Association Analysis of METTL23 Gene Polymorphisms with Reproductive Traits in Kele Pigs.

Methyltransferase-like 23 (METTL23) is a kind of RNA methyltransferase that catalyzes the methylation transfer to the N6-adenosine of RNA, serving as one of the key mediators in this process. However, the METTL23 gene has been poorly researched in pigs. In this study, we investigated the genetic effects of METTL23 single-nucleotide polymorphism(SNPs) on reproductive traits in Kele pigs. The DNA was extracted from 228 healthy multiparous Kele sows, and Sanger sequencing revealed three SNPs, g.4804958 G > T (intron 2), g.4805082 C > T (exon 2), and g.4806821 A > G (exon 3). The polymorphism information content (PIC) for each SNP was 0.264, 0.25, and 0.354, indicating moderate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) and providing genetic information. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed no strong linkage disequilibrium between the three SNPs. The association analysis revealed that in the SNP g.4804958 G > T individuals with the GG genotype had a significantly higher number of piglets born alive, litter birth weight, number of weaned piglets, and weaning litter weight compared to those with the TT genotype (p < 0.05). Individuals with the GG genotype in the SNP g.4806821 A > G group had significantly higher litter birth weight and average birth weight than those with the AA genotype (p < 0.05). The H4H4 diplotype showed significant effects on the number of piglets born alive, litter birth weight, number of weaned piglets, weaning litter weight, and weaning weight (p < 0.05). Together, the METTL23 gene could be used as a candidate gene for the selection of reproductive traits in Kele pigs.

Lysine Methylation and Histone Modifications during Cold Stress of Insects: Freeze-Tolerant Eurosta solidaginis and Freeze-Avoiding Epiblema scudderiana.

Overwintering survival by insects, whether of the freeze-tolerant or freeze-avoiding types, is typically associated with a strong suppression of metabolic rate (e.g., entry into diapause) that involves the differential expression of many genes with regulation at the transcriptional, translational or post-translational levels. Epigenetic modifications have been suggested to play a vital role in regulating cold responses of insects. However, knowledge of the roles of epigenetic mechanisms in modulating gene expression for winter survival of the larvae of two goldenrod gall formers, the freeze-tolerant dipteran Eurosta solidaginis and the freeze-avoiding lepidopteran Epiblema scudderiana, remain unknown. The current study evaluates the role of cold-induced lysine methylation and histone modifications, with enzymes of lysine methylation (SETD8, SETD7, SUV39H1, SMYD2 and ASH2L), as well as relative levels of histone H3 acetylation (H3K9ac, H3K18ac, H3K27ac, H3K56ac) and methylation (H3K4me1, H3K9me3, H3K36me2) examined in two insects. Significant (p < 0.05) reductions were observed in most of the targets of histone methylation/acetylation for decreasing temperatures of Ep. scudderiana larvae, whereas selected histone methylation/acetylation targets were conversely elevated (p < 0.05) in E. solidaginis, particularly under conditions of 5 °C for 4 h. Histone H3 expression was found to be variable without statistical differences in larval goldenrod gall moths and gall flies. These results provide basic information on the patterns of epigenetic regulation involved in insect cold hardiness.

The elite haplotype OsGATA8-H coordinates nitrogen uptake and productive tiller formation in rice.

Excessive nitrogen promotes the formation of nonproductive tillers in rice, which decreases nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Developing high-NUE rice cultivars through balancing nitrogen uptake and the formation of productive tillers remains a long-standing challenge, yet how these two processes are coordinated in rice remains elusive. Here we identify the transcription factor OsGATA8 as a key coordinator of nitrogen uptake and tiller formation in rice. OsGATA8 negatively regulates nitrogen uptake by repressing transcription of the ammonium transporter gene OsAMT3.2. Meanwhile, it promotes tiller formation by repressing the transcription of OsTCP19, a negative modulator of tillering. We identify OsGATA8-H as a high-NUE haplotype with enhanced nitrogen uptake and a higher proportion of productive tillers. The geographical distribution of OsGATA8-H and its frequency change in historical accessions suggest its adaption to the fertile soil. Overall, this study provides molecular and evolutionary insights into the regulation of NUE and facilitates the breeding of rice cultivars with higher NUE.

The superior allele LEA12OR in wild rice enhances salt tolerance and yield.

Soil salinity has negative impacts on food security and sustainable agriculture. Ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment and reactive oxygen species scavenging are the main approaches utilized by rice to resist salt stress. Breeding rice cultivars with high salt tolerance (ST) and yield is a significant challenge due to the lack of elite alleles conferring ST. Here, we report that the elite allele LEA12OR, which encodes a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein from the wild rice Oryza rufipogon Griff., improves osmotic adjustment and increases yield under salt stress. Mechanistically, LEA12OR, as the early regulator of the LEA12OR-OsSAPK10-OsbZIP86-OsNCED3 functional module, maintains the kinase stability of OsSAPK10 under salt stress, thereby conferring ST by promoting abscisic acid biosynthesis and accumulation in rice. The superior allele LEA12OR provides a new avenue for improving ST and yield via the application of LEA12OR in current rice through molecular breeding and genome editing.

Preoperative Quantitative Flow Ratio, Intraoperative Transit Time Flow Measurement Parameters, and Their Predictive Value for Short-Term Graft Failure After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the relationship between the preoperative quantitative flow ratio (QFR) and parameters of intraoperative transit time flow measurement (TTFM) are extremely rare. In addition, the predictive value of QFR and TTFM parameters for early internal mammary artery (IMA) failure after coronary artery bypass grafting still needs to be validated.Methods and Results: We retrospectively collected data from 510 patients who underwent in situ IMA grafting to the left anterior descending (LAD) artery at Fuwai Hospital. Spearman correlation coefficients between preoperative QFR of the LAD artery and intraoperative TTFM parameters of the IMA were -0.13 (P=0.004) for mean graft flow (Qm) and 0.14 (P=0.002) for the pulsatility index (PI). QFR and TTFM exhibited similar and good predictive value for early IMA failure (5.7% at 1 year), and they were better than percentage diameter stenosis (area under the curve 0.749 for QFR, 0.733 for Qm, 0.688 for PI, and 0.524 for percentage diameter stenosis). The optimal cut-off value of QFR was 0.765. Both univariate and multivariable regression analyses revealed that QFR >0.765, Qm ≤15 mL/min, and PI >3.0 independently contributed to early IMA failure. CONCLUSIONS: There were statistically significant correlations between preoperative QFR of the LAD artery and intraoperative TTFM parameters (Qm, PI) of the IMA. Preoperative QFR and intraoperative Qm and PI exhibited excellent predictive value for early IMA failure.

Investigation on the Attitude of Middle School Students with Depression in the City Toward Professional Psychological Help-Seeking.

Background: Many middle school students are depressed due to pressure from family, study, life, and communication. With the increasing depression of middle school students, professional psychological counseling institutions have also become more numerous. Therefore, students need to be guided to correctly recognize difficulties and seek professional psychological assistance. Aim: We aimed to investigate the depression status of middle school students in the city and analyze their attitude towards professional psychological help-seeking. Methods: A total of 2485 students from two classes of each grade from six middle schools in the city were randomly selected as the research objects. They were subjected to answer the general questionnaire and professional psychological help-seeking attitude questionnaire to analyze their depression status, psychological help-seeking status, and attitude towards professional psychological help-seeking. Results: 2485 questionnaires were distributed, and 2205 valid questionnaires were returned. A total of 791 (35.9%) of students had depressive symptoms. The detection rate and depression scores in girls were significantly higher than in boys, and the detection rate in junior high school students in the city was notably higher than in high school students and students from rural areas (P<0.05). Only 31 (3.9%) middle school students with depressive symptoms have sought professional psychological help. The scores of self-cognition, stigma tolerance, interpersonal openness, and trust scores of middle school students with depressive symptoms in help-seeking attitude were significantly lower than those of normal students, while self-stigma scores were significantly higher in those with depressive symptoms (P<0.001). Conclusion: Middle school students in the city with depression have a poor attitude towards professional psychological help-seeking. Educators should positively and correctly guide depressed middle school students to seek professional psychological assistance when they need help.

Breakfast Frequency and Sleep Quality in College Students: The Multiple Mediating Effects of Sleep Chronotypes and Depressive Symptoms.

Sleep disorders, which are prominent problems among college students, may be associated with skipping breakfast. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of sleep chronotypes and depressive symptoms as mediators in the relationship between breakfast frequency and sleep quality. A cross-sectional survey enrolling random samples of 712 college students was conducted by the Questionnaire Star online platform. Statistical description and correlation analysis were performed by SPSS 25.0, and a chain mediation test was performed by model 6 in PROCESS 3.5. The result of the article demonstrated that breakfast frequency can affect sleep quality through two mediating pathways: ① sleep chronotypes, with a mediating effect of 32%; and ② depressive symptoms, with a mediating effect of 52.4%. However, the chain mediating effects of sleep chronotypes and depressive symptoms was not significant, and neither was the direct effect of breakfast frequency on sleep quality. Breakfast frequency can indirectly affect sleep quality by adjusting sleep chronotypes and depressive symptoms. Regular breakfast can increase morning and intermediate sleep chronotypes, reduce depressive symptoms, and thus improve sleep quality.

Impact of Preoperative Quantitative Flow Ratio of the Left Anterior Descending Artery on Internal Mammary Artery Graft Patency and Midterm Patient Outcomes After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background In coronary artery bypass grafting, grafting a target vessel with nonsignificant stenosis increases the risk of graft failure. The present study aims to investigate the impact of preoperative quantitative flow ratio (QFR), a novel functional assessment of the coronary artery, on internal mammary artery graft failure rate and midterm patient outcomes. Methods and Results Between January 2016 and January 2020, we retrospectively included 419 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting who had received preoperative angiography and postoperative coronary computed tomographic angiography in our center. QFR of the left anterior descending (LAD) artery was computed based on preoperative angiograms. The primary end point was the failure of the graft on the LAD artery assessed by coronary computed tomographic angiography at 1 year, and the secondary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events including death from any cause, myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization. Grafts on functionally nonsignificant LAD arteries (QFR >0.80) had a significantly higher failure rate than those on functionally significant LAD arteries (31.4% versus 7.2%, P<0.001). QFR outperforms degree of stenosis in discriminating graft failure (C statistic, 0.76 versus 0.58). Clinical follow-up (3.6 years, interquartile range [3.3-4.1]) was accomplished in 405 patients, and the rate of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was significantly higher among patients with functionally nonsignificant LAD arteries (10.1% versus 4.2%; adjusted hazard ratio, 3.08 [95% CI, 1.18-8.06]; P=0.022). Conclusions In patients receiving internal mammary artery to LAD artery coronary artery bypass grafting, preoperative QFR of the LAD artery of >0.80 was associated with a higher graft failure rate at 1 year and worse patient outcomes at the 3.6-year follow-up.

Imitation of Touching Dangerous Animals Triggers Motor Inhibition in a Primed Target Grasping-Categorization Task.

The present study adopted a primed target grasping-categorization task and selected pictures of animals as target stimuli to investigate whether motor inhibition influences the motor interference effect of dangerous animals. The results identified more positive P2 and P3 amplitudes accompanied by larger delta event-related synchronization in the dangerous condition than in the neutral condition, suggesting that compared to neutral animal targets, dangerous animal targets attracted increased attentional resources in early processing and that subjects recruited more cognitive resources to process dangerous animal targets than neutral animal targets. Moreover, the results identified larger theta event-related synchronization (reflecting motor inhibition) in the dangerous condition than in the neutral condition. Thus, the results suggested that prepared motor responses were inhibited to avoid touching dangerous animal targets in the current task, supporting that motor inhibition influences the motor interference effect of dangerous animals based on a primed target grasping-categorization task.

The Genetic and Phenotypic Diversity of Bacillus spp. from the Mariculture System in China and Their Potential Function against Pathogenic Vibrio.

Bacillus spp. could be one of the most suitable substitutes for the control and prevention of aquatic diseases. The occurrence of species population, antimicrobial character, and virulence diversity in Bacillus spp. recovered from the mariculture system in China between 2009 and 2021 were investigated, screening for probiotic Bacillus strains with good biological safety that can inhibit Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. owensii, V. campbellii. The results showed that 116 Bacillus isolates were divided into 24 species, and the top three species were B. subtilis (37/116), B. velezensis (28/116), and B. amyloliquefaciens (10/116). Among the 116 Bacillus isolates, 32.8% were effective against V. parahaemolyticus, 30.1% for V. alginolyticus, 60.3% for V. harveyi, 69.8% for V. owensii and 74.1% for V. campbellii. More than 62% of Bacillus isolates were susceptible to florfenicol, doxycycline and tetracycline, etc., and 26/116 Bacillus isolates were found to be multiple-antibiotic-resistant (MAR), with MARI values ranging from 0 to 0.06. Eighteen kinds of antibiotic resistance genes were tested; only tetB, blaTEM, and blaZ were detected. And 9 isolates in 2 Bacillus species were excluded by 6/10 kinds of Bacillus-related toxin gene (hblA, hblC, nheB, nheC, entFM, cykK). Bio-safety testing indicated that three kinds of probiotics were good probiotic candidates to prevent Vibriosis. These results provide comprehensive genetic diversity, potential risks, and probiotic characteristics of Bacillus in the mariculture system in China, and provide basic support for green and healthy development of aquatic industry.

Red blood cell membrane-functionalized Nanofibrous tubes for small-diameter vascular grafts.

The off-the-shelf small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs) have inferior clinical efficacy. Red blood cell membrane (Rm) has easy availability and multiple bioactive components (such as phospholipids, proteins, and glycoproteins), which can improve the clinic's availability and patency of SDVGs. Here we developed a facile approach to preparing an Rm-functionalized poly-ε-caprolactone/poly-d-lysine (Rm@PCL/PDL) tube by co-incubation and single-step rolling. The integrity, stability, and bioactivity of Rm on Rm@PCL/PDL were evaluated. The revascularization of Rm@PCL/PDL tubes was studied by implantation in the carotid artery of rabbits. Rm@PCL/PDL can be quickly prepared and showed excellent bioactivity with good hemocompatibility and great anti-inflammatory. Rm@PCL/PDL tubes as the substitute for the carotid artery of rabbits had good patency and quick remodeling within 21 days. Rm, as a "self" biomaterial with high biosafety, provides a new and facile approach to developing personalized or universal SDVGs for the clinic, which is of great significance in cardiovascular regenerative medicine and organ chip.

Effect of multidisciplinary health education based on lifestyle medicine on menopausal syndrome and lifestyle behaviors of menopausal women: A clinical controlled study.

Background: Menopausal women may experience menopausal syndrome and long-term effects caused by low estrogen levels, such as senile dementia and osteoporosis in the elderly. Most menopausal women may have misconceptions about menopause and low use of pharmacological interventions. These misconceptions may damage the quality of life and miss the critical period for preventing senile diseases. Thus, enhancing the awareness of menopausal women regarding psychosocial and physical changes through health education programs was a way to improve positive attitudes toward menopause and make further treatment options. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary health education based on lifestyle medicine on menopausal syndrome and lifestyle behaviors of menopausal women. Methods: The study was conducted in several hospitals in Chongqing, China. The two groups were from different hospitals with similar medical levels in order to reduce information contamination. It was designed as a clinical controlled trial in which the intervention group (n = 100) and control group (n = 87) were matched for age, age at menarche, menopausal symptoms and drug use status at enrollment. Women in the intervention group received multidisciplinary health education based on lifestyle medicine for 2 months while those in the control group received routine outpatient health guidance. Menopausal syndrome, physical activity and dietary status of participants were assessed before and after the intervention. Paired t-tests and Independent-sample t-tests were adopted for comparison within and between groups, respectively, in the normal variables. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were adopted for comparison within and between group, respectively, in the abnormal variables. Categorical variables were tested using Pearson's χ2. P-value < 0.05 was statistically significant in statistical tests. Results: Post intervention testing indicated that menopausal syndrome of participants was significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Between-group comparison showed a significant improvement of weekly energy expenditure of total physical activity (P = 0.001) and participation in exercise (P < 0.001) in the intervention group compared to the control group after the intervention. The dietary status of participants was significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). In the intervention group, the menopausal syndrome of participants improved more in the hormone drug group than in the non-hormone group (P = 0.007), as did the control group (P = 0.02). In the hormone drug group, the physical activity (P = 0.003) and dietary status (P = 0.001) mproved more in the intervention group than in the control group. Conclusions: The multidisciplinary health education based on lifestyle medicine was effective in improving the menopausal syndrome and healthy lifestyle behaviors of menopausal women. Studies with extended observation period and larger sample size are in need to evaluate the long-term scale-up effects of the multidisciplinary health education.

Virulence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics assessment of Vibrio isolated from shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding system in south China.

The diseases caused by Vibrio during shrimp breeding program have the risk of spreading in different aquatic areas through larvae transportation between different regions. Therefore, the population distribution and the virulence and antibiotic resistance risk of 5 pathogenic Vibrio in shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) breeding system in China were evaluated for the first time. A total of 418 isolates were recovered from shrimp, breeding water and biological baits samples, and 312 isolates were identified as Vibrio genus based on 16s rDNA, among which V. alginolyticus, V. harveyi, V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae and V. campbellii were the dominant species. And 10/20 kinds of virulence genes (chiA, luxR, vhh, tlh, chxA, sepro, flaA, vch, VAC and rpoS) were detected among the 5 Vibrio species. Multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of the 5 dominant Vibrio isolates were 0.13-0.88 %, and 36.5 % isolates with MAR < 0.2. But the antibiotic resistance pattern abundance (ARPA) index ranged from 0.25 to 0.56, which indicated the antibiotic phenotypes of Vibrio species in the shrimp breeding system in China were homogeneity. Furthermore, resistance quotients (RQs) calculation results displayed that the dominant Vibrio species in the shrimp breeding system in China showed no or low selection pressure for resistance to cefoperazone/sulbactam, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, fluoroquine, florfenicol, tetracycline and doxycycline. But only 5 resistance genes were detected, which were strA (43.8 %), strB (11.7 %), QnrVC (2.9 %), sul2 (8.8 %) and Int4 (8.8 %), respectively, and the antimicrobial resistance genotypes were not previously correlated with their phenotypes. The relevant research results provide theoretical basis for epizootic tracking in aquatic system in China, and targeting its final risk in aquatic ecosystem and public health perspectives.

The Association between Cholesterol Levels and Severity of Normal Tension Glaucoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the serum lipid levels, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) of patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and to investigate the relationship between serum HDL levels and the severity of NTG. Methods: In this cross-sectional, case-control study, 282 NTG subjects and 202 control subjects were enrolled from the outpatient clinic of the Department of Ophthalmology at Taichung Veterans General Hospital in central Taiwan from 2015 to 2021. Fasting cholesterol, HDL, and LDL levels were evaluated using a biochemical analyzer (ARCHITECT c16000). Glaucoma severity was classified by visual field test as mild (mean deviation [MD] ≥ -6.0dB), moderate (-12dB ≤ MD < -6 dB), and severe (MD < -12dB), based on the mean deviation. Results: HDL levels were significantly lower in the NTG group compared with the control subjects (47 ± 18mg/dl versus 53 ± 18mg/dl; p = 0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in total cholesterol or LDL levels between the NTG and control subjects (total cholesterol levels: 194 ± 39mg/dl versus 190 ± 32mg/dl; p > 0.05; LDL levels: 113 ± 30mg/dl versus 110 ± 29mg/dl; p > 0.05). The mean serum HDL levels were lowest in the severe group (41 ± 11mg/dl) followed by the moderate (45 ± 16mg/dl) and mild (50 ± 15mg/dl) groups, with significant differences among the three groups (p = 0.02). The multivariate regression analysis revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between HDL and vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR; B =-0.16, p = 0.03) among all NTG patients and a positive correlation between HDL and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL; r = 0.34, p = 0.03) among all NTG patients. Conclusions: A significantly lower serum HDL concentration was found in the NTG patients, which was negatively associated with disease severity. The findings warrant further study to elucidate the role of these phenomena in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.

Antibiotic resistance, virulence and genetic characteristics of Vibrio alginolyticus isolates from aquatic environment in costal mariculture areas in China.

Vibrio alginolyticus has been the second most common Vibrio species in the world and mainly grows in the ocean or estuary environment, which can induce epidemics outbreaks under marine organisms, and causing serious economic losses in aquaculture industry. In this study, the genetic populations and evolutionary relationship analysis of V. alginolyticus isolated from different geographical locations in China with typical interannual differences were exhibited originally genetic diversity. Then the virulence genes prevalence, antibiotic resistance phenotype, and antimicrobial resistance genes risk diversity of V. alginolyticus were analyzed by phenotypic and molecular typing methods. And they were complex correlations among antibiotic phenotypes, resistance and virulence genes under different genotype of V. alginolyticus. The results provide a theoretical foundation for further understanding the genetic and metabolic diversity among V. alginolyticus in China, and lay a theoretical foundation for the transmission risk assessment and regional diagnosis of Vibrio in aquatic animals.

Corvis Biomechanical Factor Facilitates the Detection of Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma.

Purpose: To characterize the corneal biomechanical properties of primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) and to investigate the diagnostic performance of combining corneal biomechanical parameters and anterior segment parameters in detecting PACG. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated 79 and 81 eyes of normal controls and patients with PACG, respectively. Corvis Biomechanical Factor (CBiF) and anterior chamber volume (ACV) were measured using the Corvis ST and Pentacam, respectively. We performed multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and ACV to evaluate the effect of CBiF on PACG. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated to compare the diagnostic performance of ACV, CBiF, and ACV-CBiF combination for detecting PACG. Results: The median CBiF of the control and PACG groups was 6.61 (interquartile range [IQR], 6.39-6.88) and 6.20 (IQR, 5.93-6.48), respectively (P < 0.001). A lower CBiF, suggestive of decreased corneal biomechanical stability, increased the odds of PACG (odds ratio, 0.029; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.003-0.266; P = 0.002) in the multivariable logistic regression model. The ACV-CBiF combination yielded the highest AUC (0.934; 95% CI, 0.882-0.968) compared with ACV alone (0.878; 95% CI, 0.823-0.928). The ACV-CBiF combination had significantly higher discriminatory ability than that of ACV alone (DeLong test, P = 0.004). Conclusions: Lower CBiF and ACV may act as independent predictors for PACG. Combining ACV and CBiF may enhance detection of PACG. Translational Relevance: The combination of corneal biomechanical parameters and anterior segment parameters enhances the detection of PACG.

Effect of Muller's muscle-conjunctival resection on the upper eyelid crease position in Asian eyelids: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Investigating the effect of Muller's muscle-conjunctival resection (MMCR) on the eyelid crease position. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with unilateral acquired blepharoptosis who underwent MMCR during October 2018-December 2021. The following factors were recorded: preoperative, after phenylephrine, postoperative marginal reflex distance1 (MRD1) and tarsal platform show (TPS) of bilateral eyelids. The primary outcome was to measure the change in TPS and evaluate the factors associated with post-operative TPS. The secondary outcomes included exploring the rate of MRD1 and TPS symmetry after the operation. RESULTS: Forty patients were included in the final analysis. The mean MRD1 of the ptotic eye was 1.28 ± 0.78 mm, 2.79 ± 0.66 mm and 3.20 ± 0.67 mm before, after phenylephrine and after the operation, respectively. The mean TPS of the ptotic eye was 5.90 ± 1.86 mm, 3.96 ± 1.49 mm and 2.79 ± 1.63 mm before, after phenylephrine and after the operation, respectively. Changes in mean TPS after the phenylephrine test and post-operation were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The linear regression model revealed that the absolute change in TPS after phenylephrine drop and absolute change in MRD1 post-operation were significantly correlated with the absolute change in TPS post-operation. Besides, the ratio of symmetry in MRD1 and TPS was greatly improved post-operation (82.5% and 70.0% respectively). CONCLUSION: MMCR is an effective surgical method for ptosis correction as it can not only correct the eyelid crease position but also narrow the wide TPS. This method is particularly beneficial to patients with both mild to moderate ptosis and an asymmetric crease height.

Differential expression of miRNAs in the body wall of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus under heat stress.

MicroRNAs, as one of the post-transcriptional regulation of genes, play an important role in the development process, cell differentiation and immune defense. The sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus is an important cold-water species, known for its excellent nutritional and economic value, which usually encounters heat stress that affects its growth and leads to significant economic losses. However, there are few studies about the effect of miRNAs on heat stress in sea cucumbers. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze miRNA expression in the body wall of sea cucumber between the control group (CS) and the heat stress group (HS). A total of 403 known miRNAs and 75 novel miRNAs were identified, of which 13 miRNAs were identified as significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in response to heat stress. A total of 16,563 target genes of DEMs were predicted, and 101 inversely correlated target genes that were potentially regulated by miRNAs in response to heat stress of sea cucumbers were obtained. Based on these results, miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks were constructed. The expression results of high-throughput sequencing were validated in nine DEMs and four differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, pathway enrichment of target genes suggested that several important regulatory pathways may play an important role in the heat stress process of sea cucumber, including ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, notch single pathway and endocytosis. These results will provide basic data for future studies in miRNA regulation and molecular adaptive mechanisms of sea cucumbers under heat stress.

High-performance composite separators based on the synergy of vermiculite and laponite for lithium-ion batteries.

The electrochemical performance and safe operation of the separator plays an important role in lithium-ion batteries. The introduction of inorganic nanoparticles into the separators with organic matter as the matrix effectively improves the thermal stability and wettability of the composite separators, but it also blocks some pores and adversely affects the electrochemical performance. Herein, vermiculite and laponite nanoparticles are introduced into a poly(vinylidene fluoride) matrix to prepare organic-inorganic composite separators for lithium-ion batteries and the synergistic effect of the two inorganic nanofillers is explored. By adding the same amount of the two nanoparticles into the polymer matrix, the prepared separator has the highest ionic conductivity (0.72 mS cm-1) at room temperature and the lowest interfacial impedance (283 Ω). It has an initial discharge capacity of 161.2 mA h g-1 at a rate of 0.5C, a coulombic efficiency of 99.5% after 100 cycles, and a high capacity retention rate of 98.4%, which shows excellent rate performance. The results show that the two clay nanoparticles exert their respective advantages and exhibit a synergistic enhancement effect on the battery performance, which inspires new ideas for the preparation of new organic-inorganic composite separators.