Phosphatidic acid interacts with an HD-ZIP transcription factor GhHOX4 to influence its function in fiber elongation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

Upland cotton, the mainly cultivated cotton species in the world, provides over 90% of natural raw materials (fibers) for the textile industry. The development of cotton fibers that are unicellular and highly elongated trichomes on seeds is a delicate and complex process. However, the regulatory mechanism of fiber development is still largely unclear in detail. In this study, we report that a homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP) IV transcription factor, GhHOX4, plays an important role in fiber elongation. Overexpression of GhHOX4 in cotton resulted in longer fibers, while GhHOX4-silenced transgenic cotton displayed a "shorter fiber" phenotype compared with wild type. GhHOX4 directly activates two target genes, GhEXLB1D and GhXTH2D, for promoting fiber elongation. On the other hand, phosphatidic acid (PA), which is associated with cell signaling and metabolism, interacts with GhHOX4 to hinder fiber elongation. The basic amino acids KR-R-R in START domain of GhHOX4 protein are essential for its binding to PA that could alter the nuclear localization of GhHOX4 protein, thereby suppressing the transcriptional regulation of GhHOX4 to downstream genes in the transition from fiber elongation to secondary cell wall (SCW) thickening during fiber development. Thus, our data revealed that GhHOX4 positively regulates fiber elongation, while PA may function in the phase transition from fiber elongation to SCW formation by negatively modulating GhHOX4 in cotton.

Discovery of novel RNA viruses through analysis of fungi-associated next-generation sequencing data.

BACKGROUND: Like all other species, fungi are susceptible to infection by viruses. The diversity of fungal viruses has been rapidly expanding in recent years due to the availability of advanced sequencing technologies. However, compared to other virome studies, the research on fungi-associated viruses remains limited. RESULTS: In this study, we downloaded and analyzed over 200 public datasets from approximately 40 different Bioprojects to explore potential fungal-associated viral dark matter. A total of 12 novel viral sequences were identified, all of which are RNA viruses, with lengths ranging from 1,769 to 9,516 nucleotides. The amino acid sequence identity of all these viruses with any known virus is below 70%. Through phylogenetic analysis, these RNA viruses were classified into different orders or families, such as Mitoviridae, Benyviridae, Botourmiaviridae, Deltaflexiviridae, Mymonaviridae, Bunyavirales, and Partitiviridae. It is possible that these sequences represent new taxa at the level of family, genus, or species. Furthermore, a co-evolution analysis indicated that the evolutionary history of these viruses within their groups is largely driven by cross-species transmission events. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are of significant importance for understanding the diversity, evolution, and relationships between genome structure and function of fungal viruses. However, further investigation is needed to study their interactions.

Effectiveness of a single low-dose computed tomography screening for lung cancer: A population-based perspective cohort study in China.

The purpose of this perspective cohort study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer in China. This study was conducted under the China Urban Cancer Screening Program (CanSPUC). The analysis was based on participants aged 40 to 74 years from 2012 to 2019. A total of 255 569 eligible participants were recruited in the study. Among the 58 136 participants at high risk of lung cancer, 20 346 (35.00%) had a single LDCT scan (defined as the screened group) and 37 790 (65.00%) not (defined as the non-screened group). Overall, 1162 participants were diagnosed with lung cancer at median follow-up time of 5.25 years. The screened group had the highest cumulative incidence of lung cancer and the non-screened group had the highest cumulative lung cancer mortality and all-cause cumulative mortality. We performed inverse probability weighting (IPW) to account for potential imbalances, and Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the weighted association between mortality and LDCT scans. After IPW adjusted with baseline characteristics, the lung cancer incidence density was significantly increased (37.0% increase) (HR1.37 [95%CI 1.12-1.69]), lung cancer mortality was decreased (31.0% decrease) (HR0.69 [95%CI 0.49-0.97]), and the all-cause mortality was significantly decreased (23.0% lower) (HR0.77 [95% CI 0.68-0.87]) in the screened group. In summary, a single LDCT for lung cancer screening will reduce the mortality of lung cancer and all-cause mortality in China.

Production of 1,4-Butanediol from Succinic Acid Using Escherichia Coli Whole-Cell Catalysis.

The widespread attention towards 1,4-butanediol (BDO) as a key chemical raw material stems from its potential in producing biodegradable plastics. However, the efficiency of its biosynthesis via current bioprocesses is limited. In this study, a dual-pathway approach for 1,4-BDO production from succinic acid was developed. Specifically, a double-enzyme catalytic pathway involving carboxylic acid reductase and ethanol dehydrogenase was proposed. Optimization of the expression levels of the pathway enzymes led to a significant 318 % increase in 1,4-BDO titer. Additionally, the rate-limiting enzyme MmCAR was engineered to enhance the kcat/KM values by 50 % and increase 1,4-BDO titer by 46.7 %. To address cofactor supply limitations, an NADPH and ATP cycling system was established, resulting in a 48.9 % increase in 1,4-BDO production. Ultimately, after 48 hours, 1,4-BDO titers reached 201 mg/L and 1555 mg/L in shake flask and 5 L fermenter, respectively. This work represents a significant advancement in 1,4-BDO synthesis from succinic acid, with potential applications in the organic chemical and food industries.

Targeting BET proteins inhibited the growth of non-small cell lung carcinoma through downregulation of Met expression.

Hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR or Met) upregulation has been proven to play important roles in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Interestingly, chemoresistance against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors including erlotinib and gefitinib was also related to Met. Targeting bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) proteins, especially BRD4, has shown inhibitory effects on lung cancer, but the mechanism is unclear. Herein, we found that JQ1 (BET inhibitor) suppressed NSCLC cell growth, reduced the Met expression, and contributed to inactivation of PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK pathways. Moreover, another BET protein inhibitor I-BET151, or BRD4 depletion, also inhibited NSCLC cell growth and downregulated Met. JQ1 inhibited HGF-induced cell growth and Met/PI3K/Akt activation, also inhibited A549 tumor growth in xenograft mouse models, in parallel with Met downregulation. Moreover, JQ1 inhibited the growth of paired erlotinib-sensitive and resistant HCC827 cells in parallel with Met downregulation and PI3K/Akt signaling inactivation. JQ1 also exerted inhibitory influences on the growth of erlotinib-sensitive and resistant HCC827 tumors in xenograft mouse models. These results suggested that targeting BET proteins inhibited NSCLC via downregulating Met and inactivating PI3K/AKT pathway. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism of BET proteins implicated in NSCLC progression with Met taken into consideration.

Yield and cost of government-organized colorectal cancer screening in young high-risk population in Northeast China.

Guidelines for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening recommend screening at age 40 for high-risk population in China. However, the yield and cost of CRC screening in younger population are lacking. This analysis aimed to evaluate the yield and cost of CRC screening in high-risk 40- to 54-year-olds. Individuals aged 40-54 years who were determined to have a high risk of CRC were recruited from December 2012 to December 2019. We calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the detection rate of colorectal lesions among the three age groups and further calculated number of colonoscopies needed to screen (NNS) to detect one advanced lesion and cost of each group. The detection rates of advanced colorectal neoplasm in men aged 45-49 years (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 0.93-4.30) and 50-54 years (OR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.04-4.62) were higher than that aged 40-44 years. The detection rates of colorectal adenoma in women aged 50-54 years was higher than that aged 40-44 years (OR = 1.64, 95% CI: 1.23-2.19). Among the male screening population, NNS and cost to detect one advanced lesion in participants aged 45-49 years were similar to that aged 50-54 years, saving approximately half endoscopic resources and financial expenses compared with screening that aged 40-44 years. From the perspective of screening results and costs, it might be beneficial to delay the starting age of screening by gender. This study may provide reference for optimizing CRC screening strategies.

First-principles studies on the electronic and photocatalytic water splitting properties of surface functionalized Y2C-based MXenes.

Recently, MXenes, an emerging family of two-dimensional (2D) materials, have attracted increasing interest for photocatalytic water splitting due to their various excellent physical and chemical properties, such as large specific surface area, good hydrophilicity, and remarkable light absorption ability. However, the photocatalysts of MXenes with symmetric structures are limited by rapid recombination of photo-generated carriers and the prerequisite of a large band gap no less than 1.23 eV. Differently, Janus MXenes with different surface functional groups facilitate the separation of photo-generated electrons and holes with the help of the intrinsic electric field. And, at the same time, there is no prerequisite for the band gap of Janus MXene photocatalysts as long as they possess appropriate band edge positions. Here, we explored the structural, electronic and photocatalytic water splitting properties of symmetric Y2CT2 and Janus Y2CTT' MXenes (T, T' = H, F, Cl, OH) using the density functional theory (DFT) method. Our calculations show that all the investigated Y2CT2 are not suitable photocatalysts for photocatalytic water splitting at all pH values (pH = 0, 7, and 14). In contrast, all the investigated Janus Y2CTT' MXenes are good water splitting photocatalysts with high optical absorption coefficients and remarkable solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiencies larger than 18% at pH = 14. Moreover, the STH efficiencies are larger than 18% even at all investigated pH values for Y2CHCl (18.5-22.6%), Y2 CFCl (∼18.7%), and Y2 C(OH)Cl (∼19.4%). Based on the first-principles calculations, we here for the first time propose an easy strategy to design Janus MXene photocatalyst candidates with possible high STH efficiency according to the electronic properties of their symmetric counterparts. Our study is helpful for the future design of Janus MXenes and more generally Janus 2D photocatalysts for water splitting with high STH efficiency.

Effect of high-energy and/or high-protein feeding in children with congenital heart disease after cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

High-energy or high-protein feeding offers a promising approach to improving malnutrition in children after congenital heart surgery. However, the effect of high-energy or high-protein feeding in this population has not yet been systematically reviewed. Therefore, we aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of high-energy or high-protein feeding in children after congenital heart surgery. Five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and Scopus) were searched from inception to April 23, 2022. After screening the literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, a risk of bias assessment was performed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations system. Finally, the random effects model was used to perform a meta-analysis of all data. A total of 609 subjects from 9 studies were included for qualitative analysis, and meta-analyses were performed on data from 8 of these studies. The results showed that high-energy and/or high-protein feeding did not increase feeding intolerance (RR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.80, 1.48) or fluid intake (MD = - 12.50 ml/kg/d, 95% CI: - 36.10, 11.10); however, the intervention was beneficial in increasing weight (MD = 0.5 kg, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.77) and reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD = - 17.45 h, 95% CI: - 27.30, - 7.60), intensive care unit (ICU) stay (MD = - 1.45 days, 95% CI: - 2.36, - 0.54) and hospital stay (MD = - 2.82 days, 95% CI: - 5.22, - 0.43). However, high-energy and/or protein feeding did not reduce the infection rate (RR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.25, 1.87) or mortality (RR = 1.50, 95% CI: 0.47, 4.82). CONCLUSION: The certainty of the evidence was graded as moderate to high, which suggests that high-energy and/or high-protein feeding may be safe in children after congenital heart surgery. Furthermore, this intervention improves nutrition and reduces the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and length of hospital stay. However, the overall conclusion of this meta-analysis will need to be confirmed in a cohort of patients with different cardiac physiologies. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Malnutrition is highly prevalent in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and can negatively affect the prognosis of these children. • High-energy and/or high-protein feeding can improve nutrition status and facilitate recovery; however, evidence on its safety and efficacy is lacking. WHAT IS NEW: • Pooled data suggest that high-energy and/or high-protein feeding does not increase fluid intake or feeding intolerance in children with CHD. • High-energy and/or high-protein feeding may reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit stay, and length of hospital stay.

A population-based cross-sectional study on the situation of cervical cancer screening in Liaoning, China.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer (CC) screening is currently recognized as an effective intervention for CC. Previous studies found that the proportion of screening was low in China, especially in Liaoning. Therefore, we performed a population-based cross-sectional survey to investigate the situation of cervical cancer screening and analyze their related factors for providing a decision-making basis for sustainable and effective development of cervical cancer screening. METHODS: This population-based cross-sectional study involved aged 30 to 69 years in nine counties/districts in Liaoning from 2018 to 2019. Data were collected using the quantitative data collection methods, and analyzed in SPSS version 22.0. RESULTS: Overall, only 22.37% of 5334 respondents reported having ever been screened for cervical cancer in past 3 years, and 38.41% of respondents reported having the willingness for cervical cancer screening in next 3 years. In the rate of CC screening, multilevel analysis indicated that age, marital status, education level, type of occupation, medical insurance, family income, place of residence and regional economic level had a significant impact on proportion of screening. In the rate of CC screening willingness, multilevel analysis indicated that age, family income, health status, place of residence, regional economic level and CC screening still had a significant impact, but marital status, education level and medical insurance type had no significant impact. There was no significant difference in marital status, education level and medical insurance type after the factors of CC screening were added in the model. CONCLUSION: Our study found both proportion of screening and willingness were at a low level, and age, economic and regional factors were the main factors for implementation of CC screening in China. In the future, targeted policies should be formulated according to the characteristics of different groups of people, and reduce the gap in the current health service capacity between different regions.

Development of a high-throughput SNP array for sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) and its application in genomic selection with MCP regularized deep neural networks.

High-throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assays are powerful tools for genetic studies and genomic breeding applications for many species. Though large numbers of SNPs have been identified in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), but, as yet, no high-throughput genotyping platform is available for this species. In this study, we designed and developed a high-throughput 24 K SNP genotyping array named HaishenSNP24K for A. japonicus, based on the multi-objective-local optimization (MOLO) algorithm and HD-Marker genotyping method. The SNP array exhibited a relatively high genotyping call rate (> 96%), genotyping accuracy (>95%) and exhibited highly polymorphic in sea cucumber populations. In addition, we also assessed its application in genomic selection (GS). Deep neural networks (DNN) that can capture the complicated interactions of genes have been proposed as a promising tool in GS for SNP-based genomic prediction of complex traits in animal breeding. To overcome the problem of over-fitting when using the HaishenSNP24K array as high-dimensional DNN input, we developed minmax concave penalty (MCP) regularization for sparse deep neural networks (DNN-MCP) that finds an optimal sparse structure of a DNN by minimizing the square error subject to the non-convex penalty MCP on the parameters (weights and biases). Compared to two linear models, namely RR-GBLUP and Bayes B, and the nonlinear model DNN, DNN-MCP has greatly improved the genomic prediction ability for three quantitative traits (e.g., wet weight, dry weight and survival time) in the sea cucumber population. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to develop a high-throughput SNP array for A. japonicus and a new model DNN-MCP for genomic prediction of complex traits in GS. The present results provide evidence that supports the HaishenSNP24K array with DNN-MCP will be valuable for genetic studies and molecular breeding in A. japonicus.

Confidence in carrying out palliative care among intensive care nurses.

BACKGROUND: Nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) play a crucial role in providing palliative care. Effective provision of palliative care in the ICU requires nurses' active engagement, yet little is known about the confidence for palliative care that ICU nurses hold in China. AIM: To explore confidence in performing palliative care among ICU nurses in China and factors related to nurses' level of confidence. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was implemented. METHODS: This study utilized convenience sampling to recruit ICU nurses from nine hospitals in Wuhan, China. Data were collected via an online survey. Multiple regression was conducted to identify the predictors of the ICU nurses' confidence in performing palliative care. RESULTS: A total of 231 ICU nurses participated in the study, resulting in a response rate of 78% (231/296). Participants reported a relatively low level of confidence for carrying out palliative care (mean score = 2.60 ± 0.53; range = 1-4). Nurses who had more positive attitudes toward palliative care communication (P < .001), higher levels of formal training on palliative care (P < .001), more years of working as an ICU nurse (P < .05) and those working in integrated ICU (P < .001) showed a higher level of confidence in carrying out palliative care. CONCLUSION: Participants' lack of confidence in performing palliative care makes for increased challenges, particularly in uncertainty about family assessments, palliative care discussions and lack of palliative care training. Strengthening palliative care curricula in nursing education and professional training is imperative to enhance ICU nurses' confidence. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Strengthening palliative care education and training, particularly in relation to palliative care communication, is critical. Implementing and tailoring culturally relevant palliative care call for attention to practice and for policy changes in palliative care delivery in China.

[Diagnostic Efficacy of 68Ga-Labeled Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen and 18F-Labeled Sodium Fluoride PET/CT in Prostate Cancer With Bone Metastasis].

Objective To compare the efficiency of 68Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (68Ga-PSMA-11) and 18F-labeled sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) PET/CT in the diagnosis of bone metastasis in the patients with prostate cancer.Methods The prostate cancer patients suspected of bone metastasis who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT from January 2018 to January 2021 were included in this study.The number of lesions,maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax),and tumor-to-background (T/B) ratio were compared between the two methods.Results 18F-NaF PET/CT detected more metastases than 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (310 vs.264,P<0.001).The median SUVmax[23.2 (16.4,33.4) vs.4.1 (2.5,5.6)] and median T/B ratio[7.0 (4.9,9.9) vs.6.7 (3.7,9.6)] of 18F-NaF PET/CT were higher than those of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT (all P<0.001).With the number of lesions as the indicator,the sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,positive predictive value,and negative predictive value of 18F-NaF PET/CT were 100.0%,92.0%,92.0%,98.7%,and 100.0% respectively,and those of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were 85.2%,94.0%,79.2%,98.9%,and 50.5%,respectively.Conclusion 18F-NaF PET/CT is superior to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in the detection of bone metastases of prostate cancer.

[Causes of False-Positive Results in 68Ga-Labeled Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor PET/CT Imaging].

Objective To investigate the causes of false-positive results in the 68Ga-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (68Ga-FAPI-04) PET/CT imaging. Methods The imaging data of 547 patients undergoing 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT examination in the Department of Nuclear Medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from September 2020 to May 2021 were retrospectively collected.Two experienced nuclear medicine diagnostic physicians analyzed the clinical data,relevant imaging examinations,laboratory examinations,pathological results and follow-up results of the patients with false-positive results. Results The 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging of 547 patients showed false-positive results in 99 (18.1%) patients,including 56 males and 43 females.The postoperative pathological examination confirmed false-positive results in 13 patients,including 1 patient of thyroiditis,2 patients of pulmonary tuberculosis,1 patient of bone tuberculosis,2 patients of pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor,1 patient of pulmonary sarcoidosis,1 patient of pulmonary benign fibroma,1 patient of organic pneumonia,2 patients of renal angiomyolipoma,1 patient of mass pancreatitis,and 1 patient of pancreatic mucinous cystadenoma.The medical history,relevant imaging examination,and long-term follow-up confirmed false-positive results in 86 patients.Specifically,the false-positive uptake in the neck,chest,abdomen,bone joint,and skin occurred in 8 (9.3%),13 (15.1%),5 (5.8%),57 (66.3%),and 3 (3.5%) patients,respectively.Inflammation-related uptake appeared in 83 (83.8%) patients with false-positive imaging results,of which arthritis (23 patients) and osteophyte (29 patients) were the most common.Sixteen (16.2%) patients showed the false-positive uptake related to fibroblasts. Conclusion 68Ga-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging will show non-malignant tumor false-positive results,which are mainly associated with inflammation and fibroblasts.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of hospital infection prevention and control based on the SMART principle. / 基于SMART原则的医院感染预防与控制效果评价.

OBJECTIVES: Hospital infection not only increases patient suffering and mortality, but also causes huge economic losses. It is urgent to take effective measures to improve the situation of hospital infection and focus on hand hygiene and disinfection. The SMART principle is to follow the principles of specificity, measurability, attainability, relevance, and timeliness when setting goals. This study aims to use the SMART principle in the prevention and control of hospital infection, to take a series of measures on the hospital infection such as hand hygiene, and to evaluate the implementation effect. METHODS: This study is a retrospective study. From January to June 2020, the SMART principle was used to carry out intervention for infection prevention and control in the Xiangya International Medical Department, Central South University, and implement the infection prevention and control quality improvement plan. Using indicator data as targeting measurement standard, we established evaluation indicators for hospital infection prevention and control knowledge awareness and hand hygiene compliance rate as the process monitoring, surgical site infection rate and catheter-related urinary tract infection rate as the result monitoring. The evaluation indicators after intervention (July 2020 to June 2021) were compared with those before intervention (January 2019 to December 2019). RESULTS: Fifty-one medical staff working in the Xiangya International Medical Department were included. There were 12 doctors and 39 nurses, and 6 males and 45 females. The age ranged from 21 to 57 (30.2±7.1) years. After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate of medical staff were significantly higher than those before the intervention (both P<0.05), but there were no significant differences in surgical site infection rate and catheter-related urinary tract infection rate before and after intervention (both P>0.05). After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate of medical staff in the internal and surgical wards were higher than those before the intervention (all P<0.05). The awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge of medical staff in surgical wards was low but improved significantly. The compliance rate of hand hygiene of medical staff in internal wards was high and improved significantly. After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate of male and female medical staff were higher than those before the intervention (all P<0.05), both of which were significantly higher in males than in females. After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate for medical staff aged less than 30 years old and 30 to 40 years old were higher than those before the intervention (all P<0.05). Medical staff aged 30 to 40 years had a low awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge, but both indicators improved most significantly. After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge of doctors and nurses was increased (both P<0.05). The awareness of doctors improved more significantly, and the hand hygiene compliance rate of nurses improved (P<0.05). After the intervention, the awareness of hospital infection prevention and control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate of medical staff with primary and intermediate professional titles were higher than those before the intervention (all P<0.05), and the improvement was more significant for medical staff with intermediate professional titles. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the SMART principle management method, the implementation of quality improvement plans combined with various domestic and international evaluation standards for infection prevention and control can effectively improve the awareness of infection control knowledge and hand hygiene compliance rate of medical staff, strengthen the prevention and control of hospital infection, and further ensure the safety of patients.

(Epi)genomic adaptation driven by fine geographical scale environmental heterogeneity after recent biological invasions.

Elucidating processes and mechanisms involved in rapid local adaptation to varied environments is a poorly understood but crucial component in management of invasive species. Recent studies have proposed that genetic and epigenetic variation could both contribute to ecological adaptation, yet it remains unclear on the interplay between these two components underpinning rapid adaptation in wild animal populations. To assess their respective contributions to local adaptation, we explored epigenomic and genomic responses to environmental heterogeneity in eight recently colonized ascidian (Ciona intestinalis) populations at a relatively fine geographical scale. Based on MethylRADseq data, we detected strong patterns of local environment-driven DNA methylation divergence among populations, significant epigenetic isolation by environment (IBE), and a large number of local environment-associated epigenetic loci. Meanwhile, multiple genetic analyses based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed genomic footprints of divergent selection. In addition, for five genetically similar populations, we detected significant methylation divergence and local environment-driven methylation patterns, indicating the strong effects of local environments on epigenetic variation. From a functional perspective, a majority of functional genes, Gene Ontology (GO) terms, and biological pathways were largely specific to one of these two types of variation, suggesting partial independence between epigenetic and genetic adaptation. The methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) analysis showed that the genetic variation explained only 18.67% of methylation variation, further confirming the autonomous relationship between these two types of variation. Altogether, we highlight the complementary interplay of genetic and epigenetic variation involved in local adaptation, which may jointly promote populations' rapid adaptive capacity and successful invasions in different environments. The findings here provide valuable insights into interactions between invaders and local environments to allow invasive species to rapidly spread, thus contributing to better prediction of invasion success and development of management strategies.

What is the postoperative nutrition intake in children with congenital heart disease? A single-center analysis in China.

BACKGROUND: It is common that inadequate nutritional intake happens in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), which can adversely affect the prognosis of patients. However, the details and reasons are not clear enough so far. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to investigate the current nutritional requirements and energy intake on days 1-7 in the cardiac intensive care unit after surgery. Our secondary aim was to investigate potential factors that hinder nutritional supply and to compare the resting energy expenditure (REE) based on two methods, the Fick method and the Schofield equation. METHODS: Using retrospective analysis, we collected data from postoperative children with CHD at a children's hospital in Shanghai, China. We used the Fick method to calculate the REE, and compare the results with the actual enteral nutrition intake. Meanwhile, we recorded the initiation time of enteral nutrition, feeding intolerance, unfinished milk volume, etc. Then the correlation between the results of the Fick method and the equation method was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were included, with a median age of 22 months (IQR 4.9, 57.3), and a median Aristotle basic complexity score of 8 (IQR 6.0, 9.8). The time interval for surgical intervention within 7 days after operation was 4 (IQR 2.5, 6). No statistical difference in REE on postoperative days 1-7. The average enteral nutrition energy provided 64.6 (33.6, 79.6)% of the REE, which showed a significant decrease on postoperative day 4, and then reached its lowest on postoperative day 5. The protein supply was 0.7 ± 0.3 kcal/kg/d. In addition, the REE calculated by the Fick method was moderately correlated with that estimated by the equation (r = 0.467, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The energy and protein supply in the acute postoperative period in children with CHD is inadequate. Fluid restriction and fasting may be the main causes. In addition, there is a moderate correlation between the REE calculated by the Fick method and that estimated by the equation.

Ultrasound Findings to Predict Risk of Recurrence in Pediatric Intussusception After Air Enema Reduction.

OBJECTIVES: Intussusception is one of the most common abdominal emergencies in early children. Intussusception recurs in 8-20% of children after successful nonoperative reduction. The aim of this study was to explore the ultrasound findings to predict risk of recurrence in pediatric intussusception after air enema reduction. METHODS: A total of 336 intussusception children were followed up for 1 year after received successful air enema reduction. They were divided into the recurrent group and the non-recurrent group. The differences of clinical characteristics, ultrasonic features, and laboratory tests were analyzed by univariate analyses and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Sixty-five children with recurrent intussusception were identified. There were statistically significances in the diameter of the mass, in the presence or absence of enlarged lymph nodes out of the sleeve, and in the sleeve between recurrent and non-recurrent groups (P < .05). Other ultrasonic features, clinical characteristics, and blood parameters had no differences (P > .05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model showed that the diameter of the mass and abdominal lymph nodes may be the risk factors of intussusception recurrence (HR = 1.395, 95% CI: 1.045~1.863 and HR = 2.078, 95% CI: 1.118~3.865, P < .05). The cut-off value of mass diameter was 2.55 cm, above which recurrence is more likely. CONCLUSIONS: Intussusception recurrence was prone with greater mass diameter (>2.55 cm) and enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. Although these ultrasound findings for recurrence do not necessarily reduce the rate of recurrence, it can predict the recurrent possibility, and help the emergency physicians to be more vigilant in these children and better counsel parents upon discharge.

(+)- and (-)-Xanthostones A-D: Four Pairs of Enantiomeric Cinnamoyl-ß-Triketone Derivatives from Xanthostemon chrysanthus.

Four pairs of cinnamoyl-ß-triketone derivative enantiomers, (+)- and (-)-xanthostones A-D ((+)- and (-)-1-4), were isolated from Xanthostemon chrysanthus. Compounds 1 and 2 feature a new rearranged cinnamoyl-phloroglucinol scaffold fused with a cinnamyl-ß-triketone framework. Compounds 1, 3, and 4 are the first examples of natural products with a peculiar phenethyl-pyranone acid unit. Their structures with absolute configurations were determined by spectroscopic data, X-ray diffraction analysis and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Interestingly, these novel compounds showed a tautomeric behavior in solution, which was revealed by NMR spectroscopy and density functional theory calculation. A plausible biosynthetic pathway toward xanthostones A-D was proposed. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities of xanthostones A-D were evaluated.

Qaidamihabitans albus gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Pseudonocardiaceae, and transfer of Prauserella shujinwangii to Qaidamihabitans gen. nov. as Qaidamihabitans shujinwangii comb. nov.

A novel mycelium-forming actinomycete strain, designated YIM S01255T were isolated from a salt lake. Optimal growth occurred in the presence of 0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl, at pH 7.0-8.0, and at 37 °C. Strain YIM S01255T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid, and glucose, galactose and arabinose as the whole-cell sugars. The major fatty acid (> 5.0%) were iso-C16:0, iso-C16:1H and iso-C15:0. The major menaquinone were MK-9(H4) and MK-8(H4). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositolmannoside and phosphatidylinositol. The DNA G + C content was 70.7 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strain showed high similarity to members of genera in the family Pseudonocardiaceae with values less than 95.8%, and most closely related to the genus Amycolatopsis. Both of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and the up-to-date bacterial genome sequences analysis revealed that strains YIM S01255T and Prauserella shujinwangii XJ46T formed a distinct monophyletic clade and was separated from the other members within the family Pseudonocardiaceae. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) values and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) between the two strains were 81.0% and 40.6%, respectively. The distinctive polyphasic evidences differentiated YIM S01255T from members of the family Pseudonocardiaceae, so strain YIM S01255T is considered to represent a novel species of a novel genus of the family Pseudonocardiaceae, for which the name Qaidamihabitans albus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of genus Qaidamihabitans is YIM S01255T (= KCTC 49476T = CGMCC 4.7684T). Moreover, Prauserella shujinwangii is also proposed to being transferred into the genus Qaidamihabitans as Qaidamihabitans shujinwangii comb. nov. (type strain XJ46T = CGMCC 4.7125T = JCM 19736T).

Worse Response to Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Primary Biliary Cholangitis Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis Features.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence on the treatment response of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) features but not meet the criteria of PBC-AIH syndromes. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical characteristics of PBC patients with features of AIH. METHODS: We included patients with diagnostic criteria of PBC. All patients were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and without immunosuppressive agents for >1 year. The biochemical response was evaluated at 1 year after the treatment of UDCA. RESULTS: Among 432 patients with PBC, 166 (38.4%) patients did not achieve biochemical response within 1 year of UDCA treatment. Nonresponders had a lower albumin level and higher immunoglobulin G, alanine transaminase (ALT), alanine aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, glutamyl transpeptidase and total bilirubin levels (p < 0.05). The response rates were significantly lower in patients with elevated level of IgG or ALT or AST. Moreover, the higher the IgG or AST level was, the lower the response rate was in patients with PBC, regardless of cirrhosis. For patients with cirrhosis, there was no differences among patients with different levels of ALT. Patients in the PBC with AIH features group had a significant lower response rate than patients in the PBC-only group. Among the 139 patients who underwent liver biopsy, 54 were nonresponsive to UDCA and 48 (88.9%) shown mild interface hepatitis. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, PBC patients with AIH features had a worse response to UDCA therapy.