Dissipation behavior and risk assessment of imidacloprid and its metabolites in apple from field to products.

Pesticides play vital roles in controlling pests and boosting crop yields. Imidacloprid is widely used all over the world and may form in agricultural products. The presence of pesticide residues in apples raises serious health concerns. Understanding the residual fate of imidacloprid is critical for food safety and human health. In this study, the dissipation behavior, metabolism, household processing and risk assessment of imidacloprid and its metabolites in apple were investigated from filed to products. Field experiment results suggested that the half-lives of imidacloprid at 5 times the recommended dosage was 1.5 times that of the standard dosage. And the final residues of imidacloprid were less than the established maximum residue limits (MRLs). Clarification and simmering had little effect on the reduction the residues of imidacloprid and its metabolites. The calculated processing factors were lower than 1 for imidacloprid and its metabolites, implying that the residual ratios of imidacloprid and its metabolites in each steps of the food processing were reduced. The risk quotients were <1 for all Chinese people, indicating that acceptable risks associated with dietary exposure to imidacloprid in apple. However, the higher risks were observed in young people than adults, and females faced higher risks than males. Given high residue levels in pomace, imidacloprid and its metabolites should be further studied in commercial byproducts.

An Immune-Regulating Polysaccharide Hybrid Hydrogel with Mild Photothermal Effect and Anti-Inflammatory for Accelerating Infected Wound Healing.

Bacterial infections and excessive inflammation present substantial challenges for clinical wound healing. Hydrogels with mild photothermal (PTT) effects have emerged as promising agents owing to their dual actions: positive effects on cells and negative effects on bacteria. Here, an injectable self-healing hydrogel of oxidized konjac glucomannan/arginine-modified chitosan (OKGM/CS-Arg, OC) integrated with protocatechualdehyde-@Fe (PF) nanoparticles capable of effectively absorbing near-infrared radiation is synthesized successfully. The OC/PF hydrogels exhibit excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and antioxidant activity. Moreover, in synergy with PTT, OC/PF demonstrates potent antibacterial effects while concurrently stimulating cell migration and new blood vessel formation. In methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-infected full-thickness mouse wounds, the OC/PF hydrogel displays remarkable antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, and accelerates wound healing by regulating the wound immune microenvironment and promoting M2 macrophage polarization. Consequently, the OC/PF hydrogel represents a novel therapeutic approach for treating multidrug-resistant bacterial infections and offers a technologically advanced solution for managing infectious wounds in clinical settings.

Xylanase VmXyl2 is involved in the pathogenicity of Valsa mali by regulating xylanase activity and inducing cell necrosis.

Xylanase plays a key role in degrading plant cell wall during pathogenic fungi infection. Here, we identified a xylanase gene, VmXyl2 from the transcriptome of Valsa mali and examined its function. VmXyl2 has highly elevated transcript levels during the infection process of V. mali, with 15.02-fold increase. Deletion mutants of the gene were generated to investigate the necessity of VmXyl2 in the development and pathogenicity of V. mali. The VmXyl2 deletion mutant considerably reduced the virulence of V. mali in apple leaves and in twigs, accompanied by 41.22% decrease in xylanase activity. In addition, we found that VmXyl2 induces plant cell necrosis regardless of its xylanase activity, whereas promoting the infection of V. mali in apple tissues. The cell death-inducing activity of VmXyl2 dependent on BRI1-associated kinase-1 (BAK1) but not Suppressor of BIR1-1 (SOBIR1). Furthermore, VmXyl2 interacts with Mp2 in vivo, a receptor-like kinase with leucine-rich repeat. The results offer valuable insights into the roles of VmXyl2 in the pathogenicity of V. mali during its infection of apple trees.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 attenuates platelet aggregation potentiated by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein via inhibiting integrin αIIbß3 outside-in signaling.

Platelet hyperreactivity contributes to the pathogenesis of COVID-19, which is associated with a hypercoagulability state and thrombosis disorder. It has been demonstrated that Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the severity of COVID-19 infection. Vitamin D supplement is widely used as a dietary supplement due to its safety and health benefits. In this study, we investigated the direct effects and underlying mechanisms of 1,25(OH)2D3 on platelet hyperreactivity induced by SRAS-CoV-2 spike protein via Western blot and platelet functional studies in vitro. Firstly, we found that 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuated platelet aggregation and Src-mediated signaling. We further observed that 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuated spike protein-potentiated platelet aggregation in vitro. Mechanistically, 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuated spike protein upregulated-integrin αIIbß3 outside-in signaling such as platelet spreading and the phosphorylation of ß3, c-Src and Syk. Moreover, using PP2, the Src family kinase inhibitor to abolish spike protein-stimulated platelet aggregation and integrin αIIbß3 outside-in signaling, the combination of PP2 and 1,25(OH)2D3 did not show additive inhibitory effects on spike protein-potentiated platelet aggregation and the phosphorylation of ß3, c-Src and Syk. Thus, our data suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 attenuates platelet aggregation potentiated by spike protein via downregulating integrin αIIbß3 outside-in signaling.

Effect of different preoperative nutritional treatments on postoperative recovery and clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer and early gastric outlet obstruction.

Patients with gastric cancer and early gastric outlet obstruction often experience malnutrition and require various nutritional support strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of different preoperative nutritional treatments on their postoperative recovery and prognosis. The present retrospective study collected data from 467 patients with gastric cancer and early gastric outlet obstruction who underwent surgery at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital (Harbin, China) between January 2016 and December 2018. All patients received preoperative nutritional treatment, with a mean treatment duration of 8.23±2.33 days. The present study analyzed associations and survival in different groups using χ2, independent-samples t-test, ANOVA and log-rank tests. Furthermore, single- and multi-factor survival analyses were conducted and nomograms and calibration curves constructed to investigate factors influencing patient survival. In this study, 230 patients (49.3%) received only parenteral nutrition (PN; Group 1), 162 patients (34.7%) received PN combined with enteral nutrition (EN; Group 2) and 75 patients (16.0%) received PN combined with a full- or semi-liquid diet (Group 3). No significant differences in clinical and pathological parameters were observed among the groups. However, Group 2 showed significant advantages in postoperative recovery, including faster time to first postoperative bowel sounds, flatus and bowel movement. Survival analysis indicated that Group 3 had shorter progression-free survival (χ2=30.485) and overall survival (χ2=31.249). Preoperative nutritional treatment was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Preoperative PN combined with EN proved advantageous for postoperative recovery of patients with gastric cancer and early gastric outlet obstruction. Furthermore, PN combined with full- or semi-liquid diets may not have fully met the nutritional needs of these patients, resulting in less favorable clinical outcomes.

Cardamom consumption may improve cardiovascular metabolic biomarkers in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The bioactive compounds in cardamom have been found to enhance cardiovascular health by improving blood lipids and inflammation. We hypothesized that cardamom consumption might ameliorate cardiovascular metabolic biomarkers in adults; however, there is still debate regarding its impact on cardiac metabolism. This research was therefore designed to determine if cardamom consumption had a favorable impact on lipid profiles, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress indices as they related to cardiovascular diseases. A comprehensive search was conducted through PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library on July 4, 2023. Using a random-effects model pooled the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). The final 12 trials containing 989 participants were included. The results illustrated that cardamom consumption could improve total cholesterol (WMD = -8.56 mg/dL; 95% CI, -14.90 to -2.22), triglycerides (WMD = -14.09 mg/dL; 95% CI, -24.01 to -4.17), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (WMD = -1.01 ng/mL; 95% CI, -1.81 to -0.22), and interleukin-6 (WMD = -1.81 pg/mL; 95% CI, -3.06 to -0.56). However, it did not have significant influences on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and some indicators of oxidative stress. In conclusion, cardamom consumption can improve specific cardiovascular metabolic biomarkers and potentially confer protective effects on cardiovascular health. However, more large-scale clinical research with better designs would further validate the findings, which will offer substantial evidence of cardamom as nutritional and functional products.

Increased co-expression of ICOS and PD-1 predicts poor overall survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Inducible co-stimulatory factor (ICOS) has a dual role: activating cytotoxic T cells against tumors or exacerbating immunosuppression of regulatory T cells (Tregs) to participate in immune evasion. However, the correlation between ICOS and its co-expression with inhibitory immune checkpoints (IICs) and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is little known. METHODS: The prognostic importance of ICOS and IICs in 62 bone marrow (BM) samples of de novo AML patients from our clinical center (GZFPH) was explored and then the RNA sequencing data of 155 AML patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used for validation. RESULTS: In both GZFPH and TCGA cohorts, high expression of ICOS was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) in patients with AML (P < 0.05). Importantly, co-expression of ICOS and PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 predicted poor OS in AML; among them, ICOS/PD-1 was the optimal combination of immune checkpoints (ICs). The co-expression of ICOS and PD-1 was correlated with poor OS in non-acute promyelocytic leukemia (non-APL) patients following chemotherapy. Additionally, ICOS/PD-1 was an independent OS-predicting factor (P < 0.05). Notably, a nomogram model was constructed by combining ICOS/PD-1, age, European Leukemia Net (ELN) risk stratification, and therapy to visually and personalized predict the 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of patients with non-APL. CONCLUSION: Increased expression of ICOS predicted poor outcomes, and ICOS/PD-1 was the optimal combination of ICs to predict outcomes in patients with AML, which might be a potential immune biomarker for designing novel AML therapy.

Bone marrow CD8+ Trm cells induced by IL-15 and CD16+ monocytes contribute to HSPC destruction in human severe aplastic anemia.

Idiopathic severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a disease of bone marrow failure caused by T-cell-induced destruction of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), however the mechanism remains unclear. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of PBMCs and BMMCs from SAA patients and healthy donors and identified a CD8+ T cell subset with a tissue residency phenotype (Trm) in bone marrow that exhibit high IFN-γ and FasL expression and have a higher ability to induce apoptosis in HSPCs in vitro through FasL expression. CD8+ Trm cells were induced by IL-15 presented by IL-15Rα on monocytes, especially CD16+ monocytes, which were increased in SAA patients. CD16+ monocytes contributed to IL-15-induced CD38+CXCR6+ pre-Trm differentiation into CD8+ Trm cells, which can be inhibited by the CD38 inhibitor 78c. Our results demonstrate that IL-15-induced CD8+ Trm cells are pathogenic cells that mediate HSPC destruction in SAA patients and are therapeutic targets for future treatments.

Biomimetic Nanocomposites for Glioma Imaging and Therapy.

Glioma, the most common primary brain tumor, is highly invasive and grows rapidly. As such, the survival of glioma patients is relatively short, highlighting the vital importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of glioma. However, the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the non-targeting delivery systems of contrast agents and drugs greatly hinder the effective glioma imaging and therapy. Fortunately, in recent years, investigators have constructed various biomimetic delivery platforms utilizing the exceptional advantages of biomimetic nanocomposites, such as immune evasion, homologous targeting ability, and BBB penetrating ability, to achieve efficient and precise delivery of substances to glioma sites for improved diagnosis and treatment. In this concept, we present the application of these biomimetic nanocomposites in fluorescence imaging (FI), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and multi-modal imaging, as well as in chemotherapy, phototherapy, and combined therapy for glioma. Lastly, we provide our perspective on this research field.

Securing LYTAC with Logic-Identification System for Cancer Cell-Selective Membrane Protein Degradation.

Lysosome-targeting chimera (LYTAC) links proteins of interest (POIs) with lysosome-targeting receptors (LTRs) to achieve membrane protein degradation, which is becoming a promising therapeutic modality. However, cancer cell-selective membrane protein degradation remains a big challenge considering expressions of POIs in both cancer cells and normal cells, as well as broad tissue distribution of LTRs. Here a logic-identification system is designed, termed Logic-TAC, based on cell membrane-guided DNA calculations to secure LYTAC selectively for cancer cells. Logic-TAC is designed as a duplex DNA structure, with both POI and LTR recognition regions sealed to avoid systematic toxicity during administration. MCF-7 and MCF-10A are chosen as sample cancer cell and normal cell respectively. As input 1 for logic-identification, membrane proteins EpCAM, which is highly expressed by MCF-7 but barely by MCF-10A, reacts with Logic-TAC to expose POI recognition region. As input 2 for logic-identification, Logic-TAC binds to POI, membrane protein MUC1, to expose LTR recognition region. As output, MUC1 is connected to LTR and degraded via lysosome pathway selectively for cancer cell MCF-7 with little side effect on normal cell MCF-10A. The logic-identification system also demonstrated satisfactory in vivo therapeutic results, indicating its promising potential in precise targeted therapy.

Novel applications of Yinhua Miyanling tablets in ulcerative colitis treatment based on metabolomics and network pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Yinhua Miyanling tablets (YMT), comprising 10 Chinese medicinal compounds, is a proprietary Chinese medicine used in the clinical treatment of urinary tract infections. Medicinal compounds, extracts, or certain monomeric components in YMT all show good effect on ulcerative colitis (UC). However, no evidence supporting YMT as a whole prescription for UC treatment is available. PURPOSE: To evaluate the anti-UC activity of YMT and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The objective of the study was to provide evidence for the add-on development of YMT to treat UC. METHODS: First, YMT's protective effect on the intestinal barrier was evaluated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Caco-2 intestinal injury model. Second, the UC mouse model was established using dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) to determine YMT's influence on symptoms, inflammatory factors, intestinal barrier, and histopathological changes in the colon. Third, an integrated method combining metabolomics and network pharmacology was employed to screen core targets and key metabolic pathways with crucial roles in YMT's therapeutic effect on UC. Molecular docking was employed to identify the key targets with high affinity. Finally, western blotting was performed to validate the mechanism of YMT action against UC. RESULTS: YMT enhanced the transepithelial electrical resistance value and improved the expression of proteins of the tight junctions dose-dependently in LPS-induced Caco-2 cells. UC mice treated with YMT exhibited alleviated pathological lesions of the colon tissue in the in vivo pharmacodynamic experiments. The colonic lengths tended to be normal, and the levels of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, and iNOS) along with those of the core enzymes (MPO, MDA, and SOD) improved. YMT effectively ameliorated DSS-induced colonic mucosal injury; pathological changes along with ultrastructure damage were significantly alleviated (evidenced by a relatively intact colon tissue, recovery of epithelial damage, repaired gland, reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and epithelial cells arranged closely with dense microvilli). Seven key targets (IL-6, TNF-α, MPO, COX-2, HK2, TPH, and CYP1A2) and four key metabolic pathways (arachidonic acid metabolism, linoleate metabolism, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis and tyrosine biosynthesis) were identified to play vital roles in the treatment on UC using YMT. CONCLUSIONS: YMT exerts beneficial therapeutic effects on UC by regulating multiple endogenous metabolites, targets, and metabolic pathways, suggestive of its potential novel application in UC treatment.

Ultra-Galactocation to Sialic Acid on Tumor Cells with A Penta-Functional Dendritic Probe for Enhanced Immune-Killing.

Glycans on tumor cell surface have significant impacts in the immune-killing process. Here an ultra-galactocation to sialic acid (Sia) strategy is designed to hugely introduce galactose (Gal) to Sia and on tumor cells in vivo by using a penta-functional dendritic probe (Den@5F), which efficiently enhances the immune-killing of tumor cells. The Den@5F contains five different kinds of functional groups, including Gal, Cy5, amino, phenylboronic acid (PBA) and 4-(4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methoxy-5-nitrophenoxy) butanoate (mNB), which can be conveniently prepared through a two-step reaction. After injecting into the tumor-bearing mouse, Den@5F can efficiently block Sia through the specific recognition between PBA and Sia on tumor cells and hugely introduce Gal through the subsequent photo-crosslinking between mNB and amino groups to multiply conjugate excessive Den@5Fs. The comprehensively blocked Sia can prevent the immune escape, and the hugely introduced Gal can promote the immune stimulation of the immune cells, which lead to an efficient enhancement of the immune-killing. The proposed strategy provides a significant and promising tool to promote the clinical immunotherapy of tumor.

Severe megaloblastic anemia in a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma during treatment with erlotinib: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Erlotinib is a first-generation, tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-TKI) used for the treatment patients with NSCLC. Erlotinib is considered as a safe and effective treatment option, with generally good tolerance. Diarrhea and rash are the most common side effects, and more rare side effects appear in long-term real-world applications. Severe erlotinib related megaloblastic anemia is rare and remains unreported. This is the first case report of severe megaloblastic anemia in a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma with an EGFR L858R mutation treated with erlotinib. In this report, the clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of erlotinib related severe megaloblastic anemia are described, and the possible pathogenesis and related treatment options are discussed. CASE DESCRIPTION: Herein, we present a 57- year-old non-smoking female diagnosed with metastatic lung adenocarcinoma harboring an EGFR L858R mutation, who had received erlotinib as the first-line therapy. After 44 weeks of treatment, the patient developed severe anemia. Anemia was manifested as megaloblastic anemia with elevated mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. The total vitamin B12 level was below the detection limit of 50.00 pg /mL. Bone marrow smear suggested megaloblastic anemia. Her hematologic parameters were markedly recovered following the withdrawal of erlotinib and vitamin B12 supplement. As a result, the patient was diagnosed with erlotinib-associated megaloblastic anemia. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case of severe megaloblastic anemia reported with erlotinib. Few of these hematologic adverse effects have been observed in studies on erlotinib, this case report highlights this possibility for long-term erlotinib administration. Close clinical and blood monitoring is recommended for patients receiving long-term TKI therapy.

ST14 interacts with TMEFF1 and is a predictor of poor prognosis in ovarian cancer.

TMEFF1 is a new protein involved in the physiological functions of the central nervous system, and we previously reported TMEFF1 can promote ovarian cancer. ST14 was determined to be involved in the processes of epidermal differentiation, epithelial cell integrity, and vascular endothelial cell migration, etc. The relationship between ST14 and TMEFF1 in the ovary remains unknown. In this study, we detected the expression of ST14 and TMEFF1 in 130 different ovarian cancer tissues through immunohistochemistry. We determined ST14 and TMEFF1 were highly expressed in ovarian cancer, indicating a higher degree of tumor malignancy and a worse prognosis. Tissues significantly expressing ST14 also highly expressed TMEFF1, and the expression of the two proteins was positively correlated. Consistently, immunofluorescence double staining demonstrated the co-localization of ST14 and TMEFF1 in the same region, and immunoprecipitation confirmed the interaction between ST14 and TMEFF1. TMEFF1 expression was also reduced after knocking down ST14 through Western blot. MTT, wound healing and Transwell assays results determined that knockdown of ST14 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells in vitro, but the inhibitory effect was restored after adding TMEFF1 exogenous protein. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways analysis showed that ST14 and its related genes were enriched in the processes of epithelial formation, intercellular adhesion, protein localization, and mitosis regulation. We also clarified the kinase, microRNA, and transcription factor target networks and the impact of genetic mutations on prognosis. Overall, high expression of ST14 and TMEFF1 in ovarian cancer predicts higher tumor malignancy and a worse prognosis. ST14 and TMEFF1 co-localize and interact with each other in ovarian cancer. ST14 can regulate TMEFF1 expression to promote proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells. We speculate that the relationship between ST14 and TMEFF1 in ovarian cancer could become a potential target for anti-cancer therapy.

Selective Construction and Structural Transformation of Homogeneous Linear Metalla[4]catenane and Metalla[2]catenane Assemblies.

Although the synthesis of mechanically interlocked molecules has been extensively researched, selectively constructing homogeneous linear [4]catenanes remains a formidable challenge. Here, we selectively constructed a homogeneous linear metalla[4]catenane in a one-step process through the coordination-driven self-assembly of a bidentate benzothiadiazole derivative ligand and a binuclear half-sandwich rhodium precursor. The formation of metalla[4]catenanes was facilitated by cooperative interactions between strong sandwich-type π-π stacking and non-classical hydrogen bonds between the components. Moreover, by modulating the aromatic substituents on the binuclear precursor, two homogeneous metalla[2]catenanes were obtained. The molecular structures of these metallacatenanes were unambiguously characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Additionally, reversible structural transformation between metal-catenanes and the corresponding metallarectangles could be achieved by altering their concentration, as confirmed by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy studies.

Fusarium sacchari FsNis1 induces plant immunity.

Pokkah Boeng disease (PBD), caused by Fusarium sacchari, severely affects sugarcane yield and quality. Necrosis-inducing secreted protein 1 (Nis1) is a fungal secreted effector that induces necrotic lesions in plants. It interacts with host receptor-like kinases and inhibits their kinase activity. FsNis1 contains the Nis1 structure and triggered a pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immune response in Nicotiana benthamiana, as reflected by causing reactive oxygen species production, callose accumulation, and the upregulated expression of defense response genes. Knockout of this gene in F. sacchari revealed a significant reduction in its pathogenicity, whereas the pathogenicity of the complementary mutant recovered to the wild-type levels, making this gene an important virulence factor for F. sacchari. In addition, the signal peptide of FsNis1 was required for the induction of cell death and PTI response in N. benthamiana. Thus, FsNis1 may not only be a key virulence factor for F. sacchari but may also induce defense responses in plants. These findings provide new insights into the function of Nis1 in host-pathogen interactions.

Designing Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) Membranes for Isomer Separation.

Membrane-based separation has the merit of low carbon footprint. In this study, the pore size of metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes is rationally designed for discriminating various pairs of hydrocarbon isomers. Specifically, Zr-MOF UiO-66 (UiO stands for University of Oslo) membranes are developed for separating p/o-xylene due to their proper pore size. For n-hexane/2-methylpentane separation, the functional groups and proportion of the ligands in UiO-66 are gradually adjusted to effectively regulate the pore size, and UiO-66-33Br membranes are constructed. In addition, relying on the utilization of ligands with shorter length, MOF-801 membranes with smaller pore size are fabricated for n/i-butane separation.

Deciphering variations in the surficial bacterial compositions and functional profiles in the intersection between North and South Yellow Sea.

The coastal ocean systems play paramount role in the nutrient biogeochemistry because of its interconnected environment. To gain a novel insight into coupling relationships between bacterial community, functioning properties and nutrient metabolism, we conducted analysis on the patterns and driving factors of planktonic bacterial functional community across subsurface water of marine ranching near the Yellow Sea in both summer and winter. Illumina HiSeq Sequencing and a corresponding set of biogeochemical data were used to assess distribution patterns of taxa, adaptive mechanism and metabolic function. Results demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidota were dominant phyla both in summer and winter. Taxonomic profiles related to nutrient variation were found to be highly correlated with Dissolved Oxygen (DO) and Chlorophyll fluorescence (FLUO), and distinct diversity differences were also found between summer and winter samples. Functional activity in summer associated with the relative abundance of phototrophy and photoautotrophy were the highest in the subsurface water, while in winter the dominant functional properties were mainly include chemoheterotrophy and aerobic_ chemoheterotrophy. A significant difference related to functional activity between summer and winter, mainly representing ligninolysis and iron_respiration. In general, our study provides a framework for understanding the relative importance of environmental factors, temperature variation and nutrient availability in shaping the metabolic processes of aquatic microorganisms, particularly in ocean mariculture systems.

Letermovir Effectively Prevents Cytomegalovirus Infection in Patients with Aplastic Anemia After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we investigated the efficacy of letermovir in preventing Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). METHODS: Based on whether or not letermovir was used for preventing CMV infection, the patients were categorized into two groups: letermovir and control groups. The overall survival (OS) rate and cumulative incidence of CMV infection during the first 100 days after allo-HSCT were evaluated. The study included 21 matched pairs of patients, identified through propensity score matching analysis, to compare CMV infection rates, treatment efficacy, and regression. RESULTS: The incidence of CMV infection within 100 days after transplantation was significantly lower in the letermovir group than in the control group (26.5 vs. 77.4%, respectively; P < 0.001), among a total of 87 patients who underwent the transplant. In the matched cohort of 21 patients with AA, the letermovir group also showed a significantly reduced cumulative incidence of CMV infection (14.3 vs. 90.5% in the control group; P < 0.001). Compared to the control group, patients with CMV infection in the letermovir group had lower CMV-DNA load and a shorter clearance time. However, there was no significant difference in OS between both groups (P = 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Letermovir effectively prevents CMV infection in allo-HSCT recipients with AA and demonstrates a high safety profile.