Children with severe neurological symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection during Omicron pandemic in China.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the clinical characteristics and outcomes of children with severe neurological symptoms associated with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during the Omicron pandemic in China. METHODS: This study used a questionnaire to obtain data from pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) centers in seven tertiary hospitals in Northeast China from December 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023. RESULTS: A total of 255 patients were confirmed to have SARS-CoV-2 infection, and 45 patients (17.65 %) were included in this study. Of these, seven (15.6%) patients died, and the median time from admission to death was 35 h (IQR, 14-120 h). Twenty (52.6%) survivors experienced neurological sequelae. Patients with platelet counts lower than 100 × 109/L had a higher incidence of complications such as multiple organ dysfunction, mechanical ventilation rate, and mortality. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) always reveals cerebral tissue edema, with some severe lesions forming a softening site. CONCLUSION: Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 often exhibit severe neurological symptoms, and in some cases, they may rapidly develop malignant cerebral edema or herniation, leading to a fatal outcome. An early decrease in platelet count may associated with an unfavorable prognosis. IMPACT: Since early December 2022, China has gradually adjusted its prevention and control policy of SARS-CoV-2; Omicron outbreaks have occurred in some areas for a relatively short period. Due to the differences in ethnicity, endemic strains and vaccination status, there was a little difference from what has been reported about children with SARS-CoV-2 infection with severe neurological symptoms in abroad. This is the first multicenter clinical study in children with nervous system involvement after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in China, and helpful for pediatricians to have a more comprehensive understanding of the clinical symptoms and prognosis of such disease.

Costs in Colectomy Episodes of Care: Opportunities to Prevent Emergency Operations and Decrease Costs.

INTRODUCTION: Payment structured around Episodes of Care is a method for incentivizing decreased care utilization after major procedures. We examined Major Bowel Episodes of Care (MB-EoC)-the focus among general surgery procedures-within a large health system to determine the contribution of emergency bowel surgery to higher costs of care. METHODS: Adult MB-EoC cases from July 2018 to June 2021 were reviewed for 90-d costs, examining patient age, insurance, diagnosis, cost of care, and contributors to cost. For patients aged ≥45 y who had nonelective care for colon cancer, incidence of prior screening colonoscopy was examined. RESULTS: We identified 1292 colectomy cases. Mean age was 65 y. Of these patients, 90% had Medicare/commercial insurance. Colon cancer comprised 41% of primary diagnoses. Twenty-eight percent of cases were nonelective, more likely to have Medicaid/underinsured (21% versus 7%, P < 0.001), and had higher utilization of postdischarge cost-drivers. Ninety-day EoC per case cost was 66% higher for emergent versus elective cases. Of eligible emergency cancer cases, 43% (40/93) had undergone prior colonoscopy within 10 y. For patients with colon cancer, 90-d EoC per case was 39% higher for emergent versus elective cases. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency MB-EoC cases disproportionally contribute to higher 90-d care utilization and costs. Efforts to increase screening colonoscopy in appropriate populations may have a substantial impact on MB-EoC costs.

Evaluation of three prediction formulas of 24-hour urinary sodium excretion in Chinese residents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the appropriateness of three widely used formulas estimating 24-h urinary Na (24hUNa) from spot urine samples in the Chinese population. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING: Literature review was conducted to identify studies for estimating 24hUNa using the Kawasaki, Tanaka and INTERSALT formulas simultaneously in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library databases. The mean difference (MD) and correlation coefficients (r) between measures and estimates from different formulas were assessed. PARTICIPANTS: Information extraction and quality assessment were performed in thirteen studies involving 8369 subjects. RESULTS: Two studies which affected the overall robustness were excluded in the 'leave-one-out' sensitivity analyses. Within the final meta-analysis included eleven studies and 7197 participants, 36·07 mmol/d (95 %CI 16·89, 55·25) of MD was observed in the Kawasaki formula, and -19·62 mmol/d (95 %CI -37·37, -1·87) in the Tanaka formula and -35·78 mmol/d (95 %CI -50·76, -20·80) in the INTERSALT formula; a pooled r-Fisher's Z of 0·39 (95 %CI 0·32, 0·45) in the Kawasaki formula, 0·43 (95 %CI 0·37, 0·49) in the Tanaka formula and 0·36 (95 %CI 0·31, 0·42) in the INTERSALT formula. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the possible factors affecting the accuracy of the formula estimation from three mainly aspects: population types, Na intake levels and urine specimen types. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis suggested that the Tanaka formula performed a more accurate estimate in Chinese population. Time of collecting spot urine specimens and Na intake level of the sample population might be the main factors affecting the accuracy of the formula estimation.

Oligosaccharides from black ginseng innovatively prepared by low-temperature steam-heating process ameliorate cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease mice via the Keap-1/Nrf2 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Our objective in this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of oligosaccharides extracted from black ginseng (OSBG), innovatively prepared by a low-temperature steam-heating process, in the improvement of learning and memory impairment in mice, as well as the mechanism(s). RESULTS: Eight carbohydrates involving isomaltose and maltotetraose were detected in black gensing; monosaccharide residues including mannose and rhamnose were also discovered. OSBG-treated mice showed significant amelioration in recognition and spatial memory deficits compared to the scopolamine group. OSBG could decrease acetylcholinesterase activity in a tissue-dependent fashion but not in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in contrast, OSBG administration resulted in significant upregulation superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, downregulation of malondialdehyde and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 in the tissues. Finally, at the genus level, we observed that the OSBG interventions increased the relative abundance of probiotics (e.g., Barnesiella, Staphylococcus, Clostridium_XlVb) and decreased pernicious bacteria such as Eisenbergiella and Intestinimonas, compared to the Alzheimer's disease mouse model group. Herein, our results demonstrate that OSBG restores the composition of the scopolamine-induced intestinal microbiota in mice, providing homeostasis of gut microbiota and providing evidence for microbiota-regulated therapeutic potential. CONCLUSION: Our results showed for the first time a clear role for OSBG in improving scopolamine-induced memory impairment by inhibiting cholinergic dysfunction in a tissue-dependent manner. Additionally, OSBG administration relieved oxidative stress by activating the Keap-1/Nrf2 pathway and modulating the gut microbiota. Collectively, OSBG may be a promising target for neuroprotective antioxidants for improving memory and cognition in Alzheimer's disease patients. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Motivation and accessing care among drug treatment court involved women: A sequential, mixed-methods approach.

Drug treatment courts (DTC) address substance use disorders (SUD) but not cooccurrencing HIV or hepatitis C virus (HCV). This pilot explored feasibility and preliminary outcomes of the Women's Initiative Supporting Health (WISH) intervention and health-related motivation, both based in self-determination theory (SDT) regarding HIV/HCV and SUD treatment. WISH feasibility study: 79 DTC women completed a one-time survey regarding motivation and willingness to engage in future interventions. WISH intervention: 22 women from DTC with SUD and HIV or HCV received a 6-session, peer motivational enhancement health behavior-oriented interventions. Recruitment strategies were feasible. SDT-based measures demonstrated internal consistency in this under-studied population, with perceived competence/autonomy associationed with motivation to reduce HIV/HCV/SUD risk. Women DTC participants indicated acceptance and showed internally consistent results in SDT-based motivation measures These WISH feasibility and intervention pilot studies lay a foundation for future studies addressing motivation to access healthcare among women DTC participants.

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Missed Ordering of Venous Thromboembolism Chemoprophylaxis Is Associated With Increased VTE Events in High-risk General Surgery Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To define the impact of missed ordering of venous thromboembolism (VTE) chemoprophylaxis in high-risk general surgery populations. BACKGROUND: The primary cause of preventable death in surgical patients is VTE. Although guidelines and validated risk calculators assist in dosing recommendations, there remains considerable variability in ordering and adherence to recommended dosing. METHODS: All adult inpatients who underwent a general surgery procedure between 2016 and 2019 and were entered into Atrium Health National Surgical Quality Improvement Program registry were identified. Patients at high risk for VTE (2010 Caprini score ≥5) and without bleeding history and/or acute renal failure were included. Primary outcome was 30-day postoperative VTE. Electronic medical record identified compliance with "perfect" VTE chemoprophylaxis orders (pVTE): no missed orders and no inadequate dose ordering. Multivariable analysis examined association between pVTE and 30-day VTE events. RESULTS: A total of 19,578 patients were identified of which 4252 were high-risk inpatients. Hospital compliance of pVTE was present in 32.4%. pVTE was associated with shorter postoperative length of stay and lower perioperative red blood cell transfusions. There was 50% reduced odds of 30-day VTE event with pVTE (odds ratio: 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30-0.80) and 55% reduction in VTE event/mortality (odds ratio: 0.45; 95% CI, 0.31-0.63). After controlling for relevant covariates, pVTE remained significantly associated with decreased odds of VTE event and VTE event/mortality. CONCLUSIONS: pVTE ordering in high-risk general surgery patients was associated with 42% reduction in odds of postoperative 30-day VTE. Comprehending factors contributing to missed or suboptimal ordering and development of quality improvement strategies to reduce them are critical to improving outcomes.

Comprehensive analyses of A 12-metabolism-associated gene signature and its connection with tumor metastases in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) were dreadful due to lethal local recurrence and distant metastases. Accumulating evidence suggested that ccRCC was considered a metabolic disease and metabolism-associated genes (MAGs) exerted essential functions in tumor metastases. Thus, this study intends to seek whether the dysregulated metabolism promotes ccRCC metastases and explores underlying mechanisms. METHOD: Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed based on 2131 MAGs to select genes mostly associated with ccRCC metastases for subsequent univariate Cox regression. On this basis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate Cox regression were employed to create a prognostic signature based on the cancer genome atlas kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (TCGA-KIRC) cohort. The prognostic signature was confirmed using E-MTAB-1980 and GSE22541 cohorts. Kaplan-Meier, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and univariate and multivariate Cox regression were applied to detect the predictability and independence of the signature in ccRCC patients. Functional enrichment analyses, immune cell infiltration examinations, and somatic variant investigations were employed to detect the biological roles of the signature. RESULT: A 12-gene-metabolism-associated prognostic signature, termed the MAPS by our team, was constructed. According to the MAPS, patients were divided into low- and high-risk subgroups and high-risk patients displayed inferior outcomes. The MAPS was validated as an independent and reliable biomarker in ccRCC patients for forecasting the prognosis and progression of ccRCC patients. Functionally, the MAPS was closely associated with metabolism dysregulation, tumor metastases, and immune responses in which the high-risk tumors were in an immunosuppressive status. Besides, high-risk patients benefited more from immunotherapy and held a higher tumor mutation burden (TMB) than low-risk patients. CONCLUSION: The 12-gene MAPS with prominent biological roles could independently and reliably forecast the outcomes of ccRCC patients, and provide clues to uncover the latent mechanism in which dysregulated metabolism controlled ccRCC metastases.

Pontibacter harenae sp. nov., isolated from the soil of a Populus euphratica forest.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic and light pink-pigmented bacterium, designated XAAS-A31T, was isolated from the soil of a Populus euphratica forest located near Hotan City, Xinjiang, PR China. Polyphasic, taxonomic and phylogenomic analyses were used to determine the taxonomy position of the strain. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that XAAS-A31T belongs to the genus Pontibacter, family Hymenobacteraceae, and shows highest sequence similarity to Pontibacter silvestris XAAS-R86T (96.2 %). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (22.0 %-19.2 %) and orthologous average nucleotide identity (74.1 %-72.7 %) values relative to closest validly published Pontibacter species were lower than the recommended thresholds of 70 and 96 %, respectively. The cells grew at 4-40 °C (optimum, 28-30 °C), at pH 6.5-8.5 (pH 7.0-7.5) and with 0-8% NaCl (0.5-2.0% NaCl). The main respiratory quinone of XAAS-A31T is MK-7, and the principal cellular fatty acids are iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3OH and summed feature 4 (iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B). The major polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, three unidentified amino-phospholipids, one unidentified glycolipid and eight unidentified lipids. The genome length of strain XAAS-A31T is 5.48 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 44.2 mol% and 4013 protein-coding genes. Phenotypic and genotypic data suggested that XAAS-A31T represents a novel Pontibacter species, for which we propose the name Pontibacter harenae sp. nov. and type strain XAAS-A31T (=CCTCC AB 2017162T=KCTC 62049T).

Cooperative Catalysis Mechanism of Brønsted and Lewis Acids from Al(OTf)3 with Methanol for ß-Cellobiose-to-Fructose Conversion: An Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Al-containing catalysts, e.g., Al(OTf)3, show good catalytic performance toward the conversion of cellulose to fructose in methanol solution. Here, we report the catalytic isomerization and alcoholysis mechanisms for the conversion of cellobiose to fructose at the PBE0/6-311++G(d,p), aug-cc-pVTZ theoretical level, combining the relevant experimental verifications of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the attenuated total reflection-infrared (ATR-IR) spectra. From the alcoholysis of Al(OTf)3 in methanol solution, the catalytically active species involves both the [CH3OH2]+ Brønsted acid and the [Al(CH3O)(OTf)(CH3OH)4]+ Lewis acid. There are two reaction pathways, i.e., one through glucose (glycosidic bond cleavage followed by isomerization, w-G) and another through cellobiulose (isomerization followed by glycosidic bond cleavage, w-L). The Lewis acid ([Al(CH3O)(OTf)(CH3OH)4]+) is responsible for the aldose-ketose tautomerization, while the Brønsted acid ([CH3OH2]+) is in charge of ring-opening, ring-closure, and glycosidic bond cleavage. For both w-G and w-L, the rate-determining steps are related to the intramolecular [1,2]-H shift between C1-C2 for the aldose-ketose tautomerization catalyzed by the [Al(CH3O)(OTf)(CH3OH)4]+ species. The Lewis acid ([Al(CH3O)(OTf)(CH3OH)4]+) exhibits higher catalytic activity toward the aldose-ketose tautomerization of glycosyl-chain-glucose to glycosyl-chain-fructose than that of chain-glucose to chain-fructose. Besides, the Brønsted acid ([CH3OH2]+) shows higher catalytic activity toward the glycosidic bond cleavage of cellobiulose than that of cellobiose. Kinetically, the w-L pathway is predominant, whereas the w-G pathway is minor. The theoretically proposed mechanism has been experimentally testified. These insights may advance on the novel design of the catalytic system toward the conversion of cellulose to fructose.

Virtual triage from freestanding emergency departments: a propensity score-weighted analysis of short-term outcomes in emergency general surgery.

BACKGROUND: Freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs) have generated improved hospital metrics, including decreased ED wait times and increased patient selection. Patient outcomes and process safety have not been evaluated. This study investigates the safety of FSED virtual triage in the emergency general surgery (EGS) patient population. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A retrospective review evaluated all adult EGS patients admitted to a community hospital between January 2016 and December 2021 who either presented at a FSED and received virtual evaluation from a surgical team (fEGS) or presented at the community hospital emergency department and received in-person evaluation from the same surgical group (cEGS). Patients' demographics, acute care utilization history, and clinical characteristics at the onset of the index visit were used to build a propensity score model and stabilized Inverse Probability of Treatment Weights (IPTW) were used to create a weighted sample. Multivariable regression models were then employed to the weighted sample to evaluate the treatment effect of virtual triage compared to in-person evaluation on short-term outcomes, including length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission and mortality. Variables which occurred during the index visit (such as surgery duration and type of surgery) were adjusted for in the multivariable analyses. RESULTS: Of 1962 patients, 631 (32.2%) were initially evaluated virtually (fEGS) and 1331 (67.8%) underwent an in-person evaluation (cEGS). Baseline characteristics demonstrated significant differences between the cohorts in gender, race, payer status, BMI, and CCI score. Baseline risks were well balanced in the IPTW-weighted sample (SD range 0.002-0.18). Multivariable analysis found no significant differences between the balanced cohorts in 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, and LOS (p > 0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo virtual triage have similar outcomes to those who undergo in-person triage for EGS diagnoses. Virtual triage at FSED for these EGS patients may be an efficient and safe means for initial evaluation.

Gender-specific effects of soybean consumption on cardiovascular events in elderly individuals from rural Northeast China - a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of consuming soybean and its products on cardiovascular events (CVEs), cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the prospective association of soybean consumption with CVEs, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality among the elderly population in rural China. METHODS: The Northeast China Rural Cardiovascular Health Study included 2477 elderly individuals (mean age 67 ± 6 years, 49.97% men) in the initial phase of the study from 2012 to 2013, with a follow-up period between 2015 and 2017. Soybean consumption was categorized as follows: low-frequency consumption: rare consumption; moderate-frequency consumption: two to three times/week; high-frequency consumption: ≥ four times/week. Cox proportional hazard analysis assessed the potential relationship of soybean consumption with CVEs, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The prevalence of soybean and its product consumption was as follows: 38.3% for low-frequency consumption (43.8% for women; 32.8% for men), 49.7% for moderate-frequency consumption (45.8% for women; 53.7% for men), and 11.9% for high-frequency consumption (10.4% for women; 13.5% for men). After adjusting for possible confounders, Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the frequency of soybean consumption was an effective predictor of CVEs [Hazard ratio (HR) high (95% CI): 0.555 (0.348, 0.883)], stroke [HR moderate (95% CI): 0.672 (0.494, 0.913); HR high (95% CI): 0.483 (0.276, 0.842)], and all-cause mortality [HR high (95% CI): 0.540 (0.310, 0.942)] in the overall older population. High-frequency consumption of soybean [HR (95% CI): 0.467 (0.225, 0.968)] and moderate-frequency consumption [HR (95% CI): 0.458 (0.270, 0.779)] were associated with stroke events in older men and women, respectively. In addition, high-frequency consumption of soybean [HR (95% CI): 0.437 (0.197, 0.968)] decreased the risk of CVEs in older women. CONCLUSION: Soybean consumption is closely associated with CVEs and all-cause mortality in older individuals residing in rural areas, with a significant gender discrepancy in this relationship. These findings provide new insights into the impact of soybean consumption on cardiovascular well-being in the elderly rural population, thus enhancing our understanding of this field of interest.

The Effect of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block in Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of transversus abdominal (TAP) block for postoperative analgesia after renal transplantation. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database for relevant studies. The related trials that met the inclusion criteria were analysed using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: We found 15 randomized controlled trials and two retrospective studies that, on meta-analysis, showed that TAP block group had significantly lower requirement of opioid consumption (MD -11.89, 95% CI -17.13∼-6.65) at 24 h for pain mitigation and pain intensity VAS at rest at 6h (MD -1.13, 95% CI -1.76∼-0.49), 12 h (MD -0.83, 95% CI -1.30∼-0.36) and 24 h (MD -0.47, 95% CI -0.75∼-0.20). Also, postoperative nausea and vomiting were not statistically significant (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.78∼1.27). CONCLUSION: TAP block appears to significantly reduce renal transplantation pain and the amount of opioid use on the first postoperative day after renal transplantation.

TRM integrins CD103 and CD49a differentially support adherence and motility after resolution of influenza virus infection.

Tissue-resident memory CD8 T (TRM) cells are a unique immune memory subset that develops and remains in peripheral tissues at the site of infection, providing future host resistance upon reexposure to that pathogen. In the pulmonary system, TRM are identified through S1P antagonist CD69 and expression of integrins CD103/ß7 and CD49a/CD29(ß1). Contrary to the established role of CD69 on CD8 T cells, the functions of CD103 and CD49a on this population are not well defined. This study examines the expression patterns and functions of CD103 and CD49a with a specific focus on their impact on T cell motility during influenza virus infection. We show that the TRM cell surface phenotype develops by 2 wk postinfection, with the majority of the population expressing CD49a and a subset that is also positive for CD103. Despite a previously established role in retaining TRM in peripheral tissues, CD49a facilitates locomotion of virus-specific CD8 T cells, both in vitro and in vivo. These results demonstrate that CD49a may contribute to local surveillance mechanisms of the TRM population.

The charlotte large artery occlusion endovascular therapy outcome score compares favorably to the critical area perfusion score for prognostication before basilar thrombectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The Critical Area Perfusion Score (CAPS) predicts functional outcomes in vertebrobasilar thrombectomy patients based on computed tomography perfusion (CTP) hypoperfusion. We compared CAPS to the clinical-radiographic Charlotte Large artery occlusion Endovascular therapy Outcome Score (CLEOS). METHODS: Acute basilar thrombosis patients from January 2017-December 2021 were included in this retrospective analysis from a health system's stroke registry. Inter-rater reliability was assessed for 6 CAPS raters. A logistic regression with CAPS and CLEOS as predictors was performed to predict 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score 4-6. Area under the curve (AUC) analyses were performed to evaluate prognostic ability. RESULTS: 55 patients, mean age 65.8 (± 13.1) years and median NIHSS score 15.55-24, were included. Light's kappa among 6 raters for favorable versus unfavorable CAPS was 0.633 (95% CI 0.497-0.785). Increased CLEOS was associated with elevated odds of a poor outcome (odds ratio (OR) 1.0010, 95% CI 1.0007-1.0014, p<0.01), though CAPS was not (OR 1.0028, 95% CI 0.9420-1.0676, p=0.93). An overall favorable trend was observed for CLEOS (AUC 0.69, 95% CI 0.54-0.84) versus CAPS (AUC 0.49, 95% CI 0.34-0.64; p=0.051). Among 85.5% of patients with endovascular reperfusion, CLEOS had a statistically higher sensitivity than CAPS at identifying poor 90-day outcomes (71% versus 21%, p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: CLEOS demonstrated better predictive ability than CAPS for poor outcomes overall and in patients achieving reperfusion after basilar thrombectomy.

Performances of antibiotic resistance genes profile upon the action of biochar-activated peroxydisulfate in composting.

In this study, the amendment of biochar-activated peroxydisulfate during composting to remove antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by direct (microbial community succession) and indirect methods (physicochemical factors) was analyzed. When implementing indirect methods, the synergistic effect of peroxydisulfate with biochar optimized the physicochemical habitat of compost, maintaining its moisture within a range of 62.95%-65.71%, and a pH of 6.87-7.73, and causing the compost to mature 18 days earlier than the control groups. The direct methods caused the optimized physicochemical habitat to adjust the microbial communities and reduce the abundance of most of the ARG host bacteria (Thermopolyspora, Thermobifida, and Saccharomonospora), thus inhibiting this substance's amplification. Heatmap analysis confirmed the necessary connection between physicochemical factors, microbial communities, and ARGs. Moreover, a mantel test confirmed the direct significant effect of the microbial communities on ARGs and the indirect significant effect of physicochemical factors on ARGs. The results showed that the abundance of more ARGs was down-regulated at the end of composting and regulated by biochar-activated peroxydisulfate, especially for the abundance of AbaF, tet(44), golS, and mryA, which was significantly decreased by 0.87-1.07 fold. These results provide new insights into the removal of ARGs during composting.

Sanziguben polysaccharides improve diabetic nephropathy in mice by regulating gut microbiota to inhibit the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 signalling pathway.

CONTEXT: Sanziguben (SZGB) is an empirical prescription used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetic nephropathy (DN). As an abundant and primarily effective component of SZGB, Sanziguben polysaccharides (SZP) can be digested by flora to generate biological activity. OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to clarify the potential mechanism of SZP in improving chronic DN. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male db/db mice were randomized into DN, SZP (500 mg/kg) and metformin (MET, 300 mg/kg) groups. Wild-type littermates served as the normal control (NC) group. The drug was orally administered for 8 weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the inflammatory factors. Proteins related to inflammation were evaluated using western blotting and immunohistochemical examination. Gut microbiota was analysed using 16S rRNA sequencing. RESULTS: SZP significantly reduced 24 h urine albumin (p < 0.05) of DN mice. Compared to DN group, SZP significantly decreased the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels (20.27 ± 3.50 vs. 33.64 ± 4.85, 19.22 ± 3.77 vs. 32.52 ± 3.05 µmol/L, 13.23 ± 1.42 vs. 16.27 ± 0.77 mmol/L, respectively), and mitigated renal damage. SZP also regulated gut microbiota and decreased the abundance of Gram-negative bacteria (Proteobacteria, Klebsiella and Escherichia-Shigella). Subsequently, SZP reduced lipopolysaccharides levels (1.06- to 1.93-fold) of DN mice. Furthermore, SZP inhibited the expression levels of TLR4, phospho-NF-κB p65, NLRP3 proteins and interleukin (IL)-18 and IL-1ß. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated that SZP improved intestinal flora disorder and inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway to alleviate DN.

A Lossless-Recovery Secret Distribution Scheme Based on QR Codes.

The visual cryptography scheme (VCS) distributes a secret to several images that can enhance the secure transmission of that secret. Quick response (QR) codes are widespread. VCS can be used to improve their secure transmission. Some schemes recover QR codes with many errors. This paper uses a distribution mechanism to achieve the error-free recovery of QR codes. An error-correction codeword (ECC) is used to divide the QR code into different areas. Every area is a key, and they are distributed to n shares. The loss of any share will make the reconstructed QR code impossible to decode normally. Stacking all shares can recover the secret QR code losslessly. Based on some experiments, the proposed scheme is relatively safe. The proposed scheme can restore a secret QR code without errors, and it is effective and feasible.

Binary Bamboo Forest Growth Optimization Algorithm for Feature Selection Problem.

Inspired by the bamboo growth process, Chu et al. proposed the Bamboo Forest Growth Optimization (BFGO) algorithm. It incorporates bamboo whip extension and bamboo shoot growth into the optimization process. It can be applied very well to classical engineering problems. However, binary values can only take 0 or 1, and for some binary optimization problems, the standard BFGO is not applicable. This paper firstly proposes a binary version of BFGO, called BBFGO. By analyzing the search space of BFGO under binary conditions, the new curve V-shaped and Taper-shaped transfer function for converting continuous values into binary BFGO is proposed for the first time. A long-mutation strategy with a new mutation approach is presented to solve the algorithmic stagnation problem. Binary BFGO and the long-mutation strategy with a new mutation are tested on 23 benchmark test functions. The experimental results show that binary BFGO achieves better results in solving the optimal values and convergence speed, and the variation strategy can significantly enhance the algorithm's performance. In terms of application, 12 data sets derived from the UCI machine learning repository are selected for feature-selection implementation and compared with the transfer functions used by BGWO-a, BPSO-TVMS and BQUATRE, which demonstrates binary BFGO algorithm's potential to explore the attribute space and choose the most significant features for classification issues.

Willow Catkin Optimization Algorithm Applied in the TDOA-FDOA Joint Location Problem.

The heuristic optimization algorithm is a popular optimization method for solving optimization problems. A novel meta-heuristic algorithm was proposed in this paper, which is called the Willow Catkin Optimization (WCO) algorithm. It mainly consists of two processes: spreading seeds and aggregating seeds. In the first process, WCO tries to make the seeds explore the solution space to find the local optimal solutions. In the second process, it works to develop each optimal local solution and find the optimal global solution. In the experimental section, the performance of WCO is tested with 30 test functions from CEC 2017. WCO was applied in the Time Difference of Arrival and Frequency Difference of Arrival (TDOA-FDOA) co-localization problem of moving nodes in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Experimental results show the performance and applicability of the WCO algorithm.

As a prognostic biomarker of clear cell renal cell carcinoma RUFY4 predicts immunotherapy responsiveness in a PDL1-related manner.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies in the urinary system and the existing immunotherapy has not achieved satisfactory outcomes. Therefore, this study aims at establishing a novel gene signature for immune infiltration and clinical outcome (overall survival and immunotherapy responsiveness) in ccRCC patients. METHODS: Based on RNA sequencing data and clinical information in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we calculated proportions of immune cells in 611 samples using an online tool CIBERSORTx. Multivariate survival analysis was conducted to determine crucial survival-associated immune cells and immune-infiltration-related genes (IIRGs). Next, the clinical specimens and common renal cancer cell lines were applied to confirm IIRGs expression at protein and RNA levels. Finally, functional enrichment analyses and siRNA technology targeted to RUFY4 were implemented to verify its function of predicting immunotherapy response. RESULTS: Follicular helper T cells (TFHs) and Regulatory T cells (Tregs) were highly infiltrated in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and their relative proportions were independent prognostic factors for patients. Among IIRGs of TFHs and TREGs, RUFY4 was found to be highly activated in tumor microenvironment and its co-expression network was enriched in PDL1/PD1 checkpoint pathway in cancer. Additionally, knockdown of RUFY4 led to the decline of PDL1 and proliferation ability in ccRCC cell lines. CONCLUSION: TFHs and Tregs were considered as prognostic biomarkers and RUFY4 was an immunotherapeutic predictor of ccRCC patients in a PDL1-Related manner.