Molecular characterizations of Cryptosporidium spp. in brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) from an animal feedlot in Xinjiang, China.

Cryptosporidium infection is a common occurrence in rodents worldwide. In this study, 435 wild brown rats were captured from an animal feedlot in Xinjiang, China, with a fecal sample obtained directly from the rectal contents of each rat. The DNA extracted from these fecal samples was analyzed for Cryptosporidium spp. using PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in brown rats was found to be 5.5% (24 out of 435). Interestingly, the infection rates varied among different animal enclosures, with rates of 0% in the chicken coop (0/51), cowshed (0/3), and varying rates in other areas including the sheepfold (6.1%, 6/98), the pigsty (7.6%, 10/132), the dovecote (7.0%, 5/71), and outdoor environments (3.8%, 3/80). The study identified three species and one genotype of Cryptosporidium, namely C. occultus (n = 10), C. parvum (n = 4), C. ditrichi (n = 1), and Cryptosporidium rat genotype IV (n = 9). Additionally, two of the C. parvum isolates were successfully subtyped as IIdA19G1 (n = 2) at the gp60 gene. These results offer valuable insights into the prevalence and genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium in brown rats within the region.

Co-immobilization of whole cells and enzymes by covalent organic framework for biocatalysis process intensification.

Co-immobilization of cells and enzymes is often essential for the cascade biocatalytic processes of industrial-scale feasibility but remains a vast challenge. Herein, we create a facile co-immobilization platform integrating enzymes and cells in covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to realize the highly efficient cascade of inulinase and E. coli for bioconversion of natural products. Enzymes can be uniformly immobilized in the COF armor, which coats on the cell surface to produce cascade biocatalysts with high efficiency, stability and recyclability. Furthermore, this one-pot in situ synthesis process facilitates a gram-scale fabrication of enzyme-cell biocatalysts, which can generate a continuous-flow device conversing inulin to D-allulose, achieving space-time yield of 161.28 g L-1 d-1 and high stability (remaining >90% initial catalytic efficiency after 7 days of continuous reaction). The created platform is applied for various cells (e.g., E. coli, Yeast) and enzymes, demonstrating excellent universality. This study paves a pathway to break the bottleneck of extra- and intracellular catalysis, creates a high-performance and customizable platform for enzyme-cell cascade biomanufacturing, and expands the scope of biocatalysis process intensification.

Anthropogenic shrub encroachment has accelerated the degradation of desert steppe soil over the past four decades.

Anthropogenic and natural shrub encroachment have similar ecological consequences on native grassland ecosystems. In fact, there is an accelerating trend toward anthropogenic shrub encroachment, as opposed to the century-long process of natural shrub encroachment. However, the soil quality during the transition of anthropogenic shrub encroachment into grasslands remains insufficiently understood. Here, we used a soil quality assessment method that utilized three datasets and two scoring methods to evaluate changes in soil quality during the anthropogenic transition from temperate desert grassland to shrubland. Our findings demonstrated that the soil quality index decreased with increasing shrub cover, from 0.49 in the desert grassland to 0.31 in the shrubland. Our final results revealed a gradual and significant decline of 36.73 % in soil quality during the transition from desert grassland to shrubland. Reduced soil moisture levels, nutrient availability, and microbial activity characterized this decline. Nearly four decades of anthropogenic shrub encroachment have exacerbated soil drought conditions while leading to a decrease in perennial herbaceous plants and an increase in bare ground cover; these factors can explain the observed decline in soil quality. These findings emphasize the importance of considering soil moisture availability and potential thresholds when implementing revegetation strategies in arid and semiarid regions.

Reversible Phase Transformations in a Double-Walled Diamondoid Coordination Network with a Stepped Isotherm for Methane.

Flexible metal-organic materials (FMOMs) with stepped isotherms can offer enhanced working capacity in storage applications such as adsorbed natural gas (ANG) storage. Unfortunately, whereas >1000 FMOMs are known, only a handful exhibit methane uptake of >150 cm3/cm3 at 65 atm and 298 K, conditions relevant to ANG. Here, we report a double-walled 2-fold interpenetrated diamondoid (dia) network, X-dia-6-Ni, [Ni2L4(µ-H2O)]n, comprising a new azo linker ligand, L- (L- = (E)-3-(pyridin-4-yldiazenyl)benzoate) and 8-connected dinuclear molecular building blocks. X-dia-6-Ni exhibited gas (CO2, N2, CH4) and liquid (C8 hydrocarbons)-induced reversible transformations between its activated narrow-pore ß phase and γ, a large-pore phase with ca. 33% increase in unit cell volume. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) studies of the as-synthesized phase α, ß, and γ revealed that structural transformations were enabled by twisting of the azo moiety and/or deformation of the MBB. Further insight into these transformations was gained from variable temperature powder XRD and in situ variable pressure powder XRD. Low-temperature N2 and CO2 sorption revealed stepped Type F-II isotherms with saturation uptakes of 422 and 401 cm3/g, respectively. X-dia-6-Ni exhibited uptake of 200 cm3/cm3 (65 atm, 298 K) and a high CH4 working capacity of 166 cm3/cm3 (5-65 bar, 298 K, 33 cycles), the third highest value yet reported for an FMOM and the highest value for an FMOM with a Type F-II isotherm.

Molecular detection of Cryptosporidium in Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) in Gansu Province, Northwest China.

Cryptosporidium spp. are protozoa commonly found in domestic and wild animals. Limited information is available on Cryptosporidium in deer worldwide. In this study, 201 fecal samples were collected from Alpine musk deer on three farms in Gansu Province, China. Detection and subtyping of Cryptosporidium were performed by PCR and sequence analysis of the SSU rRNA and gp60 genes. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in Alpine musk deer was 3.9% (8/201), with infection rates of 1.0% (1/100), 2.8% (1/36), and 9.2% (6/65) in three different farms. All positive samples for Cryptosporidium were from adult deer. Two Cryptosporidium species were identified, including C. parvum (n = 2) and C. xiaoi (n = 6). The C. parvum isolates were subtyped as IIdA15G1, while the C. xiaoi isolates were subtyped as XXIIIa (n = 2) and XXIIIg (n = 4). The IIdA15G1 subtype of C. parvum was found for the first time in deer. These results provide important insights into the identity and human infectious potential of Cryptosporidium in farmed Alpine musk deer.

Molecular detection of piroplasms in domestic donkeys in Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: Piroplasmosis is a common and prevalent tick-borne disease that affects equids. OBJECTIVES: To determine the infection and molecular characteristics of the piroplasms in donkeys from Xinjiang, northwestern China, we undertook a cross sectional study by collecting representative samples across several counties within the region. METHODS: A total of 344 blood samples were collected from adult domestic donkeys from 13 counties in Xinjiang. PCR was conducted to test for T. equi and B. caballi in the blood samples based on the equine merozoite antigen-1 (Ema-1) gene and the 48 kDa rhoptry protein (BC48) gene, respectively. RESULTS: Sixteen blood samples tested positive for piroplasms and the overall infection rate was 4.7% (16/344). Seven of the 13 counties were positive for piroplasms. Among the 16 piroplasm-positive samples, 15 were singly infected with T. equi with an infection rate of 4.4% (15/344), and coinfection with T. equi and B. caballi was detected in one sample (0.3%, 1/344) from Wushi. Four T. equi sequence genotypes were identified and grouped into different branches of the evolutionary trees. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the infection rate of piroplasms is low in domestic donkeys in southern Xinjiang and that T. equi genotypes have a regional distribution.

Doxycycline inhibits neurotropic enterovirus proliferation in vitro.

Human enteroviruses (EVs) represent a global public health concern due to their association with a range of serious pediatric illnesses. Despite the high morbidity and mortality exerted by EVs, no broad-spectrum antivirals are currently available. Herein, we presented evidence that doxycycline can inhibit in vitro replication of various neurotropic EVs, including enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), and coxsackievirus (CV)-A6, in a dose-dependent manner. Further investigations indicated that the drug primarily acted at the post-entry stage of virus infection in vitro, with inhibitory effects reaching up to 89 % for EV-A71 when administered two hours post-infection. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of antiviral drugs against EV infections.

Integrating Lithium Sulfide as a Single Ionic Conductor Interphase for Stable All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

As a very prospective solid-state electrolyte, Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS) exhibits high ionic conductivity comparable to liquid electrolytes. However, severe self-decomposition and Li dendrite propagation of LGPS will be triggered due to the thermodynamic incompatibility with Li metal anode. Herein, by adopting a facile chemical vapor deposition method, an artificial solid electrolyte interphase composed of Li2S is proposed as a single ionic conductor to promote the interface stability of LGPS toward Li. The good electronic insulation coupled with ionic conduction property of Li2S effectively blocks electron transfer from Li to LGPS while enabling smooth passage of Li ions. Meanwhile, the generated Li2S layer remains good interface compatibility with LGPS, which is verified by the stable Li-plating/stripping operation for over 500 h at 0.15 mA cm-2. Consequently, the all-solid-state Li-S batteries (ASSLSBs) with a Li2S layer demonstrate superb capacity retention of 90.8% at 0.2 mA cm-2 after 100 cycles. Even at the harsh condition of 90 °C, the cell can deliver a high reversible capacity of 1318.8 mAh g-1 with decent capacity retention of 88.6% after 100 cycles. This approach offers a new insight for interface modification between LGPS and Li and the realization of ASSLSBs with stable cycle life.

A Microporous Mn(II) MOF Based on 5-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl) Isophthalic Acid for CO2/N2 Separation.

Removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from a CO2/N2 mixture by utilizing CO2-selective sorbents is important from the perspective of energy security and environmental sustainability. Herein, a microporous metal-organic framework (MOF) composed of manganese(II) and a bifunctional linker 5-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)benzene-1,3-dicarboxylic acid (H2L), [Mn(HL)2] (1) is designed and synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), a microporous channel was found in the structure of compound 1 along the a-axis. Attributed to hydrogen-binding interactions between CO2 molecules and N- and O-donor ligands in its microporous one-dimensional (1D) channel, compound 1 exhibits favorable adsorption of CO2 over N2. Further, verified by experimental breakthrough tests, the CO2/N2 mixture can be separated efficiently. This work provides potential guidance for designing CO2-selective MOFs for CO2/N2 separation.

Humidity-Induced Self-Oscillating and Self-Healing Hypercrosslinked Metal-Organic Polyhedra Membranes.

Designing autonomously oscillating materials is highly desirable for emerging smart material fields but challenging. Herein, a type of hypercrosslinked metal-organic polyhedra (HCMOPs) membranes formed by covalent crosslinking of boronic acid-modified Zr-based MOPs with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are rationally designed. In these membranes, MOPs serve as high-connectivity nodes and provide dynamic borate bonds with PVA in hypercrosslinked networks, which can be broken/formed reversibly upon the stimulus of water vapor. The humidity response characteristic of HCMOPs promotes their self-oscillating and self-healing properties. HCMOP membranes can realize a self-oscillating property above the water surface even after loading a cargo that is 1.5 times the weight of the membrane due to the fast adsorption and desorption kinetics. Finally, the HCMOP actuator can realize energy conversion from mechanical energy into electricity when coupled with a piezoelectric membrane. This work not only paves a new avenue to construct MOP-polymer hybrid materials but also expands the application scopes of MOPs for smart actuation devices.

Targeted Gene Insertion: The Cutting Edge of CRISPR Drug Development with Hemophilia as a Highlight.

The remarkable advance in gene editing technology presents unparalleled opportunities for transforming medicine and finding cures for hereditary diseases. Human trials of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (Cas9)-based therapeutics have demonstrated promising results in disrupting or deleting target sequences to treat specific diseases. However, the potential of targeted gene insertion approaches, which offer distinct advantages over disruption/deletion methods, remains largely unexplored in human trials due to intricate technical obstacles and safety concerns. This paper reviews the recent advances in preclinical studies demonstrating in vivo targeted gene insertion for therapeutic benefits, targeting somatic solid tissues through systemic delivery. With a specific emphasis on hemophilia as a prominent disease model, we highlight advancements in insertion strategies, including considerations of DNA repair pathways, targeting site selection, and donor design. Furthermore, we discuss the complex challenges and recent breakthroughs that offer valuable insights for progressing towards clinical trials.

Molecular Engineering Enables Hydrogel Electrolyte with Ionic Hopping Migration and Self-Healability toward Dendrite-Free Zinc-Metal Anodes.

Hydrogel electrolytes (HEs), characterized by intrinsic safety, mechanical stability, and biocompatibility, can promote the development of flexible aqueous zinc-ion batteries (FAZIBs). However, current FAZIB technology is severely restricted by the uncontrollable dendrite growth arising from undesirable reactions between the HEs with sluggish ionic conductivity and Zn metal. To overcome this challenge, this work proposes a molecular engineering strategy, which involves the introduction of oxygen-rich poly(urea-urethane) (OR-PUU) into polyacrylamide (PAM)-based HEs. The OR-PUU/PAM HEs facilitate rapid ion transfer through their ionic hopping migration mechanism, resulting in uniform and orderly Zn2+ deposition. The abundant polar groups on the OR-PUU molecules in OR-PUU/PAM HEs break the inherent H-bond network, tune the solvation structure of hydrated Zn2+, and inhibit the occurrence of side reactions. Moreover, the interaction of hierarchical H-bonds in the OR-PUU/PAM HEs endows them with self-healability, enabling in situ repair of cracks induced by plating/stripping. Consequently, Zn symmetric cells incorporating the novel OR-PUU/PAM HEs exhibit a long cycling life of 2000 h. The resulting Zn-MnO2 battery displays a low capacity decay rate of 0.009% over 2000 cycles at 2000 mA g-1. Overall, this work provides valuable insights to facilitate the realization of dendrite-free Zn-metal anodes through the molecular engineering of HEs.

Molecular detection and genetic characteristics of Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle from large-scale breeding farms in Xinjiang, China.

Giardia duodenalis is an intestinal protozoan that can infect both humans and animals, leading to public health issues and economic losses in the livestock industry. G. duodenalis has been reported to infect dairy cattle, but there is limited information available on large-scale dairy farms in Xinjiang, China. The study collected 749 fresh faecal samples from five large-scale cattle farms in Xinjiang, China. The study used a nested PCR assay of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA*) gene to determine the presence of G. duodenalis. The results showed that 24.0% (180/749) of dairy cattle were positive for G. duodenalis, with the highest infection rate observed in pre-weaned calves (45.1%, 69/153). Among the 180 G. duodenalis positive samples, three assemblages were identified: assemblage E (n = 176), assemblage A (n = 3) and assemblage B (n = 1). Sixty-nine, 67 and 49 sequences were obtained for the beta-giardin (bg*) gene, the glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh*) gene and the triose phosphate isomerase (tpi*) gene, respectively. Thirteen novel sequences of assemblage E were identified, including five sequences from the bg* gene, four sequences from the gdh* gene and four sequences from the tpi* gene. This study found that 32 G. duodenalis assemblage E isolates formed 26 MLGs, indicating genetic variation and geographic isolation-based differentiation in bovine-derived G. duodenalis assemblage E. These findings provide fundamental insights into the genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in dairy cattle and can aid in the prevention and control of its occurrence in large-scale dairy cattle farms.

Single-Crystal One-Dimensional Porous Ladder Covalent Polymers.

The synthesis of single-crystal, one-dimensional (1D) polymers is of great importance but a formidable challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis of single-crystal 1D ladder polymers in solution by dynamic covalent chemistry. The three-dimensional electron diffraction technique was used to rigorously solve the structure of the crystalline polymers, unveiling that each polymer chain is connected by double covalent bridges and all polymer chains are packed in a staggered and interlaced manner by π-π stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions, making the crystalline polymers highly robust in both thermal and chemical stability. The synthesized single-crystal polymers possess permanent micropores and can efficiently remove CO2 from the C2H2/CO2 mixture to obtain high-purity C2H2, validated by dynamic breakthrough experiments. This work demonstrates the first example of constructing single-crystal 1D porous ladder polymers with double covalent bridges in solution for efficient C2H2/CO2 separation.

Phenotype of Takayasu-like vasculitis and cardiopathy in patients with Blau syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular involvement in our Blau syndrome (BS) cohort and provide detailed analysis of their cardiovascular manifestations and outcome. We also tried to find out the risk factors for developing cardiovascular involvement. METHODS: Clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, and treatments were reviewed. Clinical features were compared between children with cardiovascular involvement and those without angiocardiopathy. RESULTS: A total of 38 BS children were eligible for final analysis. Among them, 13 (34.2%) developed Takayasu-like vasculitis and/or cardiopathy. Compared with those without angiocardiopathy, recurrent fever was more frequent in BS patients with cardiovascular involvement (p < 0.001). What is more, tumor necrosis factor alpha antagonists (anti-TNF) were more urgently needed in children with cardiovascular involvement (p = 0.015). BS patients with cardiovascular involvement include 4 with Takayasu-like vasculitis and 9 with cardiopathy. The onset of cardiovascular manifestations ranged from 0.75 to 18.5 years of age, with most cases occurring before school period. Symptoms were elusive and lacked specificity, such as dizziness, short of breath, and edema. Some patients were even identified because of the unexpected hypertension during follow-up. Cardiopathy and vasculitis occurred in patients with different genotypes. Imaging changes were discovered before the presentation of the typical triad in 3/4 patients with Takayasu-like vasculitis. Three children developed left ventricular dysfunction with decreased left ventricular ejection fraction. Combination of glucocorticoids and methotrexate with anti-TNF agents is a common treatment option for these BS patients. In the cohort, BS-related cardiovascular involvement was controlled well, with cardiac structural and functional abnormalities completely recovered and slower progression of vasculitis lesions. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular manifestations is not rare in BS patients. Because of its insidious onset, a systematic and comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular involvement should be performed in newly diagnosed patients with BS. Aggressive initiation of anti-TNF agents may be beneficial to improve the prognosis. Key Points • About 34.2% patients with Blau syndrome developed Takayasu-like vasculitis and/or cardiopathy. • Compared with those without angiocardiopathy, recurrent fever and application of anti-TNF agents were more frequent in BS patients with cardiovascular involvement (p < 0.001, p = 0.015) • Regular assessment of cardiovascular involvement is extremely necessary because of its insidious onset.

Molecular characterization of Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotypes in wild Altai marmot (Marmota baibacina) in Xinjiang, China: host specificity and adaptation.

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is responsible for opportunistic infections leading to gastrointestinal diseases in humans and animals worldwide. A total of 334 fresh fecal samples were collected from wild Altai marmots (Marmota baibacina) in Xinjiang, China, and E. bieneusi was screened via PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the small submit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA). The results indicated that 22.8% (76/334) of the wild Altai marmot fecal samples were positive for E. bieneusi, and the highest positive rate was detected in Akqi (51.9%, 27/52), with a significant difference from other sampling sites (p < 0.01). Four known genotypes (BEB6, CHG3, GX2, and YAK1) and three novel genotypes (XJHT2 to XJHT4) were identified in the present study. Genotype XJHT3 was dominant and detected in 48 fecal samples. In the phylogenetic analysis, the novel genotypes XJHT2 and XJHT3 were clustered in Group 1 together with the known genotype YAK1, while genotypes CHG3 and BEB6 were clustered in Group 2. The novel genotype XJHT4 was clustered together with other rodent-derived genotypes and generated a novel Group 14. These data confirmed the host specificity and adaptation of E. bieneusi in rodents. These findings enrich our understanding of the prevalence and genetic diversity of E. bieneusi in wild Altai marmots in Xinjiang, China.

Prevalence and sequence diversity of Balantioides coli in pigs in Xinjiang, China.

Balantioides coli is a common intestinal parasitic protozoan in pigs. In the present study, 801 fecal samples of pigs from seven farms in Xinjiang were analyzed based on the ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 gene. The prevalence of B. coli was 4.2% (34/801), with the highest prevalence of 18.9% (18/95) occurring in Alaer, Xinjiang. B. coli was detected in all age groups (pre-weaned pigs, post-weaned pigs, fattening pigs and sows), with the highest rate in fatteners (6.9%, 9/129) and the lowest (1.2%, 2/169) in pre-weaned pigs. Significant differences (P = 0.000) were found among sampling sites but not among age groups (P = 0.084). Sequence analysis indicated that 34 sequence variants, including sequence type A (n = 11) and sequence type B (n = 23), occurred in all age groups. In this study, the existence of sequence type A suggested that B. coli poses a potential threat to human health. More studies are needed to better understand the distributions and public health significance of B. coli in China.

Lithospheric thickness records tectonic evolution by controlling metamorphic conditions.

The lithosphere, as the outermost solid layer of our planet, preserves a progressively more fragmentary record of geological events and processes from Earth's history the further back in time one looks. Thus, the evolution of lithospheric thickness and its cascading impacts in Earth's tectonic system are presently unknown. Here, we track the lithospheric thickness history using machine learning based on global lithogeochemical data of basalt. Our results demonstrate that four marked lithospheric thinning events occurred during the Paleoarchean, early Paleoproterozoic, Neoproterozoic, and Phanerozoic with intermediate thickening scenarios. These events respectively correspond to supercontinent/supercraton breakup and assembly periods. Causality investigation further indicates that crustal metamorphic and deformation styles are the feedback of lithospheric thickness. Cross-correlation between lithospheric thickness and metamorphic thermal gradients records the transition from intraoceanic subduction systems to continental margin and intraoceanic in the Paleoarchean and Mesoarchean and a progressive emergence of large thick continents that allow supercontinent growth, which promoted assembly of the first supercontinent during the Neoarchean.

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A boy, aged 6 years, attended the hospital due to global developmental delay for 6 years and recurrent fever and convulsions for 5 years. The boy was found to have delayed mental and motor development at the age of 3 months and experienced recurrent fever and convulsions since the age of 1 year, with intermittent canker sores and purulent tonsillitis. During the fever period, blood tests showed elevated white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which returned to normal after the fever subsides. Electroencephalography showed epilepsy, and genetic testing showed compound heterozygous mutations in the GPAA1 gene. The boy was finally diagnosed with glycosylphosphatidylinositol biosynthesis deficiency 15 (GPIBD15) and periodic fever. The patient did not respond well to antiepileptic treatment, but showed successful fever control with glucocorticoid therapy. This article reports the first case of GPIBD15 caused by GPAA1 gene mutation in China and summarizes the genetic features, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease, which provides a reference for the early diagnosis and treatment of GPIBD15.