Multiomics analysis reveal the impact of 17α-Ethinylestradiol on mortality in juvenile zebrafish.

17α-Ethinylestradiol (EE2) is known for its endocrine-disrupting effects on embryonic and adult fish. However, its impact on juvenile zebrafish has not been well established. In this study, juvenile zebrafish were exposed to EE2 at concentrations of 5 ng/L (low dose, L), 10 ng/L (medium dose, M), and 50 ng/L (high dose, H) from 21 days post-fertilization (dpf) to 49 dpf. We assessed their growth, development, behavior, transcriptome, and metabolome. The findings showed that the survival rate in the EE2-H group was 66.8 %, with all surviving fish displaying stunted growth and swollen, transparent abdomens by 49 dpf. Moreover, severe organ deformities were observed in the gills, kidneys, intestines, and heart of fish in both the EE2-H and EE2-M groups. Co-expression analysis of mRNA and lncRNA revealed that EE2 downregulated the transcription of key genes involved in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and Fanconi anemia signaling pathways. Additionally, metabolomic analysis indicated that EE2 influenced metabolism and development-related signaling pathways. These pathways were also significantly identified based on the genes regulated by lncRNA. Consequently, EE2 induced organ deformities and mortality in juvenile zebrafish by disrupting signaling pathways associated with development and metabolism. The results of this study offer new mechanistic insights into the adverse effects of EE2 on juvenile zebrafish based on multiomics analysis. The juvenile zebrafish are highly sensitive to EE2 exposure, which is not limited to adult and embryonic stages. It is a potential model for studying developmental toxicity.

Dual carbon isotopes (δ13C and Δ14C) were used to reveal the main sources and input fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon in a karst reservoir in winter.

In karst areas, the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations in aquatic systems are typically higher than that in non-karst areas due to intensive carbonate rock weathering. Understanding the sources and input fluxes of DIC in karst reservoirs is crucial for regional carbon cycle studies. This study utilized dual carbon isotopes (δ13CDIC and Δ14CDIC) to estimate the contribution rates and input fluxes of DIC from various sources in Aha Reservoir (AHR), located in southwestern China. Our results indicated that the DIC concentrations (22.33-32.79 mg·L-1) and δ13CDIC values (-10.02‰ to -8.55‰) were nearly homogeneous both vertically and laterally in the reservoir (p > 0.05). The Δ14CDIC values (-246.31‰ to -137.86‰) were homogeneous along the vertical profile (p > 0.05), but showed significant horizontal variation (p < 0.05), with values decreasing from -149.57 ± 10.27‰ to -232.85 ± 2.37‰ at the mouths of the inflowing rivers. We found that the inflowing rivers were the primary DIC sources to AHR, contributing 70% of the total input, while groundwater and atmospheric CO2 contributions were relatively minor, at 18% and 12%, respectively. The Jinzhong River (JZR), influenced by industrial and domestic wastewater discharge, contributed the largest DIC input flux at 2.01 t/(km2·mon). In contrast, the Youyu River (YYR), influenced by acidic mine drainage, and the Baiyan River (BYR), influenced by agricultural activities, contributed relatively smaller DIC input fluxes of 1.29 t/(km2·mon) and 1.03 t/(km2·mon), respectively. This study highlights the significant impact of anthropogenic activities on DIC input in AHR, with industrial and domestic wastewater discharges having a greater influence than agricultural activities and acidic mine wastewater inputs. These findings underscore the critical need to manage and mitigate the impacts of human activities on karst reservoir ecosystems.

Surgical resection and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis: A real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Regarding when to treat gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis (GCOM) and whether to have metastatic resection surgery, there is presently debate on a global scale. The purpose of this research is to examine, in real-world patients with GCOM, the survival rates and efficacy of metastatic vs non-metastasized resection. AIM: To investigate the survival time and efficacy of metastatic surgery and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with GCOM. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 41 GCOM patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from June 2009 to July 2023. The diagnosis of all patients was confirmed by pathology. The primary study endpoints included overall survival (OS), ovarian survival, OS after surgery (OSAS), disease-free survival (DFS), differences in efficacy. RESULTS: This study had 41 patients in total. The surgical group (n = 27) exhibited significantly longer median OS (mOS) and median overall months (mOM) compared to the nonoperative group (n = 14) (mOS: 23.0 vs 6.9 months, P = 0.015; mOM: 18.3 vs 3.8 months, P = 0.001). However, there were no significant differences observed in mOS, mOM, median OSAS (mOSAS), and median DFS (mDFS) between patients in the surgical resection plus neoadjuvant therapy group (n = 11) and those who surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy group (n = 16) (mOS: 26.1 months vs 21.8 months, P = 0.189; mOM: 19.8 vs 15.2 months, P = 0.424; mOSAS: 13.9 vs 8.7 months, P = 0.661, mDFS: 5.1 vs 8.2 months, P = 0.589). CONCLUSION: Compared to the non-surgical group, the surgical group's survival duration and efficacy are noticeably longer. The efficacy and survival time of the direct surgery group and the neoadjuvant therapy group did not differ significantly.

Improving Delphi Process in Acupuncture Decision Making: Overall Descriptions and Quality Assessment of Delphi Reports.

Background: Clinical acupuncture decisions are highly operator-dependent and require physician-patient interactions. The Delphi method allows subjective factors such as expert experience and preference of patients to be taken into account in clinical decision making, which is particularly applicable to acupuncture. Currently, the Delphi method is widely used to support clinical decisions in acupuncture. Therefore, it is necessary to provide high-quality and complete descriptions of the Delphi process when making clinical decisions. This study aims to evaluate the quality of the Delphi process in acupuncture, facilitate its standardization and rigor for further clinical decision making in acupuncture. Methods: Articles sourced from six databases were searched systematically to assess the quality of the Delphi consensus process based on the standards for conducting and reporting Delphi studies (CREDES). Descriptive statistics and analysis were presented according to the percentage of each item. Five-score Likert scale was used to evaluate the reporting quality of four domains as well as each item in CREDES by two independent researchers, combined with ICC-value to assess the consistency. Results: A total of 37 qualified articles were included according to eligibility criteria. As for the low reporting rate, the item "External validation" was reported as the lowest positive rate at 32.43% and the item "Prevention of bias" was 48.65%. The item "Adequacy of conclusions", "Definition and attainment of consensus", and "Discussion of limitations" were reported at a positive ratio of 62.16%, 64.86%, and 67.57% individually. The average scores of the four domains based on CREDES from highest to lowest were, respectively, as follows: planning and design (68.75%), reporting (66.07%), rationale for the choice of the Delphi technique (65.54%), study conduct (45.10%). Conclusion: The reporting quality of the Delphi consensus process in acupuncture is acceptable currently, but the reporting rate on some items is still low. Further standardization, including either clearer checklists or study reports, should be developed and strengthened to guide clinical decisions in acupuncture.

A framework for transformational leadership to enhance teacher's work performance.

Introduction: In the new era of higher education focusing on "double first-class" development, private universities in China face significant opportunities and challenges. The success of these institutions is closely linked to effective leadership, particularly transformational leadership, which is known to inspire and motivate employees toward extraordinary achievements. This study explores the existence and impact of transformational leadership on teachers' work performance in Chinese private universities. It aims to fill a research gap regarding the role of transformational leadership in a resource-constrained environment and provide practical insights for enhancing teachers' work performance, thereby contributing to the rapid development of private universities and the realization of "double first-class" goals. Methods: This study employed an input-process-output approach, combining qualitative data from face-to-face interviews with 12 leaders at Guangdong University of Science and Technology and quantitative data from an electronic survey of 392 university teachers. Data were analyzed using SPSS26.0, AMOS24.0, and NVIVO14, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, common method bias assessment, and correlation analysis. Structural equation modeling with AMOS24.0 was used to explore the relationship between transformational leadership and teachers' work performance, evaluating the impact of each transformational leadership dimension. Results: The study findings demonstrated that transformational leadership styles are being employed in Chinese private universities, albeit not extensively, with moderate effects on teachers' work performance. The research identified organizational vision, intellectual stimulation, and personal recognition as significant drivers of enhanced performance among faculty members. Nevertheless, the study did not confirm the impact of supportive leadership, inspiring communication, and moral modeling within the context of Chinese private universities. Discussion: The results highlight areas for potential development in leadership practices, including improving teachers' competencies, motivating teachers, providing good work opportunities and environments, and building good teacher teams.

Surgical outcomes of sacrospinous hysteropexy and hysteropreservation for pelvic organ prolapse: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: In several randomized controlled trials (RCTs), sacrospinous hysteropexy and other forms of hysteropreservation have been compared. Nevertheless, there is no definitively best treatment. This study summarized RCT evidence for various uterine preservation surgical procedures. Methods: From each database inception to August 2023, we searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science for eligible RCTs. A comparison was made between sacrospinous hysteropexy and other hysteropreservation, including vaginal and abdominal surgery. For categorical and continuous variables, relative risks (RRs) and mean differences (MDs) were calculated using random-effects models. Results: We reviewed a total 1,398 studies and ultimately included five RCTs that met all inclusion criteria. These five studies included a total of 1,372 uterine POP cases all of whom received transvaginal surgery and had a follow-up period for assessment of recurrence from 12 months to 5 years. There were no significant differences between sacrospinous hysteropexy and other hysteropreservation for the incidences of recurrence (RR,1.24; 95% CI, 0.58 to 2.63; p = 0.58) or hematoma (RR,0.70; 95% CI, 0.17 to 2.92; p = 0.62). Moreover, neither sacrospinous hysteropexy nor hysteropreservation had any significant effect on the risk of mesh exposure (RR,0.34; 95% CI, 0.03 to 4.31; p = 0.41), dyspareunia (RR,0.45; 95% CI, 0.13 to1.6; p = 0.22), urinary tract infection (RR,0.66; 95% CI, 0.38 to 1.15; p = 0.15), bothersome bulge symptoms (RR,0.03; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.08; p = 0.24), operative time (MD, -4.53; 95% CI, -12.08 to 3.01; p = 0.24), and blood loss (MD, -25.69; 95% CI, -62.28 to 10.91; p = 0.17). However, sacrospinous hysteropexy was associated with a lower probability of pain (RR,4.8; 95% CI, 0.79 to 29.26; p = 0.09) compared with other hysteropreservation. Conclusion: There was no difference between sacrospinous hysteropexy and hysteropreservation in terms of recurrence, hematoma, mesh exposure, dyspareunia, urinary tract infection, bothersome bulge symptoms, operative time, pain, and blood loss. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO [CRD42023470025].

Potential therapeutic targets for pelvic organ prolapse: insights from key genes related to blood vessel development.

Objective: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a disease in which pelvic floor support structures are dysfunctional due to disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The vascular system is essential for maintaining ECM homeostasis. Therefore, this study explored the potential mechanism of blood vessel development-related genes (BVDRGs) in POP. Methods: POP-related datasets and BVDRGs were included in this study. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the POP and control groups were first identified in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets, and DE-BVDRGs were identified by determining the intersection of these DEGs and BVDRGs. Subsequently, the feature genes were evaluated by machine learning. Feature genes with consistent expression trends in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets were considered key genes. Afterward, the overall diagnostic efficacy of key genes in POP was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Based on the key genes, enrichment analysis, immune infiltration analysis and regulatory network construction were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of the key genes in POP. Results: A total of 888 DEGs1 and 643 DEGs2 were identified in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets, and 26 candidate genes and 4 DE-BVDRGs were identified. Furthermore, Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), Matrix metalloproteinase 19 (MMP19) and Plexin Domain Containing 1 (PLXDC1) were identified as key genes in POP and had promising value for diagnosing POP (AUC > 0.8). Additional research revealed that the key genes were predominantly implicated in immune cell activation, chemotaxis, and cytokine release via the chemokine signaling pathway, the Nod-like receptor signaling pathway, and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Analysis of immune cell infiltration confirmed a decrease in the proportion of plasma cells in POP, and MMP19 expression showed a significant negative correlation with plasma cell numbers. In addition, regulatory network analysis revealed that MALAT1 (a lncRNA) targeted hsa-miR-503-5p, hsa-miR-23a-3p and hsa-miR-129-5p to simultaneously regulate three key genes. Conclusion: We identified three key BVDRGs (HAS2, MMP19 and PLXDC1) related to the ECM in POP, providing markers for diagnostic studies and investigations of the molecular mechanism of POP.

Splenic subcapsular hematoma following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Splenic injury following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a rare complication. The literature contains around 30 articles reporting various degrees of splenic injuries resulting from ERCP since the first report of splenic rupture after ERCP in 1989. CASE SUMMARY: This report describes a case of splenic hematoma and stent displacement in a 69-year-old male patient who developed these conditions 7 days after undergoing ERCP and stenting. The patient had bile duct stenosis caused by a malignant tumor that was obstructing the bile duct. The diagnosis was confirmed by epigastric computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. The patient was successfully treated with percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage, endoscopic pyloric stent placement, and conservative management. The causes of splenic injury following ERCP are discussed. CONCLUSION: ERCP has the potential to cause splenic injury. If a patient experiences symptoms such as abdominal pain, decreased blood pressure, and altered hematology after the procedure, it's important to be thoroughly investigated for postoperative bleeding and splenic injury.

Effects of N-Acetylcysteine combined with Ambroxol Hydrochloride on clinical symptoms, CRP, and PCT in children with pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) combined with Ambroxol Hydrochloride (AH) on clinical symptoms, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and Procalcitonin (PCT) levels in children with pneumonia. METHODS: A total of 98 children with pneumonia were assigned to the control group and observation group by random number table method. NAC was administered to the observation group and AH was given to the control group. The therapeutic effect was observed, the disappearance time of clinical symptoms and levels of inflammatory factors, lung function parameters, blood gas analysis parameters, and immunoglobulin were measured. The incidence of adverse reactions was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A higher effective rate was observed in the observation group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Antipyretic time, cough disappearance time, and lung rale disappearance time in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After treatment, CRP and PCT were lower (p < 0.05), FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC were higher, PaCO2 was lower, PaO2 and SaO2 were higher, and IgA, IgG, IgM, and C3 were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups was not significantly different (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: NAC combined with AH is effective in the treatment of pediatric pneumonia by effectively alleviating clinical symptoms, reducing inflammatory factors, and improving lung function and immune function.

A dynamic model to predict early occurrence of acute kidney injury in ICU hospitalized cirrhotic patients: a MIMIC database analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop a tool for predicting the early occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in ICU hospitalized cirrhotic patients. METHODS: Eligible patients with cirrhosis were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care database. Demographic data, laboratory examinations, and interventions were obtained. After splitting the population into training and validation cohorts, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression model was used to select factors and construct the dynamic online nomogram. Calibration and discrimination were used to assess nomogram performance, and clinical utility was evaluated by decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: A total of 1254 patients were included in the analysis, and 745 developed AKI. The mean arterial pressure, white blood cell count, total bilirubin level, Glasgow Coma Score, creatinine, heart rate, platelet count and albumin level were identified as predictors of AKI. The developed model had a good ability to differentiate AKI from non-AKI, with AUCs of 0.797 and 0.750 in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Moreover, the nomogram model showed good calibration. DCA showed that the nomogram had a superior overall net benefit within wide and practical ranges of threshold probabilities. CONCLUSIONS: The dynamic online nomogram can be an easy-to-use tool for predicting the early occurrence of AKI in critically ill patients with cirrhosis.

Efficacy and safety of Shen Que (RN8) moxibustion on reproductive outcomes in unexpected poor ovarian responders: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Managing infertility patients with poor ovarian response (POR) to ovarian stimulation remains unmet clinically. Besides economic burdens, patients with POR have a poor prognosis during in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). In this study, we assessed the efficacy and safety of Shen Que (RN8) moxibustion on reproductive outcomes in POSEIDON patients (Group 2a). METHODS: Women eligible for IVF were invited to participate in this randomized, open-label, superiority trial at an academic fertility center from January 2022 to December 2023. One hundred patients ≤ 44 years old equally divided between Shen Que moxibustion (SQM) and control groups were randomized. These patients must meet the POSEIDON criteria, Group 2a, which requires antral follicle count (AFC) ≥ 5 or anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) ≥ 1.2ng/ml, and a previous unexpected POR (< 4 oocytes). Twelve moxibustion sessions were conducted in the SQM group prior to oocyte retrieval, while only IVF treatment was performed in the control group. The primary outcome was the number of oocytes retrieved. RESULTS: As compared with the IVF treatment alone, the SQM + IVF treatment significantly increased the number of retrieved oocytes (4.7 vs. 5.8, p = 0.012), mature oocytes (3.0 vs. 5.0, p = 0.008), and available embryos (2.0 vs. 4.0, p = 0.014) in unexpected poor ovarian responders aged more than 35 years. In the SQM group, the cumulative live birth rate was 27.3% (9/33) in comparison to 13.3% (4/30) in the control group, whereas no statistical significance was detected (p = 0.172). During the study, no significant adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Women with unexpected POR who meet POSEIDON Group 2a can benefit from Shen Que (RN8) moxibustion treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05653557.

Successfully treated with siltuximab and prednisone in a 7-year-old girl with DOCK8-deficiency presenting as recurrent wart-like lesions: a case report.

Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency represents a primary immunodeficiency with a wide range of clinical symptoms, including recurrent infections, atopy, and increased malignancy risk. This study presents a case of a 6-year-old girl with DOCK8 deficiency, characterized by severe, treatment-resistant herpetic infections who was successfully treated with siltuximab and glucocorticoids. The successful use of siltuximab in achieving remission highlights the pivotal role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in DOCK8 deficiency pathogenesis and suggests that IL-6 modulation can be critical in managing DOCK8 deficiency-related viral infections, which may inform future therapeutic strategies for DOCK8 deficiency and similar immunodeficiencies.

Biomolecular condensates can function as inherent catalysts.

We report the discovery that chemical reactions such as ATP hydrolysis can be catalyzed by condensates formed by intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which themselves lack any intrinsic ability to function as enzymes. This inherent catalytic feature of condensates derives from the electrochemical environments and the electric fields at interfaces that are direct consequences of phase separation. The condensates we studied were capable of catalyzing diverse hydrolysis reactions, including hydrolysis and radical-dependent breakdown of ATP whereby ATP fully decomposes to adenine and multiple carbohydrates. This distinguishes condensates from naturally occurring ATPases, which can only catalyze the dephosphorylation of ATP. Interphase and interfacial properties of condensates can be tuned via sequence design, thus enabling control over catalysis through sequence-dependent electrochemical features of condensates. Incorporation of hydrolase-like synthetic condensates into live cells enables activation of transcriptional circuits that depend on products of hydrolysis reactions. Inherent catalytic functions of condensates, which are emergent consequences of phase separation, are likely to affect metabolic regulation in cells.

Activation of a Silent Gene Cluster from the Endophytic Fungus Talaromyces sp. Unearths Cryptic Azaphilone Metabolites.

Fungal azaphilones have attracted widespread attention due to their significant potential as sources of food pigments and pharmaceuticals. Genome mining and gene cluster activation represent powerful tools and strategies for discovering novel natural products and bioactive molecules. Here, a putative azaphilone biosynthetic gene cluster lut from the endophytic fungus Talaromyces sp. was identified through genome mining. By overexpressing the pathway-specific transcription factor LutB, five new sclerotiorin-type azaphilones (1, 6, 8, and 10-11) together with seven known analogues (2-5, 7, 9, 12) were successfully produced. Compounds 8 and 9 exhibited antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 64 and 16 µg/mL, respectively. Compound 11 showed cytotoxic activity against HCT116 and GES-1 with IC50 values of 10.9 and 4.9 µM, respectively, while 1, 4, 5, and 7-10 showed no obvious cytotoxic activity. Gene inactivation experiments confirmed the role of the lut cluster in the production of compounds 1-12. Subsequent feeding experiments unveiled the novel functional diversity of the dual megasynthase system. Furthermore, a LutC-LutD binary oxidoreductase system was discovered, and in combination with DFT calculations, the basic biosynthetic pathway of the sclerotiorin-type azaphilones was characterized. This study provided a good example for the discovery of new azaphilones and further uncovered the biosynthesis of these compounds.

Contribution to energy conservation and quality improvement of frozen pork via contact/contactless immersion freezing in NaCl solution.

High energy consumption and quality deterioration are major challenges in the meat freezing process. In this study, the energy consumption and qualities of frozen pork were investigated using three freezing methods: nonpackaged pork air freezing (NAF), contactless immersion freezing (PIF) and contact immersion freezing (NIF) with NaCl solution as a refrigerant. The results indicated that NIF could improve the energy conservation and freezing efficiency in >4 freezing treatment-times by increasing the unfrozen water content, decreasing the frozen heat load, shortening the freezing time and reducing evaporation loss. NIF could also increase the a* value of the pork and improve the water-holding capacity by facilitating the conversion of free water to immobilized-water. The two immersion freezing methods could reduce freezing-thawing loss and protein loss by alleviating muscle tissue freezing damage. These results provide a suitable application of immersion freezing with energy conservation, high efficiency and good quality of frozen-pork.

In vitro antimicrobial activity of doxycycline, minocycline, and tigecycline against Mycobacterium abscessus complex: A meta-analysis study.

PURPOSE: Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC) infections are increasing worldwide. Furthermore, these infections have a low treatment success rate due to their resistance to many current antibiotics. This study aimed to determine the overall in vitro activity of the tetracyclines doxycycline (DOX), minocycline (MIN), and tigecycline (TGC) against MABC clinical isolates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Embase was conducted up to August 28, 2023. Studies applying the drug susceptibility testing standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute were considered. A random effects model was used to assess the total in vitro resistance rates of the MABC clinical isolates to DOX, MIN, and TGC. The I2 and Cochran's Q statistics were employed to evaluate the origins of heterogeneity. All analyses were conducted using CMA V.3 software. RESULTS: Twenty-six publications (22, 12, and 11 studies on DOX, MIN, and TGC, respectively) were included. The pooled in vitro resistance rates of the MABC clinical isolates to DOX and MIN at the breakpoint of 8 µg/mL were 93.0 % (95 % CI, 89.2 %-95.5 %) and 87.2 % (95 % CI, 76.5 %-93.4 %), respectively. In the case of TGC, the breakpoints of 2, 4, and 8 µg/mL were associated with pooled resistance rates of 2.5 % (95 % CI, 0.5 %-11.6 %), 7.2 % (95 % CI, 4.0 %-12.5 %), and 16.8 % (95 % CI, 4.7 %-45.0 %), respectively. CONCLUSION: Among the three examined tetracyclines, MABC exhibited extremely high resistance rates to DOX and MIN, thereby limiting their use in treating MABC infections. Conversely, MABC showed an increased susceptibility rate to TGC, highlighting TGC administration as a viable treatment option for patients with MABC infections.

Measurement and improvement of island B&BS customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction is an important criterion to measure the service quality of bed and breakfasts (B&Bs). How to assess the customer satisfaction of B&Bs scientifically has always been a worthy topic. Based on the national standard, this study constructed an evaluation index system of customer satisfaction of island B&Bs consisting of 5 dimensions and 23 indicators. After SEM verification, the index system exhibited a good fit, and the dimensions of atmosphere, service, security, facilities, and characteristics had a significant positive effect on the customer satisfaction of the island B&Bs. At the same time, customer satisfaction of island B&Bs significantly and positively affected customers' post-purchase psychological perceptions, such as overall evaluation, repurchase intention, and recommendation intention. Then, the IPA method was used to analyze the importance and satisfaction of each index of customer satisfaction of Fujian island B&Bs. The results showed that island B&Bs in Fujian had strong advantages in the island atmosphere, guest services and facilities, and the most urgent index to be improved was the light and sound insulation of the guest rooms, and the featured items such as specialty food and beverage, customized activities, and specialty cultural and creative sales also needed to be improved. The index system provides a scientific method for the customer satisfaction evaluation of the island B&Bs，and it will effectively guide the operation and management of the island B&Bs operators.

A Mysterious Asian Firefly Genus, Oculogryphus Jeng, Engel & Yang (Coleoptera, Lampyridae): The First Complete Mitochondrial Genome and Its Phylogenetic Implications.

The firefly genus Oculogryphus Jeng, Engel & Yang, 2007 is a rare-species group endemic to Asia. Since its establishment, its position has been controversial but never rigorously tested. To address this perplexing issue, we are the first to present the complete mitochondrial sequence of Oculogryphus, using the material of O. chenghoiyanae Yiu & Jeng, 2018 determined through a comprehensive morphological identification. Our analyses demonstrate that its mitogenome exhibits similar characteristics to that of Stenocladius, including a rearranged gene order between trnC and trnW, and a long intergenic spacer (702 bp) between the two rearranged genes, within which six remnants (29 bp) of trnW were identified. Further, we incorporated this sequence into phylogenetic analyses of Lampyridae based on different molecular markers and datasets using ML and BI analyses. The results consistently place Oculogryphus within the same clade as Stenocladius in all topologies, and the gene rearrangement is a synapomorphy for this clade. It suggests that Oculogryphus should be classified together with Stenocladius in the subfamily Ototretinae at the moment. This study provides molecular evidence confirming the close relationship between Oculogryphus and Stenocladius and discovers a new phylogenetic marker helpful in clarifying the monophyly of Ototretinae, which also sheds a new light on firefly evolution.

Experimentally derived partitioning coefficients of carbamazepine and sulfadiazine in landfill refuse-leachate phase: Effects of refuse and leachate properties.

Pharmaceuticals have been detected at high concentrations in landfill leachate and refuse, which may pose potential long-term environmental impacts. The interaction of pharmaceuticals between leachate and refuse contributes to their retention through in situ sorption, thereby mitigating this impact. However, limited efforts have been made to describe the distribution characteristics of pharmaceuticals in the refuse-leachate phase. In this study, two refuse and three leachate samples were used to obtain partitioning coefficients (Kd) for two typical pharmaceuticals, carbamazepine (CBZ) and sulfadiazine (SD), with campus soil as a comparison. Landfill refuse exhibited higher Kd values (12.36 ± 0.90 and 19.76 ± 1.96 mL/g for CBZ and 1.90 ± 0.34 and 6.27 ± 0.58 mL/g for SD in two samples, respectively) than campus soil (3.73 ± 1.31 mL/g for CBZ and 0.81 ± 0.26 mL/g for SD), influenced by refuse properties such as higher organic matter (OM) content and specific surface area (SSA). The influence of leachate pH on Kd values depended on the electrostatic interaction between the species of target pollutants and negatively charged refuse. The effect of humic acid (HA) was related to its binding with target pollutants in solution and its competition with them for sorption sites. Electrostatic repulsion, hydrogen bonding and π-π interaction were the proposed mechanisms in SD sorption on refuse, while hydrogen bonding participated in the sorption of CBZ. The results will help aid the understanding of the distribution of pharmaceuticals in the refuse-leachate system and improve corresponding management strategies.