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Background: Dacryocystitis is a common disease in pediatric ophthalmology. Analysis of basic information, flora distribution, and characteristics of information on drug-resistant bacteria in children with dacryocystitis for 6 years, providing evidence for ophthalmologic infection prevention and clinical management strategies. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the demographics of dacryocystitis in children and microbiological characteristics of secretion cultures, and to analyze the basic information, distribution of pathogenic bacteria, drug resistance, and to plot trendsand distribution pie charts according to the years. Results: This study recruited 5791 specimens. Decreased incidence of dacryocystitis from 2020 to 2022 (including the COVID-19 pandemic). The age of highest incidence of dacryocystitis is infancy, followed by the neonatal period, and the incidence decreased with age. Streptococcus pneumoniae had the highest percentage in 2017, and the overall trend was decreasing, the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001); Streptococcus mitis showed an overall increasing trend, with the highest incidence in 2022 and the lowest in 2017, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001); Haemophilus influenzae was the most common gram-negative bacteria with an overall decreasing trend (p < 0.001); The incidence of Catamoeba and Stenotrophomonas varied from year to year, with statistically significant differences (p = 0.010, p = 0.033, respectively). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) had the lowest incidence in 2017 and 2022 the highest incidence in 2022, with a statistically significant difference in incidence between years (p = 0.003); β-lactamase-positive was the most common type of resistance, and MRSA was the second, with statistically significant differences between years (p = 0.003, p < 0.001, respectively). Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common etiologic agent of dacryocystitis in all age groups. Conclusions: Dacryocystitis in children is significantly associated with age characteristics and infection-related pathogens, and infection prevention and control can help reduce the infection of related pathogens and the increase of new drug-resistant strains. Close monitoring of changes in pathogen distribution in ocular secretion cultures can help in early intervention and treatment of infectious dacryocystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel AlGaN/GaN Super Heterojunction Field Effect Transistors (super HFET) with dual-polarization junction (DPJ) on the back-barrier layer and its working mechanism is studied. DPJ AlGaN/GaN super HEMT has two polarization junctions with an interval of 1 μ m composed of a p-type GaN cap layer and an undoped GaN cap layer, which contact with the gate. In the high voltage blocking state, the two reverse p–n junctions introduced by the polarization junction will effectively modulate the surface electric field and the volume electric field. In addition, this structure suppresses the leakage current of the buffer and leads to higher breakdown voltage. The TCAD simulation results show that at the same gate–drain length of 20 μ m, the breakdown voltage of the DPJ structure can be increased from about 1100 V to above 2100 V with an on-resistance of 12.86 Ω mm, slightly higher than that of conventional super HFET. The FOM of DPJ super HFET is up to 1.32 × 1 0 9 V 2 Ω − 1 cm − 2 . It shows a better tradeoff relationship between on-resistance and breakdown voltage. • A novel AlGaN/GaN Super Heterojunction Field Effect Transistors (super HFET) with dual-polarization junction (DPJ) with an interval of 1 μ m composed of a p-type GaN cap layer and an undoped GaN cap layer, which contact with the gate. • TCAD simulation results shows DPJ can effectively modulate the surface electric field and the volume electric field, which greatly improves the breakdown performance of the device on the basis of super HFET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An E-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT with triple barrier layer is comprehensively studied in detail. • Threshold voltage of the E-mode MIS-HEMT has been increased to 2.06 V. • The effect of geometric parameters of gate dielectric layer on the E-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT with triple barrier layer is described. • The reason for the variation caused by the increase of length or depth of gate dielectric layer is explained. • The conclusion is obtained by comparing different combinations of length and depth through Silvaco TCAD. A comprehensive study on an E-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT with triple barrier layer is conducted by Silvaco TCAD software. The effect of geometric parameters of gate dielectric layer, including the length of both sides and the recessed depth, on the device is studied. The simulation results show that the optimized device can reach a high threshold voltage (from 1.24 V to 2.06 V), a large maximum drain current (from 0.925 A/mm to 1.044 A/mm), and a large gate-source capacitance (from 1837 fF/mm to 3100 fF/mm) on the condition that frequency is 1 MHz. Furthermore, based on the analysis of different combinations of the triple structural parameters, two types suitable for specific conditions are concluded, which is helpful to further improve DC and RF characteristics of E-mode AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extracellular polysaccharides are important biological resources with wide application. Pleurotus citrinopileatus (P. citrinopileatus) is a precious medicinal fungus with variously bioactivity. The literatures on the specific components with hypoglycemic effect in crude polysaccharides from fermented broth of P. citrinopileatus and the structure have not been reported. A novel acid polysaccharide (CFP) with Mw of 1.062 × 106 Da was isolated from fermented broth of P. citrinopileatus. The hypoglycemic activity in vitro of CFP and accurately chemical structure were explored. The CFP had effectively inhibition on α-glucosidase with IC 50 values of 0.556 mg/mL through non-competitive inhibition. The CFP had no effect on normal growth and proliferation of HepG2 cells but can regulate the insulin resistance in HepG2-IR cells. Simultaneously, the CFP can significantly reduce the oxidative stress in HepG2-IR cells. All the results elucidated that CFP had effective hypoglycemic activity. The structural characterization revealed that CFP was composed of D-Gal, D-Glc, D-GalA and D-GlcA with a percentage of 20.53:28.75:5.55:45.17. The backbone of CFP was composed of →3)-α-D-Glc p -(1→, →3)-α-D-GlcA p -(1→ and →3, 6)-α-D-Glc p -(1→, while branches contained →3)-β-D-GalA p -(1→ and →3)-β-D-Gal p -(1 →. The CFP had triple-helix conformation. The surface of CFP was rough and had irregular small fragments with hole-like and stripe-like structure. The manuscript further identified the main carbohydrates components in the fermentation liquid of P. citrinopileatus. It provided basis for the development and utilization of active components in P. citrinopileatus. The structural characterization of polysaccharide can provide experimental basis for exploration of structure-activity relationship. Image 1 • A acid polysaccharide (CFP) was separated from fermented broth of P. citrinopileatus. • CFP had effectively inhibition on α-glucosidase through non-competitive inhibition. • CFP can improve insulin resistance in HepG2-IR cells. • The backbone of CFP was composed of.→3)-α-D-Glc p -(1→ and →3)-α-D-GlcA p -(1 →. • The branches of CFP were composed of.→3)-β-D-GalA p -(1→ and →3)-β-D-Gal p -(1 →. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pleurotus citrinopileatus (P. citrinopileatus) is a precious medicinal fungus. A novel polysaccharide (CMP) was separated from the mycelia of P. citrinopileatus. The CMP is a neutral polysaccharide with Mw of 3.22 × 106 Da. The CMP is composed of d -Mannose, d -Glucose and d -Galactose with molar ratio of 0.33:1.03:0.21. The backbone of CMP is composed of →3)-α-D-Glc p -(1→ and →3, 6)-α-D-Glc p -(1→, while branches contain →3)-α-D-Man p -(1→ and →3)-β-D-Gal p -(1 →. The surface morphology of CMP is smooth with irregular fragmented structure. The IC 50 value of CMP is 0.371 mg/mL. Compared with acarbose (0.289 mg/mL), it suggest that CMP has effectively inhibition on α-glucosidase and the inhibition type is Mixed Type inhibition. The CMP can significantly promote the uptake of glucose and the synthesis of glycogen to regulate the insulin resistance of HepG2 insulin resistance cells (HepG2-IR). The regulation of insulin resistance in HepG2-IR cells by CMP is through Pi3K/Akt pathway. The manuscript provide the alternative of polysaccharides from P. citrinopileatus fruiting bodies and develop new substance for hypoglycemic food. • A polysaccharide (CMP) was separated from mycelia of Pleurotus citrinopileatus. • The backbone of CMP was composed of. → 3)-α-D-Glc p -(1→ and →3, 6)-α-D-Glc p -(1 →. • The branches of CMP were composed of. → 3)-α-D-Man p -(1→ and →3)-β-D-Gal p -(1 →. • The CMP had effectively inhibition on α-glucosidase through Mixed Type inhibition. • The CMP can improve insulin resistance in HepG2 cells through Pi3K/Akt pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imidacloprid is a widely used neonicotinoid insecticide worldwide, and has attracted great concerns due to its potential threat to human and environment. Much effort was thus spent on developing the effective way for removing imidacloprid from water, but might also produce various degradation products with unknown risks. The hypothesis was then proposed that permanganate oxidation was probably the appropriate tool for eliminating imidacloprid and its toxicity through selective oxidation of specific groups. To that end, we studied the kinetics of permanganate/imidacloprid reaction by considering the effects of pH (5.0–9.0), temperature (15–35 °C), ionization strength (0.05–0.20 M), typical anions (Cl−, Br−, I−) and humic acid. Based on the identified products from mass spectrometer, the main reaction pathway was found to be the hydroxylation of C–H bond at imidazole ring, leading to the decreased toxicity evaluated by ECOSAR program. Our results demonstrate that permanganate oxidation should be a very promising technique for controlling imidacloprid contamination by effective detoxification through highly selective partial oxidation. Moreover, this study has also paved the way toward applying permanganate oxidation for in situ chemical remediation of imidacloprid, though the corresponding standards need to be established in advance. Image 1 • Permanganate can efficiently degrade imidacloprid following second-order kinetics. • Effects of pH, temperature, ionization strength, typical anions and HA were studied. • Main reaction pathway was hydroxylation process at C–H bonds of imidazole ring. • Effective detoxification was achieved due to highly selective partial oxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The custard apple fruit is a respiratory climacteric fruit. Cell wall polysaccharide metabolism causes it to soften and decay rapidly during postharvest storage, which lowers its quality and shortens its shelf life. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of 24-hour treatment with 1-MCP (1.8 μL L−1) on the cellulase activity and its gene expression, evaluating the changes on postharvest quality of harvested custard apple fruit. The results showed that compared with the control group, 1-MCP treatment can depress the activity of cellulase and its gene expression level, by 11.37% and 25.25%, respectively. Furthermore, 1-MCP treatment could successfully preserve the firmness and prevent browning in appearance of the fruit, but had no discernible impact on the content of soluble solids (p < 0.05). Although the total amount of volatile compounds in treated custard apple fruits increased by 10 species compared with the control, 1-MCP treatment inhibited the production of esters and the degradation of aldehydes. After 1-MCP treatment, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) increased by 34.88%, 29.19%, and 16.97%, respectively. These results indicate that 1-MCP treatment is a potentially effective method to improve postharvest quality, and enhance storage efficiency of custard apple fruit. [Display omitted] • 1-MCP inhibits ripening-associated processes in custard apple fruits. • 1-MCP maintains content of total soluble solids and flavour of custard apple fruits. • The activity of antioxidant enzyme was increased by 1-MCP treatment. • The activities and gene expression of Cx were inhibited in 1-MCP-treated fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppression of Tobacco Mosaic Virus ( TMV) by B. amyloliquefaciens Ba33 was evaluated on Nicotiana tabacum by spraying before (①), after (②) and simultaneously with (③) TMV inocula. The results suggested that Ba33 treatments reduced local necrotic lesion number and disease index, showing ③ treatment was the best and ① treatment was better than ② treatment in TMV suppression. It also showed Ba33 virus-contaminated scissors could be disinfected by dipping. Field trials showed that Ba33 had an inhibitory effect of 48.59% in 2009 and 50.54% in 2010, close to the effect of Ningnanmycin, a registered antiviral agent in tobacco. In conclusion, Ba33 might be used as a soil disinfector and an antiviral agent against TMV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujube is a widely grown agricultural product. In order to avoid the waste of resources and improve the added value of the blackened jujube, the blackened jujube was processed under certain temperature and humidity conditions. At present, there are relatively few researches on polysaccharides of blackened jujube. The selection of extraction method is very important for the study and utilization of plant polysaccharides. Ultrasonic assisted extraction technology has been widely used in polysaccharide extraction for its advantages of environmental protection, economy and high extraction rate. In order to fully tap the utilization potential of polysaccharides from blackened jujube, the ultrasonic assisted extraction technology of polysaccharides from blackened jujube was optimized. Based on the optimal conditions obtained by response surface analysis, the extraction rate of polysaccharide was as high as 12.75 ± 0.05%. The IC 50 values of hydroxyl radical, DPPH radical and superoxide anion were 2.604 mg/mL, 0.754 mg/mL and 8.069 mg/mL, respectively. The blackened jujube polysaccharide (BJP) was mainly composed of rhamnose (Rha), arabinose (Ara), galactose (Gal) and galacturonic acid (Gal-UA), with a molecular weight of 1.42 × 106 Da, and the surface was a dense network structure with voids. The results showed that ultrasound-assisted extraction could extract polysaccharides more economically and efficiently. In this study, the polysaccharide extracted from blackened jujube has natural antioxidant effect, which may be related to the high content of galacturonic acid in polysaccharide and the molecular chain structure of polysaccharide can be destroyed by ultrasonic wave. As a kind of natural antioxidant, blackened jujube polysaccharide has important application value in functional products in food and medicine industries. • Optimization of ultrasonic assisted extraction of Blackened jujube polysaccharide. • Blackened jujube polysaccharide had effective antioxidant activity. • The structure of Blackened jujube polysaccharide were characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manuscript aimed to study the immunoregulatory activity and the mechanism of the polysaccharide (CMP) from Pleurotus citrinopileatus mycelia. The mice were divided into normal group, model group, different dosage of CMP (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively) groups and levamisole hydrochloride treated group. The results showed that, compared with the model group, CMP could significantly improve the auricle swelling rate, half hemolysis value and phagocytic index in mice. The indices of immune organs were raised, and tissue damage of spleen was relieved. Splenic Th1 cells were decreased, while Th2 cells were increased, furthermore the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes and the cytotoxicity of NK cells were increased. The levels of interleukin-12 (IL-12), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in spleen were decreased, while interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were increased. In serum and spleen, the levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were increased, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased. And the levels of Immunoglobulin were also increased. Western blot showed that CMP had immunoregulatory activity by activating Nrf2, Keap1, p62, HO-1, and NQO1 in the p62/Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway. The study proved that CMP could be used as a biological Immune regulating agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mycoplasma pneumoniae can be divided into different subtypes on the basis of the sequence differences of adhesive protein P1, but the relationship between different subtypes, macrolide resistance and clinical manifestations are still unclear. In the present study, we established a molecular beacon based real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) p1 gene genotyping method, analyzed the macrolide resistance gene mutations and the relationship of clinical characteristics with the genotypes.Methods: A molecular beacon based real-time PCR p1 gene genotyping method was established, the mutation sites of macrolide resistance genes were analyzed by PCR and sequenced, and the relationship of clinical characteristics with the genotypes was analyzed.Results: The detection limit was 1-100 copies/reaction. No cross-reactivity was observed in the two subtypes. In total, samples from 100 patients with positive M. pneumoniae detection results in 2019 and 2021 were genotyped using the beacon based real-time PCR method and P1-1 M. pneumoniae accounted for 69.0%. All the patients had the A2063G mutation in the macrolide resistance related 23S rRNA gene. Novel mutations were also found, which were C2622T, C2150A, C2202G and C2443A mutations. The relationship between p1 gene genotyping and the clinical characteristics were not statistically related.Conclusion: A rapid and easy clinical application molecular beacon based real-time PCR genotyping method targeting the p1 gene was established. A shift from type 1 to type 2 was found and 100.0% macrolide resistance was detected. Our study provided an efficient method for genotyping M. pneumoniae, valuable epidemiological monitoring information and clinical treatment guidance to control high macrolide resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was a fatal complication of knee arthroplasty. We had neglected the risk factors of preoperative DVT although patients undergoing knee arthroplasty were at high risk for VTE. This study was to determine the risk factors for preoperative DVT and application of Caprini Risk Assessment Model (RAM) in patients with end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA).Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1808 cases with end-stage knee OA undergoing primary knee arthroplasty from May 2015 to December 2020. Based on the results of ultrasonography in lower extremities, all patients were divided into non-DVT group and DVT group. Distribution of risk factors and risk levels were compared using χ2 test between two groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors and relationship of risk levels and preoperative DVT.Results: The incidence of preoperative DVT was 5.53% (n = 100). Distribution of the study population by risk level was low, 4.09%; moderate, 23.95%; high, 66.98%; and highest 4.98%. Female (P = 0.002), age (P = 0.012), swollen legs (P = 0.035) and history of blood clots (P < 0.001) was correlated with preoperative DVT. Difference among four risk levels was significant (P = 0.007). Patients with highest risk level had statistically significant association with preoperative DVT (P = 0.005, OR = 2.93, 95%CI [1.375-6.246]).Conclusion: The incidence of preoperative DVT was 5.53% in end-stage knee OA patients. The gender (female) and age were independent risk factors for preoperative DVT. The risk group classification by Caprini RAM was significantly associated with preoperative DVT. The usage of Caprini RAM before knee arthroplasty may be beneficial for prophylaxis of DVT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause several diseases including otitis media, sinusitis, pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. The introduction of pneumococcal vaccines has changed the molecular epidemiological and antibiotic resistance profiles of related diseases. Analysis of molecular patterns and genome sequences of clinical strains may facilitate the identification of novel drug resistance mechanism. Three multidrug resistance 19A isolates were verified, serotyped and the complete genomes were sequenced combining the Pacific Biosciences and the Illumina Miseq platform. Genomic annotation revealed that similar central networks were found in the clinical isolates, and Mauve alignments indicated high similarity between different strains. The pan-genome analysis showed the shared and unique cluster in the strains. Mobile elements were predicted in the isolates including prophages and CRISPER systems, which may participate in the virulence and antibiotic resistance of the strains. The presence of 31 virulence factor genes was predicted from other pathogens for PRSP 19339 and 19343, while 30 for PRSP 19087. Meanwhile, 33 genes antibiotic resistance genes were predicted including antibiotic resistance genes, antibiotic-target genes and antibiotic biosynthesis genes. Further analysis of the antibiotic resistance genes revealed new mutations in the isolates. By comparative genomic analysis, we contributed to the understanding of resistance mechanism of the clinical isolates with other serotype strains, which could facilitate the concrete drug resistance mechanism study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a common complication in preterm infants that has poor outcomes, especially in severe cases, and there are currently no widely accepted effective treatments. Erythropoietin has been shown to be neuroprotective in neonatal brain injury. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of repeated low-dose recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) in preterm infants with IVH. Methods: This was a single-blinded prospective randomized controlled trial. Preterm infants ≤ 32 weeks gestational age who were diagnosed with IVH within 72 h after birth were randomized to receive rhEPO 500 IU/kg or placebo (equivalent volume of saline) every other day for 2 weeks. The primary outcome was death or neurological disability assessed at 18 months of corrected age. Results: A total of 316 eligible infants were included in the study, with 157 in the rhEPO group and 159 in the placebo group. Although no significant differences in mortality (p = 0.176) or incidence of neurological disability (p = 0.055) separately at 18 months of corrected age were seen between the rhEPO and placebo groups, significantly fewer infants had poor outcomes (death and neurological disability) in the rhEPO group: 14.9 vs. 26.4%; odds ratio (OR) 0.398; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.199–0.796; p = 0.009. In addition, the incidence of Mental Development Index scores of < 70 was lower in the rhEPO group than in the placebo group: 7.2 vs. 15.3%; OR 0.326; 95% CI 0.122–0.875; p = 0.026. Conclusions: Treatment with repeated low-dose rhEPO improved outcomes in preterm infants with IVH. Trial Registration: The study was retrospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov on 16 April 2019 (NCT03914690). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-enriched Cordyceps militaris was obtained by adding FeSO 4 solution to the mycelia for biotransformation. The polysaccharide-iron (III) was extracted by water extraction and alcohol precipitation. High performance liquid chromatography showed that the crude polysaccharide-iron (III) had three components. The second component was purified by Sephadex G-150 and named as CPS-iron-II. The average molecular weight of CPS-iron-II was 44.136 kDa. The content of iron was 2.73%. The monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that the CPS-iron-II was composed of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, galacturonic acid with percentage ratio of 0.94:3.12:27.01:36.62:30.20:2.12. The results of methylation analysis revealed that the CPS-iron-II was made of →2)-β-D-Glc p -(1→, with →2, 4)-α-D-Glc p -(1→ highly branched. Congo-red test showed that CPS-iron-II can cause flocculation of Congo red solution. The anti-oxidative analysis showed that antioxidant activity of CPS-iron-II was almost equal to that of Vc. The manuscript provided a new way for the preparation of polysaccharide-iron(III) from Cordyceps militaris. • Iron-enriched Cordyceps militaris mycelia were prepared through biotransformation. • CPS-iron-II was isolated from iron-enriched mycelia. • The structures of CPS-iron-II were accurately characterized. • The CPS-iron-II had good antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family, which is the leading cause of nosocomial infections. The emergence of hypervirulent and multi-drug resistant K. pneumoniae is a serious health threat. In the process of infection, K. pneumoniae needs to adapt to different environmental conditions, and the two-component regulatory system (TCS) composed of a sensor histidine kinase and response regulator is an important bacterial regulatory system in response to external stimuli. Understanding how K. pneumoniae perceives and responds to complex environmental stimuli provides insights into TCS regulation mechanisms and new targets for drug design. In this review, we analyzed the TCS composition and summarized the regulation mechanisms of TCSs, focusing on the regulation of genes involved in virulence, antibiotic resistance, and stress response. Collectively, these studies demonstrated that several TCSs play important roles in the regulation of virulence, antibiotic resistance and stress responses of K. pneumoniae. A single two-component regulatory system can participate in the regulation of several stress responses, and one stress response process may include several TCSs, forming a complex regulatory network. However, the function and regulation mechanism of some TCSs require further study. Hence, future research endeavors are required to enhance the understanding of TCS regulatory mechanisms and networks in K. pneumoniae , which is essential for the design of novel drugs targeting TCSs. • Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen and main cause of nosocomial infections. • Understanding how K. pneumoniae senses and responds to environmental stimuli is important. • Progress in roles of two-component regulatory systems (TCSs) were reviewed. • The regulation focused on the regulation of virulence, antibiotic resistance and stress response. • Insights into the regulatory mechanisms provide clues for the design of novel drugs targeting the TCSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbohydrate is the main ingredient of purple sweet potato. A polysaccharide, named PSP, was separated and purified from purple sweet potato by extraction with hot water, precipitation with ethanol, deproteinization with Sevag reagent and column chromatography with Sephadex G-100. The purity and structure were studied with HPLC, UV–Vis, GC–MS and NMR. The PSP is a neutral polysaccharide with M w of 470 kDa. The monosaccharide composition of PSP contained D-xylose, d -glucose, D-galactose with ratio of 1.0: 8.3: 1.3. The backbone of PSP was composed of the residues of →6)-D-Glc p -(1 → and →2, 6)-D-Glc p -(1→. The branches of PSP contained the residues of →3)-D-Gal p -(1→, and D-Xyl p -(1→. The antitumor activity in vitro of PSP was analyzed with HT-29 cells. And the SEM, AO staining, MDC staining and hoechst 33342 staining were performed to study the effect on apoptosis of HT-29 cells by PSP. The results revealed that the PSP can significantly inhibit the proliferation of HT-29 cells from induction apoptosis. The manuscript provided valuable knowledges on structural characteristics of the polysaccharides from purple sweet potato. • A novel polysaccharide (PSP) was separated and purified from purple sweet potato. • The backbone of PSP was composed of →6)-D-Glc p -(1 → and →2, 6)-D-Glc p -(1 →. • The branch chains of PSP contained →3)-D-Gal p -(1→, and D-Xyl p -(1 →. • The PSP can inhibit the proliferation of HT-29 cells from induction apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the status and risks of pesticide residues in edible mint is essentially unknown. In this study, we evaluated the residual status and associated risks of 208 pesticides in edible mints. Among the 16 pesticide residues detected, there were eight fungicides, six insecticides, and two herbicides, with difenoconazole exhibiting the highest detection rate of 25.55%. A proportion of 53.28% of the mint samples were detected with at least one pesticide residue. Dietary risk measured as cHQ and aHQ was < 100% and the health risks was acceptable in both adults and children; however, the aHQ in children was comparatively higher than that in the general population. Furthermore, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, and bifenthrin, had a risk score of 18, which should receive considerable attention. In summary, the present study reveals the residue levels and exposure risks of pesticides and helps recognize the significance of establishing scientific guidance for production and consumption of mint tea. • The residual status of 208 pesticides and associated exposure risks evaluated. • Sixteen pesticides detected in the 274 mint tea samples. • 53.28% of the mint samples detected with at least one pesticide residue. • Dietary risk measured as cHQ and aHQ < 100% for all detected pesticides. • Risk scoring indicted eight medium-risk pesticides and eight low-risk pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neonatal meningitis significantly contributes to neonatal morbidity and mortality, yet large-scale epidemiological data in developing countries, particularly among very preterm infants (VPIs), remain sparse. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of meningitis among VPIs in China., Design: Cross-sectional study using the Chinese Neonatal Network database from 2019 to 2021., Setting: 79 tertiary neonatal intensive care units in China., Patients: Infants with gestational age <32 weeks or birth weight <1500 g., Main Outcome Measures: Incidence, pathogen distribution, antimicrobial use and outcomes of bacterial and fungal meningitis., Results: Of 31 915 VPIs admitted, 122 (0.38%) infants were diagnosed with culture-confirmed meningitis, with 14 (11.5%) being early-onset (≤6 days of age) and 108 (88.5%) being late-onset (>6 days of age). The overall in-hospital mortality was 18.0% (22/122). A total of 127 pathogens were identified, among which 63.8% (81/127) were Gram-negative bacteria, 24.4% (31/127) were Gram-positive bacteria and 11.8% (15/127) were fungi. In terms of empirical therapy (on the day of the first lumbar puncture), the most commonly used antibiotic was meropenem (54.9%, 67/122). For definitive therapy (on the sixth day following the first lumbar puncture, 86 cases with available antibiotic data), meropenem (60.3%, 35/58) and vancomycin (57.1%, 16/28) were the most used antibiotics for Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial meningitis, respectively. 44% of infants with Gram-positive bacterial meningitis and 52% with Gram-negative bacterial meningitis received antibiotics for more than 3 weeks., Conclusion: 0.38% of VPIs in Chinese neonatal intensive care units were diagnosed with meningitis, experiencing significant mortality and inappropriate antibiotic therapy. Gram-negative bacteria were the predominant pathogens, with fungi emerging as a significant cause., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.)

Background: Severe pulmonary infection is the primary cause of death in children aged < 5 years. The early identification of pathogenic bacteria and targeted anti-infective therapies can significantly improve the prognosis of children with severe infections. This study aims to provide a reference for the rational use of antibiotics at an early stage in children with severe pulmonary infections., Methods: A retrospective, single-center longitudinal study included children with severe pulmonary infections between January 2017 and December 2022 by obtaining their bacterial culture results of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid., Results: This study included 4080 samples. The age of onset for severe pulmonary infection increased annually. The proportion of severe pulmonary infections across the different age groups and years was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Among children with severe pulmonary infections, bacilli were the most prevalent, followed by cocci and fungi. The predominant bacilli were Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The predominant cocci identified in this study were Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. The primary fungi included Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus, which showed significant differences (p < 0.05). The incidence of drug-resistant bacteria has gradually declined, with infection rates of multidrug-resistant bacteria and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases consistently decreasing annually. For carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the infection rates peaked in 2018, with statistical significance (p < 0.001)., Conclusions: Severe pulmonary infections in children are significantly associated with age and types of infectious pathogens. Gram-negative bacteria are the primary cause of severe pulmonary infections in children. Clinicians should rationally use antibiotics according to the local distribution and drug resistance of pathogens, thereby enhancing therapeutic outcomes., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: All methods were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants; if the participants were under 16 years of age, consent was obtained from a parent and/or legal guardian. This study was approved by the National Children’s Regional Medical Center, Henan Children’s Medical Center, and Henan Pediatric Disease Clinical Medical Research Center. Consent for publication: Infants’ parents or legal guardian have consent for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing of interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is an emerging global threat, whereas its epidemiological characteristics in children are rarely reported. This study aims to analyze clinical and epidemiological characteristics of CRKP from children in Henan, China., Methods: CRKP strains were isolated from pediatric patients, and the antimicrobial susceptibility of CRKP was determined using broth microdilution methods. The epidemiological characteristics of CRKP, including specimen sources, clinical data, carbapenemase types, virulence factors, MLST and PBRT typing were analyzed., Results: In total, 108 CRKP isolates were isolated from specimens including sputum, blood and urine, mainly from preterm pediatric department and internal medical intensive care unit (ICU). Newborns and staying in the ICU were risk factors for crude mortality. 107 isolates exhibited a multi-drug resistant (MDR) phenotype, and one isolate was extensively drug-resistant (XDR). Bacterial susceptibility to colistin, tigecycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was 98.10%, 78.50% and 91.43%, respectively. Carbapenemase bla KPC (86.11%) was predominant, followed by bla NDM (5.56%) and bla IMP (2.78%). Two strains co-harbored bla KPC -bla NDM , one had bla KPC -bla IMP , whereas three isolates did not carry any of the analyzed carbapenemase genes. All strains possessed fimH, and 98% of the isolates possessed mrkD. Hypervirulent factors rmpA2 and iucA showed high positive rates (71.30% and 49.07%), with 48.15% of strains containing both genes. MLST analysis identified nine distinct sequence types (STs), with ST11 (82.41%) being the most common, followed by ST2154 (4.63%) and ST307 (3.70%). PBRT analysis revealed IncFII (85.19%) as the most prevalent plasmid., Conclusion: In summary, this study reported the epidemiological features of CRKP in pediatric patients in Henan, China, highlighting the high prevalence of multi-drug-resistant and hypervirulent strains, and underscoring the significance of continuous surveillance., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The development of stimulus-responsive and amplification-based strategies is crucial for achieving improved spatial specificity and enhanced sensitivity in tumor molecular imaging, addressing challenges such as off-tumor signal leakage and limited biomarker content. Therefore, a cyclically activated enzymatic biosensor based on the modification of an AP site within a tetrahedral framework DNA (AP-tFNA) was rationally developed for tumor cell-specific molecular imaging using the endogenous enzyme apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) as a target, exhibiting superior spatial specificity and high sensitivity. APE1, which predominantly localizes within the nucleus in normal cells but exhibits cytosolic and nucleus expression in cancer cells, can specifically recognize and cleave the AP site in AP-tFNA, resulting in the separation of the fluorophore and quenching group, thereby inducing a fluorescence signal. Additionally, upon completion of the excision of one AP site in AP-tFNA, APE1 is released, thereby initiating a subsequent cycle of hydrolytic cleavage reactions. The experimental results demonstrated that AP-tFNA enables precise differentiation of tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo . In particular, the AP-tFNA can monitor drug resistance in neuroblastoma cells and classify the risk for neuroblastoma patients at the clinical plasma level.

Objective: Signs and symptoms of osteomyelitis or septic arthritis in neonates and infants are often nonspecific and early-stage bone infections in infants may often go unnoticed. The objective of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of newborns and infants with osteomyelitis and septic arthritis to improve understanding of the disorder and to assist clinicians with diagnosis., Methods: A retrospective multicenter study was conducted on neonates (0-28 days old, n = 94) and infants (1-12 months old, n = 415) with osteoarticular infections. Data consisting of clinical characteristics, complications, laboratory outcomes, and the pathogenic microorganisms causing osteomyelitis were tabulated. The statistics were further broken down into two regions and the significant differences between neonates and infants were evaluated and compared to the literature., Results: Compared to infants, neonates had significantly lower incidences of fever (p < 0.0001), higher incidences of localized swelling (p = 0.0021), higher rate of infection at the humerus (p = 0.0016), higher percentage of Escherichia coli (p < 0.0001) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (p = 0.0039) infections, lower percentage of Staphylococcus aureus infections (p < 0.0001) and were more likely to develop septic arthritis (p < 0.0001)., Conclusion: Distinct differences were found between neonatal and infants with osteoarticular infections. Future studies should focus on improving diagnosis and subsequent treatment regimens for younger age groups., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to investigate the alleviation of an ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice by apolysaccharide (PSP) from purple sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) and explore the mechanism. The anti-ulcer activity was determined by histopathological evaluation, total gastric acidity, pepsin activity, gastric ulcer index and gastric ulcer inhibition rate. The expression levels of inflammatory factors were detected using ELISA. A special protein meter was used to detect the content of immunoglobulin lgM, immunoglobulin lgG, and complements C3 and C4 in the serum of mice. The expression of CD4 + /CD8 + lymphocyte subsets of mice was detected using flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to examine the effect of PSP on the PI3K/Akt/Rheb/mTOR pathway. The results showed that PSP could effectively reduce the total gastric acidity, pepsin activity, and the index and inhibition rate of gastric ulcers. At the same time, PSP could significantly increase the levels of immunoglobulins (lgG and lgM) and complements (C3 and C4). It could also increase the activity of peritoneal macrophages in mice and the expression of CD4 + /CD8 + in the spleen. ELISA analysis showed that the contents of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly decreased and the content of IL-10 was significantly increased in the PSP group. The western blot analysis showed that PSP could upregulate the relative protein expressions of MUC5AC, PI3K, p-Akt, Rheb and mTOR. These results indicate that PSP can activate the PI3K/Akt/Rheb/mTOR signaling pathway to improve the immunity of mice and maintain the balance of the immune system, thereby protecting the gastric mucosa and improving stress gastric ulcers.

In order to further realize the resource reuse of walnut meal after oil extraction, walnut meal was used as raw material to prepare polypeptide, and its angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was investigated. The ACE inhibitory peptides were prepared from walnut meal protein by alkaline solution and acid precipitation. The hydrolysis degree and ACE inhibition rate were used as indexes to optimize the preparation process by single-factor experiment and response surface method. The components with the highest ACE activity were screened by ultrafiltration, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated in vitro. The effect of gastrointestinal digestion on the stability of walnut peptide was analyzed by measuring molecular weight and ACE inhibition rate. The results showed that the optimal extraction conditions were pH 9.10, hydrolysis temperature 54.50 °C, and hydrolysis time 136 min. The ACE inhibition rate of walnut meal hydrolysate (WMH) prepared under these conditions was 63.93% ± 0.43%. Under the above conditions, the fraction less than 3 kDa showed the highest ACE inhibitory activity among the ACE inhibitory peptides separated by ultrafiltration. The IC 50 value of scavenging ·OH free radical was 1.156 mg/mL, the IC 50 value of scavenging DPPH free radical was 0.25 mg/mL, and the IC 50 value of scavenging O 2 - was 3.026 mg/mL, showing a strong total reducing ability. After simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro, the ACE inhibitory rate of walnut peptide decreased significantly, but it still maintained over 90% ACE inhibitory activity. This study provides a reference for the application of low-molecular-weight walnut peptide as a potential antioxidant and ACE inhibitor.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a common disease in premature infants. In recent years, most researchers have used lactic acid as poor prognosis marker in premature infants. This study aims to explore investigate the impact of blood lactic acid levels on ROP., Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted, and infants with severe ROP born with birth weight (BW) ≤ 1500 g and gestational age (GA) ≤ 32 weeks were enrolled from November 2016 to November 2021. Infants without any stage ROP were included as controls and were matched with ROP infants (1:2) by GA and BW. All selected preterm infants were tested for heel terminal trace blood gas analysis within two weeks of life. Changes in blood lactic acid levels in the two groups were compared and analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Sensitivity and specificity were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve., Results: There were 79 infants in ROP group, and 158 infants in control group. The levels of blood lactic acid were significantly higher in the ROP group on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 compared with control group (all p < 0.05). The blood lactic acid levels on day 5 was an independent risk factor for ROP (p = 0.017). The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were highest on day 5 (AUC 0.716, sensitivity 77.2% and specificity 62.0%, respectively, p < 0.001), and higher on days 1, 3, and 7., Conclusion: A high blood lactic acid level in the first seven days of life may be associated with increases ROP occurrence in very preterm infants, and suggest blood lactic acid level may impact the occurrence of ROP., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium within the Enterobacteriaceae family that can cause multiple systemic infections, such as respiratory, blood, liver abscesses and urinary systems. Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat and K. pneumoniae warrants special attention due to its resistance to most modern day antibiotics. Biofilm formation is a critical obstruction that enhances the antibiotic resistance of K. pneumoniae . However, knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation and its relation with antibiotic resistance in K. pneumoniae is limited. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation and its correlation with antibiotic resistance is crucial for providing insight for the design of new drugs to control and treat biofilm-related infections. In this review, we summarize recent advances in genes contributing to the biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae , new progress on the relationship between biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance, and new therapeutic strategies targeting biofilms. Finally, we discuss future research directions that target biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance of this priority pathogen., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Li, Gao, Li, Liu, Ma, Wang, Yu, Cheng, Zhang, Sun, Song and Wang.)