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Abstract Background Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is one of the most common types of skin cancer worldwide. Therefore, the identification of biomarkers associated with CSCC progression could aid in the early detection of high-risk squamous cell carcinoma and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Objective This study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of silent mating type Information Regulation 2 homolog 6 (SIRT6) in CSCC and its clinical significance. Methods The protein expression level of SIRT6 in tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the correlation between SIRT6 expression and clinicopathological parameters in CSCC patients was analyzed. The relative expression of SIRT6 in CSCC cell lineage and tissue specimens was determined by western blotting and PCR. The effect of SIRT6 silencing on cell proliferation was evaluated using cell counting kit 8. Wound healing, transwell method, and flow cytometry were used to investigate the migration, invasion, and cell cycle distribution/apoptosis of CSCC cells after SIRT6 silencing, respectively. Western blot was used to detect the expression of EMT (Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition), cycle, apoptosis, and other related proteins. Results The high expression of SIRT6 was correlated with the location of cancer tissue and Broder staging in CSCC patients. Knockdown of SIRT6 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of CSCC cells, and promoted their apoptosis, with cells blocked in G1 phase. Study limitations No animal experiments were conducted to further verify the results. Conclusion Decreased expression of SIRT6 can inhibit the occurrence and development of CSCC.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents a malignancy involving early-stage differentiated lymphoid cells that invade the bone marrow, blood, and extramedullary sites. First-line treatment spans 2–3 years with induction, consolidation, intensification, and long-term maintenance phases. Relapsed/refractory (R/R) ALL typically carries an adverse prognosis, and there is currently no standard of care for this disease. Here, we present a case of R/R ALL that responded effectively to liposomal mitoxantrone-based multidrug chemotherapy, resulting in a rapid complete response after 35 days of therapy. Subsequently, the patient was successfully treated with allo-HSCT. At 5 months follow-up, the patient was alive and leukemia-free. Additionally, no severe adverse events were recorded during liposomal mitoxantrone treatment or hospitalization for allo-HSCT. Given the encouraging efficacy and the manageable adverse events observed in our case, liposomal mitoxantrone-based multidrug chemotherapy should be further explored as a bridge to allo-HSCT in patients with R/R ALL.

The present study aims to examine effective measures to enhance the effects of entrepreneurship education (EE) on university students’ entrepreneurial intention (EI) through entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and grit. The survey used a convenient sample of 758 tourism and hotel management students in China. SPSS macro program PROCESS (Model 4) was used to test the mediating effect, and PROCESS (Model 7) was further used to verify the moderated mediation model. The results indicated that: (1) there was statistically significant and positive relationship among EE, ESE, grit, and EI among tourism and hotel management students; (2) EE significantly and positively predicted EI; (3) ESE played a partial mediating role in the link between EE and EI; (4) grit moderated the indirect effect of EE on students’ EI via their ESE. EE is a significant predictor of EI of tourism and hotel management students. Particularly, to improve the influence of EE, entrepreneurial policy makers should design incentive policies that ensure that universities provide EE across various majors. Also, educators should create a supportive and effective education environment so as to improve students’ ESE and grit.

Abstract Radiation triage and biological dosimetry are critical for the medical management of massive potentially exposed individuals following radiological accidents. Here, we performed a genome-wide screening of radiation-responding mRNAs, whose N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels showed significant alteration after acute irradiation. The m6A levels of three genes, Ncoa4, Ate1 and Fgf22, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of mice showed excellent dose-response relationships and could serve as biomarkers of radiation exposure. Especially, the RNA m6A of Ncoa4 maintained a high level as long as 28 days after irradiation. We demonstrated its responsive specificity to radiation, conservation across the mice, monkeys and humans, and the dose-response relationship in PBMCs from cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. Finally, NOCA4 m6A-based biodosimetric models were constructed for estimating absorbed radiation doses in mice or humans. Collectively, this study demonstrated the potential feasibility of RNA m6A in radiation accidents management and clinical applications.

Melanoma is a highly malignant and aggressive cancer originating from melanocytes. Early diagnosis and surgical resection can achieve a good prognosis in some patients. However, metastatic progression and drug resistance are still the two major problems in the treatment of melanoma. Thus, it is necessary to elucidate the pathogenesis, new therapeutic drugs and the treatment methods. This article reviews the research progress of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of melanoma and related drugs. MiRNAs regulate the occurrence and development of melanoma mainly through MAPK, PI3K/AKT, MITF and P53 signaling pathways. Drugs targeting these pathways can achieve therapeutic benefit. MiRNAs can serve as cancer biomarkers for early detection, evaluations of prognosis and therapeutic effect. The identification and study of related miRNA-mediated signaling pathways are helpful to further elucidate the pathogenesis of melanoma and provide scientific basis for the research and development of targeted drugs.

Atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (aCML), a myeloproliferative neoplasm with poor prognosis, was reclassified as aCML by the ICC classification, and as MDS/MPN with neutrophilia by the WHO 2022 classification. Due to the heterogeneity of its clinical features and the lack of unique biomarkers, as well as limited treatment options, aCML currently lacks a standardized treatment protocol. In this case report, we reviewed a young man diagnosed with aCML who achieved complete clinical and hematologic remission subsequent to receiving a therapeutic regimen combining Venetoclax and Azacitidine.

Abstract Human single-stranded DNA-binding protein homologs hSSB1 (SOSSB1) and hSSB2 (SOSSB2) make a vital impact on maintaining genome stability as the B subunits of the sensor of single-stranded DNA complex (SOSS). However, whether and how SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 modulate mutual expression is unclear. This study, demonstrated that the depletion of SOSSB1 in cells enhances the stability of the SOSSB2 protein, and conversely, SOSSB2 depletion enhances the stability of the SOSSB1 protein. The levels of SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 proteins are mutually regulated through their competitive binding with SOSSA which associates with the highly conservative OB-fold domain in SOSSB1 and SOSSB2. The destabilized SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 proteins can be degraded via the proteasome pathway. Additionally, the simultaneous loss of SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 aggravates homologous recombination (HR)-mediated DNA repair defects, enhances cellular radiosensitivity and promotes cell apoptosis. In conclusion, in this study, we showed that SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 positively regulate HR repair and the interaction between SOSSA and SOSSB1 or SOSSB2 prevents the degradation of SOSSB1 and SOSSB2 proteins via the proteasome pathway.

Abstract Objectives During the post-COVID-19 era, everyone has the risk of contracting the virus and becoming the victims of COVID-19. Examining the relationship between the COVID-19 victimization experience and its effects is more urgent. The aim of present study is to propose a mediation model to investigate the association between COVID-19 victimization experience and smartphone addiction, and the mediating role of emotional intelligence. Methods A online questionnaire including the COVID-19 Victimization Experience Scale, the Smartphone Addiction Scale, and the Emotional Intelligence Scale among Chinese university students, were employed in this study. Finally, 1154 valid questionnaires were collected. The reliability and confirmatory factor analysis results showed that all three scales had good reliability and validity. Results Structural Equation Model (SEM) demonstrated that COVID-19 victimization experience significantly predicted smartphone addiction in university students, and emotional intelligence partially mediated the association between COVID-19 victimization experience and smartphone addiction. Bootstrap results furthermore tested the rigor of the mediating effect. Conclusion COVID-19 victimization experience was a important variables in predicting university students’s martphone addiction, and emotional intelligence was a protective factor in decreasing the negative effect of COVID-19 victimization experience on addictive behaviors. It is suggested that instructors should integrate emotional intelligence training programs into mental health courses so as to improve students’ emotional intelligence ability.

Objective: The identification of biomarkers for predicting chemoradiotherapy efficacy is essential to optimize personalized treatment. This study determined the effects of genetic variations in genes involved in apoptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis on the prognosis of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer receiving postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods: The Sequenom MassARRAY was used to detect 217 genetic variations in 40 genes from 300 patients with rectal cancer who received postoperative CRT. The associations between genetic variations and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) computed using a Cox proportional regression model. Functional experiments were performed to determine the functions of the arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5) gene and the ALOX5 rs702365 variant. Results: We detected 16 genetic polymorphisms in CASP3, CASP7, TRAILR2, GSDME, CASP4, HO-1, ALOX5, GPX4, and NRF2 that were significantly associated with OS in the additive model (P < 0.05). There was a substantial cumulative effect of three genetic polymorphisms (CASP4 rs571407, ALOX5 rs2242332, and HO-1 rs17883419) on OS. Genetic variations in the CASP4 and ALOX5 gene haplotypes were associated with a higher OS. We demonstrated, for the first time, that rs702365 [G] > [C] represses ALOX5 transcription and corollary experiments suggested that ALOX5 may promote colon cancer cell growth by mediating an inflammatory response. Conclusions: Polymorphisms in genes regulating cell death may play essential roles in the prognosis of patients with rectal cancer who are treated with postoperative CRT and may serve as potential genetic biomarkers for individualized treatment.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure damages the reproductive system. Lipid droplets (LDs) play an important role in steroid-producing cells to provide raw material for steroid hormone. We have found that the LDs of Leydig cells exposed to Cd are bigger than those of normal cells, but the effects on steroidogenesis and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Using Isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation (iTARQ) proteomics, phosphodiesterase beta-2 (PLCβ2) was identified as the most significantly up-regulated protein in immature Leydig cells (ILCs) and adult Leydig cells (ALCs) derived from male rats exposed to maternal Cd. Consistent with high expression of PLCβ2, the size of LDs was increased in Leydig cells exposed to Cd, accompanied by reduction in cholesterol and progesterone (P4) levels. However, the high PLCβ2 did not result in high diacylglycerol (DAG) level, because Cd exposure up-regulated diacylglycerol kinases ε (DGKε) to promote the conversion from DAG to phosphatidic acid (PA). Exogenous PA, which was consistent with the intracellular PA concentration induced by Cd, facilitated the formation of large LDs in R2C cells, followed by reduced P4 level in the culture medium. When PLCβ2 expression was knocked down, the increased DGKε caused by Cd was reversed, and then the PA level was decreased to normal. As results, large LDs returned to normal size, and the level of total cholesterol was improved to restore steroidogenesis. The accumulation of PA regulated by PLCβ2-DAG-DGKε signal pathway is responsible for the formation of large LDs and insufficient steroid hormone synthesis in Leydig cells exposed to Cd. These data highlight that LD is an important target organelle for Cd-induced steroid hormone deficiency in males.

The capillary effect plays an important role in air and moisture permeability, and it can be used for thermal enhancement and energy harvesting. However, the capillary oscillation has not been extremely studied, and its mechanism for fabrics’ sweat permeability was rare and preliminary. This paper studies the frequency property of the capillary oscillation in a zig-zag porosity of a fabric with a multiple layer structure. The theoretical analysis reveals that small porosity and low frequency of the zig-zag porosity are beneficial to the high sweat permeability. The proposed capillary oscillation probably paves a new avenue for designing fabrics with high moisture permeability, particularly in sportswear and military apparel in extreme cold environments.

Abstract Objective To estimate the relationship among uric acid (UA), 24-h microalbumin (24 h-MAU) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in hypertensive patients. Method The study enrolled adult patients hospitalized in TEDA International Cardiovascular Hospital. The study was used to explore the correlation among UA, 24 h-MAU and eGFR. Univariate analysis was used to compare continuous or categorical data groups according to data type. Multivariate analysis was used to explore the correlation among UA, Log 24 h-MAU and eGFR by linear regression, and the relationship among UA, 24 h-MAU ≥ 30 mg/24 h (increased 24 h-MAU) and eGFR

In this study, five three-dimensional angle-interlock fabrics with different warp and weft densities were fabricated using 1000D Kevlar filaments. The Kevlar/EP composites were prepared by vacuum-assisted molding techniques. The low-velocity impact property of the composite was tested, focusing on the effects of the warp and weft densities, impact energy, impactor shape, and impactor diameter. The damage area, dent depth, and crack lengths in the warp and weft direction were used to evaluate the impact performance, and the specimens were compared with plain-weave composites with similar areal densities. The dominant failure mode of the conical impactor was fiber fracture, while the dominant failure mode of the hemispherical impactor was fiber–resin debonding. The cylindrical impactor showed only minor resin fragmentation. The residual flexural strength of the composite after impact was tested to provide insights into its mechanical properties. The study findings will provide a theoretical basis for the optimization of the design of impact-resistant structures using such materials and facilitate their engineering applications.

Abstract Background and aims The human gut is home to a largely underexplored microbiome component, the archaeome. Little is known of the impact of geography, urbanization, ethnicity, and diet on the gut archaeome in association with host health. We aim to delineate the variation of the human gut archaeome in healthy individuals and its association with environmental factors and host homeostasis. Methods Using metagenomic sequencing, we characterized the fecal archaeomes of 792 healthy adult subjects from 5 regions in China, spanning 6 ethnicities (Han, Zang, Miao, Bai, Dai, and Hani), consisting of both urban and rural residents for each ethnicity. In addition, we sampled 119 host variables (including lifestyle, diet, and blood parameters) and interrogated the influences of those factors, individually and combined, on gut archaeome variations. Results Population geography had the strongest impact on the gut archaeome composition, followed by urbanization, dietary habit, and ethnicity. Overall, the metadata had a cumulative effect size of 11.0% on gut archaeome variation. Urbanization decreased both the α-diversity (intrinsic microbial diversity) and the β-diversity (inter-individual dissimilarities) of the gut archaeome, and the archaea-to-bacteria ratios in feces, whereas rural residents were enriched for Methanobrevibacter smithii in feces. Consumption of buttered milk tea (a characteristic diet of the rural Zang population) was associated with increased abundance of M. smithii. M. smithii was at the central hub of archaeal-bacterial interactions in the gut microecology, where it was positively correlated with the abundances of a multitude of short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (including Roseburia faecis, Collinsella aerofaciens, and Prevotella copri). Moreover, a decreased abundance of M. smithii was associated with increased human blood levels of cholinesterase in the urban population, coinciding with the increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (such as dementia) during urbanization. Conclusions Our data highlight marked contributions of environmental and host factors (geography, urbanization, ethnicity, and habitual diets) to gut archaeome variations across healthy individuals, and underscore the impact of urbanization on the gut archaeome in association with host health in modern society. Video Abstract

To improve the removal efficiency of antibiotics in moving bed biofilm reactor, suspended biochar block was prepared by the one-pot process and was used as carriers to construct a reaction device to study the treatment effect of antibiotic wastewater. The characteristics of the hanging biofilm in wastewater were investigated. And the mechanism of biochar as a biological carrier has been studied. The results showed that in the 45-day experiment, the maximum number of biofilms for suspended biochar carriers was twice 3.4 times that of the high-density polyethylene carriers. When 10 mg/L tetracycline was added to the reactor, the removal efficiency of the tetracycline removal rate was 71.85% and the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), and NH4+-N removal efficiency reached to 89.95, 61.91 and 85.47% respectively. Suspension biochar carriers can reduce fluctuations in redox potentials, thereby improving the cellular efficiency of microorganisms. Meanwhile, it inhibits the production of soluble microbial products and extracellular polymers, reduces toxic effects, and enhances the adhesion between microorganisms and carriers. The microbial communities of the two carriers were investigated by high-throughput sequencing techniques. Suspended biochar significantly increased the relative abundance of Hydrogenophaga and Comamonas, and improved the ability of nitrification and denitrification. Comamonas could be responsible for tetracycline degradation. HIGHLIGHTS Suspended biochar block was prepared by a one-pot process using peanut shells, floating beads and waste electrode graphite as raw materials.; The removal efficiency of the tetracycline and the biological characteristics of biofilms were investigated.; The adsorption and aggregation of microorganism action were investigated using the biochar as carriers in a moving bed biofilm reactor tank.;

The immune cell constituents and localisation within human hepatocellular carcinoma is not fully understood. Here the authors use single cell RNA sequencing of HCC from four different tissue sites and show differences between primary and metastatic tumours, tumour associated macrophages and immune cell populations.

Over the past four decades, Arctic sea ice coverage has steadily declined. This loss of sea ice has amplified solar radiation and heat absorption from the ocean, exacerbating both polar ice loss and global warming. It has also accelerated changes in sea ice movement, posing safety risks for ship navigation. In recent years, numerical prediction models have dominated the field of sea ice movement prediction. However, these models often rely on extensive data sources, which can be limited in specific time periods or regions, reducing their applicability. This study introduces a novel approach for predicting Arctic sea ice motion within a 10-day window. We employ a Self-Attention ConvLSTM deep learning network based on single-source data, specifically optical flow derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Earth Observing System 36.5 GHz data, covering the entire Arctic region. Upon verification, our method shows a reduction of 0.80 to 1.18 km in average mean absolute error over a 10-day period when compared to ConvLSTM, demonstrating its improved ability to capture the spatiotemporal correlation of sea ice motion vector fields and provide accurate predictions.

IntroductionThe aim of the present study, was to examine the simultaneous effects of entrepreneurial opportunity identification (EOI) and psychological capital (PC) on university students' entrepreneurial intention (EI). Compared with necessity-driven entrepreneurship, opportunity-driven entrepreneurship is more sustainable. Scholars have shown that EOI is key to forming EI, but little has been discussed about its association with PC.MethodsA total of 555 university students in China were enrolled by means of convenience sampling. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis of variables were performed using SPSS 21.0 software. Structural equation modeling analysis (SEM) with AMOS 21.0 was used to examine the structural effects of EOI and PC on university students' EI.ResultsAccording to the results, university students' EOI and PC had a positive and insignificant influence on their levels of EI. Furthermore, PC was found to fully mediate the impact of EOI on EI.DiscussionThe present study could shed light on new instructions to examine the interaction between the cognitive and psychological components of EI in the field of entrepreneurship. It is recommended that educators and practitioners should pay regard to the role of EOI and PC.

IntroductionBasic psychological needs satisfaction (BPNS) and Emotional intelligence (EI) have been underscored as helpful psychological constructs in explaining academic engagement. However, the joint interaction of BPNS with EI abilities to explain academic engagement has not been tested. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the interactive role of BPNS with EI abilities in the prediction of academic engagement in a sample of Chinese university students.MethodsA questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of 466 university students. The data were analyzed using the SPSS (version 21.0) software. The first analysis consisted of descriptive statistics (including mean and standard deviation) and Pearson’s correlations among BPNS, EI, and academic engagement. Through structural equation modeling (SEM), direct and indirect effects were calculated.ResultsThe results showed that BPNS was positively associated with academic engagement and that only the Use of emotion dimension of EI mediated these associations.DiscussionThese results suggest that important interventions incorporated with BPNS and EI abilities, especially the use of emotion ability, may be performed to promote university students’ academic engagement.

BackgroundPost-stroke shoulder pain (PSSP) is characterized by shoulder pain on the hemiplegic side, which can limit physical activity in patients with stroke. Acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training (AR) has been widely used in PSSP, but the evidence of its effectiveness is still unclear.ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate the effect and safety of AR vs. rehabilitation training (RT) alone on PSSP.MethodsWe searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM), the Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the WAN FANG database for relevant studies from their inception to February 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effect of AR with RT alone on PSSP were considered. The primary outcome was shoulder pain. Secondary outcomes included upper limb motor function, activities of daily living (ADL), shoulder range of motion (ROM), and adverse events (AEs). Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were also conducted. Quality assessment was implemented based on Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) criteria, which consist of seven items. When more than four items in a study were judged as low ROB, the overall quality of this study was considered low risk.ResultsA total of 40 studies were included in the qualitative analysis, and 35 (87.5%) studies with 2,554 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Of the 40 studies, 14 (35.0%) were of moderate-to-high quality. The meta-analysis results showed that AR is better than RT alone in reducing shoulder pain (MD −1.32, 95% CI −1.58 to −1.07), improving upper limb motor function (MD 6.81, 95% CI 4.95–8.67), ADL (MD 11.17, 95% CI 9.44–12.91), and shoulder ROM (internal rotation: MD 10.48, 95% CI 8.14–12.83; backward extension: MD 7.82, 95% CI 6.00–9.64; anteflexion: MD 12.88, 95% CI 5.47–20.29; external rotation: MD 11.40, 95% CI 6.17–16.64; abduction: MD 16.96, 95% CI 8.61–25.31) without obvious AEs.ConclusionAR may be better than RT alone for the improvement of shoulder pain, upper limb motor function, ADL, and shoulder ROM, without obvious AEs in patients with PSSP. However, considering the clinical and statistical heterogeneity, our findings need to be interpreted with caution. More rigorous RCTs in this area should be conducted in the future.Systematic review registration[www.crd.york.ac.uk], identifier [CRD42022326763].

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes a broad clinical spectrum of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The development of COVID-19 may be the result of a complex interaction between the microbial, environmental, and host genetic components. To reveal genetic determinants of susceptibility to COVID-19 severity in the Chinese population, we performed a genome-wide association study on 885 severe or critical COVID-19 patients (cases) and 546 mild or moderate patients (controls) from two hospitals, Huoshenshan and Union hospitals at Wuhan city in China. We identified two loci on chromosome 11q23.3 and 11q14.2, which are significantly associated with the COVID-19 severity in the meta-analyses of the two cohorts (index rs1712779: odds ratio [OR] = 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38–0.63 for T allele; P = 1.38 × 10−8; and index rs10831496: OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.38–1.98 for A allele; P = 4.04 × 10−8, respectively). The results for rs1712779 were validated in other two small COVID-19 cohorts in the Asian populations (P = 0.029 and 0.031, respectively). Furthermore, we identified significant eQTL associations for REXO2, C11orf71, NNMT, and CADM1 at 11q23.3, and CTSC at 11q14.2, respectively. In conclusion, our findings highlight two loci at 11q23.3 and 11q14.2 conferring susceptibility to the severity of COVID-19, which might provide novel insights into the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of this disease.

BackgroundSocial support is an important factor affecting individual mental health. However, the relationship between social support and mental health in frontline healthcare workers (FHW) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has garnered less attention. In this study, we aimed to investigate the level of social support and the prevalence of depression and anxiety in FHW during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors affecting the relationship between social support, depression, and anxiety.MethodsA cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted to collect data from FHW between 15 February and 31 March 2020 in China. The data included demographic factors, Self-rated Depression Scale (SDS), Self-rated Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS). Spearman correlation test was performed to determine the correlation among SAS, SDS, and SSRS scores. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship among demographic factors, social support, depression, and anxiety in FHW.ResultsOf all 201 participants, 44 (21.9%) had depressive symptoms and 32 (15.9%) had anxiety symptoms. The average total SSRS scores among FHW were lower than that of the norms of the Chinese general population (37.17 ± 7.54 versus 44.38 ± 8.38, P < 0.001). Marital status positively affected the SSRS score (β = 7.395, P < 0.01). Age over 40 years old negatively affected the SSRS score (β = −5.349, P = 0.017). The total SSRS score, subjective social support score, objective social support score, and support utilization score among FHW negatively correlated with the SAS score and SDS score (P < 0.05). A lower support utilization score was significantly associated with high anxiety and depressive symptoms (β = −0.869, P = 0.024; β = −1.088, P = 0.035, respectively).ConclusionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, FHW experienced depression, anxiety, and inadequate social support. The marital status and age had a major impact on social support. Social support was inversely associated with depression and anxiety. Improving the mental health of FHW by strengthening social support is crucial. Future studies are needed to investigate how to improve the level of social support and mental health condition of FHW facing public health emergencies in the future.

Background: Post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome (SHS) is a common complication after stroke. To date, there is still a lack of consistently effective and good patient compliance methods for SHS. Methods: Fifty patients with SHS were included in this study. Patients in the control group received rehabilitation training (RT) for 2 weeks; each session was 30 min, 1 time per day, and 5 times per week. Patients in the observation group were additionally given Bo's abdominal acupuncture (BAA) with the same frequency and duration. The primary outcome was the change value in the VAS score from baseline to 2 weeks. The secondary outcomes measured were motor function of the upper limb, shoulder range of motion, ADL, and swelling volume. Results: Compared with baseline values, the mean VAS score at 2 weeks was reduced by 3.68 in the observation group and by 1.92 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 1.84 (P < 0.001); the mean MBI score at 2 weeks increased by 10.44 in the observation group and by 4.79 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 5.84 (P = 0.032); the mean swelling volume at 2 weeks decreased by 9.64 in the observation group and by 3.29 in the control group, with a difference between the two groups of 6.48 (P < 0.001). BAA-related adverse events were not found during the study. Conclusions: BAA combined with RT is superior to RT alone in improving shoulder pain, swelling, and ADL in post-stroke SHS patients. Trial Registration: ChiCTR2100045464 (www.chictr.org.cn).

Abstract Centralized intravenous admixture service (CIVAS) centres, which are pharmaceutical departments found in Chinese hospitals, provide high-quality intravenous fluids and pharmaceutical services for patients, and errors in their working procedures can lead to adverse consequences. Pharmacists, the primary CIVAS centre personnel, play a role in risk control; however, to date, the effect of pharmacists’ participation in risk management has not been reported. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacist’s role in risk control and evaluate its impact. A retrospective observational study was designed to assess the principal working process in the CIVAS centre of a provincial healthcare setting. Errors in the main working process were identified, and intervention measures were formulated. The pharmacist intervention effect was evaluated by assessing the identification rate of improper prescriptions; the incidence rate of drug preparation, compounding, packaging and delivery process errors; and expenditures on wasteful drugs. There was a higher identification rate for improper prescriptions after the intervention (P

Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is difficult to cure. HBV-specific immune tolerance plays a key role in HBV persistence, and enhancing cellular and humoral immunity will improve the control of HBV infection. The purpose of the study was to explore the anti-HBV and immunostimulatory effects of msiRNAs that introduce unpaired uridine bulges in the passenger strand. Methods msiRNAs targeting the HBV S and X genes were designed and named msiHBs and msiHBx, respectively. HepG2 cells were cotransfected with siRNA or msiRNA and the HBV replication-competent plasmid pHY106-wta or pHY106-X15. HepG2.215 cells were transfected with siRNA or msiRNA. The levels of HBsAg, HBeAg, and the cytokines TNF-α, IFN-α, IFN-β, IL-1α, and IL-6 in the culture supernatant was detected by ELISA. The levels of intracellular HBV RNA, nuclear HBV replication intermediates, and HBV DNA in the supernatant were measured by quantitative RT-PCR and PCR. The levels of HBV replication intermediates were detected by Southern blotting. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were transfected with siRNA or msiRNA, and the levels of secreted cytokines IFN-α and IFN-β were detected by ELISA. The bioactivity of type I interferons in the supernatants was detected by the virus protection assay. Results msiHBx treatment led to a significant decrease in HBsAg (to a negative level) and HBV DNA (95.5%) in the supernatant and intrahepatocellular HBV replication intermediates (89.8%) in HepG2 cells with transient HBV replication and in HepG2.2.15 cells. There was no significant difference between msiHBx and siHBx in terms of the reduction in HBV proteins and HBV replication (P > 0.05). Compared with siHBx, msiHBx treatment of HepG2 cells transfected with the HBV replication-competent plasmid led to a significant increase in the levels of the antiviral cytokines TNF-α (3.3-fold), IFN-α (1.4-fold), and IFN-β (2.5-fold) (P

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most common environmental pollutants, which has a long biological half-life. Maternal Cd-exposure in the natural environment causes steroidogenesis defects resulting in spermatogenesis disorder in male offspring. For better understanding its underlying mechanism, we have employed iTRAQ to screen the differentially expressed protein and found that the expression of CORO1A and Cofilin 1 was up-regulated approximately 2 fold in Leydig cells of maternal Cd-exposure offspring. As the major source of steroid hormone, cholesterol is transported to cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis which relies on the remodel of cytoskeleton, then stores in lipid droplets (LDs). However, few studies have focused on the role of cytoskeleton in abnormal steroidogenesis. This study was performed to explore the role of CORO1A in androgen deficiency caused by Cd exposure and its involvement of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) uptake and effects on LDs. We found that Cd resulted in the up-regulation of CORO1A and Cofilin 1, and down-regulation of Profilin 1 in the testis of male offspring with maternal exposure. The structure of filamentous actin was broken, disordered and even crumpled up in Cd-treated R2C cells. F-actin disassembly led to a low uptake of LDL with a reduced number of LDs, followed by decreased total cholesterol and low progesterone production. When CORO1A was silenced, the expression of Cofilin 1 was down-regulated and Profilin 1 was up-regulated in Cd-treated R2C cells. The filamentous actin was rescued and the integrated cytoskeleton prompted LDL uptake, which resulted in the increased total cholesterol and high progesterone production. These findings highlight the crucial role of CORO1A as a cytoskeleton regulatory protein in steroidogenesis, which may help to better understand Cd-induced steroid hormone deficiency in children.

Determining how the profile of immune cells varies with their disease subtypes and across lesion locations is critical for understanding the pathogenesis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). To that end, we herein combined the IBD TaMMA framework and the CIBERSORT pipeline to deconvolute the large amount of RNA-seq data from patients with IBD (both CD and UC were included) and healthy human controls across 28 cohorts (a total of 3,852 samples) while accommodating data heterogeneity across cohorts, to define the immune cell landscape of IBD. Our study uncovered that both absolute quantities of innate and adaptive immune cell populations were elevated in most intestinal regions of IBD patients, yet disease-specific (CD versus UC) and intestinal location (ileum, colon, and rectum)-specific features. In the ileum, the increase in innate immune cells was more pronounced in CD than UC. In contrast, innate and adaptive immune cells were elevated more drastically in the UC than CD in the rectum. Such revelation of immune signatures across the highly variable IBD phenotypes (in both disease subtypes and intestinal regions) underpins differential immune-pathophysiological mechanisms in IBD pathogenesis and therefore serves as a resource for the development of future targeted studies.

Gastric cancer is a major health burden worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel family of noncoding RNAs that are involved in multiple types of cancers, including gastric cancer. As biological functions and the underlying molecular mechanisms of the newly identified circRNA circ0007360 have not been investigated, our present study focused on the role of circ0007360 in the progression of gastric cancer. After characterizing circ0007360 as a cytoplasmic circRNA, we revealed the inhibitory effects of circ0007260 on the survival, migration, invasion, and stemness of gastric cancer cells. Subsequently, miR-762 was identified as a direct target microRNA (miRNA) of circ0007360 and was proved to act as a vital downstream transcript to fulfill the tumor-promoting effects in the absence of circ0007360. Furthermore, we demonstrated that interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7), which was validated as a target gene of miR-762, serves as an indirect target of circ0007360 to attenuate the progression of gastric cancer. Moreover, in vivo experiments confirmed the potentiation of gastric cancer cell growth and stemness upon depletion of circ0007360. In summary, our results revealed that activation of the circ0007360/miR-762/IRF7 axis is a novel mechanism for the attenuation of gastric cancer progression. Our study unveils the diagnostic and therapeutic values of circ0007360 in patients with gastric cancer.

The 9th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition was carried out from 20 July to 26 September 2018. The expedition was successful in undertaking multidisciplinary comprehensive surveys in the fields of physical oceanography, marine meteorology, sea ice, marine chemistry, marine biology, marine ecology, geology, and geophysics in the Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Chukchi Plateau, Mendeleev Ridge, and Canada Basin. This paper gives an overview of the main achievements of this expedition and highlights the scientific achievements.

Physical parameters (i.e., extraction yield, oil content), chemicals (i.e., fatty acids, phenolics) and oxidative stability associated with virgin olive oil (VOO) from ten varieties in Wudu, China, were analyzed as a function of maturity index and variety by multivariate analysis models. Most of the analytical parameters were significantly affected by the variety and maturity index, and the former was more influential than the latter. Phenolics were the principal factor dividing the ten varieties into four groups. High phenolic levels were observed in the ‘Koroneiki’ group and ‘Manzanilla’ group, but the oil extractability index differentiated between them, being the highest and lowest, respectively. The ‘Koroneiki’ group demonstrated high oil productivity and oil quality, which was worthy of promotion in large-scale cultivation. High amounts of linoleic enhanced the VOO health benefits of ‘Ascolana tenera, Arbequina and Zhongshan24’ group, but brought the risk of shortening the shelf-life. The ‘Ulliri Bardhe, Empeltre, Ezhi8, Yuntai14 and Picual’ group clustered for the higher relative value of oleic acid. The maturity index had significant negative effects on the content of total phenolics, oleacein, oleocanthal, and oleic acid, but had a positive effect on the extractability index, which suggested that varieties with low phenolics and oleic acid levels should be harvested early.

Based on multibeam bathymetric data and high-resolution shallow sub-bottom profiles acquired during China’s 10th Arctic Scientific Expedition Cruise in 2019, a sediment wave field was found on the western slope of the Chukchi Rise, in the Arctic Ocean. This sediment wave field developed on the lower slope with water depths of between 1200 m and 1800 m and stretched 15 km in the downslope direction. It comprised several parallel sediment waves, with wavelengths ranging from 700 m to 3400 m and wave heights from 12 m to 70 m. In the vertical direction, well-stratified deposits, tens of meters thick, were affected by sediment waves, which exhibit asymmetric waveforms and upslope migration trends. The morphological and seismostratigraphic characteristics of the sediment waves suggested their genesis as a result of the interaction between the bottom current and seafloor morphology, which was also supported by hydrographical data adjacent to the sediment wave field. It was infered that this bottom current was related to the Arctic Circumpolar Boundary Current, which many researchers suggest flows through the study area.

The three-dimensional (3D) shallow cross-bending composite material has many advantages in thickness and in-plane direction, such as high strength, high modulus, inter-layer shear strength, as well as large-area area bearing, energy absorption, etc., which has great application potential in the field of bulletproof armor. To prepare a protective material with both excellent bending performance and good ballistic performance, the effects of weft density and layering method on the bending performance and ballistic performance of three-dimensional ply-to-ply angle interlock (3DPPAI) Kevlar/EP armor materials were studied. The results showed that when the weft density of the material was 33 pieces/cm, its bending performance and ballistic resistance were the best. The 3DPPAI Kevlar/EP armor material prepared by orthogonal layup had more advantages in bending performance, and the unidirectional layup had better anti-ballistic performance. The research results will lay the foundation for structural optimization and engineering applications of such materials.

In the Bering Sea slope, ocean eddies are essential physical processes that carry nutrients to the shelf. The development of the satellite altimeter has facilitated the observation of oceanic eddies. Attention networks are used as the core algorithm for eddy detection to suppress feature responses in irrelevant non-eddy areas, which can address the issue of sample imbalance in high-latitude ocean eddies. Furthermore, data from both the sea surface height (SSH) and geostrophic velocity were employed as model inputs to integrate more eddy-related properties. The results of ocean eddy detection using this method and the dataset allowed more eddies to be detected than with traditional vector geometry-based methods and only SSH-based models. This study also incorporated the results of multiple deep learning models to increase both the overall and single-day eddy detection efficiency. As a result, the algorithms in this paper show that attention networks and geostrophic velocity data are both appropriate for high-latitude ocean eddy identification. This makes a contribution to the further application of deep learning methods to satellite altimetry data.

Three-dimensional (3D) woven composites have attracted much attention in the lightweight research of protective armor due to their high specific strength and good impact resistance. However, there are still many gaps in terms of the performance and influencing factors of three-dimensional deep-angle-interlock (3DDAI) Kevlar/EP armor materials. Therefore, in order to prepare 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor materials with excellent ballistic resistance and mechanical properties, this paper studies the bending performance of 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor materials and the influence of the number of stacking layers, resin content, laying method, and weft density. Finally, we compare it with the traditional two-dimensional (2D) plain laminated Kevlar/EP armor material. The results showed that when the 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor material was subjected to bending load, the upper and bottom layers of the material had a great influence on the initial stiffness and fracture strength of the material, respectively; when the material’s warp and weft density are quite different, the utilization rate of the yarn and the strength of the material are negatively affected; the fracture energy of the 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor material prepared by the orthogonal laying method was about 20% higher than that of the 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor material with the unidirectional layering method; and the bending performance of the 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor material in the weft direction was better than that of the 2D plain laminated Kevlar/EP armor material, with the 3DDAI Kevlar/EP armor material having better delamination resistance. The research results will lay the foundation for structural optimization and engineering applications of such materials.

The present study aims to examine effective measures to enhance the effects of entrepreneurship education (EE) on university students' entrepreneurial intention (EI) through entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE) and grit. The survey used a convenient sample of 758 tourism and hotel management students in China. SPSS macro program PROCESS (Model 4) was used to test the mediating effect, and PROCESS (Model 7) was further used to verify the moderated mediation model. The results indicated that: (1) there was statistically significant and positive relationship among EE, ESE, grit, and EI among tourism and hotel management students; (2) EE significantly and positively predicted EI; (3) ESE played a partial mediating role in the link between EE and EI; (4) grit moderated the indirect effect of EE on students' EI via their ESE. EE is a significant predictor of EI of tourism and hotel management students. Particularly, to improve the influence of EE, entrepreneurial policy makers should design incentive policies that ensure that universities provide EE across various majors. Also, educators should create a supportive and effective education environment so as to improve students' ESE and grit.

The abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) has increased rapidly and so development of an easy, cheap and sensitive ATS sensor is of great importance. A facile label-free impedimetric sensor was fabricated using cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) as a recognition molecule to bind ATS. The presence of CB[7] enables the formation of three-dimensional AuNP structures (3D-AuNPs@CB[7]) which were characterized by Fourier transform infrared reflection spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Due to the large effective area and high electronic transmission of 3D-AuNPs@CB[7], the 3D-AuNPs@CB[7]-modified electrodes produce 63 times the signal enhancement at the limit of detection compared with using CB[7] directly. In addition, the fabricated impedimetric sensor can accurately detect an amphetamine-type derivative in artificial urine and serum samples. Combining the properties of 3D nanostructures with a macrocyclic molecule, 3D-AuNPs@CB[7] offers a simple and sensitive platform for the detection of ATS. Keywords: Amphetamine-type derivative, Cucurbit[7]uril, Host–guest recognition, 3D-AuNPs

Background: The possible association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular-to-right atrial shunt (LVRAS) has never been reported yet. The present study investigated the incidence of AF in LVRAS.Methods: This was a retrospective study of consecutive patients undergoing echocardiography at a single tertiary center. Clinical data, laboratory results and echocardiography parameters such as right atrial area (RAA), right ventricular end diastolic diameter (RVDD) and left atrial diameter (LAD) were compared between LVRAS group and non-LVRAS patients, and between AF and non-AF patients. Propensity score matching was performed to decrease the effect of confounders. Logistic regression analysis and mediation analysis were used to estimate the relationship between LVRAS and AF.Results: A total of 3,436 patients were included, and the incidence of LVRAS was 1.16% (n = 40). The LVRAS group had significantly larger RAA, RVDD and LAD compared with non-LVRAS group. Those who suffered from AF showed larger RAA, RVDD and LAD compared with those who maintained sinus rhythm. Multivariable logistic regression showed that gender (OR: 0.608), age (OR: 1.048), LAD (OR: 1.111), mean pulmonary artery blood pressure (mPAP, OR: 1.023), TR (OR: 2.309) and LVRAS (OR: 12.217) were significant factors for AF. RAA could partially mediate the relationship between LVRAS and AF according to the result of mediation analysis.Conclusions: Our study suggested that LVRAS, TR, LAD, mPAP, age and male were risk factors for AF. RA enlargement might underlie mechanism in the higher incidence of AF in LVRAS patients. These findings should be confirmed in larger prospective studies.

Astragalus membranaceus (Ast) and ligustrazine (Lig) have a protective effect on lower hemorrhagic transformation induced by pharmaceutical thrombolysis. The cerebral ischemia rat model was induced with autologous blood clot injections. A combination of Ast and Lig, or a protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) inhibitor—rottlerin, or a combination of Ast, Lig, and rottlerin was administered immediately after recombinant tissue plasminogen activator injection. The cerebral infarct area, neurological deficits, cerebral hemorrhage status, neuronal damage and tight junctions’ changes in cerebral vessels, and the messenger RNA and protein levels of PKCδ, myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (Marcks), and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) were determined after 3 h and 24 h of thrombolysis. The ultrastructure of the neuronal damage and tight junctions was examined under a transmission electron microscope. The expression levels of PKCδ, Marcks, and MMP9 were assessed by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction . Administration of Ast and Lig not only significantly decreased neurological deficit scores, infarct volumes, and cerebral hemorrhage but also inhibited the disruption due to neuronal dysfunction and the tight junction integrity in the cerebral vessel. Treatment with a combination of Ast and Lig effectively protected ischemia-induced microhemorrhage transformation through PKCδ/Marcks pathway suppression.

Summary: The key mitotic regulator Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is activated during G2 phase by Aurora A kinase (AurkA)-mediated phosphorylation of its activation loop, which is important for timely mitotic entry. The mechanism for Plk1 activation remains incompletely understood. Here, we report that the activation of Plk1 requires WAC, a WW domain-containing adaptor protein with a coiled-coil region that predominantly localizes to the nucleus in interphase. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) phosphorylates WAC, priming its direct interaction with the polo-box domain of Plk1. Knockdown of WAC compromises Plk1 activity and delays mitotic entry. These defects are rescued by exogenous expression of wild-type WAC, but not the Plk1-binding-deficient mutant. WAC also binds AurkA and can enhance Plk1 phosphorylation by AurkA in vitro. Taken together, these results indicate an important role for WAC in promoting Plk1 activation and the timely entry into mitosis. : Qi et al. report that WAC is an important regulator of cell cycle progression at the G2/M transition. Phosphorylation by Cdk1 primes WAC binding to the polo-box domain of Plk1, which promotes Plk1 phosphorylation and activation by AurkA, thereby ensuring timely and robust entry into mitosis. Keywords: WAC, Plk1, Aurora A, Cyclin A/Cdk1, Cyclin B/Cdk1, G2/M transition, mitotic entry

Objectives: Orientia tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular pathogen that causes scrub typhus. Diagnosing scrub typhus remains a challenge, and a sensitive, specific, simple, and rapid diagnostic test is still needed. Methods: A recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay combined with a lateral flow (LF) test targeting the 56-kDa gene of a Karp-like strain of O. tsutsugamushi was developed and optimized. The detection limits, sensitivity, specificity, and simulative clinical performance were evaluated. Results: Primers and probe were screened to establish the RPA assay, and the reaction conditions were optimized. The detection limit was 10 copies/reaction in detecting plasmid DNA and 12 copies/reaction in detecting genomic DNA. The RPA–LF method could differentiate O. tsutsugamushi from other phylogenetically related bacteria. The sensitivity was 100% and specificity was over 90%, when evaluated using infected animal samples or simulative clinical samples. Furthermore, the method was completed in 20 min at 37 °C followed by a 3–5 min incubation at room temperature for the development of an immunochromatographic strip, and the results could be determined visually. Conclusions: This method is promising for wide-ranging use in basic medical units considering that it requires minimal instruments and infrastructure and is highly time-efficient, sensitive, and specific for diagnosing scrub typhus. Keywords: Orientia tsutsugamushi, Scrub typhus, Recombinase polymerase amplification, Diagnosis, Lateral flow test

DNA double strand breaks can be repaired by homology-independent or homology-directed mechanisms. The choice between these pathways is a key event for genomic stability maintenance. Here the authors identify and characterize AUNIP, as a factor involved in tilting the balance towards homology repair.

Abstract Background Loss of neural function is a critical but unsolved issue after cerebral ischemia insult. Neuronal plasticity and remodeling are crucial for recovery of neural functions after brain injury. Buyang Huanwu decoction, which is a classic formula in traditional Chinese medicine, can positively alter synaptic plasticity. This study assessed the effects of Buyang Huanwu decoction in combination with physical exercise on neuronal plasticity in cerebral ischemic rats. Methods Cerebral ischemic rats were administered Buyang Huanwu decoction and participated in physical exercise after the induction of a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. The neurobehavioral functions and infarct volumes were evaluated. The presynaptic (SYN), postsynaptic (GAP-43) and cytoskeletal (MAP-2) proteins in the coronal brain samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot analyses. The ultrastructure of the neuronal synaptic junctions in the same region were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. Results Combination treatment of Buyang Huanwu decoction and physical exercise ameliorated the neurobehavioral deficits (p

Incorporation of impurities in CuAlO _2 provides an opportunities to modulate its electronic and optical properties, which can be exploited for the applications of optoelectronic devices. Among the various elements doped of CuAlO _2 , research on the codoping magnesium (Mg) with nitrogen (N) which may be a promising way for fabricating p-type CuAlO _2 is still limited. Here, the first-principles calculation based on density functional theory was used to investigate the electronic and optical properties of Mg-doped, N-doped and Mg–N codoped CuAlO _2 . Compared with the undoped CuAlO _2 , the lattice parameters a and c of the Mg–N codoped CuAlO _2 become larger and smaller, respectively. The acceptor level induced by 2 p state of N in N-doped CuAlO _2 is very deep. The undoped and Mg-doped CuAlO _2 has indirect band gap. Whether the deep acceptor level or the indirect band gap, it is unfavorable to p -type doping or light emission. Due to the hybridization of 3 p state of Mg and 2 p state of N on the top of the valence band, the Mg–N codoped CuAlO _2 not only has a direct band gap, but also has a shallower acceptor level (about 0.24 eV above the top of the valence band). The optical properties of CuAlO _2 changes obviously after Mg–N codoping in the area of low energy. These results suggest that the possibility of enhancing the hole concentration in CuAlO _2 by Mg–N dual-acceptor codoping which will be beneficial to the application of CuAlO _2 in optoelectronic devices.

In the process of installing inner support, the force loaded on the steel sheet pile is continuous, that is, the installation of inner support always happens after the accumulative deformation caused by inside and outside pressure difference of the steel sheet pile cofferdam. Taking the steel sheet pile cofferdam construction of a specially long span bridge as example, the paper puts forwards a spatial model of steel sheet pile cofferdam considering the construction “path” based on ANSYS. The model calculation result and the actual measurement result are compared. The results show that the model based on considering the “path” effects has a more similar calculating result with the measured value.

The objective of this study was to explore the gastroprotective properties of the aerial part of Lycium chinense Mill (LCA) against ethanol-induced gastric mucosa lesions in mice models. Administration of LCA at doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight prior to ethanol consumption dose dependently inhibited gastric ulcers. The gastric mucosal injury was analyzed by gastric juice acidity, glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities. Furthermore, the levels of the inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in serum were also analyzed using ELISA. Pathological changes were also observed with the aid of hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Our results indicated that LCA significantly reduced the levels of MPO, MDA and increased SOD and GSH activities. Furthermore, LCA also significantly inhibited the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the serum of ulcerated mice in a dose dependent manner. Immunohistological analysis indicated that LCA also significantly attenuated the overexpression of nuclear factor-κB in pretreated mice models. This findings suggests Lycium chinense Mill possesses gastroprotective properties against ethanol-induced gastric injury and could be a possible therapeutic intervention in the treatment and management of gastric ulcers.

The aim of this study was to separate antityrosinase compounds of the ethyl acetate fraction from Rhus verniciflua Stokes using medium pressure liquid chromatography. Among the different fractions, the Fr.6 fraction showed the highest antityrosinase capacity (96.5%), followed by the Fr.5 fraction (85.6%). The Fr.1 fraction showed the lowest antityrosinase capacity (12.4%). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of Fr.5.5 and Fr.6.4 led to the isolation and identification of butin and sulfuretin. Then the inhibitory effects of butin and sulfuretin on the monophenolase and diphenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase were investigated. The results showed that butin and sulfuretin can act as potent inhibitors of monophenolase and diphenolase activities of the enzyme, and the IC50 of the butin and sulfuretin were 16.0 μmol/L and 13.64 μmol/L, respectively. The lag period of the enzyme was obviously lengthened; it was estimated to be 1 min in the absence of inhibitor, extended to 26 min in the presence of 185 μmol/L of butin, and 6 min in the presence of 111.1 μmol/L of sulfuretin. A kinetic analysis showed that butin and sulfuretin are competitive inhibitors. The results revealed that the butin and sulfuretin took up the loci of the substrate combined with enzyme, or blocked the anionic initiation by eliminating free radicals, thus weakening the catalytic reaction of oxidation of L-dopa.

Abstract: Port-wine stain is a type of common congenital superficial telangiectasia in the dermal layer mostly occurring on the forehead, face, and neck. The affected skin shows abnormal red or purple lesions, which darken and thicken. Nodular changes may develop with advancing age. If untreated, port-wine stains scarcely regress, which can have serious lifelong psychological impact on patients and affect their quality of life. In this report, we focused on two cases of port-wine stain in pediatric patients; the youngest patient was only 1.5 years old. During and after treatment, Hemoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy features fewer adverse reactions, short light protection period, easy nursing, and good efficacy.

Abstract Nicotine is naturally synthesized in tobacco roots and accumulates in leaves as a defense compound against herbivory attack. Nicotine biosynthesis pathway has been extensively studied with major genes and enzymes being isolated and functionally characterized. However, the molecular regulation of nicotine synthesis has not been fully understood. The phytohormone jasmonic acid (JA) mediates many aspects of plant defense responses including nicotine biosynthesis. In this study, five key genes (AtLOX2, AtAOS, AtAOC2, AtOPR3, AtJAR1) involved in JA biosynthesis from Arabidopsis were individually overexpressed, and a JA‐Ile hydrolysis‐related gene, NtJIH1, was suppressed by RNAi approach, to understand their effects on nicotine accumulation in tobacco. Interestingly, while transgene expression was high, levels of JA‐Ile (the biologically active form of JA) were often significantly reduced. Meanwhile, nicotine content in these transgenic plants did not increase. The research revealed a tightly controlled JA signaling pathway and a complicated regulatory network for nicotine biosynthesis by JA signaling.

OBJECTIVES:Rickettsia rickettsii is the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which is the most severe spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis. Developing a simple and reliable detection method is required. METHODS:A detection method for R. rickettsii was established based on a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay and the lateral flow (LF) test. A specific target sequence was screened, and corresponding primers and probes were designed, synthesized, and screened for establishing an RPA assay with high amplification efficiency. Reagent concentrations, amplification time, and loading volume for strip development were optimized. The detection limit, analytic sensitivity and specificity were evaluated. RESULTS:A rapid, visual, sensitive and specific method for the detection of R. rickettsii based on RPA and the LF test was successfully established. The novel method had a limit of detection of 10 to 50 copies/reaction without recognizing other organisms. Analytical sensitivity and specificity were ≥90% and 100%, respectively, as evaluated by animal and simulative human samples. CONCLUSIONS:Using the established method, detection could be completed in 30 min with visually detectable results by the naked eye, without requirement of any instrument except a constant temperature equipment. The technique shows superior detection performance and is promising for wide use in the field as well as resource-limited areas for R. rickettsii detection.