The Chinese translation and cross-cultural adaptation of PRISMA-7 questionnaire: an observational study to establish the accuracy, reliability and validity.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a health condition linked to adverse health outcomes and lower life quality. The PRISMA-7, a 7-item questionnaire from the Program on Research for Integrating Services for the Maintenance of Autonomy (PRISMA), is a validated case-finding tool for frailty with good sensitivity and specificity. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the PRISMA-7 questionnaire for Chinese use. METHODS: A prospective observational study with convenience sampling recruited bilingual adults aged 65 and over living in the community. The Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF) was the gold standard benchmark. The English PRISMA-7 questionnaire was culturally adapted to Chinese using forward and backward translation. Intra- and inter-rater reliability were determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Face, content and criterion validity were determined. The Receiver Operator characteristic (ROC) curve determined the optimal cut-off score. RESULTS: One-hundred-twenty participants (55 females and 65 males) were recruited. The Chinese PRISMA-7 questionnaire had excellent intra-rater and inter-rater reliability (ICC = 1.000). The rigorous forward and backward translation established the face and content validity. The moderately high correlations between the English PRISMA-7 with SMAF (r = - 0.655, p <  0.001) and Chinese PRISMA-7 with SMAF (r = - 0.653, p <  0.001) pairs established the criterion validity. An optimal cut-off score of three "Yes" responses was reported with 100% sensitivity and 85.3% specificity. CONCLUSION: This translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation study established the Chinese PRISMA-7 questionnaire. The preliminary results suggest adequate diagnostic test accuracy for frailty screening among the Chinese-literate community.

Association between psoriasis and lung cancer: two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies reported an association between psoriasis and risk of lung cancer. However, whether psoriasis is causally associated with lung cancer is unclear. METHODS: Genetic summary data of psoriasis were retrieved from two independent genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Genetic information of lung cancer was retrieved from GWAS of International Lung Cancer Consortium. A set of quality control steps were conducted to select instrumental tools. We performed two independent two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and a meta-analysis based on the two independent MR estimates to assess the causal relationship between psoriasis and lung cancer (LUCA) as well as its subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and adenocarcinoma (LUAD). RESULTS: Between-SNP heterogeneity was present for most MR analyses, whereas horizontal pleiotropy was not detected for all MR analyses. Multiplicative random-effect inverse variance weighted (IVW-MRE) method was therefore selected as the primary MR approach. Both IVW-MRE estimates from the two independent MR analyses suggested that there was no significant causal relationship between psoriasis and LUCA as well as its histological subtypes. Sensitivity analyses using other four MR methods gave similar results. Meta-analysis of the two IVW-MRE derived MR estimates yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 1.00 (95% CI 0.95-1.06) for LUCA, 1.01 (95% CI 0.93-1.08) for LUSC, and 0.97 (95% CI 0.90-1.06) for LUAD. CONCLUSION: Our results do not support a genetic association between psoriasis and lung cancer and its subtypes. More population-based and experimental studies are warranted to further dissect the complex correlation between psoriasis and lung cancer.

Deciphering the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons using FTIR spectroscopy: application to a contaminated site.

The chemical composition of groundwater in a petroleum-contaminated site is determined by the present functional groups and these play a vital role in a feasibility remediation technique. Based on the in situ investigation of a contaminated shallow groundwater in an oilfield, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy associated with chemometric treatments, principal component analysis (PCA), and simple-to-use interactive self-modeling mixture analysis (SIMPLISMA), were used to decipher the biodegradation process by analyzing the conversion of functional groups. Environmental factors that can influence microbial metabolism were also evaluated for a comprehensive explanation. FTIR spectroscopy and PCA results showed that the contamination in the study area can be divided into three parts based on FTIR spectra: (1) regular contamination plume distribution and biodegradation level to fresh oil, (2) moderate biodegradation area, and (3) intensive biodegradation area. FTIR spectra further revealed the present functional groups as aliphatic, aromatic, and polar family compounds. SIMPLISMA was used to discuss the degree of biodegradation along the flow path quantitatively and qualitatively and elucidated that the aliphatic and aromatic compounds were mainly metabolized into polar compounds with nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen via microbes. During metabolism, microbial indices, such as the Shannon-Weaver, Simpson, and Pielou indices, indicated that microbial diversity did not greatly change; hence, hydrocarbons were constantly consumed to feed dominant microbes. Dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased from 4.58 ± 0.31 mg/L (in monitoring well Z1) to 3.21 ± 0.26 mg/L (in monitoring well Z16) and then became constant in the down-gradient area, demonstrating that aerobic biodegradation was the dominant process at the up-gradient plume. Results were in accordance with the oxidation index, which continuously increased from 0.028 ± 0.013 (in monitoring well Z1) to 0.669 ± 0.047 (in monitoring well Z10), showing that oxygen was consumed along the flow path. Similarly, concentration changes in Fe2+, Mn2+, and SO4 2- proved that the down-gradient area was in reduction condition.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase derived lipid mediators are elevated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from patients with sarcoidosis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory multi-organ disease almost always affecting the lungs. The etiology remains unknown, but the hallmark of sarcoidosis is formation of non-caseating epithelioid cells granulomas in involved organs. In Scandinavia, > 30% of sarcoidosis patients have Löfgren's syndrome (LS), an acute disease onset mostly indicating a favorable prognosis. The impact of dysregulation of lipid mediators, which has been investigated in other inflammatory disorders, is still unknown. METHODS: Using three different liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry targeted platforms (LC-MS/MS), we quantified a broad suite of lipid mediators including eicosanoids, sphingolipids and endocannabinoids in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from pulmonary sarcoidosis patients (n = 41) and healthy controls (n = 16). RESULTS: A total of 47 lipid mediators were consistently detected in BAL fluid of patients and controls. After false discovery rate adjustment, two products of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) enzyme, 11,12-dihydroxyeicosa-5,8,14-trienoic acid (11,12-DiHETrE, p = 4.4E-5, q = 1.2E-3, median fold change = 6.0) and its regioisomer 14,15-dihydroxyeicosa-5,8,11-trienoic acid (14,15-DiHETrE, p = 3.6E-3, q = 3.2E-2, median fold change = 1.8) increased in patients with sarcoidosis. Additional shifts were observed in sphingolipid metabolism, with a significant increase in palmitic acid-derived sphingomyelin (SM16:0, p = 1.3E-3, q = 1.7E-2, median fold change = 1.3). No associations were found between these 3 lipid mediators and LS, whereas levels of SM 16:0 and 11,12-DiHETrE associated with radiological stage (p < 0.05), and levels of 14,15-DiHETrE were associated with the BAL fluid CD4/CD8 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: These observed shifts in lipid mediators provide new insights into the pathobiology of sarcoidosis and in particular highlight the sEH pathway to be dysregulated in disease.

Long-term smoking alters abundance of over half of the proteome in bronchoalveolar lavage cell in smokers with normal spirometry, with effects on molecular pathways associated with COPD.

BACKGROUND: Smoking represents a significant risk factor for many chronic inflammatory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: To identify dysregulation of specific proteins and pathways in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells associated with smoking, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based shotgun proteomics analyses were performed on BAL cells from healthy never-smokers and smokers with normal lung function from the Karolinska COSMIC cohort. Multivariate statistical modeling, multivariate correlations with clinical data, and pathway enrichment analysis were performed. RESULTS: Smoking exerted a significant impact on the BAL cell proteome, with more than 500 proteins representing 15 molecular pathways altered due to smoking. The majority of these alterations occurred in a gender-independent manner. The phagosomal- and leukocyte trans endothelial migration (LTM) pathways significantly correlated with FEV1/FVC as well as the percentage of CD8+ T-cells and CD8+CD69+ T-cells in smokers. The correlations to clinical parameters in healthy never-smokers were minor. CONCLUSION: The significant correlations of proteins in the phagosome- and LTM pathways with activated cytotoxic T-cells (CD69+) and the level of airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC) in smokers, both hallmarks of COPD, suggests that these two pathways may play a role in the molecular events preceding the development of COPD in susceptible smokers. Both pathways were found to be further dysregulated in COPD patients from the same cohort, thereby providing further support to this hypothesis. Given that not all smokers develop COPD in spite of decades of smoking, it is also plausible that some of the molecular pathways associated with response to smoking exert protective mechanisms to smoking-related pathologies in resilient individuals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02627872 ; Retrospectively registered on December 9, 2015.

Proteomic profiling of lung immune cells reveals dysregulation of phagocytotic pathways in female-dominated molecular COPD phenotype.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is the main risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Women with COPD who smoke experienced a higher risk of hospitalization and worse decline of lung function. Yet the mechanisms of these gender-related differences in clinical presentations in COPD remain unknown. The aim of our study is to identify proteins and molecular pathways associated with COPD pathogenesis, with emphasis on elucidating molecular gender difference. METHOD: We employed shotgun isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) proteome analyses of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from smokers with normal lung function (n = 25) and early stage COPD patients (n = 18). Multivariate modeling, pathway enrichment analysis, and correlation with clinical characteristics were performed to identify specific proteins and pathways of interest. RESULTS: More pronounced alterations both at the protein- and pathway- levels were observed in female COPD patients, involving dysregulation of the FcγR-mediated phagocytosis-lysosomal axis and increase in oxidative stress. Alterations in pathways of the phagocytosis-lysosomal axis associated with a female-dominated COPD phenotype correlated well with specific clinical features: FcγR-mediated phagocytosis correlated with FEV1/FVC, the lysosomal pathway correlated with CT < -950 Hounsfield Units (HU), and regulation of actin cytoskeleton correlated with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC in female COPD patients. Alterations observed in the corresponding male cohort were minor. CONCLUSION: The identified molecular pathways suggest dysregulation of several phagocytosis-related pathways in BAL cells in female COPD patients, with correlation to both the level of obstruction (FEV1/FVC) and disease severity (FEV1) as well as emphysema (CT < -950 HU) in women. TRIAL REGISTRATION: No.: NCT02627872 , retrospectively registered on December 9, 2015.

Metabolomics analysis identifies sex-associated metabotypes of oxidative stress and the autotaxin-lysoPA axis in COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease and a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the sex dependency of circulating metabolic profiles in COPD.Serum from healthy never-smokers (healthy), smokers with normal lung function (smokers), and smokers with COPD (COPD; Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages I-II/A-B) from the Karolinska COSMIC cohort (n=116) was analysed using our nontargeted liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry metabolomics platform.Pathway analyses revealed that several altered metabolites are involved in oxidative stress. Supervised multivariate modelling showed significant classification of smokers from COPD (p=2.8×10-7). Sex stratification indicated that the separation was driven by females (p=2.4×10-7) relative to males (p=4.0×10-4). Significantly altered metabolites were confirmed quantitatively using targeted metabolomics. Multivariate modelling of targeted metabolomics data confirmed enhanced metabolic dysregulation in females with COPD (p=3.0×10-3) relative to males (p=0.10). The autotaxin products lysoPA (16:0) and lysoPA (18:2) correlated with lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s) in males with COPD (r=0.86; p<0.0001), but not females (r=0.44; p=0.15), potentially related to observed dysregulation of the miR-29 family in the lung.These findings highlight the role of oxidative stress in COPD, and suggest that sex-enhanced dysregulation in oxidative stress, and potentially the autotaxin-lysoPA axis, are associated with disease mechanisms and/or prevalence.

Study on Color Quantitative Expression, Replication and Color Origin of Gray-Purple Nephrite from Qinghai, China Based on Spectroscopy Methods.

Color is one of the most important factors in evaluating the quality and price of jewelry. Quantitative research on color of jewels has been a hotspot in gemological science. Whether for jewelry industry or gems research, observing and describing the gems' color characteristics under transmission light is an essential method. This study focuses on building a research method to quantitatively characterize nephrite color, and to determine their color origin based on transmitted spectroscopy techniques. Natural gray-purple nephrite of Sanchahe mining, Qinghai, China was chosen as a typical subject due to its gradual-change color characteristic. We first quantitatively expressed and replicated the different color region on a gray-purple nephrite sample with given thickness (1.0 mm) with UV-Visible absorption spectra and 1976 CIE L*a*b* colorimetric parameters, as well as Adobe Photoshop software. The replicated color of light and dark color regions were both close to the transmitted color observed by naked eyes. It is inferred that the subtle color differences between naked eyes observation and transmitted spectroscopy replication may from the multiple effects of incident light in translucent polycrystalline structure, such as absorption, refraction, diffraction, scattering, and so on. As for the purple color origin, Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (LA-ICP-MS) showed an increase of the concentrations of manganese (Mn) as the nephrite color becomes darker. Moreover, the emission peak at 585 nm on Photoluminescence (PL) and absorption peak at 530 nm on Ultraviolet Visible (UV-Vis), and the sextet Mn2+ resonance peaks on Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) provide solid support to prove that Mn2+ should be the main factor contributing to the purple color. This work provides a specific experimental method on quantitative observing and describing the color of gems under transmitted light, and it also offers valuable information on determining the chromophores and color origin.

Linoleic acid-derived lipid mediators increase in a female-dominated subphenotype of COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality; however, the role of inflammatory mediators in its pathobiology remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of gender in COPD on lipid mediator levels.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum were obtained from healthy never-smokers, smokers and COPD patients (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stage I-II/A-B) (n=114). 94 lipid mediators derived from the cytochrome-P450, lipoxygenase, and cyclooxygenase pathways were analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.Multivariate modelling identified a 9-lipid panel in BALF that classified female smokers with COPD from healthy female smokers (p=6×10(-6)). No differences were observed for the corresponding male population (p=1.0). These findings were replicated in an independent cohort with 92% accuracy (p=0.005). The strongest drivers were the cytochrome P450-derived epoxide products of linoleic acid (leukotoxins) and their corresponding soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH)-derived products (leukotoxin-diols). These species correlated with lung function (r=0.87; p=0.0009) and mRNA levels of enzymes putatively involved in their biosynthesis (r=0.96; p=0.003). Leukotoxin levels correlated with goblet cell abundance (r=0.72; p=0.028).These findings suggest a mechanism by which goblet cell-associated cytochrome-P450 and sEH activity produce elevated leukotoxin-diol levels, which play a putative role in the clinical manifestations of COPD in a female-dominated disease sub-phenotype.

Correlation Between MicroRNA by Extracellular Vesicle Mediated and Antiviral Effects of Interferon Omega in Feline Peripheral Blood.

Feline interferon omega (IFN-ω) has been proven to have high antiviral activity; however, its in-depth antiviral effects remain unknown. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been demonstrated to participate in the regulation of the immune response pathway for the body through various active substances, especially through the microRNA (miRNA) carried by them. In this study, we isolated EVs from feline peripheral blood by differential centrifugation, and further found that the content of IFN-ω in EVs increased continuously within 24 h after IFN-ω treatment, and a large number of miRNAs were significantly downregulated in EVs within 12 h after IFN-ω treatment. These significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were important for regulating changes in antiviral cytokines. This study reveals for the first time the correlation between EVs-mediated miRNA in feline peripheral blood and IFN-ω on antiviral immune response, which may provide strong data support for the development of novel antiviral nanomedicine and the research of the antiviral effects of IFN-ω.

Reference Values for Habitual and Fast Gait Speed in Singapore Adults Aged 21 to 80.

Objectives: Gait speed indicates the individual's functional status and predicts overall health. This study aims to determine (1) the intra- and inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the dynamic 4 m gait speed test protocol; (2) establish the normative reference values of habitual and fast gait speeds in community-dwelling healthy Singaporean adults aged 21 to 80; and (3) explore the association of age, gender, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) on gait speed. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study recruited healthy ambulatory community-dwelling Singaporeans aged 21 to 80 who could ambulate independently without aid. Participants were excluded if they required walking aids; were pregnant; or had physical, medical, or cognitive conditions that may affect gait. Each participant completed at least two habitual and fast gait speed test trials via a 4 m walkway with a dynamic start. The data were analysed by descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney test, the Spearman coefficient, and the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: In total, 178 males and 201 females were included in the data analysis. The median age was 45.0 years [interquartile range (IQR) 26.2-59.0], and the median height was 1.64 metres (m) (IQR 1.58-1.70). The median habitual gait speed was 1.08 metre/second (m/s) (IQR 0.97-1.22), and the fast gait speed was 1.55 m/s (IQR 1.40-1.70). The ICC for reliability ranged from 0.84 to 0.99, indicating that the 4 m gait speed test had good-to-excellent reliability. Conclusions: Gait speeds were not influenced by gender but declined with age advancement. Age and height and age and BMI were weakly correlated to habitual and fast gait speed, respectively. We established the norm values for the 4 m gait speeds in Singapore and proved it to be a reliable gait speed assessment ready for immediate community applications.

Meta-analysis of acupuncture for relieving non-organic dyspeptic symptoms suggestive of diabetic gastroparesis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is widely used to treat diabetic patients with dyspeptic symptoms suggestive of gastroparesis in China. We conducted this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for diabetic gastroparesis (DGP). METHODS: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and four Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) and WanFang Data up to January 2013 without language restriction. Eligible RCTs were designed to examine the efficacy of acupuncture in improving dyspeptic symptoms and gastric emptying in DGP. Risk of bias, study design and outcomes were extracted from trials. Relative risk (RR) was calculated for dichotomous data. Mean difference (MD) and standardized mean difference (SMD) were selected for continuous data to pool the overall effect. RESULTS: We searched 744 studies, among which 14 RCTs were considered eligible. Overall, acupuncture treatment had a higher response rate than controls (RR, 1.20 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12 to 1.29], P < 0.00001), and significantly improved dyspeptic symptoms compared with the control group. There was no difference in solid gastric emptying between acupuncture and control. Acupuncture improved single dyspeptic symptom such as nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite and stomach fullness. However, most studies were in unclear and high risk of bias and with small sample size (median = 62). The majority of the RCTs reported positive effect of acupuncture in improving dyspeptic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that acupuncture might be effective to improve dyspeptic symptoms in DGP, while a definite conclusion about whether acupuncture was effective for DGP could not be drawn due to the low quality of trials and possibility of publication bias. Further large-scale, high-quality randomized clinical trials are needed to validate this claim and translate this result to clinical practice.

I-125 seeds brachytherapy combined with immunotherapy for MET amplification in non-small cell lung cancer from clinical application to related lncRNA mechanism explore: a case report.

Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with MET amplification primarily relies on MET inhibitors for treatment, but once resistance occurs, the available treatment options are limited and the prognosis is typically poor. A 57-year-old man with advanced NSCLC and C-MET amplification was initially treated with crizotinib but developed progressive disease. After the antirotinib treatment, he achieved a partial response for a year. Genetic testing showed high PD-L1 expression, and he was treated with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy for 3 months, with partial response. Maintenance therapy with pembrolizumab and local I-125 seeds brachytherapy (ISB) was given after the lung lesion progressed but other lesions remained stable. The therapy resulted in significant resolution of the right upper lung lesion. It demonstrates the effectiveness of ISB-ICI combination in treating MET amplification advanced NSCLC. Ongoing research and treatment innovation are important in managing advanced NSCLC with complex genetic aberrations. To explore the candidate mechanism of ISB therapy response, we download public genetic data and conduct different expression Lncrnas analysis and pathway analysis to discover radiotherapy related sensitive or resistance lncRNAs and pathways, we found that AL654754.1 is a key lncRNA with radiotherapy response, and it also include in classical p53 and Wnt signaling pathway. Overall, the clinical case reports, combined with the exploration of underlying mechanisms, provide positive guidance for the precise treatment of lung cancer.

Case report: Successful sequential therapy of crizotinb and entrectinib in ROS1-positive non-small-cell lung cancer with brain metastasis in later-settings.

RATIONALE: Crizotinib has been approved in many countries for the treatment of patients with advanced ROS1-rearranged non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Entrectinib is a ROS1 inhibitor that has been designed to effectively penetrate and remain in the central nervous system (CNS) and has been recommended as first-line therapy. Few reports have precisely described sequential crizotinb followed by entrectinib in patients with ROS1 fusion in later settings. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 56-year-old man with a history of occasional smoking visited our hospital with cough, sputum, and shortness of breath. DIAGNOSIS: He was diagnosed with right lung adenocarcinoma (T4N2M1a, stage IV) after image and histological examination, without EGFR or ALK fusion mutation. INTERVENTIONS: He received three prior lines of therapies, including chemotherapy, nivolumab monotherapy, and paclitaxel plus anlotinib, with progression-free survival (PFS) of 5, 2, and 11.5 months, respectively. Then the patient began to have headaches and dizziness, and brain magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple brain metastases. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the biopsy from neck lymph node identified EZR-ROS1 (1.25% abundance). After 2 months of crizotinib (250 mg daily) plus bevacizumab, all pulmonary and brain lesions decreased, but a small liver lesion was discovered. As treatment went on for another 4 months, the liver lesion continued to grow while other lesions kept decreased or stable state. NGS analysis on the peripheral blood found the disappearance of EZR-ROS1 fusion and a new NTRK2 mutation (c.5C>T, p.Ser2Leu, 0.34% abundance) without other targetable molecular alteration. He received entrectinib (600 mg daily) plus bevacizumab and achieved a partial response. After 7 months of therapy, examination revealed progression of brain lesions. OUTCOMES: The patient had a total PFS of 13 months from sequential crizotinib and entrectinib therapy. LESSONS: A ROS1-rearranged NSCLC with CNS metastases responded to sequential tyrosine kinase inhibitors treatment of crizotinb followed by entrectinib. This report has potential implications in guiding decisions for the treatment after crizotinib resistance.

Characterizations of blaCTX-M-14 and blaCTX-M-64 in a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli from China.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria are common in the community and hospitals. To monitor ESBLs mediated by the CTX-M genotype, we collected clinical ESBL pathogenic strains from a hospital in central China and observed a strain of Escherichia coli, namely Ec15103 carrying blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-64 and blaTEM-1, isolated from the blood of a 7-day-old infant in 2015. Strain Ec15103 contains two drug resistance plasmids: pEc15103A, an IncFI-type plasmid that cannot be conjugatively transferred and carries the drug resistance genes blaTEM-1, aacC2, aadA5, sul1, mph(A), sul2, strAB, and tetA(A); and pEc15103B, an IncK2/Z-type plasmid that carries the conjugation transfer gene and blaCTX-M-14. In addition, blaCTX-M-64 is located on the chromosome of Ec15103, and it is the first report of pathogen with blaCTX-M-64 located on its chromosome (the search terms used "blaCTX-M-64" and "chromosome"). blaCTX-M-14 and blaCTX-M-64 are carried by ISEcp1-mediated transposon Tn6503a and Tn6502, respectively. The conjugation transfer ability of pEc15103B was significantly inhibited by zidovudine (AZT) and linoleic acid (LA) and that expression of blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-64 and blaTEM-1 at the mRNA level did not change based on the concentration of cefotaxime or ampicillin. Co-occurrence of blaCTX-M-14 and blaCTX-M-64 in a single isolate will enhance the drug resistance of bacteria, and the presence of blaCTX-M-64 in the chromosome may make the resistance more maintain. This fact will facilitate its dissemination and persistence under different antimicrobial selection pressures. It is essential to prevent these strains from further spreading in a hospital environment.

A Habitable Earth and Carbon Neutrality: Mission and Challenges Facing Resources and the Environment in China-An Overview.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the impacts of human activities have changed the global climate system, and climate warming has had rapid and widespread effects on the planet. At present, the world is experiencing a series of natural disasters, such as climate change, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and sea level rise, which pose a serious threat to the livability of the Earth. An international consensus has been reached that achieving carbon neutrality is the key to tackling climate change; it is also crucial to building a livable planet. To achieve carbon neutrality, energy is the main aspect, for which technology regarding resources and the environment is essential. In this context, we collected data, performed an in-depth analysis of the basic and structural characteristics of the development of the coal industry and environmental remediation, studied and judged the trends in regional economic development and demand growth, and closely examined the requirements of China's development strategy, which focuses on the ideas of carbon peak and carbon neutralization in line with local development trends and economic system characteristics. We must build a livable Earth, promote the green and low-carbon transformation of regional energy, promote high-quality economic development, and ensure the safe supply of energy.

Normative reference values, determinants and regression equations for the incremental shuttle walk test (ISWT) in healthy Asian population aged 21 to 80 years.

BACKGROUND: The validated Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) is widely used for evaluating maximal exercise capacity, with the distance-walked (IWSD) as the primary outcome. However, there are no normative reference values (NRV) and reference equations to predict ISWD for the Singaporean population. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to establish the NRV and reference equations for ISWD in healthy Singaporeans aged 21 to 80 and investigate the determining variables during ISWT. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited community-dwelling healthy subjects aged 21-80 from the community via convenience sampling. Each subject completed two trials of the ISWT according to the standard protocol. Variables measured during the trials included ISWD, pre-and post-test heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation, blood pressure (BP), modified Borg's dyspnoea score and Borg's rate of perceived exertion (RPE). RESULTS: 199 healthy Singaporean (females = 114, males = 85) participated in the study. The overall median ISWD was 660.0 metres (m) [interquartile range (IQR):440.0-850.0]. The age-stratified mean ISWD ranged from 430.0 m (IQR:350.0-450.0) (aged 60-80) to 480.0 m (IQR:438.0-650.0) (aged 40-59) to 780.0 m (IQR:670.0-960.0) (aged 21-39). Gender, age, weight, height and HR change (highest post-test HR minus pre-test HR) were the most significant variables (p < 0.001). IWSD (m) = 651.4(Height, m) +89.7(Gender, male = 1; female = 0) -6.31(Age, years) -3.61(Weight, kilograms) +2.54(HR change, beats per minute); R2 = 0.741. Previously published ISWT reference equations cannot accurately predict the ISWD in the Singaporean population. CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the ISWD NRV and established reference equations for healthy Singaporeans aged 21-80. The information would be beneficial in setting performance benchmarks to guide physical assessment, intervention and rehabilitation.

Reference Values, Determinants and Regression Equation for the Timed-Up and Go Test (TUG) in Healthy Asian Population Aged 21 to 85 Years.

The "Timed-Up-and-Go" test (TUG) is a standard assessment tool for functional mobility as it assesses several functional components, including balance, gait, and lower-extremity strength. It has good reliability and validity and is cost-effective and safe, making it an ideal screening tool for falls in various populations, such as older adults or various conditions. However, TUG interpretation relies on comparisons against local normative reference values (NRV), which few studies established for the Asian or younger population. Hence, this study aims to: (1) establish the normative reference values NRV for the population aged 21 to 85 years; (2) determine demographic and anthropometric variables that influence the TUG results; and (3) establish the regression equation of the TUG. A prospective, convenience sampling cross-sectional study recruited subjects aged 21-85 from the community to complete two TUG trials in various parts of Singapore. Variables collected include gender, age, height (meters, m), weight (kilograms, kg), and hand grip strength (HGS) (kg). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) determined test-retest, intra- and inter-rater reliabilities. TUG and variables were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. p < 0.05 was accepted as statistical significance. Further, 838 subjects (542 females, 296 males) completed the data collection. The mean TUG time was 9.16 s (95% CI 9.01-9.3). Slower TUG was observed with advanced age and female gender. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that age, height, and weight were the best variables to predict TUG scores. The regression formula presented as: TUG (second) = 9.11 + 0.063 (Age, years)-3.19 (Height, meters) + 0.026 (Weight, Kilograms) (R2 = 0.374, p < 0.001). This study provided the TUG NRV and regression formula for healthy Asian adults aged 21 to 85. The information may provide a quick reference for the physical function to interpret assessment findings and guide decision-making in various health and healthcare settings.

Asymmetric control of food intake by left and right vagal sensory neurons.

We investigated the lateralization of gut-innervating vagal sensory neurons and their roles in feeding behavior. Using genetic, anatomical, and behavioral analyses, we discovered a subset of highly lateralized vagal sensory neurons with distinct sensory responses to intestinal stimuli. Our results demonstrated that left vagal sensory neurons (LNG) are crucial for distension-induced satiety, while right vagal sensory neurons (RNG) mediate preference for nutritive foods. Furthermore, these lateralized neurons engage different central circuits, with LNG neurons recruiting brain regions associated with energy balance and RNG neurons activating areas related to salience, memory, and reward. Altogether, our findings unveil the diverse roles of asymmetrical gut-vagal-brain circuits in feeding behavior, offering new insights for potential therapeutic interventions targeting vagal nerve stimulation in metabolic and neuropsychiatric diseases.

Bis[[aqua-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline-κN,N)cadmium]bis-(µ-pyridine-2,3-dicarboxyl-ato)-κN,O:O;κO:N,O].

In the title compound, [Cd(2)(C(7)H(3)NO(4))(2)(C(13)H(8)N(4))(2)(H(2)O)(2)], the Cd(II) ion is six-coordinated by two N atoms from a 1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]phenanthroline (IP) ligand, one N atom and one O atom from a pyridine-2,3-dicarboxyl-ate (pdc) ligand, one O atom from another pdc ligand and one water mol-ecule in a distorted octa-hedral geometry. Two Cd(II) ions are bridged by a pair of pdc ligands, forming a centrosymmetric dinuclear structure. Neighboring dinuclear units are linked by the coordinated water mol-ecules through O-H⋯N and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a layer parallel to (011). The layers are further linked into a three-dimensional network through N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. π-π inter-actions between the IP ligands further stabilize the supra-molecular structure [centroid-centroid distances = 3.579 (3), 3.686 (3), 3.710 (3), 3.766 (3) and 3.841 (3) Å].