Facilitating Effects of Reductive Soil Disinfestation on Soil Health and Physiological Properties of Panax ginseng.

Chemical soil fumigation (CSF) and reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) have been proven to be effective agricultural strategies to improve soil quality, restructure microbial communities, and promote plant growth in soil degradation remediation. However, it is still unclear how RSD and CSF ensure soil and plant health by altering fungal communities. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of CSF with chloropicrin, and RSD with animal feces on soil properties, fungal communities and functional composition, and plant physiological characteristics were evaluated. Results showed that RSD and CSF treatment improved soil properties, restructured fungal community composition and structure, enhanced fungal interactions and functions, and facilitated plant growth. There was a significant increase in OM, AN, and AP contents in the soil with both CSF and RSD treatments compared to CK. Meanwhile, compared with CK and CSF, RSD treatment significantly increased biocontrol Chaetomium relative abundance while reducing pathogenic Neonectria relative abundance, indicating that RSD has strong inhibition potential. Furthermore, the microbial network of RSD treatment was more complex and interconnected, and the functions of plant pathogens, and animal pathogen were decreased. Importantly, RSD treatment significantly increased plant SOD, CAT, POD activity, SP, Ca, Zn content, and decreased MDA, ABA, Mg, K, and Fe content. In summary, RSD treatment is more effective than CSF treatment, by stimulating the proliferation of probiotic communities to further enhance soil health and plant disease resistance.

A novel approach to deriving the fine-scale daily NO2 dataset during 2005-2020 in China: Improving spatial resolution and temporal coverage to advance exposure assessment.

Surface NO2 pollution can result in serious health consequences such as cardiovascular disease, asthma, and premature mortality. Due to the extensive spatial variation in surface NO2, the spatial resolution of a NO2 dataset has a significant impact on the exposure and health impact assessment. There is currently no long-term, high-resolution, and publicly available NO2 dataset for China. To fill this gap, this study generated a NO2 dataset named RBE-DS-NO2 for China during 2005-2020 at 1 km and daily resolution. We employed the robust back-extrapolation via a data augmentation approach (RBE-DA) to ensure the predictive accuracy in back-extrapolation before 2013, and utilized an improved spatial downscaling technique (DS) to refine the spatial resolution from 10 km to 1 km. Back-extrapolation validation based on 2005-2012 observations from sites in Taiwan province yielded an R2 of 0.72 and RMSE of 10.7 µg/m3, while cross-validation across China during 2013-2020 showed an R2 of 0.73 and RMSE of 9.6 µg/m3. RBE-DS-NO2 better captured spatiotemporal variation of surface NO2 in China compared to the existing publicly available datasets. Exposure assessment using RBE-DS-NO2 show that the population living in non-attainment areas (NO2 ≥ 30 µg/m3) grew from 376 million in 2005 to 612 million in 2012, then declined to 404 million by 2020. Unlike this national trend, exposure levels in several major cities (e.g., Shanghai and Chengdu) continued to increase during 2012-2020, driven by population growth and urban migration. Furthermore, this study revealed that low-resolution dataset (i.e., the 10 km intermediate dataset before the downscaling) overestimated NO2 levels, due to the limited specificity of the low-resolution model in simulating the relationship between NO2 and the predictor variables. Such limited specificity likely biased previous long-term NO2 exposure and health impact studies employing low-resolution datasets. The RBE-DS-NO2 dataset enables robust long-term assessments of NO2 exposure and health impacts in China.

Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory.

The Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI-R) is a measurement tool for assessing an individual's willingness to engage in uncommitted sexual relations. Despite its widespread use in various contexts, no studies have validated the use of this instrument in China. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of an existing Chinese translation of the SOI-R. A total of 2,209 participants were recruited and randomly divided into two groups: exploratory factor analysis was conducted on one group and confirmatory factor analysis on the other, with 161 participants from the total sample recruited to assess the test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was measured by testing the correlations between sociosexuality and sexual desire, mate value, sexual attitudes, and personality traits. The results confirmed a three-factor structure (sociosexual behaviors, attitudes, and desire) for the SOI-R. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated good reliability (internal consistency and test-retest stability) and validity (criterion validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity) of the SOI-R, supporting its suitability as an assessment tool for sociosexual orientation in China.

Excess deaths and loss of life expectancy attributed to long-term NO2 exposure in the Chinese elderly.

BACKGROUND: Evidence linking nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution to life span of high-vulnerability older adults is extensively scarce in low- and middle-income countries. This study seeks to quantify mortality risk, excess deaths, and loss of life expectancy (LLE) associated with long-term exposure to NO2 among elderly individuals in China. METHODS: A nationwide dynamic cohort of 20352 respondents ≥65 years old were enrolled from the China Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey during 2005-2018. Residential exposures to NO2 and co-pollutants were assessed by well-validated spatiotemporal prediction models. A Cox regression model with time-dependent covariates was utilized to quantify the association of all-cause mortality with NO2 exposure, controlling for confounders such as demographics, lifestyle, health status, and ambient temperature. NO2-attributable deaths and LLE were evaluated for the years 2010 and 2020 based on the pooled NO2-mortality relation derived from multi-national cohort investigations. Decomposition analyses were conducted to dissociate net shift in NO2-related deaths between 2010 and 2020 into four primary contributing factors. RESULTS: A total of 14313 deaths were recorded during follow-up of approximately 100 hundred person-years (median 3.6 years). We observed an approximately linear relationship (nonlinear P = 0.882) of NO2 exposure with all-cause death across a broad range from 6.6 to 95.7 µg/m3. Every 10-µg/m3 rise in yearly average NO2 concentration was linked to a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.045 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.031-1.059). In the updated meta-analysis of this study and 9 existing cohorts, we estimated a pooled HR of 1.043 (95% CI: 1.023-1.063) for each 10-µg/m3 growth in NO2. Reaching a 10 -µg/m3 counterfactual target of NO2 concentration in China could avoid 0.33 (95% empirical CI: 0.19-0.49) million premature deaths and an LLE of 0.40 (95% empirical CI: 0.23-0.59) years in 2010, which greatly dropped to 0.24 (95% empirical CI: 0.14-0.36) million deaths and 0.21 (95% empirical CI: 0.12-0.31) years of LLE in 2020. The net fall in NO2-attributable deaths (-26.8%) between 2010 and 2020 was primarily driven by the declines in both NO2 concentration (-41.6%) and mortality rate (-27.1%) under population growth (+41.0%) and age structure transition (+0.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide national evidence for increased risk of premature death and loss of life expectancy attributed to later-life NO2 exposure among the elderly in China. In an accelerated aging society, strengthened clean air actions should be formulated to minimize the health burden and regional inequality in NO2-attributable mortality.

Biochemical and protein nutritional potential of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf: partial substitution improves the nutrition of conventional protein.

BACKGROUND: With the requirements of environmental, cost and economic sustainability, new sources of alternative proteins in the livestock industry are receiving increasing attention. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaves are a unique feed resource because of their high protein content and large availability. Therefore, mining sustainable protein suitable for the animal husbandry industry in sericulture resources could achieve a win-win situation. RESULTS: The protein content in mulberry leaves is 232.10-386.16 g kg-1 , and the mean value of crude fat content is 43.76 ± 8.48 g kg-1 , which has the advantages of protein content and energy. In addition, the average content of phytic acid in mulberry leaves is only 1.88 ± 0.56 g kg-1 , which means that it is not inhibited in terms of nutrient absorption. Meanwhile, the digestibility of protein was Bean pulp > Sample 8 ≈ Alfalfa ≈ Sample 13 ≈ Cottonseed meal > Fish meal, and the ß-turn and particle size of mulberry leaf protein are more conducive to digestion in vitro. Furthermore, the protein of Sample 13 had the richest essential amino acids (252.00 g kg-1 ) and the highest essential amino acid index (EAAI), which was superior to conventional feed protein. In addition, the partial substitution of mulberry leaf protein (15%) significantly increased the EAAI value of conventional feed protein. However, to balance nutrition, it is necessary to combine mulberry leaf protein with other proteins to further broaden its application field. CONCLUSION: Mulberry leaves are a new source of feed protein, which helps to alleviate the two major problems of mulberry resource surplus and feed protein resource shortage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Neuro death through autophagy via the acetylation of FoxO1 by SIRT2 in the hippocampus of mice in a autism spectrum disorder mice model.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a series of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, which can affect children's social, behavioral and communication abilities. A member of the Sirtuins family of NAD + dependent deacetylases called SIRT2 could regulate the inflammation progress during stress, but the relevant mechanism has not been clearly defined. In the present study, the ASD model of wild type and SIRT2 knock out mice was established to evaluate the impact on the homeostasis of neurons in the hippocampus using western blotting, immunofluorescence and Nissl staining. The results showed that the amplification of neuronal richness was significantly decreased and neuroinflammation increased in the hippocampus following ASD due to autophagy, caused by enhancing the acetylation of FoxO1 using SIRT2 gene deletion and indicating this should be the target for ASD or other psychological stress treatment.

Lipoic Acid-Based Poly(disulfide)s as Versatile Biomolecule Delivery Vectors and the Application in Tumor Immunotherapy.

Intracellular delivery of therapeutic biomacromolecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, attracts extensive attention in biotherapeutics for various diseases. Herein, a strategy is proposed for the construction of poly(disulfide)s for the efficient delivery of both nucleic acids and proteins into cells. A convenient photo-cross-linking polymerization was adopted between disulfide bonds in two modified lipoic acid monomers (Zn coordinated with dipicolylamine analogue (ZnDPA) and guanidine (GUA)). The disulfide-containing main chain of the resulting poly(disulfide)s was responsive to reducing circumstance, facilitating the release of cargos. By screening the feeding ratio of ZnDPA and GUA, the resulting poly(disulfide)s exhibited better performance in the delivery of nucleic acids including plasmid DNA and siRNA than commercially available transfection reagents. Cellular uptake results revealed that the polymer/cargo complexes entered the cells mainly following a thiol-mediated uptake pathway. Meanwhile, the polymer could also efficiently deliver proteins into cells without an obvious loss of protein activity, showing the versatility of the poly(disulfide)s for the delivery of various biomacromolecules. Moreover, the in vivo therapeutic effect of the materials was verified in the E.G7-OVA tumor-bearing mice. Ovalbumin-based nanovaccine induced a strong cellular immune response, especially cytotoxic T lymphocyte cellular immune response, and inhibited tumor growth. These results revealed the promise of the poly(disulfide)s in the application of both gene therapy and immunotherapy.

Artemisinin counteracts Edwardsiella tarda-induced liver inflammation and metabolic changes in juvenile fat greenling Hexagrammos otakii.

Emerging evidence suggests that artemisinin (ART) can modulate pathogen-induced immune responses and metabolic dysregulation. However, whether this modulation is associated with metabolic pathways related to oxidative stress and inflammation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on the ART-fed juvenile fat greenling Hexagrammos otakii and the associated metabolic pathways in response to ART administration using an integrated biochemical and metabolomic approach. Biochemical analysis and histological examination showed that ART significantly increased body weight gain and improved tissue structure. ART effectively attenuated reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and inflammatory responses (NFκB, TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1) in the Edwardsiella tarda-induced H. otakii model. Liver metabolomics analysis revealed that twenty-nine metabolites were up-regulated and twenty-one metabolites were down-regulated after ART administration compared to those in pathogen-induced fish. Pathway analysis indicated that ART alleviated the E. tarda-induced inflammation and oxidative stress through two major pathways, namely lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Taken together, ART showed great potential as a natural feed additive against pathogen-induced oxidative stress and inflammation.

Expression and Clinical Significance of Serum sST2, BDNF, CTnI, and BUN/Cr in Patients With Heart Failure.

Context: Of the 26-million people suffering from heart failure worldwide, 80% require hospitalization for treatment every year. Biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of heart failure may include: (1) growth-stimulating expression gene 2 protein (sST2), (2) blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr), (3) cardiac troponin I (CTnI), and (4) brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNP). At present, few studies have occurred on the expression of those biomarkers in patients with heart failure. Objective: The study intended to investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum- soluble sST2, BDNF, CTnI, and BUN/Cr in patients with heart failure. Design: The research team designed a prospective controlled study. Setting: The study took place at Renmin Hospital at the Hubei University of Medicine in Shiyan, Hubei, China. Participants: Participants were 108 patients with heart failure who had been admitted to the hospital between March 2020 and March 2021 and 115 healthy individuals who received physical examinations during the same period. Intervention: The intervention group included the 108 participants with heart failure, and the control group included the healthy individuals. The research team further divided the intervention group into stage II, III, and IV groups, with 23, 65, and 20 patients, respectively. Outcome Measures: The research team collected and compared the serum levels of sST2, BDNF, CTnI, BUN/Cr, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) between the groups. The team used the Pearson correlation analysis to analyze the correlation between each parameter and participants' cardiac function and multivariate logistic regression analysis to analyze the factors influencing heart failure. Results: No significant differences existed in age, gender, or disease course between the combined intervention groups and the control group at baseline (P > .05). The sST2, CTnI, and BUN/Cr levels of the combined intervention groups were significantly higher than those of the control group postintervention. In addition, the sST2, CTnI, and BUN/Cr levels significantly increased as the disease stage progressed (all P < .05). The levels of BDNF and LVEF in the combined intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group postintervention, with the two parameters having significantly decreased in the intervention groups as the disease stage progressed (all P < .05). The Pearson correlation analysis found that the sST2, CTnI, and BUN/Cr were positively correlated with cardiac function, with r = 0.483, P = .017; r = .521, P = .011; r = 0.321, P = .021; r = 0.271, = .032; and r = 0.632, P = .007, respectively. The BDNF and LVEF were negatively correlated with cardiac function, with r = -0.43, P < .001 and r = -0.39, P < .001, respectively. With heart failure as the dependent variable, the logistic regression analysis showed that the sST2, CTnI, BUN, Cr, and BUN/Cr were the risk factors for heart failure, and the BDNF and LVEF were the protective factors against heart failure. Conclusions: The serum sST2, CTnI, and BUN/Cr were highly expressed in patients with heart failure, while the expression of BDNF was low. Medical practitioners should pay attention to the risk factors sST2, CTnI, and BUN/Cr, and a higher BNDF indicates a better condition in patients with heart failure.

First Report of Fusarium acuminatum Causing Leaf Spot on Schisandra chinensis in China.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. is a popular and widely cultivated medicinal herb in China, which has rich nutritional value and medicinal effect. In August 2022, leaves with oval and irregularly circular light brown spots from 2 to 10 mm wide with white centers were found on Schisandra chinensis growing in Fusong district (127°28'E, 42°33'N) of Jilin, China. The symptoms were observed in 20% of the plants of a 2 ha-1 field of Schisandra chinensis. About 50% of the leaf areas were affected. As the disease developed, the lesions grew larger and developed necrotic centers. Leaves with light brown spot symptoms from five plants were collected from the field. Five leaf pieces (3 to 5 mm2) were excised from lesion margins, surface sterilized based on Ju et al. (Ju et al. 2021), and incubated on potato dextrose agar (PDA) at 25°C. Six single spores were isolated from five independently infected isolates for pure culture using the single spore isolation technique (Zhang. 2003). Representative single spore isolate (ZWWZH) was selected from pure cultures for further culture. After 5 days, fluffy white aerial mycelium with pink pigmentation on the underside of the colony were observed on PDA. Mycelia became pinkish-brown as the culture aged. Microscopic observations showed the presence of elongated or pointed, and thick-walled macroconidia (n = 50), predominantly three septate, 3.40 to 7.50 × 40.34 to 61.29 µm were observed. Chlamydospores formed in chains within or on top of the mycelium. The primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and Bt-2a/Bt-2b (Robideau et al., 2011) were used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and ß-tubulin (TUB2) region, respectively. The obtained sequences were submitted to GenBank under accession numbers for OQ629789 (ITS) and OQ803521(TUB2). BLASTn analysis of both ITS sequence and TUB2 sequence, revealed 100% and 99.92% sequence identity with F. acuminatum MT566456, MT560377 and KJ396328, respectively. The pathogen was identified as F. acuminatum based on morphological and molecular data. Pathogenicity tests were carried out in the greenhouse. Select five healthy Schisandra chinensis seedlings, each with each healthy leaf surfaces inoculated a 1 × 106 spores/mL solution, 3 wells on one side, 10 µL per well. Sterile ddH2O was used in the control experiment. The inoculated seedlings were incubated at 25°C with a relative humidity of 65 to 70% in a greenhouse. Four days after inoculation, all inoculated leaves exhibited the same symptoms as observed in the field, while the controls showed no symptoms. The experiment was repeated three more times with similar results. The re-isolated fungi from the inoculated plants had the same morphology and DNA sequences as the original isolate (ZWWZH) obtained from the field samples, completing Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. acuminatum causing leaf spot on Schisandra chinensis in China. F. acuminatum has seriously affected the quality of Schisandra chinensis production. The identification of leaf spot caused by F. acuminatum will enable farmers to identify practices to minimize disease on this important crop.

First Report of Pantoea agglomerans Causing Leaf Blight on Schisandra chinensis in China.

Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill is a perennial liana, which is widely cultivated and used in China. In August 2022, Schisandra chinensis leaves with small light brown spots were found on plants growing in Fusong (127°28'E, 42°33'N) of China. There was 15% disease incidence and 50% disease severity of Schisandra chinensis in 2-ha fields of S. chinensis. As the disease progressed, the spots become darker and form round or irregular concentric circles. Leaves with brown spot symptoms were collected from the field. Leaf pieces (5 mm × 5 mm) were excised from lesion margins, surface disinfected with 75% ethanol for 1 min, followed by 1.5% sodium hypochlorite for 3 min, and incubated on Luria Bertani (LB) solid medium at 28°C for 24 hours. Eight cultures were isolated, and representative single colony (XWWZH) was selected from the pure cultures according to colony characteristics for observation The purified colonies were round, yellow, and slimy, cells were straight rod-shaped (0.40 to 0.52 × 1.12 to 1.69 µm) were observed. The isolate was Gram negative. It was positive for methyl red reaction, lysine decarboxylase reaction, gelatin hydrolysis reactionand sucrose utilization. It was negative for indole reaction and produced H2S. The bacterium was preliminarily identified as Pantoea agglomerans based on morphological and biochemical tests (Baird et al. 2007). The 16S rDNA and a portion of rpoB of strain XWWZH were amplified and sequenced. The sequences were submitted to GenBank. (Accession OP763753 and OQ813505, respectively). Phylogenetic trees were constructed based on the 16S rDNA and rpoB gene sequences. The sequences of strain XWWZH clustered with strains P. agglomerans deposited in GenBank. The pathogenicity was verified with non-wounded S. chinensis seedlings by punching holes with sterile needles and injecting a solution of 1 × 108 CFU/ml solution. Sterile ddH2O was injected in the control experiment. The inoculated seedlings were incubated in a greenhouse at 25°C with a relative humidity of 65 to 70%. Five to eight days after inoculation, inoculated leaves, exhibited symptoms which were morphologically identical to those of the originally infected leaves whereas control plants remained asymptomatic. The pathogenicity assays were repeated twice with the same results. The re-isolated pathogen had the same morphology and DNA sequences as the original isolate obtained from the field samples, completing Koch's postulates. Strains of P. agglomerans have been reported to severely infect many plants (Ren et al.2008; Lee et al. 2010; Yang et al. 2011; Guo et al. 2019; Gao et al, 2022), but to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a strain of P. agglomerans causing leaf blight on Schisandra chinensis in China. The identification of leaf blight caused by P. agglomerans will enable farmers to prevent and manage it ahead of time to reduce losses.

Drug Target Identification and Drug Repurposing in Psoriasis through Systems Biology Approach, DNN-Based DTI Model and Genome-Wide Microarray Data.

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In 2014, psoriasis was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a serious non-communicable disease. In this study, a systems biology approach was used to investigate the underlying pathogenic mechanism of psoriasis and identify the potential drug targets for therapeutic treatment. The study involved the construction of a candidate genome-wide genetic and epigenetic network (GWGEN) through big data mining, followed by the identification of real GWGENs of psoriatic and non-psoriatic using system identification and system order detection methods. Core GWGENs were extracted from real GWGENs using the Principal Network Projection (PNP) method, and the corresponding core signaling pathways were annotated using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Comparing core signaling pathways of psoriasis and non-psoriasis and their downstream cellular dysfunctions, STAT3, CEBPB, NF-κB, and FOXO1 are identified as significant biomarkers of pathogenic mechanism and considered as drug targets for the therapeutic treatment of psoriasis. Then, a deep neural network (DNN)-based drug-target interaction (DTI) model was trained by the DTI dataset to predict candidate molecular drugs. By considering adequate regulatory ability, toxicity, and sensitivity as drug design specifications, Naringin, Butein, and Betulinic acid were selected from the candidate molecular drugs and combined into potential multi-molecule drugs for the treatment of psoriasis.

The Transcription Factor CsgD Contributes to Engineered Escherichia coli Resistance by Regulating Biofilm Formation and Stress Responses.

The high cell density, immobilization and stability of biofilms are ideal characteristics for bacteria in resisting antibiotic therapy. CsgD is a transcription activating factor that regulates the synthesis of curly fimbriae and cellulose in Escherichia coli, thereby enhancing bacterial adhesion and promoting biofilm formation. To investigate the role of CsgD in biofilm formation and stress resistance in bacteria, the csgD deletion mutant ΔcsgD was successfully constructed from the engineered strain E. coli BL21(DE3) using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system. The results demonstrated that the biofilm of ΔcsgD decreased by 70.07% (p < 0.05). Additionally, the mobility and adhesion of ΔcsgD were inhibited due to the decrease in curly fimbriae and extracellular polymeric substances. Furthermore, ΔcsgD exhibited a significantly decreased resistance to acid, alkali and osmotic stress conditions (p < 0.05). RNA-Seq results revealed 491 differentially expressed genes between the parent strain and ΔcsgD, with enrichment primarily observed in metabolism-related processes as well as cell membrane structure and catalytic activity categories. Moreover, CsgD influenced the expression of biofilm and stress response genes pgaA, motB, fimA, fimC, iraP, ompA, osmC, sufE and elaB, indicating that the CsgD participated in the resistance of E. coli by regulating the expression of biofilm and stress response. In brief, the transcription factor CsgD plays a key role in the stress resistance of E. coli, and is a potential target for treating and controlling biofilm.

Intra-articular fragment mapping in associated both-column acetabular fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Associated both-column acetabular fractures (ABC-AF) are complex. A detailed description of the morphology of the articular surface of the acetabulum is not reported. This study was designed to describe the morphology of the intra-articular fragments using a fracture mapping technique to provide reference in more appropriate approach selection in surgical treatment of the fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-dimensional reconstruction CT images from 100 cases of ABC-AFs were retrospectively analyzed using Mimics and 3-matic software. The fractured as well as the reduced three-dimensional models were investigated, and the intra-articular fragments were identified. The distribution of the fracture lines of each main fragment and the overlapping lines of all the fragments were verified on the images. RESULTS: The articular surface of ABC-AFS consist of three types of fragments: column fragment (CF), wall fragment (WF) and isolated fragment (IF), with the total number varying from 2 to 6. CF characterized by long fracture lines exited to periphery of innominate bone while the lines of WF were confined to the walls. IF was a free fragment found in the dome and in the quadrilateral plate. The surface was composed only by CFs in 17 cases (17%), by CFs and WFs in 59 cases (59%) and by all fragments in 24 cases (24%). The distribution of the overall fracture lines was a "dumbbell shaped" pattern, starting from the infero-anterior aspect, passing through the junction of the fossa to the anterior lunate surface and extending into the posterior region of the acetabulum. CONCLUSIONS: The articular fragments of ABC-AFs were composed of CFs, WFs and IFs. The junction of the fossa to the anterior lunate surface and the posterior region of the rim were mostly involved. The location of the articular fragments and their connections to the periphery of the innominate may be considered in selection of approaches.

Evaluating the microbial aerosol generated by dental instruments: addressing new challenges for oral healthcare in the hospital infection.

BACKGROUND: Using a rotary instrument or ultrasonic instrument for tooth preparation is a basic operation in the dental clinic that can produce a significant number of droplets and aerosols. The dental droplet and aerosol can lead to the transfer of harmful germs. The goal of this study was to analyze the properties of microbiological aerosol created by droplets and aerosol generated by three common tooth-preparation instruments. METHODS: Streptococcus mutans UA159 was used as the biological tracer to visualize the droplets and aerosols. The passive sampling method was used to map the three-dimensional spatial distribution and the six-stage Andersen microbial sampler (AMS) was used as the active sampling method to catch aerosol particles at a specific time. RESULTS: The aerosol concentration is related to instruments, three-dimensional spatial distribution, and dissipation time. Most aerosols were generated by air turbines. More microorganisms are concentrated at the 1.5 m plane. The majority of the post dental procedure contamination was detected within the 0-10-min period and it decreased rapidly within 30 min. CONCLUSION: This study is conducive to the proposal and improvement of relevant infection control measures in dental procedures and provides a basis for the assessment of measures, reducing the risk of nosocomial infection.

Zhizhu decoction alleviates slow transit constipation by regulating aryl hydrocarbon receptor through gut microbiota.

CONTEXT: Slow transit constipation (STC), the most common type of constipation, seriously affects the life of patients. Zhizhu decoction (ZZD), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, has is effective against functional constipation, but the mechanism is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This research explores the mechanism of ZZD on STC from the perspective of metabolomics and gut microbiota. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 9): control (control); STC (model); positive control (positive); low-dose (5 g/kg; L-ZZD), medium-dose (10 g/kg; M-ZZD), and high-dose (20 g/kg; H-ZZD) ZZD treatment. Following treatment of mice with ZZD for two weeks, the changes in intestinal motility, colon histology, intestinal neurotransmitters, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) pathway determined the effects of ZZD on the pathophysiology of STC. LC-MS targeting serum metabolomics was used to analyze the regulation of ZZD on neurotransmitters, and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was used to detect the regulation of the gut microbiome. RESULTS: ZZD had the highest content of naringin (6348.1 mg/L), and could significantly increase the 24 h defecations (1.10- to 1.42-fold), fecal moisture (1.14-fold) and intestinal transport rate (1.28-fold) of STC mice, increased the thickness of the mucosal and muscular tissue (1.18- to 2.16-fold) and regulated the neurotransmitters in the colon of STC mice. Moreover, ZZD significantly activated the AHR signaling pathway, and also affected the composition of gut microbiota in STC mice. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effect and the possible mechanism of ZZD on STC could provide a theoretical basis for the broader clinical application of ZZD.

[Effect of Short-Term Exposure to Air Pollutants on Hospital Admissions for End-Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis]. / çŸ­æœŸç©ºæ°”æ±¡æŸ“ç‰©æš´éœ²å¯¹ç»ˆæœ«æœŸè‚¾è„ç— è¡€æ¶²é€æžæ‚£è€ å ¥é™¢æ¬¡æ•°çš„å½±å“.

Objective: To evaluate the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients on maintenance hemodialysis and the number of daily hospital admissions. Methods: The data on hospitalizations were obtained from the database of the municipal Urban Employees' Basic Medical Insurance and Urban Residents' Basic Medical Insurance of a city in Southwest China. Single and multiple pollutant generalized additive models were utilized to estimate the effect of air pollutants (CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2) on patient admissions after the lag time of different numbers of days. In addition, subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, PM2.5 and PM10 concentration thresholds, seasonality, and comorbidity status for cardiovascular diseases and hypertension were conducted. Results: In the single pollutant models, the pollutants significantly associated with patient admissions and the corresponding lag time of the strongest association were as follows, every time CO increased by 0.1 mg/m3, there was a 2.39% increase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.96%-3.83%) in patient admissions after 7 days of lag time; every time NO2, O3, PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 increased by 10 µg/m3, patient admissions increased by 4.02% (95% CI: 1.21%-6.91%) after 7 days of lag time, 3.57% (95% CI: 0.78%-6.44%) after 0-4 days of lag time, 2.00% (95% CI: 1.07%-2.93%) after 6 days of lag time, 1.19% (95% CI: 0.51%-1.88%) after 7 days of lag time, and 8.37% (95% CI: 3.08%-13.93%) after 7 days of lag time, respectively. In the multiple pollutant model, every time O3 and PM2.5 increased by 10 µg/m3, there was an increase of 3.18% (95% CI: 0.34%-6.09%) in daily patient admissions after 0-4 days of lag time and an increase of 1.85% (95% CI: 0.44%-3.28%) after 7 days of lag time. Furthermore, subgroup analyses showed that seasonality, the severity of air pollution, and patients' comorbidities might be the effect modifiers for the association between ambient air pollution and hospital admissions in ESRD patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. Conclusion: Air pollution is closely associated with hospital admissions in ESRD patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and the strength of this association varies according to seasonality, the severity of air pollution, and patients' status of comorbidities.

High Dielectric Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-Based Polymer Enables Uniform Lithium-Ion Transport in Solid-State Ionogel Electrolytes.

Ionic liquids (ILs)-incorporated solid-state polymer electrolytes (iono-SPEs) have high ionic conductivities but show non-uniform Li+ transport in different phases. This work greatly promotes Li+ transport in polymer phases by employing a poly (vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE), PTC] as the framework of ILs to prepare iono-SPEs. Unlike PVDF, PTC with suitable polarity shows weaker adsorption energy on IL cations, reducing their possibility of occupying Li+ -hopping sites. The significantly higher dielectric constant of PTC than PVDF facilitates the dissociation of Li-anions clusters. These two factors motivate Li+ transport along PTC chains, narrowing the difference in Li+ transport among varied phases. The LiFePO4 /PTC iono-SPE/Li cells cycle steadily with capacity retention of 91.5 % after 1000 cycles at 1 C and 25 °C. This work paves a new way to induce uniform Li+ flux in iono-SPEs through polarity and dielectric design of polymer matrix.

Multi-planar fixation of displaced, multi-fragmentary patella fractures in elderly patients with anterior locking plates and cerclage wires: preliminary results.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of displaced, multi-fragmentary patella fractures in elderly patients treated with anterior plating and cerclage wires. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 2018 and 2020, patients aged at least 60 years old undergoing anterior plating and circumferential wiring for displaced, multi-fragmentary patella fractures with a minimum of 12 months follow-up were included. Fragments were reduced and circumferentially stabilized by loop wires, followed by multi-planar fixation with an anterior locking plate and multi-directional screws. Postoperative outcomes were evaluated with the Böstman scores and range of motion. Patients were also asked about symptomatic hardware as well as satisfaction with postoperative outcomes. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with an average age of 71.8 ± 9.3 years old were followed up for an average follow-up was 25.1 ± 8.2 months. At the latest follow-up, the average Böstman scores were 27.2 ± 3.4, and active knee flexion was 123 ± 14°. Two patients complained pinpoint implant irritation and underwent implant removal. Another underwent implant removal due to cultural reasons. Fifteen patients were satisfied with the operative outcomes, and one was unsatisfied due to intermittent patellofemoral pain. Cerclage wire breakage was noted in nine patients on postoperative radiographs, but none elicited pinpoint pain. No wound complications, infections, nonunion or loss of reduction were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior locking plates and cerclage wires in tandem provide reliable multi-planar fixation for displaced, multi-fragmentary patellar fractures in elderly patients and resulted in favorable clinical outcomes.

Photosystem Biogenesis Is Localized to the Translation Zone in the Chloroplast of Chlamydomonas.

Intracellular processes can be localized for efficiency or regulation. For example, localized mRNA translation by chloroplastic ribosomes occurs in the biogenesis of PSII, one of the two photosystems of the photosynthetic electron transport chain in the chloroplasts of plants and algae. The biogenesis of PSI and PSII requires the synthesis and assembly of their constituent polypeptide subunits, pigments, and cofactors. Although these biosynthetic pathways are well characterized, less is known about when and where they occur in developing chloroplasts. Here, we used fluorescence microscopy in the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to reveal spatiotemporal organization in photosystem biogenesis. We focused on translation by chloroplastic ribosomes and chlorophyll biosynthesis in two developmental contexts of active photosystem biogenesis: (1) growth of the mature chloroplast and (2) greening of a nonphotosynthetic chloroplast. The results reveal that a translation zone is the primary location of the biogenesis of PSI and PSII. This discretely localized region within the chloroplast contrasts with the distributions of photosystems throughout this organelle and, therefore, is likely a hub where anabolic pathways converge for photosystem biogenesis.plantcell;31/12/3057/FX1F1fx1.