Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and interventions on hand, foot and mouth disease in Zhengzhou, China, 2014-2022: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Since December 2019, COVID-19 has spread rapidly around the world, and studies have shown that measures to prevent COVID-19 can largely reduce the spread of other infectious diseases. This study explored the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and interventions on the incidence of HFMD. METHODS: We gathered data on the prevalence of HFMD from the Children's Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University. An autoregressive integrated moving average model was constructed using HFMD incidence data from 2014 to 2019, the number of cases predicted from 2020 to 2022 was predicted, and the predicted values were compared with the actual measurements. RESULTS: From January 2014 to October 2022, the Children's Hospital of Zhengzhou University admitted 103,995 children with HFMD. The average number of cases of HFMD from 2020 to 2022 was 4,946, a significant decrease from 14,859 cases from 2014 to 2019. We confirmed the best ARIMA (2,0,0) (1,1,0)12 model. From 2020 to 2022, the yearly number of cases decreased by 46.58%, 75.54%, and 66.16%, respectively, compared with the forecasted incidence. Trends in incidence across sexes and ages displayed patterns similar to those overall. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak and interventions reduced the incidence of HFMD compared to that before the outbreak. Strengthening public health interventions remains a priority in the prevention of HFMD.

Three-Dimensional Evaluation of Changes in Condylar Position After Orthognathic Surgery With Different Types of Jaw Deformities.

BACKGROUND: Assessing condyle position postorthognathic surgery is pivotal for optimizing surgical accuracy, sustaining postoperative stability, and ensuring predictable treatment outcomes. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the changes of condyle position after orthognathic surgery with different types of jaw deformity and to analyze whether the changes of condyle position are different. STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, SAMPLE: A retrospective cohort study was designed and conducted, involving adults who underwent orthognathic surgery for jaw deformities at the affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University between 2019 and 2022. Patients with incomplete computerized tomography data were excluded. PREDICTOR/EXPOSURE/INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: The primary predictor variable was time (preoperative and postoperative) and types of jaw deformities (skeletal Class III, skeletal Class II, and mandibular deviation). MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE(S): The main outcome variables were the three-dimensional linear and rotational positional changes of the condyle. COVARIATES: Evaluated covariates included sex and age. ANALYSES: MIMICS 20.0 software measured all data, and SPSS 22.0 software facilitated statistical analyses. Intragroup and intergroup correlation analyses employed paired t-tests and independent t-tests, with statistical significance set at P < .05. RESULTS: The study sample was composed of 32 subjects with a mean age of 22.43 ± 1.6 and 9 were male. The analysis of changes of condylar position from virtual surgical planning to the immediate postoperative period showed that the maximum condylar displacement was 1.74 mm and the maximum angular change was 3.92°. The analysis of changes in condylar position from the immediate postoperative period to 1 year postoperatively showed no statistically significant changes for the same type of jaw deformity. But patients with Class II malocclusion exhibited distinct condylar displacement and rotation patterns compared to those with Class III malocclusion and mandibular deformity. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The application of virtual surgical planning in orthognathic surgery ensures a high degree of consistency in achieving the desired condylar position. Moreover, no significant change in condylar position was observed after orthognathic surgery for the same type of jaw deformity. However, patients with Class II deformities exhibited a higher susceptibility to rotational displacement of the condyles compared to those with other types of jaw deformities.

The transcription factor GhWRKY70 from gossypium hirsutum enhances resistance to verticillium wilt via the jasmonic acid pathway.

BACKGROUND: The WRKY transcription factors play significant roles in plant growth, development, and defense responses. However, in cotton, the molecular mechanism of most WRKY proteins and their involvement in Verticillium wilt tolerance are not well understood. RESULTS: GhWRKY70 is greatly up-regulated in cotton by Verticillium dahliae. Subcellular localization suggests that GhWRKY70 is only located in the nucleus. Transcriptional activation of GhWRKY70 further demonstrates that GhWRKY70 function as a transcriptional activator. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing GhWRKY70 exhibited better growth performance and higher lignin content, antioxidant enzyme activities and jasmonic acid (JA) levels than wild-type plants after infection with V. dahliae. In addition, the transgenic Arabidopsis resulted in an enhanced expression level of AtAOS1, a gene related to JA synthesis, further leading to a higher JA accumulation compared to the wild type. However, the disease index (DI) values of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:WRKY70 were also significantly higher than those of the VIGS-treated cotton plants with TRV:00. The chlorophyll and lignin contents of TRV:WRKY70 plants were significantly lower than those of TRV:00 plants. GhAOS1 expression and JA abundance in TRV:WRKY70 plants were decreased. The GhWRKY70 protein was confirmed to bind to the W-box element in the promoter region of GhAOS by yeast one-hybrid assay and transient expression. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the GhWRKY70 transcription factor is a positive regulator in Verticillium wilt tolerance of cotton, and may promote the production of JA via regulation of GhAOS1 expression.

Activation of CYP3A by Accelerated Blood Clearance Phenomenon Potentiates the Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Targeting Therapeutic Effects of PEGylated Anticancer Prodrug Liposomes.

Reduced enzyme activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and poor targeting limit the application of enzyme-activating prodrugs, which is also detrimental to the effective treatment of HCC. Here, we investigated whether accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon occurs in HCC models following repeated injections of PEGylated liposomes (PEG-L), thus inducing prodrug accumulation and activation in the liver and exerting highly effective and low-toxicity therapeutic effects on HCC. First, PEGylated liposomal cyclophosphamide was prepared by solvent injection and characterized. Importantly, preinjection of PEG-L induced the ABC phenomenon and activation of CYP3A in both HCC rats and HCC mice by studying the effects of repeated injections of PEG-L on pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution. Next, the efficacy and toxicity of repeated injections of PEG-L in HCC mice were examined, and our data indicate that repeated injections are administered in a manner that significantly enhances the antitumor effect compared with controls, with little or no toxicity to other organs. To further reveal the pharmacokinetic mechanism of PEG-L repeated administration for the treatment of HCC, the protein expression of hepatic CYP3A and the concentration of cyclophosphamide in the liver and spleen of HCC mice by inhibiting CYP3A were analyzed. These results revealed that inducing CYP3A to accelerate the rapid conversion of prodrugs that accumulate significantly in the liver is a key mechanism for the treatment of HCC with repeated injections of PEG-L. Collectively, this work taps into the application potential of the ABC phenomenon and provides new insights into the clinical application of PEGylated nanoformulations. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This study revealed that repeated injections of PEGylated liposomes could induce the accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon characterized by hepatic accumulation and CYP3A activation based on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) rats and HCC mice. Furthermore, it was verified that induction of the ABC phenomenon dependent on hepatic accumulation and CYP3A activation could enhance the antihepatocellular carcinoma effects of PEGylated anticancer prodrugs in HCC mice. This elucidated the relevant pharmacokinetic mechanisms and unearthed new clues for solving the clinical application of PEGylated nanoparticles.

Enhancing Resistance to Chloride Corrosion by Controlling the Morphologies of PtNi Electrocatalysts for Alkaline Seawater Hydrogen Evolution.

A solvothermal method to prepare PtNi alloys that have differing morphologies is described. By adjusting the feed ratio of Pt and Ni precursors in this process, PtNi alloys with different compositions (Pt : Ni atomic ratio from 1 : 3 to 3 : 1) and morphologies (evolution from nanobranches to nanoparticles) are generated. The prepared Pt48 Ni52 alloy, which has a composite morphology comprised of nanobranches and nanoparticles, exhibits superior activity and durability towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in seawater compared to those of commercial Pt/C catalyst and other PtNi alloys that have different compositions and morphologies. The excellent seawater HER performance of Pt48 Ni52 is ascribed to its nanobranch/nanoparticle morphology that optimally facilitates electron accumulation on Pt, which enhances resistance to chloride corrosion in seawater.

An efficient DNAzyme-based DNA scaffold for label-free and sensitive bacterial pathogen detection.

Even though it is very important, it is still rather difficult to detect minuscule levels of the bacterial pathogen in clinical practice, such as samples from dental implants. We construct here an efficient scaffold for label-free and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) detection. The precise recognition of target bacteria by the detection scaffold leads to the self-assembly of Chain i and DNAzyme based cleavage of Chain iii. In detail, active DNAzyme conformation is formed based on the hybridization of Chain iii and Chain ii, and a nicking site is generated in Chain iii, making it possible to form a self-primer in Chain i. With the assistance of DNA polymerase, a single-strand DNA chain is added to the 3' terminal of Chain i, in which process the bacteria is released for the complex to bind with a next detection scaffold, forming a signal recycle. Following DNAzyme-based cleavage, the liberated sequences unroll MB and release G-rich sequences that can specifically bind with the fluorescent dye Thioflavin T (ThT), initiating ThT's fluorescence signal production. The approach demonstrates a wide detection range of 102 CFU/mL and 106 CFU/mL with a low limit of detection of 45 CFU/mL based on the developed detection scaffold, offering good prospects in the diagnosis of bacterial illnesses.

One-Stop Strategy for Obtaining Controllable Sensitivity and Feasible Self-Patterning in Silver Nanowires/Elastomer Nanocomposite-Based Stretchable Ultrathin Strain Sensors.

In this study, selective photo-oxidation (SPO) is proposed as a simple, fast, and scalable one-stop strategy that enables simultaneous self-patterning and sensitivity adjustment of ultrathin stretchable strain sensors. The SPO of an elastic substrate through irradiation time-controlled ultraviolet treatment in a confined region enables precise tuning of both the surface energy and the elastic modulus. SPO induces the hydrophilization of the substrate, thereby allowing the self-patterning of silver nanowires (AgNWs). In addition, it promotes the formation of nonpermanent microcracks of AgNWs/elastomer nanocomposites under the action of strain by increasing the elastic modulus. This effect improves sensor sensitivity by suppressing the charge transport pathway. Consequently, AgNWs are directly patterned with a width of 100 µm or less on the elastic substrate, and AgNWs/elastomer-based ultrathin and stretchable strain sensors with controlled sensitivity work reliably in various operating frequencies and cyclic stretching. Sensitivity-controlled strain sensors successfully detect both small and large movements of the human hand.

Biofilm-Colonized versus Virgin Black Microplastics to Accelerate the Photodegradation of Tetracycline in Aquatic Environments: Analysis of Underneath Mechanisms.

Tire wear particles (TWPs) exposed to the aquatic environment are rapidly colonized by microorganisms and provide unique substrates for biofilm formation, which potentially serve as vectors for tetracycline (TC) to influence their behaviors and potential risks. To date, the photodegradation capacity of TWPs on contaminants due to biofilm formation has not been quantified. To accomplish this, we examined the ability of virgin TWPs (V-TWPs) and biofilm-developed TWPs (Bio-TWPs) to photodegrade TC when exposed to simulated sunlight irradiation. V-TWPs and Bio-TWPs accelerated the photodegradation of TC, with rates (kobs) of 0.0232 ± 0.0014 and 0.0152 ± 0.0010 h-1, respectively (kobs increased by 2.5-3.7 times compared to that for only TC solution). An important factor of increased TC photodegradation behavior was identified and linked to the changed reactive oxygen species (ROS) of different TWPs. The V-TWPs were exposed to light for 48 h, resulting in more ROS for attacking TC, with hydroxyl radicals (•OH) and superoxide anions (O2•-) playing a dominant role in TC photodegradation measured using scavenger/probe chemicals. This was primarily due to the greater photosensitization effects and higher electron-transfer capacity of V-TWPs in comparison to Bio-TWPs. In addition, this study first sheds light on the unique effect and intrinsic mechanism of the crucial role of Bio-TWPs in TC photodegradation, enhancing our holistic understanding of the environmental behavior of TWPs and the associated contaminants.

Effects of common plastic products heat exposure on cognition: Mediated by gut microbiota.

Considering plastic exposure patterns in modern society, the effects of exposure to leachate from boiled-water treated plastic products on cognitive function was probed in mice through changes in gut microbiota diversity. In this study, Institute for Cancer Research (ICR) mice were used to establish drinking water exposure models of three popular kinds of plastic products, including non-woven tea bags, food-grade plastic bags and disposable paper cups. 16S rRNA was used to detect changes in the gut microbiota of mice. Behavioral, histopathology, biochemistry, and molecular biology experiments were used to evaluate cognitive function in mice. Our results showed that the diversity and composition of gut microbiota changed at genus level compared to control group. Nonwoven tea bags-treated mice were proved an increase in Lachnospiraceae and a decreased in Muribaculaceae in gut. Alistipes was increased under the intervention of food grade plastic bags. Muribaculaceae decreased and Clostridium increased in disposable paper cups group. The new object recognition index of mice in the non-woven tea bag and disposable paper cup groups decreased, and amyloid ß-protein (Aß) and tau phosphorylation (P-tau) protein deposition. Cell damage and neuroinflammation were observed in the three intervention groups. Totally speaking, oral exposure to leachate from boiled-water treated plastic results in cognitive decline and neuroinflammation in mammals, which is likely related to MGBA and changes in gut microbiota.

Comprehensive Time-Course Transcriptome Reveals the Crucial Biological Pathways Involved in the Seasonal Branch Growth in Siberian Elm (Ulmus pumila).

Timber, the most prevalent organic material on this planet, is the result of a secondary xylem emerging from vascular cambium. Yet, the intricate processes governing its seasonal generation are largely a mystery. To better understand the cyclic growth of vascular tissues in elm, we undertook an extensive study examining the anatomy, physiology, and genetic expressions in Ulmus pumila. We chose three robust 15-year-old elm trees for our study. The cultivars used in this study were collected from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in China and nurtured in the tree farm of Shandong Normal University. Monthly samples of 2-year-old elm branches were taken from the tree from February to September. Marked seasonal shifts in elm branch vascular tissues were observed by phenotypic observation: In February, the cambium of the branch emerged from dormancy, spurring growth. By May, elms began generating secondary xylem, or latewood, recognized by its tiny pores and dense cell structure. From June to August, there was a marked increase in the thickness of the secondary xylem. Transcriptome sequencing provides a potential molecular mechanism for the thickening of elm branches and their response to stress. In February, the tree enhanced its genetic responses to cold and drought stress. The amplified expression of CDKB, CYCB, WOX4, and ARF5 in the months of February and March reinforced their essential role in the development of the vascular cambium in elm. Starting in May, the elm deployed carbohydrates as a carbon resource to synthesize the abundant cellulose and lignin necessary for the formation of the secondary wall. Major genes participating in cellulose (SUC and CESA homologs), xylan (UGD, UXS, IRX9, IRX10, and IRX14), and lignin (PAL, C4H, 4CL, HCT, C3H, COMT, and CAD) biosynthetic pathways for secondary wall formation were up-regulated by May or/and June. In conclusion, our findings provided a foundation for an in-depth exploration of the molecular processes dictating the seasonal growth of elm timber.