Association of vaccination, international travel, public health and social measures with lineage dynamics of SARS-CoV-2.

Continually emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern that can evade immune defenses are driving recurrent epidemic waves of COVID-19 globally. However, the impact of measures to contain the virus and their effect on lineage diversity dynamics are poorly understood. Here, we jointly analyzed international travel, public health and social measures (PHSM), COVID-19 vaccine rollout, SARS-CoV-2 lineage diversity, and the case growth rate (GR) from March 2020 to September 2022 across 63 countries. We showed that despite worldwide vaccine rollout, PHSM are effective in mitigating epidemic waves and lineage diversity. An increase of 10,000 monthly travelers in a single country-to-country route between endemic countries corresponds to a 5.5% (95% CI: 2.9 to 8.2%) rise in local lineage diversity. After accounting for PHSM, natural immunity from previous infections, and waning immunity, we discovered a negative association between the GR of cases and adjusted vaccine coverage (AVC). We also observed a complex relationship between lineage diversity and vaccine rollout. Specifically, we found a significant negative association between lineage diversity and AVC at both low and high levels but not significant at the medium level. Our study deepens the understanding of population immunity and lineage dynamics for future pandemic preparedness and responsiveness.

Bidirectional Movement of Emerging H5N8 Avian Influenza Viruses Between Europe and Asia via Migratory Birds Since Early 2020.

Migratory birds play a critical role in the rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 virus clade 2.3.4.4 across Eurasia. Elucidating the timing and pattern of virus transmission is essential therefore for understanding the spatial dissemination of these viruses. In this study, we surveyed >27,000 wild birds in China, tracked the year-round migration patterns of 20 bird species across China since 2006, and generated new HPAI H5N8 virus genomic data. Using this new data set, we investigated the seasonal transmission dynamics of HPAI H5N8 viruses across Eurasia. We found that introductions of HPAI H5N8 viruses to different Eurasian regions were associated with the seasonal migration of wild birds. Moreover, we report a backflow of HPAI H5N8 virus lineages from Europe to Asia, suggesting that Europe acts as both a source and a sink in the global HPAI virus transmission network.

Absolute Configuration of Oxabornyl Polyenes Prugosenes A1-A3 and Structural Revision of Prugosene A2.

Oxabornyl polyenes represent a unique group of polyketides characterized by a central polyene core flanked by a conserved oxabornyl moiety and a structurally diverse oxygen heterocyclic ring. They are widely distributed in fungi and possess a variety of biological activities. Due to the significant spatial separation between the two stereogenic ring systems, it is difficult to establish their overall relative configurations. Here, we isolated three oxabornyl polyenes, prugosenes A1-A3 (1-3), from Talaromyces sp. JNU18266-01. Although these compounds were first reported from Penicillium rugulosum, their overall relative and absolute configurations remained unassigned. By employing ozonolysis in combination with ECD calculations, we were able to establish their absolute configurations, and additionally obtained seven new chemical derivatives (4-10). Notably, through NMR data analysis and quantum chemical calculations, we achieved the structural revision of prugosene A2. Furthermore, prugosenes A1-A3 exhibited potent antiviral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus, with compound 1 displaying an IC50 value of 6.3 µM. Our study thus provides a valuable reference for absolute configuration assignment of oxabornyl polyene compounds.

Enhancing sleep health in urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents: Implications for culturally tailored interventions.

BACKGROUND: Urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents are vulnerable to sleep and other health-related disparities due to numerous social drivers, including historical trauma and relocation to urban areas. This study aims to identify strategies to increase protective factors and culturally tailor sleep health interventions for this population. METHODS: Using community-based participatory research, the NAYSHAW study conducted in-depth interviews with urban AI/AN adolescents aged 12-19 years to understand critical components needed for developing a culturally sensitive sleep health intervention. Data from two qualitative subsamples (N = 46) and parent surveys (N = 110) were analyzed, focusing on factors that affect sleep health behaviors, including parental involvement, technology, and traditional practices. RESULTS: Key findings include the detrimental impact of electronics use at night and protective effects of traditional practices on sleep. Parental involvement in sleep routines varied by adolescent's age. Adolescents desired sleep health education in interactive formats, whereas parents preferred workshops and digital applications for sleep health strategies. Findings suggest that interventions need to address electronics use and should also be culturally tailored to address the unique experiences of urban AI/AN adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Results underscore the importance of utilizing community-based strategies to develop culturally tailored sleep interventions for underserved populations, specifically urban AI/AN adolescents. Integrating traditional practices with evidence-based sleep health strategies can provide a holistic approach to improving sleep and overall well-being. Parental education and involvement will be critical to the success of such interventions.

The Effect of Nitrogen Functional Groups on Pb0, PbO, and PbCl2 Adsorption over a Carbonaceous Surface.

Lead (Pb) pollution, especially from the incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW), poses a significant threat to the environment. Among all the effective methods, activated carbon (AC) injection serves as an effective approach for lead removal from flue gas, while the modification of ACs emerges as a crucial pathway for enhancing Pb adsorption capacities. Density functional theory (DFT) is employed in this study to investigate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced adsorption of Pb species (Pb0, PbO, and PbCl2) on nitrogen-functionalized carbonaceous surfaces. The results show that nitrogen-containing groups substantially enhance lead adsorption capacity, with adsorption energies ranging from -526.18 to -288.31 kJ/mol on nitrogen-decorated carbonaceous surfaces, much higher than those on unmodified surfaces (-310.35 to -260.96 kJ/mol). Additionally, electrostatic potential and density-of-states analyses evidence that pyridinic nitrogen atoms remarkably expand charge distribution and strengthen orbital hybridization, thereby augmenting lead capture. This research elucidates the role of nitrogen-containing functional groups in lead adsorption, offering valuable insights for the development of highly efficient biomass-derived activated carbon sorbents for lead removal.

A new bunting species in South China revealed by an integrative taxonomic investigation of the Emberiza godlewskii complex (Aves, Emberidae).

Species boundaries of birds across the Euro-Asian continent, especially the widely distributed passerines with multiple subspecies, are not completely resolved. The Rock Bunting complex, Emberiza cia and E. godlewskii, is subject to ongoing debate due to geographic variation in its morphology, and deep genetic splits. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of the E. cia/godlewskii complex were evaluated based on multilocus coalescence methods combined with analyses of plumage color and morphological variation. Although the northern and southern populations of E. godlewski formed reciprocally monophyletic groups, the northern E. godlewskii clade is the sister group to E. cia, rendering E. godlewskii as currently defined paraphyletic. The significant differences in morphometry and plumage color reflectance are complementary and support the phenotypic validity of northern and southern E. godlewskii. Thus, we recommend the following taxonomic revisions: the northern and southern E. godlewskii subspecies should be recognized as different full species, such as E. godlewskii and E. yunnanensis, respectively. This resolves the issue that E. godlewskii, as currently defined, is paraphyletic. Our research provides direct evidence of cryptic species in old world buntings and highlights the underestimation of species diversity in birds in East Asia.

Adaptation and validation of the Chinese version of the Sleep Quality Questionnaire.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Sleep quality is essential to health. The current study aimed to adapt and validate the Sleep Quality Questionnaire (SQQ) into Chinese language. METHODS: The Chinese version of the SQQ (SQQ-C) was created following the guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Compliant with the COSMIN methodology, baseline data (N = 13,325) examined three validity domains and internal consistency, including content validity using the content validity index (CVI) and the cognitive debriefing and focus group (relevance, comprehensiveness and comprehensibility), construct validity using structural validity and cross­sectional measurement invariance, and criterion validity using concurrent/convergent validity. Follow-up data (N = 3410) gathered within a mean of 168 (167-207) h interval were used to additionally assess longitudinal measurement invariance and test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Scale-level CVI/Average was equal to 0.922; Item-level CVIs ranged from 0.889 to 1.000 (excellent), except for item 2 (0.556-fair). A panel of local experts and local participants during cognitive debriefing and focus group stated that it had sufficient relevance and comprehensibility but a slight deficiency in comprehensiveness. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a stable two-factor structure encompassing Daytime Sleepiness Subscale and Sleep Difficulty Subscale from baseline to follow-up data. The SQQ-C-9 (without item 2) outperformed the SQQ-C-10 (full form). The SQQ-C-9 provided evidence of measurement invariance (strict) across subgroups (cohorts, gender, and age) and across time. The SQQ-C was negatively correlated with the Chinese Nonrestorative Sleep Scale and the Chinese Sleep Condition Indicator. Cronbach's alpha (α), McDonald's Omega (ω), and ICC, respectively, ranged from 0.712 to 0.838, 0.723 to 0.840, and 0.738 to 0.764 for total scale and each subscale. CONCLUSION: The SQQ-C exhibits adequate psychometric properties and a stable two-factor structure, and should enable valuable assessments of sleep quality in clinical and research settings.

Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention for Adolescents Plus Text Messaging: Randomized Controlled Trial 12-month Follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: The Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention for Youth (TranS-C) was developed to improve sleep and circadian functioning in adolescents. This study examined the 12-month effects for TranS-C compared with psychoeducation (PE). We also investigated whether a text messaging intervention can promote maintenance of treatment effects. METHOD: At the baseline, adolescents (58% female, average age = 14.8 years) with an eveningness chronotype were randomized to TranS-C (n = 89) or PE (n = 87). At 6-month follow-up, participants were randomized to receive text messages that had repeated treatment information (n = 47), text messages that prompted the recall of treatment information (n = 50), or no text messages (n = 47). RESULTS: Relative to PE, TranS-C was associated with a reduced eveningness (b = 2.06, p = .005, d = 0.29) from the baseline to a 12-month follow-up. TranS-C treatment effects, relative to PE, were augmented by receiving text messages, compared to no text messages, for eveningness from baseline to 12-month follow-up (b = 1.38, p = .008, d = 0.28) and from 6- to 12-month follow-up (b = 1.07, p = .046, d = 0.21). Neither TranS-C nor text messages were significantly associated with other primary outcomes. TranS-C and text messages were significantly associated with improvements on selected secondary sleep and health outcomes through follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: For adolescents with an eveningness chronotype, improved sleep and circadian functioning on selected outcomes were maintained over 12 months for TranS-C compared with PE. Text messages boosted the effects of TranS-C through 12-month follow-up.

Sesquiterpenoids from the Resina Commiphora Promoting the Apoptotic Activity of PC-3 Prostate Cancer Cells.

Four new germacrane-type sesquiterpenes commiphoranes M1-M4 (1-4) together with eighteen sesquiterpenes were isolated from the Resina Commiphora. The structures and relative configurations of new substances were determined by using spectroscopic methods. Biological activity investigation revealed that nine compounds including 7, 9, 14, 16, (+)-17, (-)-17, 18, 19, and 20 could induce the apoptosis of prostate cancer originated PC-3 cells, through classic apoptosis signaling pathway, even using flow cytometry showed that the compound (+)-17 caused apoptosis of PC-3 cells more than 40 %, suggesting their potential therapeutic application in the development of novel drugs against prostate cancer.

The Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins in Soybean: Identification, Expression Analysis, and the Roles of GmLEA4_19 in Drought Stress.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins play important roles in regulating plant growth and responses to various abiotic stresses. In this research, a genome-wide survey was conducted to recognize the LEA genes in Glycine max. A total of 74 GmLEA was identified and classified into nine subfamilies based on their conserved domains and the phylogenetic analysis. Subcellular localization, the duplication of genes, gene structure, the conserved motif, and the prediction of cis-regulatory elements and tissue expression pattern were then conducted to characterize GmLEAs. The expression profile analysis indicated that the expression of several GmLEAs was a response to drought and salt stress. The co-expression-based gene network analysis suggested that soybean LEA proteins may exert regulatory effects through the metabolic pathways. We further explored GnLEA4_19 function in Arabidopsis and the results suggests that overexpressed GmLEA4_19 in Arabidopsis increased plant height under mild or serious drought stress. Moreover, the overexpressed GmLEA4_19 soybean also showed a drought tolerance phenotype. These results indicated that GmLEA4_19 plays an important role in the tolerance to drought and will contribute to the development of the soybean transgenic with enhanced drought tolerance and better yield. Taken together, this study provided insight for better understanding the biological roles of LEA genes in soybean.

Highly efficient phosphorous removal in constructed wetland with iron scrap: Insights into the microbial removal mechanism.

Excessive phosphorus (P) in surface water can lead to serious eutrophication and economic losses. Iron-based constructed wetland (CW) is considered as a promising solution to eliminate P effectively due to the advantage of low-cost. However, there is limited available information on the microbial removal mechanism of P in iron-based CW up to now. Therefore, CW with iron scrap was constructed to investigate the treatment performance and microbial removal mechanism in this study. Results showed that efficient and stable P removal (97.09 ± 1.90%) was achieved in iron scrap-based CW during the experiment period, which was attributed to the precipitation of iron and P and improved microbially mediated P removal. Metagenomic analysis showed that microbial diversity was enhanced and phosphate accumulating organisms (e.g., Dechloromonas and Tetrasphaera) were enriched in CW with iron scrap, which explained higher P removal reasonably. In addition, the abundance of genes involved in the P starvation (e.g., phoB), uptake and transport (e.g., pstB) were enhanced in iron scrap-based CW. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that phosphotransferase pathway was also significantly up-regulated in CW with iron scraps, indicating that the energy supply of microbial P removal was enhanced. These findings provide a better understanding of the microbial removal mechanism of P in iron-based CW.

In-Depth Study on the Effects of Impurity Ions in Saline Wastewater Electrolysis.

Concentration followed by electrolysis is one of the most promising ways for saline wastewater treatment, since it could produce H2, Cl2, and an alkaline solution with deacidification potential. However, due to the diversity and difference of wastewater, knowledge on the suitable salt concentration for wastewater electrolysis and the effects of mixed ions are still lacking. In this work, electrolysis experiments of mixed saline water were conducted. The salt concentration for stable dechlorination was explored, with in-depth discussions on the effects of typical ions such as K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42-. Results showed that K+ had a positive effect on the H2/Cl2 production of saline wastewater through accelerating the mass transfer efficiency in the electrolyte. However, the existence of Ca2+ and Mg2+ had negative effects on the electrolysis performance by forming precipitates, which would adhere to the membrane, reduce the membrane permeability, occupy the active sites on the cathode surface, and also increase the transport resistance of the electrons in the electrolyte. Compared to Mg2+, the damaging effect of Ca2+ on the membrane was even worse. Additionally, the existence of SO42- reduced the current density of the salt solution by affecting the anodic reaction while having less of an effect on the membrane. Overall, Ca2+ ≤ 0.01 mol/L, Mg2+ ≤ 0.1 mol/L and SO42- ≤ 0.01 mol/L were allowable to ensure the continuous and stable dechlorination electrolysis of saline wastewater.

Density Functional Study on Adsorption of NH3 and NOx on the γ-Fe2O3 (111) Surface.

γ-Fe2O3 is considered to be a promising catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxide (NOx). In this study, first-principle calculations based on the density function theory (DFT) were utilized to explore the adsorption mechanism of NH3, NO, and other molecules on γ-Fe2O3, which is identified as a crucial step in the SCR process to eliminate NOx from coal-fired flue gas. The adsorption characteristics of reactants (NH3 and NOx) and products (N2 and H2O) at different active sites of the γ-Fe2O3 (111) surface were investigated. The results show that the NH3 was preferably adsorbed on the octahedral Fe site, with the N atom bonding to the octahedral Fe site. Both octahedral and tetrahedral Fe atoms were likely involved in bonding with the N and O atoms during the NO adsorption. The NO tended to be adsorbed on the tetrahedral Fe site though the combination of the N atom and the Fe site. Meanwhile, the simultaneous bonding of N and O atoms with surface sites made the adsorption more stable than that of single atom bonding. The γ-Fe2O3 (111) surface exhibited a low adsorption energy for N2 and H2O, suggesting that they could be adsorbed onto the surface but were readily desorbed, thus facilitating the SCR reaction. This work is conducive to reveal the reaction mechanism of SCR on γ-Fe2O3 and contributes to the development of low-temperature iron-based SCR catalysts.

A Review of the Regulatory Mechanisms of N-Myc on Cell Cycle.

Neuroblastoma has obvious heterogeneity. It is one of the few undifferentiated malignant tumors that can spontaneously degenerate into completely benign tumors. However, for its high-risk type, even with various intensive treatment options, the prognosis is still unsatisfactory. At the same time, a large number of research data show that the abnormal amplification and high-level expression of the MYCN gene are positively correlated with the malignant progression, poor prognosis, and mortality of neuroblastoma. In this context, this article explores the role of the N-Myc, MYCN gene expression product on its target genes related to the cell cycle and reveals its regulatory network in promoting tumor proliferation and malignant progression. We hope it can provide ideas and direction for the research and development of drugs targeting N-Myc and its downstream target genes.

Radioactive versus normal stent insertion for malignant hilar obstruction: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: This meta-analysis was designed for examining the relative clinical safety and efficacy of normal stent (NS) and radioactive stent (RS) insertion in malignant hilar obstruction (MHO) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Relevant studies published as of March 2022 were identified through searches of the Medline, Embase, Wanfang, and CNKI databases, and the pooled results of these studies were then analyzed. RESULTS: Eight studies including 258 and 247 patients that underwent NS and RS insertion, respectively, were incorporated into this meta-analysis. RS insertion was found to be associated with significant improvements in functional successful rate (p = 0.04), Δaspertate aminotransferase (AST, p = 0.0004), Δalanine aminotransferase (ALT, p = 0.002), stent patency (p < 0.00001), stent re-obstruction rate (p = 0.03), and OS (p < 0.00001) outcomes as compared to those associated with NS insertion. No differences in Δtotal bilirubin (TBIL, p = 0.38), cholangeitis rate (p = 0.45), cholecystitis rate (p = 0.84), or hemorrhage rate (p = 0.87) were observed when comparing patients that underwent RS and NS insertion. Substantial publication bias was observed for endpoints of cholecystitis and hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that relative to NS insertion, RS insertion can effectively prolong stent patency and OS in MHO cases.

A critical review on lead migration, transformation and emission control in Chinese coal-fired power plants.

Coal is widely utilized as an important energy source, but coal-fired power plant was considered to be an important anthropogenic lead emission source. In the present study, the distribution characteristics of lead in coal and combustion by-products are reviewed. Specifically, lead is mainly transferred to ash particles and the formation and migration mechanisms of particulate lead are summarized. Also, targeted measures are proposed to control the formation of fine particulate lead as well as to increase the removal efficiency during the low-temperature flue gas clean process. In detail, interactions between gaseous lead and some coal-bearing minerals or added adsorbents could obviously suppress the formation of fine particulate lead. On the other hand, some efforts (including promoting capture of fine particles, reducing resistivity of particles and strengthening the gas-liquid contact) could be made to improve the fine particulate lead removal capacity. Notably, the formation mechanism of fine particulate lead is still unclear due to the limitations of research methods. Some differences in the removal principles of fine particles and particulate lead make the lead emission precisely control a great challenge. Finally, the environmental potential risk of lead emission from flue gas and ash residues is addressed and further discussed.

[Wernekink Commissure Syndrome With Hallucinations and Involuntary Groping:Report of One Case].

Wernekink commissure syndrome is a rare midbrain syndrome with bilateral cerebellar dysfunction,eye movement disorder,and palatal myoclonus.Few cases of this syndrome have been reported in China,let alone those combined with hallucinations and involuntary groping.This paper reports the diagnosis and treatment of a case of Wernekink commissure syndrome with hallucinations and involuntary groping,aiming to enrich the knowledge about this disease for clinicians.

Vulture Genomes Reveal Molecular Adaptations Underlying Obligate Scavenging and Low Levels of Genetic Diversity.

Obligate scavenging on the dead and decaying animal matter is a rare dietary specialization that in extant vertebrates is restricted to vultures. These birds perform essential ecological services, yet many vulture species have undergone recent steep population declines and are now endangered. To test for molecular adaptations underlying obligate scavenging in vultures, and to assess whether genomic features might have contributed to their population declines, we generated high-quality genomes of the Himalayan and bearded vultures, representing both independent origins of scavenging within the Accipitridae, alongside a sister taxon, the upland buzzard. By comparing our data to published sequences from other birds, we show that the evolution of obligate scavenging in vultures has been accompanied by widespread positive selection acting on genes underlying gastric acid production, and immunity. Moreover, we find evidence of parallel molecular evolution, with amino acid replacements shared among divergent lineages of these scavengers. Our genome-wide screens also reveal that both the Himalayan and bearded vultures exhibit low levels of genetic diversity, equating to around a half of the mean genetic diversity of other bird genomes examined. However, demographic reconstructions indicate that population declines began at around the Last Glacial Maximum, predating the well-documented dramatic declines of the past three decades. Taken together, our genomic analyses imply that vultures harbor unique adaptations for processing carrion, but that modern populations are genetically depauperate and thus especially vulnerable to further genetic erosion through anthropogenic activities.

Label-Free Resonance Rayleigh Scattering Amplification for Lipopolysaccharide Detection and Logical Circuit by CRISPR/Cas12a-Driven Guanine Nanowire Assisted Non-Cross-Linking Hybridization Chain Reaction.

Although the CRISPR/Cas system has pioneered a new generation of analytical techniques, there remain many challenges in developing a label-free, accurate, and reliable CRISPR/Cas-based assay for reporting the levels of low abundance biomolecules in complex biological samples. Here, we reported a novel CRISPR-derived resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) amplification strategy and logical circuit based on a guanine nanowire (G-wire) assisted non-cross-linking hybridization chain reaction (GWancHCR) for label-free detection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In the presence of a target, the protospacer-adjacent motif-inserted aptamer is rationally designed to specifically combine with LPS rather than Cas12a, suppressing the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a and retaining the reporter probes to trigger non-cross-linking aggregation. Owing to the automatic hybridization chain reaction (HCR), in the presence of Mg2+, the released G-quadruplex sequence aggregated to assemble the G-wire superstructure through non-cross-linking. As a result, a dramatically amplified RRS intensity is observed, allowing for reporting LPS levels in a low detection limit of 0.17 pg/mL and a wide linear range among 1.0-100.0 ng/mL. Moreover, this reaction event is capable of programming to perform classical Boolean logic tree analysis, including basic logic computing and complex integrated logic circuits. This study comprehensively analyzed with respect to information flow, matter (molecular events), and energy (RRS), revealing the potential promise in designing of molecular-level "Internet of Things", intelligent computing, and sensing systems.

Distributions and interactions of dissolved organic matter and heavy metals in shallow groundwater in Guanzhong basin of China.

Groundwater as the primary source of fresh water particularly in semi-arid regions is heavily threatened by various pollutants such as dissolved organic matter (DOM) and heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities. In this study, 113 shallow groundwater samples were collected from Guanzhong basin of China to explore spatial distributions and interactions of DOM and heavy metals (Fe, Mn and Cu). Fluorescence excitation-emission spectrophotometry with parallel factor analysis showed that DOM in groundwater mainly contained three humic-like and two protein-like substances with an average dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration of 12.85 mg L-1. Average Mn and Cu concentrations in groundwater were 19.92 µg L-1 and 7.05 µg L-1 with an increasing trend from west to east, whereas Fe concentration in central regions was much higher (34.23 µg L-1). Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that DOM in groundwater could be significantly affected by surface water, and heavy metals were influenced by urbanization. Moreover, DOM could strongly influence the bioavailability, migration, and transformation of Mn in groundwater. These findings would be beneficial for the effective utilization and protection of groundwater resources.