Fear of negative evaluation modulates the processing of social evaluative feedback with different valence and contexts.

Fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is a susceptible and maintaining factor of social anxiety disorders. However, the question, how people process negative evaluation is influenced by individual differences in FNE, is poorly understood. To clarify the habitual processing characteristics of individuals with different levels of FNE, electroencephalography was recorded when two groups of participants with high FNE (hFNE) and low FNE (lFNE) performed a social evaluation perception task in which the feedback context/source (human vs. a computer) and valence (thumb-up/like vs. thumb-down/dislike) were manipulated. We found effects of feedback source and valence on N1, P2, and P3, which reflect early attention, integrated perception, and elaborative processing, respectively, as well as general reward effects on reward positivity (RewP) across contexts. Importantly, compared to the lFNE group, the hFNE group showed larger midfrontal N1 and theta oscillation in response to negative feedback indicating dislike (vs. like), and also showed larger P3. These findings suggest that individuals with hFNE are more attentional vigilance to negative (vs. positive) social feedback, implying that individuals with different levels of FNE assign different implicit threat values to social-evaluation threat stimuli.

Zoom-sandwiched cross-chapter concept map: a novel model to optimize a concept map project in online STEM courses.

Although previous studies have confirmed the various benefits of concept maps, limited information is available regarding how to effectively employ the concept map in online courses. In this research, we have designed and assessed the effectiveness of the "Zoom-sandwiched cross-chapter concept map" model in an online biology course. The model has optimized the concept map project because it incorporates synchronous interaction as well as asynchronous communication among students, assigns required meetings with flexible schedules, endows students with intrinsic motivation, and is facilitated by indirect instructor intervention. Our results showed improved student skills in constructing the cross-chapter concept map and positive student perceptions of the model. In addition, this study provided an in-depth analysis of how students benefit from cross-chapter concept maps. Our findings could guide educators on how to optimize the concept map project and utilize concept maps effectively to overcome some primary learning challenges and enhance student learning in online education, especially in STEM fields.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research aims to optimize the concept map project for STEM courses in the virtual delivery system and to explore its effectiveness. Specifically, we 1) established the "Zoom-sandwiched cross-chapter concept map" model in an online STEM course; 2) evaluated student performance on concept map construction; 3) distributed survey questions to investigate student perception toward the Zoom-sandwiched cross-chapter concept map model; and 4) further explored the mechanism of how this model promoted student learning.

Epidemiological analysis of drinking water-type fluorosis areas and the impact of fluorosis on children's health in the past 40 years in China.

This study analyzed the effect of China's fluorosis prevention and control program, which has been in effect for more than 40 years, and the impact of fluorosis on children's health. Relevant research studies were retrieved from the following online databases from the time of their inception to May 2022: PubMed, ScienceDirect, Embase, Cochrane, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang. The Review Manager 5.3 software was used in statistical analyses. This article included seventy studies: Thirty-eight studies reported the effect of improving water quality and reducing fluoride content, the incidence rate of dental fluorosis in children, and the level of urinary fluoride, and thirty-two studies reported the intelligence quotient (IQ) and health status of children. Following water improvement strategies, the fluoride levels in drinking water decreased significantly; urinary fluoride levels and dental fluorosis decreased significantly in children. With regard to the effect of fluorosis on the IQ of children, the results showed that the IQ of children in areas with a high fluoride of fluorosis was lesser than that in areas with a low fluoride, and this difference was significant. Based on the prevalence of dental fluorosis and its effect on the intelligence of children, it appears that reducing fluoride levels in drinking water and monitoring water quality are important strategies for the prevention and treatment of fluorosis.

Genomic and resistome analysis of Alcaligenes faecalis strain PGB1 by Nanopore MinION and Illumina Technologies.

BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant bacteria are important carriers of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). This fact is crucial for the development of precise clinical drug treatment strategies. Long-read sequencing platforms such as the Oxford Nanopore sequencer can improve genome assembly efficiency particularly when they are combined with short-read sequencing data. RESULTS: Alcaligenes faecalis PGB1 was isolated and identified with resistance to penicillin and three other antibiotics. After being sequenced by Nanopore MinION and Illumina sequencer, its entire genome was hybrid-assembled. One chromosome and one plasmid was assembled and annotated with 4,433 genes (including 91 RNA genes). Function annotation and comparison between strains were performed. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that it was closest to A. faecalis ZD02. Resistome related sequences was explored, including ARGs, Insert sequence, phage. Two plasmid aminoglycoside genes were determined to be acquired ARGs. The main ARG category was antibiotic efflux resistance and ß-lactamase (EC 3.5.2.6) of PGB1 was assigned to Class A, Subclass A1b, and Cluster LSBL3. CONCLUSIONS: The present study identified the newly isolated bacterium A. faecalis PGB1 and systematically annotated its genome sequence and ARGs.

Venetoclax plus azacitidine and donor lymphocyte infusion in treating acute myeloid leukemia patients who relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of venetoclax plus azacitidine and donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in treating patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Twenty-six AML patients who relapsed after allo-HSCT were enrolled and treated with venetoclax plus azacitidine and DLI. Complete remission with incomplete recovery (CRi), partial remission (PR), and objective remission rate (ORR) were assessed, and then event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Besides, adverse events were documented. Additionally, whole exome sequencing was performed in bone marrow samples. The CRi, PR, and ORR rates were 26.9%, 34.6%, and 61.5%, respectively. The median time of EFS and OS was 120 (95% CI: 71-610) days and 284.5 (95% CI: 81-610) days, respectively. The most common adverse events were hematologic system adverse events including agranulocytosis, anemia, and thrombocytopenia, while the adverse events of other systems were relatively less and milder. In addition, no serious adverse events existed. Of note, there were 6 (23.1%) patients who developed GVHD. As for gene mutation, 49 mutated genes were found, which were categorized as first-, second-, and third-class mutations, and then further analysis revealed that the first-class mutations were not correlated with EFS or OS. Additionally, the most frequent mutated genes were FLT3, CEBPA, DNMT3A, KIT, KRAS, and NRAS. Venetoclax plus azacitidine and DLI is efficient and tolerant in treating patients with relapsed AML after allo-HSCT, implying this combined therapy as a potential treatment option in the studied patients.

Performance Analysis of a HT-PEMFC System with 6FPBI Membranes Doped with Cross-Linkable Polymeric Ionic Liquid.

In this paper, a high-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) system using fluorine-containing polybenzimidazole (6FPBI) composite membranes doped with cross-linkable polymer ionic liquid (cPIL) is developed and studied. The reliability of the model is verified by a comparison with the experimental data. The performance of the HT-PEMFC system using 6FPBI membranes with different levels of cPIL is analyzed. The results show that when the HT-PEMFC uses 6FPBI membranes with a cPIL content of 20 wt % (6FPBI-cPIL 20 membranes), the single cell power density is 4952.3 W·m-2. The excessive cPIL content will lead to HT-PEMFC performance degradation. The HT-PEMFC system using the 6FPBI-cPIL 20 membranes shows a higher performance, even at higher temperatures and pressures, than the systems using 6FPBI membranes. In addition, the parametric study results suggest that the HT-PEMFC system should be operated at a higher inlet temperature and hydrogen pressure to increase system output power and efficiency. The oxygen inlet pressure should be reduced to decrease the power consumption of the ancillary equipment and improve system efficiency. The proposed model can provide a prediction for the performance of HT-PEMFC systems with the application of phosphoric-acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PA-PBI) membranes.

Finite Time Thermodynamic Modeling and Performance Analysis of High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells.

In order to improve the output performance of high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC), a finite time thermodynamic (FTT) model for HT-PEMFC was established. Several finite time thermodynamic indexes including power density, thermodynamic efficiency, exergy efficiency, exergetic performance efficient (EPC), entropy production rate and ecological coefficient of performance (ECOP) were derived. The energetic performance, exergetic performance and ecological performance of the HT-PEMFC were analyzed under different parameters. Results showed that operating temperature, doping level and thickness of membrane had a significant effect on the performance of HT-PEMFC and the power density increased by 58%, 31.1% and 44.9%, respectively. When the doping level reached 8, the output performance of HT-PEMFC wa optimal. The operating pressure and relative humidity had little influence on the HT-PEMFC and the power density increased by 8.7%% and 17.6%, respectively.

Performance Analysis Based on Sustainability Exergy Indicators of High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell.

Based on finite-time thermodynamics, an irreversible high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) model is developed, and the mathematical expressions of exergy efficiency, exergy destruction index (EDI), and exergy sustainability indicators (ESI) of HT-PEMFC are derived. According to HT-PEMFC model, the influences of thermodynamic irreversibility on exergy sustainability of HT-PEMFC are researched under different operating parameters that include operating temperatures, inlet pressure, and current density. The results show that the higher operating temperature and inlet pressure of HT-PEMFCs is beneficial to performance improvement. In addition, the single cell performance gradually decreases with increasing current density due to the presence of the irreversibility of HT-PEMFC.

Thermodynamic Modeling and Exergy Analysis of A Combined High-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and ORC System for Automotive Applications.

A combined system consisting of a high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is provided for automotive applications in this paper. The combined system uses HT-PEMFC stack cathode exhaust gas to preheat the inlet gas and the ORC to recover the waste heat from the stack. The model of the combined system was developed and the feasibility of the model was verified. In addition, the evaluation index of the proposed system was derived through an energy and exergy analysis. The numerical simulation results show that the HT-PEMFC stack, cathode heat exchanger, and evaporator contributed the most to the total exergy loss of the system. These components should be optimized as a focus of future research to improve system performance. The lower current density increased the ecological function and the system efficiency, but reduced the system's net out-power. A higher inlet temperature and higher hydrogen pressures of the stack and the lower oxygen pressure helped improve the system performance. Compared to the HT-PEFC system without an ORC subsystem, the output power of the combined system was increased by 12.95%.

Transmission characteristics of respiratory droplets aerosol in indoor environment: an experimental study.

Transmission of droplets has been recognized as an important form of infection for the respiratory diseases. This study investigated the distribution of human respiratory droplets and assessed the effects of air change rate and generated velocity on droplet transmission using an active agent in an enclosed chamber (46 m3). Results revealed that the higher the air change rate was, the fewer viable droplets were detected in the range of <3.3 µm with ventilation; an increased air change rate can increase the attenuation of droplet aerosol. Without ventilation, the viable droplet size was observed to mainly distribute greater than 3.3 µm, which occupied up 87.5% of the total number. When the generated velocity was increased to 20 m/s, 29.38% of the viable droplets were detected at the position of 2.0 m. The findings are excepted to be useful for developing the technology of reducing droplet propagation and providing data verification for simulation research.

Association between cytochrome P450 2C19 polymorphism and clinical outcomes in clopidogrel-treated Uygur population with acute coronary syndrome: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has become a vital disease with high mortality in the Uygur populations. Clopidogrel plays an important role in reducing the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events after ACS; however, it is a prodrug that requires biotransformation by cytochrome P450 (CYP450). OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of genetic polymorphisms in CYP2C19*2, *3, and *17, and along with clinical, demographic factors, on variation in response to clinical outcomes in Uygur patients. METHODS: A total of 351 patients with ACS were treated with clopidogrel and aspirin for at least 12 months; we recorded major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) or bleeding within 1 year. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with MACE or bleeding. RESULTS: We analyze risk factors include age, BMI (body mass index), smoking, alcohol intake, NSTEMI (non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction), hypertension, dyslipidemia, concomitant medication, CYP2C19*2 carriers, CYP2C19*17 carriers and metabolizer phenotype. CYP2C19*2 carriers had an odds of having MACE of 2.51 (95% CI: 1.534-4.09) compared with noncarriers (P < .001). However, no factors were significantly associated with bleeding (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The CYP2C19*2 gene polymorphism contributes to the risk of MACE in dual clopidogrel-treated Uygur population with ACS with or without PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention). These data may provide valuable insights into the genetic polymorphisms affecting clopidogrel metabolism among minority groups in China.

Integrating active learning activities and metacognition into STEM writing courses.

Although active learning is highly recognized and recommended in the educational community, instructors are still struggling with how to incorporate active learning tools into writing courses. This study aims to 1) describe specific challenges encountered in the course of Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory-Critical Thinking through Writing (BIOL3810-CTW); 2) introduce the active learning approaches and metacognition integrated into this writing-intensive course; 3) demonstrate the effectiveness of these active learning approaches in engaging students in classes; and 4) share the principles of integrating active learning activities into writing courses in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and beyond.

Glucocorticoid resistance induced by ANXA5 overexpression in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Development of chemo­resistance is ultimately responsible for treatment failure and relapse in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, the mechanism underlying glucocorticoid (GC) resistance remains unclear. This study was performed to identify GC resistance-related genes using the transcriptome chip from the GEO database, and preliminarily analyze drug resistance mechanism in B-ALL. Here, we found that ANXA5 expression was upregulated in B-ALL cells and high-level ANXA5 was associated with dexamethasone (DEX) resistance. Then, small interfering RNA (siRNA) was designed to silence ANXA5 expression in the B-ALL cell lines, and the apoptotic rate of cells treated with DEX was detected by flow cytometry. As a result, cell apoptosis was dramatically promoted in B-ALL cells following silencing of ANXA5 and DEX administration versus that in ANXA5-silenced alone or DEX-treated alone cells. It was further found that down-regulation of ANXA5 in B-ALL cells significantly increased the relative amount of cleaved Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 induced by DEX. Collectively, inhibition of ANXA5 gene expression may represent a novel method to restore the sensitivity of treatment-resistant B-ALL tumors to GC-induced cell death, which is of important clinical significance to overcome drug resistance associated with B-ALL.

SNHG17 promotes the proliferation and migration of colorectal adenocarcinoma cells by modulating CXCL12-mediated angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRA) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the world. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated to be effective regulators in the disease course of human cancers, including CRA. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 17 (SNHG17) belongs to lncRNAs, and it has been reported in breast cancer and gastric cancer. However, the function of SNHG17 and its mechanism in CRA progression remain largely unknown. In this study, we attended to shedding some light on the role of SNHG17 in CRA. METHODS: RT-qPCR was used to assess SNHG17 expression in CRA cells. CCK-8 assay, colony formation and transwell assay were carried out to detect the regulatory effect of SNHG17 silencing on CRA cell proliferation and migration. The angiogenesis of SNHG7-downregulated CRA cells was analyzed by tube formation assay. Mechanism experiments were conducted to identify the interaction between miR-23a-3p and SNHG17 or C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12). RESULTS: SNHG17 possessed with high expression in CRA cells. Knockdown of SNHG17 caused the inhibition on CRA cell proliferation and migration. SNHG17 promoted CRA cell proliferation and migration by sponging miR-23a-3p to upregulate CXCL12. CONCLUSION: SNHG17 promotes the proliferation and migration of CRA cells by inhibiting miR-23a-3p to modulate CXCL12-mediated angiogenesis.

Enhancement of chlortetracycline biodegradation with Trichoderma harzianum LJ245 and its spore-producing mutants using co-metabolism.

Chlortetracycline (CTC) has been widely used in veterinary medicine in recent years, which has resulted in severe environmental issues due to its low degradation rate and high risk to induce antibiotic resistance bacteria and genes. In previous studies, CTC could be efficiently degraded by Trichoderma harzianum LJ245. Nevertheless, the strain itself suffers from relatively poor adaptability due to the limited number of spores produced. In this paper, ultraviolet (UV) mutagenesis was conducted on LJ245, and various mutants with high sporulation rate were generated to expand the environmental adaptability and enhance CTC degradation. An OmniLog-based method, where 95 types of carbon sources were applied, was first proposed to acquire the carbon metabolic profile of the strains. Several controlled experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of co-substrate metabolism on strain growth, CTC biodegradation, and metabolites biotoxicity removal. The result shows that produced mutants could significantly broaden the carbon metabolic profile and expand the environmental adaptability compared to the original LJ245, where the mutants obtained remarkable increase in total number of usable carbon sources. Meanwhile, as the sole carbon source, CTC could not be fully degraded by the strains. However, the use of co-metabolism could considerably enhance CTC degradation and completely remove CTC degradation products biotoxicity by all strains. Specifically, amino acids and carboxylic acids had the best performance on both strain growth and CTC degradation among all carbon source categories. The results can be applied to the biodegradation treatment of CTC in solid residue, waste water and other environments.

Assessment of culturable airborne bacteria of indoor environments in classrooms, dormitories and dining hall at university: a case study in China.

University students' health may be adversely affected by exposure to indoor bacterial contaminants on their campuses. This study aims (1) to quantify culturable bacterial concentrations in three indoor environments at a university, (2) to investigate the influence of meteorological factors and gender, to assess the relationship between indoor and outdoor, and (3) to estimate the bacterial dose for university students in different indoor environments. Airborne bacteria samples were collected in 12 classrooms, in 12 living rooms and four bathrooms in two dormitory buildings, and in a dining hall. The results showed that the microenvironment in the female dormitory had the highest mean bacterial concentration (2847 CFU/m3), whereas the lowest mean bacterial concentration was observed in classrooms (162 CFU/m3). Indoor bacterial concentrations in male dormitories were significantly lower than in female dormitories probably because of crowding and increased ventilation. Outdoor weather conditions were associated with the indoor concentrations with regard to insufficient ventilation and varying outdoor concentration. The occupants' activity level was also more closely related to the indoor bacteria concentration in the residential setting. Students experienced about four times higher dose of airborne bacteria in the dormitories than in the classrooms and dining hall.

Bacterial community in commercial airliner cabins in China.

Considering the amount of time that crew members and passengers spend on airliners and the potential health impact of pathogenic bacteria, it is important to understand the population of bacteria inside airliners and the factors affecting the bacterial concentration. This study recorded the species of airborne and cabin surface culturable bacteria inside various airliner. Seven flights ranging from 3 to 5 hours in duration on different types of airliner were chosen. Multiple species of bacteria in the air of the airliners, such as Brachybacterium paraconglomeratum, were identified by means of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing method, and most of the bacteria were Gram-positive. This study found that the bacterial concentration in the airliners decreases as the relative humidity increases. The decrease in the number of airborne bacteria may be the reason for the reduced occurrence of unwanted symptoms exhibited by passengers.

Knockdown of AGR2 induces cell apoptosis and reduces chemotherapy resistance of pancreatic cancer cells with the involvement of ERK/AKT axis.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC), an aggressive human malignancy, presents with a striking resistance to chemotherapy. Interesting, AGR2 has been found to be upregulated in various cancers and has been found to promote the dissemination of PC cells. Thereby, a series of in-vitro experiments were performed to investigate the relationship between AGR2 and the ERK/AKT axis, and to explore whether it affects PC cells. METHODS: Positive expression of AGR2 protein in the PC and paracancerous tissues collected from 138 patients with PC was detected using immunohistochemistry. After treatment with FGF2 (an ERK/AKT axis agonist), siRNA against AGR2 or their combination respectively, cell viability, chemotherapy resistance, radiotherapy resistance, migration, invasion and apoptosis in PC cells were detected using CCK8 assay, MTT assay, clone formation assay, wound healing assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The expressions of AGR2 and ERK/AKT axis-related genes and proteins in tissues and cells were detected using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assay. RESULTS: PC tissues exhibited highly-expressed AGR2 and abnormally activated ERK/AKT axis. FGF2 promoted the expression of AGR2, ERK/AKT axis activation, cell viability, chemotherapy resistance, migration and invasion, but decreased cell apoptosis in PC cells. However, knockdown of AGR2 resulted in inhibition of the ERK/AKT axis, reduced PC cell viability, chemotherapy resistance, migration and invasion but increased cell apoptosis in PC cells. CONCLUSION: The findings reveal that AGR2 silencing could promote cell apoptosis and inhibit cell migration, invasion and chemotherapy resistance of PC cell with the involvement of the ERK/AKT axis.

Effect of serum choice on replicative senescence in mesenchymal stromal cells.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for innovative cell therapeutic applications. Before their use, however, they usually need to be expanded in vitro with serum-supplemented media. MSCs can undergo replicative senescence during in vitro expansion, but it is not yet clear how serum supplements influence this process. METHODS: In the present study, we compared how media supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) or calf serum (CS) affected morphology, proliferation, differentiation, senescence and other functional characteristics of human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs). RESULTS: UC-MSCs cultured in both FBS- and CS-containing media were able to differentiate along osteogenic and adipogenic lineages but ultimately reached proliferation arrest. However, senescence-associated characteristics, such as ß-galactosidase activity, reactive oxygen species levels, proliferation rate and gene expression, demonstrate that UC-MSCs grown with FBS have better proliferation potential and differentiation capacity. In contrast, UC-MSCs grown with CS have a higher proportion of apoptotic cells and senescent characteristics. Possible mechanisms for the observed phenotypes include changes in gene expression (Bax, p16, p21 and p53) and cytokine production (interleukin-6 and interleukin-8). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that FBS-supplemented media provides a better microenvironment for the expansion of UC-MSCs in vitro than CS-supplemented media. This work provides insight into MSCs generation practices for use in basic research and clinical therapies.

Efficacy and safety of lenalidomide in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

BACKGROUND: The combination of rituximab and chemotherapy is a first-line treatment for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug that has shown promising properties and activity in a variety of hematological malignancies. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of lenalidomide-based regimens in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. METHODS: The PubMed, Science Direct, ClinicalTrials.gov, and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies published up to May 2022. Studies with patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma, who were randomly assigned to a lenalidomide treatment group or a non-lenalidomide control group were considered for inclusion in this review and meta-analysis. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the time-to-event outcomes and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% CIs of dichotomous data were estimated. RESULTS: A total of 3593 patients from 10 studies were evaluated. The results of the pooled analysis indicated that the lenalidomide-based regimen was associated with prolonged overall survival (HR, 0.85; 95% CI 0.74-0.97; P = 0.02) and progression-free survival (HR, 0.70; 95% CI 0.57-0.88; P = 0.002). Significant differences were found in the overall response rate (RR, 1.18; 95% CI 1.04-1.33; P = 0.01) and complete response rate (RR, 1.18; 95% CI 1.00-1.39; P = 0.05) between the treatment and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lenalidomide appears to be a promising therapeutic agent that offers the possibility of a novel combination of chemotherapy free regimen for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.