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Abstract Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) is a zoonotic opportunistic pathogen that mainly causes fatal lung and extrapulmonary abscesses in foals and immunocompromised individuals. To date, no commercial vaccine against R. equi exists. We previously screened all potential vaccine candidates from the complete genome of R. equi using a reverse vaccinology approach. Five of these candidates, namely ABC transporter substrate-binding protein (ABC transporter), penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBD2), NlpC/P60 family protein (NlpC/P60), esterase family protein (Esterase), and M23 family metallopeptidase (M23) were selected for the evaluation of immunogenicity and immunoprotective effects in BALB/c mice model challenged with R. equi. The results showed that all five vaccine candidate-immunized mice experienced a significant increase in spleen antigen-specific IFN-γ- and TNF-α-positive CD4 + and CD8 + T lymphocytes and generated robust Th1- and Th2-type immune responses and antibody responses. Two weeks after the R. equi challenge, immunization with the five vaccine candidates reduced the bacterial load in the lungs and improved the pathological damage to the lungs and livers compared with those in the control group. NlpC/P60, Esterase, and M23 were more effective than the ABC transporter and PBD2 in inducing protective immunity against R. equi challenge in mice. In addition, these vaccine candidates have the potential to induce T lymphocyte memory immune responses in mice. In summary, these antigens are effective candidates for the development of protective vaccines against R. equi. The R. equi antigen library has been expanded and provides new ideas for the development of multivalent vaccines.

Abstract Aims Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a rare complication of vaccination. In this study, we sought to provide insight into the characteristics of reported TTS induced by vaccination. Methods and results We did a systematic review, searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Ovid MEDLINE, Journals@Ovid, and Scopus databases up to 26 April 2023 to identify case reports or case series of vaccine‐induced TTS. We then extracted and summarized the data from these reports. Eighteen reports were identified, with a total of 19 patients with TTS associated with vaccinations. Of the 19 included patients, the majority were female (n = 13, 68.4%) with a mean age of 56.6 ± 21.9 years. Seventeen patients developed TTS after coronavirus disease 2019 vaccination, 14 of whom received an mRNA vaccination. Two cases of TTS occurred after influenza vaccination. Among the 19 patients, 17 (89.5%) completed transthoracic echocardiography and 16 (84.2%) underwent angiography procedures. Seven patients (36.8%) completed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. The median time to symptom onset was 2 (inter‐quartile range, 1–4) days. The most common symptoms were chest pain (68.4%), dyspnoea (57.9%), and digestive symptoms (31.6%). A total of 57.9% of patients developed nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, myalgia, diaphoresis, and fever. Among the 16 reported cases of TTS, 15 patients (93.8%) exhibited elevated cardiac troponin levels, while among the nine reported cases, eight patients (88.9%) had elevated natriuretic peptide levels. All patients had electrocardiographic changes: ST‐segment change (47.1%), T‐wave inversion (58.8%), and prolonged corrected QT interval (35.3%). The most common TTS type was apical ballooning (88.2%). Treatment during hospitalization typically included beta‐blockers (44.4%), angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (33.3%), and diuretics (22.2%). After treatment, 81.3% of patients were discharged with improved symptoms. Among this group, nine patients (56.3%) were reported to have recovered ventricular wall motion during follow‐up. Two patients (12.5%) died following vaccination without resuscitation attempts. Conclusions TTS is a rare but potentially life‐threatening complication of vaccination. Typical TTS symptoms such as chest pain and dyspnoea should be considered alarming symptoms, though nonspecific symptoms are common. The risks of such rare adverse events should be balanced against the risks of infection.

Background Takotsubo syndrome has been reported in patients with COVID-19, although minimal data are available. This investigation assessed the incidence and impact of takotsubo syndrome on patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes to identify patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 with or without takotsubo syndrome in the National Inpatient Sample 2020 database. Outcomes between groups were compared after propensity score matching for patient and hospital demographics and comorbidities. Results A total of 211,448 patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 were identified. Of these, 171 (0.08%) had a secondary diagnosis of takotsubo syndrome. Before matching, patients with COVID-19 and takotsubo syndrome, compared with patients without takotsubo syndrome, were older (68.95 vs 64.26 years; P < .001); more likely to be female (64.3% vs 47.2%; P < .001); and more likely to have anxiety (24.6% vs 12.8%; P < .001), depression (17.5% vs 11.4%; P = .02), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (24.6% vs 14.7%; P < .001). The takotsubo syndrome group had worse outcomes than the non–takotsubo syndrome group for death (30.4% vs 11.1%), cardiac arrest (7.6% vs 2.1%), cardiogenic shock (12.9% vs 0.4%), length of hospital stay (10.7 vs 7.5 days), and total charges ($152,685 vs $78,468) (all P < .001). After matching and compared with the non–takotsubo syndrome group (n = 508), the takotsubo syndrome group (n = 170) had a higher incidence of inpatient mortality (30% vs 14%; P < .001), cardiac arrest (7.6% vs 2.8%; P = .009), and cardiogenic shock (12.4% vs 0.4%; P < .001); a longer hospital stay (10.7 vs 7.6 days; P < .001); and higher total charges ($152,943 vs $79,523; P < .001). Conclusion Takotsubo syndrome is a rare but severe in-hospital complication in patients with COVID-19.

In order to reduce carbon emissions, the effects of gas composition and initial turbulence on the premixed flame dynamics of hydrogen-blended natural gas were investigated. The results show that an increase in hydrogen content leads to earlier formation of flame wrinkles. When the equivalence ratio is 1 and hydrogen blending ratio is below 20 %, Tulip flames appear approximately 2.25 m away from the ignition point. When hydrogen blending ratio exceeds 20 %, Tulip flames appear approximately 1.3 m away from the ignition point, and twisted Tulip flames appear approximately 2.5 m away from the ignition position. During the 0.05 m process of flame propagation downstream from ignition point, flame propagation velocity increases by about 2 m/s for every 10 % increase in hydrogen content. The increase in hydrogen content has the most significant impact on the flame propagation velocity during the ignition stage. The average flame propagation velocity increases with the increase of hydrogen blending ratio. The greater the initial turbulence, the more obvious the stretching deformation of flame front structure. With the increase of wind speed, the flame propagation velocity first increases and then decreases. At a wind speed of 3 m/s, the flame propagation velocity reaches its maximum value.

Marine equipment is an important measure to support China’s construction of a marine power, as stated in the report of the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th National Congress on “developing the marine economy, protecting the marine ecological environment, and accelerating the building of a marine power”. In recent years, China’s marine equipment industry has developed rapidly, but there are still some problems. The industry is large but not strong enough. And the basic theoretical innovation and core key technologies are difficult to meet the needs of national strategic development. Based on Schumpeter’s innovation theory, this paper investigates the innovative ability of product innovation, process innovation, demand innovation, supply chain innovation and production organization innovation in China’s marine equipment manufacturing industry, and on the basis of summing up three kinds of innovative drive modes, put forward seven developing paths for the development of China’s marine equipment manufacturing industry.

Abstract Paddy fields are hotspots of microbial denitrification, which is typically linked to the oxidation of electron donors such as methane (CH4) under anoxic and hypoxic conditions. While several anaerobic methanotrophs can facilitate denitrification intracellularly, whether and how aerobic CH4 oxidation couples with denitrification in hypoxic paddy fields remains virtually unknown. Here we combine a ~3300 km field study across main rice-producing areas of China and 13CH4-DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) experiments to investigate the role of soil aerobic CH4 oxidation in supporting denitrification. Our results reveal positive relationships between CH4 oxidation and denitrification activities and genes across various climatic regions. Microcosm experiments confirm that CH4 and methanotroph addition promote gene expression involved in denitrification and increase nitrous oxide emissions. Moreover, 13CH4-DNA-SIP analyses identify over 70 phylotypes harboring genes associated with denitrification and assimilating 13C, which are mostly belonged to Rubrivivax, Magnetospirillum, and Bradyrhizobium. Combined analyses of 13C-metagenome-assembled genomes and 13C-metabolomics highlight the importance of intermediates such as acetate, propionate and lactate, released during aerobic CH4 oxidation, for the coupling of CH4 oxidation with denitrification. Our work identifies key microbial taxa and pathways driving coupled aerobic CH4 oxidation and denitrification, with important implications for nitrogen management and greenhouse gas regulation in agroecosystems.

Abstract Background Climate change has led to severe cold events, adversely impacting global crop production. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), a significant economic crop, is highly susceptible to cold damage, affecting both yield and quality. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing cold resistance, including the identification of key genes and comprehensive transcriptional regulatory pathways, is crucial for developing new varieties with enhanced tolerance. Results In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of leaf physiological indices and transcriptome sequencing results. The orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) highlighted peroxidase (POD) activity and soluble protein as crucial physiological indicators for both varieties. RNA-seq data analysis revealed that a total of 7024 and 6209 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from variety “A” and variety “B”, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment of DEGs demonstrated that the significant roles of starch and sucrose metabolism, glutathione metabolism, terpenoid synthesis, and energy metabolism (sucrose and starch metabolism) were the key pathways in eggplant. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) shown that the enrichment of numerous cold-responsive genes, pathways, and soluble proteins in the MEgrep60 modules. Core hub genes identified in the co-expression network included POD, membrane transporter-related gene MDR1, abscisic acid-related genes, growth factor enrichment gene DELLA, core components of the biological clock PRR7, and five transcription factors. Among these, the core transcription factor MYB demonstrated co-expression with signal transduction, plant hormone, biosynthesis, and metabolism-related genes, suggesting a pivotal role in the cold response network. Conclusion This study integrates physiological indicators and transcriptomics to unveil the molecular mechanisms responsible for the differences in cold tolerance between the eggplant cold-tolerant variety “A” and the cold-sensitive variety “B”. These mechanisms include modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevation in osmotic carbohydrate and free proline content, and the expression of terpenoid synthesis genes. This comprehensive understanding contributes valuable insights into the molecular underpinnings of cold stress tolerance, ultimately aiding in the improvement of crop cold tolerance.

The vapor cloud explosion in open space are greatly affected by the initial conditions of gas cloud and the surrounding environment, while in the gas compressor station, these factors are ubiquitous. While the researches of external influencing factors like the obstacle and initial turbulence effect on natural gas explosion in open space are rare. In this paper, a series of natural gas explosion experiments were conducted and a long-distance natural gas pipeline compressor station was taking as an example to simulate the natural gas leakage and explosion in the typical location. Results showed that the greater the initial turbulence, the greater the peak overpressure of gas explosion. When the initial wind speed is 5 m/s, the peak overpressure can promote 73.4 % higher than that without initial turbulence. However, the overpressure doesn't linearly increase with the increasing of initial wind speed. What's more, the flame speed showed the same law with the overpressure, and the effect of concentration on overpressure is lower than that of initial turbulence and obstacle density. The explosion damaging range in the condenser area is larger than that in the separator area, and the maximum overpressure can reach about 21 kPa and the temperature can reach above 2280K, which provides an important basis for the safety prevention and personnel protection in natural gas compressor station.

Abstract The Asian ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata, is an important insect of predatory natural enemy, which has a strong control effect and application prospects for aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and other small-sized pests of agriculture and forestry crops. Gut microbiota composition posed impacts on development of insects. In order to clarify the effect of artificial feed feeding on the intestinal microbial species and structure of C. septempunctata, we compared the intestinal microbial flora of C. septempunctata reared on bean aphids and artificial food for 15 days. Results show that Proteobacteria was the dominant component in all groups at phylum level, Rhodobacter, Methylovigula, Burkholderia, and Bradyrhizobium were the dominant bacteria among all groups at genus level. As to the differences in bacterial community structure and diversity, there is no significant difference between Shannon index and Simpson index, the principal components analysis of the bacterial communities, and the samples were roughly distributed in different regions. After 15 days of feeding, artificial diet did not significantly reduce the microbial diversity of the gut of C. septempunctata compared to the aphid group, and there was no significant effect on the abundance of dominant flora in the gut of C. septempunctata, C. septempunctata gut has a similar core microbiota. This study clarifies the effects in intestinal microbial diversity and composition structure of the C. septempunctata with artificial diet, and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the intestinal microorganisms and optimizating the artificial diet of C. septempunctata.

Abstract The persistent cereal endosperm constitutes the majority of the grain volume. Dissecting the gene regulatory network underlying cereal endosperm development will facilitate yield and quality improvement of cereal crops. Here, we use single-cell transcriptomics to analyze the developing maize (Zea mays) endosperm during cell differentiation. After obtaining transcriptomic data from 17,022 single cells, we identify 12 cell clusters corresponding to five endosperm cell types and revealing complex transcriptional heterogeneity. We delineate the temporal gene-expression pattern from 6 to 7 days after pollination. We profile the genomic DNA-binding sites of 161 transcription factors differentially expressed between cell clusters and constructed a gene regulatory network by combining the single-cell transcriptomic data with the direct DNA-binding profiles, identifying 181 regulons containing genes encoding transcription factors along with their high-confidence targets, Furthermore, we map the regulons to endosperm cell clusters, identify cell-cluster-specific essential regulators, and experimentally validated three predicted key regulators. This study provides a framework for understanding cereal endosperm development and function at single-cell resolution.

Abstract The giant ladybug Megalocaria dilatata (Fabricius) is a potential biocontrol agent and a valuable model for coccinellid genomics and evolutionary biology. However, the lack of a reference genome for M. dilatata has impeded further explorations into its evolution and constrained its use in pest management. Here, we assembled and annotated a high-quality, chromosome-level genome of M. dilatata. The resulting assembly spans 772.3 Mb, with a scaffold N50 of 72.48 Mb and a GC content of 34.23%. The Hi-C data aided in anchoring the assembly onto 10 chromosomes ranging from 43.35 to 108.16 Mb. We identified 493.33 Mb of repeat sequences, accounting for 63.88% of the assembled genome. Our gene prediction identified 25,346 genes, with 81.89% annotated in public protein databases. The genome data will provide a valuable resource for studying the biology and evolution of Coccinellidae, aiding in pest control strategies and advancing research in the field.

The development of the marine equipment industry has formed a global collaborative pattern, with a long industrial chain and wide coverage, which is highly susceptible to international interference. This paper analyzed the development needs of China's marine equipment industry chain from three levels, including responding to changes in international forms, building a new dual cycle development pattern, and high-quality development of the marine equipment industry. By preliminarily constructing a graph of the marine equipment industry chain, it analyzed the degree of independent and controllability of the marine equipment industry chain from six aspects, including raw materials, research and development design, supporting facilities, final assembly and construction, ship and sea service, and operation and maintenance. It was proposed to carry out key core technology research and iterative upgrades targeting weak links in the industry chain, such as high-end product research and development design, key technologies for specialized matching equipment, and strengthen fundamental and forward-looking technological research in response to the development trend of ships, and enhance the soft power of China's marine equipment industry chain in response to the field of ship and sea service.

CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) has been developed and widely used for gene repression in various hosts. Here we report an improved CRISPRi system in Pichia pastoris by fusing dCas9 with endogenous transcriptional repressor domains. The CRISPRi system shows strong repression of eGFP, with the highest efficiency of 85%. Repression of native genes is demonstrated by targeting AOX1 promoter. AOX1 is efficiently repressed and the mutant strains show much slower growth in methanol medium. Effects of gRNA expression and processing on CRISPRi efficiency is also investigated. It is found that gRNA processing by HH/HDV ribozymes or Csy4 endoribonuclease generating clean gRNA is critical to achieve strong repression, and Csy4 cleavage shows higher repression efficiency. However, gRNA expression using native tRNA transcription and processing systems results in relatively weaker repression of eGFP. By expression of two gRNAs targeting promoters of eGFP and AOX1 in an array together with Cys4 recognition sites, both genes can be repressed simultaneously. Cys4-mediated gRNA array processing is further applied to repress fatty acyl-CoA synthetase genes (FAA1 and FAA2). Both genes are efficiently repressed, demonstrating that Cys4 endoribonuclease has the ability to cleave gRNAs array and can be can be used for multiplexed gene repression in P. pastoris.

Abstract The role of microbial interactions and the underlying mechanisms that shape complex biofilm communities are poorly understood. Here we employ a microfluidic chip to represent porous subsurface environments and show that cooperative microbial interactions between free-living and biofilm-forming bacteria trigger active spatial segregation to promote their respective dominance in segregated microhabitats. During initial colonization, free-living and biofilm-forming microbes are segregated from the mixed planktonic inoculum to occupy the ambient fluid and grain surface. Contrary to spatial exclusion through competition, the active spatial segregation is induced by cooperative interactions which improves the fitness of both biofilm and planktonic populations. We further show that free-living Arthrobacter induces the surface colonization by scavenging the biofilm inhibitor, D-amino acids and receives benefits from the public goods secreted by the biofilm-forming strains. Collectively, our results reveal how cooperative microbial interactions may contribute to microbial coexistence in segregated microhabitats and drive subsurface biofilm community succession.

Abstract Background/aims To investigate the clinical situation, treatment methods, and clinical predictors of surgical intervention in children with magnetic foreign bodies in the digestive tract. Materials and methods From January 2019 to June 2022, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 72 children who ingested magnetic foreign bodies inadvertently in our hospital, including their general information, admissions, clinical manifestations, and treatment methods, as well as pertinent literature and statistical data. Following software processing, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the independent risk factors of this study. Results In this study, 16 patients (22.2%) were discharged smoothly following conservative treatment and 19 patients (26.4%) were cured by gastroscopy. The remaining 37 patients (51.4%) were underwent surgery, in which 26 cases developed gastrointestinal perforation. There were statistical differences between surgery group and non- surgery group in the days of eating by mistake, clinical manifestations (nausea and vomiting, intermittent abdominal pain, abdominal muscle tension) and movement trajectory by every 24-h radiograph (P

The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris (also known as Komagataella phaffii) is widely used as a yeast cell factory for producing heterologous proteins. Recently, it has gained attention for its potential in producing chemicals from inexpensive feedstocks, which requires efficient genetic engineering platforms. This review provides an overview of the current advances in developing genetic tools for metabolic engineering of P. pastoris. The topics cover promoters, terminators, plasmids, genome integration sites, and genetic editing systems, with a special focus on the development of CRISPR/Cas systems and their comparison to other genome editing tools. Additionally, this review highlights the prospects of multiplex genome integration, fine-tuning gene expression, and single-base editing systems. Overall, the aim of this review is to provide valuable insights into current genetic engineering and discuss potential directions for future efforts in developing efficient genetic tools in P. pastoris.

Since the beginning of spring 2022, successive landslides have occurred in the eastern pit slope of the Wolong Coal Mine in Qipanjing Town, Otog Banner, Inner Mongolia, which has adversely affected the mine’s production safety. This study aims to reveal the deformation patterns and failure mechanisms of landslides. Firstly, this study establishes the stratigraphic structure of the eastern pit slope of the Wolong Coal Mine using extensive field geological surveys combined with unmanned aerial vehicle photography, drilling, and comprehensive physical exploration techniques. Indoor geotechnical tests and microscopic experiments reveal that rock mass typically exhibits the characteristics of expansibility and water sensitivity. Moreover, the mechanical parameters of the rock mass were determined using a combination of the window sampling method, the Geological Strength Index, and the Hoek–Brown strength criterion estimation theory. Finally, this study consolidates the previously mentioned insights and employs FLAC3D (7.0) software to assess the stress–strain characteristics of the excavated slope. The results indicate that the deformation mode of the Wolong open pit coal mine is the toppling failure of soft-hard-interbedded anti-inclined layered rock slopes. The unloading effect and rock expansion-induced softening lead to stress concentration at the slope corners and more substantial deformation, thereby accelerating upper slope deformation. The deformation and destabilization process of landslides is categorized into four stages: the initial deformation stage, the development stage of lateral shear misalignment, the development stage of horizontal tensile-shear damage, and the slip surface development to the preslip stage. This research offers valuable references and engineering insights for future scientific investigations and the prevention of similar slope-related geological hazards.

Calmodulin-binding transcription activator (CAMTA) is an important calmodulin-binding protein with a conserved structure in eukaryotes which is widely involved in plant stress response, growth and development, hormone signal transduction, and other biological processes. Although CAMTA genes have been identified and characterized in many plant species, a systematic and comprehensive analysis of CAMTA genes in the Solanaceae genome is performed for the first time in this study. A total of 28 CAMTA genes were identified using bioinformatics tools, and the biochemical/physicochemical properties of these proteins were investigated. CAMTA genes were categorized into three major groups according to phylogenetic analysis. Tissue-expression profiles indicated divergent spatiotemporal expression patterns of SmCAMTAs. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis of SmCAMTA genes showed that exposure to cold induced differential expression of many eggplant CAMTA genes. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescent complementary assays suggested an interaction between SmCAMTA2 and SmERF1, promoting the transcription of the cold key factor SmCBF2, which may be an important mechanism for plant cold resistance. In summary, our results provide essential information for further functional research on Solanaceae family genes, and possibly other plant families, in the determination of the development of plants.

Background Acute pericarditis (AP) is considered a cardiovascular complication in patients with COVID‐19. We aimed to ass‐ess the incidence, associated complications, and clinical impact of AP on hospitalized patients with COVID‐19. Methods and Results In this retrospective cohort study, International Classification of Diseases, Tenthth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐10) codes were used to identify patients with COVID‐19 with or without AP in the National Inpatient Sample 2020 database. We compared outcomes between AP and non‐AP groups before and after propensity‐score matching for patient and hospital demographics and relevant comorbidities. A total of 211 619 patients with a primary diagnosis of COVID‐19 were identified, including 983 (0.46%) patients who had a secondary diagnosis of AP. Before matching, patients with COVID‐19 with AP were younger (59.93±19.24 years old versus 64.29±16.82 years old) and more likely to have anemia (40.5% versus 19.9%), cancer (6.7% versus 3.6%), and chronic kidney disease (29.3% versus 19.6%) (all P

Spinal fusion surgery is a common procedure used to stabilize the spine and treat back pain. The procedure involves the use of foreign materials such as screws, rods, or cages, which can trigger a foreign body reaction, an immune response that involves the activation of immune cells such as macrophages and lymphocytes. The foreign body reaction can impact the success of spinal fusion, as it can interfere with bone growth and fusion. This review article provides an overview of the cellular and molecular events in the foreign body reaction, the impact of the immune response on spinal fusion, and strategies to minimize its impact. By carefully considering the use of foreign materials and optimizing surgical techniques, the impact of the foreign body reaction can be reduced, leading to better outcomes for patients.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an extremely malignant tumor that affects individuals throughout the world. One of the main causes of HCC is hepatitis B virus (HBV). Therefore, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying HBV carcinogenesis. Increasing evidence suggests that the HBV X protein (HBx), which is encoded by HBV, plays a significant role in cell apoptosis, DNA damage repair, and cell cycle regulation. This ultimately leads to the development of HCC. Additionally, recent studies have shown that non-coding RNA (ncRNA) also contributes to the carcinogenesis and pathogenesis of different of tumors. ncRNA plays a significant role in the formation of HCC by regulating the inflammatory signaling pathway, activating immune cells, and modifying epigenetics. However, it remains unclear whether ncRNA is involved in the regulation of the carcinogenic mechanisms of HBx. This article reviews the carcinogenic mechanism of HBx and its interaction with ncRNA, providing a novel strategy for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

Introduction: Hamstring injuries are one of the most common types of damage in sports. Insufficient flexibility and high stiffness are important reasons for it. Stretching is often used in warm-up activities before exercises to increase flexibility, among which dynamic stretching (DS) and static stretching (SS) are the most widely used. The effects of these two stretching techniques on the flexibility or stiffness of the hamstring still need to be clarified. Objective: This study aimed to compare the short-term, medium-term, and long-term effects of DS and SS on improving hamstring flexibility and stiffness via a meta-analysis of RCTs. Methods: RCTs were identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PEDro from inception to July 28, 2022. The methodological quality was evaluated using the PEDro scale. The mean difference and 95% confidence interval of the outcome variables before and after stretching were calculated and the extracted data were quantitatively processed using a random or fixed effects model. Results: A total of 27 RCTs and 606 participants were included. In terms of improving the ROM of the hamstring, there was no significant difference in the acute (MD, −0.70, 95% CI, −1.54 to 0.14; Z = 1.63, P > 0.05) and sub-acute effects (MD, 1.71, 95% CI, −2.80 to 6.22; Z = 0.74, P > 0.05) between a single bout of SS and DS, while the acute (MD, −5.13, 95% CI, −7.65 to −2.61; Z = 3.99, P 0.05), but the long-term effect of SS was better than DS (MD, - 10.40, 95% CI, −10.97 to −9.83; Z = 35.57, P 0.05) and sub-acute effects (MD, −0.73, 95% CI, −1.69 to 0.22; Z = 1.51, P > 0.05) of a single bout of DS and SS were similar. Two studies have compared the effects on hamstring stiffness, with one showing similar effects, and the other showed that DS was superior to SS. One study showed no difference in the magnitude of change in improving passive torque. No studies explored the effect of DS and SS on hamstring myofascial length. Only one study demonstrated no significant difference in hamstring thickness. Conclusions: A single bout of DS and SS have similar short-term effects in improving hamstring ROM and length, while multiple bouts of SS can significantly improve hamstring ROM compared to DS. DS and SS showed similar effects on hamstring myofascial length.

Background: Sarcoidosis with cardiac involvement, although rare, has a worse prognosis than sarcoidosis involving other organ systems. Objective: We used a large dataset to train machine learning models to predict in-hospital mortality among sarcoidosis patients admitted with heart failure (HF). Method: Utilizing the National Inpatient Sample, we identified 4659 patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of HF. In this cohort, we identified patients with a secondary diagnosis of sarcoidosis using International Statistical Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. Patients were separated into a training group and a testing group in a 7:3 ratio. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression was used to select variables to prevent model overfitting or underfitting. For machine learning models, logistic regression, random forest, and XGBoosting were applied in the training group. Parameters in each of the models were tuned using the GridSearchCV function. After training, all models were further validated in the testing group. Models were then evaluated using the area under curve (AUC) score, sensitivity, and specificity. Results: A total of 2.3% of sarcoidosis patients died in HF admission. Our machine learning model analysis found the RF model to have the highest AUC score and sensitivity. Feature analysis found that comorbid arrhythmias and fluid electrolyte disorders were the strongest factors in predicting in-hospital mortality. Conclusion: Machine learning methods can be useful in identifying predictors of in-hospital mortality in a given dataset.

Objective Most inferior pole fractures of the patella are comminuted. Therefore, an ideal treatment method has not been determined. We have presented a modified tension band fixation technique—the Krachow suturing, Nice knot combined with tension band fixation—and reported the results of the procedure. Methods A total of 16 inferior patellar pole fractures were treated at our institution between January 2019 and October 2020, 15 of which underwent treatment with the modified tension band fixation technique consisting of Krachow suturing with Nice knots combined with tension band fixation. The primary measures: knee motion, Bostman score, anterior knee pain, fixation failure. Results Bone union occurred at a mean of 9 weeks postoperatively (range: 8–13). There were no cases of postoperative anterior knee pain, refracture of the inferior patellar pole or wire breakage. The patients regained full ROM of the knee joint without functional deficits during follow‐up; the mean ROM was 128.46° ± 7.07° (range: 113.4°–137.8°). At the last follow‐up, all patients had a mean Bostman score of 28.40 ± 1.29 (range: 26–30), with an excellent score in 11 patients and a good score in four patients. Conclusion The modified tension band fixation technique for the treatment of inferior patellar pole fractures is a simple and easy‐to‐perform surgical technique that provides stable fixation and good functional results.

Abstract Background The methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris is considered as an ideal host for the production of recombinant proteins and chemicals. However, low homologous recombination (HR) efficiency hinders its precise and extensive genetic manipulation. To enhance the homology-directed repair over non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), we expressed five exonucleases that were fused with the Cas9 for enhancing end resection of double strand breaks (DSBs) of DNA cuts. Results The endogenous exonuclease Mre11 and Exo1 showed the highest positive rates in seamless deletion of FAA1, and fusing the MRE11 to the C-terminal of CAS9 had the highest positive rate and relatively high number of clones. We observed that expression of CAS9-MRE11 significantly improved positive rates when simultaneously seamless deletion of double genes (from 76.7 to 86.7%) and three genes (from 10.8 to 16.7%) when overexpressing RAD52. Furthermore, MRE11 overexpression significantly improved the genomic integration of multi-fragments with higher positive rate and clone number. Conclusions Fusion expression of the endogenous exonuclease Mre11 with Cas9 enhances homologous recombination efficiency in P. pastoris. The strategy described here should facilitate the metabolic engineering of P. pastoris toward high-level production of value-added compounds.

Summary: Background: Various studies have reported cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) as noninvasive biomarkers for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, they have not been independently validated, and some results are contradictory. We provided a comprehensive evaluation of various types of cfRNA biomarkers and a full mining of the biomarker potential of new features of cfRNA. Methods: We first systematically reviewed reported cfRNA biomarkers and calculated dysregulated post-transcriptional events and cfRNA fragments. In 3 independent multicentre cohorts, we further selected 6 cfRNAs using RT-qPCR, built a panel called HCCMDP with AFP using machine learning, and internally and externally validated HCCMDP's performance. Findings: We identified 23 cfRNA biomarker candidates from a systematic review and analysis of 5 cfRNA-seq datasets. Notably, we defined the cfRNA domain to describe cfRNA fragments systematically. In the verification cohort (n = 183), cfRNA fragments were more likely to be verified, while circRNA and chimeric RNA candidates were neither abundant nor stable as qPCR-based biomarkers. In the algorithm development cohort (n = 287), we build and test the panel HCCMDP with 6 cfRNA markers and AFP. In the independent validation cohort (n = 171), HCCMDP can distinguish HCC patients from control groups (all: AUC = 0.925; CHB: AUC = 0.909; LC: AUC = 0.916), and performs well in distinguishing early-stage HCC patients (all: AUC = 0.936; CHB: AUC = 0.917; LC: AUC = 0.928). Interpretation: This study comprehensively evaluated full-spectrum cfRNA biomarker types for HCC detection, highlighted the cfRNA fragment as a promising biomarker type in HCC detection, and provided a panel HCCMDP. Funding: National Natural Science Foundation of China, and The National Key Basic Research Program (973 program).

High-specific-energy batteries with long-lifespan are the development aspiration for energy storage applications. Metal electrodes with high specific capacity and low reduction potential are potential candidates for next-generation high-specific-energy batteries. Nevertheless, the stability of the metal electrode batteries is constantly suffered from the unstable interface issue during the plating/stripping process, such as dendrite formation, dynamic evolution of solid electrolyte interphase, and other accompanied side reactions. To solve these challenges, numerous researches have been intensively studied based on the interfacial engineering of metal electrodes, including electrode configuration optimization, interfacial chemistry regulation and solid–solid interface construction, and the recent progress is elaborately introduced in this paper. Nevertheless, the dendrite issues cannot be entirely prohibited in solid metal electrodes, which motivate the search for potential alternatives. Liquid-metal electrodes with completely reversible structural changes and high mass transfer rate are rendered as an effective approach to solve the dendrite problem. Therefore, the development of liquid metal electrode batteries is reviewed in this paper, in which the interfacial issues are explicated and some commendable achievements are summarized. In the end, the implementation of interfacial engineering and the development roadmap of the metal electrode batteries are prospected.

Soil water content plays an important role in crop production, especially in the main rice production areas of China. The temporal stability of soil water content was studied in a paddy field of Taihu Lake region, southeast China. There were two treatments in this experiment, one was mulch with rice straw and the other was without mulch. Soil water content of the two treatments was monitored at the interval of 10 days by the Time Domain Reflectometer probes which were installed in situ, and measured both at 14 and 33 cm soil layers. The data were evaluated by temporal stability methods and Spearman's correlation. Results showed that mulching with rice straw proved to be efficient in retaining the soil water at the 14 cm soil layer. Based on the relative difference method, the representative positions of the experiment field were identified, which accurately represented the field-mean soil water at the experiment field was detected in terms of root mean square error, less than 2.18%. The Spearman's correlation values were high, which indicates temporal dependence along the experiment period. The data of soil water temporal stability could provide scientific basis for adequate water management in paddy field. HIGHLIGHTS The deeper the soil layer, the better the temporal stability of soil moisture.; Temporal stability of soil moisture affects agricultural production.; The temporal stability of soil moisture can provide information in large area.; Straw mulching had significant effect on temporal stability of soil surface water.; The use of field water stability can reduce the number of observations required for soil water management.;

Abstract α-Alkenes (terminal alkenes) are important fuel and platform chemicals that are mainly produced from petroleum. Microbial synthesis might provide a sustainable approach for α-alkenes. In this work, we engineered the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris to produce long-chain (C15:1, C17:1 and C17:2) α-alkenes via a decarboxylation of fatty acids. Combinatorial engineering, including enzyme selection, expression optimization and peroxisomal compartmentalization, enabled the production of 1.6 mg/L α-alkenes from sole methanol. This study represents the first case of α-alkene biosynthesis from methanol and also provides a reference for the construction of methanol microbial cell factories of other high-value chemicals. Graphical Abstract

The reservoirs in the N oilfield in Sudan feature a complex sedimentary environment, which has led to a widespread development of low-resistivity oil zones, accounting for as high as 37% of the total oil zones. In this case, a large number of oil zones will be misinterpreted using conventional methods. Based on the analysis of the core data and logging curves of the study area, this study concludes that the low-resistivity oil zones are formed mainly due to the high irreducible water saturation caused by the high content of illite and smectite and complex pore structure, the additional electrical conductivity induced by clay minerals, and the difference in formation water salinity between the oil zones and water zones. Furthermore, four methods are proposed to qualitatively identify these oil zones and water zones, namely the relationship analysis of five reservoir properties, cross-plotting of sensitive parameters, analysis of pressure testing data, and multi-well correlation. Furthermore, the study quantitatively calculates the initial oil saturation using the capillary pressure data, thus avoiding the conventional empirical saturation formulas depending on electrical resistivity and solving the difficulty in calculating oil saturation of low-resistivity oil zones. Finally, precise logging processing and interpretation of 95 wells in the study area are conducted using the above-mentioned comprehensive assessment system for low-resistivity oil zones. As a result, 59 oil zones are newly discovered in 43 wells. Moreover, it is recommended that 17 oil zones in 12 wells should be tested, of which 11 oil zones have been tested as recommended, all proven to be high production oil zones after perforation. The coincidence rate of logging interpretation increases from 75% to 94.3%, and the original oil in place (OOIP) increases by 57.42 million barrels. All these indicate that the assessment system proposed is suitable for low-resistivity zones.

Heavy metal contamination of soils has been a global environmental issue over the past decades, threatening food security and human health. Understanding the migration and transformation of heavy metals in soils is critical for restoring an impaired environment and developing sustainable agriculture, particularly in the face of global warming. However, little effort has been devoted to investigating the impact of elevated temperatures on the migration and distribution of exogenous heavy metals in soils. This study experimented with a 180-day incubation at 15 °C, 30 °C, and 45 °C with an arable soil (Alfisol) of Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin, China, which was initially spiked with copper (Cu). A comparison of the results revealed that the percentage of soil water-soluble Cu doubled at 45 °C compared with 15 °C. The percentage of protein-like substances in dissolved organic matter (DOM) was the highest at 45 °C, suggesting that proteinaceous components play a more significant role in controlling the dissolution of Cu into DOM. Moreover, by sequential extraction and micro-X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF), Cu was facilitatively transformed from exchangeable, and specifically adsorbed fractions, to iron (Fe)/manganese (Mn) oxides bound species by 7.75%23.63% with the elevation of temperature from 15 °C to 45 °C. The conversion of Cu speciation is attributed to the significant release of organic carbon from Fe/Mn oxides, especially the Mn oxide components, which are available for Cu binding. The findings of this work will provide an in-depth understanding of the fate of Cu in soils, which is fundamental for the risk assessment and remediation of Cu-polluted soils in the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin under the context of global warming.

Background Online information on mpox (monkeypox) is not well studied. We have analysed the video content, information quality, and audience engagement of mpox-related videos on TikTok.Methods Using a hashtag-based searching strategy, we identified 2462 mpox-related videos on TikTok from 1 January to 11 August 2022; 85 were included after exclusion criteria screening. Videos were evaluated for content on features and treatment of mpox. Video and information quality was assessed using the DISCERN instrument and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) criteria. We recorded video source, evaluation scores, and viewer engagement metrics. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analysis and multiple linear regression for factor-association studies.Results Of the 85 videos, two assessed all content topics and highlighted 33% of all content items in clinical guidelines. The overall average score for the videos was 39.56 of 80 on the DISCERN instrument and 1.93 of 4 on the JAMA criteria. No video met all JAMA criteria. Subgroup analysis based on author identity suggested the variance in video scores by source (p

Soil microbial diversity is important for maintaining ecosystem functions. However, the linkage between microbial diversity, especially rare and abundant bacterial diversity, and carbon decomposition remains largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the establishment and maintenance of rare and abundant bacterial α-diversities at the taxonomic and phylogenetic levels and their linkages with soil carbon decomposition separately in four Chinese woodlands. Compared to abundant bacteria, rare bacteria showed higher community diversity, tighter phylogenetic clustering, wider environmental breadth, stronger phylogenetic signals, and higher functional redundancy. The assembly of the abundant bacterial subcommunity was governed by stochastic (59.2%) and deterministic (41.8%) processes, whereas the assembly of the rare bacterial subcommunity was mainly dominated by deterministic processes (85.8%). Furthermore, total phosphorus, soil pH, and ammonium nitrogen balanced stochastic and deterministic processes in both rare and abundant bacterial subcommunities. Our results reveal that rare bacteria displayed stronger environmental adaptability and environmental constraint. Importantly, the α-diversities of rare taxa, rather than abundant taxa, were significantly related to carbon decomposition. This study provides a holistic understanding of biogeographic patterns of abundant and rare bacteria and their α-diversities in relation to carbon decomposition, thus helping us better predict and regulate carbon dynamics under the background of global climate change.

A novel hollow-core antiresonant fiber with a Bragg structure is proposed. It is numerically simulated using a commercial finite element method, and optical properties of the fiber, such as mode field, confinement loss, and bend loss, are numerically analyzed. The proposed hollow-core antiresonant fiber has advantageous optical properties, such as ultralow confinement loss, large bandwidth, and low bend loss. The structural advantage of the hollow-core Bragg antiresonant fiber also facilitates the fabrication of long-distance hollow-core antiresonant fibers. Additionally, this fiber offers potential applications in long-distance communications, data transmission, and laser power delivery.

As the core place in the compressor station, the compressor room has the possibility of gas leakage and explosion during its operation. In this paper, an equal proportional physical model is established based on FLCAS software, the effects of different stoichiometric ratios on the explosion temperature, flame propagation velocity and overpressure in the compressor room are investigated. The results show that when the stoichiometric ratio is in the range of 0.8–1.4, the indoor temperature peak, flame propagation velocity and peak overpressure generated by the explosion in the compressor room all increase first and then decrease with the increase of the stoichiometric ratio. The outdoor temperature peak and the flame propagation velocity increase with the increase of the stoichiometric ratio in the range of 0.8–1.4, and the flame acceleration during the flame propagation process can effectively promote the increase of the explosion overpressure inside the flame surface. In addition, in order to avoid more serious consequences in the event of an explosion in the compressor room, a fire sprinkler system should be laid between the adjacent compressor room doors, and the doors of the adjacent compressor rooms should be installed in staggered positions to prevent the occurrence of secondary danger.

Abstract Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM), characterized by reversible ventricular dysfunction, has similar mortality to acute coronary syndrome. With the growing interest in the diagnosis of and interventions for TCM, many risk factors had been found to affect the prognosis of TCM patients, such as age, sex, and pre‐existing diseases. Because of the incomplete understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanism in TCM, evidence‐based medical therapy for this condition is lacking. Early intervention on risk factors may improve the outcomes of TCM. In this review, we sought to provide up‐to‐date evidence on risk factors and medical therapies that affect TCM outcome. We found that male sex, physical triggers, and certain comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease, malignant disease, higher body mass index, sepsis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and anaemia were associated with poor TCM prognosis. In contrast, race, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, and mood disorders were not clearly associated with TCM prognosis. We also reviewed the effect of medical therapies on TCM outcome, including angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, β‐blockers, calcium channel blockers, and statins. The evidence that these medications confer a survival benefit on TCM patients is limited. Understanding these prognostic factors could help develop risk‐stratification tools for TCM and establish effective prevention and interventions for this not‐so‐benign condition. Further multicentre clinical studies with large samples and meta‐analyses of findings from previous studies are needed to address the inconsistent findings among the many potential risk factors for TCM.

Abstract Background Neovasculogenesis is characteristic of herniated lumbar discs, in which extruded nucleus pulposus is prone to heme iron-induced cytotoxicity (increased oxidative stress causing ferroptosis). However, recent analyses of neovascularization are very complicated, and the mechanism of action is rarely reported. Methods Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was performed to analyze human herniated and nonherniated nucleus pulposus. Then, the clinical relevance of the MALDI-TOF MS results and Pfirrmann classification of the degenerative nucleus pulposus were analyzed. To explore the mechanism, the heme-induced ferroptosis effect was evaluated at both the tissue and cell levels using high-resolution MALDI-TOF MS and molecular biology methods. Results The spectra revealed that hemoglobin (Hb) and heme signals were greatly increased, thus serving as predictors of vasculogenesis in herniated nucleus pulposus. The clinical relevance analysis demonstrated that the intensity of Hb and heme peaks was closely related to the Pfirrmann classification of degenerative nucleus pulposus. Mechanistically, increased heme catabolism and downregulation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels were detected in herniated nucleus pulposus, reflecting iron-dependent cell death or ferroptosis. Iron levels was also increased in herniated nucleus pulposus compared with that in nonherniated nucleus pulposus. Furthermore, accuracy mass measurements confirmed that the levels of ferroptosis-related metabolites, such as glutathione, arachidonic acid (AA), sphinganine, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites, were significantly different between herniated and nonherniated tissues, indicating that the interior of the herniated tissues is a pro-oxidant environment. Moreover, heme-induced ferroptosis was verified in human nucleus pulposus cells (HNPCs), and the underlying mechanism might be associated with the Notch pathway. Conclusions Neovascularization in herniated nucleus pulposus may expose tissues to high levels of heme, which can induce cytotoxicity and ferroptosis within tissues and accelerate the progressive degeneration of herniated nucleus pulposus. This study is beneficial for understanding the pathological mechanism of herniated nucleus pulposus and facilitating the development of nonoperative interventions for treating lumbar disc herniation (LDH).

Abstract This study aimed to investigate alterations in the activity and sleep of Drosophila melanogaster under simulated microgravity, which was implemented through the random positioning machine, while different light conditions (normal photoperiod and constant dark) were set. Fruit flies of different strains and sexes were treated for 3 days, and activity and sleep were monitored using the Drosophila Activity Monitoring System. After 3 days of treatment, fruit flies were sampled to detect the relative expression levels of the major clock genes and some neurotransmitter-related genes. The results showed that for the normal photoperiod (LD) condition, the activity increased and sleep decreased under simulated microgravity, while for the constant dark (DD) condition, the activity and sleep rhythms appeared disordered and the activity increased, thus decreasing the likelihood of waking up during the day. Light conditions, strains, and sexes, individually or in combination, had impacts on the simulated microgravity effects on behaviors. The clock genes and neurotransmitter-related genes had different degrees of response among sexes and strains, although the overall changes were slight. The results indicated that the normal photoperiod could ease the effects of simulated microgravity on fruit flies’ activity and sleep and possible unidentified pathways involved in the regulatory mechanism need further exploration. This study is expected to provide ideas and references for studying the effects of microgravity on space life science.

Abstract Aims This study sought to determine whether clinical clusters exist in takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a heterogeneous disorder with a complex, poorly understood pathogenesis. To better understand the heterogeneity of TCM, we identified different clinical phenotypes in a large sample of TCM patients by using latent class analysis (LCA). Methods and results Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, we identified 3139 patients admitted to hospitals in 2016–2017 with a primary diagnosis of TCM. We performed LCA based on several patient demographics and comorbidities: age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, current smoking, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and anxiety and depressive disorders. We then repeated LCA separately with the NIS 2016 and 2017 data sets and performed a robust test to validate our results. We also compared in‐hospital outcomes among the different clusters identified by LCA. Four patient clusters were identified. C1 (n = 1228, 39.4%) had the highest prevalence of hyperlipidaemia (93.4%), hypertension (61.6%), and diabetes (34.3%). In C2 (n = 440, 14.0%), all patients had COPD, and many were smokers (45.8%). C3 (n = 376, 11.8%) largely comprised patients with anxiety disorders (98.4%) and depressive disorders (80.1%). C4 (n = 1097, 34.8%) comprised patients with isolated TCM and few comorbidities. Among all clusters, C1 had the lowest in‐hospital mortality (1.0%) and the shortest length of stay (3.2 ± 3.1 days), whereas C2 had the highest in‐hospital mortality (3.4%). Conclusions Using LCA, we identified four clinical phenotypes of TCM. These may reflect different pathophysiological processes in TCM. Our findings may help identify treatment targets and select patients for future clinical trials.

Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) has been widely employed to support various Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile applications. By leveraging the advantages of easily deployed and flexibility of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), one of MEC primary functions is employing UAVs equipped with MEC servers to provide computation supports for the offloaded tasks by mobile users in temporally hotspot areas or some emergent scenarios, such as sports game areas or destroyed by natural disaster areas. Despite the numerous advantages of UAV carried with a MEC server, it is restricted by its limited computation resources and sensitive energy consumption. Moreover, due to the complexity of UAV-assisted MEC system, its computational resource optimization and energy consumption optimization cannot be achieved well in traditional optimization methods. Furthermore, the computational cost of the MEC system optimization is often exponentially growing with the increase of the MEC servers and mobile users. Therefore, it is considerably challenging to control the UAV positions and schedule the task offloading ratio. In this paper, we proposed a novel Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) method to optimize UAV trajectory controlling and users’ offloaded task ratio scheduling and improve the performance of the UAV-assisted MEC system. We maximized the system stability and minimized the energy consumption and computation latency of UAV-assisted the MEC system. The simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms existing work and has better scalability.

Abstract Electromagnetic radiation is an important environmental factor. It has a potential threat to public health and ecological environment. However, the mechanism by which electromagnetic radiation exerts these biological effects remains unclear. In this study, the effect of Microcystis aeruginosa under electromagnetic radiation (1.8 GHz, 40 V/m) was studied by using transcriptomics. A total of 306 differentially expressed genes, including 121 upregulated and 185 downregulated genes, were obtained in this study. The differentially expressed genes were significantly enriched in the ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation and carbon fixation pathways, indicating that electromagnetic radiation may inhibit protein synthesis and affect cyanobacterial energy metabolism and photosynthesis. The total ATP synthase activity and ATP content significantly increased, whereas H+K+-ATPase activity showed no significant changes. Our results suggest that the energy metabolism pathway may respond positively to electromagnetic radiation. In the future, systematic studies on the effects of electromagnetic radiation based on different intensities, frequencies, and exposure times are warranted; to deeply understand and reveal the target and mechanism of action of electromagnetic exposure on organisms.

Abstract Background Manure application and sewage irrigation release many intestinal pathogens into the soil. After being introduced into the soil matrix, pathogens are commonly found to attach to soil minerals. Although the survival of mineral-associated Escherichia coli O157:H7 has been studied, a comprehensive understanding of the attachment process and physiological properties after attachment is still lacking. Results In this study, planktonic and attached Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells on quartz were investigated using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and the isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteomic method. Based on the transcriptomic and proteomic analyses and gene knockouts, functional two-component system pathways were required for efficient attachment; chemotaxis and the Rcs system were identified to play determinant roles in E. coli O157:H7 attachment on quartz. After attachment, the pyruvate catabolic pathway shifted from the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle toward the fermentative route. The survival rate of attached E. coli O157:H7 increased more than 10-fold under penicillin and vancomycin stress and doubled under alkaline pH and ferric iron stress. Conclusions These results contribute to the understanding of the roles of chemotaxis and the Rcs system in the attachment process of pathogens and indicate that the attachment of pathogens to minerals significantly elevates their resistance to antibiotics and environmental stress, which may pose a potential threat to public health.

ABSTRACT Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a seafood-borne pathogen that poses a great threat to public health worldwide. It is found in either a planktonic cell or a biofilm form in the natural environment. The cps locus has been the only extensively studied polysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster involved in biofilm formation for this bacterium. In this study, we found that an additional polysaccharide biosynthesis locus, scv, is also necessary for biofilm maturation. The scv locus is composed of two operons, and a loss of their expression leads to a defective biofilm phenotype. The transcription of the scv locus is under the control of a sigma 54-dependent response regulator, ScvE. In contrast, the quorum-sensing regulator AphA stimulates the expression of the cps locus and the scvABCD operon found in the scv locus. Bioinformatic analyses demonstrated that scv loci are divergent and widely distributed among 28 genera, including 26 belonging to the Gammaproteobacteria and 2 within the Alphaproteobacteria. We also determined that all scv locus-positive species are water-dwelling. Some strains of Aeromonas, Aliivibrio salmonicida, Pseudomonas anguilliseptica, Vibrio breoganii, and Vibrio scophthalmi probably acquired scv loci through insertion sequences and/or integrase-mediated horizontal gene transfer. Gene duplication and fusion were also detected in some scv homologs. Together, our results suggest that the genome of V. parahaemolyticus harbors two distinct polysaccharide biosynthesis loci, which may play a role in fine-tuning biofilm development, and that scv loci likely evolved by horizontal gene transfer, gene loss, gene duplication, and fragment fusion. IMPORTANCE Polysaccharides are the major component of biofilms, which provide survival advantages for bacteria in aquatic environments. The seafood-borne pathogen V. parahaemolyticus possesses a functionally uncharacterized polysaccharide biosynthesis locus, scv. We demonstrated that the scv locus is important for biofilm maturation and that scv expression is positively regulated by ScvE. Strains from 148 aquatic bacterial species possess scv homolog loci. These bacterial species belong to 28 genera, most of which belong to the Gammaproteobacteria class. The evolution and diversification of scv loci are likely driven by horizontal gene transfer, gene loss, gene duplication, and fragment fusion. Our results provide new insights into the function and evolution of this widespread polysaccharide biosynthesis locus.

Objective: To explore the major compound in Polygonati Rhizoma (Huang Jing, 黄精) for quality control. Methods: The major compound was isolated and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and subsequently further identified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was optimized based on the previous methods reported in the Chinese Pharmacopeia (2015 edition). Results: The major compound was isolated from the natural material and identified as linoleic acid. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with robust linearity (R2 = 0.999 7), specificity, precision, stability, repeatability and recovery was developed for linoleic acid determination. TLC chromatogram was improved significantly after optimization for qualitative analysis. Conclusions: The optimized TLC method is practical and can be adopted for quality control of Polygonati Rhizoma (Huang Jing, 黄 精 ). The levels of linoleic acid vary between species of Polygonati Rhizoma (Huang Jing, 黄 精 ), with Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (Jiang Xing Huang Jing, 姜型黄精) showing the highest contents. This study provides valuable information for quality control of Polygonati Rhizoma (Huang Jing, 黄精).

Abstract The lack of methods to modulate intrinsic textures of carbon cathode has seriously hindered the revelation of in-depth relationship between inherent natures and capacitive behaviors, limiting the advancement of lithium ion capacitors (LICs). Here, an orientated-designed pore size distribution (range from 0.5 to 200 nm) and graphitization engineering strategy of carbon materials through regulating molar ratios of Zn/Co ions has been proposed, which provides an effective platform to deeply evaluate the capacitive behaviors of carbon cathode. Significantly, after the systematical analysis cooperating with experimental result and density functional theory calculation, it is uncovered that the size of solvated PF6 − ion is about 1.5 nm. Moreover, the capacitive behaviors of carbon cathode could be enhanced attributed to the controlled pore size of 1.5–3 nm. Triggered with synergistic effect of graphitization and appropriate pore size distribution, optimized carbon cathode (Zn90Co10-APC) displays excellent capacitive performances with a reversible specific capacity of ~ 50 mAh g−1 at a current density of 5 A g−1. Furthermore, the assembly pre-lithiated graphite (PLG)//Zn90Co10-APC LIC could deliver a large energy density of 108 Wh kg−1 and a high power density of 150,000 W kg−1 as well as excellent long-term ability with 10,000 cycles. This elaborate work might shed light on the intensive understanding of the improved capacitive behavior in LiPF6 electrolyte and provide a feasible principle for elaborate fabrication of carbon cathodes for LIC systems.

Abstract Background Bacterial biofilms are surface-adherent microbial communities in which individual cells are surrounded by a self-produced extracellular matrix of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA (eDNA) and proteins. Interactions among matrix components within biofilms are responsible for creating an adaptable structure during biofilm development. However, it is unclear how the interactions among matrix components contribute to the construction of the three-dimensional (3D) biofilm architecture. Results DNase I treatment significantly inhibited Bacillus subtilis biofilm formation in the early phases of biofilm development. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and image analysis revealed that eDNA was cooperative with exopolysaccharide (EPS) in the early stages of B. subtilis biofilm development, while EPS played a major structural role in the later stages. In addition, deletion of the EPS production gene epsG in B. subtilis SBE1 resulted in loss of the interaction between EPS and eDNA and reduced the biofilm biomass in pellicles at the air-liquid interface. The physical interaction between these two essential biofilm matrix components was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Conclusions Biofilm 3D structures become interconnected through surrounding eDNA and EPS. eDNA interacts with EPS in the early phases of biofilm development, while EPS mainly participates in the maturation of biofilms. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of the role of the interaction between eDNA and EPS in shaping the biofilm 3D matrix structure and biofilm formation.

Background: Enteric duplication is a congenital anomaly with varied clinical presentation that requires surgical resection for definitive treatment. Ileocaecal (IC) duplications are duplications located at the IC junction, not clearly identified in all the published series. The reported treatment is IC resection and ileocolic anastomosis. The purpose of our study was to present our experience in successfully resection of IC duplication by laparoscope, thus avoiding bowel resection in children. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of medical records of 15 patients with diagnosis of IC duplication, treated in the Department of Paediatric Surgery of our hospital, within the period from November 2013 to September 2018. Results: Laparoscopic resection of IC duplication was successfully performed in all children without bowel resection. The operation time was 50-90 min (55 ΁ 10 min), and the post-operative hospitalization time was 5-7 days (average, 6 days). The 15 patients were followed up for 6-12 months (average, 10 months). No recurrence was found by abdominal ultrasound examination. The wound had small scars with good appearance of umbilicus. Conclusions: The laparoscopic approach allows for confirming the diagnosis and accurately defining the exact site of duplication, as well as for effective and safe treatment. Laparoscopic excision of IC duplication without bowel resection is a safe option and is worth promoting.