Recombinant porcine interferon delta 8 inhibits swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus infection in vitro and in vivo.

Swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), which originates from zoonotic transmission of bat coronaviruses in the HKU2 lineage, causes severe illness in pigs and carries a high risk of spreading to humans. At present, there are no licenced therapeutics for the treatment of SADS-CoV. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of recombinant porcine interferon delta 8 (IFN-δ8) against SADS-CoV both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that IFN-δ8 inhibited SADS-CoV proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner, with complete inhibition occurring at a concentration of 5 µg/mL. In vivo experiments demonstrated that two 50 µg/kg doses of IFN-δ8 injected intraperitoneally protected piglets against lethal challenge, blocked viral shedding, attenuated intestinal damage, and decreased the viral load in the jejunum and ileum. Further findings suggested that IFN-δ8 inhibited SADS-CoV infection by increasing the expression of IFN-stimulated genes. These results indicate that IFN-δ8 shows promise as a biological macromolecule drug against SADS-CoV infection.

Pythium aphanidermatum causing seedling damping-off of Hylocereus megalanthus in China.

Hylocereus megalanthus (family Cactaceae), commonly known as bird's nest fruit (Yanwo fruit), was a new tropical plant cultivated commercially in south China because of its high nutritional content and sweet taste. In August 2023, damping-off disease of approximately 60% of seedlings was observed at a nursery in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province (E110°17'46″ N21°9'2″). Stems of infected seedlings exhibited symptoms of water-soaked tissue which caused collapse at the base of the stem and sloughing of necrotic root cortex tissue was observed (Figure 1). White aerial mycelia were visible on the surface of the stem and soil at a high relative humidity. Diseased tissues about 0.5 cm2 were taken from the infected roots and stems, surface disinfected with 75% ethanol and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution, each for 1 min, subsequently rinsed in sterile water, and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA). Plates were incubated at 25 to 28℃ in the dark for 3 days. Coenocytic hyphae grew from all infected roots and stems. Hyphal tip transfers were completed twice, and twelve isolates with the same morphological characteristics were obtained. The colony growth on PDA was ample. Main hyphae are up to 9.5 µm wide. Sporangia were terminal, inflated, branched or unbranched. Encysted zoospores were 7.5 µm in diameter. Oogonia were terminal, globose, smooth and of 16.8 to 27.4 µm (average 21.5 µm) diameter. Oospores were typically spherical, thick-walled, yellowish, 19.7 to 26.3 µm (average 21.1 µm) diameter, wall 1 to 2 µm thick. Antheridia were mostly intercalary, sometimes terminal, broadly sac-shaped, 15.0×19.0 µm (Figure 2). The morphological features were very similar to those of Pythium spp. (Toporek and Keinath 2021). For further identification, the LSU and ITS regions of isolate CCAS-YWGCD (stored in Agricultural Culture Collection of China, ACCC 35633) were amplified and sequenced with using primer pairs LROR/LR7 and ITS1/ITS4, respectively (Gao et al. 2017; White et al. 1990). The resulting sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS: OR775664; LSU: OR775667). BLASTn results showed 100% sequence similarity with reference sequences of Pythium aphanidermatum (AY598622 for ITS and HQ665084 for LSU). Phylogenetic tree generated from maximum likelihood analysis based on combined LSU and ITS sequence data with MEGA 10.1.8, clustered the oomycete in P. aphanidermatum clade with 100% bootstrap support (Figure 3). Therefore, the oomycete was identified as P. aphanidermatum. To confirm Koch's postulates, six three-month-old seedlings of H. megalanthus (height about 15 cm) were transplanted to 15 cm pots. Six-mm-diameter mycelial plugs obtained from 7-day-old cultures at 25℃ in the dark were buried adjacent to the stem of three unwounded healthy seedlings. Another three seedlings inoculated with PDA agar served as controls. The plants were covered with plastic bags, kept at about 30℃, and watered regularly to keep the soil moisture content high. All inoculated seedlings exhibited symptoms of stems rot and damping-off, Symptoms did not develop on the control seedlings. P. aphanidermatum by morphological and molecular analysis was reisolated from the stems. P. aphanidermatum had been reported worldwide causing disease in many agricultural crops (Qi et al. 2021; Kim et al. 2020), but this is the first report causing damping-off of H. megalanthus seedling in China as well as worldwide, and this disease should be monitored in nursery seedlings.

Neoscytalidium dimidiatum causing stem canker on Hylocereus megalanthus in China.

Hylocereus megalanthus (syn. Selenecereus megalanthus), commonly known as Yanwo fruit (bird's nest fruit), is an important tropical fruit, which is popular and widely planted due to its high nutritional and economic value in southern China. In September 2022, a serious stem and fruit canker was observed on Ecuadorian variety of Yanwo fruit plant in a 0.2 ha orchard in Guangdong (N21°19'1.24" E110°7'28.49"). Almost all plants were infected and disease incidence of fruits and stems was about 80% and 90% respectively. Symptoms on the stem and fruits were small, circular or irregular, sunken, orangish brown spots that developed into cankers (Fig 1 A, B and C). Black pycnidia were embedded under the surface of the cankers at the initial stage, subsequently they became erumpent from the surface, and the infected parts rotted. Five symptomatic stems from five plants were collected, 0.2 cm2 tissues adjacent to cankers were surface sterilized and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) to incubate at 25 to 28 ℃. Fungal isolates each with similar morphology grew from 100% of the tissues. Colonies covered with aerial mycelium were grayish white, and then gradually turned to grayish black. Septate hyphae were hyaline to brown and constricted into arthroconidial chains. The arthroconidia were variously shaped and colored, orbicular to rectangular, hyaline to dark brown, thick-walled, and zero- to one- septate, averaging 7.7 × 3.6 µm (n>50) (Fig 1 D, E, F and G). To identify the fungus, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS), translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), beta-tubulin (tub2), histone H3 (his3) and chitin synthase (chs) gene of isolate ACCC 35488 and ACCC 35489 (Agricultural Culture Collection of China) were amplified and sequenced with primer pairs: ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), EF1-728F/EF2-rd (Carbone & Kohn 1999; O'Donnell et al.1998), TUB2Fd/ TUB4Rd（Aveskamp et al 2009）, CYLH3F/H3-1b (Crous et al. 2004) and CHS-79F/CHS-345R (Carbone & Kohn 1999) (ITS: OQ381102 and PP488350; tef1: OQ408545 and PP510454; tub2: OQ408546 and PP510455; his3: OQ408544 and PP510453; chs: OQ408543 and PP510452). Sequence Blastn results showed above 99% identical with those of Neoscytalidium dimidiatum ex-type strain CPC38666. Phylogenetic tree inferred from Maximum Likelihood analysis of the combined ITS, tub2 and tef1 sequences revealed two isolates clustered with N. dimidiatum (Fig 2). Pathogenicity was tested on healthy one-year-old cuttings and fruits of Ecuadorian variety at room temperature. Six sites were pin-pricked on each stem and fruit. Both wounded stems and fruits were inoculated with spore suspensions (106 spore/ml) and 6-mm fungal plugs respectively. Sterile water and agar were used as control. The test was repeated twice. Stems and fruits were enclosed in plastic boxes with 80% relative humidity. Symptoms described above were observed on inoculated stems and fruits at five days post inoculation (Fig 1 H and I). No symptoms developed on the controls. Neoscytaliudium dimidiatum was reisolated from the cankers with a frequency of 100% via morphological and molecular analysis. This is first report of stem and fruit canker caused by N. dimidiatum on H. megalanthus in China and this disease represents a serious risk of Yanwo fruit yield losses. This fungus is widespread occurring throughout the world causing diseases on a wide variety of plants. The finding will be helpful for its prevention and control.

Experience in Microsurgical Treatment of Complete Scalp Avulsion.

BACKGROUND: Avulsion of the scalp is a rare destructive event worldwide. Before the emergence of microsurgery, skin transplantation, flap transplantation, greater omentum transplantation, and other methods were once widely used. However, replantation offers the optimum reconstruction. METHODS: Six cases of complete avulsion injury of a large scalp treated from May 2017 to May 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Under the microsurgery technology, the wound was cleaned and explored, and the appropriate arteriovenous anastomosis was selected. Preoperative blood preparation and skin preparation were actively performed. Postoperative strict nursing and observation of the blood supply of replanted scalp were performed. Regular outpatient follow-up after discharge was performed. RESULTS: Replantation was successful in 5 cases and failed in 1 case, and in 1 case the occipital scalp (approximately 10% of the scalp area) died and crusted 2 months after the operation. After 6 to 24 months of follow-up, all patients were satisfied with the reconstructed appearance. CONCLUSIONS: Superb microsurgical technique and more detailed anatomical knowledge are the key conditions for successful complete scalp avulsion replantation. Compared with other methods, successful replantation can achieve the best aesthetic and functional results.

Asperulosidic Acid Ameliorates Renal Interstitial Fibrosis via Removing Indoxyl Sulfate by Up-Regulating Organic Anion Transporters in a Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction Mice Model.

Asperulosidic acid is a bioactive iridoid isolated from Hedyotis diffusa Willd. with anti-inflammatory and renal protective effects. However, its mechanism on renal interstitial fibrosis has not been elucidated yet. The present study aims to explore whether asperulosidic acid could retard renal fibrosis by reducing the circulating indoxyl sulfate (IS), which is a uremic toxin and accelerates chronic kidney disease progression by inducing renal fibrosis. In this paper, a unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) model of Balb/C mice was established. After the mice were orally administered with asperulosidic acid (14 and 28 mg/kg) for two weeks, blood, liver and kidney were collected for biochemical, histological, qPCR and Western blot analyses. Asperulosidic acid administration markedly reduced the serum IS level and significantly alleviated the histological changes in glomerular sclerosis and renal interstitial fibrosis. It is noteworthy that the mRNA and protein levels of the organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1), OAT3 and hepatocyte nuclear factor 1α (HNF1α) in the kidney were significantly increased, while the mRNA expressions of cytochrome P450 2e1 (Cyp2e1) and sulfotransferase 1a1 (Sult1a1) in the liver were not altered after asperulosidic acid administration. These results reveal that asperulosidic acid could accelerate the renal excretion of IS by up-regulating OATs via HNF1α in UUO mice, thereby alleviating renal fibrosis, but did not significantly affect its production in the liver, which might provide important information for the development of asperulosidic acid.

[Quality status of Bombyx Batryticatus and suggestions for Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2025)].

To understand the current quality status and rearing situation of Bombyx Batryticatus, the authors collected 102 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus from different main producing areas and five major Chinese medicine markets from 2016 to 2018, and measured the properties and quality of the silk gland, to clarify the quality status of Bombyx Batryticatus from different producing areas and markets. In addition, 35 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus from 2019 to 2022 were used to verify the silk gland after revision. Moreover, Beauveria Bassiana was inoculated in the silkworm of 4-5 instars, and standardized rearing was carried out until they die. The death rate and the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus were measured to determine the differences in Bombyx Batryticatus of different instars, and explore the rationality of the infection age of Bombyx Batryticatus in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2020). The results revealed that in the 102 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus, the qualification rate of silk gland was low; the content of total ash far exceeded the standard; the content of beauvericin varied greatly. The qualification rate of the silk gland of the 35 batches of Bombyx Batryticatus was only 47.49%, which could be increased to 73.00% if the number of silk gland was 2 to 4. The death rate of Bombyx Batryticatus at different infection ages was quite different, with uneven quality. Generally, the yield of Bombyx Batryticatus inoculated on the first day of the fifth instar was high with good quality. Therefore, in combination with the quality and actual production of Bombyx Batryticatus, the following suggestions were proposed for revision of Bombyx Batryticatus in Chinese Pharmacopoeia(2025): The number of silk gland should be revised as 2-4 bright brown or bright black silk glands, after which, the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus could be guaranteed, and the "quality identification based on character" could also be reflected scientifically; the content determination index that the content of beauvericin shall not be less than 0.017% should be added to better control the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus; the infection age should be revised as the first day of the fifth instar to narrow the age span, which could better fit the actual production and ensure the quality of Bombyx Batryticatus.

Integrative analysis of expression profile indicates the ECM receptor and LTP dysfunction in the glioma-related epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Seizures are a common symptom in glioma patients, and they can cause brain dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which glioma-related epilepsy (GRE) causes alterations in brain networks remains elusive. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential pathogenic mechanism of GRE by analyzing the dynamic expression profiles of microRNA/ mRNA/ lncRNA in brain tissues of glioma patients. METHODS: Brain tissues of 16 patients with GRE and 9 patients with glioma without epilepsy (GNE) were collected. The total RNA was dephosphorylated, labeled, and hybridized to the Agilent Human miRNA Microarray, Release 19.0, 8 × 60 K. The cDNA was labeled and hybridized to the Agilent LncRNA + mRNA Human Gene Expression Microarray V3.0, 4 × 180 K. The raw data was extracted from hybridized images using Agilent Feature Extraction, and quantile normalization was performed using the Agilent GeneSpring. P-value < 0.05 and absolute fold change > 2 were considered the threshold of differential expression data. Data analyses were performed using R and Bioconductor. RESULTS: We found that 3 differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-10a-5p, miR-10b-5p, miR-629-3p), 6 differentially expressed lncRNAs (TTN-AS1, LINC00641, SNHG14, LINC00894, SNHG1, OIP5-AS1), and 49 differentially expressed mRNAs play a vitally critical role in developing GRE. The expression of GABARAPL1, GRAMD1B, and IQSEC3 were validated more than twofold higher in the GRE group than in the GNE group in the validation cohort. Pathways including ECM receptor interaction and long-term potentiation (LTP) may contribute to the disease's progression. Meanwhile, We built a lncRNA-microRNA-Gene regulatory network with structural and functional significance. CONCLUSION: These findings can offer a fresh perspective on GRE-induced brain network changes.

Expansion of Human-Specific GGC Repeat in Neuronal Intranuclear Inclusion Disease-Related Disorders.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a slowly progressing neurodegenerative disease characterized by eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions in the nervous system and multiple visceral organs. The clinical manifestation of NIID varies widely, and both familial and sporadic cases have been reported. Here we have performed genetic linkage analysis and mapped the disease locus to 1p13.3-q23.1; however, whole-exome sequencing revealed no potential disease-causing mutations. We then performed long-read genome sequencing and identified a large GGC repeat expansion within human-specific NOTCH2NLC. Expanded GGC repeats as the cause of NIID was further confirmed in an additional three NIID-affected families as well as five sporadic NIID-affected case subjects. Moreover, given the clinical heterogeneity of NIID, we examined the size of the GGC repeat among 456 families with a variety of neurological conditions with the known pathogenic genes excluded. Surprisingly, GGC repeat expansion was observed in two Alzheimer disease (AD)-affected families and three parkinsonism-affected families, implicating that the GGC repeat expansions in NOTCH2NLC could also contribute to the pathogenesis of both AD and PD. Therefore, we suggest defining a term NIID-related disorders (NIIDRD), which will include NIID and other related neurodegenerative diseases caused by the expanded GGC repeat within human-specific NOTCH2NLC.

[Chemical and pharmacological progress on a Tibetan folk medicine formula Bawei Chenxiang Powder].

Bawei Chenxiang Powder is a traditional Tibetan folk medicine formula, consisting of resinous wood of Aquilaria sinensis, kernel of Myristica fragrans, fruit of Choerospondias axillaris, travertine, resin of Boswellia carterii or B. bhaw-dajiana, stem of Aucklandia lappa, fruit of Terminalia chebula(roasted), and flower of Gossampinus malabarica. It has the function of clearing heart heat, nourishing heart, tranquilizing mind, and inducing resuscitation, which has been used for the treatment of coronary heart disease and angina pectoris. Modern research shows that the medicine materials of this formula mainly contain terpenoids like sesquiterpenes and triterpenes and polyphenols like flavonoids, lignans, and tannins, displaying some pharmacological activities such as anti-myocardial ischemia, anti-cerebral ischemia, and spatial learning and memory promotion. This review summaries the traditional uses, chemical constituents, and pharmacological activities research progress, hopefully to provide a reference for clarification of its pharmacological active ingredients.

Methyl-inositol, γ-aminobutyric acid and other health benefit compounds in the aril of litchi.

The available components in the flesh of litchi seem insufficient to interpret its wide and significant physiological effects. Some unusual compounds, including myo-inositol, inositol methyl derivatives and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) were identified as main constituents in the flesh of litchi. Their concentrations varied among cultivars but remain relatively constant during development. Litchi flesh was shown to contain moderate myo-inositol (0.28-0.78 mg g(-1) FW), ascorbic acid (0.08-0.39 mg g(-1) FW) and phenolics (0.47-1.60 mg g(-1) FW), but abundant l-quebrachitol (1.6-6.4 mg g(-1) FW) and GABA (1.7-3.5 mg g(-1) FW). The concentration of GABA in the flesh of litchi was about 100 times higher than in other fruits. And l-quebrachitol is not a common component in fruits. The biological and physiological activities of inositols, inositol derivatives and GABA have been extensively documented. These compounds are probably important compositional characteristic contributing to the widely shown health benefits of litchi.

Re-emergence of severe acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) in Henan, central China, 2023.

Severe acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) was first detected in Guangdong province of China in 2017. And yet from May 2021 to Jun 2023, there were no SADS-CoV outbreaks. In this study, we reported the recent outbreak of SADS-CoV in China on Jun 2023. Phylogenetic analysis showed the novel strain was derived from the ongoing transmission and evolution of SADS-CoV in China, rather than a separate cross-species transmission from bats. Also, the novel strain was found to participate in a recombant event as a minor parent and a missing base in the genome was discovered indicating an novel evolutionary pathway. Through virulence assays in piglets, we further determined that novel strain (SADS-CoV/HNNY/2023) was a highly virulent SADS-CoV strain with typical clinical symptoms: acute diarrhea, vomiting, rapid weight loss. Therefore, the re-emergence of SADS-CoV strains should be brought to people's attention.

Direct identification of pathogens via microbial cellular DNA in whole blood by MeltArray.

Rapid identification of pathogens is critical for early and appropriate treatment of bloodstream infections. The various culture-independent assays that have been developed often have long turnaround times, low sensitivity and narrow pathogen coverage. Here, we propose a new multiplex PCR assay, MeltArray, which uses intact microbial cells as the source of genomic DNA (gDNA). The successive steps of the MeltArray assay, including selective lysis of human cells, microbial cell sedimentation, microbial cellular DNA extraction, target-specific pre-amplification and multiplex PCR detection, allowed the detection of 35 major bloodstream infectious pathogens in whole blood within 5.5 h. The limits of detection varied depending on the pathogen and ranged from 1 to 5 CFU/mL. Of 443 blood culture samples, including 373 positive blood culture samples and 70 negative blood culture samples, the MeltArray assay showed a sensitivity of 93.8% (350/373, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 90.7%-96.0%), specificity of 98.6% (69/70, 95% CI = 91.2%-99.9%), positive predictive value of 99.7% (95% CI = 98.1%-99.9%), and negative predictive value of 75.0% (95% CI = 64.7%-83.2%). The MeltArray detection results of 16 samples differed from MALDI-TOF and were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Further testing of 110 whole blood samples from patients with suspected bloodstream infections using blood culture results revealed that the MeltArray assay had a clinical sensitivity of 100% (9/9, 95% CI = 62.8%-100.0%), clinical specificity of 74.5% (70/94, 95% CI = 64.2%-82.7%), positive predictive value of 27.3% (95% CI = 13.9%-45.8%), and negative predictive value of 100.0% (95% CI = 93.5%-100.0%). Compared with metagenomic next-generation sequencing, the MeltArray assay displayed a positive agreement of 85.7% (6/7, 95% CI = 42.0%-99.2%) and negative agreement of 100.0% (4/4, 95% CI = 39.6%-100.0%). We conclude that the MeltArray assay can be used as a rapid and reliable tool for direct identification of pathogens in bloodstream infections.

Cryoprotectant-Mediated Cold Stress Mitigation in Litchi Flower Development: Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Perspectives.

Temperature is vital in plant growth and agricultural fruit production. Litchi chinensis Sonn, commonly known as litchi, is appreciated for its delicious fruit and fragrant blossoms and is susceptible to stress when exposed to low temperatures. This study investigates the effect of two cryoprotectants that counteract cold stress during litchi flowering, identifies the genes that generate the cold resistance induced by the treatments, and hypothesizes the roles of these genes in cold resistance. Whole plants were treated with Bihu and Liangli cryoprotectant solutions to protect inflorescences below 10 °C. The soluble protein, sugar, fructose, sucrose, glucose, and proline contents were measured during inflorescence. Sucrose synthetase, sucrose phosphate synthetase, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT), and MDA were also monitored throughout the flowering stage. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), gene ontology, and associated KEGG pathways in the transcriptomics study were investigated. There were 1243 DEGs expressed after Bihu treatment and 1340 in the control samples. Signal transduction pathways were associated with 39 genes in the control group and 43 genes in the Bihu treatment group. The discovery of these genes may contribute to further research on cold resistance mechanisms in litchi. The Bihu treatment was related to 422 low-temperature-sensitive differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), as opposed to 408 DAMs in the control, mostly associated with lipid metabolism, organic oxidants, and alcohols. Among them, the most significant differentially accumulated metabolites were involved in pathways such as ß-alanine metabolism, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon biosynthesis, linoleic acid metabolism, and histidine metabolism. These results showed that Bihu treatment could potentially promote these favorable traits and increase fruit productivity compared to the Liangli and control treatments. More genomic research into cold stress is needed to support the findings of this study.

Pharmacokinetic and Bioequivalence Study of Lisinopril/Hydrochlorothiazide Tablet Under Fasting and Postprandial Conditions in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

The objective of this research was to evaluate and compare the pharmacokinetic profiles and safety of lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide (10 mg/12.5 mg) tablets in the test and reference formulations administered to participants in both fasting and postprandial states and to evaluate the bioequivalence of the 2 products in healthy Chinese volunteers. This study employed a single-center, randomized, open-label, single-dose dosing trial involving a cumulative 96 healthy adult participants (60 in the fasting group and 36 in the postprandial group). Each group comprised 2 sequence sets, and a 2-week washout period was implemented. There were no statistically significant differences in time to maximum concentration and terminal elimination half-life between the test and control groups under fasting and postprandial conditions (P > .05), and the 90% CIs for area under the plasma concentration-time curve and maximum plasma concentration were within the bioequivalence range of 80%-125%. Pharmacokinetic results indicate a large food effect for lisinopril, meaning that there is a loss of approximately 20%-25% of systemic exposure from fasting to postprandial administration for both preparations. The study demonstrated that a single oral dose of generic lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide is bioequivalent to the reference product and well tolerated, with no significant adverse events observed, and that both products are similarly safe in a cohort of healthy Chinese male and female participants, following administration under fasting and postprandial conditions.

Resource exergy analysis of the Chinese society in 2017.

China has made huge efforts to increase the efficiency of its resources and change its resource-intensive economic trajectory. A question which should be raised is whether the impacts of such shifts can be measured. Exergy analysis provides a unified method of ecological diagnosis of resource allocation and metabolism in social systems from a biophysical perspective. This paper explores the resource utilization pattern within Chinese society by employing an exergy-based accounting method. Nationally total resource consumption amounted to 153.7 EJ in 2017, and non-biological resources reached 137.1 EJ. China's resource self-sufficiency rate was revealed as 79.1%. After China experienced a transition period with a medium-high economic growth rate, the total net resource input into Chinese society marked an increase of around 1% from 2012 to 2017. The per capita resource consumption dropped from 112.0 GJ in 2012 to 110.6 GJ in 2017. The proportion of resource exergy consumption in the tertiary sector was upregulated from 10.0% in 2012 to 17.6% in 2017. To be specific, the exergy conversion efficiency of the domestic sector rose from 1.3% in 2012 to 20.6% in 2017. The results confirm that the resource exergy utilization structures and the conversion efficiencies of the main social sectors in China's economic transition period were significantly optimized towards a more sustainable future. A reasonable analysis of the resource exergy utilization pattern provides a solid reference for assessing the comprehensive effect of the changed development speed, industrial structure, and driving force of a developing society.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 overexpression in the hippocampus reduces alcohol-induced conditioned-place preference by regulating synaptic plasticity in mice.

Extracellular matrix proteins appear to be necessary for the synaptic plasticity that underlies addiction memory. In the brain, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), have been recently implicated in processes involving alcohol reward and memory. Here, we showed for the first time, the positive effects of MMP-9 on alcohol-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) behavior and hippocampal neuron plasticity in C57BL/6 mice. Using recombinant adeno-associated viruses to overexpress MMP-9 in the hippocampus, we investigated the NMDAR, PSD-95, and cellular cytoskeleton proteins F-actin/G-actin in the modulation of alcohol reward behavior in mice exposed to CPP. We found that hippocampal infusions of MMP-9 decreased alcohol-induced place preference suggesting a reduction in alcohol reward. Western blot analysis demonstrated that protein expression of NMDA receptors (GluN1, GluN2A and GluN2B) in the hippocampus of alcohol-exposed mice were higher than that of the saline group. Further, the expression of these proteins was decreased in MMP-9 overexpressing mice. MMP-9 also regulated the ratio of F-actin/G-actin (dendritic spines cytoskeleton proteins), which might be the key mediator for behavioral changes in mice. Consequently, our results highlight new evidence that MMP-9 may play an important role in the molecular mechanism underlying alcohol reward and preference.

Pharmacokinetic and Bioequivalent Study of Potassium Chloride Sustained-Release Tablet Under Different Dietary Conditions in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

Potassium (K+ ) is an endogenous substance that is an essential dietary component. However, the interaction between dietary arrangements and specific effects of dietary K+ intake in bioequivalence studies remains unclear. To investigate the influence of dietary arrangement on the bioequivalence of potassium chloride (KCl) sustained-release tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers, the pharmacokinetics of KCl were compared in two open-label, single-center, randomized, two-period crossover studies with different dietary conditions. All volunteers received an oral dose of 6 g of KCl sustained-release tablets under fasting conditions, with different dietary arrangements. Urine samples were collected on baseline days and 48 hours after tablet consumption. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry was used to measure the concentration of K+ in the urine samples. Pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed using Phoenix WinNonlin software in a noncompartmental model. In either clinical trial, no significant differences were observed in the maximal rate of urinary excretion and cumulative urinary excretion from 0 to 24 hours of K+ between the reference and test drugs. The bioequivalence studies of both KCl sustained-release tablet formulations were successfully conducted under different dietary conditions.

The UDP glucose: flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT) gene regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis in litchi (Litchi chinesis Sonn.) during fruit coloration.

We analyzed a litchi cultivar that included three phenotypes for pericarp color, ranging from green, indicating the absence of anthocyanins, to yellow, and red. Anthocyanins, chlorophylls, carotenoids, and flavonoids were measured in the three stages. Fruit coloration of red-skinned litchi was mainly due to higher flavonols, and anthocyanin pigments, lower chlorophyll (higher chlorophyll degradation). Expression of four genes of the anthocyanin pathway coding for phenylalanine ammonialyase, chalcone synthase, flavanone-3-hydroxylase, and the UDP-glucose: flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT), was analyzed by RT-PCR at three developmental stages from before the onset of ripening to full maturity. Gene expression patterns were compared to anthocyanin metabolites. The contents of anthocyanins and flavonols in the pericarps were consistent with the higher mRNA levels of UFGT, while, transcription of the other gene was not expected to follow the anthocyanin content. We suggest that UFGT might play an important role in anthocyanin biosynthesis in the pericarp of litchi. Thus, UFGT expression strongly influences fruit coloration in litchi.

China's Trade of Agricultural Products Drives Substantial Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

China's trade of agricultural products has expanded rapidly over the past two decades, resulting in considerable shifts in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions worldwide. This study aims to explore the evolution of GHG emissions embodied in China's trade of agricultural products from 1995 to 2015. The GHG emissions embodied in China's exports of agricultural products experienced three stages of fluctuation, showing a significant upward trend (1995-2003), a fluctuating trend (2004-2007), and a fall back to the previous level (2008-2015). The embodied GHG emissions in China's imports were witnessed at times of sustained growth, rising from 10.5 Mt CO2-eq in 1995 to 107.7 Mt CO2-eq in 2015. The net import of embodied GHG emissions has grown at an average annual rate of 25.1% since 2008. In terms of regional contribution, the distribution of China's trading partners tended to be diversified. The increasing net imports of oil crops to China resulted in a significant GHG emissions shift from China to the US and Brazil. Asian countries contributed to 76.9% of the total GHG emissions embodied in China's agricultural exports. The prominent impacts of China's trade of agricultural products on global GHG emissions provide important implications for climate-related policy choices.

Toxicity and modulation of silver nanoparticles synthesized using abalone viscera hydrolysates on bacterial community in aquatic environment.

Polysaccharide decorated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a new type of antibacterial agent in aquaculture, but their effects on the bacterial community structure in aquaculture water are still unknown. In this study, the primary hydrolysate from abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) viscera (AVH) was used to biosynthesize AVH-AgNPs by in situ reduction, and the crystallinity nature, size, morphology, and chemical composition were analyzed by high-resolution characterization techniques such as Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), X-rays diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Zeta potential, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Turbiscan stability index (TSI) values. Furthermore, the acute toxicity of AVH-AgNPs to zebrafish (Danio rerio) and their effects on bacterial community structure in fish culture water at low concentrations were studied. The results showed that the spherical AVH-AgNPs with an average diameter of 54.57 ± 12.96 nm had good stability, low toxicity, and good in vitro antibacterial activity. Within the experimental concentration range, all AVH-AgNPs treatments had decreased the bacterial diversity in zebrafish culture water to varying degrees. The bacteria with significantly decreased abundances were pathogenic or potential pathogenic, such as Aeromonas veronii, Flavobacterium columnare, and genera Flectobacillus and Bosea. The abundance of Haliscomenobacter sp. JS224, which might cause sludge swelling, also decreased significantly. On the other hand, the relative abundance of some bacterial taxa could remove xenobiotics (e.g., Runella defluvii and Phenylobacterium), control water eutrophication (Sediminibacterium), and reduce toxic algae proliferation (Candidatus Intestinusbacter nucleariae and Candidatus Finniella), increased significantly. Thus, the application of AVH-AgNPs in aquaculture water at low concentrations is relatively safe and has positive significance for improving the aquaculture environment. Also, AVH-AgNPs have good prospects in aquaculture.