Determination of cyclic adenosine phosphate and protein content in dormant chlamydospore and nondormant chlamydospore of Arthrobotrys flagrans.

Arthrobotrys flagrans, a nematode-eating fungus, is an effective component of animal parasitic nematode biocontrol agents. In the dried formulation, the majority of spores are in an endogenous dormant state. This study focuses on dormant chlamydospore and nondormant chlamydospore of A. flagrans to investigate the differences in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein content between the two types of spores. cAMP and soluble proteins were extracted from the nondormant chlamydospore and dormant chlamydospore of two isolates of A. flagrans. The cAMP Direct Immunoassay Kit and Bradford protein concentration assay kit (Coomassie brilliant blue method) were used to detect the cAMP and protein content in two types of spores. Results showed that the content of cAMP in dormant spores of both isolates was significantly higher than that in nondormant spores (p < 0.05). The protein content of dormant spores in DH055 bacteria was significantly higher than that of nondormant spores (p < 0.05). In addition, the protein content of dormant spores of the SDH035 strain was slightly higher than that of nondormant spores, but the difference was not significant (p > 0.05). The results obtained in this study provide evidence for the biochemical mechanism of chlamydospore dormancy or the germination of the nematophagous fungus A. flagrans.

Bosea beijingensis sp. nov., Telluria beijingensis sp. nov. and Agrococcus beijingensis sp. nov., isolated from baijiu mash.

The baijiu fermentation environment hosts a variety of micro-organisms, some of which still remain uncultured and uncharacterized. In this study, the isolation, cultivation and characterization of three novel aerobic bacterial strains are described. The cells of strain REN20T were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 26-37 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-5.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The cells of strain REN29T were Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 15-30 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0 and in the presence of 0-10.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The cells of strain REN33T were Gram-positive, strictly aerobic, motile and grew at 15-37 °C, at pH 5.0-10.0 and in the presence of 0-7.0   % (w/v) NaCl. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity by orthology values between type strains in related genera and REN20T (20.3-36.8 % and 79.8-89.9  %), REN29T (20.3-36.8  % and 74.5-88.5  %) and REN33T (22.6-48.6  % and 75.8-84.2  %) were below the standard cut-off criteria for the delineation of bacterial species, respectively. Based on polyphasic taxonomy analysis, we propose three new species, Bosea beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN20T=GDMCC 1.2894T=JCM 35118T), Telluria beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN29T=GDMCC 1.2896T=JCM 35119T) and Agrococcus beijingensis sp. nov. (=REN33T=GDMCC 1.2898T=JCM 35164T), which were recovered during cultivation and isolation from baijiu mash.

Metabolomic analysis reveals biogenic selenium nanoparticles improve the meat quality of thigh muscle in heat-stressed broilers is related to the regulation of ferroptosis pathway.

Heat stress (HS) causes oxidative damage and abnormal metabolism of muscle, thus impairing the meat quality in broilers. Selenium is an indispensable element for enhancing antioxidant systems. In our previous study, we synthesized a novel type of biogenic selenium nanoparticles synthesized with alginate oligosaccharides (SeNPs-AOS), and found that the particle size of Se is 80 nm and the Se content is 8% in the SeNPs-AOS; and dietary 5 mg/kg SeNPs-AOS has been shown to be effective against HS in broilers. However, whether SeNPs-AOS can mitigate HS-induced the impairment of thigh muscle quality in broilers is still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of dietary SeNPs-AOS on meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and metabolomics of thigh muscle in broilers under HS. A total of 192 twenty-one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates per group (8 broilers per replicate) according to a 2 × 2 experimental design: thermoneutral group (TN, broilers raised under 23±1.5°C); TN+SeNPs-AOS group (TN group supplemented 5 mg/kg SeNPS-AOS); HS group (broilers raised under 33 ± 2°C for 10 h/d); and HS + SeNPs-AOS group (HS group supplemented 5 mg/kg SeNPS-AOS). The results showed that HS increased the freezing loss, cooking loss, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of thigh muscle, whereas decreased the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as downregulated the mRNA expression of SOD2, CAT, GPX3, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), selenoprotein S (SELENOS), solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), GPX4, and ferroportin 1 (Fpn1) of thigh muscle (P < 0.05). Dietary SeNPS-AOS reduced the b* value, elevated the pH0min value and the activities of T-SOD, GSH-Px, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the mRNA expression levels of GSTT1, GSTA3, GPX1, GPX3, ferritin heavy polypeptide-1 (FTH1), and Fpn1 of thigh muscle in broilers under HS (P < 0.05). Nontargeted metabolomics analysis identified a total of 79 metabolites with significant differences among the four groups, and the differential metabolites were mainly enriched in 8 metabolic pathways including glutathione metabolism and ferroptosis (P < 0.05). In summary, dietary 5 mg/kg SeNPs-AOS (Se content of 8%) could alleviate HS-induced impairment of meat quality by improving the oxidative damage, metabolic disorders and ferroptosis of thigh muscle in broilers challenged with HS. Suggesting that the SeNPs-AOS may be used as a novel nano-modifier for meat quality in broilers raised in thermal environment.

Fabrication of hyaluronic acid-inulin coated Enterococcus faecium for colon-targeted delivery to fight Fusobacterium nucleatum.

The abundance of Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) is highly associated with the development and poor prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is regarded as a promising target for CRC. However, until now, the novel strategy to clear F. nucleatum in the colon and CRC has not been well proposed. Herein, a probiotic strain Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium, EF47) is verified to secrete various organic acids and bacteriocins to exert superior antimicrobial activity towards F. nucleatum. However, the oral delivery of EF47 is affected by the complex digestive tract environment, so we design the hyaluronic acid-inulin (HA-IN) coated EF47 for colon-targeted delivery to fight F. nucleatum. IN can protect EF47 from the harsh gastrointestinal tract environment and is degraded specifically in the colon, acting as prebiotics to further promote the proliferation of EF47. The exposed HA can also enhance the targeting effect to the tumor area via the interaction with the CD44 receptor on the tumor cells, which is confirmed to increase the adhesive ability in tumor tissues and inhibit the growth of F. nucleatum. Therefore, this colon-targeted delivery system provides a novel platform to realize high-activity and adhesive delivery of probiotics to assist the therapeutic efficiency of CRC.

Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Alginate Oligosaccharides Attenuate Heat Stress-Induced Impairment of Breast Meat Quality via Regulating Oxidative Stress, Metabolome and Ferroptosis in Broilers.

Selenium (Se) is an indispensable trace element with versatile functions in antioxidant defense in poultry. In our previous study, we synthesized a novel type of biogenic selenium nanoparticle based on alginate oligosaccharides (SeNPs-AOS), and found that the particles are sized around 80 nm with an 8% Se content, and the dietary addition of 5 mg/kg of SeNPs-AOS could effectively alleviate the deleterious effects of heat stress (HS) in broilers, but it is still unclear whether SeNPs-AOS can improve the meat quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of SeNPs-AOS on breast meat quality in heat-stressed broilers, and explore the relevant mechanisms. Birds at the age of 21 days were randomly divided into four groups with six replicates per group (eight broilers per replicate) according to a 2 × 2 experimental design, using HS (33 ± 2 °C, 10 h/day vs. thermoneutral, TN, under 23 ± 1.5 °C) and SeNPs-AOS (5 mg/kg feed vs. no inclusion) as variables. The results showed that dietary SeNPs-AOS decreased the cooking loss (p < 0.05), freezing loss (p < 0.001), and shear force (p < 0.01) of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers. The non-targeted metabolomics analysis of the breast muscle identified 78 differential metabolites between the HS and HS + SeNPs-AOS groups, mainly enriched in the arginine and proline metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, pantothenate, and CoA biosynthesis pathways (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, supplementation with SeNPs-AOS increased the levels of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the breast muscle (p < 0.05) in broilers under HS exposure. Additionally, SeNPs-AOS upregulated the mRNA expression of CAT, GPX1, GPX3, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), masculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma G (MafG), MafK, selenoprotein W (SELENOW), SELENOK, ferritin heavy polypeptide-1 (FTH1), Ferroportin 1 (Fpn1), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) (p < 0.05), while it downregulated Kelch-like ECH-associated pro-36 tein 1 (Keap1) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide Synthase 2 (PTGS2) expression (p < 0.05) in broilers under HS. These findings demonstrated that the dietary addition of SeNPs-AOS mitigated HS-induced oxidative damage and metabolite changes in the breast muscle of broilers, which may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and selenoprotein synthesis. In addition, SeNPs-AOS upregulated the breast muscle gene expression of anti-ferroptosis-related molecules in broilers under HS, suggesting that SeNPs-AOS can be used as novel Se supplements against HS in broilers.

MRI-based automatic identification and segmentation of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma using deep learning network.

BACKGROUND: Accurate identification of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) from an image is challenging because of the small size and complex background structure. Therefore, considering the limitation of manual delineation, it's necessary to develop automated identification and segmentation methods for ECC. The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning approach for automatic identification and segmentation of ECC using MRI. METHODS: We recruited 137 ECC patients from our hospital as the main dataset (C1) and an additional 40 patients from other hospitals as the external validation set (C2). All patients underwent axial T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Manual delineations were performed and served as the ground truth. Next, we used 3D VB-Net to establish single-mode automatic identification and segmentation models based on T1WI (model 1), T2WI (model 2), and DWI (model 3) in the training cohort (80% of C1), and compared them with the combined model (model 4). Subsequently, the generalization capability of the best models was evaluated using the testing set (20% of C1) and the external validation set (C2). Finally, the performance of the developed models was further evaluated. RESULTS: Model 3 showed the best identification performance in the training, testing, and external validation cohorts with success rates of 0.980, 0.786, and 0.725, respectively. Furthermore, model 3 yielded an average Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) of 0.922, 0.495, and 0.466 to segment ECC automatically in the training, testing, and external validation cohorts, respectively. CONCLUSION: The DWI-based model performed better in automatically identifying and segmenting ECC compared to T1WI and T2WI, which may guide clinical decisions and help determine prognosis.

Roles of Immune and Oxidative Stress-Related Factors in the Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the main causes of sudden death, but its exact pathogenesis requires further study. Thus, this study aimed to explore the immune and oxidative stress-related factors in CAD progression and their roles in CAD diagnosis. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was used in this study, and the GSE23561 dataset (training set) we used contained the transcriptome sequencing results of six CAD peripheral blood samples and nine control samples. The data were obtained and analysed by querying the Gene Expression Omnibus database. First, the differentially expressed immune and oxidative stress-related genes (DEIOGs) between the groups were identified. DEIOGs were then analysed based on Gene Ontology annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for DEIOGs was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins database, and hub genes were identified through the PPI network. Moreover, transcription factors and microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting hub genes were identified to explore the potential regulatory mechanisms of hub genes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was constructed to examine the role of hub genes in CAD diagnosis. Finally, the data of GSE23561 (validated set) were used to validate the diagnostic potential of these hub genes. RESULTS: Primarily, 66 DEIOGs were identified, which are involved in many important pathways related to CAD, such as the "mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway" and "lipid and atherosclerosis". A PPI network of DEIOGs was then constructed, and 10 hub genes were identified sequentially. A total of 37 transcription factors and 481 miRNAs that played important roles in hub genes regulation were identified. The ROC curves indicated that five special hub genes (Fos, Il6, Jun, Mapk3, and Mmp9) could serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for CAD. CONCLUSIONS: Bioinformatics analysis technology was used to identify 10 hub DEIOGs that might play a crucial role in CAD progression, and five special hub genes (Fos, Il6, Jun, Mapk3, and Mmp9) could be regarded as potential biomarkers for CAD diagnosis. However, further studies are required to verify the functions of these hub genes.

A truncated DNA aptamer with high selectivity for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells.

The estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers constitute more than 50 % of breast cancers, seriously threatening the health of women. Unfortunately, the detection and targeted therapy of ER+ breast cancers remain a challenge. Here, a novel nucleic acid aptamer S1-4 was developed to specifically target ER+ breast cancer MCF-7 cells by using Cell-SELEX and nucleic acid truncation strategies. The affinity dissociation constant of the binding of aptamer S1-4 to MCF-7 cells was 97.6 ± 7.5 nM in vitro. Compared with HER2+ breast cells SK-BR-3 and triple-negative breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 cells were selectively recognized and targeted by aptamer S1-4. Fluorescence tracing in vivo results also indicated that aptamer S1-4 selectively targeted the cell membrane of tumor tissues in MCF-7- but not in SK-BR3 or MDB-MA-231-bearing mice. This selectively developed novel aptamer probe S1-4 with high affinity could be used for the diagnosis and treatment of ER+ breast cancers.

Network pharmacology-based approach uncovers the pharmacodynamic components and mechanism of Fructus Tribuli for improving endothelial dysfunction in hypertension.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Fructus Tribuli (FT), a traditional Chinese medicinal herbal, has been used for the clinical treatment of cardiovascular diseases for many years and affects vascular endothelial dysfunction (ED) in patients with hypertension. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to demonstrate the pharmacodynamic basis and mechanisms of FT for the treatment of ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study used ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadruple-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) to analyze and identify the chemical components of FT. The active components in blood were determined after the oral administration of FT by comparative analysis to blank plasma. Then, based on the active components in vivo, network pharmacology was performed to predict the potential targets of FT in treating ED. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were also performed, and component-target-pathway networks were constructed. Interactions between the major active components and main targets were verified by molecular docking. Moreover, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were divided into the normal, model, valsartan, low-dose FT, medium-dose FT, and high-dose FT experimental groups. In pharmacodynamic verification studies, treatment effects on blood pressure, serum markers (nitric oxide [NO], endothelin-1 [ET-1,], and angiotensin Ⅱ [Ang Ⅱ)]) of ED, and endothelial morphology of the thoracic aorta were evaluated and compared between groups. Finally, the PI3K/AKT/eNOS pathway was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot of the thoracic aorta of rats in each group to detect the mRNA expression of PI3K, AKT, and eNOS and the protein expression of PI3K, AKT, p-AKT, eNOS, and p-eNOS. RESULTS: A total of 51 chemical components were identified in FT, and 49 active components were identified in rat plasma. Thirteen major active components, 22 main targets, and the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway were screened by network pharmacology. The animal experiment results showed that FT reduced systolic blood pressure and ET-1 and Ang Ⅱ levels and increased NO levels in SHRs to varying degrees. The therapeutic effects were positively correlated with the oral dose of FT. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining confirmed that FT could alleviate the pathological damage of the vascular endothelium. qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis confirmed that up-regulated expression of the PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway could improve ED. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the material basis of FT was comprehensively identified, and the protective effect on ED was confirmed. FT had a treatment effect on ED through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathways. It also played a role by up-regulating the PI3K/AKT/eNOS signaling pathway.

Conjugating 4ß-NH-(5-Aminoindazole)-podophyllotoxin and Galectin-1-Targeted Aptamer for Synergistic Chemo-Immunotherapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

By conjugating a chemotherapeutic candidate drug 4ß-NH-(5-aminoindazole)-podophyllotoxin (ßIZP) and an immunosuppressive protein galectin-1 targeted aptamer AP74, a chemo-immunotherapy molecule (AP74-ßIZP) is developed against liver cancer. AP74-ßIZP can target galectin-1 and enrich the tumor microenvironment to improve the tumor inhibition ratio by 6.3%, higher than that of ßIZP in a HepG2 xenograft model. In safety evaluation, ßIZP cannot be released from AP74-ßIZP in normal tissues with low glutathione level. Therefore, the degrees of organs injury and myelosuppression after the treatment with AP74-ßIZP are lower than those with ßIZP. After 21 d treatment at a drug dose of 5 mg kg-1 , AP74-ßIZP does not cause weight loss in mice, while the weight is significantly reduced by 24% and 14% from oxaliplatin and ßIZP, respectively. In immune synergy, AP74-IZP enhances CD4/CD8 cell infiltration to promote the expression of cell factor (i.e., IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ), which further improves the antitumor activity. The tumor inhibition ratio of AP74-ßIZP is 70.2%, which is higher than that of AP74 (35.2%) and ßIZP (48.8%). Because of the dual effects of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, AP74-ßIZP exhibits superior activity and lower toxicity. The approach developed in this work could be applicable to other chemotherapy drugs.

Combination treatment of Danggui Buxue Decoction and endothelial progenitor cells can enhance angiogenesis in rats with focal cerebral ischemia and hyperlipidemia.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Danggui Buxue Decoction (DBD) is a classic prescription of traditional Chinese medicine that is mainly used for treating clinical anemia for more than 800 years. This prescription has been utilized for nourishing "Qi" and enriching "Blood" for women suffering from menopausal symptoms. Meanwhile, DBD has the role of improving angiogenesis and promoting the neuroprotective functions. Bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was suboptimal to treat the focal cerebral ischemia (FCI). Thus, it's may be a novel strategy of DBD combined with EPCs transplantation for the FCI. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the mechanistic effects of DBD in combination with EPCs transplantation to improve behavioral function of the FCI and hyperlipidemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used rats with hyperlipidemia to develop a FCI model using photo-thrombosis, and treated the DBD in combination with EPCs transplantation. We adopted the Modified Neurological Severity Score to evaluate the neurological deficit, undertook the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining to calculate the total infarct volume. We carried out the RT-qPCR, Immunohistochemical analyses, TUNEL, ELISA, and Western blotting to measure the gene and protein levels which related to anti-apoptosis mechanisms and angiogenesis. RESULTS: Administration of DBD in combination with EPCs transplantation was found to improve behavioral function, reducing the infarct volume and decrease the level of total-cholesterole (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). Treatment of DBD plus EPCs increased the mRNA and protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A, fibroblastic growth factor-2, and angiopoietin-1 and decreased the apoptosis of endothelial cells by activating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/Bcl-xL/Bcl-2 associated death promoter (PI3K/Akt/BAD) pathway and promoting activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, which induced angiogenesis directly. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provided that DBD administration combined with EPCs transplantation promoted reconstruction of nervous function. This was achieved by enhancing expression of the growth factors related to anti-apoptosis mechanisms and angiogenesis thanks to regulation of the PI3K/Akt/BAD and ERK signaling pathways, and might be relate to the lowering of TC and LDL-C levels.

Stainless Steel Screen Modified with Renatured Xerogel for Efficient and Highly Stable Oil/Water Separation via Gravity.

The application of hydrogel coatings to surface-modified metallic materials has gained considerable attention in engineering practice such as water-oil separation. However, the low coating adhesion and poor coating stability restrict its application. In this study, to obtain special wettability and durable filter materials, polyacrylamide (PAM)/sodium alginate (SA) xerogel particles were first prepared and adhered to a stainless steel screen by using an epoxy resin as a linker. Subsequently, the xerogel particles of the screen rehydrates in water to form a PAM-SA double-network hydrogel. The results show that the screen modified by PAM-SA xerogel of 20-30 µm particle size and a linker concentration of 0.1 g/mL resulted in a chimeric structure and subsequently transformed a uniform double-network hydrogel coating in water. According to the experimental results, the rough hydrogel coating exhibits superhydrophilicity and superoleophobicity under water; in particular, it has excellent wear resistance as well as physical and chemical stability. Under gravity-driven action, the PAM-SA-modified screen demonstrates high separation efficiency values of up to 99% in separating a wide range of oil/water mixtures and maintaining a water flux of (2-6) × 104 L·m-2·h-1. There was no significant reduction in efficiency of separation and water flux after 10 cycles, indicating that the PAM-SA-modified screen is capable of offering outstanding separation performance and durability. Moreover, the hydrogel-modified screen demonstrated corrosion and swelling resistance in some extreme environments, paving a way for practical applications in water treatment. The novel hydrogel-coating-modified screen with ease of preparation holds great promise for oil/water separation and other engineering applications.

Attaining competency and proficiency in minimally invasive mitral valve repair: a learning curve assessment using cumulative sum analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the learning curve of minimally invasive mitral valvuloplasty (MVP). BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive MVP is characterized by minimal trauma, minimal bleeding, and short postoperative recovery time. The learning curve of any new procedure needs to be evaluated for learning and replication. However, minimally invasive mitral valve technique is a wide-ranging concept, no further analysis of the outcomes and learning curve of minimally invasive Mitral valvuloplasty has been performed. METHODS: One hundred and fifty consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive MVP alone without concurrent surgery were evaluated. Using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and aortic clamping (AC) time as evaluation variables, we visualized the learning curve for minimally invasive MVP using cumulative sum analysis. We also analyzed important postoperative variables such as postoperative drainage, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay. RESULTS: The slope of the fitted curve was negative after 75 procedures, and the learning curve could be crossed after the completion of the 75th procedure when AC and CPB time were used as evaluation variables. And as the number of surgical cases increased, CPB, AC, postoperative drainage, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay and postoperative hospital stay all showed different degrees of decrease. The incidence of postoperative adverse events is similar to conventional Mitral valvuloplasty. CONCLUSION: Compared to conventional MVP, minimally invasive MVP provides the same satisfactory surgical results and stabilization can be achieved gradually after completion of the 75th procedure.

Anthracite Releases Aromatic Carbons and Reacts with Chlorine to Form Disinfection Byproducts in Drinking Water Production.

Anthracite is globally used as a filter material for water purification. Herein, it was found that up to 15 disinfection byproducts (DBPs) were formed in the chlorination of anthracite-filtered pure water, while the levels of DBPs were below the detection limit in the chlorination of zeolite-, quartz sand-, and porcelain sandstone-filtered pure water. In new-anthracite-filtered water, the levels of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) ranged from 266.3 to 305.4 µg/L, 37 to 61 µg/L, and 8.6 to 17.1 µg/L, respectively. In aged anthracite (collected from a filter at a DWTP after one year of operation) filtered water, the levels of the above substances ranged from 475.1 to 597.5 µg/L, 62.1 to 125.6 µg/L, and 14 to 28.9 µg/L, respectively. Anthracite would release dissolved substances into filtered water, and aged anthracite releases more substances than new anthracite. The released organics were partly (around 5%) composed by the µg/L level of toxic and carcinogenic aromatic carbons including pyridine, paraxylene, benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene, while over 95% of the released organics could not be identified. Organic carbon may be torn off from the carbon skeleton structure of anthracite due to hydrodynamic force in the water filtration process.

RNA methylation in vascular disease: a systematic review.

Despite the rise in morbidity and mortality associated with vascular diseases, the underlying pathophysiological molecular mechanisms are still unclear. RNA N6-methyladenosine modification, as the most common cellular mechanism of RNA regulation, participates in a variety of biological functions and plays an important role in epigenetics. A large amount of evidence shows that RNA N6-methyladenosine modifications play a key role in the morbidity caused by vascular diseases. Further research on the relationship between RNA N6-methyladenosine modifications and vascular diseases is necessary to understand disease mechanisms at the gene level and to provide new tools for diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we summarize the currently available data on RNA N6-methyladenosine modifications in vascular diseases, addressing four aspects: the cellular regulatory system of N6-methyladenosine methylation, N6-methyladenosine modifications in risk factors for vascular disease, N6-methyladenosine modifications in vascular diseases, and techniques for the detection of N6-methyladenosine-methylated RNA.

Hyperprogression under treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: A natural process of advanced tumor progression?

Immunotherapy has shown great promise in treating various types of malignant tumors. However, some patients with gastrointestinal cancer have been known to experience rapid disease progression after treatment, a situation referred to as hyperprogressive disease (HPD). This minireview focuses on the definitions and potential mechanisms of HPD, natural disease progression in gastrointestinal malignancies, and tumor immunological microenvironment.

Advances in technology and techniques for transcatheter aortic valve replacement with concomitant peripheral arterial disease.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a prevalent disease affecting 3.7% of the adult population aged 65 or above. In the past, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) was the only definitive therapy available for the treatment of severe AS. Owing to the invasive nature of open-heart surgery, patients with advanced age and frailty could not benefit from SAVR. The advent of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in the past decade has offered an alternative treatment option for patients with severe AS, particularly those who are deemed to have high surgical risks. Nevertheless, a large proportion of patients also have concomitant peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which increases the risk of peri-procedural vascular complication, and precludes the possibility of transfemoral TAVR owing to inadequate luminal size for delivery system deployment. In this review, the prevalence and outcome of TAVR patients with PAD will be discussed. Furthermore, novel technologies and techniques that enable TAVR to be safely performed using transfemoral or alternative access in patients with severe PAD will be reviewed.

Influence of continuing nursing care team mode on the rehabilitation of patients with pancreatic cancer after postoperative daily chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of continuing nursing care team mode on postoperative outpatient chemotherapy patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS: One-hundred patients receiving postoperative outpatient chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer between September 2019 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study and divided into two groups, an intervention group and a control group (n = 50 each), by random number table method or coin tossing method. The patients in the intervention group were followed up using continuing nursing care team mode, while those in the control group were followed up using the traditional telephone follow-up mode. The effects of the two modes on patients' self-care ability, quality of life, anxiety, hospital waiting time, and the nurses' communication ability and self-efficacy were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: The self-care ability and quality of life of the patients in the intervention group were better than those of the control group (p < 0.05), the anxiety score and hospital waiting times were lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the communication ability and general self-efficacy of the nurses were also significantly stronger than those in the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of the continuing nursing care team mode for follow-up can improve the self-care ability and quality of life of patients, effectively reduce the anxiety and hospital waiting time of outpatient chemotherapy patients, and improve the nurses' communication ability and general self-efficacy. Therefore, this practice is worthy of clinical popularization.

Generation and Identification of the Number of Copies of Exogenous Genes and the T-DNA Insertion Site in SCN-Resistance Transformation Event ZHs1-2.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines Ichinohe) causes an estimated economic loss of about USD 3 billion each year in soybean (Glycine max L.) production worldwide. Overexpression of resistance genes against SCN provides a powerful approach to develop SCN resistance cultivars in soybean. The clarification of molecular characterization in transformation events is a prerequisite for ecological risk assessment, food safety, and commercial release of genetically modified crops. Here, we generated transgenic events harboring the BCN (beet cyst nematode) resistance Hs1pro-1 gene using the Agrobacterium-mediated method in soybean, evaluated their resistance to SCN infection, and clarified the molecular characterization of one of the transformation events. Five independent and stable inheritable transformation events were generated by an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation method. SCN resistance tests showed the average number of developed females per plant and female index (FI) in T4 ZHs1-1, ZHs1-2, ZHs1-3, ZHs1-4, and ZHs1-5 transformation events were significantly lower than that in the nontransgenic control. Among these, the ZHs1-2 transformation event had the lowest number of developed females per plant and FI. Southern hybridization showed the exogenous target Hs1pro-1 gene was inserted in one copy and the Bar gene was inserted two copies in the ZHs1-2 transformation event. The exogenous T-DNA fragment was integrated in the reverse position of Chr02: 5351566-5231578 (mainly the Bar gene expression cassette) and in the forward position of Chr03: 17083358-17083400 (intact T-DNA, including Hs1pro-1 and Bar gene expression cassette) using a whole genome sequencing method (WGS). The results of WGS method and Southern hybridization were consistent. All the functional elements of exogenous T-DNA fragments were verified by PCR using specific primer pairs in the T5 and T6 ZHs1-2 transformation events. These results demonstrated that the overexpression of Hs1pro-1 gene enhanced SCN resistance, and provide an important reference for the biosafety assessment and the labeling detection in transformation event ZHs1-2.