Search

Quinoa, a globally cultivated “golden grain” belonging to Chenopodium in the Amaranthaceae family, is recognized for being gluten-free, with a balanced amino acid profile and multiple bioactive components, including peptides, polysaccharides, polyphenols, and saponins. The bioactive compounds extracted from quinoa offer multifaceted health benefits, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, cardiovascular disease (CVD) improvement, gut microbiota regulation, and anti-cancer effects. This review aims to intricately outline quinoa’s nutritional value, functional components, and physiological benefits. Importantly, we comprehensively provide conclusions on the effects and mechanisms of these quinoa-derived bioactive components on multiple cancer types, revealing the potential of quinoa seeds as promising and effective anti-cancer agents. Furthermore, the health-promoting role of quinoa in modulating gut microbiota, maintaining gut homeostasis, and protecting intestinal integrity was specifically emphasized. Finally, we provided a forward-looking description of the opportunities and challenges for the future exploration of quinoa. However, in-depth studies of molecular targets and clinical trials are warranted to fully understand the bioavailability and therapeutic application of quinoa-derived compounds, especially in cancer treatment and gut microbiota regulation. This review sheds light on the prospect of developing dietary quinoa into functional foods or drugs to prevent and manage human diseases.

Abstract Breast cancer, the most common cancer in women, usually exhibits intrinsic insensitivity to drugs, even without drug resistance. MUC1 is a highly glycosylated transmembrane protein, overexpressed in breast cancer, contributing to tumorigenesis and worse prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism between MUC1 and drug sensitivity still remains unclear. Here, natural flavonoid apigenin was used as objective due to the antitumor activity and wide availability. MUC1 knockout (KO) markedly sensitized breast cancer cells to apigenin cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Both genetical and pharmacological inhibition significantly enhanced the chemosensitivity to apigenin and clinical drugs whereas MUC1 overexpression conversely aggravated such drug resistance. Constitutively re-expressing wild type MUC1 in KO cells restored the drug resistance; however, the transmembrane domain deletant could not rescue the phenotype. Notably, further investigation discovered that membrane-dependent drug resistance relied on the extracellular glycosylated modification since removing O-glycosylation via inhibitor, enzyme digestion, or GCNT3 (MUC1 related O-glycosyltransferase) knockout markedly reinvigorated the chemosensitivity in WT cells, but had no effect on KO cells. Conversely, inserting O-glycosylated sites to MUC1-N increased the drug tolerance whereas the O-glycosylated deletant (Ser/Thr to Ala) maintained high susceptibility to drugs. Importantly, the intracellular concentration of apigenin measured by UPLC and fluorescence distribution firmly revealed the increased drug permeation in MUC1 KO and BAG-pretreated cells. Multiple clinical chemotherapeutics with small molecular were tested and obtained the similar conclusion. Our findings uncover a critical role of the extracellular O-glycosylation of MUC1-N in weakening drug sensitivity through acting as a barrier, highlighting a new perspective that targeting MUC1 O-glycosylation has great potential to promote drug sensitivity and efficacy.

Flavonoids have been reported to play an essential role in modulating processes of cellular redox homeostasis such as scavenging ROS. Meanwhile, they also induce oxidative stress that exerts potent antitumor bioactivity. However, the contradiction between these two aspects still remains unclear. In this study, four typical flavonoids were selected and studied. The results showed that low-dose flavonoids slightly promoted the proliferation of breast cancer cells under normal growth via gradually reducing accumulated oxidative products and demonstrated a synergistic effect with reductants NAC or VC. Besides, low-dose flavonoids significantly reduced the content of ROS and MDA induced by LPS or Rosup but restored the activity of SOD. However, high-dose flavonoids markedly triggered the cell death via oxidative stress as evidenced by upregulated ROS, MDA and downregulated SOD activity that could be partly rescued by NAC pretreatment, which was also confirmed by antioxidative gene expression levels. The underlying mechanism of such induced cell death was pinpointed as apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, accumulated mitochondrial superoxide, impaired mitochondrial function and decreased ATP synthesis. Transcriptomic analysis of apigenin and quercetin uncovered that high-dose flavonoids activated TNF-α signaling, as verified through detecting inflammatory gene levels in breast cancer cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, we identified that BRCA1 overexpression effectively attenuated such oxidative stress, inflammation and inhibited ATP synthesis induced by LPS or high dose of flavonoids possibly through repairing DNA damage, revealing an indispensable biological function of BRCA1 in resisting oxidative damage and inflammatory stimulation caused by exogenous factors.

The common use of commercial yeasts usually leads to dull wine with similar aromas and tastes. Therefore, screening for novel indigenous yeasts to practice is a promising method. In this research, aroma discrepancies among six wine groups fermentated with indigenous yeasts were analyzed. Three Saccharomyces yeasts (FS36, HL12, YT28) and three matched non-Saccharomyces yeasts (FS31, HL9, YT2) were selected from typical Chinese vineyards. The basic oenological parameters, aroma compounds, and sensory evaluation were analyzed. The results showed that each indigenous Saccharomyces yeast had excellent fermentation capacity, and mixed-strain fermentation groups produced more glycerol, contributing to sweeter and rounder taste. The results from GC-MS, principal components analysis (PCA), and sensory evaluation highlighted that the HL mixed group kept the most content of Marselan varietal flavors such as calamenene and β-damascone hereby ameliorated the whole aroma quality. Our study also implied that the indigenous yeast from the same region as the grape variety seems more conducive to preserve the natural variety characteristics of grapes.

To further reveal the development characteristics of Jurassic source rocks in the southwest depression of the Tarim Basin and their paleoenvironments, with the aim of guiding future shale oil exploration and development, the study integrated rock pyrolysis, maceral analysis, inorganic geochemistry, biomarker compounds, and carbon isotope analyzes.It explored the development characteristics and organic matter enrichment patterns of coal-bearing mudstones from the Lower Jurassic Kangsu Formation and mudstones and silty mudstones from the Middle Jurassic Yangye Formation in the Kekeya area of the southwest depression, Tarim Basin. The results showed that the total organic carbon (TOC) content in the source rocks of the Kangsu and Yangye formations was relatively higher, ranging from 1.7% to 63.5% (with an average of 24.4%), and 0.6% to 6.9% (with an average of 2.1%), respectively, indicating source rocks of good to excellent quality. Source rocks from both formations exhibited low maturity, being in the low-maturity to mature stage.In addition, carbon isotope analysis of kerogen, thin section observations, and biomarker compound analysis indicated that the parent material of the organic matter in the coal-bearing mudstones of the Kangsu Formation and the lower section of the Yangye Formation mainly derived from higher terrestrial plants, while the silty mudstones of the upper section of the Yangye Formation contained abundant planktonic algae. During the depositional period of the Kangsu Formation, the paleoclimate was warm and humid, and the water environment was freshwater, with suboxic and slightly oxidizing conditions. In the early depositional stages of the Yangye Formation, the paleoclimate was also hot and humid, and the depositional environment was similar to that of the Kangsu Formation, characterized by freshwater and suboxic conditions. With the gradual rise in lake level in the late depositional period of the Yangye Formation, the paleoenvironment transitioned to a brackish and suboxic environment. The hot and humid climate, coupled with increased salinity, was conducive to the reproduction of planktonic algae and other aquatic organisms, thereby affecting the organic matter supply in silty mudstones of the upper section of the Yangye Formation. Furthermore, the enhancement of water reducibility during this period was also beneficial for the preservation of organic matter. In summary, paleoclimate, paleosalinity, and depositional environment are important factors influencing the organic matter enrichment in the Jurassic lacustrine source rocks of the Kekeya area.

Recently, a significant breakthrough in natural gas exploration was achieved in well Qiatan-1 in the Permian carbonate strata of the Western Tianshan thrust belt in the piedmont depression of southwestern Tarim Basin, marking the discovery of a new exploration layer in the area. However, this region is characterized by multiple sets of source rocks and extremely complex sedimentary and structural features. Research on the genesis and source of the natural gas in well Qiatan-1 is insufficient, restricting its further natural gas exploration. Therefore, the study systematically investigated the genesis and source of the natural gas in well Qiatan-1 based on regional geological background, geochemical characteristics of the gas, and potential source rock features. The measured results showed that the natural gas in well Qiatan-1 was mainly composed of methane (83.53%), with a gas dryness coefficient (C1/C1-5) of 0.992, and contained relatively high levels of N2 (8.36%), CO2 (7.28%), and He (0.110%). The carbon isotope values of methane, ethane, propane, and CO2 in the gas were -27.8‰, -20.2‰, -18.4‰, and 1.7‰, respectively. Based on the natural gas composition and alkane carbon/hydrogen isotope composition, the natural gas in well Qiatan-1 was determined to be coal-type gas in the high to over-mature stage. Considering the distribution, organic matter abundance, type, thermal maturity of its potential source rocks, the gas in this well was mainly sourced from Permian source rocks in the Permian Qipan Formation, and may also be mixed with a small amount of carbon isotopes, forming heavier inorganic hydrocarbon gases. In addition, the components and isotopic evidence of non-hydrocarbon gases such as N2, CO2, and He showed that a certain proportion of inorganic gas had mixed into the natural gas in well Qiatan-1. The helium isotopic composition suggested that the proportion of mantle-derived helium was about 14.6%, and the He content had reached the standard for helium-rich natural gas (He ≥ 0.100%).

Antibodies targeting non-structural protein 1 (NS1) confer protection against Zika virus (ZIKV). Although monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 3G2 and 4B8 are more potent than MAb 4F10 in suppressing ZIKV infection in neonatal mice models, the epitopes are unclear. Herein, we determined the Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) structures of ZIKV NS1 in complex with five human antibodies at 2.6–2.9 Å resolution. Group I antibodies (3G2 and 4B8) recognize the previously unreported epitopes on the outer surface of the NS1 dimer. The unique binding mode of Group I antibodies led to a stronger recognition of the cell surface form of NS1 and completely inhibited secreted form non-structural protein 1 (sNS1)-induced endothelial permeability via their immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Fab. Group II antibodies (4F10, 2E11, and 14G5) recognize common epitopes in the distal end of the β-ladder domain, with a blockade efficiency that may be related to their affinity for the sNS1 protein and the presence of full-length IgG. These findings elucidate the correlation between epitope recognition and protective efficacy of anti-NS1 antibodies and highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of 3G2 and 4B8.

Background The status of BRCA1/2 genes plays a crucial role in the treatment decision-making process for multiple cancer types. However, due to high costs and limited resources, a demand for BRCA1/2 genetic testing among patients is currently unmet. Notably, not all patients with BRCA1/2 mutations achieve favorable outcomes with poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), indicating the necessity for risk stratification. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a multimodal model for predicting BRCA1/2 gene status and prognosis with PARPi treatment.Methods We included 1695 slides from 1417 patients with ovarian, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancers across three independent cohorts. Using a self-attention mechanism, we constructed a multi-instance attention model (MIAM) to detect BRCA1/2 gene status from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) pathological images. We further combined tissue features from the MIAM model, cell features, and clinical factors (the MIAM-C model) to predict BRCA1/2 mutations and progression-free survival (PFS) with PARPi therapy. Model performance was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) and Kaplan-Meier analysis. Morphological features contributing to MIAM-C were analyzed for interpretability.Results Across the four cancer types, MIAM-C outperformed the deep learning-based MIAM in identifying the BRCA1/2 genotype. Interpretability analysis revealed that high-attention regions included high-grade tumors and lymphocytic infiltration, which correlated with BRCA1/2 mutations. Notably, high lymphocyte ratios appeared characteristic of BRCA1/2 mutations. Furthermore, MIAM-C predicted PARPi therapy response (log-rank p

Fruit colour is a crucial factor influencing both the marketability and quality of pepper (Capsicum annuum), particularly ornamental varieties. Fruit colour is a complex multigenic trait in plant species. Previously, the Arabidopsis pseudo-response regulator 2 (APRR2) gene, one of the regulators that control fruit chlorophyll content and chloroplast development, thereby influencing fruit colour at the green immature stage in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and pepper, was reported. Functional molecular markers associated with this homologous gene in pepper could be employed to discern fruit colour at the seedling stage, thus improving the efficiency of green/white-fruited pepper breeding. In this study, a derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (dCAPS) marker was developed based on the mutation site in the sequence of a CaAPRR2-like gene that was cloned from the inbred line B1-2, which exhibits milky white fruit at the green immature stage. The marker was subsequently validated in a CaAPRR2-like progeny segregation population. After digestion with the restriction endonuclease TaqI, the amplification product exhibited evident polymorphic bands, enabling it to distinguish between peppers with milky white and green fruit colours. The developed molecular marker displayed remarkable stability and repeatability, thus offering a straightforward and effective tool for enhancing fruit colour in pepper breeding programs.

BackgroundWith a growing global population affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the traditional Chinese herbal formula Houpo Mahuang Decoction (HPMHD) has been used for centuries to address respiratory ailments. While studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of HPMHD in COPD, the effective active ingredients, potential targets, and molecular mechanisms underlying its effectiveness remained unclear.MethodsThe mechanisms of action of certain HPMHD components, targets, and pathways for the treatment of COPD were predicted using a network pharmacology method. We induced a COPD mouse model using porcine pancreatic elastase and evaluated the pathological changes and healing processes through HE and Masson staining. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the levels of IL-6 and TNF-ɑ. RNA-Seq analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the lungs of normal, control, and treated mice, revealing the biological pathways enriched by HPMHD in COPD treatment. Finally, the expression of DEGs was verified using Western blotting and RT-qPCR.ResultsHPMHD effectively alleviated pathological symptoms and improved COPD in mice by modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway. Treatment with HPMHD improved lung morphology and structure, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and inhibited IL-6 and TNF-ɑ levels. Network pharmacology and transcriptomics further revealed the mechanism, indicating that the IL-17 signaling pathway might been instrumental in the inhibitory effect of HPMHD on mouse model of COPD. Subsequent experiments, including protein blotting and RT-qPCR analysis, confirmed the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway by HPMHD in the COPD mouse model, further supporting the initial findings.ConclusionHPMHD was shown to alleviate COPD and reduce lung inflammation in mice, potentially through the activation of the IL-17 signaling pathway. This study provides a novel direction for the development of COPD drugs.

Abstract This article is aimed at discussing the combined effect of mineral admixture and servicing temperature, especially in cold environment, on the properties of magnesium phosphate repair mortar (MPM). The influence mechanism of fly ash content on the microstructure and performance of MPM were firstly investigated, and then the evolution rules in properties of fly ash modified MPM cured at − 20 °C, 0 °C, 20 °C and 40 °C were further revealed. The results show that the incorporation of fly ash has no significant effect on the setting time and fluidity of MPM. When MPM is modified with 10 wt% and 15 wt% fly ash, its mechanical properties, adhesive strength, water resistance, and volume stability are effectively improved. Fly ash reduces the crystallinity and continuity of struvite enriched in hardened MPM, and its particles are embedded among struvite and unreacted MgO. The compressive strength of MPM-10 cured for various ages increases with the elevating of curing temperature, while the flexural strength, interfacial bonding strength, strength retention and linear shrinkage exhibits the opposite laws. When cured at 0 °C and − 20 °C, MPM-10 still has good early strength, water resistance and interfacial bonding properties, which indicates that MPM-10 provides with an ability of emergency repair of cracked components served in cold environments.

Abstract Background Bladder cancer (BC) is among the most prevalent malignant urothelial tumors globally, yet the prognosis for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains dismal, with a very poor 5-year survival rate. Consequently, identifying more effective and less toxic chemotherapeutic alternatives is critical for enhancing clinical outcomes for BC patients. Isorhapontigenin (ISO), a novel stilbene isolated from a Gnetum found in certain provinces of China, has shown potential as an anticancer agent due to its diverse anticancer activities. Despite its promising profile, the specific anticancer effects of ISO on BC and the underlying mechanisms are still largely unexplored. Methods The anchorage-independent growth, migration and invasion of BC cells were assessed by soft agar and transwell invasion assays, respectively. The RNA levels of SOX2, miR-129 and SNHG1 were quantified by qRT-PCR, while the protein expression levels were validated through Western blotting. Furthermore, methylation-specific PCR was employed to assess the methylation status of the miR-129 promoter. Functional assays utilized siRNA knockdown, plasmid-mediated overexpression, and chemical inhibition approaches. Results Our study demonstrated that ISO treatment significantly reduced SNHG1 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner in BC cells, leading to the inhibition of anchorage-independent growth and invasion in human basal MIBC cells. This effect was accompanied by the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the upregulation of the tumor suppressor PTEN. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that SOX2, a key upstream regulator of SNHG1, played a crucial role in mediating the ISO-induced transcriptional suppression of SNHG1. Additionally, we found that ISO treatment led to a decrease in DNMT3b protein levels, which in turn mediated the hypomethylation of the miR-129 promoter and the subsequent suppression of SOX2 mRNA 3’-UTR activity, highlighting a novel pathway through which ISO exerts its anticancer effects. Conclusions Collectively, our study highlights the critical role of SNHG1 downregulation as well as its upstream DNMT3b/miR-129/SOX2 axis in mediating ISO anticancer activity. These findings not only elucidate the mechanism of action of ISO but also suggest novel targets for BC therapy.

Background Determining the status of breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA) is crucial for guiding breast cancer treatment. Nevertheless, the need for BRCA genetic testing among breast cancer patients remains unmet due to high costs and limited resources. This study aimed to develop a Bi-directional Self-Attention Multiple Instance Learning (BiAMIL) algorithm to detect BRCA status from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) pathological images. Methods A total of 319 histopathological slides from 254 breast cancer patients were included, comprising two dependent cohorts. Following image pre-processing, 633,484 tumor tiles from the training dataset were employed to train the self-developed deep-learning model. The performance of the network was evaluated in the internal and external test sets. Results BiAMIL achieved AUC values of 0.819 (95% CI [0.673–0.965]) in the internal test set, and 0.817 (95% CI [0.712–0.923]) in the external test set. To explore the relationship between BRCA status and interpretable morphological features in pathological images, we utilized Class Activation Mapping (CAM) technique and cluster analysis to investigate the connections between BRCA gene mutation status and tissue and cell features. Significantly, we observed that tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the morphological characteristics of tumor cells appeared to be potential features associated with BRCA status. Conclusions An interpretable deep neural network model based on the attention mechanism was developed to predict the BRCA status in breast cancer. Keywords: Breast cancer, BRCA, deep learning, self-attention, interpretability.

Although China has successfully addressed absolute poverty, poor areas still face the challenge of reducing relative poverty while achieving sustainable ecological and economic development. A comprehensive sustainability assessment of poverty alleviation from multiple perspectives is crucial. However, existing studies have paid little attention to specific poverty alleviation measures and their ecological impacts, and lack a uniform unit of measurement. In this study, a comprehensive system for sustainability assessment of poverty alleviation is established via quantitative emergy analysis methods. Emergy accounting was conducted for two business development-based poverty alleviation programs in the Tibetan area of the Northwest Sichuan Plateau, China, from three perspectives: production processes, multidimensional poverty reduction, and ecosystem services. Emergy indices were calculated to evaluate sustainability. The results indicate that the emergy of ecosystem services and poverty reduction has significantly increased in both programs, demonstrating their substantial impact on poverty alleviation and ecological enhancement. According to the emergy indices, the emergy sustainability index increased by 0.48 and 2.04, respectively, and the ecological poverty reduction index reached 8.83 and 4.64, respectively, indicating that both programs have become more sustainable. This study highlights the comprehensive benefits of poverty alleviation in Tibetan areas and provides insights into sustainability assessments that incorporate ecosystem services.

ABSTRACT Dinitrogen (N2) fixation is a crucial source of bioavailable nitrogen in carbon-dominated cold seep systems. Previous studies have shown that diazotrophy is not necessarily dependent on sulfate-dependent anaerobic oxidation of methane for energy, and diverse catabolism can fuel the high-energy-demanding process in sediments. However, it remains unclear whether diazotroph can obtain energy by sulfur oxidation in sulfur-rich cold seep water column. Here, field investigations and in situ experiments were conducted in Haima cold seep to examine the effects of diverse sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on N2 fixation, specifically containing sulfur, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. We found that active N2 fixation occurred in the water column above the Haima cold seep, with the Dechloromonas genus dominating the diazotroph community as revealed by nifH gene using high-throughput sequencing. In situ experiments showed an increased rate of N2 fixation (1.15- to 12.70-fold compared to that in control group) and a greater relative abundance of the Dechloromonas genus following enrichment with sulfur-containing organic matter. Furthermore, metagenomic assembly and binning revealed that Dechloromonas sp. carried genes related to N2 fixation (nifDHK) and sulfur compound oxidation (fccAB and soxABCXYZ), implying that the genus potentially serves as a multifunctional mediator for N2 fixation and sulfur cycling. Our results provide new insights regarding potential coupling mechanism associated with sulfur-driven N2 fixation in methane- and sulfide-rich environments.IMPORTANCEN2 fixation is an important source of biologically available in carbon-dominated cold seep systems as little nitrogen is released by hydrocarbon seepage, thereby promoting biological productivity and the degradation of non-nitrogenous organic matter. Cold seeps are rich in diverse sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from the sinking of photosynthetic products in euphotic layer and the release of chemosynthesis products on the seafloor. However, it remains unclear whether N2 fixation is coupled to the metabolic processes of DOM, as determined by e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur content, for energy acquisition in sulfur-rich cold seeps. In this study, diazotroph community structure and its response to DOM compositions were revealed. Moreover, the metagenomics analysis suggested that Dechloromonas genus plays a dominant role in potential coupling N2 fixation and sulfur oxidation. Our study highlighted that sulfur oxidation in deep-sea cold seeps may serve as an energy source to drive N2 fixation.

ABSTRACT Nitrogen (N)-fixing organisms, also known as diazotrophs, play a crucial role in N-limited ecosystems by controlling the production of bioavailable N. The carbon-dominated cold-seep ecosystems are inherently N-limited, making them hotspots of N fixation. However, the knowledge of diazotrophs in cold-seep ecosystems is limited compared to other marine ecosystems. In this study, we used multi-omics to investigate the diversity and catabolism of diazotrophs in deep-sea cold-seep bottom waters. Our findings showed that the relative abundance of diazotrophs in the bacterial community reached its highest level in the cold-seep bottom waters compared to the cold-seep upper waters and non-seep bottom waters. Remarkably, more than 98% of metatranscriptomic reads aligned on diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters belonged to the genus Sagittula, an alphaproteobacterium. Its metagenome-assembled genome, named Seep-BW-D1, contained catalytic genes (nifHDK) for nitrogen fixation, and the nifH gene was actively transcribed in situ. Seep-BW-D1 also exhibited chemosynthetic capability to oxidize C1 compounds (methanol, formaldehyde, and formate) and thiosulfate (S2O32−). In addition, we observed abundant transcripts mapped to genes involved in the transport systems for acetate, spermidine/putrescine, and pectin oligomers, suggesting that Seep-BW-D1 can utilize organics from the intermediates synthesized by methane-oxidizing microorganisms, decaying tissues from cold-seep benthic animals, and refractory pectin derived from upper photosynthetic ecosystems. Overall, our study corroborates that carbon-dominated cold-seep bottom waters select for diazotrophs and reveals the catabolism of a novel chemosynthetic alphaproteobacterial diazotroph in cold-seep bottom waters.IMPORTANCEBioavailable nitrogen (N) is a crucial element for cellular growth and division, and its production is controlled by diazotrophs. Marine diazotrophs contribute to nearly half of the global fixed N and perform N fixation in various marine ecosystems. While previous studies mainly focused on diazotrophs in the sunlit ocean and oxygen minimum zones, recent research has recognized cold-seep ecosystems as overlooked N-fixing hotspots because the seeping fluids in cold-seep ecosystems introduce abundant bioavailable carbon but little bioavailable N, making most cold seeps inherently N-limited. With thousands of cold-seep ecosystems detected at continental margins worldwide in the past decades, the significant role of cold seeps in marine N biogeochemical cycling is emphasized. However, the diazotrophs in cold-seep bottom waters remain poorly understood. Through multi-omics, this study identified a novel alphaproteobacterial chemoheterotroph belonging to Sagittula as one of the most active diazotrophs residing in cold-seep bottom waters and revealed its catabolism.

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, yet little is known about Chinese oncologists’ attitudes towards AI. This study investigated oncologists’ knowledge, perceptions, and acceptance of AI in China.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 228 oncologists across China. The survey examined demographics, AI exposure, knowledge and attitudes using 5-point Likert scales, and factors influencing AI adoption. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests.ResultsRespondents showed moderate understanding of AI concepts (mean 3.39/5), with higher knowledge among younger oncologists. Only 12.8% used ChatGPT. Most (74.13%) agreed AI is beneficial and could innovate healthcare, 52.19% respondents expressed trust in AI technology. Acceptance was cautiously optimistic (mean 3.57/5). Younger respondents (∼30) show significantly higher trust (p = 0.004) and acceptance (p = 0.009) of AI compared to older respondents, while trust is significantly higher among those with master’s or doctorate vs. bachelor’s degrees (p = 0.032), and acceptance is higher for those with prior IT experience (p = 0.035).Key drivers for AI adoption were improving efficiency (85.09%), quality (85.53%), reducing errors (84.65%), and enabling new approaches (73.25%).ConclusionsChinese oncologists are open to healthcare AI but remain prudently optimistic given limitations. Targeted education, especially for older oncologists, can facilitate AI implementation. AI is largely welcomed for its potential to augment human roles in enhancing efficiency, quality, safety, and innovations in oncology practice.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral probiotics on the human milk microbiota and determine whether that influenced infant microbiota development. Methods: A total of 27 pregnant women were recruited; 14 were assigned to the probiotic group, and the rest were assigned to the control group. Their infants were likewise assigned to the probiotic group or the control group. Pregnant women in the probiotic group received probiotic supplementation from 32 weeks of gestation until delivery. Human milk samples and infant fecal samples were collected at 6 months after delivery, and 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze the composition of the human milk and infant gut microbiota (NCT06241222). Results: In the control group, bacterial microbiota were detected in 8 out of 13 milk samples, whereas in the probiotic group, only 6 out of 14 milk samples contained bacterial microbiota. We examined the composition of the human milk and infant gut microbiota in both the control and probiotic groups. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that various genera in human milk were correlated with the infant gut microbiota. The Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed that 6 bacteria in the human milk microbiota in the control group were significantly more abundant than those in the probiotic group. Nine bacteria were significantly more abundant in the human milk microbiota in the probiotic group than the control group. According to the LEfSe results, 11 bacteria in the infant gut microbiota in the control group were significantly more abundant than those in the probiotic group. Fourteen bacteria were significantly more abundant in the infant gut microbiota in the probiotic group than in the control group. Conclusion: The infant gut microbiota at 6 months has a complicated relationship with the maternal human milk microbiota. Oral probiotic supplementation can change the composition of the human milk microbiota and the infant gut microbiota.

Abstract Background The concerted regulation of placenta microbiota and the immune responses secures the occurrence and development of pregnancy, while few studies reported this correlation. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the placenta microbiota and immune regulation during pregnancy. Methods Twenty-six healthy pregnant women scheduled for elective cesarean section in the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University who met the inclusion criteria were recruited. Placenta and peripheral venous blood samples were collected. Microbiota in placental tissue was detected using high-throughput sequencing. Flow cytometry was used to detect immune cells in placental tissue and peripheral venous blood. ELISA and Luminex liquid chip technology were used to detect the content of cytokines in placental tissue and peripheral venous blood, respectively. Results The placental microbiota has stimulating effects on the local immunity of the placenta and mainly stimulates the placental balance ratio CD56 + CD16 + /CD56 + CD16 and the placental macrophages, that is, it plays the role of immune protection and supporting nutrition. The stimulating effect of placental microbiota on maternal systemic immunity mainly induces peripheral Treg cells and B lymphocytes. Conclusion The placental microbiota may be an important factor mediating local immune regulation in the placenta, and placental microbiota participates in the regulatory function of the maternal immune system.

The Well Mitan-1 has achieved a major breakthrough in the exploration of Ordovician subsalt natural gas in the mid-eastern Ordos Basin, demonstrating a high-yield industrial gas flow in fourth member of the Majiagou Formation of Ordovician (O1m4). Despite this success, there are ongoing disputes regarding the origin of the natural gas found in Well Mitan-1. Measured results show that the natural gas in Well Mitan-1 is mainly composed of alkane gas (95.18 %). The gas drying coefficient (C1/C1-5) is measured at 0.947, and the H2S content is 3.49 %, with a small amount of N2 and CO2 in the non-hydrocarbon gas. The carbon isotopic compositions of methane, ethane, and propane in the natural gas are −45.5 ‰, −26.4 ‰, and −24.3 ‰, respectively. Based on the regional geological background, the characteristics of potential source rocks and the geochemical characteristics of natural gas, it is considered that the natural gas in Well Mitan-1 is self-generated and self-accumulated oil-associated gas in Ordovician subsalt carbonate rocks. However, certain geochemical anomalies, such as the lighter methane carbon isotope value (δ13C1) and coal-type gas characteristics in ethane carbon isotope (δ13C2), raise questions. Further insights from thermal simulation experiments on hydrocarbon generation and the analysis of residual gas in rocks suggest a close relationship between the special geochemical characteristics of Well Mitan-1 and the presence of gypsum rocks. The ubiquitous gypsum rock serves a dual purpose: acting as an effective caprock, facilitating the retention of early-generated natural gas, and promoting the generation of heavy hydrocarbon gases (C2+) and H2S. The relatively low H2S content (less than 5 %) and higher C2+ content indicate that thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR), if present, is not strong enough to significantly impact methane. The δ13C2 is identified as a potentially sensitive parameter for identifying TSR.

BackgroundThe rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought significant interest to its potential applications in oncology. Although AI-powered tools are already being implemented in some Chinese hospitals, their integration into clinical practice raises several concerns for Chinese oncologists. ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the concerns of Chinese oncologists regarding the integration of AI into clinical practice and to identify the factors influencing these concerns. MethodsA total of 228 Chinese oncologists participated in a cross-sectional web-based survey from April to June in 2023 in mainland China. The survey gauged their worries about AI with multiple-choice questions. The survey evaluated their views on the statements of “The impact of AI on the doctor-patient relationship” and “AI will replace doctors.” The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and variate analyses were used to find correlations between the oncologists’ backgrounds and their concerns. ResultsThe study revealed that the most prominent concerns were the potential for AI to mislead diagnosis and treatment (163/228, 71.5%); an overreliance on AI (162/228, 71%); data and algorithm bias (123/228, 54%); issues with data security and patient privacy (123/228, 54%); and a lag in the adaptation of laws, regulations, and policies in keeping up with AI’s development (115/228, 50.4%). Oncologists with a bachelor’s degree expressed heightened concerns related to data and algorithm bias (34/49, 69%; P=.03) and the lagging nature of legal, regulatory, and policy issues (32/49, 65%; P=.046). Regarding AI’s impact on doctor-patient relationships, 53.1% (121/228) saw a positive impact, whereas 35.5% (81/228) found it difficult to judge, 9.2% (21/228) feared increased disputes, and 2.2% (5/228) believed that there is no impact. Although sex differences were not significant (P=.08), perceptions varied—male oncologists tended to be more positive than female oncologists (74/135, 54.8% vs 47/93, 50%). Oncologists with a bachelor’s degree (26/49, 53%; P=.03) and experienced clinicians (≥21 years; 28/56, 50%; P=.054). found it the hardest to judge. Those with IT experience were significantly more positive (25/35, 71%) than those without (96/193, 49.7%; P=.02). Opinions regarding the possibility of AI replacing doctors were diverse, with 23.2% (53/228) strongly disagreeing, 14% (32/228) disagreeing, 29.8% (68/228) being neutral, 16.2% (37/228) agreeing, and 16.7% (38/228) strongly agreeing. There were no significant correlations with demographic and professional factors (all P>.05). ConclusionsAddressing oncologists’ concerns about AI requires collaborative efforts from policy makers, developers, health care professionals, and legal experts. Emphasizing transparency, human-centered design, bias mitigation, and education about AI’s potential and limitations is crucial. Through close collaboration and a multidisciplinary strategy, AI can be effectively integrated into oncology, balancing benefits with ethical considerations and enhancing patient care.

ABSTRACT Our study aims to investigate the impact of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on gut microbiota functional diversity in healthy pregnant women. Thirty-two pregnant women were randomly assigned to two groups. The probiotic group (PG) consisted of pregnant women who consumed triple viable Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii bulgaricus, and Streptococcus thermophilus tablets from the 32nd week of pregnancy until delivery. The functional profiles of the gut microbiota were predicted through high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing results using PICRUSt software and referencing the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. In the gut microbiota of the PG, the genera Blautia and Ruminococcus, as well as the species Subdoligranulum, showed significantly higher relative abundances compared to the control group (CG) (P < 0.05). At Level 1 of the KEGG signaling pathways, there was a significant reduction in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in Organismal Systems in the PG (P < 0.05). In Level 2 of the KEGG signaling pathways, there was a significant reduction in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in Infectious Disease in the PG (P < 0.05). In Level 3 of the KEGG signaling pathways, the PG exhibited a significant increase in the functional genes of the gut microbiota involved in ABC transporters, Oxidative phosphorylation, Folate biosynthesis, and Biotin metabolism (P < 0.05). The CG showed a significant increase in the functional genes related to Cysteine and methionine metabolism, Vitamin B6 metabolism, Tuberculosis, and Vibrio cholerae pathogenic cycle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy has a significant impact on functional metabolism in healthy pregnant women.IMPORTANCEProbiotics are considered beneficial to human health. There is limited understanding of how probiotic consumption during pregnancy affects the functional diversity of the gut microbiota. The aim of our study is to investigate the impact of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on the functional diversity of the gut microbiota. Our findings suggest that probiotic supplementation during pregnancy has a significant impact on functional metabolism. This could potentially open up new avenues for preventing various pregnancy-related complications. This also provides new insights into the effects of probiotic consumption during pregnancy on the gut microbiota and offers a convenient method for exploring the potential mechanisms underlying the impact of probiotics on the gut microbiota of pregnant women.

ObjectiveDespite extensive research on the relationship between pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and inflammatory factors, more robust causal evidence has yet to emerge. Therefore, this study aims to screen for inflammatory proteins that may contribute to the susceptibility to PTB in different populations and to explain the diversity of inflammatory and immune mechanisms of PTB in different ethnicity.MethodsThe inverse variance weighted (IVW) model of a two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study was employed to conduct causal analysis on data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). This cohort consisting PTB GWAS datasets from two European and two East Asian populations, as well as 91 human inflammatory proteins collected from 14,824 participants. Colocalization analysis aimed to determine whether the input inflammatory protein and PTB shared the same causal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) variation within the fixed region, thereby enhancing the robustness of the MR Analysis. Meta-analyses were utilized to evaluate the combined causal effects among different datasets.ResultsIn this study, we observed a significant negative correlation between tumor necrosis factor-beta levels (The alternative we employ is Lymphotoxin-alpha, commonly referred to as LT) (P < 0.05) and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9 levels (TNFRSF9) (P < 0.05). These two inflammatory proteins were crucial protective factors against PTB. Additionally, there was a significant positive correlation found between interleukin-20 receptor subunit alpha levels (IL20Ra) (P < 0.05), which may elevate the risk of PTB. Colocalization analysis revealed that there was no overlap in the causal variation between LT and PTB SNPs. A meta-analysis further confirmed the significant combined effect of LT, TNFRSF9, and IL20Ra in East Asian populations (P < 0.05).ConclusionsLevels of specific inflammatory proteins may play a crucial role in triggering an immune response to PTB. Altered levels of LT and TNFRSF9 have the potential to serve as predictive markers for PTB development, necessitating further clinical validation in real-world settings to ascertain the impact of these inflammatory proteins on PTB.

In the context of high-quality development, scientifically and objectively assessing regional ecosystem health (EH) is important for ecological civilization. However, the commonly used EH assessment framework typically neglects intrinsic connections, mutual adaptability, and coordination among interrelated indicators. The coupling coordination model was utilized to improve the classic pressure–state–response assessment (PSR) model. The carbon footprint, water footprint, landscape pattern, and response status of the Manas River Basin were used to construct a medium-scale regional EH assessment framework linking natural ecosystems with human socioeconomic elements. A quantitative assessment was conducted on the EH conditions of the Manas River Basin from 2000 to 2020. Over the past 21 years, the EH conditions of the Manas River Basin have fluctuated upward. The ecosystem health index (EHI) increased from 0.18 to 0.37. Compared with the conventional PSR model, the coupling coordination pressure–state–response model (CC–PSR) better reflected the fluctuations in EH conditions caused by “pressure”, “state”, and “response” level changes. In the early stage (2000–2006), increasing human activity strongly pressured the regional ecosystem, limiting EH improvements. The increase in “pressure” was reflected in the increasing trends of the water footprint, carbon footprint, and ecological footprint. During the middle to late period (2009–2020), as the “response” level improved, the regional EH condition continued to increase, and the EHI stabilized between 0.29 and 0.38. Ecosystem resilience improvements and human afforestation projects enhanced the “response” level, but their impacts were noticeably delayed. Over the past 21 years, regional landscape diversity, landscape connectance, and landscape contagion have remained high. The well-maintained landscape pattern has laid the foundation for consolidating and improving the regional EH. The EHI is increasing; its fluctuations stem from periodic fluctuations in the regional water yield and carbon sequestration capacity, which are constrained by the basin climate and vegetation coverage. This study provides a scientific model for basin EH assessment.

ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the origin of the neonatal gut microbiota on the 14th day and probiotic intervention in the third trimester.MethodsSamples were obtained from a total of 30 pregnant individuals and their offspring, divided into a control group with no intervention and a probiotic group with live combined Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus tablets, analyzing by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the V4 region to evaluate the composition of them. Non-metric multidimensional scaling and SourceTracker were used to evaluate the origin of neonatal gut microbiota.ResultsWe found that the microbiota in the neonatal gut at different times correlated with that in the maternal microbiota. The placenta had more influence on meconium microbiota. Maternal gut had more influence on neonatal gut microbiota on the 3rd day and 14th day. We also found that the maternal gut, vaginal, and placenta microbiota at full term in the probiotic group did not have a significantly different abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, or Streptococcus. However, some other bacteria changed in the maternal gut and their neonatal gut in the probiotic group.

Wound infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria poses a serious threat to antibiotic therapy. Therefore, it is of vital importance to find new methods and modes for antibacterial therapy. The cerium nitrogen co-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticles (N-TiO2, 0.05Ce-N-TiO2, 0.1Ce-N-TiO2, and 0.2Ce-N-TiO2) were synthesized using the hydrothermal method in this study. Subsequently, electrospinning was employed to fabricate polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun membranes loaded with the above-mentioned nanoparticles (PLA-N, PLA-0.05, PLA-0.1, and PLA-0.2). The results indicated that cerium and nitrogen co-doping tetrabutyl titanate enhanced the visible light photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2 nanoparticles and enabled the conversion of ultraviolet light into harmless visible light. The photocatalytic reaction under visible light irradiation induced the generation of ROS, which could effectively inhibit the bacterial growth. The antibacterial assay showed that it was effective in eliminating S. aureus and E. coli and the survival rates of two types of bacteria under 30 min of irradiation were significantly below 20% in the PLA-0.2 experimental group. Moreover, the bactericidal membranes also have excellent biocompatibility performance. This bio-friendly and biodegradable membrane may be applied to skin trauma and infection in future to curb drug-resistant bacteria and provide more alternative options for antimicrobial therapy.

Inflammatory responses, especially chronic inflammation, are closely associated with many systemic diseases. There are many ways to treat and alleviate inflammation, but how to solve this problem at the molecular level has always been a hot topic in research. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) as anti-inflammatory agents is a potential treatment method. We synthesized new hollow cerium oxide nanomaterials (hCeO2 NPs) doped with different concentrations of Cu5.4O NPs [the molar ratio of Cu/(Ce + Cu) was 50%, 67%, and 83%, respectively], characterized their surface morphology and physicochemical properties, and screened the safe concentration of hCeO2@Cu5.4O using the CCK8 method. Macrophages were cultured, and P.g-lipopolysaccharide-stimulated was used as a model of inflammation and co-cultured with hCeO2@Cu5.4O NPs. We then observe the effect of the transcription levels of CTSB, NLRP3, caspase-1, ASC, IL-18, and IL-1β by PCR and detect its effect on the expression level of CTSB protein by Western blot. The levels of IL-18 and IL-1β in the cell supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Our results indicated that hCeO2@Cu5.4O NPs could reduce the production of reactive oxygen species and inhibit CTSB and NLRP3 to alleviate the damage caused by the inflammatory response to cells. More importantly, hCeO2@Cu5.4O NPs showed stronger anti-inflammatory effects as Cu5.4O NP doping increased. Therefore, the development of the novel nanomaterial hCeO2@Cu5.4O NPs provides a possible new approach for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Searching for an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory dressing that can stably adhere to wet tissues remains a momentous clinical challenge, especially in the context of treatment failure due to multi-drug-resistant bacteria. Using a hard template method in combination with an in situ chelating strategy, three-dimensional nitrogen-doped graded porous carbon anchored 1.5–2.5 nm CeO2 quantum dots (CeO2-QDs) were tailor-designed in this study. Using the size effect, CeO2-QDs have a higher percentage of Ce3+ and oxygen vacancies that could amplify their antibacterial effects. Polyethyleneimine/polyacrylic acid (PEA) powder could self-gel and be adhesive due to its strong physical interactions, which make it an ideal carrier for CeO2-QDs. PEA@50 (mg/mL) CeO2-QDs hydrogel and PEA@75 (mg/mL) CeO2-QDs hydrogel with moderate doses of CeO2-QDs show a superior antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. Furthermore, PEA@50CeO2-QDs hydrogels possess excellent anti-inflammatory capacity through their antioxidant activity, which could promote macrophage M2 phenotype polarization. More importantly, cytotoxicity assays on L929 fibroblasts show that PEA@CeO2-QDs hydrogels have no significant toxicity, and a significant proliferative effect could be observed. Overall, PEA@50CeO2-QDs hydrogels have the potential to become a multifunctional wet tissue dressing with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties to promote the healing of infected wounds.

ABSTRACTFor embryo implantation and fetal development, the maternal immune system undergoes dramatic changes. The mechanisms involved in inducing alterations of maternal immunity have not been fully clarified. Gut microbiome and metabolites were thought to influence the host immune response. During normal pregnancy, notable changes occur in the gut microbiota and metabolites. However, the relationship of these alterations to immune function during pregnancy remains unclear. In this study, we examined gut microbiota, fecal metabolites, plasma metabolites, and cytokines in pregnant women and non-pregnant women. Our findings revealed that, in comparison to non-pregnant women, pregnant women exhibit a significant increase in the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota and notable differences in metabolic pathways related to bile acid secretion. Furthermore, there was a marked reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in pregnant women. Correlation analyses indicated that these alterations in cytokines may be linked to specific gut bacteria and metabolites. Bacteria within the same microbial modules exhibited consistent effects on cytokines, suggesting that gut bacteria may function as functional groups. Mediation analysis further identified that certain bacteria might influence cytokines through metabolites, such as bile acids and arachidonic acid. Our findings propose potential biological connections between bacteria, metabolites, and immunity, which require further validation in future studies.IMPORTANCEA great number of studies have focused on diseases induced by intestinal microecological disorders and immune imbalances. However, the understanding of how intestinal microbiota interacts with immunity during normal pregnancy, which is fundamental to studying pathological pregnancies related to intestinal microbiota disturbances, has not been well elucidated. Our study employed multi-omics analysis to discover that changes in gut microbiota and metabolites during pregnancy can impact immune function. In addition, we identified several metabolites that may mediate the effect of gut microbes on plasma cytokines. Our study offered new insights into our understanding of the connections between the gut microbiome, metabolome, and the immune system during pregnancy.

BackgroundBody weight could be classified into underweight, normal weight and overweight according to percentage of body fat (%BF), and normal weight obesity (NWO) is defined as a normal BMI but a high %BF. While the impact of NWO in women fecundity remain unknow. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between %BF and reproductive outcomes among in vitro fertilization (IVF) women with normal BMI.MethodsA total of 469 women were included in this study and were classified into low %BF, normal %BF and high %BF according to previous study. Multivariate generalized regression models were employed to evaluate the associations of %BF with ovarian reserve parameters, IVF outcomes and early pregnancy outcomes. We further run sensitivity analyses by restricted the analysis to young women and those only with tubal factor, respectively.ResultsAbout 32.2% of normal BMI women were misclassified according %BF, with 16.4% of them were low %BF and 15.8% were high %BF. The high %BF group had significantly lower antral follicle count (AFC) than normal %BF groups, and the AFC showed a tendency of decrease as %BF increased. In sensitivity analysis in young women, high %BF group also had significantly lower number of good-quality embryos when compared to normal %BF groups. The results expanded to all IVF outcomes when analysis restricted to tubal factor women.ConclusionIn summary, misclassifications of body weight status based on BMI are common according to %BF, and NWO is associated with adverse reproductive outcomes.

Microbiota in pregnant time is vital to healthy of pregnant women and their offspring. However, few study evaluate the composition of the microbiota of health pregnancy, placenta and their newborns at different stages and the origin of the placental microbiota. Samples were obtained from a total of 31 pregnant individuals and their offspring, analyzing by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the V4 region to evaluate the composition and variation of them. We found that the microbiota of pregnant individuals changes in the third trimester. The placental microbiota has its own specific dominant microbiota. The placental microbiota is correlated with the pregnancy microbiota in the gut and vagina at 32–34 weeks but not at full term. The gut microbiota in newborns changes over the first 14 days.

Different microenvironments shape distinct microbial communities that play a wide range of roles within coral holobionts. To better understand the capabilities of coral symbiotic microbiota, a more comprehensive characterization should be conducted. The gastrovascular cavity of coral is a distinct microenvironment that serves as a crucial link between the coral organism and the reef ecosystem. The species and functional compositions of microbiomes in the gastrovascular cavity are poorly studied. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the microbial communities associated with mucus, tissue, skeleton, and gastrovascular cavity of Galaxea fascicularis to further explore their microscopic characteristics, species, and functional composition. The results revealed that the microbial cell abundance in the gastrovascular cavity was significantly higher than in the other three compartments, and the volume of microbial cells in the gastrovascular cavity, tissue, and mucus was significantly greater than that in the skeleton. There were significant differences in microbial community and functional composition among the four compartments of G. fascicularis. In particular, the microbial community in the gastrovascular cavity showed a relatively lower species diversity and the lowest network complexity compared to the other three compartments. Additionally, the potential functions of the microbiome in the gastrovascular cavity were enriched in substance metabolism, especially lipid metabolism. Microbial taxa and genes involved in nitrogen fixation, sulfur reduction and sulfur oxidation were less abundant in the gastrovascular cavity. Overall, our results suggested that the gastrovascular cavity was inhabited by a large number of microorganisms and it performs a strong selection process to retain microorganisms that are associated with substrate metabolism, which may be crucial to support the digestive function of the gastrovascular cavity. This also emphasizes the urgent need to explore coral microbial communities at the microscale to comprehend their role in coral health and resilience.

This study meticulously investigates landscape alterations within the Mu Us Sandy Land, a critical region for desertification control in China. The research dissects the dynamic characteristics and inter-conversion of landscape elements across eleven distinct periods by employing multi-source remote sensing imagery spanning 1963 to 2020, alongside visual interpretation, random forest classification, and the desertification difference index (DDI). The analysis uncovers significant landscape transformations within the Mu Us Sandy Land over the past six decades, following a precise chronological sequence. A pivotal shift occurred around 1986, characterized by opposing trends within fixed and shifting sandy land. The earlier stage (pre-1986) witnessed a substantial decrease (66.9%) in the fixed sandy land area, accompanied by a corresponding rise (38.7%) in shifting sandy land. Conversely, the later stage (post-1986) era exhibited a remarkable increase (309.7%) in fixed sandy land, alongside a significant decline (78.9%) in shifting sand land coverage. This study identifies two stages of landscape transformation: a pre-1986 phase dominated by the conversion of fixed sandy land to semi-fixed sandy land and a post-1986 reversal toward shifting sand land into fixed sandy land. These sequential transformations have shaped the landscape pattern alterations observed in the Mu Us Sandy Land since 1963. The dramatic landscape improvements observed after 1986 can be primarily attributed to the implementation and continued investment in large-scale ecological restoration projects. This study’s findings, which reveal the intricate landscape dynamics and their implications for ecosystem management, provide a scientific foundation for refining and formulating comprehensive strategies to control desertification and manage the Mu Us Sandy Land’s unique ecosystem.

PurposeTo analyze the causal relationship between 486 human serum metabolites and the active tuberculosis (ATB) in European population.MethodsIn this study, the causal relationship between human serum metabolites and the ATB was analyzed by integrating the genome-wide association study (GWAS). The 486 human serum metabolites were used as the exposure variable, three different ATB GWAS databases in the European population were set as outcome variables, and single nucleotide polymorphisms were used as instrumental variables for Mendelian Randomization. The inverse variance weighting was estimated causality, the MR-Egger intercept to estimate horizontal pleiotropy, and the combined effects of metabolites were also considered in the meta-analysis. Furthermore, the web-based MetaboAnalyst 6.0 was engaged for enrichment pathway analysis, while R (version 4.3.2) software and Review Manager 5.3 were employed for statistical analysis.ResultsA total of 21, 17, and 19 metabolites strongly associated with ATB were found in the three databases after preliminary screening (P < 0.05). The intersecting metabolites across these databases included tryptophan, betaine, 1-linoleoylglycerol (1-monolinolein) (1-LG), 1-eicosatrienoylglycerophosphocholine, and oleoylcarnitine. Among them, betaine (I2 = 24%, P = 0.27) and 1-LG (I2 = 0%, P = 0.62) showed the lowest heterogeneity among the different ATB databases. In addition, the metabolic pathways of phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis (P = 0.0068), methionine metabolism (P = 0.0089), betaine metabolism (P = 0.0205) and oxidation of branched-chain fatty acids (P = 0.0309) were also associated with ATB.ConclusionBetaine and 1-LG may be biomarkers or auxiliary diagnostic tools for ATB. They may provide new guidance for medical practice in the early diagnosis and surveillance of ATB. In addition, by interfering with phosphatidylethanolamine biosynthesis, methionine metabolism, betaine metabolism, oxidation of branched-chain fatty acids, and other pathways, it is helpful to develop new anti-tuberculosis drugs and explore the virulence or pathogenesis of ATB at a deeper level, providing an effective reference for future studies.

PurposeTo investigate the effect of surgical resection on survival in gastrointestinal stromal tumors synchronous liver metastasis (GIST-SLM) and to develop clinically usable predictive models for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients.MethodsWe identified patients in the SEER database diagnosed with GISTs from 2010 to 2019. We used propensity score matching (PSM) to balance the bias between the Surgery and No surgery groups. Kaplan-Meier(K-M) analysis was used to detect differences in OS and CSS between the two groups. The nomogram to predict 1, 3, and 5-year OS and CSS were developed and evaluated.ResultsAfter PSM, 228 patients were included in this study. There were significant differences in 1, 3, and 5-year OS and CSS between the two groups (OS: 93.5% vs. 84.4%, 73.2% vs. 55.3%, 60.9% vs. 36.9%, P=0.014; CSS: 3.5% vs.86.2%,75.3% vs.57.9%, 62.6% vs. 42.9%, P=0.02). We also found that patients who received surgery combined with targeted therapy had better OS and CSS at 1, 3, and 5 years than those who received surgery only (OS: 96.6% vs.90.9%, 74.9% vs. 56.8%, 61.7% vs. 35.5%, P=0.022; CSS: 96.6% vs. 92.1%, 77.4% vs.59.2%,63.8% vs. 42.0%, P=0.023). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.774, 0.737, and 0.741 for 1, 3, and 5-year OS, respectively, with 0.782 and 0.742 for 1, 3, and 5-year CSS. In the model, C-index was 0.703 for OS and 0.705 for CSS and showed good consistency.ConclusionSurgical treatment can improve the OS and CSS of patients with GIST-SLM. In addition, the combination with chemotherapy may be more favorable for the long-term survival of patients. Meanwhile, we constructed the nomograms for predicting OS and CSS at 1, 3, and 5-year, and validated them internally. Our model can contribute to clinical management and treatment strategy optimization.

Objectives: During the recent wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections in China, most individuals have been vaccinated and exposed to the omicron variant. In the present study, two cohorts were observed in the vaccinated population: vaccinated individuals with symptoms (VIWS) and those without symptoms (VIWOS). Our study aimed to characterize the antibody response in two cohorts: VIWS and VIWOS. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in the community. Blood and saliva samples were collected from 124 individuals in the VIWS and VIWOS cohorts. Capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) specific antibodies. Results: The questionnaire survey revealed that 30.0 % (302/1005) of individuals in the older adult group (≥65 years) experienced no symptoms, whereas the rate of individuals without symptoms in the younger group (

In recent years, it has become evident that early-life intestinal flora plays a pivotal role in determining human health. Consequently, it is imperative to explore the establishment of neonatal intestinal flora and its influencing factors. Early neonatal intestinal flora is influenced by a multitude of factors, including maternal and infant-related factors, as well as external environment. This review summarizes the colonization mechanism of intestinal flora in the early life of newborns and discussed their influence on the establishment of neonatal intestinal flora, taking into account factors such as delivery mode, gestational age and feeding mode. Additionally, this review delves into the natural or artificial reconstruction of intestinal flora colonization defects in infants born via cesarean section and premature infants, with the goal of establishing a theoretical foundation for preventing and treating issues related to neonatal intestinal flora colonization and associated diseases.

BackgroundThe community characteristics of the gut microbiota are not well defined and are not as widely studied as the functions of individual bacteria. This study aims to investigate the community composition of intestinal flora in women of childbearing age by conducting cluster analysis of gut microbiota and analyzing the relationship between different clusters and immune status.MethodsA total of 45 women of childbearing age were recruited in the study, including 15 non-pregnant women and 30 women in late pregnancy, and stool samples were collected twice during the third trimester, specifically at 32 weeks and at full term. The gut microbiota data was analyzed using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Partitioning Around Medoids algorithm was employed to assess microbial clustering patterns. Microbial network for each cluster was performed and plasm cytokines were measured to analyze the relationship between specific genera and immune state in clusters.ResultsThere were three distinct clusters of intestinal community composition in women of childbearing age. Cluster 1 (PAM_1) was characterized by a high abundance of Bacteroides, while cluster 2 (PAM_2) showed higher levels of Bifidobacterium and Blautia, along with a significantly increased Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio. Cluster 3 (PAM_3) displayed a high abundance of Escherichia-shigella. PAM_1 was the most dominant cluster in non-pregnant women, and this dominant cluster was also one of the main in late pregnancy. At full term, the majority of subjects retained the same cluster as at 32 weeks, while a few experienced a shift. The microbial correlation networks differed across the three clusters, with PAM_1 exhibiting higher modularity and fewer connections. Analysis of the correlation between genera and plasma cytokines showed significant differences in their associations with cytokines between pregnancy and nonpregnancy within the same cluster, and the same genera had different effects in different clusters.ConclusionWomen of childbearing age exhibit three distribution patterns of gut microbiota, and the intestinal clusters reshaped during late pregnancy in a small population. Different clusters may have diverse immunomodulatory effects in different physiological states. When studying the gut microbiome during pregnancy, it is crucial to consider the cluster differences within healthy women.

The aim of this study was to explore the associations of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) time and sedentary (SED) time with a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and multifactorial (i.e., blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)) control status among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in China. A cross-sectional analysis of 9152 people with type 2 diabetes from the Multifactorial Intervention on Type 2 Diabetes (MIDiab) study was performed. Patients were grouped according to their self-reported MVPA time (low, < 150 min·week−1; moderate, 150 to < 450 min·week−1; high, ≥ 450 min·week−1) and SED time (low, < 4 h·d–1; moderate, 4 to < 8 h·d–1; high, ≥ 8 h·d–1). Participants who self-reported a history of CVD were identified as having a CVD risk. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of CVD risk and multifactorial control status associated with MVPA time and SED time were estimated using mixed-effect logistic regression models, adjusting for China’s geographical region characteristics. The participants had a mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of (60.87 ± 8.44) years, 44.5% were women, and 25.1% had CVD. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, an inverse association between high MVPA time and CVD risk that was independent of SED time was found, whereas this association was not observed in the moderate-MVPA group. A higher MVPA time was more likely to have a positive effect on the control of BMI. Compared with the reference group (i.e., those with MVPA time ≥ 450 min·week−1 and SED time

The size structure of microeukaryotic plankton communities exerts a fundamental control on marine ecosystem functions, such as food web dynamics and element flows. The global expansion of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrient pollutants into estuaries and coastal waters is causing public health and environmental concerns associated with microeukaryotic plankton activities. In the context of eutrophication, understanding how size structure and biotic activities of microeukaryotic plankton communities responds to anthropogenic nutrient inputs is vital to evaluate the future fate of coastal ecosystems. Here, we conducted onboard incubation experiments to provide the first investigation of how size structure and co-occurrence network of microeukaryotic plankton communities change under the dynamic nutrient conditions in the Pearl River Estuary. Our study revealed (1) a transition from P limitation to N limitation or potential NP co-limitation for the growth of pigmented protists along the Pearl River-South China Sea continuum, and isohaline ∼ 31.5 being the geographic boundary; (2) P availability drove the microeukaryotic plankton community size structure that the increased P inputs favored the dominance of nano-sized (3–20 μm) protists due to the increased relative abundance of Chlorophyta; (3) increased P inputs enhanced the species competition among phototrophic protists and improved the network stability of microeukaryotic plankton communities. In the future, if there is an increase in anthropogenic input of P in the Pearl River Estuary during summer, which would alleviate the pressure of P-deficiency, it is expected to increase the biomass of microeukaryotic plankton, with a dominance of nano-sized Chlorophyta. Altogether, this study advances our understanding of the geographic nutrient limitation pattern for pigmented protist plankton in the Pearl River Estuary, an urbanized estuarine ecosystem. Moreover, it enhances our knowledge regarding the response of marine microeukaryotic plankton communities to future environmental changes.

In the context of urban renewal, residents have presented elevated expectations for the quality of urban parks, necessitating the optimization of parks’ multifunctional landscapes. Transforming residents’ preferences for landscape services into a prioritized index for multifunctional landscape renewal poses a significant challenge. This study addresses this research gap by integrating importance–performance analysis (IPA) with residents’ perception evaluations of landscape services. We establish an index system to evaluate perceptions of urban park landscape services. By employing the importance–performance analysis framework, we identify landscape service types that exhibit high importance but low satisfaction levels, thereby establishing priorities for multifunctional landscape renewal. Using Guangzhou’s urban parks as a case study, our findings reveal variations in users’ demands for different landscape services and differences in demand among various user groups for similar services. Users assign utmost importance to safety services while expressing the highest satisfaction with physical and mental health or microclimate regulation services. Significant disparities exist between middle-aged/elderly groups and young people regarding perceptions of social interaction, waste disposal, and sense of belonging services. Our results demonstrate that IPA analysis can elucidate priorities for multifunctional landscape renewal, facilitate public participation in improving urban park landscapes, and provide decision-making support for optimizing these landscapes.

Ginkgo biloba L. (ginkgo) is a widely used medicinal plant around the world. Its leaves, which have been used as a traditional Chinese medicine, are rich in various bioactive components. However, most of the research and applications of ginkgo leaves have focused on terpene trilactones and flavonol glycosides, thereby overlooking the other active components. In this study, a lipophilic extract (GL) was isolated from ginkgo leaves. This extract is abundant in lipids and lipid-like molecules. Then, its effect and potential mechanism on glucose uptake and insulin resistance in C2C12 myotubes were investigated. The results showed that GL significantly enhanced the translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane, which subsequently promoted glucose uptake. Meanwhile, it increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its downstream targets. Both knockdown of AMPK with siRNA and inhibition with AMPK inhibitor compound C reversed these effects. Additionally, GL ameliorated palmitate-induced insulin resistance by enhancing insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, increasing the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/AKT), and restoring the translocation of GLUT4 from the cytoplasm to the membrane. However, pretreatment with compound C abolished these beneficial effects of GL. In conclusion, GL enhances basal glucose uptake in C2C12 myotubes and improves insulin sensitivity in palmitate-induced insulin resistant myotubes through the AMPK pathway.