Shared and distinct electroencephalogram microstate abnormalities across schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

BACKGROUND: Microstates of an electroencephalogram (EEG) are canonical voltage topographies that remain quasi-stable for 90 ms, serving as the foundational elements of brain dynamics. Different changes in EEG microstates can be observed in psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD). However, the similarities and disparatenesses in whole-brain dynamics on a subsecond timescale among individuals diagnosed with SCZ, BD, and MDD are unclear. METHODS: This study included 1112 participants (380 individuals diagnosed with SCZ, 330 with BD, 212 with MDD, and 190 demographically matched healthy controls [HCs]). We assembled resting-state EEG data and completed a microstate analysis of all participants using a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: Our research indicates that SCZ, BD, and MDD exhibit distinct patterns of transition among the four EEG microstate states (A, B, C, and D). The analysis of transition probabilities showed a higher frequency of switching from microstates A to B and from B to A in each patient group compared to the HC group, and less frequent transitions from microstates A to C and from C to A in the SCZ and MDD groups compared to the HC group. And the probability of the microstate switching from C to D and D to C in the SCZ group significantly increased compared to those in the patient and HC groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide crucial insights into the abnormalities involved in distributing neural assets and enabling proper transitions between different microstates in patients with major psychiatric disorders.

Prognostic potential of nutritional risk screening and assessment tools in predicting survival of patients with pancreatic neoplasms: a systematic review.

BACKGROUNDS & AIMS: The nutritional evaluation of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients lacks a gold standard or scientific consensus, we aimed to summarize and systematically evaluate the prognostic value of nutritional screening and assessment tools used for PC patients. METHODS: Relevant studies were retrieved from major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and searched from January 2010 to December 2023. We performed meta-analyses with STATA 14.0 when three or more studies used the same tool. RESULTS: This analysis included 27 articles involving 6,060 PC patients. According to a meta-analysis of these studies, poor nutritional status evaluated using five nutritional screening tools Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Controlling Nutritional Status Score (CONUT), Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS2002) and Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) was associated with all-cause mortality in PC patients. But Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) did not. Of all tools analyzed, CONUT had the maximum HR for mortality (HR = 1.978, 95%CI 1.345-2.907, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: All-cause mortality in PC patients was predicted by poor nutritional status. CONUT may be the best nutritional assessment tool for PC patients. The clinical application value of Short Form Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), Generated Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) in PC patients need to be confirmed. In order to improve patients' nutritional status and promote their recovery, nutritional screening tools can be used. REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (number CRD42022376715).

Phytochemical analysis and hepatotoxicity assessment of braised Polygoni Multiflori Radix (Wen-He-Shou-Wu).

Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR) is a medicinal herb commonly used in China and Eastern Asia. Recently, the discovery of hepatotoxicity in PMR has received considerable attention from scientists. Processing is a traditional Chinese medicine technique used for the effective reduction of toxicity. One uncommon technique is the braising method-also known as 'Wen-Fa' in Chinese-which is used to prepare tonics or poisonous medications. Braised PMR (BPMR)-also known as 'Wen-He-Shou-Wu'-is one of the processed products of the braising method. However, the non-volatile components of BPMR have not been identified and examined in detail, and therefore, the hepatotoxic advantage of BPMR remains unknown. In this study, we compared the microscopic characteristics of different samples in powder form using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), investigated the non-volatile components, assessed the effects of different processed PMR products on the liver, and compared the differences between BPMR and PMR Praeparata recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition). We found that the hepatotoxicity of BPMR was dramatically decreased, which may be related to an increase in polysaccharide content and a decrease in toxic substances. The present study provides an important foundation for future investigations of the processing mechanisms of BPMR.

The effects of different themes of self-disclosure on health outcomes in cancer patients-A meta-analysis.

Self-disclosure (SD) is a common psychological intervention that involves expressing the patient's feelings and thoughts. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of different themes of SD on cancer patients. We searched eight databases including PubMed, Cochrane Library Trials, Web of Science, CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, CNKI and Wanfang from inception to July 2022. Other sources included clinical data registers. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. RevMan Analysis software 5.3 was used for data analysis. The protocol of this meta-analysis has been registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022339661). Twenty-two RCTs studies were included. The pooled results demonstrated that self-regulation self-disclosure (SRD) had significant effects on patients' sleep quality, benefit-finding, anxiety and quality of life (QOL), whereas emotional disclosure (ED) did not. Furthermore, enhanced self-regulation self-disclosure (ESRD) or cancer-related self-disclosure (CD) significantly improved patients' QOL, although health education self-disclosure (HED) and positive self-disclosure (PD) did not. Our study suggests that different themes of SD have varied effects on patients, but it remains unclear which themes to use at what point in time. Future research should investigate what themes of SD are adopted at different points in time and the duration of different periods.

Efficacy and Safety of PL-5 (Peceleganan) Spray for Wound Infections: A Phase IIb Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of antimicrobial peptide PL-5 (Peceleganan) spray in the treatment of wound infections. BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial peptide PL-5 spray is a novel topical antimicrobial agent. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled phase IIb clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PL-5 spray, as compared with silver sulfadiazine, in patients with skin wound infections. The primary efficacy outcome was the clinical efficacy rate on the first day after ending the treatment (D8). The secondary efficacy outcome was the clinical efficacy rate on the fifth day posttreatment (D5), the bacteria clearance rate, and the overall efficacy rate at the mentioned 2 time points. The safety outcomes included adverse reactions and pharmacokinetic analysis posttreatment. RESULTS: A total of 220 patients from 27 hospitals in China were randomly assigned to 4 groups. On D8, the efficacy rate was 100.0%, 96.7%, 96.7% for the 1‰ PL-5, 2‰ PL-5, 4‰ PL-5 groups, respectively, as compared with 87.5% for the control group. The efficacy rate among the 4 groups was significantly different ( P <0.05). On D5, the efficacy rate was 100.0%, 93.4%, 98.3% for the 1‰ PL-5, 2‰ PL-5, 4‰ PL-5 groups, respectively, as compared with 82.5% for the control group. The efficacy rate among the 4 groups was significantly different ( P <0.05). The blood concentration of PL-5 was not detectable in pharmacokinetic analysis. No severe adverse event related to the application of PL-5 was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Antimicrobial peptide PL-5 spray is safe and effective for the treatment of skin wound infections. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000033334.

Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and efficacy of pemigatinib (a selective inhibitor of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1-3) monotherapy in Chinese patients with advanced solid tumors: a phase i clinical trial.

Pemigatinib is a selective fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)1-3 inhibitor and has demonstrated acceptable tolerability and clinical activity in advanced solid tumors in Western population. This phase I trial evaluated pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) characteristics, preliminary safety and efficacy of pemigatinib in Chinese patients with advanced, solid tumors. Patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic solid tumors bearing FGF/FGFR1-3 alterations received oral pemigatinib at 13.5 mg once daily (QD) on a 2-weeks-on/1-week-off schedule. The primary endpoint was PK/PD characteristics; secondary endpoints were safety and efficacy. Twelve patients were enrolled (median age: 61 years, 58.3% males). PK data demonstrated pemigatinib (13.5 mg QD) was rapidly absorbed with a geometric mean elimination half-life of 11.3 h. The geometric mean values of maximum serum concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h at steady state were 215.1 nmol/L and 2636.9 h·nmol/L, respectively. The mean clearance adjusted by bioavailability at steady state was low (11.8 L/h), and the apparent oral volume of distribution was moderate (170.5 L). The PD marker, serum phosphate level, increased on days 8 and 15 of cycle 1 (mean: 2.25 mg/dL, CV% [percent coefficient of variation]: 31.3%) and decreased to baseline post 1 week off. Three (25.0%) patients experienced grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events. Partial response was confirmed in one patient with FGFR1-mutant esophageal carcinoma and one with FGFR2-mutant cholagiocarcinoma. Pemigatinib had similar PK/PD characteristics to Western population and demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and potential anti-cancer benefit in Chinese patients with FGF/FGFR1-3 altered, advanced, solid tumor. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04258527 [prospectively registered February 6, 2020]).

[Effect of processing method on chemical constituents of Rehmanniae Radix: based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS].

This study aims to explore the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix braised with mild fire and compare the effect of processing method on the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix. To be specific, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS) was used to screen the chemical constituents of Rehmanniae Radix. The chemical constituents were identified based on the relative molecular weight and fragment ions, literature information, and Human Metabolome Database(HMDB). The ion peak area ratio of each component before and after processing was used as the index for the variation. SIMCA was employed to establish principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) models of different processed products. According to the PCA plot, OPLS-DA plot, and VIP value, the differential components before and after the processing were screened out. The changes of the content of differential components with the processing method were analyzed. A total of 66 chemical components were identified: 57 of raw Rehmanniae Radix, 55 of steamed Rehmanniae Radix, 55 of wine-stewed Rehmanniae Radix, 51 of repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, 62 of traditional bran-braised Rehmanniae Radix, and 63 of electric pot-braised Rehmanniae Radix. Among them, the 9 flavonoids of braised Rehmanniae Radix were from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium. PCA suggested significant differences in the chemical composition of Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata prepared with different processing methods. OPLS-DA screened out 32 chemical components with VIP value >1 as the main differential components. Among the differential components, 9 were unique to braised Rehmanniae Radix(traditional bran-braised, electric pot-braised) and the degradation rate of the rest in braised(traditional bran-braised, electric pot-braised) or repeatedly steamed and sundried Rehmanniae Radix was higher than that in the steamed or wine-stewed products. The results indicated the chemical species and component content of Rehmanniae Radix changed significantly after the processing. The 32 components, such as rehmapicrogenin, martynoside, jionoside D, aeginetic acid, hesperidin, and naringin, were the most important compounds to distinguish different processed products of Rehmanniae Radix. The flavonoids introduced by Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium as excipient may be the important material basis for the effectiveness of braised Rehmanniae Radix compared with other processed products.

Sintilimab plus a bevacizumab biosimilar (IBI305) versus sorafenib in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (ORIENT-32): a randomised, open-label, phase 2-3 study.

BACKGROUND: China has a high burden of hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the main causative factor. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma have a poor prognosis and a substantial unmet clinical need. The phase 2-3 ORIENT-32 study aimed to assess sintilimab (a PD-1 inhibitor) plus IBI305, a bevacizumab biosimilar, versus sorafenib as a first-line treatment for unresectable HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: This randomised, open-label, phase 2-3 study was done at 50 clinical sites in China. Patients aged 18 years or older with histologically or cytologically diagnosed or clinically confirmed unresectable or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma, no previous systemic treatment, and a baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1 were eligible for inclusion. In the phase 2 part of the study, patients received intravenous sintilimab (200 mg every 3 weeks) plus intravenous IBI305 (15 mg/kg every 3 weeks). In the phase 3 part, patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive either sintilimab plus IBI305 (sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group) or sorafenib (400 mg orally twice daily; sorafenib group), until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Randomisation was done using permuted block randomisation, with a block size of six, via an interactive web response system, and stratified by macrovascular invasion or extrahepatic metastasis, baseline α-fetoprotein, and ECOG performance status. The primary endpoint of the phase 2 part of the study was safety, assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. The co-primary endpoints of the phase 3 part of the study were overall survival and independent radiological review committee (IRRC)-assessed progression-free survival according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 in the intention-to-treat population. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03794440. The study is closed to new participants and follow-up is ongoing for long-term outcomes. FINDINGS: Between Feb 11, 2019 and Jan 15, 2020, we enrolled 595 patients: 24 were enrolled directly into the phase 2 safety run-in and 571 were randomly assigned to sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar (n=380) or sorafenib (n=191). In the phase 2 part of the trial, 24 patients received at least one dose of the study drug, with an objective response rate of 25·0% (95% CI 9·8-46·7). Based on the preliminary safety and activity data of the phase 2 part, in which grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events occurred in seven (29%) of 24 patients, the randomised phase 3 part was started. At data cutoff (Aug 15, 2020), the median follow-up was 10·0 months (IQR 8·5-11·7) in the sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group and 10·0 months (8·4-11·7) in the sorafenib group. Patients in the sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group had a significantly longer IRRC-assessed median progression-free survival (4·6 months [95% CI 4·1-5·7]) than did patients in the sorafenib group (2·8 months [2·7-3·2]; stratified hazard ratio [HR] 0·56, 95% CI 0·46-0·70; p<0·0001). In the first interim analysis of overall survival, sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar showed a significantly longer overall survival than did sorafenib (median not reached [95% CI not reached-not reached] vs 10·4 months [8·5-not reached]; HR 0·57, 95% CI 0·43-0·75; p<0·0001). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-emergent adverse events were hypertension (55 [14%] of 380 patients in the sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group vs 11 [6%] of 185 patients in the sorafenib group) and palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (none vs 22 [12%]). 123 (32%) patients in the sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group and 36 (19%) patients in the sorafenib group had serious adverse events. Treatment-related adverse events that led to death occurred in six (2%) patients in the sintilimab-bevacizumab biosimilar group (one patient with abnormal liver function, one patient with both hepatic failure and gastrointestinal haemorrhage, one patient with interstitial lung disease, one patient with both hepatic faliure and hyperkalemia, one patient with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, and one patient with intestinal volvulus) and two (1%) patients in the sorafenib group (one patient with gastrointestinal haemorrhage and one patient with death of unknown cause). INTERPRETATION: Sintilimab plus IBI305 showed a significant overall survival and progression-free survival benefit versus sorafenib in the first-line setting for Chinese patients with unresectable, HBV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma, with an acceptable safety profile. This combination regimen could provide a novel treatment option for such patients. FUNDING: Innovent Biologics. TRANSLATION: For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Muricauda chongwuensis sp. nov., isolated from coastal seawater of China.

In the course of screening for bacterial predators, a Gram-stain-negative, non-flagellated, gliding, long rod-shaped, and yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain HICWT, was isolated from coastal seawater of China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain HICWT represented a member of the genus Muricauda and showed the highest sequence similarity to M. aquimarina JCM11811T (98.8%) and M. ruestringensis DSM13258T (98.1%). The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain HICWT and M. aquimarina JCM11811T were 79.2% and 34.1%, respectively. NaCl was required for growth. Optimum growth occurred at 25-30 °C, 2.0-3.0% (w/v) NaCl with pH 7.0. Strain HICWT showed some similar characteristics to the nonobligate bacterial predators, and the cells can attach to the prey cells. Strain HICWT contained MK-6 as the predominant respiratory quinone and had iso-C15:0, iso-C15:1 G, and iso-C17:0 3-OH as the major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipids contained phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), three unidentified phospholipids (PL1-PL3), one unidentified amino lipids (AL), and three unidentified polar lipids (L1-L3). The genome size of strain HICWT was approximately 3.8 Mbp, with a G + C content of 41.4%. Based on the polyphasic evidence, strain HICWT is proposed as representing a new species of the genus Muricauda, for which the name Muricauda chongwuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HICWT (= JCM 33643 T = MCCC 1K03769T).

[Retrospective Study of Mite-Specific Subcutaneous Immunotherapy in Children].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy and influencing factors of children receiving mite-specific subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of children who had received mite SCIT for 3 years at the Desensitization Center of our hospital. We used the daily medication score (DMS) to evaluate the medication use status (the higher the score, the higher the amount of medications given and the less satisfactorily was the primary disease controlled) and we used the visual analogue scale (VAS) to evaluate clinical symptoms (the higher the score, the more severe the symptoms). Evaluation was performed after the first SCIT treatment and after treatment was given for 3 months, 4 months, 12 months, and 3 years. According to whether medication for the primary disease was stopped after 3 years, the patients were divided into two groups, the discontinued medication group (discontinued group) and the continued medication group (continued group). The general data, DMS, VAS and the decline rate of the two groups were compared, and logistic regression was performed to analyze the influencing factors of the outcome. RESULTS: A total of 711 children were enrolled in the study, with an average age of 8.38 years at the time of the first visit to the hospital. There were 442 males and 269 females. Skin prick test showed that 445 cases only had mite allergy, and 266 cases had mite allergy combined with other allergies. 360 cases have discontinued the medication for the primary disease after 3 years, and 351 cases had relieved symptoms, but still needed to continue with the medication. At the beginning of SCIT treatment, the DMS and VAS of the discontinued group were lower than those of the continued group ( P<0.05). Evaluations from 3 months to 3 years showed that both DMS and VAS continued to decrease compared with those from the beginning, and the decline rate of DMS and VAS of the discontinued group was higher than that of the continued group after 3 years of SCIT ( P<0.05). After 3 months of SCIT, the positive rates of nasal and ocular symptoms in the discontinued group were lower than those in the continued group ( P<0.05). After 3 years of SCIT, the positive rates of nasal, ocular, and chest symptoms in the discontinued group were lower than those in the continued group ( P<0.05). Univariate analysis combined with multivariate logistic regression showed that initial DMS>4 points and initial VAS>3.5 points were protective factors for the discontinuation of the medication for the primary disease at the end of 3 years of SCIT, while the female sex and DMS reduction rate after 12 months of treatment>50% were risk factors for discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Mite SCIT can help relieve clinical symptoms and reduce the use of medication for symptomatic treatment. Symptoms can be improved after 3 months of SCIT, with the fastest improvement shown in nasal and eye symptoms. It is not recommended to discontinue the medication for the primary disease for too much after 1 year of treatment.

Elk-1 transcriptionally regulates ZC3H4 expression to promote silica-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process is a key priming activity of fibroblasts in pulmonary fibrosis during silicosis. Ets-like protein-1 (Elk-1) is a critical modulator that promotes functional changes in cells, and the effects are mediated by oxidative stress (OS). However, whether ELK-1 is involved in EMT of silicosis remains unclear. In addition, researchers have found that Elk-1 is involved in the expression of the gene zc3h12a, which encodes the protein MCPIP1, and MCPIP1 is a member of the zinc finger Cys-Cys-Cys-His (CCCH)-type protein family. A previous study from our lab showed that ZC3H4, which is also a member of the CCCH-type protein family, critically affected the regulation of EMT during silicosis. However, it has not yet been elucidated if ELK-1 acts at the promoter for zc3h4 to increase its expression in a mechanism that is similar to that of the zc3h12a gene and whether such regulation ultimately controls EMT. Therefore, we explored the correlation between ELK-1 and ZC3H4 expression and tested the underlying mechanisms affecting ELK-1 activation induced by silica. Our study identifies that SiO2-mediated EMT via ELK-1, with the upstream activity of OS and the downstream signaling of ZC3H4 expression resulting in enhanced EMT. These findings suggest that the nuclear transcription factor ELK-1 may be useful as a novel target for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

A case report of thrombolysis resistance: thrombus ultrastructure in an ischemic stroke patient.

BACKGROUND: Following acute ischemic stroke (AIS), approximately half of patients do not achieve recanalization after intravenous administration of tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). Thrombolysis resistance is a possible reason for recanalization failure. Thrombolysis resistance is likely related to the ultrastructure and composition of the thrombus. However, there is a paucity of published information on the relationship between thrombus ultrastructure and thrombolysis resistance. CASE PRESENTATION: Two patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy were observed within 4.5 h after stroke onset. One patient failed to respond to rt-PA (defined as thrombolysis resistant), and the other patient did not receive rt-PA treatment (non-rtPA). In each patient, the occluded artery was the internal carotid artery or middle cerebral artery. According to the Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment classification, both patients had large atherosclerotic cerebral infarction. By scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we found that the thrombus structure was significantly different between the two patients. CONCLUSION: Grid-like dense fibrin, compressed polyhedral erythrocytes, and large accumulation of neutrophils may be characteristics of thrombolysis resistant thrombi.

Catalytic activity of porous manganese oxides for benzene oxidation improved via citric acid solution combustion synthesis.

Various manganese oxides (MnOx) prepared via citric acid solution combustion synthesis were applied for catalytic oxidation of benzene. The results showed the ratios of citric acid/manganese nitrate in synthesizing process positively affected the physicochemical properties of MnOx, e.g., BET (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller) surface area, porous structure, reducibility and so on, which were in close relationship with their catalytic performance. Of all the catalysts, the sample prepared at a citric acid/manganese nitrate ratio of 2:1 (C2M1) displayed the best catalytic activity with T90 (the temperature when 90% of benzene was catalytically oxidized) of 212℃. Further investigation showed that C2M1 was Mn2O3 with abundant nano-pores, the largest surface area and the proper ratio of surface Mn4+/Mn3+, resulting in preferable low-temperature reducibility and abundant surface active adsorbed oxygen species. The analysis results of the in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (in-situ FTIR) revealed that the benzene was successively oxidized to phenolate, o-benzoquinone, small molecules (such as maleates, acetates, and vinyl), and finally transformed to CO2 and H2O.

Halobacteriovorax vibrionivorans sp. nov., a novel prokaryotic predator isolated from coastal seawater of China.

Three prokaryotic predator strains, BL9T, BL10 and BL28, were isolated with Vibrio alginolyticus from coastal seawater of PR China. Cells of the strains were Gram-negative, vibrioid-shaped and motile with a single sheathed flagellum (25-28 nm wide). Cells were around 0.3×0.5-1.0 µm in size. The three strains were obligate predators that exhibited a biphasic life cycle: a free-swimming attack phase and an intraperiplasmic growth phase within the prey. Bdelloplasts were formed. NaCl was required for growth. Optimum growth occurred at ~37 °C, with 2-4 % (w/v) NaCl and at pH 7.0-8.0. The results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the three strains shared 99.9 % similarity to each other, were affiliated with the genus Halobacteriovorax in the class Oligoflexia, and represented the same new species. Strain BL9T (=MCCC 1K03527T=JCM 32962T) was designated as the type strain. Genome sequencing of strain BL9T revealed a genome size of 3.14 Mb and a G+C content of 35.8 mol%. The estimated digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values and the whole genome average nucleotide identity (gANI) values between the genome of strain BL9T and those of Bdellovibrionales and Bacteriovoracales were 12.5-19 and 63.49-76.15 %, respectively. On the basis of life cycle features, results of physiological analyses, gANI data and dDDH data, strain BL9T represents a new species within the genus Halobacteriovorax, for which the name Halobacteriovoraxvibrionivorans sp. nov. is proposed.

Design and Implementation of a Message-Based Regional Telemedicine System to Achieve High Availability and Scalability.

BACKGROUND: Different levels of telemedicine systems have been built across China. To share high-quality medical resources and conduct centralized management of telemedicine systems, a regional telemedicine system (RTS) (such as a provincial level system) has been developed to integrate with small-scale telemedicine systems. Although the established systems offer integration services, they are tightly coupled systems, and not easily integrated with new systems. Meanwhile, with the increasing of input/output, it is difficult for them to run with high scalability, considering the cost of architecture redesign and further development. This article presents the design and implementation of regional integration system through a study in Henan, China, mainly aimed to integrate with heterogeneous small-scale telemedicine systems and provide high efficiency. METHODS: A provincial telemedicine system and some city-level telemedicine systems have already been established. The provincial system has been built to act as a regional integration system to connect city-level systems. Adopting message-based technology, the provincial system achieves high availability and high scalability, respectively, through LevelDB + ZooKeeper and multicast. RESULTS: The system achieved the centralized management of established telemedicine systems without restructuring their framework, improving high availability of RTS when one ActiveMQ service node in a group failed, and it did not negatively influence normal business logic when adding a new service node. At the same time, two "Master" state ActiveMQ service nodes provided services simultaneously, which enable the RTS to achieve high scalability. CONCLUSIONS: The message-based regional integration system enriched the RTS with high availability, easy extensibility, and provided a convenient way to integrate new small-scale telemedicine systems.

[Effects and mechanism of salidroside on streptozotocin-induced mode rats of diabetic nephropathy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects and mechanism of salidroside(SAL) on model rats of diabetic nephropathy(DN). METHODS: Rats were divided into control, model, SAL(50 mg/kg), SAL(100 mg/kg) and SAL(200 mg/kg) groups. The rats beside in control group were injected with streptozotocin(STZ) combined with right nephrectomy. And rats in SAL(50, 100, 200 mg/kg) groups were received gavage with SAL(50, 100, 200 mg/kg). After 12 weeks, rats were sacrificed and kidneys were collected. HE staining was performed for renal injury, the concentrations of urine protein, urine creatine(Ucr), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) were measured by kits. Western blot was used to measure the protein levels of Collagen Ⅳ, fibronectin, E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), N-cadherin, Smad2、Smad3, phosphorylated-Smad2(p-Smad2), p-Smad3 and transforming growth factor-ß1(TGF-ß1). RESULTS: Compared with control group, the renal injury of rats in model group was aggravated, the concentrations of urine protein, Ucr and BUN were elevated significantly, the apoptosis cells and positive cells of caspase-3 were increased; compared with model group, the renal injury of rats in SAL(100, 200 mg/kg) groups were alleviated markedly, the concentrations of urine protein, Ucr and BUN were reduced, the apoptosis cells and positive cells of caspase-3 were decreased notably. SAL(50 mg/kg) increased the concentration of SOD in DN model rats, SAL(100, 200 mg/kg) increased the concentrations of SOD and GSH-Px, decreased the level of MDA. Meanwhile, the inhibition of collagen Ⅳ, fibronrctin, α-SMA, and N-cadherin and the induction of E-cadherin in DN rats were induced by SAL(100, 200 mg/kg). In addition, SAL(100, 200 mg/kg) reduced the ratio of p-Smad2/Smad2, p-Smad3/Smad3 and the level of TGF-ß1(P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: SAL can inhibit renal fibrosis of STZ-induced DN model rats, and the mechanism may be related to inhibition of TGF-ß1/Smad pathway.

Metals compositions of indoor PM2.5, health risk assessment, and birth outcomes in Lanzhou, China.

The study aimed to investigate the metal compositions in indoor PM2.5 and the potential health risks they pose to residents of an urban area in China. A total of 41 and 54 households were surveyed in February and September 2013, respectively. The results showed that the indoor concentrations of metals varied depending on the types of cooking fuels used. All measured concentrations of metals were highest among households using coal for cooking. In the majority of households, non-carcinogenic risks were posed by the use of coal. The carcinogenic risks posed by chromium (VI) and arsenic were generally higher among households using coal for cooking than among those using gas or electricity. The multivariate linear regression model suggested a potential adverse effect from arsenic and cadmium on birth weight and gestational weeks. This study also found that cooking fuel was the most significant factor that contributed to the differences in concentrations of metals in indoor PM2.5 and highlighted the importance of using clean energy for cooking and heating.

Linking COVID-19 stress and Chinese nurses' life well-being: The influence of work-family conflict and work centrality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed enormous stress on health workers, exposing them to high levels of work-family conflict (WFC), which in turn affects their life well-being（LWB). To date, whether WFC is involved in the association between COVID-19 stress and the well-being of life has not been investigated. The purpose of this paper was to explore the connection between COVID-19 stress and LWB in Chinese nurses and to analyse the mediating role of WFC and the moderating effect of work centrality. The link between COVID-19 stress and LWB was examined by performing multiple regression analysis, common method bias analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis on data for 227 nurses.COVID-19 stress exerted a remarkable direct impact on nurses' LWB, and WFC mediated the link between COVID-19 stress and nurses' LWB. Work centrality moderated the link between COVID-19 stress and nurses' WFC. COVID-19 stress decreases nurses' LWB and increases their WFC, which also decreases their LWB. For nurses with higher work centrality, the connection of COVID-19 stress to work-family conflict was stronger. Hospital managers should focus on nurses' work-family balance and pay particular attention to the work-family balance of work-centered nurses to avoid compromising their LWB.

Real-time monitoring polymerization degree of organic photovoltaic materials toward no batch-to-batch variations in device performance.

Polymerization degree plays a vital role in material properties. Previous methodologies of molecular weight control generally cannot suppress or alleviate batch-to-batch variations in device performance, especially in polymer solar cells. Herein, we develop an in-situ photoluminescence system in tandem with a set of analysis and processing procedures to track and estimate the polymerization degree of organic photovoltaic materials. To support the development of this protocol, we introduce polymer acceptor PYT constructed by near-infrared Y-series small molecule acceptors via Stille polymerization, and shed light on the correlations between molecular weight, spectral parameters, and device efficiencies that enable the design of the optical setup and confirm its feasibility. The universality is verified in PYT derivatives with stereoregularity and fluoro-substitution as well as benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene-based polymers. Overall, our result provides a tool to tailor suitable conjugated oligomers applied to polymer solar cells and other organic electronics for industrial scalability and desired cost reduction.

iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics revealing the therapeutic mechanism of a medicinal and edible formula YH0618 in reducing doxorubicin-induced alopecia by targeting keratins and TGF-ß/Smad3 pathway.

YH0618, a medicinal and edible formulation, has demonstrated the potential to alleviate doxorubicin-induced alopecia in animal studies and clinical trials. However, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unexplored. The objective of this study was to ascertain possible therapeutic targets of YH0618 in the treatment of doxorubicin-induced alopecia. The assessment of hair loss was conducted through the measurement of the proportion of the affected area and the examination of skin histology. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) in quantitative proteomics was employed to discern proteins that exhibited variable expressions. The major proteins associated with doxorubicin-induced alopecia were identified using gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. The interaction network of the differentially expressed proteins was constructed using the STRING database and the Python software. The study analyzed a total of 3894 proteins extracted from the skin tissue of mice. Doxorubicin treatment resulted in the upregulation of 18 distinct proteins, whereas one differential protein was found to be downregulated. The above effects were reinstated after the administration of the YH0618 therapy. The bioinformatic study revealed that the identified proteins exhibited enrichment in many biological processes, including staphylococcus aureus infection, estrogen signaling route, pyruvate metabolism, chemical carcinogenesis, and PPAR signaling pathway. The results of Western blot revealed that the levels of keratin 81 (Krt81), keratin 34 (Krt34), keratin 33a (Krt33a), and Sma and MAD-related protein 3 (Smad3) were upregulated in response to doxorubicin treatment, and were attenuated by the administration of YH0618. These four proteins are likely to correlate with DOX-induced alopecia and serve as promising therapeutic targets for YH0618. This work presents significant insights and empirical evidence for comprehending the process underlying chemotherapy-induced alopecia, paving the way for exploring innovative therapeutic or preventive strategies employing herbal items.