E93 is indispensable for reproduction in ametabolous and hemimetabolous insects.

Ecdysone-induced protein 93 (E93), known as the 'adult-specifier' transcription factor in insects, triggers metamorphosis in both hemimetabolous and holometabolous insects. Although E93 is conserved in ametabolous insects, its spatiotemporal expression and physiological function remain poorly understood. In this study, we first discover that, in the ametabolous firebrat Thermobia domestica, the previtellogenic ovary exhibits cyclically high E93 expression, and E93 mRNA is broadly distributed in previtellogenic ovarioles. E93 homozygous mutant females of T. domestica exhibit severe fecundity deficiency due to impaired previtellogenic development of the ovarian follicles, likely because E93 induces the expression of genes involved in ECM (extracellular matrix)-receptor interactions during previtellogenesis. Moreover, we reveal that in the hemimetabolous cockroach Blattella germanica, E93 similarly promotes previtellogenic ovarian development. In addition, E93 is also essential for vitellogenesis that is necessary to guarantee ovarian maturation and promotes the vitellogenesis-previtellogenesis switch in the fat body of adult female cockroaches. Our findings deepen the understanding of the roles of E93 in controlling reproduction in insects, and of E93 expression and functional evolution, which are proposed to have made crucial contributions to the origin of insect metamorphosis.

Calorie restriction and calorie-restriction mimetics activate chaperone-mediated autophagy.

Chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) is part of the mammalian cellular proteostasis network that ensures protein quality control, maintenance of proteome homeostasis, and proteome changes required for the adaptation to stress. Loss of proteostasis is one of the hallmarks of aging. CMA decreases with age in multiple rodent tissues and human cell types. A decrease in lysosomal levels of the lysosome-associated membrane protein type 2A (LAMP2A), the CMA receptor, has been identified as a main reason for declined CMA in aging. Here, we report constitutive activation of CMA with calorie restriction (CR), an intervention that extends healthspan, in old rodent livers and in an in vitro model of CR with cultured fibroblasts. We found that CR-mediated upregulation of CMA is due to improved stability of LAMP2A at the lysosome membrane. We also explore the translational value of our observations using calorie-restriction mimetics (CRMs), pharmacologically active substances that reproduce the biochemical and functional effects of CR. We show that acute treatment of old mice with CRMs also robustly activates CMA in several tissues and that this activation is required for the higher resistance to lipid dietary challenges conferred by treatment with CRMs. We conclude that part of the beneficial effects associated with CR/CRMs could be a consequence of the constitutive activation of CMA mediated by these interventions.

Variability in Leaf Color Induced by Chlorophyll Deficiency: Transcriptional Changes in Bamboo Leaves.

The diversity of leaf characteristics, particularly leaf color, underscores a pivotal area of inquiry within plant science. The synthesis and functionality of chlorophyll, crucial for photosynthesis, largely dictate leaf coloration, with varying concentrations imparting different shades of green. Complex gene interactions regulate the synthesis and degradation of chlorophyll, and disruptions in these pathways can result in abnormal chlorophyll production, thereby affecting leaf pigmentation. This study focuses on Bambusa multiplex f. silverstripe, a natural variant distinguished by a spectrum of leaf colors, such as green, white, and green-white, attributed to genetic variations influencing gene expression. By examining the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying chlorophyll anomalies and genetic factors in Silverstripe, this research sheds light on the intricate gene interactions and regulatory networks that contribute to leaf color diversity. The investigation includes the measurement of photosynthetic pigments and nutrient concentrations across different leaf color types, alongside transcriptomic analyses for identifying differentially expressed genes. The role of key genes in pathways such as ALA biosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and sugar metabolism is explored, offering critical insights for advancing research and plant breeding practices.

Ultraviolet Photodissociation of Proteinogenic Amino Acids.

The ultraviolet photochemistry of the amino acids glycine, leucine, proline, and serine in their neutral forms was investigated using parahydrogen matrix-isolation spectroscopy. Irradiation by 213 nm light destroys the chirality of all three chiral amino acids as a result of the α-carbonyl C-C bond cleavage and hydrocarboxyl (HOCO) radical production. The temporal behavior of the Fourier-transform infrared spectra revealed that HOCO radicals rapidly reach a steady state, which occurs predominantly due to photodissociation of HOCO into CO + OH or CO2 + H. In glycine and leucine, the amine radicals generated by the α-carbonyl C-C bond cleavage rapidly undergo hydrogen elimination to yield methanimine and 3-methylbutane-1-imine, respectively. Breaking of the α-carbonyl C-C bond in proline appeared to yield 1-pyrroline, although due to its weak absorption it remains unconfirmed. In serine, additional products were formaldehyde and E/Z ethanimine. The present study shows that the direct production of HOCO previously observed in α-alanine generalizes to other amino acids of varying structure. It also revealed a tendency for amino acid photolysis to form imines rather than amine radicals. HOCO should be useful in the search for amino acids in interstellar space, particularly in combination with simple imine molecules.

Maresin1 ameliorates MSU crystal-induced inflammation by upregulating Prdx5 expression.

BACKGROUND: Maresin1 (MaR1) is a potent lipid mediator that exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activity in the context of several inflammatory diseases. A previous study reported that MaR1 could suppress MSU crystal-induced peritonitis in mice. To date, the molecular mechanism by which MaR1 inhibits MSU crystal-induced inflammation remains poorly understood. METHODS: Mousebone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) were pretreated with MaR1 and then stimulated with FAs (palmitic, C16:0 and stearic, C18:0) plus MSU crystals (FAs + MSUc). In vivo, the effects of MaR1 treatment or Prdx5 deficiency on MSUc induced peritonitis and arthritis mouse models were evaluated. RESULTS: The current study indicated that MaR1 effectively suppressed MSUc induced inflammation in vitro and in vivo. MaR1 reversed the decrease in Prdx5 mRNA and protein levels induced by FAs + MSUc. Further assays demonstrated that MaR1 acceleratedPrdx5 expression by regulating the Keap1-Nrf2 signaling axis. Activation of AMPK by Prdx5 improved homeostasis of the TXNIP and TRX proteins and alleviated mitochondrial fragmentation. In addition, Prdx5 overexpression inhibited the expression of CPT1A, a key enzyme for fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Prdx5 protected against defects in FA + MSUc induced FAO and the urea cycle. CONCLUSION: MaR1 treatment effectively attenuated MSUc induced inflammation by upregulating Prdx5 expression. Our study provides a new strategy by which Prdx5 may help prevent acute gout attacks.

Effectiveness of Pentavalent Rotavirus Vaccine in Shanghai, China: A Test-Negative Design Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate vaccine effectiveness (VE) of a live oral pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RotaTeq, RV5) among young children in Shanghai, China, via a test-negative design study. STUDY DESIGN: We consecutively recruited children visiting a tertiary children's hospital for acute diarrhea from November 2021 to February 2022. Information on clinical data and rotavirus vaccination was collected. Fresh fecal samples were obtained for rotavirus detection and genotyping. To evaluate VE of RV5 against rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children, unconditional logistic regression models were conducted to compare ORs for vaccination between rotavirus-positive cases and test-negative controls. RESULTS: A total of 390 eligible children with acute diarrhea were enrolled, including 45 (11.54%) rotavirus-positive cases and 345 (88.46%) test-negative controls. After excluding 4 cases (8.89%) and 55 controls (15.94%) who had received the Lanzhou lamb rotavirus vaccine, 41 cases (12.39%) and 290 controls (87.61%) were included for the evaluation of RV5 VE. After adjustment for potential confounders, the 3-dose RV5 vaccination showed 85% (95% CI, 50%-95%) VE against mild to moderate rotavirus gastroenteritis among children aged 14 weeks to ≤4 years and 97% (95% CI, 83%-100%) VE among children aged 14 weeks to ≤2 years with genotypes G8P8, G9P8, and G2P4 represented 78.95%, 18.42%, and 2.63% of circulation strains, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A 3-dose vaccination of RV5 is highly protective against rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Shanghai. The G8P8 genotype prevailled in Shanghai after RV5 introduction.

Epidemiological characteristics of paediatric Omicron infection during the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection during March-May in 2022 in Shanghai, China.

This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the paediatric population during the outbreak of the Omicron variant in Shanghai. We retrospectively analysed the population-based epidemiological characteristics and clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in children in Minhang District, Shanghai, based on the citywide surveillance system during the outbreak period in 2022 (March to May). During this time, a total of 63,969 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were notified in Minhang District, out of which 4,652 (7.3%) were children and adolescents <18 years. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children was 153 per 10,000. Of all paediatric cases, 50% reported to be clinically symptomatic within 1-3 days after PCR confirmation by parents or themselves, with 36.3% and 18.9% of paediatric cases reporting fever and cough. Also, 58.4% of paediatric cases had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 52.1% had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. Our findings are informative for the implementation of appropriate measures to protect children from the threat of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

High-sensitivity long-range surface plasmon resonance sensing assisted by gold nanoring cavity arrays and nanocavity coupling.

In many of the existing refractive index (RI) sensing works, only the shape and size of plasmonic structures are usually taken into account, while the parameters of spacer layers are ignored. In this publication, we explored the long-range surface plasmon resonance (LRSPR) and Fabry-Pérot resonance coupling effects of our proposed gold nanoring cavity array/spacer layer/Au mirror/glass substrate. Both the RI sensitivity and full width at half-maximum (FWHM) values were superior than those of conventional surface plasmon resonance substrates. We discussed the tunability of the RI sensitivity through changing the RI and thickness of the spacer layer. Then, under the optimized parameter conditions of the spacer layer, the geometry parameters (including size, gap and periodicity) of gold nanoring cavity arrays were tuned to optimize the best RI sensitivity. Finally, we broke the structural symmetry of a nanoring cavity to introduce Fano resonances into our system, and a high RI sensitivity and figure-of-merit (FOM) of 695 nm per RIU (refractive index unit) and 96.5, respectively, were achieved when the breaking angle θ was 30°. This study opens up many possibilities for boosting the FOM of RI sensing by taking into account the hybridization effects of localized surface plasmon resonance, LRSPR, and Fabry-Pérot and Fano resonances.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Psoriasis Severity Assessment: Real-world Study and Application.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis is one of the most frequent inflammatory skin conditions and could be treated via tele-dermatology, provided that the current lack of reliable tools for objective severity assessments is overcome. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) has a prominent level of subjectivity and is rarely used in real practice, although it is the most widely accepted metric for measuring psoriasis severity currently. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop an image-artificial intelligence (AI)-based validated system for severity assessment with the explicit intention of facilitating long-term management of patients with psoriasis. METHODS: A deep learning system was trained to estimate the PASI score by using 14,096 images from 2367 patients with psoriasis. We used 1962 patients from January 2015 to April 2021 to train the model and the other 405 patients from May 2021 to July 2021 to validate it. A multiview feature enhancement block was designed to combine vision features from different perspectives to better simulate the visual diagnostic method in clinical practice. A classification header along with a regression header was simultaneously applied to generate PASI scores, and an extra cross-teacher header after these 2 headers was designed to revise their output. The mean average error (MAE) was used as the metric to evaluate the accuracy of the predicted PASI score. By making the model minimize the MAE value, the model becomes closer to the target value. Then, the proposed model was compared with 43 experienced dermatologists. Finally, the proposed model was deployed into an app named SkinTeller on the WeChat platform. RESULTS: The proposed image-AI-based PASI-estimating model outperformed the average performance of 43 experienced dermatologists with a 33.2% performance gain in the overall PASI score. The model achieved the smallest MAE of 2.05 at 3 input images by the ablation experiment. In other words, for the task of psoriasis severity assessment, the severity score predicted by our model was close to the PASI score diagnosed by experienced dermatologists. The SkinTeller app has been used 3369 times for PASI scoring in 1497 patients from 18 hospitals, and its excellent performance was confirmed by a feedback survey of 43 dermatologist users. CONCLUSIONS: An image-AI-based psoriasis severity assessment model has been proposed to automatically calculate PASI scores in an efficient, objective, and accurate manner. The SkinTeller app may be a promising alternative for dermatologists' accurate assessment in the real world and chronic disease self-management in patients with psoriasis.

Effect of various repositioning regimens on pressure wound ulcer occurrence in at-risk adult persons without existing pressure wound ulcers: A meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis research was implemented to appraise the effect of various repositioning regimens (RRs) on pressure wound ulcer (PWU) occurrence in at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs. Inclusive literature research till April 2023 was done and 1197 interconnected researches were revised. The 15 picked researches, enclosed 8510 at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs persons were in the utilised researchers' starting point, 1002 of them were utilising repositioning, 1069 were control, 3443 were utilising 2-<4 h repositioning and 2994 were utilising 4-6 h repositioning. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were utilised to appraise the consequence of various RRs on PWU occurrence in at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs by the dichotomous approach and a fixed or random model. Repositioning had significantly lower PWU (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32-0.73, p < 0.001) compared to control in at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs persons. 2-<4 h repositioning had significantly lower PWU (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.42-0.90, p = 0.01) compared to 4-6 h repositioning in at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs persons. Repositioning had significantly lower PWU compared to control in at-risk adult persons without existing PWU persons. 2-<4 h repositioning had significantly lower PWU compared to 4-6 h repositioning in at-risk adult persons without existing PWUs persons. However, caution needs to be taken when interacting with its values since there was a low sample size of some of the chosen research found for the comparisons in the meta-analysis.

Clinical profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of invasive Salmonella infections in children in China.

Invasive Salmonella infections result in a significant burden of disease including morbidity, mortality, and financial cost in many countries. Besides typhoid fever, the clinical impact of non-typhoid Salmonella infections is increasingly recognized with the improvement of laboratory detection capacity and techniques. A retrospective multicenter study was conducted to analyze the clinical profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of invasive Salmonella infections in hospitalized children in China during 2016-2018. A total of 130 children with invasive Salmonella infections were included with the median age of 12 months (range: 1-144 months). Seventy-nine percent of cases occurred between May and October. Pneumonia was the most common comorbidity in 33 (25.4%) patients. Meningitis and septic arthritis caused by nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) infections occurred in 12 (9.2%) patients and 5 (3.8%) patients. Patients < 12 months (OR: 16.04) and with septic shock (OR: 23.4), vomit (OR: 13.33), convulsion (OR: 15.86), C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 40 g/L (OR: 5.56), and a higher level of procalcitonin (PCT) (OR: 1.05) on admission were statistically associated to an increased risk of developing meningitis. Compared to 114 patients with NTS infections, 16 patients with typhoid fever presented with higher levels of CRP and PCT (P < 0.05). The rates of resistance to ampicillin, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone among Salmonella Typhi and NTS isolates were 50% vs 57.3%, 9.1% vs 24.8%, 0% vs 11.2%, and 0% vs 9.9%, respectively. NTS has been the major cause of invasive Salmonella infections in Chinese children and can result in severe diseases. Antimicrobial resistance among NTS was more common.

FSH may mediate the association between HbA1c and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies in postmenopausal women have found associations of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels with both glucose metabolism and bone turnover. The objective of the study was to investigate whether FSH may contribute to suppressed bone turnover markers (BTMs) in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes (T2D). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 888 postmenopausal women with T2D, 352 nondiabetes (prediabetes plus normoglycemia) were included from the METAL study. HbA1c, sex hormones, 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), serum procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), and ß-C-terminal telopeptide (ß-CTX) were measured. RESULTS: P1NP and ß-CTX decreased in postmenopausal T2D women compared with nondiabetes controls (both p < 0.001). The major factors responsible for the changes in P1NP were HbA1c (ß = - 0.050, p < 0.001), 25(OH)D (ß = - 0.003, p = 0.006), FSH (ß = 0.001, p = 0.044) and metformin (ß = - 0.109, p < 0.001), for ß-CTX were HbA1c (ß = - 0.049, p < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (ß = - 0.011, p = 0.005), 25(OH)D (ß = - 0.003, p = 0.003), FSH (ß = 0.002, p = 0.022) and metformin (ß = - 0.091, p = 0.001) in postmenopausal T2D women based on multivariate regression analysis. With the increase in HbA1c, FSH decreased significantly (p for trend < 0.001). Mediation analysis demonstrated that FSH partly mediated the suppression of LnP1NP and Lnß-CTX by HbA1c (ß = - 0.009 and - 0.010, respectively), and Lnß-CTX by BMI (ß = - 0.015) when multiple confounders were considered (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HbA1c was the crucial determinant contributing to the suppression of BTMs. FSH might play a novel mediation role in BTM suppression due to HbA1c or BMI.

The Fgl2 interaction with Tyrobp promotes the proliferation of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma by regulating ERK-dependent autophagy.

Human fibroleukin 2 (Fgl2), a member of the fibrinogen superfamily, can cleave prothrombin to generate thrombin or is secreted in a soluble form as a new type of effector of Tregs with immunomodulatory functions. However, there is little research on the role of Fgl2 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) growth. We examined the expression of Fgl2 in samples from CSCC patients and CSCC cell lines. Then, the effect of Fgl2 on CSCC was evaluated in vitro and in animals. Regulation of autophagy by Fgl2 was explored in CSCC. Coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and immunofluorescence colocalization experiments were conducted to identify the regulatory effect of Fgl2 on the downstream protein Tyrobp. Then, gain- or loss-of-function analyses and evaluation of Tyrobp expression were performed to validate its role in autophagy and proliferation promoted by Fgl2. Here, our study demonstrated that Fgl2 promoted the proliferation of CSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Knocking down Fgl2 reduced CSCC cell proliferation and inhibited autophagy in CSCC. Mechanistically, Fgl2 interacted with Tyrobp and promoted ERK-dependent autophagy, resulting in the proliferation of CSCC cells. Our study suggested that Fgl2 could be a promising prognostic biomarker and useful therapeutic target for CSCC.

Neural processing of personal, relational, and collective self-worth reflected individual differences of self-esteem.

INTRODUCTION: Self-esteem stems from an individual's attributes (PSE), relationships with important others (RSE), and collective membership (CSE). Our study aimed to identify neurological indicators in the processing of personal, relational, and collective self-worth, and to investigate whether these neural indicators could reflect individual differences of self-esteem. METHODS: Fifty students underwent the evaluation of personal, relational, and collective self-worth using a self-referential paradigm while brain activities were recorded using functional-magnetic-resonance-imaging. Meanwhile, their PSE, RSE, and CSE were measured through questionnaires. RESULTS: Conjunction analysis found self-worth processing recruited the precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, and posterior insula. Multivariate pattern analysis showed compared to relational and collective self-worth, personal self-worth processing was distinguished by cortical-midline-structures and affective-related regions, including caudate and putamen, and that these neural patterns could reflect individual differences of PSE. Compared to personal self-worth, relational self-worth was distinguished by the neural activity of temporoparietal-junction, and this neural pattern reflected individual differences of RSE. Compared to relational self-worth, collective self-worth was distinguished by neural activity of the anterior insula, and this neural pattern reflected individual differences of CSE. DISCUSSION: These results suggested the neurological indicators of self-worth can be recognized as an alternative way to reflect individual differences of self-esteem.

[Analysis of a child with mental retardation due to a de novo variant of the KAT6A gene].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology for a child featuring mental retardation and speech delay. METHODS: Clinical data of the child was collected. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the child and members of his pedigree. Whole exome sequencing was carried out for the child, and candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Prenatal diagnosis was provided for his mother upon her subsequent pregnancy. RESULTS: The child has mainly featured mental retardation, speech delay, ptosis, strabismus, photophobia, hyperactivity, and irritability. Whole exome sequencing revealed that he has harbored a pathogenic heterozygous variant of the KAT6A gene, namely c.5314dupA (p.Ser1772fs*20), which was not detected in either of his parents. The child was diagnosed with Arboleda-Tham syndrome. The child was also found to harbor a hemizygous c.56T>G (p.Leu19Trp) variant of the AIFM1 gene, for which his mother was heterozygous and his phenotypically normal maternal grandfather was hemizygous. Pathogenicity was excluded. Prenatal diagnosis has excluded the c.5314dupA variant of the KAT6A gene in the fetus. CONCLUSION: The heterozygous c.5314dupA (p.Ser1772fs*20) variant of the KAT6A gene probably underlay the Arboleda-Tham syndrome in this child. Above finding has enabled genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this pedigree.

[Cloning and function analysis of chalcone isomerase gene and chalcone synthase gene in Lonicera macranthoides].

In order to explore the functions of genes of key rate-limiting enzymes chalcone isomerase(CHI) and chalcone synthase(CHS) in the biosynthesis of flavonoids in Lonicera macranthoides, this study screened and cloned the cDNA sequences of CHI and CHS genes from the transcriptome data of conventional variety and 'Xianglei' of L. macranthoides. Online bioinformatics analysis software was used to analyze the characteristics of the encoded proteins, and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) to detect the expression of CHI and CHS in different parts of the varieties at different flowering stages. The content of luteo-loside was determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and the correlation with the expression of the two genes was analyzed. The results showed that the CHI and CHS of the two varieties contained a 627 bp and 1170 bp open reading frame(ORF), respectively, and the CHI protein and CHS protein were stable, hydrophilic, and non-secretory. qRT-PCR results demonstrated that CHI and CHS of the two varieties were differentially expressed in stems and leaves at different flowering stages, particularly the key stages. Based on HPLC data, luteoloside content was in negative correlation with the relative expression of the genes. Thus, CHI and CHS might regulate the accumulation of flavonoids in L. macranthoides, and the specific functions should be further studied. This study cloned CHI and CHS in L. macranthoides and analyzed their expression for the first time, which laid a basis for investigating the molecular mechanism of the differences in flavonoids such as luteoloside in L. macranthoides and variety breeding.

Microbiological profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of pediatric bloodstream pathogens in China, 2016-2018.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the microbiological profiles and antimicrobial resistance patterns of bloodstream pathogens in Chinese children. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at 13 tertiary hospitals in China during 2016-2018. The first bloodstream isolates of the same species from one pediatric patient < 18 years were included to this study for analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was determined based on minimum inhibitory concentrations or Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion methods according to the 2018 Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines. RESULTS: Overall, 9345 nonduplicate bloodstream isolates were collected. Top 10 pathogens included Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (CoNS) (44.4%), Escherichia coli (10.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.9%), Staphylococcus aureus (5.0%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (4.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(2.8%), Enterococcus faecium (2.7%), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (2.4%), Salmonella spp. (2.3%), and Streptococcus agalactiae (2.0%). The commonest pathogens apart from CoNS in age group 0-28 days, 29 days-2 months, 3-11 months, 1-5 years, and ≥ 5 years were Escherichia coli (17.2%), Escherichia coli (14.0%), Escherichia coli (7.9%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (10.7%) ,and Staphylococcus aureus (13.6%), respectively. The overall prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamases-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 41.4, 28.4, 31.7, and 5.6%, respectively. The overall prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus was 38.1, 28.3, and 0.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The major bacterial pathogens have differences in different age groups, ward types, and regions in Chinese children, and the commonest causing microorganism was the Escherichia coli, especially in neonates and infants. High prevalence of important resistant phenotypes is of a serious concern.

An antifouling polymer for dynamic anti-protein adhesion analysis by a quartz crystal microbalance.

Nowadays, the non-specific adsorption of biomolecules is a key issue in numerous fields. Herein, an improved antifouling molecule was synthesized by grafting phenol with oligopoly (ethylene glycol), named (4-(2-(2-ethoxyethoxy) ethoxy) phenol (EEP). An ideal antifouling polymer coating (PEEP) was synthesized by the mechanism of electropolymerization of phenol. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), a sensitive mass sensor, was used to dynamically monitor both the modification and anti-protein adhesion (with bovine serum albumin as the model) process. Quantitatively, less proteins were observed to adhere to the modified electrode (277.8 ng for bare GCE and 8.88 ng for the modified GCE). Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical methods were used to study the coatings in detail. In this study, EEP was synthesized for the electrochemical preparation of an antifouling coating and characterized by QCM and electrochemical methods. The mild preparation environment (lower potential window and in phosphate buffered saline) and one-step method enable potential applications of PEEP in the field of biomaterials and biosensors.

Stimulated cycle versus artificial cycle for frozen embryo transfer in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: a Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Our aim is to conduct a meta-analysis comparing clinical outcomes between the mild ovarian stimulation cycle versus an artificial cycle (AC) for frozen embryo transfer (FET) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). METHODS: We systematically searched the databases of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from inception to January 2020. The outcomes were live birth rate (LBR), ongoing pregnancy rate (OPR), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), embryo implantation rate (IR) and miscarriage rate (MR). The mild ovarian stimulation cycle and AC were compared according to risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals using a fixed or random effects model. RESULTS: Four retrospective studies describing the clinical outcomes were included. We found no significant difference in LBR, OPR, CPR, IR or MR between the mild ovarian stimulation cycle and AC protocols, whereas a lower MR was found for the letrozole-stimulated cycle than the AC. CONCLUSIONS: The letrozole-stimulated cycle for endometrial preparation in PCOS patients undergoing FET may lower the MR more than the AC. PCOS patients using the mild ovarian stimulation cycle for endometrial preparation undergoing FET had similar LBR, OPR, CPR and IR compared with the AC. The letrozole-stimulated protocol may be a reasonable choice for endometrial preparation before FET for women with PCOS.

The Protective Effects of Maresin 1 in the OVA-Induced Asthma Mouse Model.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that cannot be cured. Maresin 1 (MaR1) is a specific lipid synthesized by macrophages that exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory effects in various inflammatory diseases. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of MaR1 on allergic asthma using an ovalbumin- (OVA-) induced asthma model. Thirty BALB/c mice were randomly allocated to control, OVA, and MaR1 + OVA groups. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours after the end of the last challenge, and serum, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue were collected for further analysis. Western blotting was used to measure the protein level of IκBα, the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, and the expression of NF-κB downstream inflammatory cytokines. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions (qRT-PCRs) were used to evaluate the expression levels of COX-2 and ICAM-1 in lung tissues. We found that high doses of MaR1 were most effective in preventing OVA-induced inflammatory cell infiltration and excessive mucus production in lung tissue, reducing the number of inflammatory cells in the BALF and inhibiting the expression of serum or BALF-associated inflammatory factors. Furthermore, high-dose MaR1 treatment markedly suppressed the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, the degradation of IκBα, and the expression of inflammatory genes downstream of NF-κB, such as COX-2 and ICAM-1, in the OVA-induced asthma mouse model. Our findings indicate that MaR1 may play a critical role in OVA-induced asthma and may be therapeutically useful for the management of asthma.