Possible potential spread of Anopheles stephensi, the Asian malaria vector.

BACKGROUND: Anopheles stephensi is native to Southeast Asia and the Arabian Peninsula and has emerged as an effective and invasive malaria vector. Since invasion was reported in Djibouti in 2012, the global invasion range of An. stephensi has been expanding, and its high adaptability to the environment and the ongoing development of drug resistance have created new challenges for malaria control. Climate change is an important factor affecting the distribution and transfer of species, and understanding the distribution of An. stephensi is an important part of malaria control measures, including vector control. METHODS: In this study, we collected existing distribution data for An. stephensi, and based on the SSP1-2.6 future climate data, we used the Biomod2 package in R Studio through the use of multiple different model methods such as maximum entropy models (MAXENT) and random forest (RF) in this study to map the predicted global An. stephensi climatically suitable areas. RESULTS: According to the predictions of this study, some areas where there are no current records of An. stephensi, showed significant areas of climatically suitable for An. stephensi. In addition, the global climatically suitability areas for An. stephensi are expanding with global climate change, with some areas changing from unsuitable to suitable, suggesting a greater risk of invasion of An. stephensi in these areas, with the attendant possibility of a resurgence of malaria, as has been the case in Djibouti. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for the possible invasion and expansion of An. stephensi and serves as a reference for the optimization of targeted monitoring and control strategies for this malaria vector in potential invasion risk areas.

lncRNA SYTL5-OT4 promotes vessel co-option by inhibiting the autophagic degradation of ASCT2.

AIMS: Vessel co-option is responsible for tumor resistance to antiangiogenic therapies (AATs) in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRCLM). However, the mechanisms underlying vessel co-option remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the roles of a novel lncRNA SYTL5-OT4 and Alanine-Serine-Cysteine Transporter 2 (ASCT2) in vessel co-option-mediated AAT resistance. METHODS: SYTL5-OT4 was identified by RNA-sequencing and verified by RT-qPCR and RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization assays. The effects of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 on tumor cells were investigated by gain- and loss-of-function experiments, and those of SYTL5-OT4 on ASCT2 expression were analyzed by RNA immunoprecipitation and co-immunoprecipitation assays. The roles of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 in vessel co-option were detected by histological, immunohistochemical, and immunofluorescence analyses. RESULTS: The expression of SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 was higher in patients with AAT-resistant CRCLM. SYTL5-OT4 enhanced the expression of ASCT2 by inhibiting its autophagic degradation. SYTL5-OT4 and ASCT2 promoted vessel co-option by increasing the proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells. Combination therapy of ASCT2 inhibitor and antiangiogenic agents overcame vessel co-option-mediated AAT resistance in CRCLM. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the crucial roles of lncRNA and glutamine metabolism in vessel co-option and provides a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with AAT-resistant CRCLM.

Enhancing the Activity of an Alcohol Dehydrogenase by Using "Aromatic Residue Scanning" at Potential Plasticity Sites.

An alcohol dehydrogenase LkADH was successfully engineered to exhibit improved activity and substrate tolerance for the production of (S)-2-chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl)ethanol, an important precursor of ticagrelor. Five potential hotspots were identified for enzyme mutagenesis by using natural residue abundance as an indicator to evaluate their potential plasticity. A semi-rational strategy named "aromatic residue scanning" was applied to randomly mutate these five sites simultaneously by using tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine as "exploratory residues" to introduce steric hindrance or potential π-π interactions. The best variant Lk-S96Y/L199W identified with 17.2-fold improvement in catalytic efficiency could completely reduce up to 600 g/L (3.1 M) 2-chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl)ethenone in 12 h with >99.5 % ee, giving the highest space-time yield ever reported. This study, therefore, offers a strategy for mutating alcohol dehydrogenase to reduce aromatic substrates and provides an efficient variant for the efficient synthesis of (S)-2-chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl)ethanol.

Photo-Activated Circularly Polarized Luminescence Film Based on Aggregation-Induced Emission Copper(I) Cluster-Assembled Materials.

In this study, a pair of chiral copper(I) cluster-assembled materials (R/S-2) was prepared, exhibiting unique photo-response characteristics with a concentration-wavelength correlation property in DMSO solution. By the combination of R/S-2 with a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrix, the first photo-activated circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) film was developed, the CPL signal (glum =9×10-3 ) of which could be induced by UV light irradiation. Moreover, the film exhibited a reversible photo-response and extremely good fatigue resistance. Mechanism study revealed that the photo-response properties of the R/S-2 solution and film are attributed to the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics of R/S-2 and a photo-induced deoxygenation process. This study enriches the types of luminescent cluster-assembled molecules and provides a new strategy for the construction of metal cluster-based stimuli-responsive composite materials.

AKT2 deficiency impairs formation of the BCR signalosome.

BACKGROUND: AKT2 is one of the key molecules that involves in the insulin-induced signaling and the development of cancer. In B cells, the function of AKT2 is unclear. METHODS: In this study, we used AKT2 knockout mice model to study the role of AKT2 in BCR signaling and B cell differentiation. RESULTS: AKT2 promotes the early activation of B cells by enhancing the BCR signaling and actin remodeling. B cells from AKT2 KO mice exhibited defective spreading and BCR clustering upon stimulation in vitro. Disruption of Btk-mediated signaling caused the impaired differentiation of germinal center B cells, and the serum levels of both sepecific IgM and IgG were decreased in the immunized AKT2 KO mice. In addition, the actin remodeling was affected due to the decreased level of the activation of WASP, the actin polymerization regulator, in AKT2 KO mice as well. As a crucial regulator of both BCR signaling and actin remodeling during early activation of B cells, the phosphorylation of CD19 was decreased in the AKT2 absent B cells, while the transcription level was normal. CONCLUSIONS: AKT2 involves in the humoral responses, and promotes the BCR signaling and actin remodeling to enhance the activation of B cells via regulating CD19 phosphorylation. Video Abstract.

Gut Microbiota and Immune Responses.

The gut microbiota consists of a dynamic multispecies community living within a particular niche in a mutual synergy with the host organism. Recent findings have revealed roles for the gut microbiota in the modulation of host immunity and the development and progression of immune-mediated diseases. Besides, growing evidence supports the concept that some metabolites mainly originated from gut microbiota are linked to the immune regulation implicated in systemic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. In this chapter, we describe the recent advances in our understanding of how host-microbiota interactions shape the immune system, how they affect the pathogenesis of immune-associated diseases and the impact of these mechanisms in the efficacy of disease therapy.

Hydrogen peroxide sensing in body fluids and tumor cells via in situ produced redox couples on two-dimensional holey CuCo2O4 nanosheets.

A novel nanomaterial of two-dimensional holey CuCo2O4 (2D HCCO) nanosheets was synthesized via a general template-directed method and employed for the first time to construct an effective electrochemical platform for H2O2 sensing with the combination of cerium oxide (CeO2). During the electrocatalytic reduction of H2O2, the synergetic catalysis of CeO2/HCCO/MWCNTs/GCE owing to the naturally holey frameworks and the mediator of CeO2 results in the ultra-sensitive detection of H2O2. The current was greatly enhanced owing to the unique holey structure that can minimize the charge transfer distance and provide more active sites to boost the signals, and the dual oxidation state of Ce3+/Ce4+ on the surface of 2D HCCO nanosheets can promote the in situ production of Cu2+/Cu+ and Cu+/Cu and further amplify the detection signal. The CeO2/HCCO/MWCNTs/GCE showed a wide linear range from 1 µM to 7.31 mM using chronoamperometry at the potential of - 0.25 V and a relatively low detection limit of 0.16 µM in physiological environment, which was also utilized for tracking the trace H2O2 released from Hela cells. This study shows great promise for the emerging application of holey HCCO-based biosensors in bioanalysis and early cancer diagnosis. Graphical abstract.

Reduction of glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) aggravates cerebrovascular remodeling via promoting the proliferation of basilar smooth muscle cells in hypertension.

Uncontrollable vascular smooth cell proliferation is responsible for vascular remodeling during hypertension development. Glyoxalase 1 (GLO1), the major enzyme detoxifying methylglyoxal, has a critical role in regulating proliferation of several cell types. However, little is known whether GLO1 is involved in cerebrovascular remodeling and basilar smooth muscle cell (BASMC) proliferation during hypertension. Here we explored the role of GLO1 in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced cerebrovascular remodeling and proliferation of BASMCs and the underlying mechanisms. The protein expression of GLO1 in basilar arteries from hypertensive mice was decreased, and GLO1 expression was negatively correlated with medial cross-sectional area and blood pressure in basilar arteries during hypertension. Knockdown of GLO1 promoted while overexpression of GLO1 prevented Ang II-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle transition in BASMCs. These results were related to the inhibitory effects of GLO1 on PI3K/AKT/CDK2 cascade activation upon Ang II treatment. In addition, in vivo study, GLO1 overexpression with adeno-associated virus harboring GLO1 cDNA improved cerebrovascular remodeling in basilar artery tissue during Ang II-induced hypertension development. These data indicate that GLO1 reduction mediates cerebrovascular modeling via PI3K/AKT/CDK2 cascade-dependent BASMC proliferation. GLO1 acts as a negative regulator of hypertension-induced cerebrovascular remodeling and targeting GLO1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent hypertension-associated cardiovascular complications such as stroke.

Scalp acupuncture plus low-frequency rTMS promotes repair of brain white matter tracts in stroke patients: A DTI study.

To study the clinical effects of scalp acupuncture plus low frequency rTMS in hemiplegic stroke patients. A total of 28 hemiplegic stroke patients were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental group (scalp acupuncture low frequency rTMS routine rehabilitation treatment) or the control group (scalp acupuncture routine rehabilitation treatment). All patients received a diffusion tensor imaging examination on the day of admission and on the fourteenth day. Compared with pre-treatment, the upper limb motor function score and ability of daily life score increased significantly in the two groups, and motor function improvement was much greater in the experimental group. Fractional anisotropy values significantly increased in white matter tracts, such as the corticospinal tract, forceps minor, superior longitudinal fasciculus and uncinate fasciculus in the two groups. Compared with pretreatment, the fractional anisotropy values increased and mean diffusion values decreased synchronously in the forceps minor, left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, left superior longitudinal fasciculus and left uncinate fasciculus in the experimental group. Before and after treatment, there were no significant differences in the changes of fractional anisotropy values between the two groups, but the changes of the mean diffusion values in the experimental group were much greater than those in the control group in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus and the left uncinate fasciculus (p<0.05). Moreover, the increased fractional anisotropy values in the forceps minor in the experimental group were significantly positively correlated with the increased Fugl-Meyer assessment score. Our study concluded that based on routine rehabilitation treatment, scalp acupuncture plus low frequency rTMS can promote white matter tracts repair better than scalp acupuncture alone; the motor function improvement of the hemiplegic upper limb may be closely related to the rehabilitation of the forceps minor; the combination of scalp acupuncture and low frequency rTMS is expected to provide a more optimal rehabilitation protocol for stroke hemiplegic patients.

Radar Constant-Modulus Waveform Design with Prior Information of the Extended Target and Clutter.

Radar waveform design is of great importance for radar system performances and has drawn considerable attention recently. Constant modulus is an important waveform design consideration, both from the point of view of hardware realization and to allow for full utilization of the transmitter's power. In this paper, we consider the problem of constant-modulus waveform design for extended target detection with prior information about the extended target and clutter. At first, we propose an arbitrary-phase unimodular waveform design method via joint transmitter-receiver optimization. We exploit a semi-definite relaxation technique to transform an intractable non-convex problem into a convex problem, which can then be efficiently solved. Furthermore, quadrature phase shift keying waveform is designed, which is easier to implement than arbitrary-phase waveforms. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

ROS induced pyroptosis in inflammatory disease and cancer.

Pyroptosis, a form of caspase-1-dependent cell death, also known as inflammation-dependent death, plays a crucial role in diseases such as stroke, heart disease, or tumors. Since its elucidation, pyroptosis has attracted widespread attention from various sectors. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can regulate numerous cellular signaling pathways. Through further research on ROS and pyroptosis, the level of ROS has been revealed to be pivotal for the occurrence of pyroptosis, establishing a close relationship between the two. This review primarily focuses on the molecular mechanisms of ROS and pyroptosis in tumors and inflammatory diseases, exploring key proteins that may serve as drug targets linking ROS and pyroptosis and emerging fields targeting pyroptosis. Additionally, the potential future development of compounds and proteins that influence ROS-regulated cell pyroptosis is anticipated, aiming to provide insights for the development of anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory drugs.

Artificial intelligence in cardiology: a bibliometric study.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global publications on the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in cardiology. METHODS: Documents related to AI in cardiology published between 2002 and 2022 were retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection. R package "bibliometrix", VOSviewers and Microsoft Excel were applied to perform the bibliometric analysis. RESULTS: A total of 4332 articles were included. United States topped the list of countries publishing articles, followed by China and United Kingdom. The Harvard University was the institution that contributed the most to this field, followed by University of California System and University of London. Disease risk prediction, diagnosis, treatment, disease detection, and prognosis assessment were the research hotspots for AI in cardiology. CONCLUSIONS: Enhancing cooperation between different countries and institutions is a critical step in leading to breakthroughs in the application of AI in cardiology. It is foreseeable that the application of machine learning and deep learning in various areas of cardiology will be a research priority in the coming years.

Mannose attenuates intestinal epithelial tight junction damage in experimental colitis mice by activating the AXIN-AMPK pathway.

Mannose is a unique natural sugar that can be found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. During the past decades, mannose has been reported to be effective in promoting immune tolerance and suppressing inflammatory diseases. Metabolic dysfunction and altered inflammation have clear implications for the development and progression of inflammatory diseases. Herein, we intended to reveal the molecular mechanism of mannose in protecting against intestinal epithelial damage in experimental colitis. We showed that mannose treatment significantly attenuated dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced intestinal barrier damage. The AMPK pathway was responsible for the mannose-mediated protective effect in DSS-induced intestinal epithelial damage. Mechanistically, mannose promoted the axis inhibition protein (AXIN)-based AMPK activation, thereby preventing mitochondrial dysfunction and tight junction disruption in response to the DSS challenge. Cumulatively, the results indicate the use of mannose as a novel approach to treat IBD and other diseases involving tight junction dysfunction. The therapeutic effect of mannose is related to its regulatory function in AMPK pathway activation.

The effect and mechanism of novel methoxy curcumin analogs based on network pharmacology.

In this study, a series of novel compounds were synthesized by introducing the 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl and isatin groups into the monocarbonyl skeleton of curcumin. The possible biological activities and potential targets for these compounds were explored through network pharmacology. The results revealed that these compounds could significantly inhibit production of the inflammatory factors IL-6 and TNF-α, and suppress phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) protein. Moreover, molecular docking experiments showed that the ERK protein was the potential target for these compounds. In summary, this study, through network pharmacology, presents a novel series of methoxy curcumin analogs as potent anti-inflammatory drugs.

Study on the Mechanism of Yadanzi Oil in Treating Lung Cancer Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking Technology.

Brucea javanica oil emulsion (BJOE) is a compound Chinese medicine used for treating various cancers, such as lung cancer. However, the exact mechanism of its antilung cancer active ingredient remains unclear. This study aims to explore and validate the effective active ingredients and mechanism of action of BJOE in the treatment of lung cancer through network pharmacology, molecular docking technology, and cell experiments. The results showed that there were 13 active ingredients, 136 target genes, and 42 disease target-coexpressed genes in BJOE. The molecular docking results indicated that the main active components of the oil emulsion, YD1 (ß-sitosterol), YD2 (luteolin), and YD3 (bruceitol), could stably bind to TP53 and MAPK1. Furthermore, the commercially available ß-sitosterol luteolin was used as a representative compound to conduct cell experiments to verify its anticancer activity and mechanism. It was found that luteolin can inhibit the proliferation better than ß-sitosterol and the activity of lung cancer cells by regulating the expression of related proteins through the P53/MAPK1 signaling pathway. This study combines network pharmacology prediction with experiments to demonstrate the "multicomponent, multitarget, multipathway" approach of B. javanica oil emulsion in treating lung cancer.

Detection and population genetic analysis of Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) based on knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations in the Yangtze River basin of China.

BACKGROUND: Aedes albopictus is an important vector of chikungunya, dengue, yellow fever and Zika viruses. Insecticides are often the most effective tools for rapidly decreasing the density of vector populations, especially during arbovirus disease outbreaks. However, the intense use of insecticides, particularly pyrethroids, has led to the selection of resistant mosquito populations worldwide. Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) gene are one of the main drivers of insecticide resistance in Ae. albopictus and are also known as "knockdown resistance" (kdr) mutations. Knowledge about genetic mutations associated with insecticide resistance is a prerequisite for developing techniques for rapid resistance diagnosis. Here, we report studies on the origin and dispersion of kdr haplotypes in samples of Ae. albopictus from the Yangtze River Basin, China; METHODS: Here, we report the results of PCR genotyping of kdr mutations in 541 Ae. albopictus specimens from 22 sampling sites in 7 provinces and municipalities in the Yangtze River Basin. Partial DNA sequences of domain II and domain III of the VGSC gene were amplified. These DNA fragments were subsequently sequenced to discover the possible genetic mutations mediating knockdown resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids. The frequency and distribution of kdr mutations were assessed in 22 Ae. albopictus populations. Phylogenetic relationships among the haplotypes were used to infer whether the kdr mutations had a single or multiple origins; RESULTS: The kdr mutation at the 1016 locus had 2 alleles with 3 genotypes: V/V (73.38%), V/G (26.43%) and G/G (0.18%). The 1016G homozygous mutation was found in only one case in the CQSL strain in Chongqing, and no 1016G mutations were detected in the SHJD (Shanghai), NJDX (Jiangsu) or HBQN (Hubei) strains. A total of 1532 locus had two alleles and three genotypes, I/I (88.35%), I/T (8.50%) and T/T (3.14%). A total of 1534 locus had four alleles and six genotypes: F/F (49.35%), F/S (19.96%), F/C (1.48%) and F/L (0.18%); S/S (23.66%); and C/C (5.36%). Haplotypes with the F1534C mutation were found only in Ae. albopictus populations in Chongqing and Hubei, and C1534C was found only in three geographic strains in Chongqing. Haplotypes with the 1534S mutation were found only in Ae. albopictus populations in Sichuan and Shanghai. F1534L was found only in HBYC. The Ae. albopictus populations in Shanghai were more genetically differentiated from those in the other regions (except Sichuan), and the genetic differentiation between the populations in Chongqing and those in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Huber, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Anhui) was lower. Shanghai and Sichuan displayed low haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity. Phylogenetic analysis and sequence comparison revealed that the 1016 locus was divided into three branches, with the Clade A and Clade B branches bearing the 1016 mutation occurring mostly in Jiangsu and the Clade C branch bearing the 1016 mutation occurring mostly in Chongqing, suggesting at least two origins for 1016G. IIIS6 phylogenetic analysis and sequence comparison revealed that F1534S, F1534C and I1532T can be divided into two branches, indicating that IIIS6 has two origins; CONCLUSIONS: Combined with the distribution of kdr mutations and the analysis of population genetics, we infer that besides the local selection of pyrethroid resistance mutations, dispersal and colonization of Ae. albopictus from other regions may explain why kdr mutations are present in some Ae. albopictus populations in the Yangtze River Basin.

Mechanism of ameliorating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by antioxidant inhibition of autophagy based on network pharmacology and experimental verification.

Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI) is one of the most difficult challenges in cerebrovascular disease research. It is primarily caused by excessive autophagy induced by oxidative stress. Previously, a novel compound X5 was found, and the excellent antioxidant activity of it was verified in this study. Moreover, network pharmacological analysis suggested that compound X5 was closely associated with autophagy and the mTOR pathway. In vitro, X5 could significantly inhibit the expression of autophagy proteins Beclin-1 and LC3-ß, which are induced by H2O2, and promote the expression of SIRT1. In vivo, compound X5 significantly reduced the infarct size and improved the neurological function scores in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model of rats. In conclusion, ROS-induced autophagy is closely related to mTOR, SIRT1 and others, and X5 holds promise as a candidate for the treatment of CIRI.

Discovery of Pyroptosis-inducing Drugs and Antineoplastic Activity Based on the ROS/ER Stress/Pyroptosis Axis.

BACKGROUND: Pyroptosis, a cell death process triggered by chemotherapy drugs, has emerged as a highly promising mechanism for combating tumors in recent years. As the lead of new drugs, natural products play an important role in the discovery of anticancer drugs. Compared to other natural products, the medicine food homologous natural products (MFHNP) exhibit a superior safety profile. Among a series of MFHNP molecular skeletons, this study found that only benzylideneacetophenone (1) could induce cancer cell pyroptosis. However, the anti-cancer activity of 1 remains to be improved. AIMS: This study aimed to find a pyroptosis inducer with highly effective antitumor activity by modifying the chalcone structure. METHODS: To examine the effect of the Michael receptor in compound 1 on the induction of pyroptosis, several analogs were synthesized by modifying the Michael acceptor. Subsequently, the anticancer activity was tested by MTT assay, and morphological indications of pyroptosis were observed in human lung carcinoma NCI-H460 and human ovarian cancer CP-70 cell lines. Furthermore, to improve the activity of the chalcone skeleton, the anticancer group 3,4,5- trimethoxyphenyl was incorporated into the phenyl ring. Subsequently, compounds 2-22 were designed, synthesized, and screened in human lung cancer cells (NCI-H460, H1975, and A549). Additionally, a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model was established using the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) machine learning library to identify the pharmacophore. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to investigate the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis induced by the active compound. RESULTS: α, ß-unsaturated ketone was the functional group of the chalcone skeleton and played a pivotal role in inducing cancer cell pyroptosis. QSAR models showed that the regression coefficients (R2) were 0.992 (A549 cells), 0.990 (NCI-H460 cells), and 0.998 (H1975 cells). Among these compounds, compound 7 was selected to be the active compound. Moreover, compound 7 was found to induce pyroptosis in lung cancer cells by upregulating the expression of CHOP by increasing the ROS level. Furthermore, it effectively suppressed the growth of lung cancer xenograft tumors. CONCLUSION: Compound 7 exhibits antineoplastic activity by regulating the ROS/ER stress/pyroptosis axis and is a kind of promising pyroptosis inducer.

The effect of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the characteristics of diapause of Aedes albopictus.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the effect of artificial light at night (ALAN) on the physiology and behavior of insects has gradually attracted the attention of researchers and has become a new research topic. Aedes albopictus is an important vector that poses a great public health risk. Further studies on the diapause of Ae. albopictus can provide a basis for new vector control, and it is also worth exploring whether the effect of ALAN on the diapause of Ae. albopictus will provide a reference for the prevention and control of infectious diseases mediated by Ae. albopictus. METHODS: In this study, we experimentally studied the diapause characteristics of different geographical strains of Ae. albopictus under the interference of ALAN, explored the effect of ALAN on the diapause of Ae. albopictus and explored the molecular mechanism of ALAN on the diapause process through RNA-seq. RESULTS: As seen from the diapause incidence, Ae. albopictus of the same geographic strain showed a lower diapause incidence when exposed to ALAN. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in signaling and metabolism-related pathways in the parental females and diapause eggs of the ALAN group. CONCLUSIONS: ALAN inhibits Ae. albopictus diapause. In the short photoperiod induced diapause of Ae. albopictus in temperate strain Beijing and subtropical strain Guangzhou, the disturbance of ALAN reduced the egg diapause rate and increased the egg hatching rate of Ae. albopictus, and the disturbance of ALAN also shortened the life cycle of Ae. albopictus eggs after hatching.

The mutation spectrum of the JK-null phenotype in the Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the mutation spectrum of the JK-null phenotype in the Chinese population. The JK gene encoding the Kidd blood group antigen protein and JK*A/JK*B polymorphism caused by a G-to-A mutation at nt838 are well described. However, the molecular basis of the JK-null phenotype in Chinese populations remains unclear. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixteen unrelated JK-null phenotype donors detected by red blood cell urea lysis resistance assay of 201,194 Chinese blood donors were confirmed in serologic agglutination tests. JK-null alleles were analyzed by MnlI polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of all JK gene coding regions. RESULTS: In addition to the well-known Polynesian JK-null allele JK*B(IVS5-1g>a) and two alleles discovered in Taiwan, JK*B(896G>A) and JK*B(222C>A), seven JK-null allele types were detected in this study including four novel JK-null alleles: a nonsense mutation, JK*B(512G>A); two types of missense point mutations, JK*B(536C>G) and JK*B(437T>C); and a splice mutation, JK*A(IVS8+5g>a), resulting in skipping of Exon 8. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the frequency and heterogeneity of the JK-null phenotype in Chinese populations. Based on our findings, the mechanisms underlying the Chinese Jk(a-b-) phenotype are quite different from other ethnic groups. The two most common types of JK-null alleles were JK*B(IVS5-1g>a) and JK*B(896G>A) in Chinese persons. Four novel JK-null alleles were noted to be associated with the Jk(a-b-) phenotype.