Epidemiological characteristics of human rabies cases reported by sites in China from 2006 to 2022.

BACKGROUND: Rabies is an incessant public health threat in China. The Ministry of Health implemented the Central Payment for Rabies Prevention and Control Project to assist with rabies prevention and control in a few representative provinces in 2006. METHODS: Data on human rabies cases reported by the National Infectious Disease Reporting Information Management System and national surveillance sites from 2006 to 2022 were collected, and statistical and multivariate analyses were then used to assess the effectiveness of current prevention and control efforts. RESULTS: During 2006-2022, a total of 2025 human rabies cases were collected by the national surveillance sites, with incidence rates far above the national average, but the incidence rate was consistent with the national trend. Human rabies cases demonstrated a dual peak distribution in terms of exposure and onset dates, with the peak exposure dates falling mostly in the spring and summer and the peak onset dates occurring mostly in the summer and autumn. Three danger categories are shown by the geographical distribution: high, medium and low. Dogs had a high infection rate (86.93%), with own domesticated dogs accounting for the majority of infections. The rates of post-exposure prophylaxis are not constant. The median incubation period was 71 days. CONCLUSIONS: Various measures and policies implemented by the government have played a key role in reducing the incidence of rabies. To effectively prevent and control the resurgence of epidemics and halt the spread of the virus among host animals, it is imperative to prioritize and implement a robust dog management system, accelerate research and development of animal vaccines and improve the level of post-exposure prophylaxis.

Rabies Virus Regulates Inflammatory Response in BV-2 Cells through Activation of Myd88 and NF-κB Signaling Pathways via TLR7.

Rabies is a fatal neurological infectious disease caused by rabies virus (RABV), which invades the central nervous system (CNS). RABV with varying virulence regulates chemokine expression, and the mechanisms of signaling pathway activation remains to be elucidated. The relationship between Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and immune response induced by RABV has not been fully clarified. Here, we investigated the role of TLR7 in the immune response induced by RABV, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to evaluate the data. We found that different RABV strains (SC16, HN10, CVS-11) significantly increased CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-6 production. Blocking assays indicated that the TLR7 inhibitor reduced the expression of CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-6 (p < 0.01). The activation of the Myd88 pathway in BV-2 cells stimulated by RABV was TLR7-dependent, whereas the inhibition of Myd88 activity reduced the expression of CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-6 (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the RABV stimulation of BV-2 cells resulted in TRL7-mediated activation of NF-κB and induced the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-6 release was attenuated by the specific NF-κB inhibitor used (p < 0.01). The findings above demonstrate that RABV-induced expression of CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-6 involves Myd88 and NF-κB pathways via the TLR7 signal.

Resveratrol inhibits rabies virus infection in N2a cells by activating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.

Rabies is a highly lethal infectious disease with no existing treatment available, thus investigating effective antiviral compounds to control rabies virus (RABV) infection is of utmost importance. Resveratrol is a natural phenolic compound that, as a phytoalexin, exhibits several biological activities, including antiviral activity. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of resveratrol on RABV infection and investigated its molecular antiviral mechanism. We found that resveratrol significantly inhibited RABV infection, including the phases of adsorption, replication, and release, and also directly inactivated RABV and inhibited its infectivity. However, resveratrol had no significant effect on RABV internalization. Resveratrol also reduced RABV-induced oxidative stress, specifically reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels. Western blotting analysis revealed that resveratrol enhanced antioxidant signaling via the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and inhibited viral replication. Viral infection was enhanced after SIRT1 knockdown, which inhibited the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidant signaling pathway, suggesting that this pathway plays an important role in RABV replication. Overall, resveratrol prevented the adsorption, replication, and release of RABV and directly inactivated RABV, but failed to inhibit RABV internalization. Furthermore, resveratrol activated the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to inhibit RABV replication and suppressed RABV-induced oxidative stress. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of resveratrol for fighting RABV infections.

Examining the relationship between international digital trade, green technology innovation and environmental sustainability in top emerging economics.

Ensuring preserving a sustainable environment is a crucial concern for individuals worldwide. In previous research, CO2 emissions have been used to measure environmental deterioration. However, in this study, we have expanded the scope to include carbon emissions and several other gases. This comprehensive measure is referred to as the ecological footprint (EFP). More significant international digital trade (IDT) has the potential to achieve several positive results, including reducing EFP (economic frictions and barriers), stimulating economic growth, and minimizing trade risk and volatility. These benefits can be realized by implementing structural reforms in significant production and development sectors. Green technology innovation (GTI) has the potential to make substantial progress in ecological quality and energy efficiency. Nevertheless, previous studies still need to adequately prioritize examining rising economies in terms of international trade diversification and GTI. This study examined the effects of IDT, GTI, and renewable energy consumption (REC) on EFP in BRICST countries. The study utilized data from the period between 1995 and 2022. The cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) model demonstrates that EFP negatively correlates with trade diversification, REC, and GTI in the long and short term. These countries have demonstrated a significant presence of eco-friendly products in their trade portfolios, and their manufacturing processes are shifting towards GTI. The objective is to enhance the REC sources and minimize EFP from consumption. Conversely, the increasing economic growth within this economic group has a compounding impact on the environment's decline since it amplifies the carbon emissions from increased consumption. To reduce the EFP level, the paper suggests increasing investment in GTI, promoting worldwide digital trade, and embracing renewable energy sources.

Exploring the microbial ecosystem of Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada: a comprehensive analysis of endophytes and rhizospheric soil microorganisms.

Endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms associated with plants play a crucial role in plant health, pest and disease defense, and fruit yield by actively participating in the plant's adaptation to its environment. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was employed to analyze the community structure and diversity of endophytic and rhizospheric soil microorganisms in Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada. The results revealed significant differences in microbial diversity and community structure between the soil and plant compartments within the same geographic region. Microbial diversity and species composition varied among different geographic locations. The dominant bacteria in plants were Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria, with dominant genera including Methylobacterium-Methylorubrum, Escherichia-Shigella and Sphingomonas. In contrast, the dominant bacteria in soil were Proteobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Actinobacteriota, with dominant genera such as Sphingomonas, Conexibacter and Vicinamibacteraceae, with Sphingomonas was considered core groups present in all plant and soil samples. As for fungi, the dominant phyla in both plants and soil were Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Mortierellomycota, with different dominant genera between the two compartments, including Fusarium, Septoria, and Mortierella, totaling 59 genera. Linear discriminant analysis at the genus level identified 102 bacterial and 54 fungal indicator taxa associated with plants and soil. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated close interactions among soil bacterial microorganisms. Functional prediction of the top 10 microbial genes revealed three bacterial metabolic pathways shared between soil and plants, while the predominant fungal metabolic types were similar between the two compartments but with varying abundances. This study elucidates the diversity and interplay of endophytic and rhizospheric microorganisms in Berchemia polyphylla var. leioclada across diverse geographical regions, providing insights crucial for the plant's conservation and development.

Anesthesia/surgery-induced learning and memory dysfunction by inhibiting mitophagy-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome inactivation in aged mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common postoperative complication, not only affects the quality of life of the elderly and increases the mortality rate, but also brings a greater burden to the family and society. Previous studies demonstrated that Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome participates in various inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. However, possible mitophagy mechanism in anesthesia/surgery-elicited NLRP3 inflammasome activation remains to be elucidated. Hence, this study clarified whether mitophagy dysfunction is related to anesthesia/surgery-elicited NLRP3 inflammasome activation. POCD model was established in aged C57BL/6 J mice by tibial fracture fixation under isoflurane anesthesia. Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to evaluate learning and memory abilities. We found that in vitro experiments, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) significantly facilitated NLRP3 inflammasome activation and mitophagy inhibition in BV2 cells. Rapamycin restored mitophagy and improved mitochondrial function, and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation induced by LPS. In vivo experiments, anesthesia and surgery caused upregulation of hippocampal NLRP3, caspase recruitment domain (ASC) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1 ß), and downregulation of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3II (LC3II) and Beclin1 in aged mice. Olaparib inhibited anesthesia/surgery-induced NLRP3, ASC, and IL-1ß over-expression in the hippocampus, while upregulated the expression of LC3II and Beclin1. Furthermore, Olaparib improved cognitive impairment in older mice. These results revealed that mitophagy was involved in NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive deficits in aged mice. Overall, our results suggested that mitophagy was related in NLRP3 inflammasome-induced cognitive deficits after anesthesia and surgery in aged mice. Activating mitophagy may have clinical benefits in the prevention of cognitive impairment induced by anesthesia and surgery in elderly patients.

A novel mRNA rabies vaccine as a promising candidate for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis protects animals from different rabies viruses.

Rabies, caused by the rabies virus (RABV), is the most fatal zoonotic disease. It is a neglected tropical disease which remains a major public health problem, causing approximately 59,000 deaths worldwide annually. Despite the existence of effective vaccines, the high incidence of human rabies is mainly linked to tedious vaccine immunisation procedures and the overall high cost of post-exposure prophylaxis. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an effective vaccine that has a simple procedure and is affordable to prevent rabies infection in humans. RABV belongs to the genus Lyssavirus and family Rhabdoviridae. Previous phylogenetic analyses have identified seven major clades of RABV in China (China I-VII), confirmed by analysing nucleotide sequences from both the G and N proteins. This study evaluated the immunogenicity and protective capacity of SYS6008, an mRNA rabies vaccine expressing rabies virus glycoprotein, in mice and cynomolgus macaques. We demonstrated that SYS6008 induced sufficient levels of rabies neutralising antibody (RVNA) in mice. In addition, SYS6008 elicited strong and durable RVNA responses in vaccinated cynomolgus macaques. In the pre-exposure prophylaxis murine model, one or two injections of SYS6008 at 1/10 or 1/30 of dosage provided protection against a challenge with a 30-fold LD50 of rabies virus (China I and II clades). We also demonstrated that in the post-exposure prophylaxis murine model, which was exposed to lethal rabies virus (China I-VII clades) before vaccination, one or two injections of SYS6008 at both 1/10 and 1/30 dosages provided better protection against rabies virus challenge than the immunization by five injections of commercial vaccines at the same dosage. In addition, we proved that SYS6008-induced RVNAs could neutralise RABV from the China I-VII clades. Finally, 1/10 of the dosage of SYS6008 was able to stimulate significant RABV-G specificity in the T cell response. Furthermore, we found that SYS6008 induced high cellular immunity, including RABV-G-specific T cell responses and memory B cells. Our results imply that the SYS6008 rabies vaccine, with a much simpler vaccination procedure, better immunogenicity, and enhanced protective capacity, could be a candidate vaccine for post-exposure prophylaxis of rabies infections.

Potential option for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis: New vaccine with PIKA adjuvant against diverse Chinese rabies strains.

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease caused by the rabies virus. Despite existing vaccines, failures still persist. Complete protection relies on improving vaccination for delayed antibody response and weak cellular immunity. A more effective and secure vaccine is necessary for rabies prevention. For this purpose, we employed the use of PIKA adjuvant, a stabilized double-stranded RNA that interacts with TLR3, as an enhancer for the rabies immunization. Testing on mice infected with seven rabies strains prevalent in China showed over 80% protective efficacy without immunoglobulin. In contrast, the PIKA rabies vaccine exhibited a more significant enhancement in neutralizing antibody levels just 5 days post-vaccination, surpassing the immune response induced by licensed rabies vaccines. Furthermore, the administration of the PIKA rabies vaccine resulted in a significant augmentation in the population of T cells that produce IFN-γ in response to the antigen. Additionally, elevated levels of IL-1ß, IL-6, CCL-2, and TNF-α were observed at the injection site. Furthermore, an increase in the levels of chemotactic proteins and pro-inflammatory molecules in the serum was observed following administration of the PIKA rabies vaccine. Confirmation of the mechanism of action of PIKA was further established by testing it on TLR3-knockout mice, proving that its adjuvant function is dependent on the TLR3 pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that the PIKA vaccine for rabies shows potential as a highly efficacious approach, resulting in a significant enhancement of the efficacy of rabies vaccines.

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Biofilm Supernatant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA75 and Evaluation of Their Antibacterial, Antibiofilm, and Antitumor Activities.

Purpose: As an under-explored biomaterial, bacterial biofilms have a wide range of applications in the green synthesis of nanomaterials. The biofilm supernatant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA75 was used to synthesize novel silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). BF75-AgNPs were found to possess several biological properties. Methods: In this study, we biosynthesized BF75-AgNPs using biofilm supernatant as the reducing agent, stabilizer, and dispersant and investigated their biopotential in terms of antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antitumor activities. Results: The synthesized BF75-AgNPs demonstrated a typical face-centered cubic crystal structure; they were well dispersed; and they were spherical with a size of 13.899 ± 4.036 nm. The average zeta potential of the BF75-AgNPs was -31.0 ± 8.1 mV. The BF75-AgNPs exhibited strong antibacterial activities against the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC), extensively drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (XDR-KP), and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CR-PA). Moreover, the BF75-AgNPs had a strong bactericidal effect on XDR-KP at 1/2 × MIC, and the expression level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacteria was significantly increased. A synergistic effect was observed when the BF75-AgNPs and colistin were used for the co-treatment of two colistin-resistant XDR-KP strains, with fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) values of 0.281 and 0.187, respectively. Furthermore, the BF75-AgNPs demonstrated a strong biofilm inhibition activity and mature biofilm bactericidal activity against XDR-KP. The BF75-AgNPs also exhibited a strong antitumor activity against melanoma cells and low cytotoxicity against normal epidermal cells. In addition, the BF75-AgNPs increased the proportion of apoptotic cells in two melanoma cell lines, and the proportion of late apoptotic cells increased with BF75-AgNP concentration. Conclusion: This study suggests that BF75-AgNPs synthesized from biofilm supernatant have broad prospects for antibacterial, antibiofilm, and antitumor applications.

Peripheral and cerebral inflammation induced by repeated anesthesia and surgery do not cause impairment of learning and memory in middle­aged mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a postoperative complication of the central nervous system that reduces quality of life and increases mortality in perioperative patients, especially among elderly patients. Many studies have shown that the incidence of postoperative cognitive impairment in adults induced by one­time anesthesia and surgery is very low, while multiple experiences of anesthesia and surgery can induce cognitive impairment in the developing brain. However, the effect of multiple experiences of anesthesia and surgery on cognitive function over a short period in middle­aged mice, i.e., 6 to 8 months old, remains unclear. In this study, we explored whether the cognitive function of mice aged 6-8 months is impaired after multiple operations. Middle­aged mice (6 to 8 months old) healthy male C57BL/6 mice underwent exploratory laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia. Morris water maze testing was performed after the operations. Blood and brain samples were collected at 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h after the operations. Serum IL­6, IL­1, and S­100ß concentrations were detected by ELISA. The expressions of ChAT, AChE, and Aß in the hippocampus were measured by western blot. Up­regulation of Iba1 and GFAP, respectively, indicated activation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus. Expression of Iba1 and GFAP was examined by immunofluorescence. The present results revealed that serum IL­6, IL­1ß, and S­100ß concentrations were enhanced after multiple instances of anesthesia and surgery, and microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampus were activated. However, learning and memory were not impaired in the middle­aged mice by multiple experiences of anesthesia and surgery. There were no changes in ChAT, AChE, and Aß in the hippocampus after multiple experiences of anesthesia/surgery. Taken together, we suggest that although multiple anesthesia/surgery procedures can induce peripheral inflammation, neuroinflammation, and transient cerebral injury, it is insufficient to impair learning and memory in middle­aged mice.

Expert-Level Immunofixation Electrophoresis Image Recognition based on Explainable and Generalizable Deep Learning.

BACKGROUND: Immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) is important for diagnosis of plasma cell disorders (PCDs). Manual analysis of IFE images is time-consuming and potentially subjective. An artificial intelligence (AI) system for automatic and accurate IFE image recognition is desirable. METHODS: In total, 12 703 expert-annotated IFE images (9182 from a new IFE imaging system and 3521 from an old one) were used to develop and test an AI system that was an ensemble of 3 deep neural networks. The model takes an IFE image as input and predicts the presence of 8 basic patterns (IgA-, IgA-, IgG-, IgG-, IgM-, IgM-, light chain and ) and their combinations. Score-based class activation maps (Score-CAMs) were used for visual explanation of the models prediction. RESULTS: The AI model achieved an average accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 99.82, 93.17, and 99.93, respectively, for detection of the 8 basic patterns, which outperformed 4 junior experts with 1 years experience and was comparable to a senior expert with 5 years experience. The Score-CAMs gave a reasonable visual explanation of the prediction by highlighting the target aligned regions in the bands and indicating potentially unreliable predictions. When trained with only the new system images, the models performance was still higher than junior experts on both the new and old IFE systems, with average accuracy of 99.91 and 99.81, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our AI system achieved human-level performance in automatic recognition of IFE images, with high explainability and generalizability. It has the potential to improve the efficiency and reliability of diagnosis of PCDs.

Neurosyphilis with ocular involvement and normal magnetic resonance imaging results affirmed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing.

The rapid and accurate identification of pathogenic agents is the key to guide clinicians on diagnosis and medication, especially for intractable diseases, such as neurosyphilis. It is extremely challenging for clinicians to diagnose neurosyphilis with no highly sensitive and specific test available. It is well known that the early transmission and immune evasion ability of Treponema pallidum have earned it the title of "stealth pathogen." Neurosyphilis has complex clinical manifestations, including ocular involvement, which is infrequent and often overlooked, but its neuroimaging results may be normal. Therefore, it is important to find a new test that can detect the presence or absence of Treponema pallidum immediately for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis. We reviewed all the patients admitted to the Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital between 2021 and 2022 who had ocular involvement and whose clinical samples were examined via metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), and we found 10 candidates for further analysis. The results of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were normal for four patients, and three of them met the diagnostic criteria for neurosyphilis confirmed by mNGS. In addition, the results of mNGS from the three patients were further validated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Five of the 10 patients had diplopia manifestations; two (20%) experienced abducens nerve palsies, two (20%) had eyelid drooping, and one (10%) had decreased vision. One of the 10 patients (10%) who was HIV positive and five patients had abnormal MRI results. To our knowledge, Treponema pallidum was detected by mNGS in patients with ocular involvement and normal MRI results for the first time. Given this situation, we recommend mNGS as a potential and supplementary tool for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of neurosyphilis.

Molecular cytogenetic study on the plants of Elymus nutans with varying fertility on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

A molecular cytogenetic investigation was conducted on plants of the allohexaploid species Elymus nutans with varying fertility on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Molecular karyotyping revealed that chromosome variants were distributed unevenly among genomes and among different homologue chromosomes in each genome. The plants with varying fertility exhibited significantly higher numbers of chromosome variants than did the normal fertility samples, although both kinds of plants showed the same pattern of high-to-low polymorphism from the Y to St and H genomes. Heterozygosis and karyotype heterozygosity in the plants with varying fertility were 3- and 13-fold higher than those in normal samples, respectively. Significant negative correlations were found not only between seed setting rates and total genome heterozygosity but also between seed setting rates and heterozygosity of each genome in the plants of varying fertility. Chromosome pairing analysis was performed using genomic in situ hybridization in selected plants of different fertility levels. The pairing of chromosomes at meiotic metaphase I was mostly bivalent, although univalent, trivalent, quadrivalent, and other polyvalents also occurred; in addition, chromosome configuration forms and frequencies varied among the studied samples. ANOVA results showed that the average number of ring bivalents in the Y genome was significantly higher than those in the St and H genomes. Significant positive correlations between pollen grain fertility and ring bivalent number were found in the St and H genomes but not in the Y genome. Furthermore, chromosome configuration parameters (total bivalents, numbers of ring and rod bivalents) were found to be significantly correlated with heterozygosity and seed setting rates in the St and H genomes, respectively, but not in the Y genome. It was inferred that the seed setting rate and pollen grain fertility in E. nutans are strongly influenced by the heterozygosity of each genome, but the Y genome differs from the St and H genomes due to chromosome pair alterations. The St and H genomes may contain more chromosome structural variations than the Y genome in E. nutans.

Meiotic Chromosomal Abnormality Detected in a Heterozygote of Elymus nutans.

Elymus nutans is an allopolyploid with a genome constitution of StStYYHH (2n = 6x = 42). Highly frequent intergenomic translocations and chromosomal variations with repeat amplification and deletions in E. nutans have been identified in the previous studies. However, more complicated structural variations such as chromosomal inversions or intra-genomic translocations are still unknown in this species, so does the reason for the origin of the chromosomal variations. Heterozygotes with rearranged chromosomes always present irregular meiosis behaviors, which subsequently cause the secondary chromosome rearrangements. Investigation on the meiosis of heterozygotes, especially on the individual chromosome level, may provide the important clues to identify the more complicated chromosome structural variations in the populations, and clarify the origin of the chromosome variations. In this study, meiotic analysis was conducted on a heterozygote plant of Elymus nutans, which showed high intra- and inter-genome chromosomal variations, by sequential fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), with each chromosome clearly recognized. The results showed chromosomal abnormalities at every meiotic stage and abnormalities in frequency variations between different sub-genomes and different individual chromosomes. The abnormalities were revealed as univalent, fragment, rod, or Y shape bivalent in diakinesis; univalent and rod bivalent in metaphase I; lagged and segregated chromatid, bridge, fragment of the sister chromatid, fragment, bridge accompanied with fragment, and unequal segregated chromosome in anaphase I; bridge and lagged chromatid in ana-telophase II; and micronucleus at uninucleate stage. Generally, the St and H genomes harbor more abnormalities than the Y genome. Moreover, a paracentric inversion in 2St was exclusively determined, and another paracentric inversion in 6Y was tentatively identified. In addition, novel deletions were clearly detected in 3H, 4H, 1Y, and 3Y homologous chromosomes; in particular, de novo pericentric inversion in 3H was repeatedly identified in metaphase I. The study revealed the chromosomal inversions pre-existed in parents or populations, as well as de novo inversions and deletions originated in the meiosis of the heterozygote in E. nutans. Moreover, it indicated wide range of meiosis abnormalities on different stages and different chromosomes, and suggests that secondary rearrangements contribute much to the chromosome variations in E. nutans.

Isolation and Characterization of Nocardia Species from Pulmonary Nocardiosis in a Tertiary Hospital in China.

This study aimed to investigate the clinical features, distribution, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Nocardia species isolated from pulmonary nocardiosis cases in a tertiary hospital in China. The species were collected from January 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019, and identified using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry or polymerase chain reaction. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the broth microdilution method. Within the 44 Nocardia species, N. farcinica was the most frequently identified species (n = 36), followed by N. nova (n = 5), N. otitidiscaviarum (n = 1), N. cyriacigeorgica (n = 1), and N. transvalensis (n = 1). The top 3 predisposing factors of pulmonary nocardiosis were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (45.5%), hypertension (34.1%), and tuberculosis (31.8%). All 44 Nocardia species were susceptible to amikacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and linezolid. The resistance rates of Nocardia to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, ceftriaxone, tobramycin, and imipenem were 4.5%, 9.1%, 79.5%, 72.7%, 63.6%, and 38.6%, respectively. Two Nocardia strains had decreased sensitivity to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. In conclusion, N. farcinica was the most frequently isolated Nocardia species in the First Hospital of Changsha. All the isolated clinical Nocardia species showed susceptibility to amikacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and linezolid, suggesting that these drugs can be primary therapeutic choices for treating Nocardia infections.

The Kengyiliahirsuta karyotype polymorphisms as revealed by FISH with tandem repeats and single-gene probes.

Kengyiliahirsuta (Keng, 1959) J. L. Yang, C. Yen et B. R. Baum, 1992, a perennial hexaploidy species, is a wild relative species to wheat with great potential for wheat improvement and domestication. The genome structure and cross-species homoeology of K.hirsuta chromosomes with wheat were assayed using 14 single-gene probes covering all seven homoeologous groups, and four repetitive sequence probes 45S rDNA, 5S rDNA, pAs1, and (AAG)10 by FISH. Each chromosome of K.hirsuta was well characterized by homoeological determination and repeats distribution patterns. The synteny of chromosomes was strongly conserved in the St genome, whereas synteny of the Y and P genomes was more distorted. The collinearity of 1Y, 2Y, 3Y and 7Y might be interrupted in the Y genome. A new 5S rDNA site on 2Y might be translocated from 1Y. The short arm of 3Y might involve translocated segments from 7Y. The 7 Y was identified as involving a pericentric inversion. A reciprocal translocation between 2P and 4P, and tentative structural aberrations in the subtelomeric region of 1PL and 4PL, were observed in the P genome. Chromosome polymorphisms, which were mostly characterized by repeats amplification and deletion, varied between chromosomes, genomes, and different populations. However, two translocations involving a P genome segmental in 3YL and a non-Robertsonial reciprocal translocation between 4Y and 3P were identified in two independent populations. Moreover, the proportion of heterozygous karyotypes reached almost 35% in all materials, and almost 80% in the specific population. These results provide new insights into the genome organization of K.hirsuta and will facilitate genome dissection and germplasm utilization of this species.

Molecular Karyotyping on Populus simonii × P. nigra and the Derived Doubled Haploid.

The molecular karyotype could represent the basic genetic make-up in a cell nucleus of an organism or species. A doubled haploid (DH) is a genotype formed from the chromosome doubling of haploid cells. In the present study, molecular karyotype analysis of the poplar hybrid Populus simonii × P. nigra (P. xiaohei) and the derived doubled haploids was carried out with labeled telomeres, rDNA, and two newly repetitive sequences as probes by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The tandem repeats, pPC349_XHY and pPD284_XHY, with high-sequence homology were used, and the results showed that they presented the colocalized distribution signal in chromosomes. For P. xiaohei, pPD284_XHY produced hybridizations in chromosomes 1, 5, 8, and 9 in the hybrid. The combination of pPD284_XHY, 45S rDNA, and 5S rDNA distinctly distinguished six pairs of chromosomes, and the three pairs of chromosomes showed a significant difference in the hybridization between homologous chromosomes. The repeat probes used produced similar FISH hybridizations in the DH; nevertheless, pPD284_XHY generated an additional hybridization site in the telomere region of chromosome 14. Moreover, two pairs of chromosomes showed differential hybridization distributions between homologous chromosomes. Comparisons of the distinguished chromosomes between hybrid and DH poplar showed that three pairs of chromosomes in the DH presented hybridization patterns that varied from those of the hybrid. The No. 8 chromosome in DH and one of the homologous chromosomes in P. xiaohei shared highly similar FISH patterns, which suggested the possibility of intact or mostly partial transfer of the chromosome between the hybrid and DH. Our study will contribute to understanding the genetic mechanism of chromosomal variation in P. xiaohei and derived DH plants.

Epidemic Characteristics of Human Rabies - China, 2016-2020.

INTRODUCTION: The epidemiological characteristics of human rabies in China in 2016-2020 were analyzed in order to provide the scientific basis for the formulation of the prevention and control policy of rabies at next stage. METHODS: The data of China's National Notifiable Disease Reporting System (NNDRS) from 2016 to 2020 were collected and analyzed by using a descriptive epidemiology method. RESULTS: A total of 2,074 cases of human rabies were reported from 2016-2020 in China, there were year over year decreases in total number of cases. Human rabies appeared throughout the year, among which the highest in incidence happened from August to October, while March and December months were months in which the epidemic was weakest. CONCLUSION: Though decreases were observed for human rabies in China, further steps should be taken to maintain these results. Management should be strengthened and the immunity of dogs should be prioritized to control this situation from the source. In addition, all reported cases should be monitored and reported to achieve the accurate prevention and control.

Relationship of biofilm-forming ability of with swimming motility, twitching motility and virulence gene distribution.

To investigate the relationship of biofilm-forming ability of (PA) with swimming motility, twitching motility and virulence gene distribution. A total of 192 clinical isolates of PA were collected consecutively. Microtiter plate method was used to evaluate the ability to form biofilm. The swimming and twitching motilities were detected by plate method. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect virulence genes. Of the 192 PA clinical isolates, 186 (96.9%) showed biofilm-forming ability. Among them, 36 isolates showed weak biofilm-forming ability, 84 exhibited moderate biofilm-forming ability and 66 showed strong biofilm-forming ability. The diameters of the swimming ring for PA with none biofilm-forming ability, weak biofilm-forming ability, moderate biofilm-forming ability, strong biofilm-forming ability were (9.12±6.76), (18.42±7.51), (19.10±4.77) and respectively. The diameters of the twitching ring for PA in above groups were (8.38±1.50), (17.21±7.42), (18.49±5.62) and respectively. The swimming motility and twitching motility of none biofilm-forming ability group were weaker than biofilm-forming ability groups (all <0.05). Among 192 PA strains, 163 were positive (84.9%), 40 were positive (20.8%), 183 were positive (95.3%), and 189 were positive (98.4%). The positive rate of PA virulence gene , and were different in strains with different biofilm-forming abilities (<0.05). The rate of in the strong biofilm-forming ability group was lower than that in the moderate biofilm-forming ability group (=9.293, <0.01) and the weak biofilm-forming ability group (=9.997, <0.01). The rate of in the strong biofilm-forming ability group was higher than that in the weak biofilm-forming ability group (=10.803, <0.01). Most clinical isolates of PA can form biofilm. Swimming and twitching motilities are related to the formation of biofilm, but not significantly related to strength of biofilm-forming ability. The virulence genes of type Ⅲ secretion system for PA may be related to the biofilm-forming ability.

Role of mTOR-Regulated Autophagy in Synaptic Plasticity Related Proteins Downregulation and the Reference Memory Deficits Induced by Anesthesia/Surgery in Aged Mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases mortality and morbidity in perioperative patients and has become a major concern for patients and caregivers. Previous studies demonstrated that synaptic plasticity is closely related to cognitive function, anesthesia and surgery inhibit synaptic function. In central nervous system, autophagy is vital to synaptic plasticity, homeostasis of synapticproteins, synapse elimination, spine pruning, proper axon guidance, and when dysregulated, is associated with behavioral and memory functions disorders. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) negatively regulates the process of autophagy. This study aimed to explore whether rapamycin can ameliorate anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive deficits by inhibiting mTOR, activating autophagy and rising synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus. Aged C57BL/6J mice were used to establish POCD models with exploratory laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to measure reference memory after anesthesia and surgery. The levels of mTOR phosphorylation (p-mTOR), Beclin-1 and LC3-II were examined on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7 by western blotting. The levels of synaptophysin (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the hippocampus were also examined by western blotting. Here we showed that anesthesia/surgery impaired reference memory and induced the activation of mTOR, decreased the expression of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin-1 and LC3-II. A corresponding decline in the expression of neuronal/synaptic, plasticity-related proteins such as SYN and PSD-95 was also observed. Pretreating mice with rapamycin inhibited the activation of mTOR and restored autophagy function, also increased the expression of SYN and PSD-95. Furthermore, anesthesia/surgery-induced learning and memory deficits were also reversed by rapamycin pretreatment. In conclusion, anesthesia/surgery induced mTOR hyperactivation and autophagy impairments, and then reduced the levels of SYN and PSD-95 in the hippocampus. An mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, ameliorated anesthesia/surgery-related cognitive impairments by inhibiting the mTOR activity, inducing activation of autophagy, enhancing SYN and PSD-95 expression.