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Abstract Background Postoperative delirium is a common complication in older patients, with poor long-term outcomes. This study aimed to investigate risk factors and develop a predictive model for postoperative delirium in older patients after major abdominal surgery. Methods This study retrospectively recruited 7577 patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent major abdominal surgery between January 2014 and December 2018 in a single hospital in Beijing, China. Patients were divided into a training cohort (n = 5303) and a validation cohort (n = 2224) for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and to build a nomogram. Data were collected for 43 perioperative variables, including demographics, medical history, preoperative laboratory results, imaging, and anesthesia information. Results Age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, white blood cell count, glucose, total protein, creatinine, emergency surgery, and anesthesia time were associated with postoperative delirium in multivariate analysis. We developed a nomogram based on the above 8 variables. The nomogram achieved areas under the curve of 0.731 and 0.735 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The discriminatory ability of the nomogram was further assessed by dividing the cases into three risk groups (low-risk, nomogram score 199; P

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly, the exact pathogenesis of which remains incompletely understood, and effective preventive and therapeutic drugs are currently lacking. Cholesterol plays a vital role in cell membrane formation and neurotransmitter synthesis, and its abnormal metabolism is associated with the onset of AD. With the continuous advancement of imaging techniques and molecular biology methods, researchers can more accurately explore the relationship between cholesterol metabolism and AD. Elevated cholesterol levels may lead to vascular dysfunction, thereby affecting neuronal function. Additionally, abnormal cholesterol metabolism may affect the metabolism of β-amyloid protein, thereby promoting the onset of AD. Brain cholesterol levels are regulated by multiple factors. This review aims to deepen the understanding of the subtle relationship between cholesterol homeostasis and AD, and to introduce the latest advances in cholesterol-regulating AD treatment strategies, thereby inspiring readers to contemplate deeply on this complex relationship. Although there are still many unresolved important issues regarding the risk of brain cholesterol and AD, and some studies may have opposite conclusions, further research is needed to enrich our understanding. However, these findings are expected to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of AD and provide important insights for the future development of AD treatment strategies targeting brain cholesterol homeostasis.

Superpixel segmentation can get the middle features in image processing, effectively reduce the dimensionality of the image, and is widely used in image processing fields. To get the regular and compact superpixels in real-time, a superpixel segmentation algorithm based on image density is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the image is uniformly divided according to the number of superpixels to be obtained. Secondly, to get the clustering ability of the pixels, the density image is produced. Thirdly, the seed is chosen in each sub-region block according to the density and then the superpixels are obtained by clustering. During the clustering process, the pixel around the seed should be added into the superpixel if it meets the conditions, and the small supeipixels are merged into the big superpixels around them. Finally, the result shows that the proposed algorithm has the best segmentation effect, and a good balance in accuracy, regularity, and time cost.

In this paper, the segment and weight prediction problems are investigated for ear of grape based on deep learning technologies. The image datum is collected from ZaoHeiBao grape in a greenhouse by camera. The grape ear target segmentation model is constructed by cross combining three backbone networks (ResNet18, ResNet50, and ResNet101) and four deep learning semantic segmentation networks (SFNet, GCNet, EMANet, and Deeplabv3). The experimental results show that for the SFNet-ResNet18 model, whose structural size is 52.68MB, the mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) is [Formula: see text], the mean Pixel Accuracy (mPA) is [Formula: see text], and the average segmentation speed of the image ([Formula: see text]) is 0.217s. Therefore, the performance of the SFNet-ResNet18 model outperforms other combined network models and is selected to segment grape ears. Furthermore, on the basis of the segmentation results of grape ears by using the SFNet-ResNet18 model, the grape ear weight is predicted by adopting fractional regression model. The value of [Formula: see text] is 0.8903, which means that the selected model could accurately predict the weight of grape ears. The proposed method can not only segment the grape ears and accurately predict the weight of the grape ears, but also provide theoretical and technical support for grape yield prediction.

In this paper, the congestion control for named data networking (NDN) is studied. A novel dynamic content store-based congestion control strategy is proposed on account of the characteristic of in-network cache in NDN. A queuing network model is constructed to judge whether congestion occurs. If the network has the tendency of congestion or the congestion happened, the buffer of the output queue is dynamically expanded by borrowing NDN content store (CS), and the forwarding rates of data packets and corresponding interest packets are reduced so as to prevent or alleviate network congestion. In order to reflect fairness, the CS to be borrowed by the data output queue in the port is calculated in terms of the data output queue length and its weight. The simulation results based on ndnSIM show that the given scheme improves the bottleneck link utilization and maintains a low packet loss rate and average flow completion time.

To realize the automatic sorting of eggs, the sorting models are established in this paper by using the visible-near infrared spectroscopy technique and taking the eggshell colour, integrity, as well as the feeding mode as sorting indexes. A variety of methods are selected to remove the noise and systematic error by preprocess the spectral information. The backpropagation neural network (BP), the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) coupled with BP and the Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) sorting method are used to identify the eggshell colours (white, pink, green), eggshell integrity (intact, cracked) and laying hen feeding mode (caged and cage-free) by their characteristic band, respectively. The prediction correlation coefficient (Rv), the prediction mean square error (RMSEP), the prediction standard error (SEP), the recognition rate ([Formula: see text]) and the rejection rate ([Formula: see text]) are used to evaluate the established models. The results show that the established classification models have high prediction accuracy and small errors. The non-destructive testing (NDT) technology has great potential for large-scale intelligent laying hen farms.

ObjectivesOver the years, it has been found that colchicine offers substantial benefits in secondary prevention in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We studied the effects of colchicine timing because there are no guidelines about when to provide it during the perioperative period for patients with CAD.MethodsUp to January 1, 2023, seven electronic literature databases were screened (including three English databases and four Chinese databases). Randomized controlled trials included only treatment with colchicine in the perioperative period of CAD. The Cochrane Evaluation Tool was used to judge the risk of bias in research. Statistical analysis was performed by Stata 16.0 software.ResultsWe evaluated twelve studies that found colchicine to be effective in decreasing the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) (p

To achieve real-time transmission of image information under limited network bandwidth conditions, we propose a fast fractal image compression algorithm based on centroid radius. This algorithm addresses the shortcomings of conventional fractal encoding algorithms, such as high computational complexity and long encoding times. With our proposed algorithm, we calculate the centroid radius for both domain and range blocks, then sort the domain blocks based on the centroid radius. For a range block, we can find the best-matched domain blocks in the nearest neighbourhood. Additionally, we apply a bilinear interpolation algorithm to reconstruct the image's edges, reducing the block effect. In this paper, we use scalars to characterize image block features and optimize the codebook organization structure and matching method accordingly. This localization of the matching search range results in shorter coding times. Experimental results demonstrate that our encoder is 4.68 times faster than conventional fractal encoding with the proposed scheme, while still achieving good fidelity and compression ratios for the decoded image.

Abstract Background Separation of biotic and abiotic impacts on species diversity distribution patterns across a significant climatic gradient is a challenge in the study of diversity maintenance mechanisms. The basic task is to reconcile scale-dependent effects of abiotic and biotic processes on species distribution models. Here, we used a hierarchical modeling method to detect the host specificities of bark beetles (Scolytinae and Platypodinae) with their dependent tree communities across a steep climatic gradient, which was embedded within a relatively homogenous spatial niche. Results Species turnover of both trees and bark beetles have an opposite pattern along the climatic proxy (represented by the elevation gradients) at the regional scale, but not at local spatial scales. This pattern confirmed the hypothesis wherein emphasis was on influences of macro-climate on local biotic interactions between trees and hosted bark beetle communities, whereas local biotic relations, represented by host specificity dependence, were regionally conserved. Conclusions At a confined spatial scale, cross-taxa comparisons of β-diversity highlighted the importance of simultaneous impacts from both extrinsic factors related to geography and environment, and intrinsic factors related to organism characteristics. The effects of tree abundance and phylogeny diversity on bark beetle diversity were, to a large extent, indirect, operating via changes in bark beetle abundance through spatial and temporal dynamics of resources distribution. Tree host dependence, which was considered and represented by host specificities, plays a minor role on the hosted beetle community in this concealed wood decomposing interacting system.

Abstract Background The interactions between nanoparticles (NPs) and plasma proteins form a protein corona around NPs after entering the biological environment, which provides new biological properties to NPs and mediates their interactions with cells and biological barriers. Given the inevitable interactions, we regard nanoparticle‒protein interactions as a tool for designing protein corona-mediated drug delivery systems. Herein, we demonstrate the successful application of protein corona-mediated brain-targeted nanomicelles in the treatment of glioma, loading them with paclitaxel (PTX), and decorating them with amyloid β-protein (Aβ)-CN peptide (PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs). Aβ-CN peptide, like the Aβ1–42 peptide, specifically binds to the lipid-binding domain of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) in vivo to form the ApoE-enriched protein corona surrounding Aβ-CN-PMs (ApoE/PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs). The receptor-binding domain of the ApoE then combines with low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) and LDLr-related protein 1 receptor (LRP1r) expressed in the blood–brain barrier and glioma, effectively mediating brain-targeted delivery. Methods PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs were prepared using a film hydration method with sonication, which was simple and feasible. The specific formation of the ApoE-enriched protein corona around nanoparticles was characterized by Western blotting analysis and LC–MS/MS. The in vitro physicochemical properties and in vivo anti-glioma effects of PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs were also well studied. Results The average size and zeta potential of PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs and ApoE/PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs were 103.1 nm, 172.3 nm, 7.23 mV, and 0.715 mV, respectively. PTX was efficiently loaded into PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs, and the PTX release from rhApoE/PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs exhibited a sustained-release pattern in vitro. The formation of the ApoE-enriched protein corona significantly improved the cellular uptake of Aβ-CN-PMs on C6 cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and enhanced permeability to the blood–brain tumor barrier in vitro. Meanwhile, PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs with ApoE-enriched protein corona had a greater ability to inhibit cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis than taxol. Importantly, PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs exhibited better anti-glioma effects and tissue distribution profile with rapid accumulation in glioma tissues in vivo and prolonged median survival of glioma-bearing mice compared to those associated with PMs without the ApoE protein corona. Conclusions The designed PTX/Aβ-CN-PMs exhibited significantly enhanced anti-glioma efficacy. Importantly, this study provided a strategy for the rational design of a protein corona-based brain-targeted drug delivery system. More crucially, we utilized the unfavorable side of the protein corona and converted it into an advantage to achieve brain-targeted drug delivery. Graphical Abstract

This systematic review aims to compare and evaluate the outcome of using either testicular sperm (Testi-ICSI) or ejaculated sperm (Ejac-ICSI) in intracytoplasmic sperm injections in patients with recurrent ICSI failure. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed were used to search for relevant papers up till October 2020. Four cohort studies and two case series studies were included. Four studies investigated males with high sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) and were classified as “high SDF”, which included 247 couples and 2712 injected oocytes. The other three studies provided paired data to an unselected population of infertile men with either untested SDF or when anomalous SDF was not used as the basis for deciding to use Testi-ICSI, and were classified as “noclassify” in this study. This subgroup consisted of a total of 290 couples and 1061 injected oocytes. There was a higher level of clinical pregnancy rates (CPRs) in the “high SDF” subgroup when Testi-ICSI was used as compared to Ejac-ICSI, at 43.4% and 20.8% respectively, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 2.87 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44–5.71; P = 0.003). Furthermore, in the “high SDF” subgroup, Testi-ICSI use was associated with better take home baby rates (38%) as compared to Ejac-ICSI (16%), with a pooled OR of 3.24 (95% CI 1.20–8.76; P = 0.02). In the “noclassify” group, there was no statistically significant difference in the CPRs and take home baby rates of Testi-ICSI and Ejac-ICSI, although there was a trend of better CPRs and take home baby rates with Testi-ICSI use. Utilization of Testi-ICSI in recurrent ICSI failure couples, where males were confirmed to have high SDF in their ejaculated sperm, were correlated with greater CPRs and take home baby rates. However, Testi-ICSI may not result in better ICSI outcomes among men with untested SDF or when anomalous SDF was not the main factor influencing the decision to utilize Testi-ICSI.

In this paper, the event-triggered control for greenhouse temperature based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is investigated. To overcome the deficiency of sensor which can only represent the temperature value of some points inside the greenhouse, CFD technology is used to simulate and output the temperature field data of the entire greenhouse. Furthermore, in order to reduce the network resource consumption, the event-triggered mechanism is adopted in CFD simulation output-controller channel. When the greenhouse temperature meets the event-triggered condition, the simulated data is transmitted to the controller. Moreover, multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is used to design the controller to solve the contradiction between energy consumption and control accuracy in the control process. Finally, a numerical simulation example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of given event-triggered scheme for greenhouse temperature under natural ventilation based on CFD simulation. The simulation results show that the control scheme given in this paper can effectively regulate the greenhouse internal temperature and meet the control requirements.

Abstract Background Our previous studies demonstrated that the administration of crude Polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (CPPN) can effectively prolong the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice via boosting the host immune system as well as weak cytotoxicity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, Neutral Polysaccharide (NPPN) were further purified from crude polysaccharide isolated from panax notoginseng. The effects of NPPN on the immune function and hematopoietic function of mice with low immunity and myelosuppression induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) were investigated. The effect of NPPN combined with CTX on the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice and the impact of NPPN on the proliferation of H22 liver cancer cells in vitro were investigated. Methods CPPN was obtained by water extraction and alcohol precipitation method, and further purified by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN was added to the immunosuppressed with myelosuppression mice induced by CTX. Thymus index, spleen index, lymphocyte proliferation stimulation index by adding of concanavalin A, determination of serum hemolysin, NK cell activity assay, mice carbon clearance experiment, blood count tests were detected. The tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice treated with NPPN combined with CTX was recorded. Results NPPN and 4 kinds of acid polysaccharide from Panax notoginseng (APPN) were successfully isolated from the CPPN by DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange resin column. NPPN inhibited the growth of H22 cells and significantly increase the tumor inhibition rate of the H22 tumor-bearing mice combined with CTX. The elevation of the cellular and humoral immunity levels as well as a variety of blood count tests indicators of immunosuppressive with myelosuppression mice may contribute to the antitumor activity of NPPN. Conclusion NPPN has a potential antitumor activity for the treatment of liver cancer combined with cyclophosphamide.

In this paper, the quality detection of nectarines based on hyperspectral imaging technology is proposed. The external quality indexes consist of the intact, cracked, rust, dysmorphic and dark damaged, while the internal quality index is composed of the soluble solid content (SSC). Firstly, 480 nectarine samples (160 intact and 320 defective nectarines) with the similar shape and size are selected. Secondly, 5 spectral principal components and 6 texture values are acquired in the spectral range of 420–1000 nm based on the indexes of external and internal quality. Finally, the methods of Partial Least Squares (PLS), Least Squares Support Vector Machine(LS-SVM) and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) are used to establish the external quality discrimination models and internal quality prediction models, respectively. As a result, accuracies of 89.73%, 94.45% and 88.62% are obtained in the identification of the external quality. SSC is predicted with determination coefficients of 0.8540, 0.8747, 0.8146, and the root mean squared errors of 0.9849, 0.9101, 1.0732. The results obtained indicate the great potential of the LS-SVM model to predict and discriminate the inner and outer quality of nectarines.

Chrysanthemum, one of the most popular ornamental plants in the world, is renowned for its brilliant colors and multifarious flower types. Thousands of gorgeous chrysanthemum cultivars exist thanks to both traditional breeding techniques and its characteristic bud sporting. In this study, we identified a pink-to-yellow flower color-changed bud sport of the edible chrysanthemum cultivar ‘Pink Candy’. The bud variant and its parent plant bloomed at the same time, but with yellow- and pink-colored flowers, respectively. However, the two flower types exhibited strikingly different combinations and concentrations of primary and secondary metabolites, aromatic compounds, and pigments. Additionally, the expression patterns of key pigment biosynthesis genes, such as CmPAL (phenylalanineammonialyase), CmDFR (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase), CmF3H (flavanone 3′-hydroxylase), CmNXS (neoxanthin synthase) and CmCCD4 (carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 4) were distinct between both flower types, helping to explain the color transformation of the mutant to some extent. Taken together, our results suggest a mechanism explaining the transformation of pink flowers to yellow flowers in the mutant bud sport. These results provide the foundation for the production of a novel chrysanthemum cultivar.

Metabolism and aging are closely connected. The choline derivative glycerophosphocholine (GPC), an important precursor of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, plays important roles in brain and nervous system function. Although it has been reported to alleviate cognitive decline in aged mice, whether GPC could promote longevity and other fitness factors remains unclear. Here, we find endogenous GPC level declines in the plasma of ageing humans. In Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), GPC extends lifespan and improves exercise capacity during aging. Likewise, GPC inhibits lipofuscin accumulation. We further show that GPC treatment has no adverse effect on nematodes’ reproductive abilities and body length. In addition to its benefits under normal conditions, GPC enhances the stress resistance of C. elegans. Mechanically, we find GPC significantly inhibits the reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in worms. Our findings indicate the health benefits of GPC and its potential application in strategies to improve lifespan and healthspan.

Delayed greening of young leaves is a ubiquitous and visually striking phenomenon in the tropics. Here, we investigated the potential ecological functions of red coloration patterns in young leaves. To detect any protective function of the red coloration on the young leaves, leaf damage by insect herbivores was recorded in the field. To determine capacity for chemical defense, the concentrations of tannins and anthocyanins were measured in both young and mature leaves. To test the hypothesis that anthocyanins function as photo-protective molecules, chlorophyll content, maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm), non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), and effective quantum yield of PSII (ΦPSII) were measured in the field. Phylogenetic relationships were analyzed to test the relationary significance of the occurrence of redness in young leaves. Compared to the coloration in non-red leaves, young red leaves had significant higher anthocyanins and tannins content and lower herbivore damages. Young, red leaves had the lowest Fv/Fm values, which were significantly lower than those of non-red leaves. NPQ values in young red leaves were comparable to those of other groups. Although young red leaves had high ΦPSII, these values were significantly lower than those of the other three groups. The results suggest that the red coloration of young leaves protects them from insect herbivory primary by chemical defense through high concentrations of tannins and anthocyanins. Additionally, low Fv/Fm values in young red leaves indicate that anthocyanins might not be functioning as light attenuators to compensate for insufficient photo-protection mediated by NPQ. And finally, red coloration in young leaves is predominantly a result of adaptation to heavy herbivory stress but without significant intrinsic phylogenetic relationship of plant species.

Tropical montane ecological systems with complex terrestrial conditions are often recognized as the major reason for biodiversity hotspots in the Indo-China Peninsula. Long-term spatial and temporal turnover data for amphibian species compositions within a region are essential for implementing effective conservation strategies and to design regional protected areas. The present study used a complete 5-year monitoring data series to compare the impacts of different human disturbances on amphibian diversity compositions of the Daweishan Mountains (DNNR) in tropical SE Yunnan, China. The major habitat disturbances occurring at lower elevations were tropical agricultural expansion with the continued disappearance of natural vegetation, and various new artificial habitats have emerged for colonization by amphibians, but tourism activities have arisen recently at mid-higher elevations accompanied by road construction, traffic, and artificial buildings. The data showed that, although the species assemblage of amphibians demonstrated a large difference between the lower and mid-higher elevations, the number of species and individuals were not significantly different regardless of whether the data collected were for the mature or larval stages. Environmental factors, including air and water temperatures, were the major factors regulating the diversity distribution of amphibian assemblages in the Daweishan Mountains. Different disturbances between lower and middle-higher elevations showed similar degree of impacts on the distributions of amphibian diversity. If specified for amphibian diversity conservation in the Daweishan Mountains in the present study, the importance of protecting existing tropical forest fragments in the lowlands and protection from additional human disturbances in the continuous evergreen broadleaf forest in the highlands are equally important. Keywords: Amphibian diversity, Land-use disturbances, Conservation, Daweishan, Tropics

Accurate analysis using a simple and rapid procedure is always the most important pursuit of analytical chemists. In this study, a new sample preparation procedure, namely the shaker cup (SH) method, was designed and compared with two sample preparation procedures, commonly used in the laboratory, from three aspects: homogeneity of the sample–flux mixture, potential for sample contamination, and sample preparation time. For the three methods, a set of 54 certified reference materials (CRMs) was used to establish the calibration curves, while another set of 19 CRMs was measured to validate the results. In the calibration procedures, the matrix effects were corrected using the theoretical alpha coefficient method combined with the experimental coefficient method. The data of the major oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, TFe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, and P2O5) and minor elements (Cr, Cu, Ba, Ni, Sr, V, Zr, and Zn) obtained by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (WD-XRF) were compared using two derivative equations based on the findings by Laurence Whitty-Léveillé. The results revealed that the WD-XRF measured values using the SH method best agreed with the values recommended in the literature.

A stable HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) reaction in vitro was developed by a sensitive, selective and precise liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method. The optimized enzyme reaction condition contained 1.5 μg of HMGR, 20 nM of NADPH with 50 min of reaction time. The method was validated by several intra- and inter-day assays. The production transitions of m/z 147.0/59.1 and m/z 154.0/59.1 were used to detect and quantify mevalonolactone (MVAL) and MVAL-D7, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated over the concentration range of 0.005–1.000 μg/mL for MVAL and 0.010–0.500 μg/mL for lovastatin acid in three validation batch runs. The lower limit of quantitation was found to be 0.005 μg/mL for MVAL and 0.010 μg/mL for lovastatin acid. Intra-day and inter-day precision ranged from 0.95% to 2.39% and 2.26% to 3.38% for MVAL, 1.46% to 3.89% and 0.57% to 5.10% for lovastatin acid, respectively. The results showed that the active ingredients in Xuezhikang capsules were 12.2 and 14.5 mg/g, respectively. This assay method could be successfully applied to the quality control study of Xuezhikang capsule for the first time.

The development of gene delivery vectors with high efficiency and biocompatibility is one of the key points of gene therapy. A series of polycations were prepared from polyethylenimine (PEI) with several amino acids or their analogs. The target polymers have different charge and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties, which may affect their performance in the gene transfection process. Gel retardation and DLS assays showed that these polymers may condense DNA into nanoparticles with positive zeta potentials and proper sizes for cellular uptake. Luciferase reporter gene transfection results revealed their higher transfection efficiency than PEI; especially in the presence of serum, in which up to 23 times higher efficiency was achieved by employing glycolic acid-grafted PEI. Moreover, it was found that the degree of substitution on PEI has an apparent influence on the transfection, and the balance between electron-positive/negative groups largely affects the delivery process. The higher serum tolerance was also proven by BSA adsorption, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy assays. Results demonstrate that such type of polycations may serve as promising non-viral gene delivery vectors.

Symbionts contribute nutrients that allow insects to feed on plants. The whitefly Bemisia tabaci Middle East-Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1) is a polyphagous pest that depends on symbionts to provide key nutrients that are deficient in the diet. Here, we established three whitefly populations on eggplants, cucumbers, and tomatoes and observed that they harbored the same symbiont taxa in different quantities. The amount of the primary symbiont, Portiera, decreased with increasing concentrations of host-plant essential amino acids (EAAs). Whitefly populations transferred to different plant species exhibited fluctuations in Portiera amounts in the first three or four generations; the amount of Portiera increased when whitefly populations were transferred to plant species with lower EAAs proportions. As for the secondary symbionts, the whitefly population of eggplants exhibited lower quantities of Hamiltonella and higher quantities of Rickettsia than the other two populations. The changes of both symbionts’ abundance in whitefly populations after host-plant-shifting for one generation showed little correlation with the EAAs’ proportions of host plants. These findings suggest that host-plant nitrogen nutrition, mainly in the form of EAAs, influences the abundance of symbionts, especially Portiera, to meet the nutritional demands of whiteflies. The results will inform efforts to control pests through manipulating symbionts in insect–symbiont associations.

The construction of efficient and low toxic non-viral gene delivery vectors is of great significance for gene therapy. Herein, two novel polycations were constructed via Michael addition from low molecular weight polyethylenimine (PEI) 600 Da and amino acid-containing linkages. Lysine and histidine were introduced for the purpose of improved DNA binding and pH buffering capacity, respectively. The ester bonds afforded the polymer biodegradability, which was confirmed by the gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurement. The polymers could well condense DNA into nanoparticles and protect DNA from degradation by nuclease. Compared with PEI 25 kDa, these polymers showed higher transfection efficiency, lower toxicity, and better serum tolerance. Study of this mechanism revealed that the polyplexes enter the cells mainly through caveolae-mediated endocytosis pathway; this, together with their biodegradability, facilitates the internalization of polyplexes and the release of DNA. The results reveal that the amino acid-linked low molecular weight PEI polymers could serve as promising candidates for non-viral gene delivery.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the associations of haplotypes of the glucose transporter 9 (SLC2A9) genes with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with hyperuricemia (HUA). Methods: Overall, 608 Chinese males, enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College of Qingdao University in 2009-2012, were genotyped. The subjects included 167 withT2DM (average age of onset (58.07±11.82 yr), 198 with HUA subjects (average age of onset (39.20±9.73) yr), 115 with T2DM complicated with HUA (average age of onset (51.24±10.09) yr), and 128 control subjects (average age (41.92±10.01) yr). Patients genotypes of the SNPs; including rs734553 was determined by PCR method. Each genotype was regressed assuming the co-dominant, dominant and the recessive models of inheritance with covariates of duration of total glucose, uric acid, urea nitrogen, triglyceride, cholesterol, and creatinine levels. Results: Chi-square test revealed that rs734553polymorphism was both significantly associated with HUA as well as T2DM complicated HUA, but not with pure T2DM. After adjustment for age and gender, analysis showed that people with C allele had higher risk of HUA andT2DMcomplicated HUA than those without C allele. And none of the subjects had the homozygous genotype for SLC2A9 (CC). Conclusion: The SLC2A9 mutation increases the risk for T2DM complicated HUA in Chinese population, which suggested that intron variants between two relatively conserved exons could also be associated with diseases. In patients of T2DM complicated with HUA, the diagnosis and detection of SLC2A9 gene variants should be caused enough attention.

Background: Early-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) (EOD) is often particularly malignant due to its special clinical features, accompanying impaired social function, protracted recovery time, and frequent recurrence. This study aimed to observe the effects of age onset on clinical characteristics and social function in MDD patients in Asia. Methods: In total, 547 out-patients aged 18-65 years who were from 13 study sites in five Asian countries were included. These patients had MDD diagnose according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4 th Edition criteria. Clinical features and social function were assessed using Symptom Checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Quality of life was assessed by a 36-item Short-form Health Survey (SF-36). Analyses were performed using a continuous or dichotomous (cut-off: 30 years) age-of-onset indicator. Results: Early-onset MDD (EOD,

The behavior of the greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), is known to be affected by plant volatile cues, but its attraction or repellent to specific volatile cues has not been deeply studied yet. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify the most attractive plant among cultivars of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and eggplant (Solanum melongena) to evaluate the volatiles of plants to identify the chemical compound(s) that attract T. vaporariorum. We speculated that whitefly–host plant interaction primarily depends on plant volatile emissions and that once the plant is damaged, it might attract more whiteflies. Three intact (uninfested) tomato, four intact eggplant cultivars and whitefly infested plants of the most whitefly attractive tomato and eggplant cultivars were examined by behavioral assay experiments for attractiveness to T. vaporariorum and headspace volatile were determined by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Whiteflies had the highest preference for the intact eggplant Kuai Yuan Qie (KYQ) among the eggplant and the tomato plant cultivars in bioassay experiments. Although both male and female whiteflies were significantly more attracted to infested KYQ plants than to intact plants, whitefly females did not select conspecific-infested YG plants. The volatile emissions among different plant cultivars in individual species and infested versus intact plants were significantly different. Among these volatiles, identified major green leaf volatiles [(Z)-3-hexen-1-ol] and terpenoids [α-pinene, (E)-β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, azulene] showed a constitutive relationship with the most whitefly preference plants. Our findings provide new insights into the chemical compounds that attract or repel whiteflies.

Cavities are important in clinical diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although microRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in the regulation of inflammation, the relation between plasma miRNA and pulmonary tuberculosis with cavity remains unknown. In this study, plasma samples were derived from 89 cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (CP-TB) patients, 89 non-cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (NCP-TB) patients and 95 healthy controls. Groups were matched for age and gender. In the screening phase, Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze miRNA profiles in plasma samples pooled from CP-TB patients, NCP-TB patients and healthy controls. During the training and verification phases, quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to verify the differential expression of selected miRNAs among groups. Illumina high-throughput sequencing identified 29 differentially expressed plasma miRNAs in TB patients when compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis validated miR-769-5p, miR-320a and miR-22-3p as miRNAs that were differently present between TB patients and healthy controls. ROC curve analysis revealed that the potential of these 3 miRNAs to distinguish TB patients from healthy controls was high, with the area under the ROC curve (AUC) ranged from 0.692 to 0.970. Moreover, miR-320a levels were decreased in drug-resistant TB patients than pan-susceptible TB patients (AUC = 0.882). In conclusion, we identified miR-769-5p, miR-320a and miR-22-3p as potential blood-based biomarkers for TB. In addition, miR-320a may represent a biomarker for drug-resistant TB.

The gold abundance in basic rocks, which normally varies between 0.5 and 5 ppb, has served as a very important indicator in many geoscience studies, including those focused on the planetary differentiation, redistribution of elements during the crustal process, and ore genesis. However, because gold is a monoisotopic element that exhibits a nugget effect, it is very difficult to quantify its ultra-low levels in rocks, which significantly limits our understanding of the origin of gold and its circulation between the Earth crust, mantle, and core. In this work, we summarize various sample digestion and combined preconcentration methods for the determination of gold amounts in rocks. They include fire assay, fire assay combined with Te coprecipitation and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) or laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, fusion combined with Te coprecipitation and anion exchange resins, dry chlorination, wet acid digestion combined with precipitation, ion exchange resins, solvent extraction, polyurethane foam, extraction chromatography, novel solid adsorbents, and direct determination by INAA. In addition, the faced challenges and future perspectives in this field are discussed.

The linking and modification of low molecular weight cationic polymers (oligomers) has become an attracted strategy to construct non-viral gene carriers with good transfection efficiency and much reduced cytotoxicity. In this study, PEI 600 Da was linked by biodegradable bridges containing rigid aromatic rings. The introduction of aromatic rings enhanced the DNA-binding ability of the target polymers and also improved the stability of the formed polymer/DNA complexes. The biodegradable property and resulted DNA release were verified by enzyme stimulated gel electrophoresis experiment. These materials have lower molecular weights compared to PEI 25 kDa, but exhibited higher transfection efficiency, especially in the presence of serum. Flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy results indicate that the polymers with aromatic rings could induce higher cellular uptake. This strategy for the construction of non-viral gene vectors may be applied as an efficient and promising method for gene delivery.

Rapid enzymatic degradation and fragmentation during DNA administration can result in limited gene expression, and consequently, poor efficacy. It is necessary to use novel vectors for DNA delivery. Herein, we aimed to design useful carriers for enhancing transfection efficiency (TE). These lipopolymers were prepared through Michael addition reactions from low-molecular-weight (LMW) polyethyleneimine (PEI) and linkers with three kinds of steroids. Agarose gel electrophoresis assay results displayed that the three lipopolymers could condense plasmid DNA well, and the formed polyplexes had appropriate sizes around 200–300 nm, and zeta potentials of about +25–40 mV. The results of in vitro experiments using HeLa, HEK293, and MCF-7 cells showed that these lipopolymers present higher TE than 25-kDa PEI, both in the absence and presence of 10% serum. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy studies also demonstrated that these lipopolymer/DNA complexes present higher cellular uptake and intracellular distribution. The measurement of critical micelle concentration (CMC) revealed that these lipopolymers could form micelles, which are suited for drug delivery. All results suggest that the three materials may serve as hopeful candidates for gene and drug delivery in future in vivo applications.

A novel chromenylium-based fluorescent probe was exploited for sulphur dioxide (SO2) detecting. The probe displayed a remarkable fluorescence turn-on response towards SO2 based on the nucleophilic addition reaction to the carbon-carbon double bond with 105 nm Stock shift. The probe was successfully applied for the quantification of SO2.The linear detection range was from 0–160 μM with the detection limit as low as 99.27 nM. It also exhibited high selectivity for SO2 than other reactive species and amino acids. Furthermore, cell staining experiments indicated that the probe was cell membrane permeable and could be used for high-performance imaging of SO2 in living cells. The superior properties of the probe made it highly promising for use in chemical and biological applications.

A new type of NADH model compound with good reactivity and enantioselectivity has been synthesized in good yields by an efficient and convenient synthetic method. The structures of these model compounds were confirmed by 1H and 13C-NMR and MS.