers. Additionally, H. discus hannai increased its hemolymph protein content under OA, which could indicate enhanced immunity. Larvae produced by adults exposed to the three pCO₂ levels were cultured in the same pCO₂ conditions and larval deformation and shell length were measured to observe carry-over effects. Enhanced OA tolerance was observed for H. discus hannai exposed under both of the OA treatments, while that was only observed following parental pCO₂ ~ 880 μatm exposure for H. diversicolor. Following pCO₂ ~ 1600 μatm parental exposure, H. diversicolor offspring exhibited higher deformation and lower shell growth in all pCO₂ treatments. In general, H. diversicolor were more susceptible to OA compared with H. discus hannai, suggesting that H. diversicolor could be unable to adapt to acidified oceans in the future.

AMPK regulates behavior and physiological plasticity of Haliotis discus hannai under different spectral compositions

In natural environments, the spectral composition of incident light is often subject to drastic changes due to the abundance of suspended particles, floating animals, and plants in coastal waters. In this study, after four months of culturing under blue light (NB), orange light (NY), dark environment (ND), and natural light (NN), the shell length and weight-specific growth rate in Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, were ranked in the following order: NY > NN > ND > NB. To understand the growth differences in abalone under these different light environments, we first performed 24-h video monitoring and found that the cumulative movement distance and duration were lowest in group NB, whereas the cumulative movement distance and duration were significantly higher in group ND than in any other group (P < 0.05). In group NB, the time spent hidden underneath the attachment substrate accounted for 81% of the resting time, but this ratio was lowest in group ND, at only 37% (P < 0.05). Next, LC-MS metabolomics identified 201 and 105 metabolites in NB vs. NN, ND vs. NN, and NY vs. NN under the positive and negative ion modes, respectively. According to the fold changes and annotations for differential metabolites in the KEGG enrichment pathways, adenosine, NAD⁺, cGMP, and arachidonic acid were used as differential metabolism markers, and the AMPK signaling pathway was enriched in every comparison group, and thus investigated further. The gene sequences of three subtypes of AMPK were obtained by cloning and we found that the expression levels of AMPKα and AMPKγ, and the AMP content were significantly higher in group NB than in any other group (P < 0.05). In addition, the ATP contents and adenylate energy charge values were ranked in the following order: NY > NN > ND > NB. According to in situ hybridization analysis, the three subtype genes were widely expressed in the hepatopancreas. Finally, the contents of many lipid metabolites differed significantly among groups and the expression levels of the triglyceride hydrolysis-related gene hormone sensitive lipase and fatty acid oxidation-related gene carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 were higher in groups ND and NB than in groups NN and NY according to fluorescence quantification PCR (P < 0.05). The expression levels of fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase were significantly lower in groups ND and NB than in groups NN and NY (P < 0.05). These findings indicated that differences in the spectral composition of incident light could reshape the behavior and physiological metabolism in abalone by influencing the "energy switch" AMPK, thereby providing some insights into the mechanisms that allow nocturnal marine organisms to adapt to different lighting environments.

Altered dynamic functional topology in first-episode untreated patients with schizophrenia can aid in early diagnosis

Introduction

There is a growing consensus on brain networks that it is not immutable but rather a dynamic complex system for adapting environment. The neuroimaging research studying how brain regions work collaboratively with dynamic methods had demonstrated its effectiveness in revealing the neural mechanisms of schizophrenia.

Objectives

To investigate altered dynamic brain functional topology in first-episode untreated schizophrenia patients (SZs) and establish classification models to find objective brain imaging biomarkers.

Methods

Resting-state-functional magnetic resonance data for SZs and matched healthy controls were obtained(Table1).

Power-264-template was used to extract nodes and sliding-window approach was carried out to establish functional connectivity matrices. Functional topology was assessed by eigenvector centrality(EC) and node efficiency and its time-fluctuating was evaluated with coefficient of variation(CV). Group differences of dynamic topology and correlation analysis between Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) scores and topology indices showing group differences, which also were used in establishing classification models, was examed.

Results

The CV of node efficiency in angular and paracingulate gyrus was larger in SZs. There are 13 nodes assigned into several brain networks displaying altered CV of EC between groups(Figure1.A). Fluctuation of EC of the node in DMN, which was lower in SZs, showed negative correlation with PANSS total scores(Figure1.B). Dynamic functional topology of above nodes was used to train classification models and demonstrated 80% and 71% accuracy for support vector classification(SVC) and random forest(RF), respectively(Figure2).

Conclusions

Dynamic functional topology illustrated a capability in identifying SZs. Aberrated dynamics of DMN relevant to severity of patient’s symptoms could reveal the reason why it contributed to classification.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Brain controllability and clinical relevance in schizophrenia

Introduction

Apart from the psychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits are also the core symptoms of schizophrenia. Brain network control theory provided information on the role of a specific brain region in the cognitive control process, helping understand the neural mechanism of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.

Objectives

To characterize the control properties of functional brain network in first-episode untreated patients with schizophrenia and the relationships between controllability and psychiatric symptoms, as well as exploring the predictive value of controllability in differentiating patients from healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

Average and modal controllability of brain networks were calculated and compared between 133 first-episode untreated patients with schizophrenia and 135 HCs. The associations between controllability and clinical symptoms were evaluated using sparse canonical correlation analysis. Support vector machine (SVM) and SVM-recursive feature elimination combined with the controllability were performed to establish the individual prediction model.

Results

Compared to HCs, the patients with schizophrenia showed increased average controllability and decreased modal controllability in dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Brain controllability predominantly in somatomotor, default mode, and visual networks was associated with the positive symptomatology of schizophrenia. The established model could identify patients with an accuracy of 0.68. Furthermore, the most discriminative features were located in dACC, medial prefrontal lobe, precuneus and superior temporal gyrus.

Conclusions

Altered controllability in dACC may play a critical role in the neuropathological mechanisms of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia, which could drive the brain function to different states to cope with varied cognitive tasks. As symptom-related biomarkers, controllability could be also beneficial to individual prediction in schizophrenia.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Transcriptome analysis reveals fluid shear stress (FSS) and atherosclerosis pathway as a candidate molecular mechanism of short-term low salinity stress tolerance in abalone

Background

Transcriptome sequencing is an effective tool to reveal the essential genes and pathways underlying countless biotic and abiotic stress adaptation mechanisms. Although severely challenged by diverse environmental conditions, the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai remains a high-value aquaculture mollusk and a Chinese predominantly cultured abalone species. Salinity is one of such environmental factors whose fluctuation could significantly affect the abalone’s cellular and molecular immune responses and result in high mortality and reduced growth rate during prolonged exposure. Meanwhile, hybrids have shown superiority in tolerating diverse environmental stresses over their purebred counterparts and have gained admiration in the Chinese abalone aquaculture industry.

The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of low salinity adaptation in abalone. Therefore, this study used transcriptome analysis of the gill tissues and flow cytometric analysis of hemolymph of H. discus hannai (DD) and interspecific hybrid H. discus hannai ♀ x H. fulgens ♂ (DF) during low salinity exposure. Also, the survival and growth rate of the species under various salinities were assessed.

Results

The transcriptome data revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched on the fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis (FSS) pathway. Meanwhile, the expression profiles of some essential genes involved in this pathway suggest that abalone significantly up-regulated calmodulin-4 (CaM-4) and heat-shock protein90 (HSP90), and significantly down-regulated tumor necrosis factor (TNF), bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB).

Also, the hybrid DF showed significantly higher and sustained expression of CaM and HSP90, significantly higher phagocytosis, significantly lower hemocyte mortality, and significantly higher survival at low salinity, suggesting a more active molecular and hemocyte-mediated immune response and a more efficient capacity to tolerate low salinity than DD.

Conclusions

Our study argues that the abalone CaM gene might be necessary to maintain ion equilibrium while HSP90 can offset the adverse changes caused by low salinity, thereby preventing damage to gill epithelial cells (ECs).

The data reveal a potential molecular mechanism by which abalone responds to low salinity and confirms that hybridization could be a method for breeding more stress-resilient aquatic species.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08611-8.

Role of Bmal1 in mediating the cholinergic system to regulate the behavioral rhythm of nocturnal marine molluscs

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The circadian differential expression of AchE was identified using TMT quantitative proteomics;

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It was found that the Ach concentration and the expression levels of AchE and Bmal1 exhibit circadian cosine rhythm;

•

The full-length sequences of AchE and nAchR were obtained by cloning technique and made available for phylogenetic analysis;

•

The movement distance and duration of abalone increased after the injection of neostigmine methylsulfate as the AchE inhibitor;

•

Bmal1 as the core circadian clock gene was proven to bind to AchE and nAchR, thereby regulating the movement behavior of abalone.

The circadian rhythm is one of the most general and important rhythms in biological organisms. In this study, continuous 24-h video recordings showed that the cumulative movement distance and duration of the abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, reached their maximum values between 20:00–00:00, but both were significantly lower between 08:00–12:00 than at any other time of day or night (P < 0.05). To investigate the causes of these diel differences in abalone movement behavior, their cerebral ganglia were harvested at 00:00 (group D) and 12:00 (group L) to screen for differentially expressed proteins using tandem mass tagging (TMT) quantitative proteomics. Seventy-five significantly different proteins were identified in group D vs. group L. The differences in acetylcholinesterase (AchE) expression levels between day- and nighttime and the key role in the cholinergic nervous system received particular attention during the investigation. A cosine rhythm analysis found that the concentration of acetylcholine (Ach) and the expression levels of AchE tended to be low during the day and high at night, and high during the day and low at night, respectively. However, the rhythmicity of the diel expression levels of acetylcholine receptor (nAchR) appeared to be insignificant (P > 0.05). Following the injection of three different concentrations of neostigmine methylsulfate, as an AchE inhibitor, the concentration of Ach in the hemolymph, and the expression levels of nAchR in the cerebral ganglia increased significantly (P < 0.05). Four hours after drug injection, the cumulative movement distance and duration of abalones were significantly higher than those in the uninjected control group, and the group injected with saline (P < 0.05). The expression levels of the core diurnal clock Bmal1 over a 24-h period also tended to be high during the day and low at night. First, a co-immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated the binding between Bmal1 and AchE or nAchR. A dual-luciferase gene test and electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that Bmal1 bound to the promoter regions of AchE and nAchR. Twenty-four hours after silencing the Bmal1 gene, the expression levels of AchE and nAchR decreased significantly compared to those of the dsEGFP and PBS control groups, further showing that Bmal1 mediates the cholinergic system to regulate the behavioral rhythm of abalone. These findings shed light on the endocrine mechanism regulating the rhythmic behavior of abalone, and provide a reference for understanding the life history adaptation strategies of nocturnal organisms and the proliferation and protection of bottom dwelling economically important organisms.

Genomic selection applications can improve the environmental performance of aquatics: a case study on the heat tolerance of abalone

Aquaculture is one of the world's fastest‐growing and most traded food industries, but it is under the threat of climate‐related risks represented by global warming, marine heatwave (MHW) events, ocean acidification, and deoxygenation. For the sustainable development of aquaculture, selective breeding may be a viable method to obtain aquatic economic species with greater tolerance to environmental stressors. In this study, we estimated the heritability of heat tolerance trait of Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai, performed genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) analysis for heat tolerance to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and candidate genes, and assessed the potential of genomic selection (GS) in the breeding of abalone industry. A total of 1120 individuals were phenotyped for their heat tolerance and genotyped with 64,788 quality‐controlled SNPs. The heritability of heat tolerance was moderate (0.35–0.42) and the predictive accuracy estimated using BayesB (0.55 ± 0.05) was higher than that using GBLUP (0.40 ± 0.01). A total of 11 genome‐wide significant SNPs and 2 suggestive SNPs were associated with heat tolerance of abalone, and 13 candidate genes were identified, including got2,znfx1,l(2)efl, and lrp5. Based on GWAS results, the prediction accuracy using the top 5K SNPs was higher than that using randomly selected SNPs and higher than that using all SNPs. These results suggest that GS is an efficient approach for improving the heat tolerance of abalone and pave the way for abalone selecting breeding programs in rapidly changing oceans.

Exploring the Intestinal Microbiota and Metabolome Profiles Associated With Feed Efficiency in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)

Feed efficiency (FE) is critical to the economic and environmental benefits of aquaculture. Both the intestines and intestinal microbiota play a key role in energy acquisition and influence FE. In the current research, intestinal microbiota, metabolome, and key digestive enzyme activities were compared between abalones with high [Residual feed intake (RFI) = -0.029] and low FE (RFI = 0.022). The FE of group A were significantly higher than these of group B. There were significant differences in intestinal microbiota structures between high- and low-FE groups, while higher microbiota diversity was observed in the high-FE group. Differences in FE were also strongly correlated to variations in intestinal digestive enzyme activity that may be caused by Pseudoalteromonas and Cobetia. In addition, Saprospira, Rhodanobacteraceae, Llumatobacteraceae, and Gaiellales may potentially be utilized as biomarkers to distinguish high- from low-FE abalones. Significantly different microorganisms (uncultured beta proteobacterium, BD1_7_clade, and Lautropia) were found to be highly correlated to significantly different metabolites [DL-methionine sulfoxide Arg-Gln, L-pyroglutamic acid, dopamine, tyramine, phosphatidyl cholines (PC) (16:0/16:0), and indoleacetic acid] in the high- and low-FE groups, and intestinal trypsin activity also significantly differed between the two groups. We propose that interactions occur among intestinal microbiota, intestinal metabolites, and enzyme activity, which improve abalone FE by enhancing amino acid metabolism, immune response, and signal transduction pathways. The present study not only elucidates mechanisms of variations in abalone FE, but it also provides important basic knowledge for improving abalone FE by modulating intestinal microbiota.

Review: Use of Electrophysiological Techniques to Study Visual Functions of Aquatic Organisms

The light environments of natural water sources have specific characteristics. For the majority of aquatic organisms, vision is crucial for predation, hiding from predators, communicating information, and reproduction. Electroretinography (ERG) is a diagnostic method used for assessing visual function. An electroretinogram records the comprehensive potential response of retinal cells under light stimuli and divides it into several components. Unique wave components are derived from different retinal cells, thus retinal function can be determined by analyzing these components. This review provides an overview of the milestones of ERG technology, describing how ERG is used to study visual sensitivity (e.g., spectral sensitivity, luminous sensitivity, and temporal resolution) of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic organisms (seals, sea lions, sea turtles, horseshoe crabs, and jellyfish). In addition, it describes the correlations between visual sensitivity and habitat, the variation of visual sensitivity as a function of individual growth, and the diel cycle changes of visual sensitivity. Efforts to identify the visual sensitivity of different aquatic organisms are vital to understanding the environmental plasticity of biological evolution and for directing aquaculture, marine fishery, and ecosystem management.

Distinct metabolic shifts occur during the transition between normoxia and hypoxia in the hybrid and its maternal abalone

Due to anthropogenic activities that have increased global climate change and nutrient discharges, severe hypoxic events have frequently occurred in coastal waters in recent years. Relying on coastal waters, the aquaculture area has suffered ecological and economic losses caused by hypoxia, especially in summer. In this study, to investigate the stress resistance of the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai (DD) and the hybrid H. discus hannai ♀ × H. fulgens ♂ (DF), a combination of physiological, biochemical, and metabolomic methods were used to compare the metabolic responses of these two abalones to acute hypoxia (~0.5 mg O₂/L, 12 h) and reoxygenation (~6.6 mg O₂/L, 10-20 h). Hemolymph characteristics and aerobic/anaerobic respiratory capacity changed significantly under hypoxia or reoxygenation conditions, and they were regulated in different trends in two abalones. The contents of hepatopancreas glycogen in two abalones reached the trough after 10 h recovery, implying that short-term hypoxia leads to a long-lasting (several hours) imprint on the energy storage of abalone. In response to dissolved oxygen fluctuation, metabolic profiles of two abalones changed in distinct ways both in the hypoxia group or the reoxygenation group. The conversion of carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism indicated that hypoxia prompts abalone to change the way of energy metabolism, which may also reflect the difference in the energy utilization of DD and DF abalones. In addition, 3 metabolites (L-glutamate, 2-hydroxy-butanoic acid, and 2-methyl-3-hydroxybutyric acid) as potential biomarkers for hypoxia and reoxygenation response in abalone were determined by operating characteristic analysis (ROC). Overall, this study provides information towards understanding the damage caused by frequent hypoxic events and implies the metabolic shifts that occur under hypoxia and reoxygenation conditions in DD and DF abalones.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular mechanisms of heterosis on thermal resistance in hybrid abalone

BACKGROUND

Heterosis has been exploited for decades in different animals and crops due to it resulting in dramatic increases in yield and adaptability. Hybridization is a classical breeding method that can effectively improve the genetic characteristics of organisms through heterosis. Abalone has become an increasingly economically important aquaculture resource with high commercial value. However, due to changing climate, abalone is now facing serious threats of high temperature in summer. Interspecific hybrid abalone (Haliotis gigantea ♀ × H. discus hannai ♂, SD) has been cultured at large scale in southern China and has been shown high survival rates under heat stress in summer. Therefore, SD has become a good model material for heterosis research, but the molecular basis of heterosis remains elusive.

RESULTS

Heterosis in thermal tolerance of SD was verified through Arrhenius break temperatures (ABT) of cardiac performance in this study. Then RNA-Sequencing was conducted to obtain gene expression patterns and alternative splicing events at control temperature (20 °C) and heat stress temperature (30 °C). A total of 356 (317 genes), 476 (435genes), and 876 (726 genes) significantly diverged alternative splicing events were identified in H. discus hannai (DD), H. gigantea (SS), and SD in response to heat stress, respectively. In the heat stress groups, 93.37% (20,512 of 21,969) of the expressed genes showed non-additive expression patterns, and over-dominance expression patterns of genes account for the highest proportion (40.15%). KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the overlapping genes among common DEGs and NAGs were significantly enriched in protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, mitophagy, and NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, we found that among these overlap genes, 39 genes had undergone alternative splicing events in SD. These pathways and genes may play an important role in the thermal resistance of hybrid abalone.

CONCLUSION

More alternative splicing events and non-additive expressed genes were detected in hybrid under heat stress and this may contribute to its thermal heterosis. These results might provide clues as to how hybrid abalone has a better physiological regulation ability than its parents under heat stress, to increase our understanding of heterosis in abalone.

Comparative Transcriptome and DNA Methylation Analysis of Phenotypic Plasticity in the Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)

Phenotypic plasticity is an adaptive mechanism used by organisms to cope with environmental fluctuations. Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) are large-scale farmed in the temperate area of northern China and in the warmer waters of southern China. RNA-seq and comparative transcriptomic analysis here were performed to determine if the northern and southern populations have evolved divergent plasticity and if functional differences are associated with protein synthesis and growth-related biological progress. The DNA methylation (5mC) landscape of H. discus hannai from the two populations using whole genomic bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), exhibited different epigenetic patterns. The southern population had significant genomic hypo-methylation that may have resulted from long-term acclimation to heat stress. Combining 790 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 7635 differentially methylated genes (DMGs), we found that methylation within the gene body might be important in predicting abalone gene expression. Genes related to growth, development, transduction, and apoptosis may be regulated by methylation and could explain the phenotypic divergence of H. discus hannai. Our findings not only emphasize the significant roles of adaptive plasticity in the acclimation of H. discus hannai to high temperatures but also provide a new understanding of the epigenetic mechanism underlying the phenotypic plasticity in adaptation to climate change for marine organisms.

Genomic insights into the adaptation and evolution of the nautilus, an ancient but evolving "living fossil"

The nautilus, commonly known as a "living fossil," is endangered and may be at risk of extinction. The lack of genomic information hinders a thorough understanding of its biology and evolution, which can shed light on the conservation of this endangered species. Here, we report the first high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of Nautilus pompilius. The assembled genome size comprised 785.15 Mb. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that transposable elements (TEs) and large-scale genome reorganizations may have driven lineage-specific evolution in the cephalopods. Remarkably, evolving conserved genes and recent TE insertion activities were identified in N. pompilius, and we speculate that these findings reflect the strong adaptability and long-term survival of the nautilus. We also identified gene families that are potentially responsible for specific adaptation and evolution events. Our study provides unprecedented insights into the specialized biology and evolution of N. pompilius, and the results serve as an important resource for future conservation genomics of the nautilus and closely related species.

[Surgical treatment of primary liver cancer:a report of 10 966 cases]

Objective: To summarize the experience of surgical treatment of primary liver cancer. Methods: The clinical data of 10 966 surgically managed cases with primary liver cancer, from January 1986 to December 2019 at Hepatobiliary Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, were retrospectively analyzed. The life table method was used to calculate the survival rate and postoperative recurrence rate. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival process of different groups, and the Cox regression model was used for multivariate analysis. In addition, 2 884 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) with more detailed follow-up data from 2009 to 2019 were selected for survival analysis. Among 2 549 patients treated with hepatectomy, there were 2 107 males and 442 females, with an age of (56.6±11.1) years (range: 20 to 86 years). Among 335 patients treated with liver transplantation, there were 292 males and 43 females, with an age of (51.0±9.7) years (range: 21 to 73 years). The outcomes of hepatectomy versus liver transplantation, anatomic versus non-anatomic hepatectomy were compared, respectively. Results: Of the 10 966 patients with primary liver cancer, 10 331 patients underwent hepatectomy and 635 patients underwent liver transplantation. Patients with liver resection were categorized into three groups: 1986－1995(712 cases), 1996－2008(3 988 cases), 2009‒2019(5 631 cases). The 5-year overall survival rate was 32.9% in the first group(1986－1995). The 5-year overall survival rate of resected primary liver cancer was 51.7% in the third group(2009-2019), among which the 5-year overal survival rates of hepatocellular carcinoma, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and mixed liver cancer were 57.4%, 26.6% and 50.6%, respectively. Further analysis was performed on 2 549 HCC patients with primary hepatectomy. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 88.1%, 71.9%, 60.0%, and 41.0%, respectively, and the perioperative mortality rate was 1.0%. Two hundred and forty-seven HCC patients underwent primary liver transplantation, with 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates of 84.0%, 64.8%, 61.9%, and 57.6%, respectively. Eighty-eight HCC patients underwent salvage liver transplantation, with the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates of 86.8%, 65.2%, 52.5%, and 52.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival rates between the two groups with liver transplantation (P>0.05). Comparing the overall survival rates and recurrence rates of primary hepatectomy (2 549 cases) with primary liver transplantation (247 cases), the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates in patients within Milan criteria treated with hepatectomy and transplantation were 96.3%, 87.1%, 76.9%, 54.7%, and 95.4%, 79.4%, 77.4%, 71.7%, respectively (P=0.754). The 1-, 3-, 5-year recurrence rates were 16.3%, 35.9%, 47.6% and 8.1%, 11.7%, 13.9%, respectively(P<0.01). The 1-, 3-, 5-, 10-year overall survival rates in patients with no large vessels invasion beyond the Milan criteria treated with liver resection and transplantation were 87.2%, 65.9%, 53.0%, 33.0% and 87.6%, 71.8%, 71.8%, 69.3%, respectively(P=0.003); the 1-, 3-, 5-year recurrence rate were 39.2%, 57.8%, 69.7% and 29.7%, 36.7%, 36.7%, respectively (P<0.01). The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates in patients with large vessels invasion treated with liver resection and transplantation were 62.1%, 36.1%, 22.2%, 15.0% and 62.9%, 31.8%,19.9%, 0, respectively (P=0.387); the 1-, 3-, 5-year recurrence rates were 61.5%, 74.7%, 80.8% and 59.7%, 82.9%, 87.2%, respectively(P=0.909). Independent prognostic factors for both overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates of HCC patients treated with liver resection included gender, neoadjuvant therapy, symptoms, AST, intraoperative or postoperative blood transfusion, tumor number, tumor size, cirrhosis, macrovascular invasion, microvascular invasion, and pathological differentiation. Propensity score matching analysis of 443 pairs further showed that there was no significant difference in overall survival rate between anatomical liver resection and non-anatomical liver resection(P=0.895), but the recurrence rate of non-anatomical liver resection was higher than that of anatomical liver resection(P=0.035). Conclusions: In the past decade, the overall survival rate of HCC undergoing surgical treatment is significantly higher than before. For HCC patients with good liver function reservation, surgical resection can be performed first, and salvage liver transplantation can be performed after recurrence. The effect of salvage liver transplantation is comparable to that of primary liver transplantation. As for the choice of liver resection approaches, non-anatomical resection can reserve more liver tissue and can be selected as long as the negative margin is guaranteed.

Circadian movement behaviours and metabolism differences of the Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai

Circadian rhythm is the most important and universal biological rhythm in marine organisms. In this research, the movement behaviour of abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) was continuously monitored under a light cycle of 12 L:12D. It was found that the cumulative movement distance and cumulative movement time of abalone reached was highest from 00:00-03:00 h. The minimum values of maximum movement velocity occurred between 21:00-00:00 h, and a significant circadian cosine rhythm was exhibited during these periods (P < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis of cerebral ganglions of abalone was conducted at 06:00 h (6 M), 14:00 h (14 M), and 22:00 h (22 M) and 380, 385, and 315 metabolites with significant differences were identified in 6 M vs 14 M, 14 M vs 22 M, and 6 M vs 22 M, respectively (P < 0.05). With the alternation of day and night, the expression levels of phosphatidylcholine, 5-HT, N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptamine, indole-3-acetaldehyde, hypoxanthine, and deoxyinosine declined significantly, while those of Lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC) (20: 5 (5Z, 8Z, 11Z, 14Z, 17Z)), lysoPC (22: 4 (7Z, 10Z, 13Z, 16Z)), lysoPC (16: 1 (9Z) / 0: 0), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (18: 1 (11Z) 22: 2 (13Z, 16Z)), and guanosine 5'-phosphate rose significantly. These 11 metabolites can be used as differential metabolic markers. These findings not only quantitatively describe the circadian movement behaviours of abalone, but also provide an initial analysis of the circadian mechanism of the physiological metabolic conversion of abalone, which in turn provides guidelines for light control and feeding strategy for use in aquaculture production.

Breed difference and regulatory role of CRTC3 in porcine intramuscular adipocyte

The cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB)-regulated transcription coactivator 3 (CRTC3) is a member of the CRTC protein family and plays an important role in energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine if the expression of porcine CRTC3 is related to intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition and meat quality in Heigai pigs (a local fatty breed in China) and Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs (a lean crossbred pig widely cultured in China). In addition, the effect of ectopic expression of CRTC3 on gene expression in porcine IMF adipocytes was also examined. Our results showed that Heigai pigs had lower lean percentage, thicker back fat thickness and smaller loin muscle area than DLY pigs. Compared with DLY pigs, Heigai pigs had higher marbling scores, better meat color and higher IMF contents and triglyceride concentrations. Higher levels of oxidative metabolic enzyme and expression of the slow oxidative muscle fiber-related genes were observed in longissimus dorsi muscle and psoas major muscle (P < 0.05) from Heigai pigs. Notably, CRTC3 and adipocyte-specific marker genes were highly expressed in muscle tissues of Heigai pigs. The expression of lipolysis-related genes ATGL and HSL were lower in Heigai muscles. Moreover, forced expression of CRTC3 promoted lipid accumulation and increased the expression of PPARγ, C/EBPα, leptin and FABP4 (P < 0.05), whereas it decreased the expression of ATGL and HSL in IMF adipocytes. These results suggest that CRTC3 expression is associated with lipid accumulation and IMF deposition in pigs.

Comparative immune response during the juvenile and adult stages of two abalones under Vibrio harveyi challenge

Mass mortality of juvenile hybrid (Haliotis discus hannai ♀× H. fulgens ♂, DF) and adult H. discus hannai (DD) occurs in south China during the summer. This study showed that the juvenile DF and adult DD exhibited significantly lower survival rates than juvenile DD and adult DF under 72 h pathogenic bacteria (Vibrio harveyi) challenge at different temperatures (20 °C and 28 °C). Phenoloxidase (PO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly higher in juvenile DD compared to juvenile DF, whereas that in adult abalone was the opposite. Juvenile DD and adult DF also exhibited advantages in terms of immune-related gene expression (TRAF, TLR, MIF, Lys, Spi, Cat, TNF, and SOD) compared to juvenile DF and adult DD. The data reveals immunocompetence differences in DD and DF at the juvenile and adult stages.

Quantitative Determination of Ginsenoside Rg1 in Rat Plasma by Ultrahigh Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) and its Application in a Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability Study

Background:

Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is the main active compound of ginseng herbs.

Objective:

The aim of this study is to develop a rapid, selective and sensitive ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method to determine the levels of Rg1 in rat plasma and investigate the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of Rg1 in rats.

Methods:

Chromatographic separation was achieved on an UHPLC-MS/MS system with an UPLC BEH C18 column using an elution gradient of a mixture of acetonitrile and water (with 0.1% formic acid). The analytes were quantitatively determined by negative-mode electrospray tandem MS.

Results:

The linearity of the calibration curve was from 2 to 1,000 ng/mL (r ≥ 0.9956), and the lower limit of quantification was 2 ng/mL. The inter-day and intra-day precision were both lower than 12.0%, and the accuracy ranged from 90.6 to 109.7%. The recovery of the targets was higher than 87.0%, and the matrix effect at three different analyte concentrations were from 89.0 to 97.2%. The bioavailability of Rg1 was only 6.1% due to a poor oral absorption.

Conclusion:

This new quantitative method was found to be sensitive, rapid and selective, and was successfully used to study the pharmacokinetics of Rg1 after intravenous and oral administration in rats.

[Value of index of microcirculatory resistance for early prediction of periprocedural myocardial microcirculatory injury after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with coronary heart disease]

Objective: To explore the value of index of microcirculatory resistance (IMR) for early prediction of periprocedural myocardial injury (PMI) in patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after PCI. Methods: It was a prospective study. One hundred and sixty-four patients who had single coronary lesion were consecutively enrolled from May 2014 to December 2017 at Nanjing Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University. According to clinical manifestation, patients were divided into SAP group (n=81) and ACS group (n=83). IMR was determined by thermal dilution with pressure guide wire. Basic clinical characteristics, coronary angiographic results, PCI procedural details, IMR after PCI, ΔIMR (IMR=post-PCI-IMR pre-PCI), levels of myocardial biomarkers before and after PCI were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relation of PMI with IMR and ΔIMR, and the predictive ability was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results: The levels of total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly higher in ACS group than in SAP group (P<0.05), other clinical data at baseline were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) results and PCI related data were also similar between the two groups before PCI (P>0.05). Values of mean transit time (Tmn) of intracoronary injection with room temperature saline, post-PCI IMR and ΔIMR were significantly higher in ACS group than in SAP group after PCI (P<0.05). Plasma creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB difference (ΔCK-MB) (ΔCK-MB=CK-MB post-PCI-CK-MB pre-PCI) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) difference (ΔcTnI=cTnI post-PCI-cTnI pre-PCI) were significantly larger in ACS group than in SAP group (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that coronary artery disease (CHD) type (SAP and ACS) (OR=1.301, 95%CI 1.083-1.562), age (OR=1.007, 95%CI 1.000-1.013), ΔIMR (OR=1.009, 95%CI 1.000-1.017) and post-PCI IMR (OR=1.008, 95%CI 1.001-1.014) were independent predictors of PMI (P<0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of ΔIMR was 0.763 to predict PMI (P<0.05), the optimum cut-off value of ΔIMR was 5.485 with 70.0% sensitivity and 77.4% specificity. ΔIMR was positively correlated with ΔcTnI (r=0.592, P<0.05). Conclusions: ΔIMR serves as an early predictor of PMI in CHD patients after PCI. As compared with SAP patients, ACS patients are more likely to develop PMI.

[KLF3 regulates the movement, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through STAT3]

Objective: To observe the effect of KLF3 on the expression of STAT3 in breast cancer cells, and to explore the potential mechanism of KLF3 affecting the movement, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Methods: Firstly, the expression of STAT3 was detected by Western blot, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR, luciferase reporter system and chromatin immunoprecipitation in breast cancer cells. Secondly, the STAT3 promoter mutant was constructed. The plasmid further confirmed the effect of KLF3 on the activity of STAT3 promoter; the cell scratching test and Transwell method were used to detect the ability of cell movement, migration and invasion. Finally, animal experiments were conducted to verify the effect of knockdown of KLF3 on tumor metastasis in animals. Results: In breast cancer cells, knockdown of KLF3 promoted STAT3 protein expression. The mRNA level of STAT3 was increased by (3.58±0.65) fold after knockdown of KLF3 in MDA-MB-231 cells, while the mRNA level of STAT3 was increased by (2.28±0.19) fold after KLF3 knockdown in MCF-7 cells (P<0.001). KLF3 boundto the promoter region of STAT3. The transcriptional activity of STAT3 increased by (2.47±0.87) fold after knockdown of KLF3 in MDA-MB-231 cells, while the transcriptional activity of STAT3 increased by (2.63±0.65) fold after KLF3 knockdown in MCF-7 cells, P<0.01. KLF3 knockdown inhibitedthe movement,migrate and invade of breast cancer cells. Based on this, silence STAT3 partially reversed the function of KLF3. Knockdown of KLF3 promotedtumor metastasis in mice. Conclusions: KLF3 knockdown can promote the transcriptional activity of STAT3, which promotes the protein expression of the latter. KLF3 can affect the movement, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells through STAT3. KLF3 may be a potential target for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis of the carotenoid-based orange coloration in Haliotis gigantea using GC-TOF-MS

Seafood coloration is typically considered an indicator of quality and nutritional value by consumers. One such seafood is the Xishi abalone (Haliotis gigantea), which displays muscle color polymorphism wherein a small subset of individuals display orange coloration of muscles due to carotenoid enrichment. However, the metabolic basis for carotenoid accumulation has not been thoroughly investigated in marine mollusks. Here, GC-TOF-MS-based untargeted metabolite profiling was used to identify key pathways and metabolites involved in differential carotenoid accumulation in abalones with variable carotenoid contents. Cholesterol was the most statistically significant metabolite that differentiated abalones with orange muscles against those with common white muscles. This observation is likely due to the competitive interactions between cholesterol and carotenoids during cellular absorption. In addition, the accumulation of carotenoids was also related to fatty acid contents. Overall, this study indicates that metabolomics can reflect physiological changes in organisms and provides a useful framework for exploring the mechanisms underlying carotenoid accumulation in abalone types.

Differential proteomic profiles and characterizations between hyalinocytes and granulocytes in ivory shell Babylonia areolata

The haemocytes of the ivory shell, Babylonia areolata are classified by morphologic observation into the following types: hyalinocytes (H) and granulocytes (G). Haemocytes comprise diverse cell types with morphological and functional heterogene and play indispensable roles in immunological homeostasis of invertebrates. In the present study, two types of haemocytes were morphologically identified and separated as H and G by Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The differentially expressed proteins were investigated between H and G using mass spectrometry. The results showed that total quantitative proteins between H and G samples were 1644, the number of up-regulated proteins in G was 215, and the number of down-regulated proteins in G was 378. Among them, cathepsin, p38 MAPK, toll-interacting protein-like and beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 2-like were up-regulated in G; alpha-2-macroglobulin-like protein, C-type lectin, galectin-2-1, galectin-3, β-1,3-glucan-binding protein, ferritin, mega-hemocyanin, mucin-17-like, mucin-5AC-like and catalytic subunit of protein kinase A were down-regulated in G. The results showed that the most significantly enriched KEGG pathways were the pathways related to ribosome, phagosome, endocytosis, carbon metabolism, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative phosphorylation. For phagosome and endocytosis pathway, the number of down-regulation proteins in G was more than that of up-regulation proteins. For lysosome pathway, the number of up-regulation proteins in G was more than that of down-regulation proteins. These results suggested that two sub-population haemocytes perform the different immune functions in B. areolata.

The role of copper and zinc accumulation in defense against bacterial pathogen in the fujian oyster (Crassostrea angulata)

Cu and Zn are hyper-accumulated in oysters, and the accumulation of these metals increases host resistance to pathogens. However, the role of Cu/Zn in oyster immune defense remains unclear. In this study, Crassostrea angulata with different levels of Cu and Zn were obtained through metal exposure or selective breeding. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that oysters accumulating more Cu/Zn exhibited stronger antibacterial abilities. Vibrio harveyi infection significantly promoted the metal redistribution in oysters: Cu and Zn concentrations decreased in the mantle, but increased in the plasma and hemocytes. This redistribution was accompanied by changes in the expression levels of Cu and Zn transporter genes (CTR1, ATP7A, ZIP1, and ZNT2), suggesting that the Cu/Zn burst observed in the hemocytes was likely due to the transfer of heavy metals from plasma (mediated by the metal importer proteins) or released from intracellular stores. The degree to which Cu/Zn concentration increased in the plasma and hemocytes was more dramatic in oysters with high levels of Cu/Zn accumulation. In vitro, Cu and Zn both inhibited the growth of V. harveyi, while Cu plus H₂O₂ was lethal to the bacteria. The strength of the growth-inhibition and lethal effects depended on the metal dose. In addition to these effects, increases in Cu concentration increased the activity levels of PO in the oyster plasma and hemocytes in vivo and in vitro. However, SOD activity was not affected by Cu or Zn accumulation. Thus, our results suggested that the Cu/Zn burst in the hemolymph was an important factor in the oyster immune reaction, creating a toxic internal environment for the pathogen, as well as catalyzing inorganic or enzymatic reactions to strengthen bacteriostasis. By determining the extent of Cu/Zn burst in the immune response, Cu/Zn accumulated levels could affect the resistance of oysters to pathogens.

An Effective Microinjection Method and TALEN-Mediated Genome Editing in Pacific Abalone

Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai, is an economically important marine mollusk species and an important model animal for studies on ecological, fertilization and developmental biology. While embryonic injection and genome editing have been wildly used in gene function study and trait improvement in many species, they have not been developed in abalones. In this study, we reported an effective method to inject exogenous materials in H. discus hannai unfertilized eggs. The injected eggs could be fertilized at a ratio of 52.6% ± 5.9% and hatch at a ratio of 14.6% ± 1.6%. On the base of this, we further developed an efficient genome editing approach in this species with the transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) technique. Two TALEN pairs targeting the coding sequence of the abalone nodal gene were assembled and tested. While one of the TALEN pairs showed no detectable mutation efficacy, the other one generated mutations in 50% of the targeted loci. The mutation includes small insertions and deletions and base pair replacements like that reported in other species when the TALEN method was applied. Overall, this is the first study to demonstrate site-specific genome editing in abalone. This work can serve as a reference for future studies focusing on the functional genomics in mollusks.

[Correlation between serum inflammatory cytokine levels and fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions]

Objective: To identify the correlation between serum inflammatory cytokine levels including high sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and lipoprotein associated phospholipase (Lp-PLA2) and the fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions. Methods: Clinical data of 117 patients with selective coronary artery angiography diagnosed coronary artery disease admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to January 2016 were retrospective analyzed. According to type of coronary disease, patients were divided into 3 subgroups: SAP group (containing 47 stable angina patients), UAP group (containing 52 unstable angina patients), and NSTEMI group(containing 18 acute non ST segment elevation myocardial infarction patients). Serum hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 levels were measured before subsequent procedures. The characteristics of the culprit lesions were detected by optical coherence tomogarpgy(OCT) before interventional treatment, and the correlation between hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 and the fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions were analyzed. Results: (1) The serum levels of hs-CRP (2.13(1.04, 4.75)μg/L vs. 1.02(0.60, 1.29)μg/L and 1.30(1.03, 1.96)μg/L, all P<0.05) and Lp-PLA2 ((394.8±61.4)mg/L vs. (140.1±40.4)mg/L and (284.5±93.6)mg/L, all P<0.05) were significantly higher in NSTEMI group than in SAP group and UAP group, and serum levels of hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 were significantly higher in UAP group than in SAP group (all P<0.05). (2)The fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaque in coronary culprit lesions were smaller in NSTEMI group and UAP group than in SAP group(50(50, 60)μm and 60(50, 90)μm vs. 130(80, 190)μm, all P<0.05), and there was no significantly difference between NSTEMI group and UAP group(P>0.05). Proportion of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque(82.35%(14/18) vs. 19.15%(9/47) and 63.46%(33/52), all P<0.05), plaque rupture(55.56%(10/18)vs. 6.38%(3/47) and 28.85%(15/52), all P<0.05) and thrombosis(33.33%(6/18) vs. 4.26%(2/47) and 9.26%(5/52), all P<0.05) were significantly higher in NSTEMI group than in SAP group and UAP group. Proportion of calcifiacation in plaque was lower in NSTEMI group than in SAP group (11.11%(2/18)vs. 42.55%(20/47), P<0.05), and there was no significantly difference between NSTEMI group and UAP group(P>0.05). (3) Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum levels of hs-CRP(r=-0.233, P<0.05) and Lp-PLA2(r=-0.465, P<0.01)were negatively correlated with fibrous cap thickness of fibrofatty plaques. Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum levels of hs-CRP were positively correlated with plaque rupture(r=0.409, P<0.01) and thrombosis (r=0.227, P<0.05), and serum levels of Lp-PLA2 were also positively correlated with plaque rupture(r=0.499, P<0.01) and thrombosis(r=0.263, P<0.01). (4)Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that serum levels of Lp-PLA2 at baseline was independently related to thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque(OR=1.017, P<0.01). Conclusions: The serum levels of hs-CRP and Lp-PLA2 in NSTEMI patients are much higher than that in SAP and UAP patients, higher in UAP patients than in SAP patients. Prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque, plaque rupture and thrombosis was significantly higher in the NSTEMI patients, while the prevalence of calcification in plaque is more often in SAP patients. Increased serum levels of Lp-PLA2 are independent risk factor of thin-cap fibroatheroma plaque formation.

[Characteristics of acute myocardial infarction caused by spontaneous coronary artery dissection in young female patients]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of acute myocardial infarction caused by spontaneous coronary artery dissection(SCAD) in young female patients. Methods: In this casecontrolstudy,127 young(≤55 years) female patients with acute myocardial infarction onset within 1 week in Nanjing first hospital, Xuzhou central hospital, affiliated hospital of Xuzhou medical university, and Lianyungang first people's hospital were enrolled between January 2013 and February 2017,and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. According to their clinical manifestations and coronary angiography(CAG) results,the patients were divided into coronary atherosclerosis disease(CAD) group(CAG evidenced atherosclerosis, n=83) and SCAD group(CAG detected coronary artery dissection,n=44).The SCAD patients were subdivided into definite group (the results affirmed from intravenous ultrasound or optical coherence tomography, n=21) and probable group (the CAG results highly confirmed to characteristics of SCAD,but no intravenous ultrasound or optical coherence tomography image affirmation,n=23). Then, according to the different treatment strategies, the SCAD patients were subdivided into conservative treatment group(treated with drugs,n=19) and interventional therapy group(treated with percutaneous coronary intervention,n=25). Results: (1)Compared to CAD group, patients in the SCAD group had less risk factors, such as hypertension history (25.0% (11/44) vs. 45.8% (38/83) , P=0.022) and diabetes history (6.8% (3/44) vs. 21.7% (18/83) , P=0.043),and had lower levels of fasting blood glucose (5.34(4.59,5.87) mmol/L vs. 7.12(5.18,8.60)mmol/L, P=0.001),total cholesterol((3.94±1.14) mmol/L vs. (4.91±1.50) mmol/L, P=0.001),triglyceride(1.42 (0.91,1.64) mmol/L vs. 1.89 (1.23,2.45) mmol/L, P=0.005),and low density lipoprotein cholesterol ((2.24±0.91) mmol/L vs. (2.94±1.16) mmol/L, P=0.001),CAG results showed that patients in the SCAD group had more single vessel lesion (88.6% (39/44) vs. 39.8% (33/83) , P=0.001), and their target lesion stenosis was less severe ( (79.2±22.4) % vs. (91.5±12.1) %, P=0.001). (2) The clinical risk factors such as hypertension history, diabetes history, smoking history, family history of cardiology disease, fasting blood glucose,total cholesterol,triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were similar between definite group and probable group (all P>0.05). CAG results showed that prevalence of single vessel lesion (100% (21/21) vs. 78.3% (18/23) , P=0.050) and percent of target lesion stenosis ( (76.9±20.6) % vs. (81.2±24.1) %, P=0.529) were similar between definite group and probable group.(3)There were no significant difference in single vessel(84.0% (21/25) vs. 94.7% (18/19) , P=0.370), target lesion stenosis(85.0(70.0,100.0)% vs. 75.0(50.0,90.0)%, P=0.186),and survival rates in hospital(96.0% (24/25) vs. 100% (19/19) , P=1.000) between interventional therapy group and conservative treatment group. Conclusions: Prevalence of SCAD is highin young female patients with acute myocardial infarction. Acute myocardial infarction patients with less risk factors of CAD and with CAG showing smooth lesion of narrowing segment and normal finding in the other vessels, are more likely to be diagnosed with SCAD.Acute myocardial infarction patients caused by SCAD have high survival rate either receiving percutaneous coronary intervention or drug treatment.

Different Transcriptomic Responses to Thermal Stress in Heat-Tolerant and Heat-Sensitive Pacific Abalones Indicated by Cardiac Performance

The Pacific abalone Haliotis discus hannai is one of the most economically important mollusks in China. Even though it has been farmed in southern China for almost 20 years, summer mortality remains the most challengeable problem for Pacific abalone aquaculture recently. Here, we determined the different heat tolerance ability for five selective lines of H. discus hannai by measuring the cardiac performance and Arrhenius breakpoint temperature (ABT). The Red line (RL) and Yangxia line (YL) were determined as the most heat-sensitive and most heat-tolerant line, respectively. Heart rates for RL were significantly lower than those of the YL at the same temperature (p < 0.05). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were enriched in several pathways including cardiac muscle contraction, glutathione metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation, were identified between RL and YL at control temperature (20°C) and heat stress temperature (28.5°C, the ABT of the RL) by RNA-seq method. In the RL, 3370 DEGs were identified between the control and the heat-stress temperature, while only 1351 DEGs were identified in YL between these two temperature tests. Most of these DEGs were enriched in the pathways such as protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD) like receptor signaling, and ubiquitin mediated proteolysis. Notably, the most heat-tolerant line YL used an effective heat-protection strategy based on moderate transcriptional changes and regulation on the expression of key genes.

Expression profiling of lncRNAs and mRNAs reveals regulation of muscle growth in the Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to play a major role in the epigenetic regulation of muscle development. Unfortunately there is little understanding of the mechanisms with which they regulate muscle growth in abalone. Therefore, we used RNA-seq to study the muscle transcriptomes of six Haliotis discus hannai specimens: three large (L_HD group) and three small (S_HD group). We identified 2463 lncRNAs in abalone muscle belonging to two subtypes: 160 anti-sense lncRNAs and 2303 intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs). In the L_HD group, we identified 204 significantly differentially expressed lncRNAs (55 upregulated and 149 downregulated), and 2268 significantly differentially expressed mRNAs (994 upregulated and 1274 downregulated), as compared to the S_HD group. The bioinformatics analysis indicated that lncRNAs were relate to cell growth, regulation of growth, MAPK signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt and insulin signaling pathway, which involved in regulating muscle growth. These findings contribute to understanding the possible regulatory mechanisms of muscle growth in Pacific abalone.

Self-reported anxiety and depression unchanged after endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

BACKGROUND

Prior research has established that anxiety and depression, as measured by the Hospital Anxiety Depression Score (HADS), are strongly correlated with disease-specific quality of life (Rhinosinusitis Disability Index - RSDI) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We hypothesized that anxiety and depression would decrease after functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS), and furthermore that HADS would predict improvement in RSDI following surgery.

METHODOLOGY

The study cohort from 2014 consisted of 99 CRS patients who underwent nasal endoscopy, RSDI, and HADS evaluation. The cohort was segregated by whether or not they underwent FESS and an updated HADS was administered. For 44 surgical patients, pre- and post-operative RSDI (n=38), Lund-Kennedy (LK) (n=34) and HADS (n=18) scores were compared. Delta RSDI was compared between patients with varying levels of anxiety and depression.

RESULTS

Lund-Kennedy scores improved from 5.8 ± 4.1 to 3.2 ± 2.6 following surgery, as did total RSDI (39.3 ± 26.8 to 24.6 ± 29.2). Total HADS (9.8 ± 6.4 to 11.3 ± 7.4) and depression and anxiety subscores were unchanged. Linear regression did not reveal a correlation between HADS and change in RSDI following FESS. Delta RSDI was not significantly different between patients with varying levels of anxiety and depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite improvements in objective evidence of sinonasal inflammation (LK) and disease-specific quality of life (RSDI), neither depression nor anxiety improved after FESS, nor did the magnitude of psychological comorbidity predict post-operative improvement in quality of life. Improvement in RSDI was not different among patients with varying levels of anxiety and depression. Levels of depression and anxiety may be hard-wired, and therefore not influenced by changes in objective or perceived sinonasal disease burden.

LC-MS/MS-Based Metabolome Analysis of Biochemical Pathways Altered by Food Limitation in Larvae of Ivory Shell, Babylonia areolata

Ivory shell, Babylonia areolata, is one of the commercially important mariculture species in China and South East Asia. Survival varies in the artificial hatching and larval rearing of B. areolata. Food deprivation may be involved in rearing mortality, and so, a better understanding of how larvae respond and adjust to starvation is needed. In this study, the metabolite profiles of newly hatched larvae with yolk (I), larvae with yolk exhaustion (II), larvae suffering 24 h starvation after yolk exhaustion (III), and larvae fed with exogenous nutrients after yolk exhaustion (IV) were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Principal component and cluster analyses revealed differential abundance of metabolite profiles across groups. When compared to metabolite levels of the I group, significantly up-regulated metabolites included polyunsaturated fatty acids, phospholipids, nucleotide, amino acids, and their derivatives were found in the II group, indicating that organisms relied predominantly on glycerophospolipid metabolism and protein-based catabolism for energy production during this stage. During starvation after yolk exhaustion, the levels of all energy related metabolites were significantly reduced, but an increase in products of purine and pyrimidine metabolism indicated an insufficient energy supply and an increase in cellular disintegration. Larvae fed exogenous nutrients can have significantly improved metabolism compared to starved larvae. These findings suggest that metabolomics, using LC-MS/MS, can be used to assess the physiological status and food-affected metabolic changes affecting B. areolata larvae.