[Progress of schistosomiasis control in People's Republic of China in 2023].

To understand the progress of national schistosomiasis elimination program of China in 2023 and summarize the lessons and experiences, data on the endemic status of schistosomiasis and national schistosomiasis surveillance results in the People's Republic of China were collected and analyzed at a national level. By the end of 2023, Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region continued to consolidate the achievements of schistosomiasis elimination, and Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces maintained the criteria of transmission interruption, while Yunnan and Hubei provinces were identified to achieve the criteria of transmission interruption in 2020, and Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces achieved the criteria of transmission interruption in 2023. A total of 451 counties (cites, districts) were found to be endemic for schistosomiasis in China in 2023, including 26 250 endemic villages covering 73 034 500 residents at risk of infections. Among the 451 endemic counties (cities, districts), 78.49% (354/451) achieved the criteria of schistosomiasis elimination and 21.51% (97/451) achieved the criteria of transmission interruption, respectively. In 2023, a total of 4 216 643 individuals received immunological tests, with 47 794 sero-positives identified, and a total of 184 216 individuals received parasitological examinations, with 4 egg-positives detected. A total of 27 768 cases with advanced schistosomiasis were documented in China by the end of 2023. In 2023, 539 548 bovines were raised in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of China, and 125 440 bovines received immunological tests, with 124 sero-positives detected, while no egg-positives were identified among the 133 508 bovines receiving parasitological examinations. In 2023, snail survey was performed at an area of 641 339.53 hm2 and 184 819.77 hm2 snail habitats were identified, including 51.53 hm2 emerging snail habitats and 642.25 hm2 reemerging snail habitats. In 2023, there were 20 198 schistosomiasis patients receiving praziquantel chemotherapy, and 598 183 person-time individuals and 283 954 herdtime bovines were given expanded chemotherapy. In 2023, snail control with chemical treatment was performed in 116 347.95 hm2 snail habitats, and the actual area of chemical treatment was 65 690.89 hm2, while environmental improvements were performed in snail habitats covering an area of 1 334.62 hm2. The national schistosomiasis surveillance results showed that the mean prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections were both zero among humans and bovines in 2023, and no S. japonicum infection was detected in snails. These data demonstrated that transmission interruption of schistosomiasis had been achieved across all endemic provinces in China in 2023, and the endemic status of schistosomiasis tended to be stable, while advanced cases were predominant among all schistosomiasis cases. However, the areas of snail habitats remained high and cattle re-raising was very common in some regions. Intensified schistosomiasis surveillance and forecast and snail control in high-risk areas are needed.

[Overexpression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 2T induces radiotherapy resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma by enriching regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of overexpression of ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme 2T (UBE2T) on radiosensitivity of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Hepa1-6 cells were transfected with a UBE2T-overexpressing or a control lentiviral vector, and the changes in their radiotherapy sensitivity and concentrations of glucose and lactate in the supernatant were assessed using colony-forming assay and colorimetric assay. The transfected cells were inoculated subcutaneously in nude mice or C57BL/6 mice, and tumor growth following irradiation were recorded. The xenografts were collected for analyzing infiltration of CD4+ T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) using flow cytometry and detecting expressions of HK1 and LDHA using Western blotting. The correlations of UBE2T expression with immune cell infiltration, glycolysis and Tregs in HCC were analyzed using CIBERSORT algorithm and TCGA database, and the results were verified in a co-culture system of Hepa1-6 cells and Tregs. RESULTS: UBE2T overexpression caused radiotherapy resistance in both cultured Hepa1-6 cells and xenografts in the tumor-bearing mouse models (especially in C57BL/6 mice). CIBERSORT analysis suggested that a high expression of UBE2T was associated with increased percentages of dendritic cells, T follicular helper cells, M2 macrophages, monocytes, lymphocytes and Tregs in HCC. The UBE2T-overexpressing xenografts showed an increased percentage of Tregs and enhanced expressions of HK1 and LDHA, and irradiation increased infiltration of CD4+ T cells and Tregs in the tumor microenvironment. Hepa1-6 cells overexpressing UBE2T showed a decreased glucose concentration and an increased lactate concentration. GSEA analysis suggested that a high UBE2T expression was positively correlated with increased glycolysis and Tregs infiltration in HCC. In the cell co-culture system, UBE2T overexpression significantly enhanced lactate production, proliferation and immunosuppressive functions of Tregs. CONCLUSION: A high UBE2T expression results in radiotherapy resistance of HCC possibly by enhancing glycolysis and cause enrichment of Tregs in the tumor microenvironment.

[Screening and functional analysis of differentially expressed long non-coding RNA in the liver of mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum during the chronic pathogenic stage].

OBJECTIVE: To screen differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the liver of mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum during the chronic pathogenic stage and identify their functions, so as to provide insights into unravelling the role of lncRNAs in S. japonicum infection-induced liver disorders. METHODS: Twenty 6-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two groups, of 10 animals each group. Each mouse in the experimental group was infected with (15 ± 2) S. japonicum cercariae via the abdomen for modeling chronic S. japonicum infection in mice, and distilled water served as controls. All mice were sacrificed 70 days post-infection, and mouse liver specimens were sampled for RNA extraction and library construction. All libraries were sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing platform. Data cleaning was performed using the fastp software, and reference genome alignment and gene expression (FPKM) calculation were performed using the HISAT2 software. Potential lncRNA sequences were predicted using the software CNIC, CPC, Pfam, and PLEK, and potential lncRNAs were screened. Differentially expressed lncRNAs were screened with the DESeq2 software and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses to identify biological processes and metabolic pathways involved in target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs. RESULTS: A total of 333 potential lncRNAs were screened, and 67 were identified as differentially expressed lncRNAs, including 49 up-regulated and 18 down-regulated lncRNAs. A total of 53 target genes were predicted for differentially expressed lncRNAs. GO enrichment analysis showed that these target genes were mainly enriched in biological process and molecular function, among which Sema7a, Arrb1, and Ccl21b genes may be hub target genes for positive regulation of extracellular regulated protein kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2 cascades and may participate in the regulation of collagen expression. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs were mainly enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, viral protein interactions with cytokines and cytokine receptors, chemokine signaling pathway, and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies differentially expressed lncRNAs and functional enrichment of their target genes in the liver of mice during the chronic pathogenic stage of S. japonicum infection. Up-regulated lncRNAs may affect biological processes of ERK1/2 cascades and chemokine signaling pathways via target genes Sema7a, Arrb1, and Ccl21b, thereby affecting collagen expression and inflammatory signal pathways, ultimately affecting the development of liver disorders.

[A recombinant adeno-associated virus expressing secretory TGF-ß type â ¡ receptor inhibits triple-negative murine breast cancer 4T1 cell proliferation and lung metastasis in mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of an adeno-associated virus (AAV2) vector expressing secretory transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) type Ⅱ receptor (sTßRⅡ) extracellular domain-IgG2a Fc fusion protein (sTßRⅡ-Fc) on proliferation and migration of triple-negative murine breast cancer 4T1 cells in mice. METHODS: The pAAV-sTßRⅡ-Fc vector expressing sTßRⅡ-Fc fusion protein constructed by molecular cloning, the capsid protein-expressing vector pAAV2 and the helper vector were co-transfected into HEK 293T cells to prepare the recombinant AAV2-sTßRⅡ virus, which was purified by density gradient centrifugation with iodixanol. Western blotting was used to examine the effects of AAV-sTßRⅡ virus on Smad2/3 phosphorylation in 4T1 cells and on expression levels of E-cadherin, vimentin and p-Smad2/3 in 4T1 cell xenografts in mice. BALB/c mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of luciferase-expressing 4T1 cells received intravenous injections of AAV-sTßRⅡ virus, AAV-GFP virus or PBS (n=6) through the tail vein, and the proliferation and migration of 4T1 cells were analyzed with in vivo imaging. Ki67 expression in the tumor tissues and sTßRⅡ protein expressions in mouse livers were detected with immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining, and tumor metastases in the vital organs were examined with HE staining. RESULTS: The recombinant pAAV-sTßRⅡ-Fc vector successfully expressed sTßRⅡ in HEK 293T cells. Infection with AAV2-sTßRⅡ virus significantly reduced TGF-ß1-induced Smad2/3 phosphorylation in 4T1 cells and effectively inhibited proliferation and lung metastasis of 4T1 xenografts in mice (P<0.05). In the tumor-bearing mice, intravenous injection of AAV-sTßRⅡ virus significantly increased E-cadherin expression, reduced vimentin and Ki67 protein expressions and Smad2/3 phosphorylation level in the tumor tissues (P<0.05 or 0.01), and induced liver-specific sTßRⅡ expression without causing body weight loss or heart, liver, spleen or kidney pathologies. CONCLUSION: The recombinant AVV2 vector encoding sTßRⅡ extracellular domain is capable of blocking the TGF-ß signaling pathway to inhibit the proliferation and lung metastasis of 4T1 cells in mice.

[High-quality acceleration of the Chinese national schistosomiasis elimination programme to advance the building of Healthy China].

The goal of achieving elimination of schistosomiasis across all endemic counties in China by 2030 was proposed in the Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan. On June 16, 2023, the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030) was jointly issued by National Disease Control and Prevention Administration and other 10 ministries, which deployed the targets and key tasks of the national schistosomiasis elimination programme in China. This article describes the progress of the national schistosomiasis control programme, analyzes the opportunities to eliminate schistosomiasis, and proposes targeted recommendations to tackle the challenges of schistosomiasis elimination, so as to accelerate the process towards schistosomiasis elimination and facilitate the building of a healthy China.

[Interpretation of the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030)].

On June 16, 2023, National Disease Control and Prevention Administration of the People's Republic of China, in collaboration with other ministries, formulated and issued the Action Plan to Accelerate the Elimination of Schistosomiasis in China (2023-2030). The implementation of this plan provides an important basis for achieving the targets set in the "Healthy China 2030" action plan and the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. This paper describes the background, principles, targets, control strategies, safeguard measures and effectiveness evaluation of the plan, in order to guide the scientific and standardized implementation of actions for schistosomiasis elimination at the grassroots level, and facilitate the progress towards elimination of schistosomiasis in China with a high quality.

[Capacity building in schistosomiasis control institutions in China: a cross-sectional study].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the current status of capacity building in schistosomiasis control institutes in schistosomiasis-endemic provinces (municipality, autonomous region) of China. METHODS: The responsibilities and construction requirements of various schistosomiasis control institutions were surveyed by expert discussions, and field interviews and visits during the period between May and June, 2023, and the questionnaire for capacity maintenance and consolidation in schistosomiasis control institutions was designed. An online questionnaire survey was conducted in county-, municipal-, and provincial-level institutions that undertook schistosomiasis control and surveillance activities through the Wenjuanxing program. The distribution of schistosomiasis control institutions, the status of institutions, departments and staff undertaking schistosomiasis control activities and the translation of scientific researches on schistosomiasis control in China were analyzed. The laboratories accredited by China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) were considered to be capable for testing associated with schistosomiasis control, and the testing capability of schistosomiasis control institutions was analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 486 valid questionnaires were recovered from 486 schistosomiasis control institutions in 12 endemic provinces (municipality, autonomous region) of China, including 12 provincial-level institutions (2.5%), 77 municipal-level institutions (15.8%) and 397 county-level institutions (81.7%). Of all schistosomiasis control institutions, 376 (77.4%) were centers for disease control and prevention or public health centers, 102 (21.0%) were institutions for schistosomiasis, endemic disease and parasitic disease control, and 8 (1.6%) were hospitals, healthcare centers or others. There were 37 713 active employees in the 486 schistosomiasis control institutions, including 5 675 employees related to schistosomiasis control, and the proportions of employees associated with schistosomiasis control among all active employees were 5.9% (231/3 897), 5.5% (566/10 134), and 20.6% (4 878/23 682) in provincial-, municipal-, and county-level institutions, respectively. There were 3 826 full-time employees working in schistosomiasis control activities, with 30.5% (1 166/3 826), 34.6% (1 324) and 34.9% (1 336/3 826) at ages of 40 years and below, 41 to 50 years and over 50 years, and there were 1 571 (41.0%) full-time schistosomiasis control employees with duration of schistosomiasis control activities for over 25 years, and 1 358 (35.5%) employees with junior professional titles and 1 290 with intermediate professional titles (35.5%), while 712 (18.6%) full-time employees working in schistosomiasis control activities had no professional titles. The three core schistosomiasis control activities included snail control (26.3%, 374/1 420), epidemics surveillance and management (25.4%, 361/1 420) and health education (18.8%, 267/1 420) in schistosomiasis control institutions. The Kato-Katz method, miracidium hatching test with nylon gauzes, and indirect haemagglutination assay (IHA) were the most commonly used techniques for detection of schistosomiasis, and there were less than 50% laboratories that had capabilities or experimental conditions for performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dipstick dye immunoassay (DDIA), dot immunogold filtration assay (DIG-FA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. During the period from 2018 to 2022, schistosomiasis control institutions had undertaken a total of 211 research projects for schistosomiasis control, with a total funding of 18.596 million RMB, published 619 articles, participated in formulation of 13 schistosomiasis control-related criteria, and applied for 113 schistosomiasis control-related patents, including 101 that were granted, and commercialized 4 scientific research outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of independent specialized schistosomiasis control institutions is low in schistosomiasis control institutions in China, which suffers from problems of unsatisfactory laboratory testing capabilities, aging of staff and a high proportion of low-level professional titles. More investment into and intensified schistosomiasis control activities and improved capability building and talent cultivation in schistosomiasis control institutions are recommended to provide a powerful support for high-quality elimination of schistosomiasis in China.

[Application of Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process to construct the evaluation index system of healthy enterprises].

Objective: Explore the application of Delphi method and analytic hierarchy process to explore the construction of scientific, objective and comprehensive evaluation index system for healthy enterprise construction and promote the construction of healthy enterprises. Methods: In October 2022, through Delphi expert consultation and analytic hierarchy process, the indexes were screened and the weights of the indexes were determined, and the evaluation index system of healthy enterprises was established. Results: The positive coefficients of experts in the two rounds were all 100.00%, the authority coefficient of experts was 0.82, the coefficients of variation of the indexes in the two rounds were all less than 0.30. The coordination coefficients of experts in the first and second rounds were 0.64 and 0.77, respectively (P<0.001) . After two rounds of Delphi method expert consultation, a healthy enterprise evaluation index system including 4 first-level indexes, 14 second-level indexes, and 63 third-level indexes was constructed. Conclusion: The constructed health enterprise evaluation index system is highly scientific and reliable, covering the main factors of healthy enterprise construction, and providing a reliable and quantifiable basis and self-assessment basis for the establishment of healthy enterprises.

Behavioral consequences of second-person pronouns in written communications between authors and reviewers of scientific papers.

Pronoun usage's psychological underpinning and behavioral consequence have fascinated researchers, with much research attention paid to second-person pronouns like "you," "your," and "yours." While these pronouns' effects are understood in many contexts, their role in bilateral, dynamic conversations (especially those outside of close relationships) remains less explored. This research attempts to bridge this gap by examining 25,679 instances of peer review correspondence with Nature Communications using the difference-in-differences method. Here we show that authors addressing reviewers using second-person pronouns receive fewer questions, shorter responses, and more positive feedback. Further analyses suggest that this shift in the review process occurs because "you" (vs. non-"you") usage creates a more personal and engaging conversation. Employing the peer review process of scientific papers as a backdrop, this research reveals the behavioral and psychological effects that second-person pronouns have in interactive written communications.

[From treatment to whole course management: envisioning comprehensive management of Talaromycosis marneffei].

Talaromycosis marneffei has been increasing in recent years. Our understanding of this disease has gradually deepened through extensive basic and clinical research, but there are still many limitations. In this article, by incorporating the latest research advancements, we discuss important issues in managing Talaromycosis marneffei trends, aiming to guide effective prevention and control of the disease, improving public health, and reducing the healthcare burden.

[Molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in hilly regions].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a snail control approach for spraying chemicals with drones against Oncomelania hupensis in complex snail habitats in hilly regions, and to evaluate its molluscicidal effect. METHODS: The protocol for evaluating the activity of spraying chemical molluscicides with drones against O. hupensis snails was formulated based on expert consultation and literature review. In August 2022, a pretest was conducted in a hillside field environment (12 000 m2) north of Dafengji Village, Dacang Township, Weishan County, Yunnan Province, which was assigned into four groups, of no less than 3 000 m2 in each group. In Group A, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group B, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with drones at a dose of 40 g/m2, while in Group C, environmental cleaning was not conducted and 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules were sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2, and in Group D, environmental cleaning was performed, followed by 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules sprayed with knapsack sprayers at a dose of 40 g/m2. Then, each group was equally divided into six sections according to land area, with Section 1 for baseline surveys and sections 2 to 6 for snail surveys after chemical treatment. Snail surveys were conducted prior to chemical treatment and 1, 3, 5, 7 days post-treatment, and the mortality and corrected mortality of snails, density of living snails and costs of molluscicidal treatment were calculated in each group. RESULTS: The mortality and corrected mortality of snails were 69.49%, 69.09%, 53.57% and 83.48%, and 68.58%, 68.17%, 52.19% and 82.99% in groups A, B, C and D 14 days post-treatment, and the density of living snails reduced by 58.40%, 63.94%, 68.91% and 83.25% 14 days post-treatment relative to pre-treatment in four groups, respectively. The median concentrations of chemical molluscicides were 37.08, 35.42, 42.50 g/m2 and 56.25 g/m2 in groups A, B, C and D, and the gross costs of chemical treatment were 0.93, 1.50, 0.46 Yuan per m2 and 1.03 Yuan per m2 in groups A, B, C and D, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The molluscicidal effect of spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones against O. hupensis snails is superior to manual chemical treatment without environmental cleaning, and chemical treatment with drones and manual chemical treatment show comparable molluscicidal effects following environmental cleaning in hilly regions. The cost of chemical treatment with drones is slightly higher than manual chemical treatment regardless of environmental cleaning. Spraying 5% niclosamide ethanolamine salt granules with drones is recommended in complex settings with difficulty in environmental cleaning to improve the molluscicidal activity and efficiency against O. hupensis snails.

[Distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis in China from 2015 to 2021].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging Oncomelania hupensis snails after the criteria for transmission control of schistosomiasis were achieved in China, so as to provide insights into assessment of schistosomiasis transmission risk and formulation of snail control strategies during the elimination phase. METHODS: O. hupensis survey data in China from 2015 to 2021 were collected from the National Schistosomiasis Pevention and Control Information Management System, and the distribution characteristics of emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were descriptively analyzed. RESULTS: Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with relatively larger areas with emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats in 2016 and 2021, and relatively higher numbers of counties (districts) where emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were detected in 2016 and 2021. A total of 4 586.30 hm2 of emerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 10 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China (except Fujian and Yunnan Provinces) from 2015 to 2021, with 96.80% in Anhui, Hunan and Hubei provinces, where marshland and lake endemic foci were predominant. A total of 21 023.90 hm2 of reemerging O. hupensis snail habitats were found in 12 schistosomiasis-endemic provinces of China from 2015 to 2021, with 97.67% in six provinces of Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Yunnan and Anhui, where marshland and lake and hilly endemic regions were predominant. Emerging snail habitats were found in 15.08% of all schistosomiasisendemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 78.75% of all emerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of emerging snail habitats found in Lixian County, Hunan Province (645.00 hm2). Reemerging snail habitats were found in 47.67% of all schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts) in China from 2015 to 2021, and 43.29% of all reemerging snail habitats were identified in 11 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (districts), with the largest area of reemerging snail habitats found in Weishan Li and Hui Autonomous County of Hunan Province (1 579.70 hm2). CONCLUSIONS: Emerging and reemerging O. hupensis snails were identified in China each year from 2015 to 2021, with much larger areas of reemerging snail habitats than emerging snail habitats, and larger numbers of schistosomiasis-endemic provinces and counties (districts) with reemerging snails were found that those of provinces and counties (districts) with emerging snails. Specific snail control interventions are required tailored to the causes of emerging and reemerging snail habitats. Both emergence and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be paid attention to in marshland and lake endemic areas, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Shanghai Municipality and Zhejiang Province where schistosomiasis had been eliminated, and reemergence of O. hupensis snails should be given a high priority in hilly areas. In addition, monitoring of O. hupensis snails should be reinforced in snail-free areas after flooding.

[Application of gastric plication in the treatment of obesity].

Bariatric surgery, as the most effective approach to treating obesity at present, encompasses a wide array of procedures. However, due to the significant anatomical changes to the gastrointestinal tract caused by most of these procedures, they are associated with certain risks of complications. In the pursuit of minimizing trauma, bariatric surgeons have begun exploring new surgeries in addition to traditional procedures. Gastric plication surgeries encompass various procedures such as gastric fundoplication, gastric greater curvature plication, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, combined gastric fundoplication with gastric greater curvature plication, and combined gastric fundoplication with sleeve gastrectomy, among others. The efficacy and risks of complications associated with these procedures fall between those of medical therapy and sleeve gastrectomy. Gastric fundoplication, functioning as an anti-reflux procedure, can also be integrated into weight loss surgical interventions to effectively address obesity-related gastroesophageal reflux disease in obese patients. Both gastric greater curvature plication and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty yield favorable weight loss outcomes. Beyond the impact of folding procedures on body mass, gastric plication surgeries can also be combined with other techniques. The combination of gastric fundoplication with sleeve gastrectomy or greater curvature plication can reduce body mass and mitigate reflux, while the combination of greater curvature plication with gastric bypass and similar procedures can further enhance weight loss and metabolic improvements.

The jigsaw puzzle of pedigree: whole-genome resequencing reveals genetic diversity and ancestral lineage in Sunong black pigs.

The Sunong black pig is a new composite breed under development generated from Chinese indigenous pig breeds (i.e., Taihu and Huai) and intensive pig breeds (i.e., Landrace and Berkshire), which is an important genetic material for studying breeding mechanisms. However, there is currently limited knowledge about the genetic structure and germplasm characteristics of Sunong black pigs. To comprehensively understand their genetic composition and ancestry proportions, we performed population structure and local ancestry inference analysis based on whole-genome sequencing information. The results showed that Sunong black pigs could be clustered independently into a group, whose pedigree was intermediate between indigenous and commercial pig breeds, but closer to commercial pigs. Furthermore, local ancestry inference analysis revealed that Sunong black pigs inherited immune and reproductive traits from indigenous pig breeds, including CC and CXC chemokine family, Toll-like receptor family, IFN gene family, ESR1, AREG and EREG gene, while growth and development-related traits were inherited from commercial pig breeds, including IGF1 and GSY2 gene. Overall, Sunong black pigs have formed a relatively stable genome structure with some advantageous traits inherited from their ancestral breeds. This study deepened the understanding of the breeding mechanism of Sunong black pigs and provided a reference for cross-breeding programmes in livestock.

[Emodin alleviates joint inflammation and bone erosion in rats with collagen-induced arthritis by inhibiting ferroptosis and degrading matrix metalloproteinases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the osteoprotective mechanism of emodin in light of the ferroptosis signaling pathway in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: SD rat models of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were treated with methotrexate or low or high doses of emodin, and the changes in arthritis scores and toe volume were recorded. model of CIA rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the joint cartilage was determined, and ankle joint tissue pathologies were observed using caffein solid green staining and hematoxylin-spermine red staining. MMP3 and MMP13 expressions in the ankle joint tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of ACSL4, SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control rats, the CIA rats showed significantly increased arthritis score index with obvious toe swelling (P<0.05), rough cartilage surface, and loss and irregular aligment of chondrocytes. The rat models also showed significantly increased MDA and ACSL4 contents, lowered SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1 contents (P<0.05), and decreased expressions of MMP3 and MMP13 in the ankle joint (P<0.05). The rat models treated with either methotrexate or emodin (40 and 80 mg/kg) had significantly reduced arthritis score index and toe swelling with smooth cartilage surface and neat arrangement of the chondrocytes. The treatments with methotrexate and emodin both decreased the contents of MDA and ACSL4 and increased the contents of SLC7A11, GPX4, and FTH1 in the joint tissues (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Emodin can effectively control joint inflammation and improve joint bone erosion in CIA rats possibly by inhibiting the ferroptosis signaling pathways and reducing the expressions of MMP3 and MMP13.

Representation granularity enables time-efficient autonomous exploration in large, complex worlds.

We propose a dual-resolution scheme to achieve time-efficient autonomous exploration with one or many robots. The scheme maintains a high-resolution local map of the robot's immediate vicinity and a low-resolution global map of the remaining areas of the environment. We believe that the strength of our approach lies in this low- and high-resolution representation of the environment: The high-resolution local map ensures that the robots observe the entire region in detail, and because the local map is bounded, so is the computation burden to process it. The low-resolution global map directs the robot to explore the broad space and only requires lightweight computation and low bandwidth to communicate among the robots. This paper shows the strength of this approach for both single-robot and multirobot exploration. For multirobot exploration, we also introduce a "pursuit" strategy for sharing information among robots with limited communication. This strategy directs the robots to opportunistically approach each other. We found that the scheme could produce exploration paths with a bounded difference in length compared with the theoretical shortest paths. Empirically, for single-robot exploration, our method produced 80% higher time efficiency with 50% lower computational runtimes than state-of-the-art methods in more than 300 simulation and real-world experiments. For multirobot exploration, our pursuit strategy demonstrated higher exploration time efficiency than conventional strategies in more than 3400 simulation runs with up to 20 robots. Last, we discuss how our method was deployed in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge and demonstrated the fastest and most complete exploration among all teams.

[Progress of schistosomiasis control in People's Republic of China in 2022].

This report presented the endemic status of schistosomiasis and analyzed the data collected from the national schistosomiasis prevention and control system and national schistosomiasis surveillance program in the People's Republic of China in 2022. Among the 12 provinces (municipality and autonomous region) endemic for schistosomiasis, Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region continued to maintain the achievements of schistosomiasis elimination, and Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces maintained the criteria of transmission interruption, while Yunnan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces maintained the criteria of transmission control by the end of 2022. A total of 452 counties (cites, districts) were found to be endemic for schistosomiasis in China in 2022, with 27 434 endemic villages covering 73 424 400 people at risk of infections. Among the 452 endemic counties (cities, districts), 75.89% (343/452), 23.45% (106/452) and 0.66% (3/452) achieved the criteria of elimination, transmission interruption and transmission control of schistosomiasis, respectively. In 2022, 4 317 356 individuals received serological tests for schistosomiasis, and 62 228 were sero-positive. A total of 208 646 individuals received stool examinations for schistosomiasis, with one positive and another two cases positive for urine microscopy, and these three 3 cases were imported schistosomiasis patients from Africa. There were 28 565 cases with advanced schistosomiasis documented in China by the end of 2022. Oncomelania hupensis snail survey was performed in 18 891 endemic villages in China in 2022 and O. hupensis snails were found in 6 917 villages (36.62% of all surveyed villages), with 8 villages identified with emerging snail habitats. Snail survey was performed at an area of 655 703.01 hm2 and 183 888.60 hm2 snail habitats were found, including 110.58 hm2 emerging snail habitats and 844.35 hm2 re-emerging snail habitats. There were 477 200 bovines raised in the schistosomiasis endemic areas of China in 2022, and 113 946 bovines received serological examinations for schistosomiasis, with 204 sero-positives detected. Among the 131 715 bovines received stool examinations, no positives were identified. In 2022, there were 19 726 schistosomiasis patients receiving praziquantel chemotherapy, and expanded chemotherapy was performed in 714 465 person-time for humans and 234 737 herd-time for bovines in China. In 2022, snail control with chemical treatment was performed at an area of 119 134.07 hm2, and the actual area of chemical treatment was 65 825.27 hm2, while environmental improvements were performed at an area of 1 163.96 hm2. Data from the national schistosomiasis surveillance program of China showed that the mean prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections was both zero in humans and bovines in 2022, and no S. japonicum infection was detected in O. hupensis snails. These data demonstrated that the endemic status of schistosomiasis continued to decline in China in 2022, with 3 confirmed schistosomiasis patients that had a foreign nationality and all imported from Africa, and the areas of snail habitats remained high. Further improvements in the construction of the schistosomaisis surveillance and forecast system, and reinforcement of O. hupensis survey and control are required to prevent the re-emerging schistosomiasis.