Light and voltage dual-modulated volatile resistive switching in single ZnO nanowires.

A single ZnO nanowire device with volatile resistive switching behavior has been prepared. Different from traditional resistive switching devices, such ZnO nanowire devices do not exhibit resistive switching behaviors under a single bias voltage, and appear resistive switching behavior under the combined action of light stimuli and bias voltage. Through the demonstration of the time-dependent hysteresis curve and atmosphere-dependent hysteresis loop of the resistive switching devices, it is believed that under the resistive switching process, ultraviolet illumination can increase the carrier concentration and modulate the barrier depletion structure, and external bias voltage can ionize the surface state. They work together to modulate the switching process of the devices. Such light stimuli and bias voltage dual-modulated resistive switching device enables optical control and may thus be considered for sensory applications or optically tunable memories.

Detection of AZF microdeletions and analysis of reproductive hormonal profiles in Hainan men undergoing assisted reproductive technology.

BACKGROUND: Male infertility has become a global health problem, and genetic factors are one of the essential causes. Y chromosome microdeletion is the leading genetic factor cause of male infertility. The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between male infertility and Y chromosome microdeletions in Hainan, the sole tropical island province of China. METHODS: We analyzed the semen of 897 infertile men from Hainan in this study. Semen analysis was measured according to WHO criteria by professionals at the Department of Reproductive Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, where samples were collected. Y chromosome AZF microdeletions were confirmed by detecting six STS markers using multiple polymerase chain reactions on peripheral blood DNA. The levels of reproductive hormones, including FSH, LH, PRL, T, and E2, were quantified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: The incidence of Y chromosome microdeletion in Hainan infertile men was 7.13%. The occurrence rate of Y chromosome microdeletion was 6.69% (34/508) in the oligozoospermia group and 7.71% (30/389) in the azoospermia group. The deletion of various types in the AZF subregion was observed in the group with azoospermia, whereas no AZFb deletion was detected in the oligozoospermia group. Among all patients with microdeletions, the deletion rate of the AZFc region was the higher at 68.75% (44 out of 64), followed by a deletion rate of 6.25% (4 out of 64) for the AZFa region and a deletion rate of 4.69% (3 out of 64) for the AZFb region. The deletion rate of the AZFa region was significantly higher in patients with azoospermia than in patients with oligozoospermia (0.51% vs. 0.39%, p < 0.001). In comparison, the deletion rate of the AZFc region was significantly higher in patients with oligozoospermia (3.08% vs. 6.30%, p < 0.001). Additionally, the AZFb + c subregion association deletion was observed in the highest proportion among all patients (0.89%, 8/897), followed by AZFa + b + c deletion (0.56%, 5/897), and exclusively occurred in patients with azoospermia. Hormone analysis revealed FSH (21.63 ± 2.01 U/L vs. 10.15 ± 0.96 U/L, p = 0.001), LH (8.96 ± 0.90 U/L vs. 4.58 ± 0.42 U/L, p < 0.001) and PRL (263.45 ± 21.84 mIU/L vs. 170.76 ± 17.10 mIU/L, p = 0.002) were significantly increased in azoospermia patients with microdeletions. Still, P and E2 levels were not significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AZF microdeletion can reach 7.13% in infertile men in Hainan province, and the deletion of the AZFc subregion is the highest. Although the Y chromosome microdeletion rate is distinct in different regions or populations, the regions mentioned above of the Y chromosome may serve an indispensable role in regulating spermatogenesis. The analysis of Y chromosome microdeletion plays a crucial role in the clinical assessment and diagnosis of male infertility.

Global Analysis of the WOX Transcription Factor Family in Akebia trifoliata.

Akebia trifoliata is an economically important, self-incompatible fruit tree in the Lardizabalaceae family. Asexual propagation is the main strategy used to maintain excellent agronomic traits. However, the generation of adventitious roots during asexual propagation is very difficult. To study the important role of the WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) transcription factor in adventitious root growth and development, we characterized this transcription factor family in the whole genome of A. trifoliata. A total of 10 AktWOXs were identified, with the following characteristics: length (657~11,328 bp), exon number (2~5), isoelectric point (5.65~9.03), amino acid number (176~361 AA) and molecular weight (20.500~40.173 kDa), and their corresponding expression sequence could also be detectable in the public transcriptomic data for A. trifoliata fruit. A total of 10 AktWOXs were classified into modern (6), intermediate (2) and ancient clades (2) and all AktWOXs had undergone strong purifying selection during evolution. The expression profile of AktWOXs during A. trifoliata adventitious root formation indicated that AktWOXs play an important role in the regulation of adventitious root development. Overall, this is the first study to identify and characterize the WOX family in A. trifoliata and will be helpful for further research on A. trifoliata adventitious root formation.

A Secreted Lignin Peroxidase Required for Fungal Growth and Virulence and Related to Plant Immune Response.

Botryosphaeria spp. are important phytopathogenic fungi that infect a wide range of woody plants, resulting in big losses worldwide each year. However, their pathogenetic mechanisms and the related virulence factors are rarely addressed. In this study, seven lignin peroxidase (LiP) paralogs were detected in Botryosphaeria kuwatsukai, named BkLiP1 to BkLiP7, respectively, while only BkLiP1 was identified as responsible for the vegetative growth and virulence of B. kuwatsukai as assessed in combination with knock-out, complementation, and overexpression approaches. Moreover, BkLiP1, with the aid of a signal peptide (SP), is translocated onto the cell wall of B. kuwatsukai and secreted into the apoplast space of plant cells as expressed in the leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana, which can behave as a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP) to trigger the defense response of plants, including cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, callose deposition, and immunity-related genes up-regulated. It supports the conclusion that BkLiP1 plays an important role in the virulence and vegetative growth of B. kuwatsukai and alternatively behaves as an MAMP to induce plant cell death used for the fungal version, which contributes to a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism of Botryosphaeria fungi.

ELF3-AS1 contributes to gastric cancer progression by binding to hnRNPK and induces thrombocytosis in peripheral blood.

Numerous studies have reported that a variety of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can promote the proliferation, invasion, and migration of different tumor cells. However, different lncRNAs regulate cell functions in various forms, and the exact mechanisms are not clear. Here, we investigated the effect of the lncRNA ELF3-AS1 on gastric cancer (GC) cell function and explored the exact mechanism. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of ELF3-AS1 in GC tissues and adjacent nontumor tissues. Knockdown and overexpression of ELF3-AS1 was used to detect the effect of ELF3-AS1 on cell function. Potential downstream target genes were identified using RNA transcriptome sequencing, while RNA immunoprecipitation, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and Western blotting were performed to explore the tumor promotion mechanisms of ELF3-AS1. We observed that ELF3-AS1 was highly expressed in GC tissues, and high ELF3-AS1 expression predicted poor prognosis. The knockdown of ELF3-AS1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition and promoted apoptosis. Mechanistic investigations revealed that ELF3-AS1 may regulate the downstream target gene, C-C motif chemokine 20, by binding with the RNA-binding protein hnRNPK. Additionally, we found that high ELF3-AS1 expression was associated with thrombocytosis. Interleukin-6 and thrombopoietin may be involved in ELF3-AS1-induced paraneoplastic thrombocytosis. Together, our results demonstrate that aberrantly expressed ELF3-AS1 in GC may play important roles in oncogenesis and progression and is expected to become a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of GC.

Genipin attenuates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis via suppressing inflammatory and oxidative responses.

Genipin is one of the major component in Gardenis fruit, which has long been used in the treatment of many chronic diseases, such as colitis. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects and mechanism of genipin on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Colitis was induced by giving 2.5% (wt/vol) DSS for 7 days. As the results show, DSS-induced body weight loss and colonic histological changes were inhibited by the treatment of genipin. DSS-induced MPO activity, MDA level, TNF-α, and IL-1ß production in colonic tissues were also suppressed by genipin. To investigate the mechanism of genipin on DSS-induced colitis, the NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling pathways were detected. The results showed genipin significantly attenuated DSS-induced NF-κB activation and increased the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in a dose-dependent manner. The results of the present study indicated that genipin protected mice against colitis through inhibiting inflammatory and oxidative effects.

Preparation and characterization of cisplatin magnetic solid lipid nanoparticles (MSLNs): effects of loading procedures of Fe3O4 nanoparticles.

PURPOSE: In order to improve formulation of targeting chemotherapy, cisplatin-loaded magnetic solid lipid nanoparticles (MSLNs) were prepared. In present study, the deliberate loading of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNs) into cisplatin SLNs was developed. METHODS: SLNs were produced by film scattering ultrasonic technique. The effects of two different loading procedures of MNs on the microstructure and physicochemical properties of MSLNs were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zetasizer, infrared spectroscopy (IR), and fluorescence spectroscopy. In vitro drug release and cytotoxicity against human cervical carcinoma SiHa cells, in vivo tumor cell uptake and target tissue distribution of MSLNs under external magnetic field were investigated. RESULTS: The encapsulation efficiency of cisplatin and the content of MNs in procedure I SLNs were 69.20 ± 4.5% and 2.16 ± 0.53 mg/mL, respectively, which were higher than those of procedure II MSLNs. In procedure I, the MNs, which were combined with lipids during film formation, distributed in the middle of the lipid layer in SLNs. Differently, in procedure II, the MNs and cisplatin were contained in an interior compartment in SLNs, resulting from mixing with drugs during hydration of lipid film. The procedure I MSLNs had higher cytotoxicity than procedure II MSLNs or free cisplatin. With in vivo intratumoral administration, cisplatin concentration in the tumor tissue was maintained at higher level for MSLNs than that for free cisplatin, especially under external magnetic field. CONCLUSIONS: Procedure I, the developed deliberate MNs loading method, was superior over procedure II in cisplatin encapsulation efficiency, MNs content and cell cytotoxicity.

Crystal structure of 4-{[(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)meth-yl]sulfan-yl}phenol.

In the title compound, C9H9N3OS, the plane of the benzene ring forms a dihedral angle of 33.40 (5)° with that of the triazole group. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked by O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds involving the phenol -OH group and one of the unsubstituted N atoms of the triazole ring, resulting in chains along [010]. These chains are further extended into a layer parallel to (001) by weak C-H⋯N hydrogen-bond inter-actions. Aromatic π-π stacking [centroid-centroid separation = 3.556 (1) Å] between the triazole rings links the layers into a three-dimensional network.

Training experience is an important factor affecting willingness for bystander CPR and awareness of AED: a survey of residents from a province in Central China in 2023.

Background: Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) may improve survival in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of CPR training experience and sociodemographic characteristics on bystander CPR willingness and AED awareness. Methods: In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 3,569 residents in central China. Descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression and multivariate logistic regression modeling were used to investigate the effect of training experience and sociodemographic characteristics on knowledge of cardiac arrest first aid, awareness of AEDs, and willingness for bystander CPR. Results: Of the 3,569 participants, nearly 52% were female, 69.6% were < 23 years old, 23.5% had CPR training and 22.1% had witnessed OHCA. Characteristics of increasing bystander CPR willingness included CPR training experience, male, witnessed OHCA but not acting, knowing whether family members have cardiac disease, older age (>40 years) and lower level of education. Farmers were the subgroup with the least awareness of AED and knowledge of first aid. Conclusion: In China, CPR training experience was an important factor in improving bystanders' CPR willingness, AED awareness and knowledge of cardiac arrest first aid. Additionally, having witnessed OHCA also had a positive effect on bystander CPR willingness.

Complete chloroplast genome of Artabotrys hexapetalus (L.f.) Bhandari 1965 (Annonaceae).

Artabotrys hexapetalus (L.f.) Bhandari, 1965, an evergreen climbing shrub of significant value, is prominent in Chinese history and culture. The whole-gene sequencing of its chloroplast genome using Illumina pair-end sequencing data is conducted during this research. The complete chloroplast genome was determined to be 178,457 bp in size, separated by a large single copy (LSC) and a small single copy (SSC) region of 90,803 and 3,066 bp, respectively. A total of 134 genes were identified, including 90 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship between A. hexapetalus and Artabotrys pilosus, forming a sister branch with 100% support. The study suggests that the chloroplast genome of A. hexapetalus provides valuable insights into its evolutionary history and will contribute to the conservation efforts of this species.

Prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and C-reactive-protein-to-prealbumin ratio in hospitalized older patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein-to-prealbumin ratio (CPAR) are novel markers of inflammation. The CPAR is an indicator of inflammation and malnutrition. We evaluated NLR and CPAR in combination as indicators of disease severity and prognosis in hospitalized older patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 222 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (aged > 60 years) were divided into non-severe and severe groups. The severe group was subdivided into the surviving and deceased subgroups. We retrospectively assessed the predictive power of NLR and CPAR in combination (NLR + CPAR) to determine the prognosis of hospitalized older patients with COVID-19. The NLR and CPAR were significantly higher in the severe group than in the non-severe group (P < .001). Furthermore, the NLR and CPAR were higher in the deceased subgroup than in the surviving subgroup (P < .001). Pearson correlation analysis showed a highly significant positive correlation between NLR and CPAR (P < .001, r = 0.530). NLR + CPAR showed an area under the curve of 0.827 and sensitivity of 83.9% in the severe group; the area under the curve was larger (0.925) and sensitivity was higher (87.1%) in the deceased subgroup. The receiver operating characteristic curve of NLR + CPAR was significantly different from the receiver operating characteristic curves of either biomarker alone (P < .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients in the severe group with elevated NLR + CPAR had a significantly lower 90-day survival rate than patients who lacked this finding (odds ratio 7.87, P < .001). NLR + CPAR may enable early diagnosis and assessment of disease severity in hospitalized older patients with COVID-19. This may also enable the identification of high-risk older patients with COVID-19 at the time of admission.

The functions of triple gene block proteins and coat protein of apple stem pitting virus in viral cell-to-cell movement.

Apple stem pitting virus is a species in the genus Foveavirus in the family Betaflexiviridae. Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV) commonly infects apple and pear plants grown worldwide. In this study, by integrating bimolecular fluorescence complementation, split-ubiquitin-based membrane yeast two-hybrid, and Agrobacterium-mediated expression assays, the interaction relationships and the subcellular locations of ASPV proteins TGBp1-3 and CP in Nicotiana benthamiana leaf cells were determined. Proteins CP, TGBp1, TGBp2, and TGBp3 were self-interactable, and TGBp2 played a role in the formation of perinuclear viroplasm and enhanced the colocalization of TGBp3 with CP and TGBp1. We found that the plant microfilament and endoplasmic reticulum structures were involved in the production of TGBp3 and TGBp2 vesicles, and their disruption decreased the virus accumulation level in the systemic leaves. The TGBp3 motile vesicles functioned in delivering the viral ribonucleoprotein complexes to the plasma membrane. Two cysteine residues at sites 35 and 49 of the TGBp3 sorting signal were necessary for the diffusion of TGBp3-marked vesicles. Furthermore, our results revealed that TGBp1, TGBp2, and CP could increase plasmodesmal permeability and move to the adjacent cells. This study demonstrates an interaction network and a subcellular location map of four ASPV proteins and for the first time provides insight into the functions of these proteins in the movement of a foveavirus.

Conserved DNA sequence analysis reveals the phylogeography and evolutionary events of Akebia trifoliata in the region across the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and subtropical China.

BACKGROUND: The eastern edge of the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau (QTP) and subtropical China have various regions where plant species originate and thrive, but these regions have been the focus of very few integrative studies. Here, we elucidated the phylogeographic structure of a continuous and widespread Akebia trifoliata population across these two regions. RESULTS: Sixty-one populations consisting of 391 genotypes were examined to assess population diversity and structure via network distribution analysis, maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree reconstruction, divergence time estimation, demographic history inference, and ancestral area reconstruction of both conserved internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and chloroplast (rps16) DNA sequences. The results showed that the ITS region was more variable than the rps16 region and could be suitable for studying intraspecific phylogeography. The A. trifoliata population displayed high genetic diversity, genetic differentiation and obvious phylogeographical structure, possibly originating on the eastern QTP, expanding during the last glacial-interglacial cycle, diverging in the early Pleistocene and middle Pleistocene, and extensively migrating thereafter. The migration route from west to east along rivers could be largely responsible for the long-distance dispersal of this species, while three main refuges (Qinba Mountains, Nanling Mountains and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau) with multiple ice shelters facilitated its wide distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the from west to east long migration accompanying with the minor short reciprocal migration in the south-north direction, and the three main refuges (the Qinba Mountains, Nanling Mountains and Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau) contributed to the extant geographical distribution of A. trifoliata. In addition, this finding also strongly reduced the discrepancy between glacial contraction and postglacial expansion and the in situ survival hypothesis by simultaneously considering the existence of many similar climate-related ecological niches and migration influences.

Protein P5 of pear chlorotic leaf spot-associated virus is a pathogenic factor that suppresses RNA silencing and enhances virus movement.

Pear chlorotic leaf spot-associated virus (PCLSaV) is a newly described emaravirus that infects pear trees. The virus genome consists of at least five single-stranded, negative-sense RNAs. The P5 encoded by RNA5 is unique to PCLSaV. In this study, the RNA silencing suppression (RSS) activity of P5 and its subcellular localization were determined in Nicotiana benthamiana plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated expression assays and green fluorescent protein RNA silencing induction. Protein P5 partially suppressed local RNA silencing, strongly suppressed systemic RNA silencing and triggered reactive oxygen species accumulation. The P5 self-interacted and showed subcellular locations in plasmodesmata, endoplasmic reticulum and nucleus. Furthermore, P5 rescued the cell-to-cell movement of a movement defective mutant PVXΔP25 of potato virus X (PVX) and enhanced the pathogenicity of PVX. The N-terminal 1-89 amino acids of the P5 were responsible for the self-interaction ability and RSS activity, for which the signal peptide at positions 1-19 was indispensable. This study demonstrated the function of an emaravirus protein as a pathogenic factor suppressing plant RNA silencing to enhance virus infection and as an enhancer of virus movement.

TGFß2 is a Prognostic Biomarker for Gastric Cancer and is Associated With Methylation and Immunotherapy Responses.

TGFß signaling plays a key role in cancer progression and by shaping tumor architecture and inhibiting the anti-tumor activity of immune cells. It was reported that high expression of TGFß can promote the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells in a variety of tumors. However, there are few studies on TGFß2 and its methylation in gastric cancer. We analyzed the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital (HMUCH) sequencing data and used public data to explore the potential function and prognostic value of TGFß2 and its methylation in gastric cancer. In this study, we used the ssGSEA algorithm to quantify 23 methylation sites related to TGFß2. Survival analysis showed that high expression of TGFß2 and hypomethylation levels of TGFß2 were negative factors in the prognosis of gastric cancer. Functional enrichment analysis of methylation revealed that methylation of different TGFß2 methylation scores was mainly involved in energy metabolism, extracellular matrix formation and cell cycle regulation. In the gastric cancer microenvironment TGFß2 was associated with high levels of multiple immune cell infiltration and cytokine expression, and high TGFß2 expression was significantly and positively correlated with stemness markers, stromalscore and EMT. Gene set enrichment analysis also revealed an important role of TGFß2 in promoting EMT. In addition, we discussed the relationship between TGFß2 and immunotherapy. The expression of PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 was elevated in the TGFß2 high expression group. Also when TGFß2 was highly expressed, the responsiveness of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) was significantly enhanced. This indicates that TGFß2 may become an indicator for predicting the efficacy of immunosuppressive agents and a potential target for immunotherapy.

Association of the TGFß gene family with microenvironmental features of gastric cancer and prediction of response to immunotherapy.

In the complex tumor microenvironment, TGFß is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in regulating cellular processes such as cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis and metastasis. TGFß defines three subtypes (TGFß1, TGFß2, and TGFß3), of which TGFß is highly expressed in many cancers, especially those showing high dissemination potential. In addition, increased expression of TGFß in multiple cancers is usually positively correlated with epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and coordinated with the expression of genes driving EMT-related genes. TGFß signaling in the tumor microenvironment inhibits the antitumor function of multiple immune cell populations, including T cells and natural killer cells, and the resulting immunosuppression severely limits the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapeutic approaches. As a major pathway to enhance the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy effects, the role of TGFß signaling inhibitors have been evaluated in many clinical trials. However, the potential functions and mechanisms of TGFß1, TGFß2 and TGFß3 in gastric cancer progression and tumor immunology are unclear. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed TGFß1, TGFß2 and TGFß3 and gastric cancer microenvironmental features, including immune cell infiltration, EMT, hypoxia, mutation, immunotherapy and drug treatment, based on HMUCH sequencing data (GSE184336) and public databases. We also validated the protein expression levels of TGFß in gastric cancer tissues as well as the role of TGFß factor in cytology experiments. This report reveals the important role of the TGFß gene family in gastric cancer and provides possible relationships and potential mechanisms of TGFß in gastric cancer.

Active-ion-gated room temperature acetone gas sensing of ZnO nanowires array.

Reducing the high operation temperature of gas sensor to room temperature (RT) have attracted intense interests for its distinct preponderances, including energy-saving and super stability, which presents great prospects in commercial application. The exciting strategies for RT gas sensing, such as unique materials with activated surface or light activation, do not directly modulate the active ions for gas sensing, limiting the RT gas sensing performances. Here, an active-ion-gated strategy has been proposed for RT gas sensing with high performance and low power consumption, in which gas ions in triboelectric plasma are introduced into metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) film to act as both floating gate and active sensing ions. The active-ion-gated ZnO nanowires (NWs) array shows a sensitivity of 38.3% to 10 ppm acetone gas at RT, and the maximum power consumption is only 4.5 mW. At the same time, the gas sensor exhibits excellent selectivity to acetone. More importantly, the response (recovery) time of this sensor is as low as 11 s (25 s). It is found that OH-(H2O)4 ions in plasma are the key for realizing RT gas sensing ability, and an accompanied resistive switch is also observed. It is considered that the electron transfer between OH-(H2O)4 and ZnO NWs will forms a hydroxyl-like intermediate state (OH*) on the top of Zn2+, leading to the band bending of ZnO and activating the reactive O2 - ions on the oxygen vacancies. The active-ion-gated strategy proposed here present a novel exploration to achieving RT gas sensing performance of MOS by activating sensing properties at the scale of ions or atoms.

[Instructional significance of HBV-DNA load in maternal milk on breastfeeding of postpartum women infected with HBV].

OBJECTIVE: To study the instructional significance of HBV-DNA load in maternal milk on breastfeeding of postpartum women infected with HBV. METHODS: HBV-DNA levels in serum and breast milk were detected by FQ-PCR in 152 postpartum women infected with HBV, and HBV-DNA ≥ 1.0 × 10(3) U/ml was defined as HBV positive. Correlation analysis was also conducted to estimate if there were relations in HBV levels in serum and breast milk. RESULTS: HBV-DNA positive rate were 50.66% (77/152) and 36.18% (55/152) in serum and breast milk, respectively. When HBeAg was positive, HBV-DNA positive rate were 95.38% (62/65) and 76.92% (50/65) in serum and breast milk; however when HBeAg was negative, HBV-DNA positive rate were 17.24% (15/87) and 5.75% (5/87) in serum and breast milk. When the concentration of HBV-DNA was 3-4 lg U/ml in serum, HBV-DNA positive rate was 20.00% (5/25) in breast milk; However, when the concentration of HBV-DNA was higher than 5 lg U/ml in serum, HBV-DNA positive rate was 96.15% (50/52) in breast milk. CONCLUSION: The HBV-DNA level in breast milk in postpartum women infected with HBV increased with the HBV-DNA levels in serum. Breastfeeding should be avoided when the concentration of HBV-DNA is higher than 1.0 × 10(3) U/ml in milk.

Long non-coding RNA SNHG1 mediates neuronal damage in Parkinson's disease model cells by regulating miR-216a-3p/Bcl-2-associated X protein.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common central nervous system degenerative disease in middle-aged and elderly people. Our study aimed to illuminate the relationship and mechanism of long-chain non-coding RNA SNHG1 and miRNA (miR)-216a-3p in PD. METHODS: Human neuroblastoma cell lines were treated with MPP+ to construct a PD model. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the cellular expression of SNHG1. Neuronal cell activity and apoptosis were compared before and after SNHG1 knock-down, as was neuronal miR-216a-3p expression. Further, a luciferase reporter gene experiment was performed to verify BAX as the target of miR-216a-3p. Anti-miR-216a-3p and BAX were co-transfected into PD model cells, and neuronal cellular activity and apoptosis were observed. Finally, the potential regulatory network of SNHG1/miR-216a-3p/BAX in PD was investigated. RESULTS: The expression of miR-216a-3p was decreased in the PD model cells, and re-expression reversed the high apoptotic rate and cell vitality inhibition in PD model cells. SNHG1 interacted with miR-216a-3p and negatively regulated its upstream molecules, while miR-216a-3p attenuated the effect of SNHG1 knock-down on neurons. The overexpression of BAX in the PD cell model blocked the damage by miR-216a-3p to neurons. At the same time, SNHG1 acted as a coordinator, mediating the regulation of BAX via miR-216a-3p, thereby affecting the activity and apoptotic rate of neurons in the PD model. CONCLUSIONS: SNHG1 interacts with miR-216a-3p to regulate the expression of BAX. This SNHG1/miR-216a-3p/BAX molecular regulatory network is implicated in the pathogenesis of PD.

A novel Actinidia cytorhabdovirus characterized using genomic and viral protein interaction features.

A novel cytorhabdovirus, tentatively named Actinidia virus D (AcVD), was identified from kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) in China using high-throughput sequencing technology. The genome of AcVD consists of 13,589 nucleotides and is organized into seven open reading frames (ORFs) in its antisense strand, coding for proteins in the order N-P-P3-M-G-P6-L. The ORFs were flanked by a 3' leader sequence and a 5' trailer sequence and are separated by conserved intergenic junctions. The genome sequence of AcVD was 44.6%-51.5% identical to those of reported cytorhabdoviruses. The proteins encoded by AcVD shared the highest sequence identities, ranging from 27.3% (P6) to 44.5% (L), with the respective proteins encoded by reported cytorhabdoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AcVD clustered together with the cytorhabdovirus Wuhan insect virus 4. The subcellular locations of the viral proteins N, P, P3, M, G, and P6 in epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves were determined. The M protein of AcVD uniquely formed filament structures and was associated with microtubules. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that three proteins, N, P, and M, self-interact, protein N plays a role in the formation of cytoplasm viroplasm, and protein M recruits N, P, P3, and G to microtubules. In addition, numerous paired proteins interact in the nucleus. This study presents the first evidence of a cytorhabdovirus infecting kiwifruit plants and full location and interaction maps to gain insight into viral protein functions.