Early-onset palatal myoclonus in Wernekinck commissure syndrome secondary to caudal paramedian midbrain infarction: A case report and a mini review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION: Wernekinck commissure syndrome (WCS) is an extremely rare midbrain syndrome, which selectively destroys the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle and the central tegmental tract, which commonly presents with bilateral cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, and internuclear ophthalmoplegia. Palatal myoclonus in Wernekinck commissure syndrome is uncommon and often occurs as a late phenomenon due to hypertrophic degeneration of bilateral inferior olivary nuclei. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A patient with WCS, admitted to our hospital from December 2023, was chosen for this study, and the syndrome's clinical manifestations, imaging features, and etiology were retrospectively analyzed based on the literature. A 68-year-old right-handed East Asian man presented with dizziness, slurred speech, difficulty with swallowing and walking, and rhythmic contractions of the soft palate. He had several risk factors for ischemic cerebrovascular diseases (age, sex, dyslipidemia, hypertension and smoking history). Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed hyperintensity of DWI and hypointensity of ADC at the caudal midbrain which was around the paramedian mesencephalic tegmentum anterior to the aqueduct of midbrain. RESULTS: He was diagnosed with Wernekinck commissure syndrome (WCS) secondary to caudal paramedian midbrain infarction. He was started on dual antiplatelet therapy (aspirin and clopidogrel) and intensive statin therapy. Blood pressure and glucose were also adjusted. His symptoms improved rapidly, and he walked steadily and speak clearly after 7 days of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Palatal myoclonus is known to occur as a late phenomenon due to hypertrophic degeneration of bilateral inferior olivary nuclei. However, Our case suggests that palatal myoclonus can occur in the early stages in WCS.

Evaluating the impact of evolving green and grey urban infrastructure on local particulate pollution around city square parks.

The relationship between green and grey urban infrastructure, local meteorological conditions, and traffic-related air pollution is complex and dynamic. This case study examined the effect of evolving morphologies around a city square park in Dublin and explores the twin impacts of local urban development (grey) and maturing parks (green) on particulate matter (PM) pollution. A fixed air quality monitoring campaign and computational fluid dynamic modelling (ENVI-met) were used to assess current (baseline) and future scenarios. The baseline results presented the distribution of PM in the study area, with bimodal (PM2.5) and unimodal (PM10) diurnal profiles. The optimal vegetation height for air quality within the park also differed by wind direction with 21 m vegetation optimal for parallel winds (10.45% reduction) and 7 m vegetation optimal for perpendicular winds (30.36% reduction). Increased building heights led to higher PM2.5 concentrations on both footpaths ranging from 25.3 to 37.0% under perpendicular winds, whilst increasing the height of leeward buildings increased PM2.5 concentrations by up to 30.9% under parallel winds. The findings from this study provide evidence of the importance of more in-depth analysis of green and grey urban infrastructure in the urban planning decision-making process to avoid deteriorating air quality conditions around city square parks.

Intense Circularly Polarized Luminescence Induced by Chiral Supramolecular Assembly: The Importance of Intermolecular Electronic Coupling.

Herein we report on circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) emission originating from supramolecular chirality of organic microcrystals with a |glum| value up to 0.11. The microcrystals were prepared from highly emissive difluoroboron ß-diketonate (BF2dbk) dyes R-1 or S-1 with chiral binaphthol (BINOL) skeletons. R-1 and S-1 exhibit undetectable CPL signals in solution but manifest intense CPL emission in their chiral microcrystals. The chiral superstructures induced by BINOL skeletons were confirmed by XRD analysis. Spectral analysis and theoretical calculations indicate that intermolecular electronic coupling, mediated by the asymmetric stacking in the chiral superstructures, effectively alters excited-state electronic structures and facilitates electron transitions perpendicular to BF2bdk planes. The coupling increases cosθµ,m from 0.05 (monomer) to 0.86 (tetramer) and triggers intense optical activity of BF2bdk. The results demonstrate that optical activity of chromophores within assemblies can be regulated by both orientation and extent of intermolecular electronic couplings.

Pseudorabies virus infection increases the permeability of the mammalian respiratory barrier to facilitate Pasteurella multocida infection.

Interaction between viruses and bacteria during the development of infectious diseases is a complex question that requires continuous study. In this study, we explored the interactions between pseudorabies virus (PRV) and Pasteurella multocida (PM), which are recognized as the primary and secondary agents of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), respectively. In vivo tests using mouse models demonstrated that intranasal inoculation with PRV at a sublethal dose induced disruption of murine respiratory barrier and promoted the invasion and damages caused by PM through respiratory infection. Inoculation with PRV also disrupted the barrier function of murine and porcine respiratory epithelial cells, and accelerated the adherence and invasion of PM to the cells. In mechanism, PRV infection resulted in decreased expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin) and adherens junction proteins (ß-catenin, E-cadherin) between neighboring respiratory epithelial cells. Additionally, PRV inoculation at an early stage downregulated multiple biological processes contributing to epithelial adhesion and barrier functions while upregulating signals beneficial for respiratory barrier disruption (e.g., the HIF-1α signaling). Furthermore, PRV infection also stimulated the upregulation of cellular receptors (CAM5, ICAM2, ACAN, and DSCAM) that promote bacterial adherence. The data presented in this study provide insights into the understanding of virus-bacteria interactions in PRDC and may also contribute to understanding the mechanisms of secondary infections caused by different respiratory viruses (e.g., influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2) in both medical and veterinary medicine. IMPORTANCE: Co-infections caused by viral and bacterial agents are common in both medical and veterinary medicine, but the related mechanisms are not fully understood. This study investigated the interactions between the zoonotic pathogens PRV and PM during the development of respiratory infections in both cell and mouse models, and reported the possible mechanisms which included: (i) the primary infection of PRV may induce the disruption and/or damage of mammal respiratory barrier, thereby contributing to the invasion of PM; (ii) PRV infection at early stage accelerates the transcription and/or expression of several cellular receptors that are beneficial for bacterial adherence. This study may shed a light on understanding the mechanisms on the secondary infection of PM promoted by different respiratory viruses (e.g., influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2) in both medical and veterinary medicine.

Population structure and antibiotic resistance of swine extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli from China.

Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) pose a significant threat to human and animal health. However, the diversity and antibiotic resistance of animal ExPEC, and their connection to human infections, remain largely unexplored. The study performs large-scale genome sequencing and antibiotic resistance testing of 499 swine-derived ExPEC isolates from China. Results show swine ExPEC are phylogenetically diverse, with over 80% belonging to phylogroups B1 and A. Importantly, 15 swine ExPEC isolates exhibit genetic relatedness to human-origin E. coli strains. Additionally, 49 strains harbor toxins typical of enteric E. coli pathotypes, implying hybrid pathotypes. Notably, 97% of the total strains are multidrug resistant, including resistance to critical human drugs like third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins. Correspondingly, genomic analysis unveils prevalent antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), often associated with co-transfer mechanisms. Furthermore, analysis of 20 complete genomes illuminates the transmission pathways of ARGs within swine ExPEC and to human pathogens. For example, the transmission of plasmids co-harboring fosA3, blaCTX-M-14, and mcr-1 genes between swine ExPEC and human-origin Salmonella enterica is observed. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and controlling ExPEC infections in animals, as they can serve as a reservoir of ARGs with the potential to affect human health or even be the origin of pathogens infecting humans.

Characterizing the distribution pattern of traffic-related air pollutants in near-road neighborhoods.

In near-road neighborhoods, residents are more frequently exposed to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), and they are increasingly aware of pollution levels. Given this consideration, this study adopted portable air pollutant sensors to conduct a mobile monitoring campaign in two near-road neighborhoods, one in an urban area and one in a suburban area of Shanghai, China. The campaign characterized spatiotemporal distributions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and black carbon (BC) to help identify appropriate mitigation measures in these near-road micro-environments. The study identified higher mean TRAP concentrations (up to 4.7-fold and 1.7-fold higher for PM2.5 and BC, respectively), lower spatial variability, and a stronger inter-pollutant correlation in winter compared to summer. The temporal variations of TRAP between peak hour and off-peak hour were also investigated. It was identified that district-level PM2.5 increments occurred from off-peak to peak hours, with BC concentrations attributed more to traffic emissions. In addition, the spatiotemporal distribution of TRAP inside neighborhoods revealed that PM2.5 concentrations presented great temporal variability but almost remained invariant in space, while the BC concentrations showed notable spatiotemporal variability. These findings provide valuable insights into the unique spatiotemporal distributions of TRAP in different near-road neighborhoods, highlighting the important role of hyperlocal monitoring in urban micro-environments to support tailored designing and implementing appropriate mitigation measures.

IRF8 deficiency-induced myeloid-derived suppressor cell promote immune evasion in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have a low response rate to immune checkpoint blockade. It is highly important to explore the tumor immune escape mechanism of LUAD patients and expand the population of patients who may benefit from immunotherapy. METHODS: Based on 954 bulk RNA-seq data of LUAD patients and 15 single-cell RNA-seq data, the relationships between tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) scores and survival prognosis in each patient were calculated and evaluated, and the immune escape mechanism affecting the independent prognosis of LUAD patients was identified. Functional enrichment analysis explored the antitumour immune response and biological behavior of tumor cells among different LUAD groups. Single-cell annotation and pseudotemporal analysis were used to explore the target molecules and immune escape mechanisms of LUAD. RESULTS: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and IRF8 were identified as risk and protective factors for the independent prognosis of LUAD patients, respectively. In the tumor microenvironment of patients with high infiltration of MDSCs, the antitumor immune response is significantly suppressed, while tumor cell division, proliferation, and distant metastasis are significantly enhanced. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed that IRF8 is an important regulator of MDSC differentiation in LUAD myeloid cells. In addition, IRF8 may regulate the differentiation of MDSCs through the IL6-JAK-STAT3 signalling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: IRF8 deficiency impairs the normal development of LUAD myeloid cells and induces their differentiation into MDSCs, thereby accelerating the immune escape of LUAD cells. IRF8-targeted activation to inhibit the formation of MDSCs may be a new target for immunotherapy in LUAD.

Development and validation of a clinical decision tool for preoperative micropapillary and solid pattern lung adenocarcinoma of CT≤2 cm.

BACKGROUND: Micropapillary (MP) and solid(S) pattern adenocarcinoma are highly malignant subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma. In today's era of increasingly conservative surgery for small lung cancer, effective preoperative identification of these subtypes is greatly important for surgical planning and long term survival of patients. METHODS: For this retrospective study, the presence of MP and/or S was evaluated in 2167 consecutive patients who underwent surgical resection for clinical stage IA1-2 lung adenocarcinoma. MP and/or S pattern-positive patients and negative-pattern patients were matched at a ratio of 1:3. The Lasso regression model was used for data dimension reduction and imaging signature building. Multivariate logistic regression was used to establish the predictive model, presented as an imaging nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed based on calibration, identification, and clinical usefulness, and internal and external validation of the model was conducted. RESULTS: The proportion of solid components (PSC), Sphericity, entropy, Shape, bronchial honeycomb, nodule shape, sex, and smoking were independent factors in the prediction model of MP and/or S lung adenocarcinoma. The model showed good discrimination with an area under the ROC curve of 0.85. DCA demonstrated that the model could achieve good benefits for patients. RCS analysis suggested a significant increase in the proportion of MP and/or S from 11% to 48% when the PSC value was 68%. CONCLUSION: Small MP and/or S adenocarcinoma can be effectively identified preoperatively by their typical 3D and 2D imaging features.

Dendritic cell targeting peptide plus Salmonella FliCd flagellin fused outer membrane protein H (OmpH) demonstrated increased efficacy against infections caused by different Pasteurella multocida serogroups in mouse models.

As the major outer membrane protein (OMP) presents in the Pasteurella multocida envelope, OmpH was frequently expressed for laboratory assessments of its immunogenicity against P. multocida infections, but the results are not good. In this study, we modified OmpH with dendritic cell targeting peptide (Depeps) and/or Salmonella FliCd flagellin, and expressed three types of recombinant proteins with the MBP tag (rDepeps-FliC-OmpH-MBP, rDepeps-OmpH-MBP, rFliC-OmpH-MBP). Assessments in mouse models revealed that vaccination with rDepeps-FliC-OmpH-MBP, rDepeps-OmpH-MBP, or rFliC-OmpH-MBP induced significant higher level of antibodies as well as IFN-γ and IL-4 in murine sera than vaccination with rOmpH-MBP (P < 0.5). Vaccination with the three modified proteins also provided increased protection (rDepeps-FliC-OmpH-MBP, 70 %; rDepeps-OmpH-MBP, 50 %; rFliC-OmpH-MBP, 60 %) against P. multocida serotype D compared to vaccination with rOmpH-MBP (30 %). In mice vaccinated with different types of modified OmpHs, a significantly decreased bacterial strains were recovered from bloods, lungs, and spleens compared to rOmpH-MBP-vaccinated mice (P < 0.5). Notably, our assessments also demonstrated that vaccination with rDepeps-FliC-OmpH-MBP provided good protection against infections caused by a heterogeneous group of P. multocida serotypes (A, B, D). Our above findings indicate that modification with DCpep and Salmonella flagellin could be used as a promising strategy to improve vaccine effectiveness.

Establishment and application of a quadruplex real-time RT-qPCR assay for differentiation of TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA.

Porcine viral diarrhea is a common ailment in clinical settings, causing significant economic losses to the swine industry. Notable culprits behind porcine viral diarrhea encompass transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and porcine rotavirus-A (PoRVA). Co-infections involving the viruses are a common occurrence in clinical settings, thereby amplifying the complexities associated with differential diagnosis. As a consequence, it is therefore necessary to develop a method that can detect and differentiate all four porcine diarrhea viruses (TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA) with a high sensitivity and specificity. Presently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the go-to method for pathogen detection. In comparison to conventional PCR, TaqMan real-time PCR offers heightened sensitivity, superior specificity, and enhanced accuracy. This study aimed to develop a quadruplex real-time RT-qPCR assay, utilizing TaqMan probes, for the distinctive detection of TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA. The quadruplex real-time RT-qPCR assay, as devised in this study, exhibited the capacity to avoid the detection of unrelated pathogens and demonstrated commendable specificity, sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility, boasting a limit of detection (LOD) of 27 copies/µL. In a comparative analysis involving 5483 clinical samples, the results from the commercial RT-qPCR kit and the quadruplex RT-qPCR for TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA detection were entirely consistent. Following sample collection from October to March in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, we assessed the prevalence of TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA in piglet diarrhea samples, revealing positive detection rates of 0.2 % (11/5483), 8.82 % (485/5483), 1.22 % (67/5483), and 4.94 % (271/5483), respectively. The co-infection rates of PEDV/PoRVA, PEDV/PDCoV, TGEV/PED/PoRVA, and PDCoV/PoRVA were 0.39 %, 0.11 %, 0.01 %, and 0.03 %, respectively, with no detection of other co-infections, as determined by the quadruplex real-time RT-qPCR. This research not only established a valuable tool for the simultaneous differentiation of TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and PoRVA in practical applications but also provided crucial insights into the prevalence of these viral pathogens causing diarrhea in Guangxi.

Development of a multiplex reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (qPCR) method for detecting common causative agents of swine viral diarrhea in China.

BACKGROUND: Diarrheal diseases caused by viral agents have led to a great morbidity, mortality, and economic loss in global pig industry. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and group A porcine rotavirus (RVA) are main causative agents of swine viral diarrhea with similar clinical signs on Chinese farms and their co-infection is also common. However, it is still lack of a convenient method to detect these four agents. METHODS: A TaqMan multiplex qPCR method was developed to detect PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV, and RVA, simultaneously. This method was then applied to investigate 7,342 swine fecal samples or rectal swabs, as well as 1,246 swine intestinal samples collected from 2075 farms in China in 2022. RESULTS: Minimum detection limits of this method were 3 copies/µL for PEDV, 4 copies/µL for TGEV, 8 copies/µL for RVA, and 8 copies/µL for PDCoV, suggesting a good sensitivity. No signals were observed by using this method detecting other viral agents commonly prevalent in pigs, which is suggestive of a good specificity. Application of this method on investigating clinical samples demonstrated a relatively high positive rate for PEDV (22.21%, 1907/8588) and RVA (44.00%, 3779/8588). In addition, co-infection between PEDV and RVA was observed on 360 investigated farms, accounting for 17.35% (360/2075) of the farms where co-infection events were screened. CONCLUSIONS: A TaqMan multiplex qPCR method targeting PEDV, TGEV, PDCoV, and RVA was developed in this study. This method demonstrated a good specificity and sensitivity on investigating these four common viruses responsible for viral diarrhea on Chinese pig farms, which represents a convenient method for the monitoring and differential diagnosis of swine viral diarrhea.

Establishment and Application of a Quadruplex Real-Time Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Differentiation of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus, Porcine Circovirus Type 2, Porcine Circovirus Type 3, and Streptococcus suis.

Respiratory illnesses present a significant threat to porcine health, with co-infections involving Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV), Streptococcus suis (SS), Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2), and Porcine Circovirus Type 3 (PCV3) acting as the primary causative agents. As a result, the precise diagnosis of PRRSV, PCV2, PCV3 and SS is of paramount importance in the prevention and control of respiratory diseases in swine. Therefore, we conducted a molecular bioinformatical analysis to concurrently detect and differentiate PRRSV, PCV2, PCV3 and SS. We selected the ORF6 gene of PRRSV, the ORF2 gene of PCV2 and PCV3, and the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) gene of SS as targets. Specific primers and probes were designed for each pathogen, and following meticulous optimization of reaction conditions, we established a multiple TaqMan fluorescence quantitative PCR detection method. Subsequently, we subjected this method to a comprehensive assessment, evaluating its specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability. The research results demonstrated that the established multiple TaqMan fluorescence quantitative PCR detection method displays displayed exemplary specificity, with no instances of cross-reactivity with other pathogens. The method's minimum detection concentrations for PRRSV, PCV2, PCV3, and SS were 2.80 × 101 copies/µL, 1.96 × 102 copies/µL, 2.30 × 102 copies/µL, and 1.75 × 103 copies/µL, respectively. When applied to the analysis of 30 clinical samples, the results closely mirrored those obtained through Chinese standard uniplex real-time qPCR detection method for PRRSV, as well as the general PCR methods for SS, PCV2, and PCV3. This study underscores the robust specificity, high sensitivity, and consistent stability of the multiple TaqMan fluorescence quantitative PCR detection method that we have developed. It is ideally suited to the clinical monitoring of PRRSV, PCV2, PCV3, and SS, and it carries significant importance in ongoing efforts to prevent and manage respiratory diseases in porcine populations.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Genomic Characteristics of Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from the Poultry Industry in Henan Province, China.

Escherichia coli (E. coli) is an important foodborne pathogen and a biomarker for monitoring antimicrobial resistance. Investigating the prevalence of E. coli in the poultry industry holds great importance, particularly in Henan province, a major poultry-producing region in China. Here, we investigated the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes of E. coli strains obtained from the poultry industry in Henan, China. A total of 344 E. coli strains were isolated from 638 samples collected from seven farms, three slaughterhouses, and ten terminal markets. Approximately 96.4%, 81.7%, and 52.5% of the isolates from the farms, slaughterhouses, and terminal markets exhibited multidrug resistance. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 169 strains to reveal their genomic characteristics. The sequence type (ST) analysis revealed that ST10 and ST156 were the most frequent types within the poultry supply chain, whereas ST10 and ST162 were commonly found across the farms, slaughterhouses, and terminal markets. Fourteen ST10 E. coli strains belonged to phylogenetic group A, while fifteen ST165 and six ST162 E. coli strains belonged to phylogenetic group B1. In addition, several antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factor genes were identified. The blaNDM-5 gene mediated carbapenem resistance in two E. coli strains, while mcr-1-mediated colistin resistance was detected in nine E. coli strains. Phylogenetic group A exhibited fewer virulence genes compared to other groups of E. coli. Plasmid replicons, such as IncFIB (AP001918), IncX1, IncFIC (FII), and IncFII (pHN7A8), were frequently observed. These findings provide valuable insights into the current AMR profiles of E. coli strains isolated from the poultry industry in Central China and highlight the need to implement good manufacturing practices and reduce antibiotic usage to mitigate potential risks associated with E. coli.

Identification of particle distribution pattern in vertical profile via unmanned aerial vehicles observation.

Below the boundary layer, the air pollutants have been confirmed to present the decreasing trend with the height in most situaitons. However, the disperiosn rate of air pollutants in the vertical profile is rarely investigated in detail, especially through in-situ measurement. With this consideration, we employed an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with portable monitoring equipments to scrutinize the vertical distribution of PM2.5. Based on the original data, we found that PM2.5 concentration decreases gradually with altitude below the boundary layer and demonstrated an obvious linear correlation. Therefore, the vertical distribution of PM2.5 was quantified by representing the distribution of PM2.5 with the slope of PM2.5 vertical distribution. We used backward trajectories to reveal the causes of outliers (PM2.5 increasing with altitude), and found that PM2.5 in the high altitude came from the southwest. Besides, the relationship between the vertical distribution of PM2.5 and various meteorological factors was investigated using stepwise regression analysis. The results show that the four meteorological factors most strongly correlated with the slope values are: (a) the difference in relative humidity between the ground and the air; (b) the difference in temperature between the ground and the air; (c) the height of the boundary layer; and (d) the wind speed. The slope values increase with increasing the difference in relative humidity between ground and air and the difference in temperature between the ground and the air, and decrease with increasing boundary layer height and wind speed. According to the Random Forest calculations, the ground-to-air relative humidity difference is the most important at 0.718; the wind speed is the least important at 0.053; and the ground-to-air temperature difference and boundary layer height are 0.140 and 0.088, respectively.

Discovery of the tigecycline resistance gene cluster tmexCD3-toprJ1 in Pasteurella multocida strains isolated from pigs in China.

Pasteurella multocida is a leading cause of respiratory disorders in pigs. However, the genotypes and antimicrobial resistance characteristics of P. multocida from pigs in China have not been reported frequently. In this study, we investigated 381 porcine strains of P. multocida collected in China between 2013 and 2022. These strains were assigned to capsular genotypes A (69.55%, n = 265), D (27.82%, n =106), and F (2.62%, n = 10); or lipopolysaccharide genotypes L1 (1.31%, n = 5), L3 (24.41%, n = 93), and L6 (74.28%, n = 283). Overall, P. multocida genotype A:L6 (46.46%) was the most-commonly identified type, followed by D:L6 (27.82%), A:L3 (21.78%), F:L3 (2.62%), and A:L1 (1.31%). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that a relatively high proportion of strains were resistant to tetracycline (66.67%, n = 254), and florfenicol (35.17%, n = 134), while a small proportion of strains showed resistance phenotypes to enrofloxacin (10.76%, n = 41), ampicillin (8.40%, n = 32), tilmicosin (7.09%, n = 27), and ceftiofur (2.89%, n = 11). Notably, Illumina short-read and Nanopore long-read sequencing identified a chromosome-borne tigecycline-resistance gene cluster tmexCD3-toprJ1 in P. multocida. The structure of this cluster was highly similar to the respective structures found in several members of Proteus or Pseudomonas. It is assumed that the current study identified the tmexCD3-toprJ1 cluster for the first time in P. multocida.

Fecal PCR survey and genome analysis of Lawsonia intracellularis in China.

Proliferative enteropathy caused by Lawsonia intracellularis is an important economic associated disease to pig industry, but the knowledge about the prevalence of L. intracellularis in pig farms in China is limited. In addition, there is no complete genome sequence available for L. intracellularis isolates from China. In this study, we developed a TaqMan qPCR for the screening of L. intracellularis by targeting the bacterial 16S rDNA gene. Laboratory evaluations revealed a good sensitivity and specificity on detecting L. intracellularis nucleic acid. Using this method, we investigated 891 fecal samples from apparently healthy pigs in 47 farms. The results demonstrated a screening positive rate of 37.3% (95% CI, 34.1-40.5%) for the samples, and a farm screening positive rate of 93.6% (95% CI, 65.3-94.4%). The screening positive rate at herd level ranged from 6.67% (95% CI, 0.2-31.9%) to 40% (95% CI, 38-79.6%), while at animal level, the highest screening positive rate was found in 12-week-old pigs [85.7% (95% CI, 67.3-96.0%)]. Investigation of 705 diarrheal or bloody feces from symptomatic pigs revealed that the highest positive rate was found in replacement gilts which was 37.18% (95% CI, 45.1-89.5%). Secondly, we conducted the complete genome sequence of a L. intracellularis PPE-GX01-2022 from China through PacBio sequencing. The genome of PPE-GX01-2022 consisted of a chromosome of 1,439,110 bp in length and three plasmids of 193,063, 39,799, and 27,067 bp, respectively. This genome encoded 1,428 predicted proteins, 44 tRNAs, and 6 rRNAs. Sequence comparisons demonstrated that the genome sequence of PPE-GX01-2022 was highly homologous to those of two isolates from US, and these three isolates shared 1,378 core genes. The screening results suggest a high prevalence rate of L. intracellularis in Chinese pig farms. In addition, the genome sequence of the Chinese isolate was highly homologous to those of the field isolates from the US.

CCDC92 promotes podocyte injury by regulating PA28α/ABCA1/cholesterol efflux axis in type 2 diabetic mice.

Podocyte lipotoxicity mediated by impaired cellular cholesterol efflux plays a crucial role in the development of diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and the identification of potential therapeutic targets that regulate podocyte cholesterol homeostasis has clinical significance. Coiled-coil domain containing 92 (CCDC92) is a novel molecule related to metabolic disorders and insulin resistance. However, whether the expression level of CCDC92 is changed in kidney parenchymal cells and the role of CCDC92 in podocytes remain unclear. In this study, we found that Ccdc92 was significantly induced in glomeruli from type 2 diabetic mice, especially in podocytes. Importantly, upregulation of Ccdc92 in glomeruli was positively correlated with an increased urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and podocyte loss. Functionally, podocyte-specific deletion of Ccdc92 attenuated proteinuria, glomerular expansion and podocyte injury in mice with DKD. We further demonstrated that Ccdc92 contributed to lipid accumulation by inhibiting cholesterol efflux, finally promoting podocyte injury. Mechanistically, Ccdc92 promoted the degradation of ABCA1 by regulating PA28α-mediated proteasome activity and then reduced cholesterol efflux. Thus, our studies indicate that Ccdc92 contributes to podocyte injury by regulating the PA28α/ABCA1/cholesterol efflux axis in DKD.

The impact of dynamic traffic and wind conditions on green infrastructure performance to improve local air quality.

Road traffic represents the dominant source of air pollution in urban street canyons. Local wind conditions greatly impacts the dispersion of these pollutants, yet street trees complicate ventilation in such settings. This case study adopts a novel modelling framework to account for dynamic traffic and wind conditions to identify the optimal street tree configuration that prevents a deterioration in air quality. Measurement data from a shallow to moderately deep street canyon (average 0.5 H/W aspect ratio and four lanes of 1-way traffic) in Dublin, Ireland was used for model calibration. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were used to examine scenarios of dynamic traffic flows within each traffic lane with respect to its impact on local PM2.5 concentrations on adjacent footpaths, segmenting air quality monitoring results based on different wind conditions for model calibration. The monitoring campaign identified higher PM2.5 concentrations on the leeward (north) footpath, with average differences of 14.1 % (2.15 µg/m3) for early evening peaks. The modelling results demonstrated how street trees negatively impacted air quality on the windward footpath in parallel wind conditions regardless of leaf area density (LAD) or tree spacing, with mixed results observed on the leeward footpath in varying traffic flows and wind speeds. Perpendicular wind direction models and high wind speed exacerbated poor air quality on the windward footpath for all tree spacing models, while improving the air quality on the leeward footpath. The findings advise against planting high-LAD trees in this type of street, with a minimum of 20 m spacing for low-LAD trees to balance reducing local air pollution and ventilation capacity in the street. This study highlights the complexities of those in key decision-marking roles and demonstrates the need to adopt a transparent framework to ensure adequate modelling evidence can inform tree planting in city streets.

Evaluating the relationship between rail transit and industrial agglomeration: An observation from the Dallas-fort worth region, TX.

Recent studies have suggested that rail transit not only facilitates urban growth but also promotes urban agglomeration. Yet research that links industrial agglomeration with rail transit is scant-what types of industries are likely to cluster near rail stations? To what extent can rail transit access be seen as having an influence on industrial agglomeration? And how do these interactions vary as rail transit proximity increases? To answer these and related questions, we investigate the relationship between industrial agglomeration and rail transit in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area using the Longitudinal Employer Dynamics (LEHD) employment data from 2014 at the census block level. First, we use the Local Indicator of Spatial Association statistics (LISA) tests to identify industrial agglomeration patterns within the study area. We then use logistics models to reveal the relationship between rail transit proximity and industrial agglomeration. Our study finds that the impacts of rail transit on industrial agglomeration, in terms of magnitudes and signs, are mixed across industries. The varying results suggest that the benefits of rail transit access exhibit considerable demand from certain industry sectors including the manufacturing, knowledge, and services industries, while exerting weaker forces in pulling agglomeration in its immediate environs among other industries (including the retail trade sector). In practice, these results are useful for justifying evidence-based rail transit planning.