Effects of soy protein isolate interaction with brown rice starch on the multiscale structure of brown rice bread.

BACKGROUND: Gluten-free bread (GFB) has technical bottlenecks such as hard texture, rough taste and low nutrition in practical production. In order to solve these problems, this study used germinated brown rice starch as the main raw material, and investigated the effects of soybean isolate protein (SPI) on the multiscale structure of germinated brown rice starch and bread quality. RESULTS: A gluten-free rice bread process simulation system was established, and the interaction between SPI and starch in the simulation system was characterized. The result shows that the interaction forces between SPI and germinated brown rice starch were mainly represented by hydrogen bonds, and with the addition of SPI, the crystallinity of starch showed a downward trend. At the same time, when the amount of SPI was 3%, the appearance quality was the best and the specific volume of bread was 1.08 mL g-1. When the amount of SPI was 6%, the texture quality was the best. Compared with the bread without SPI, the hardness of the bread with 6% SPI was reduced by 0.13 times, the springiness was increased by 0.03 times, the color was the most vibrant, the L* value being 1.02 times the original, and the baking loss was reduced to 0.98 times the original. CONCLUSIONS: The interaction force between SPI and germinated brown rice starch and its effect on bread quality were clarified, and these results inform choices about providing a theoretical basis for the subsequent development of higher-quality GFB. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

The joint associations of physical activity and ultra-processed food consumption with depression: A cohort study in the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: Despite substantial evidence regarding independent associations between physical activity (PA) and ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption with depression, the joint effects of these two factors remain unknown. METHODS: This study included 99,126 participants without depression in the UK Biobank at baseline. A 24-h recall method was used to assess UPF consumption, and self-reported total physical activity (TPA), moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA) were assessed by metabolic equivalent task (MET). A series of Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to explore the independent and joint effects of TPA, MVPA, VPA and UPF consumption on depression. RESULTS: The incidence rate of depression was 1.94 % [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.80 %-2.10 %] per 1000 person-years after an average follow-up of 12.10 years. We found that MVPA and UPF consumption had additive interactions on depression risk (p < 0.05). Participants in Q1 of TPA and Q4 of UPF consumption (HR: 1.83, 95%CI: 1.45-2.31) showed a higher risk for depression than those in Q4 of TPA and Q1 of UPF consumption. Compared with the participants with WHO guideline-recommended MVPA and the lowest UPF consumption, those below recommended MVPA (HR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.20-1.89) or above recommended MVPA (HR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.10-1.78) and with the highest UPF consumption had a higher risk for depression. LIMITATIONS: Study limitations include use of self-reported data, observational study and concerns regarding generalizability. CONCLUSION: Higher UPF consumption, accompanied by lower PA levels regardless of TPA, MVPA, and VPA, is associated with a higher risk of depression. Our study offers insights on public health priorities to decrease the risk of depression in the population by addressing both PA and UPF consumption together.

The prevalence of 12-month suicidal ideation and associated factors among university students in China: Findings from a three-wave cross-sectional study from 2021 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of suicidal tendencies among the public. However, there is limited research reporting on the changing trends in suicidal ideation after 2020 in the context of the long-term normalization of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in China. METHODS: The self-administered online questionnaire was adopted to collect 12-month suicidal ideation, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, stress, and some demographic information from university students by convenient cluster sampling in Shandong, Shaanxi, and Jilin Provinces, China. Multivariate logistic regressions were performed to assess the association between different factors and suicidal ideation. RESULTS: The prevalence of 12-month suicidal ideation from 2021 to 2023 among university students was 3.89 %, 5.81 %, and 4.33 %, respectively, showing a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The trends presented a similar tendency in the subgroups according to gender, majors, and grades, except among urban freshman-year students. The associated factors of suicidal ideation were different among university students in different surveys. However, female gender, poor mental health, and depressive symptoms were linked to a higher risk of suicidal ideation. LIMITATIONS: More representative large-scale longitudinal studies should be used to monitor the suicidal behavior of university students. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of 12-month suicidal ideation among Chinese university students exhibited a pattern of initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease from 2021 to 2023. Despite the complete lifting of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in China, the prolonged three-year epidemic may have enduring adverse effects on university students, underscoring the ongoing importance of providing continuous mental health services to this population.

Comparative yield of EBUS-TBNA with EBUS-IFBTLP for diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with mediastinal lymph node enlargement (MLNE) are diagnosed depending on lymph node biopsy. Whereas, how to obtain larger tissue masses from mediastinal lymph nodes and improve the diagnostic yield of the disease remains to be investigated. OBJECTIVES: Aiming to assess the diagnostic value of endobronchial ultrasound-guided intranodal forceps biopsy via transbronchial laser photoablation (EBUS-IFB-TLP) in patients with MLNE. DESIGN: A prospective, self-controlled study. METHODS: This study was conducted on 67 MLNE patients requiring a lymph node biopsy for diagnosis at the Henan Provincial People's Hospital and the Fuwai Central China Cardiovascular Hospital in China, from January 2020 to December 2022. Each patient underwent endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA group) and EBUS-IFB-TLP (EBUS-IFB-TLP group) on the same mediastinal lymph node for biopsies. The operation time, diagnostic efficiency, and complication rates of the two biopsy methods were compared. RESULTS: The number of diagnosed patients in the EBUS-IFB-TLP and the EBUS-TBNA groups was 65 (97.0%) and 57 (85.1%), respectively (p = 0.021). In the EBUS-IFB-TLP group, 28 cases (96.6%) were diagnosed with lung cancer and were classified into different epithelial types. In the EBUS-TBNA group, there were 27 cases (93.1%) diagnosed with lung cancer, of which 26 (89.7%) were classified into different epithelial types. There were 37 (97.4%) and 30 (78.9%) non-lung cancer patients diagnosed in the EBUS-IFB-TLP and EBUS-TBNA groups, respectively (p = 0.039), while 27 cases (96.4%) of sarcoidosis in the EBUS-IFB-TLP group and 20 cases (71.4%) of sarcoidosis in the EBUS-TBNA group were diagnosed (p = 0.016). The percentages of intraoperative mild to moderate bleeding complications were 23.9% (16/67) and 14.9% (10/67) in the EBUS-IFB-TLP and in the EBUS-TBNA groups, respectively (p = 0.109). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that EBUS-IFB-TLP could be a feasible and effective method in the diagnosis of patients with MLNE, presenting an analogous safety profile compared with EBUS-TBNA. Further studies are needed to verify the diagnostic performance of EBUS-IFB-TLP for MLNE.

A new way of obtaining a larger biopsy sample in patients with enlarged lymph nodes in the chestWhy was the study done?Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) allows doctors to look at a patient's lungs using a tiny camera (called a bronchoscope). A needle is found at the tip of the bronchoscope and is used to take samples (biopsies) from the lymph nodes in the chest. Lymph nodes are small structures that help filter foreign substances in the body, for example cancer cells. The enlarged (big) lymph nodes are often caused by cancer. Researchers are still trying to work out how to obtain large samples from the lymph nodes which could lead to a better diagnosis.What did the researchers do?We explored a new method called endobronchial ultrasound-guided intranodal forceps biopsy based on transbronchial laser photoablation (EBUS-IFB-TLP) to be used in diagnosing patients who have enlarged lymph nodes. EBUS-IFB-TLP is performed under the guidance of endndobronchial ultrasound, the laser fiber is inserted through the bronchoscope to act on the airway wall, creating a hole in the target lymph node, a biopsy forcep was inserted into the lymph node through the biopsy hole. We used both methods on each patient in this study and compared them.What did the researchers find?More patients were diagnosed with enlarged lymph nodes when using the EBUS-IFB-TLP method, but there were milder to moderate bleeding complications.What do the findings mean?This study shows that EBUS-IFB-TLP could be use in the diagnosis of enlarged lymph nodes.

An Aegilops longissima NLR protein with integrated CC-BED module mediates resistance to wheat powdery mildew.

Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), reduces wheat yields and grain quality, thus posing a significant threat to global food security. Wild relatives of wheat serve as valuable resources for resistance to powdery mildew. Here, the powdery mildew resistance gene Pm6Sl is cloned from the wild wheat species Aegilops longissima. It encodes a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) protein featuring a CC-BED module formed by a zinc finger BED (Znf-BED) domain integrated into the coiled-coil (CC) domain. The function of Pm6Sl is validated via mutagenesis, gene silencing, and transgenic assays. In addition, we develop a resistant germplasm harbouring Pm6Sl in a very small segment with no linkage drag along with the diagnostic gene marker pm6sl-1 to facilitate Pm6Sl deployment in wheat breeding programs. The cloning of Pm6Sl, a resistance gene with BED-NLR architecture, will increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying BED-NLR-mediated resistance to various pathogens.

Brainstem inhibitory neurons enhance behavioral feature selectivity by sharpening the tuning of excitatory neurons.

The brainstem is a hub for sensorimotor integration, which mediates crucial innate behaviors. This brain region is characterized by a rich population of GABAergic inhibitory neurons, required for the proper expression of these innate behaviors. However, what roles these inhibitory neurons play in innate behaviors and how they function are still not fully understood. Here, we show that inhibitory neurons in the nucleus of the optic tract and dorsal-terminal nuclei (NOT-DTN) of the mouse can modulate the innate eye movement optokinetic reflex (OKR) by shaping the tuning properties of excitatory NOT-DTN neurons. Specifically, we demonstrate that although these inhibitory neurons do not directly induce OKR, they enhance the visual feature selectivity of OKR behavior, which is mediated by the activity of excitatory NOT-DTN neurons. Moreover, consistent with the sharpening role of inhibitory neurons in OKR behavior, they have broader tuning relative to excitatory neurons. Last, we demonstrate that inhibitory NOT-DTN neurons directly provide synaptic inhibition to nearby excitatory neurons and sharpen their tuning in a sustained manner, accounting for the enhanced feature selectivity of OKR behavior. In summary, our findings uncover a fundamental principle underlying the computational role of inhibitory neurons in brainstem sensorimotor circuits.

Does nascent polyploidy employ common mechanisms to stabilize and establish?

In a recent issue of Cell Reports, Bray et al. found genetic adaptation in kinetochore components and ion transporters underlying polyploid stabilization in Cochlearia. This resurrects the issue of whether nascent polyploidy in diverse organisms establish via common biological mechanisms.

Neo-adjuvant radiation and intratumoral immunotherapy followed by surgery-NARIS trial for extremity soft tissue sarcoma.

Extremity soft tissue sarcoma (ESTS) is a rare malignant nonepithelial disease, calling for combined modality treatments with surgery to further improve local control rates and long-term survival, especially in patients with multiple local recurrences with or without risk of amputation. In this double-arm, open-label, Phase II clinical trial, we will enroll 30 patients with pathologically confirmed ESTS without nodal involvement or distant metastases. Patients are randomly assigned to the combination treatment group or the radiation monotherapy group. Additionally, tumor and biological samples will be obtained directly before and after neoadjuvant therapy, allowing for studies of immune response and primary drug resistance mechanisms.Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR2200060659 (http://www.chictr.org.cn) (ClinicalTrials.gov).

[Box: see text].

Regional price differences of medical services: evidence from China.

BACKGROUND: Price levels of medical services may vary across regions with different income levels, which would raise concerns about the equal access to medical services. This study aimed to estimate the spatial price index of medical services to measure price levels across 31 provincial regions in China. METHODS: Price data were collected from medical service price schedule in each region. Two methods based on the Purchasing Power Parities were used to estimate the spatial price index and measure price differences across regions. The two-way fixed effects models were used to examine the association between medical service price levels and income levels, and further investigate the impacts of price differences on utilization of medical services and medical expenditure. RESULTS: The consistent estimation results were given by two methods. Medical service price level in the highest-price region was found to be 74% higher than the lowest. There was a significant negative correlation between price levels and income levels, as well as price levels and the utilization of outpatient services. Moreover, we also found a 1% increase in medical service price level was significantly associated with a 0.34% and 0.24% increase in the medical service expense per outpatient visit and per inpatient respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Regions in China had significant gaps in medical service price levels. Policymakers should pay more attention to regional price differences and take great measures such as enhancing financial protection to ensure the equal access to medical services and better achieve the universal health coverage.

The Potential Habitat Response of Cyclobalanopsis gilva to Climate Change.

Cyclobalanopsis gilva, a valuable timber species in China, holds significant importance for understanding the constraints imposed by climate change on the dynamic geographic distribution of tree species. This study utilized the MaxEnt maximum entropy model to reconstruct the migratory dynamics of C. gilva geographical distribution since the Last Glacial Maximum. The objective was to comprehend the restrictive mechanisms of environmental factors on its potential geographical distribution, aiming to provide insights for mid-to-long-term afforestation planning of C. gilva. The optimized MaxEnt model exhibited a significantly high predictive accuracy, with an average AUC value of 0.949 ± 0.004 for the modern suitable habitat model of C. gilva. The total suitable habitat area for C. gilva in contemporary times was 143.05 × 104 km2, with a highly suitable habitat area of 3.14 × 104 km2. The contemporary suitable habitat was primarily located in the southeastern regions of China, while the highly suitable habitat was concentrated in eastern Fujian and central-eastern Taiwan. Bioclimatic variables such as mean diurnal range (Bio2), min temperature of coldest month (Bio6), precipitation of driest quarter (Bio17), and precipitation of driest month (Bio14) predominantly influenced the modern geographic distribution pattern of C. gilva, with temperature factors playing a leading role. With global climate warming, there is a risk of fragmentation or even loss of suitable habitat for C. gilva by 2050 and 2090. Therefore, the findings of this study can significantly contribute to initiating a habitat conservation campaign for this species.

Non-CG DNA hypomethylation promotes photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation in soybean.

Non-CG DNA methylation, a plant-specific epigenetic mark mainly regulated by chromomethylase (CMT), is known to play important roles in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, whether and to what extent non-CG DNA methylation modulates agronomic traits in crops remain to be explored. Here, we describe the consequences of non-CG DNA hypomethylation on development, seed composition, and yield in soybean (Glycine max). We created a Gmcmt mutant line lacking function of all four CMT genes. This line exhibited substantial hypomethylation of non-CG (CHG and CHH) sites. Non-CG hypomethylation enhanced chromatin accessibility and promoted or repressed the expression of hundreds of functionally relevant genes, including upregulation of GOLDEN-LIKE 10 (GmGLK10), which led to enhanced photosynthesis and, unexpectedly, improved nitrogen fixation efficiency. The Gmcmt line produced larger seeds with increased protein content. This study provides insights into the mechanisms of non-CG methylation-based epigenetic regulation of soybean development and suggests viable epigenetic strategies for improving soybean yield and nutritional value.

Chronic dietary exposure to glyphosate-induced connexin 43 autophagic degradation contributes to blood-testis barrier disruption in roosters.

Glyphosate (GLY) is the most universally used herbicide worldwide and its application has caused extensive pollution to the ecological environment. Increasing evidence has revealed the multi-organ toxicity of GLY in different species, but its male reproductive toxicity in avian species remains unknown. Thus, in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to clarify this issue. Data firstly showed that chronic GLY exposure caused testicular pathological damage. Intriguingly, we identified and verified a marked down-regulation gap junction gene Connexin 43 (Cx43) in GLY-exposed rooster testis by transcriptome analysis. Cx43 generated by Sertoli cells acts as a key component of blood-testis barrier (BTB). To further investigate the cause of GLY-induced downregulation of Cx43 to disrupt BTB, we found that autophagy activation is revealed in GLY-exposed rooster testis and primary avian Sertoli cells. Moreover, GLY-induced Cx43 downregulation was significantly alleviated by ATG5 knockdown or CQ administration, respectively, demonstrating that GLY-induced autophagy activation contributed to Cx43 degradation. Mechanistically, GLY-induced autophagy activation and resultant Cx43 degradation was due to its direct interaction with ER-α. In summary, these findings demonstrate that chronic GLY exposure activates autophagy to induce Cx43 degradation, which causes BTB damage and resultant reproductive toxicity in roosters.

Molecular characterization of histone gene in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) and antimicrobial activity of its derived peptides.

In addition to controlling gene expression, mediating DNA folding into chromatin, and responding to immunological stimuli, histones are also thought to have antimicrobial effects. This study identified the molecular characteristics of core Histone MacroH2A2 (TOMacroH2A2) and Histone H2B 1/2 (TOH2B) from Trachinotus ovatus, and the antimicrobial potential of their derived peptides (To.mh2a and To. h2b). The open reading frames (ORFs) of TOMacroH2A2 and TOH2B from T. ovatus were 1010 bp and 375 bp, encoding polypeptides of 369 and 124 amino acids, respectively. The TOMacroH2A2 included an H2A domain and an A1pp domain, while TOH2B included an H2B domain. The amino acid sequences of TOMacroH2A2 and TOH2B demonstrated high homology with other teleost's sequences of histone macroh2a2 and histone h2b, with homologies exceeding 90 %. Expression analysis showed high expression of TOMacroH2A2 in brain, stomach, heart, and skin tissues and TOH2B in gill, brain, and skin tissues. In addition, the histone-derived peptides To. mh2a and To. h2b, synthesized based on two histone sequences from T. ovatus, exhibited typical physical characteristics of antimicrobial peptides, including positive charges, amphipathicity, hydrophobicity, and rich α-helix structure. Crucially, the vitro antibacterial results demonstrated that To. mh2a and To. h2b can inhibit the growth of various aquatic pathogens including Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Escherichia coli to varying degrees. Specifically, To. mh2a and To. h2b were capable of disrupting the cell surface structures of S. aureus and penetrating the cell membrane, leading to the leakage of cellular contents, thereby exerting their antibacterial effects. Furthermore, gel electrophoresis migration assays showed that To. mh2a and To. h2b participated in antimicrobial activity by binding to bacterial genomic DNA and reducing the migration rate of gDNA in a dose-dependent manner. The minimum effective concentration for binding to DNA was approximately 50 µM. In conclusion, our study suggested that To. mh2a and To. h2b can act as antimicrobial peptides, providing a potential strategy for controlling bacterial diseases in T. ovatus.

Natural Products on Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Role of Gut Microbes.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to long-term medical conditions that involve inflammation of the digestive tract, and the global incidence and prevalence of IBD are on the rise. Gut microbes play an important role in maintaining the intestinal health of the host, and the occurrence, development, and therapeutic effects of IBD are closely related to the structural and functional changes of gut microbes. Published studies have shown that the natural products from traditional Chinese medicine have direct or indirect regulatory impacts on the composition and metabolism of the gut microbes. In this review, we summarize the research progress of several groups of natural products, i.e., flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, and terpenoids, for the therapeutic activities in relieving IBD symptoms. The role of gut microbes and their intestinal metabolites in managing the IBD is presented, with focusing on the mechanism of action of those natural products. Traditional Chinese medicine alleviated IBD symptoms by regulating gut microbes, providing important theoretical and practical basis for the treatment of variable inflammatory intestinal diseases.

The stress-responsive gene ATF3 drives fibroblast activation and collagen production through transcriptionally activating TGF-ß receptor â ¡ in skin wound healing.

Skin wound is an emerging health challenge on account of the high-frequency trauma, surgery and chronic refractory ulcer. Further study on the disease biology will help to develop new effective approaches for wound healing. Here, we identified a wound-stress responsive gene, activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), and then investigated its biological action and mechanism in wound healing. In the full-thickness skin wound model, ATF3 was found to promote fibroblast activation and collagen production, resulted in accelerated wound healing. Mechanically, ATF3 transcriptionally activated TGF-ß receptor Ⅱ via directly binding to its specific promoter motif, followed by the enhanced TGF-ß/Smad pathway in fibroblasts. Moreover, the increased ATF3 upon skin injury was partly resulted from hypoxia stimulation with Hif-1α dependent manner. Altogether, this work gives novel insights into the biology and mechanism of stress-responsive gene ATF3 in wound healing, and provides a potential therapeutic target for treatment.

Establishment and identification of the head kidney cell line of yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) and its application in a virus susceptibility study.

The yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) is a crucial marine resource owing to its economic significance. Acanthopagrus latus aquaculture faces numerous challenges from viral diseases, but a robust in-vitro research model to understand and address these threats is lacking. Therefore, we developed a novel A. latus cell line from head kidney cells called ALHK1. This study details the development, characterisation, and viral susceptibility properties of ALHK cells. This cell line primarily comprises fibroblast-like cells and has robust proliferative capacity when cultured at 28 °C in Leibovitz's L-15 medium supplemented with 10-20% foetal bovine serum. It exhibited remarkable stability after more than 60 consecutive passages and validation through cryopreservation techniques. The specificity of the ALHK cell line's origin from A. latus was confirmed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the cytochrome B gene, and a chromosomal karyotype analysis revealed a diploid count of 48 (2n = 48). Furthermore, the lipofection-mediated transfection efficiency using the pEGFP-N3 plasmid was high, at nearly 40%, suggesting that ALHK cells could be used for studies involving exogenous gene manipulation. In addition, ALHK cells displayed heightened sensitivity to the large mouth bass virus (LMBV), substantiated through observations of cytopathic effects, quantitative real-time PCR, and viral titration assays. Finally, the response of ALHK cells to LMBV infection resulted in differentially expressed antiviral genes associated with innate immunity. In conclusion, the ALHK cell line is a dependable in-vitro platform for elucidating the mechanisms of viral diseases in yellowfin seabream. Moreover, this cell line could be valuable for immunology, vaccine development, and host-pathogen interaction studies.

Association between hibernating myocardium and collateral circulation in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion.

Objective: To explore the association between the quantity of hibernating myocardium (HM) and collateral circulation in patients with coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). Materials and methods: 88 CTO patients were retrospectively analyzed who underwent evaluation for HM using both 99mTc-sestamibi Single photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-MIBI SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) combined with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) myocardial metabolism imaging (MMI). They were divided into two groups according Rentrop grading: the poorly/well-developed collateral circulation group (PD/WD group, Rentrop grades 0-1/2-3). After adjusting for the potential confounding factors and conducting a stratified analysis, we explored the association between the HM index within CTO region and the grading of collateral circulation. Results: In the WD group, the HM index was notably higher than PD group (46.2 ± 15.7% vs. 20.9 ± 16.7%, P < 0.001). When dividing the HM index into tertiles and after adjusting for potential confounders, we observed that the proportion of patients with WD rose as the HM index increased (OR: 1.322, 95% CI: 0.893-1.750, P < 0.001), the proportion of patients with WD was 17.4%, 63.3%, and 88.6% for Tertile 1 to Tertile 3.This increasing trend was statistically significant (OR: 1.369, 95% CI: 0.873-1.864, P < 0.001), especially between Tertile 3 vs. Tertile 1 (OR: 4.330, 95% CI: 1.459-12.850, P = 0.008). Curve fitting displaying an almost linear positive correlation between the two. Conclusion: The HM index within CTO region is an independent correlation factor for the grading of coronary collateral circulation. A greater HM index corresponded to an increased likelihood of WD.

Genome-wide characterization, phylogenetic and expression analysis of Galectin gene family in Golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus.

Galectins (Gals) are a type of S-type lectin that are widespread and evolutionarily conserved among metazoans, and can act as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In this study, 10 Gals (ToGals) were identified in the Golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus), and their conserved domains, motifs, and collinearity relationships were analyzed. The expression of ToGals was regulated following infection to Cryptocaryon irritans and Streptococcus agalactiae, indicating that ToGals participate in immune responses against microbial pathogens. Further analysis was conducted on one important member, Galectin-3, subcellular localization showing that ToGal-3like protein is expressed both in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Recombinant protein obtained through prokaryotic expression showed that rToGal-3like can agglutinate red blood cells of rabbit, carp and golden pompano and also agglutinate and kill Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Vibrio vulnificus, S. agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Aeromonas hydrophila. This study lays the foundation for further research on the immune roles of Gals in teleosts.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation risk associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumor treatment: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation is a recognized complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B. However, the risk of HBV reactivation with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remains uncertain due to their exclusion from clinical trials. This study aimed to assess the incidence of HBV reactivation in patients with cancer undergoing ICI therapy, exploring associated risk factors. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with cancer who tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The primary endpoint was incidence of HBV reactivation, whereas the secondary endpoint was occurrence of hepatic adverse events during ICI therapy. RESULTS: Among the 162 eligible patients (median age 59 years; 85.8% men), HBV reactivation occurred in 4.3% at a median of 13 weeks post-treatment initiation. At baseline, HBV DNA was undetectable in 78 patients; 88 received antiviral prophylaxis, while 74 patients did not. Reactivation rates were 3.5% in HBsAg-positive and 10% in hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)-positive individuals, with an overall rate of 4.3%. These rates were 1.1% with prophylaxis and 8.1% without. Twenty-two patients had grade 3-4 hepatitis, and 25 tested HBsAg-negative but HBcAb-positive. No HBV-related fatalities occurred. The absence of antiviral treatment was a significant risk factor for HBV reactivation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underscores the risk of HBV reactivation in patients with cancer undergoing ICI therapy, especially among those lacking antiviral prophylaxis. Regular HBV DNA testing and antiviral prophylaxis are crucial preventive measures for HBV reactivation. These findings emphasize the importance of monitoring HBV status in patients receiving ICIs.

High prevalence and transmission of blaNDM-positive Escherichia coli between farmed ducks and slaughtered meats: An increasing threat to food safety.

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria especially carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) in food animals poses a serious threat to food safety and public health. Reports about the dissemination of carbapenem-resistant bacteria along the food animal production chain are scattered and mainly focus on swine and chicken. Abuse of antibiotics in duck farms is common especially in China which has the largest duck production industry, however, the CREC transmission between farmed ducks and slaughtered meats remains unclear and the role of slaughterhouse in disseminating CREC among duck meats remains largely unknown. Herein, we collected 251 fecal samples from five typical duck farms along with 125 slaughtered meat samples (25 from each farm) in the corresponding slaughterhouse in Anhui Province, China, in December 2018. All samples were screened for CREC isolates which were analyzed for the presence of carbapenemase genes and colistin resistance gene mcr. The resistance profiles, transferability, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the CREC isolates from both ducks and meats were further characterized. This is the first report presenting the high prevalence of blaNDM-positive CREC isolates in ducks from duck farms (57.8 %) and slaughtered meats (33.6 %) in the corresponding slaughterhouse. Among the 203 blaNDM-positive CREC isolates obtained in this study, 19.2 % harbored mcr-1 and all CREC isolates showed resistance to nearly all currently available antibiotics (except tigecycline). Of note, mcr-1 was found in 17.8 % of the meat-derived CREC carrying blaNDM. Based on the PFGE analysis, clonal spread of blaNDM-positive CREC including some also carrying mcr-1 was found between farmed ducks and slaughtered duck meats even from different farms. Special attention should be paid to the clonal dissemination of meat-derived CREC within the slaughterhouse, which contributed to the high prevalence of blaNDM in slaughtered meats. Additionally, horizontal transmission mainly mediated by transferable blaNDM-5-bearing IncX3 plasmids, untypable blaNDM-1-bearing plasmids and mcr-1-bearing IncHI2 plasmids further facilitated the rapid spread of such multidrug-resistant strains. Notably, the blaNDM-bearing plasmids and mcr-1-bearing plasmids in CREC from meats were highly similar to those from animals and humans. More worryingly, the phylogenomic analysis showed that CREC isolates from both ducks and corresponding meats clustered with previously reported human CREC isolates carrying mcr-1 in different geographical areas including China. These findings further prove that the CREC and resistance plasmids in farmed ducks could transmit to meats even from different farms via the slaughterhouse and then trigger infections in humans. The high prevalence and clonal transmission of CREC isolates including those also carrying mcr-1 between ducks and meats are alarming, and urgent control measures are required to reduce the dissemination of such organisms.