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This study employed structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate changes in the function and structure of the cerebellum associated with gut-brain axis (GBA) regulation in patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD). The study comprised 20 CD patients, including 12 with active disease (CD-A) and 8 in remission (CD-R), as well as 21 healthy controls. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was utilized for structural analysis of cerebellar gray matter volume, while independent component analysis (ICA) was applied for functional analysis of cerebellar functional connectivity (FC). The results showed significant GMV reduction in the left posterior cerebellar lobe across all CD patients compared to HCs, with more pronounced differences in the CD-A subgroup. Additionally, an increase in mean FC of the cerebellar network was observed in all CD patients, particularly in the CD-A subgroup, which demonstrated elevated FC in the vermis and bilateral posterior cerebellum. Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between cerebellar FC and the Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and a trend toward a negative association with the reciprocal of the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) score in CD patients. The study's findings suggest that the cerebellum may play a role in the abnormal regulation of the GBA in CD patients, contributing to a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying CD and highlighting the cerebellum's potential role in modulating gut-brain interactions.
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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is one of the most common types of blood cancer in adults and is associated with a poor survival rate. NK cells play a crucial role in combating AML, and alterations in immune checkpoint expression can impair NK cell function against AML. Targeting certain checkpoints may restore this function. CD96, an inhibitory immune checkpoint, has unclear expression and roles on NK cells in AML patients. In this study, we initially evaluated CD96 expression and compared CD96+ NK with the inhibitory receptor and stimulatory receptors on NK cells from AML patients at initial diagnosis. We observed increased CD96 expression on NK cells with dysfunctional phenotype. Further analysis revealed that CD96+ NK cells had lower IFN-γ production than CD96- NK cells. Blocking CD96 enhanced the cytotoxicity of primary NK and cord blood-derived NK (CB-NK) cells against leukemia cells. Notably, patients with a high frequency of CD96+ NK cells at initial diagnosis exhibited poorer clinical outcomes. Additionally, TGF-ß1 was found to enhance CD96 expression on NK cells via SMAD3 signaling. These findings suggest that CD96 is invovled in NK dysfunction against AML blast, and might be a potential target for restoring NK cell function in the fight against AML.
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BACKGROUND: The impact of weather on human health has been proven, but the impact of extreme weather events on cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) needs to be urgently explored. OBJECTIVES: Investigating the impact of extreme temperature, relative humidity (RH), and laboratory testing parameters at admission on adverse events in CMM hospitalizations. DESIGNS: Time-stratified case-crossover design. METHODS: A distributional lag nonlinear model with a time-stratified case-crossover design was used to explore the nonlinear lagged association between environmental factors and CMM. Subsequently, unbalanced data were processed by 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) and conditional logistic regression was employed to analyze the association between laboratory indicators and unplanned readmissions for CMM. Finally, the previously identified environmental factors and relevant laboratory indicators were incorporated into different machine learning models to predict the risk of unplanned readmission for CMM. RESULTS: There are nonlinear associations and hysteresis effects between temperature, RH and hospital admissions for a variety of CMM. In addition, the risk of admission is higher under low temperature and high RH conditions with the addition of particulate matter (PM, PM2.5 and PM10) and O3_8h. The risk is greater for females and adults aged 65 and older. Compared with first quartile (Q1), the fourth quartile (Q4) had a higher association between serum calcium (HR = 1.3632, 95% CI: 1.0732 ~ 1.7334), serum creatinine (HR = 1.7987, 95% CI: 1.3528 ~ 2.3958), fasting plasma glucose (HR = 1.2579, 95% CI: 1.0839 ~ 1.4770), aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase ratio (HR = 2.3131, 95% CI: 1.9844 ~ 2.6418), alanine aminotransferase (HR = 1.7687, 95% CI: 1.2388 ~ 2.2986), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (HR = 1.4951, 95% CI: 1.2551 ~ 1.7351) were independently and positively associated with unplanned readmission for CMM. However, serum total bilirubin and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) showed negative correlations. After incorporating environmental factors and their lagged terms, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) demonstrated a more prominent predictive performance for unplanned readmission of CMM patients, with an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.767 (95% CI:0.7486 ~ 0.7854). CONCLUSIONS: Extreme cold or wet weather is linked to worsened adverse health effects in female patients with CMM and in individuals aged 65 years and older. Moreover, meteorologic factors and environmental pollutants may elevate the likelihood of unplanned readmissions for CMM.
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PURPOSE: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic and progressively worsening condition characterized by interstitial lung inflammation and fibrosis of unknown etiology, has a grim prognosis. The treatment options for IPF are limited and new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Dietary restriction can improve various inflammatory diseases, but its therapeutic effect on bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis mouse model remains unclear. This study aims to investigate whether intermittent fasting (IF) can alleviate BLM-induced pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS: Pulmonary fibrosis mouse models were induced by BLM. The IF group underwent 24-h fasting cycles for one week prior and three weeks following BLM administration. Meanwhile, the ad libitum feeding group had unrestricted access to food throughout the experiment. The evaluation focused on lung pathology via histological staining, qPCR analysis of collagen markers, and immune cell profiling through flow cytometry. RESULTS: IF group significantly reduced inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissues of BLM-induced mice compared to ad libitum feeding group. qPCR results showed IF remarkably decreased the mRNA expression of Col 1a and Col 3a in the lungs of BLM-induced mouse models. IF also reduced the numbers of regulatory T cells (Tregs), T helper 17 (Th17) cells, monocytes, and monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages (MoAMs) in the lung tissues. CONCLUSIONS: IF may improve BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis by decreasing numbers of immune cells including Treg cells, Th17 âcells, monocytes, and MoAMs in the lungs. This study offers experimental validation for dietary intervention as a viable treatment modality in IPF management.
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Acidification of coastal waters, synergistically driven by increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and intensive land-derived nutrient inputs, exerts significant stresses on the biogeochemical cycles of coastal ecosystem. However, the combined effects of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) inputs and aquatic acidification on nitrification, a critical process of N cycling, remains unclear in estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Here, we showed that increased loading of ammonium (NH4+) in estuarine and coastal waters alleviated the inhibitory effect of acidification on nitrification rates but intensified the production of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O), thus accelerating global climate change. Metatranscriptomes and natural N2O isotopic signatures further suggested that the enhanced emission of N2O may mainly source from hydroxylamine (NH2OH) oxidation rather than from nitrite (NO2-) reduction pathway of nitrifying microbes. This study elucidates how anthropogenic N inputs regulate the effects of coastal acidification on nitrification and associated N2O emissions, thereby enhancing our ability to predict the feedbacks of estuarine and coastal ecosystems to climate change and human perturbations.
Subject(s)
Nitrification , Nitrogen , Nitrous Oxide , Seawater , Seawater/chemistry , Climate Change , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Ecosystem , Ammonium CompoundsABSTRACT
The frequency and intensity of the occurrence of drought (D) events during winter are increasing in most areas of China. To explore the interactive effects of D and freezing temperature (F) on plants of endangered Cycas panzhihuaensis, some physiochemical characteristics and the lipid profile were determined. Drought and F stress had no or little impact on the traits of leaves, which, however, bleached following a combination of D and F treatment (DF). Drought treatment did not affect the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and the flavonoid content of C. panzhihuaensis. Besides the increase in flavonoid content, a decrease of photochemical efficiency and an increase of heat dissipation were induced by both F and DF treatment, with the effects being greater in the latter treatment. The malondialdehyde content decreased significantly and the total antioxidant capacity increased significantly in the plants exposed to both D and DF treatments. The D treatment did not impact the amount of phospholipids but led to an accumulation of saccharolipids. Additionally, the amount of both phospholipids and saccharolipids remained unchanged following F treatment but decreased significantly following DF treatment compared with those of the control. The unsaturation level did not change significantly in most lipid classes of membrane glycerolipids following various stresses but increased significantly in phosphatidylserine, monogalactosylmonoacylglycerol, digalactosyldiacylglycerol and sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerol following D or both D and F treatments. Generally, plants of C. panzhihuaensis showed relatively strong tolerance to individual D stress, while D aggravated the F-induced damage, which was likely caused by the degradation of the membrane glycerolipids.
Subject(s)
Droughts , Freezing , Glycolipids/metabolism , Plant Leaves/metabolism , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Cold Temperature , Chlorophyll/metabolismABSTRACT
Background: The diagnosis of lymphedema primarily relies on the clinical symptoms, signs, medical history and imaging. Objective lymphatic imaging helps improving the diagnosis of lymphedema. This study aimed to develop an effective imaging tool to diagnose lymphedema. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective study. From September 2022 to November 2023, we enrolled thirty-two patients, involving 40 lower extremities who underwent lymphatic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) following a subcutaneous injection of contrast agent at four points in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Cohen's kappa value, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were calculated. Lymphoscintigraphy was the reference standard. Results: Successful lymphatic-CEUS detection was defined as the situation that lymphatic drainage of medial or lateral lower limbs were observed. The successful detection rate was 100% (40 of 40). The diagnosis of lymphedema was based on the presence of either medial or lateral lymphatic obstructions, or subcutaneous lymphatic enhancement. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy for diagnosing lymphedema by lymphatic-CEUS were as follows: 91.2% (31 of 34), 100% (6 of 6), 100% (31 of 31), 66.7% (6 of 9) and 92.5% (37 of 40), respectively. The Cohen's Kappa value was 0.756. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the subcutaneous injection of four-point lymphatic-CEUS was 0.956. Conclusions: This study put forward a novel four-point lymphatic-CEUS method to detect the functions of the lymphatics of lower extremities and established a lymphatic-CEUS standard for diagnosing lymphedema of lower extremities. Four-point lymphatic-CEUS is a considerable option for diagnosing lymphedema of lower extremities.
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Dark carbon fixation (DCF), conducted mainly by chemoautotrophs, contributes greatly to primary production and the global carbon budget. Understanding the response of DCF process to climate warming in coastal wetlands is of great significance for model optimization and climate change prediction. Here, based on a 4-yr field warming experiment (average annual temperature increase of 1.5°C), DCF rates were observed to be significantly inhibited by warming in coastal wetlands (average annual DCF decline of 21.6%, and estimated annual loss of 0.08-1.5 Tg C yr-1 in global coastal marshes), thus causing a positive climate feedback. Under climate warming, chemoautotrophic microbial abundance and biodiversity, which were jointly affected by environmental changes such as soil organic carbon and water content, were recognized as significant drivers directly affecting DCF rates. Metagenomic analysis further revealed that climate warming may alter the pattern of DCF carbon sequestration pathways in coastal wetlands, increasing the relative importance of the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle, whereas the relative importance of the dominant chemoautotrophic carbon fixation pathways (Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle and W-L pathway) may decrease due to warming stress. Collectively, our work uncovers the feedback mechanism of microbially mediated DCF to climate warming in coastal wetlands, and emphasizes a decrease in carbon sequestration through DCF activities in this globally important ecosystem under a warming climate.
Subject(s)
Carbon Cycle , Climate Change , Wetlands , Soil Microbiology , Carbon Sequestration , Carbon/metabolism , Biodiversity , Soil/chemistry , Metagenomics , Temperature , Bacteria/metabolism , Bacteria/classification , Bacteria/genetics , Bacteria/isolation & purificationABSTRACT
Increasing microplastic (MP) pollution poses significant threats to estuarine and coastal ecosystems. However, the effects of MPs on the emission of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, within these ecosystems and the underlying regulatory mechanisms have not been elucidated. Here, a combination of 13C stable isotope-based method and molecular techniques was applied to investigate how conventional petroleum-based MPs [polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)] and biodegradable MPs [polylactic acid (PLA) and polyadipate/butylene terephthalate (PBAT)] regulate CH4 production and consumption and thus affect CH4 emission dynamics in estuarine and coastal wetlands. Results indicated that both conventional and biodegradable MPs enhanced the emission of CH4 (P < 0.05), with the promoting effect being more significant for biodegradable MPs. However, the mechanisms by which conventional and biodegradable MPs promote CH4 emissions were different. Specifically, conventional MPs stimulated the emission of CH4 by inhibiting the processes of CH4 consumption, but had no significant effect on CH4 production rate. Nevertheless, biodegradable MPs promoted CH4 emissions via accelerating the activities the methanogens while inhibiting the oxidation of CH4, thus resulting in a higher degree of promoting effect on CH4 emissions than conventional MPs. Consistently, quantitative PCR further revealed a significant increase in the abundance of methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene (mcrA) of methanogens under the exposure of biodegradable MPs (P < 0.05), but not conventional MPs. Furthermore, the relative abundance of most genes involved in CH4 oxidation exhibited varying degrees of reduction after exposure to all types of MPs, based on metagenomics data. This study reveals the effects of MPs on CH4 emissions in estuarine and coastal ecosystems and their underlying mechanisms, highlighting that the emerging biodegradable MPs exhibited a greater impact than conventional MPs on promoting CH4 emissions in these globally important ecosystems, thereby accelerating global climate change.
Subject(s)
Methane , Microplastics , Wetlands , Estuaries , Biodegradation, EnvironmentalABSTRACT
Nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) is an important methane (CH4) consumption and nitrogen (N) removal pathway in estuarine and coastal wetlands. Antibiotic contamination is known to affect microbially mediated processes; however, its influences on n-DAMO and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, using 13CH4 tracer method combined with molecular techniques, we investigated the responses of n-DAMO microbial abundance, activity, and the associated microbial community composition to sulfamethazine (SMT, a sulfonamide antibiotic, with exposure concentrations of 0.05, 0.5, 5, 20, 50, and 100 µg L-1). Results showed that the effect of SMT exposure on n-DAMO activity was dose-dependent. Exposure to SMT at concentrations of up to 5 µg L-1 inhibited the potential n-DAMO rates (the average rates of nitrite- and nitrate-DAMO decreased by 92.9 % and 79.2 % relative to the control, respectively). In contrast, n-DAMO rates tended to be promoted by SMT when its concentration increased to 20-100 µg L-1 (the average rates of nitrite- and nitrate-DAMO increased by 724.1 % and 630.1 % relative to the low-doses, respectively). Notably, low-doses of SMT suppressed nitrite-DAMO to a greater extent than nitrate-DAMO, indicating that nitrite-DAMO was more sensitive to SMT than nitrate-DAMO. Molecular analyses suggest that the increased n-DAMO activity under high-doses SMT exposure may be driven by changes in microbial communities, especially because of the promotion of methanogens that provide more CH4 to n-DAMO microbes. Moreover, the abundances of n-DAMO microbes at high SMT exposure (20 and 50 µg L-1) were significantly higher than that at low SMT exposure (0.05-5 µg L-1). These results advance our understanding of the ecological effects of SMT on carbon (C) and N interactions in estuarine and coastal wetlands.
Subject(s)
Denitrification , Methane , Oxidation-Reduction , Sulfamethazine , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Wetlands , Methane/metabolism , Sulfamethazine/metabolism , Anaerobiosis , Denitrification/drug effects , Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism , Water Pollutants, Chemical/toxicity , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Estuaries , Bacteria/metabolism , Bacteria/drug effects , Nitrites/metabolism , Nitrates/metabolismABSTRACT
Psoriasis is a chronic immune mediated inflammatory skin disease with systemic manifestations. It has been reported that caloric restriction could improve severity of psoriasis patients. However, the mechanism of intermittent fasting effects on psoriasis has not been investigated. Caloric restriction is known to reduce the number of circulating inflammatory monocytes in a CCL2-dependent manner. However, it is still unknown whether caloric restriction can improve psoriasis by regulating monocytes through CCL2. In this study, we used imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model to explore the effects and the mechanisms of intermittent fasting on psoriasis-like dermatitis. We found that intermittent fasting could significantly improve IMQ-induced psoriasis-like dermatitis, and reduce the number of γδT17 cells and IL-17 production in draining lymph nodes and psoriatic lesion via inhibiting proliferation and increasing death of γδT17 cells. Furthermore, intermittent fasting could significantly decrease monocytes in blood, and this was associated with decreased monocytes, macrophages and DC in psoriasis-like skin inflammation. Reduced monocytes in circulation and increased monocytes in BM of fasting IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mice is through reducing the production of CCL2 from BM to inhibit monocyte egress to the periphery. Our above data shads light on the mechanisms of intermittent fasting on psoriasis.
Subject(s)
Chemokine CCL2 , Disease Models, Animal , Fasting , Imiquimod , Monocytes , Psoriasis , Animals , Psoriasis/immunology , Psoriasis/chemically induced , Psoriasis/pathology , Monocytes/immunology , Monocytes/metabolism , Mice , Fasting/blood , Chemokine CCL2/metabolism , Th17 Cells/immunology , Interleukin-17/metabolism , Skin/pathology , Skin/immunology , Humans , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Male , Cell Proliferation , Caloric Restriction , Intermittent FastingABSTRACT
Spermatozoa cryopreservation has been practiced for decades and is a very useful technique for long-term preservation of sperm fertility. The capability for semen cryopreservation varies across species, seasons, latitudes, and even for different ejaculates from the same animal. This article summarizes research results on sperm cryotolerance biomarkers in several species, focusing on three areas: spermatozoa cryotolerance biomarkers, seminal plasma proteins cryotolerance biomarkers, and other cryotolerance biomarkers. We discovered that sperm cryoresistance biomarkers are primarily related to sperm plasma membrane stability, the presence of antioxidant substances in sperm or seminal plasma, sperm cell energy metabolism, water and small molecule transport channels in the sperm plasma membrane, and antistress substances in sperm or seminal plasma. The research conducted using diverse livestock models can be employed to enhance the basic and applied reproduction of other mammals through the study of sperm cryotolerance biomarkers, as well as the substantial similarities between livestock and other organisms, including endangered species.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers , Cryopreservation , Semen Preservation , Semen , Spermatozoa , Cryopreservation/methods , Male , Biomarkers/metabolism , Semen Preservation/methods , Animals , Semen/metabolism , Spermatozoa/metabolism , Humans , Cell Membrane/metabolismABSTRACT
Methane, a greenhouse gas, plays a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle, influencing the Earth's climate. Only a limited number of microorganisms control the flux of biologically produced methane in nature, including methane-oxidizing bacteria, anaerobic methanotrophic archaea, and methanogenic archaea. Although previous studies have revealed the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of methane-metabolizing microorganisms in local regions by using the marker genes pmoA or mcrA, their biogeographical patterns and environmental drivers remain largely unknown at a global scale. Here, we used 3419 metagenomes generated from georeferenced soil samples to examine the global patterns of methane metabolism marker gene abundances in soil, which generally represent the global distribution of methane-metabolizing microorganisms. The resulting maps revealed notable latitudinal trends in the abundances of methane-metabolizing microorganisms across global soils, with higher abundances in the sub-Arctic, sub-Antarctic, and tropical rainforest regions than in temperate regions. The variations in global abundances of methane-metabolizing microorganisms were primarily governed by vegetation cover. Our high-resolution global maps of methane-metabolizing microorganisms will provide valuable information for the prediction of biogenic methane emissions under current and future climate scenarios.
Subject(s)
Methane , Soil Microbiology , Soil , Methane/metabolism , Soil/chemistry , Archaea/genetics , Archaea/metabolism , Bacteria/metabolism , Bacteria/genetics , MetagenomeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: With the dramatic uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the increase in altitude in the Pliocene, the environment became dry and cold, thermophilous plants that originally inhabited ancient subtropical forest essentially disappeared. However, Quercus sect. Heterobalanus (QSH) have gradually become dominant or constructive species distributed on harsh sites in the Hengduan Mountains range in southeastern QTP, Southwest China. Ecological stoichiometry reveals the survival strategies plants adopt to adapt to changing environment by quantifying the proportions and relationships of elements in plants. Simultaneously, as the most sensitive organs of plants to their environment, the structure of leaves reflects of the long-term adaptability of plants to their surrounding environments. Therefore, ecological adaptation mechanisms related to ecological stoichiometry and leaf anatomical structure of QSH were explored. In this study, stoichiometric characteristics were determined by measuring leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) contents, and morphological adaptations were determined by examining leaf anatomical traits with microscopy. RESULTS: Different QSH life forms and species had different nutrient allocation strategies. Leaves of QSH plants had higher C and P and lower N contents and higher N and lower P utilization efficiencies. According to an N: P ratio threshold, the growth of QSH species was limited by N, except that of Q. aquifolioides and Q. longispica, which was limited by both N and P. Although stoichiometric homeostasis of C, N, and P and C: N, C: P, and N: P ratios differed slightly across life forms and species, the overall degree of homeostasis was strong, with strictly homeostatic, homeostatic, and weakly homeostatic regulation. In addition, QSH leaves had compound epidermis, thick cuticle, developed palisade tissue and spongy tissue. However, leaves were relatively thin overall, possibly due to leaf leathering and lignification, which is strategy to resist stress from UV radiation, drought, and frost. Furthermore, contents of C, N, and P and stoichiometric ratios were significantly correlated with leaf anatomical traits. CONCLUSIONS: QSH adapt to the plateau environment by adjusting the content and utilization efficiencies of C, N, and P elements. Strong stoichiometric homeostasis of QSH was likely a strategy to mitigate nutrient limitation. The unique leaf structure of the compound epidermis, thick cuticle, well-developed palisade tissue and spongy tissue is another adaptive mechanism for QSH to survive in the plateau environment. The anatomical adaptations and nutrient utilization strategies of QSH may have coevolved during long-term succession over millions of years.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Physiological , Carbon , Nitrogen , Phosphorus , Plant Leaves , Quercus , Plant Leaves/anatomy & histology , Plant Leaves/physiology , Quercus/anatomy & histology , Quercus/physiology , Phosphorus/metabolism , Nitrogen/metabolism , Tibet , Carbon/metabolism , China , EcosystemABSTRACT
Background: Metastatic burden of sentinel lymph node (SLN) in breast cancer patient is the basis for the decision to choose SLN biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). However, the diagnostic performance of the previous percutaneous contrast-enhanced ultrasound (P-CEUS) and intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasound (IV-CEUS) pattern were not satisfied. This study aimed to establish new classification based on structural characteristics for P-CEUS and IV-CEUS of SLN in breast cancer and evaluate the diagnostic efficacy. Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive breast cancer patients who had not received neoadjuvant therapy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between June 2019 and December 2021. Conventional ultrasound, P-CEUS and IV-CEUS were performed. The new classification methods for P-CEUS and IV-CEUS of SLN were established based on structural characteristics of SLN. Pathology was considered as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficacy of P-CEUS, IV-CEUS and combined contrast-enhanced ultrasound in SLNs was analyzed. Results: The detection rate of SLN by P-CEUS in 368 patients was 95.42%. The P-CEUS pattern of SLNs was divided into six types. The IV-CEUS sequence was divided into three types. The IV-CEUS mode was divided into four types. Among the 438 SLNs detected by P-CEUS, 105 (23.97%) were malignant and 333 (76.03%) were benign. Among the previously classified P-CEUS, P-CEUS, IV-CEUS and combined contrast-enhanced ultrasound, the latter had the highest diagnostic efficacy (P<0.05), with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and area under curve (AUC) of 81.90% (86/105), 97.30% (324/333), 90.53% (86/95), 94.46% (324/343), 93.61% (410/438) and 0.896 (0.864-0.923), respectively. Conclusions: The new classification of the P-CEUS and IV-CEUS features of SLNs was performed based on structural characteristics of lymph nodes. Compared with the previously classified P-CEUS, the new classification method has higher diagnostic performance. The combination of new classified P-CEUS and IV-CEUS is helpful to further improve the diagnostic performance of SLNs.
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Global warming and acidification, induced by a substantial increase in anthropogenic CO2 emissions, are expected to have profound impacts on biogeochemical cycles. However, underlying mechanisms of nitrous oxide (N2O) production in estuarine and coastal sediments remain rarely constrained under warming and acidification. Here, the responses of sediment N2O production pathways to warming and acidification were examined using a series of anoxic incubation experiments. Denitrification and N2O production were largely stimulated by the warming, while N2O production decreased under the acidification as well as the denitrification rate and electron transfer efficiency. Compared to warming alone, the combination of warming and acidification decreased N2O production by 26 ± 4%, which was mainly attributed to the decline of the N2O yield by fungal denitrification. Fungal denitrification was mainly responsible for N2O production under the warming condition, while bacterial denitrification predominated N2O production under the acidification condition. The reduced site preference of N2O under acidification reflects that the dominant pathways of N2O production were likely shifted from fungal to bacterial denitrification. In addition, acidification decreased the diversity and abundance of nirS-type denitrifiers, which were the keystone taxa mediating the low N2O production. Collectively, acidification can decrease sediment N2O yield through shifting the responsible production pathways, partly counteracting the warming-induced increase in N2O emissions, further reducing the positive climate warming feedback loop.
Subject(s)
Bacteria , Denitrification , Bacteria/metabolism , Global Warming , Nitrous Oxide/analysis , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , SoilABSTRACT
Coastal wetlands are hotspots for methane (CH4) production, reducing their potential for global warming mitigation. Nitrite/nitrate-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-DAMO) plays a crucial role in bridging carbon and nitrogen cycles, contributing significantly to CH4 consumption. However, the role of n-DAMO in reducing CH4 emissions in coastal wetlands is poorly understood. Here, the ecological functions of the n-DAMO process in different saltmarsh vegetation habitats as well as bare mudflats were quantified, and the underlying microbial mechanisms were explored. Results showed that n-DAMO rates were significantly higher in vegetated habitats (Scirpus mariqueter and Spartina alterniflora) than those in bare mudflats (P < 0.05), leading to an enhanced contribution to CH4 consumption. Compared with other habitats, the contribution of n-DAMO to the total anaerobic CH4 oxidation was significantly lower in the Phragmites australis wetland (15.0%), where the anaerobic CH4 oxidation was primarily driven by ferric iron (Fe3+). Genetic and statistical analyses suggested that the different roles of n-DAMO in various saltmarsh wetlands may be related to divergent n-DAMO microbial communities as well as environmental parameters such as sediment pH and total organic carbon. This study provides an important scientific basis for a more accurate estimation of the role of coastal wetlands in mitigating climate change.
Subject(s)
Nitrates , Wetlands , Methane , Anaerobiosis , Poaceae , Oxidation-Reduction , Carbon , NitritesABSTRACT
Meteorological factors and air pollutants are associated with the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), but few studies have examined the effects of their interactions on PTB. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of meteorological factors and air pollutants and their interactions on the risk of PTB in Urumqi, a city with a high prevalence of PTB and a high level of air pollution. The number of new PTB cases in eight districts of Urumqi from 2014 to 2019 was collected, along with data on meteorological factors and air pollutants for the same period. A generalized additive model was applied to explore the effects of meteorological factors and air pollutants and their interactions on the risk of PTB incidence. Segmented linear regression was used to estimate the nonlinear characteristics of the impact of meteorological factors on PTB. During 2014-2019, a total of 14,402 new cases of PTB were reported in eight districts, with March to May being the months of high PTB incidence. The exposure-response curves for temperature (Temp), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), air pressure (AP), and diurnal temperature difference (DTR) were generally inverted "U" shaped, with the corresponding threshold values of - 5.411 °C, 52.118%, 3.513 m/s, 1021.625 hPa, and 8.161 °C, respectively. The effects of air pollutants on PTB were linear and lagged. All air pollutants were positively associated with PTB, except for O3, which was not associated with PTB, and the ER values for the effects on PTB were as follows: 0.931 (0.255, 1.612) for PM2.5, 1.028 (0.301, 1.760) for PM10, 5.061 (0.387, 9.952) for SO2, 2.830 (0.512, 5.200) for NO2, and 5.789 (1.508, 10.251) for CO. Meteorological factors and air pollutants have an interactive effect on PTB. The risk of PTB incidence was higher when in high Temp-high air pollutant, high RH-high air pollutant, high WS-high air pollutant, lowAP-high air pollutant, and high DTR-high air pollutant. In conclusion, both meteorological and pollutant factors had an influence on PTB, and the influence on PTB may have an interaction.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Air Pollution , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary , Humans , Air Pollutants/analysis , Air Pollution/analysis , Meteorological Concepts , China/epidemiology , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/epidemiology , Particulate Matter/analysisABSTRACT
To explore the influence of meteorological factors on the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) in Yingjisha County, Kashgar Region, Xinjiang, and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of TB. The Spearman correlation analysis and distribution lag nonlinear model analysis were conducted on the number of daily reported cases of TB from 2016 to 2023 to study the association effect of various meteorological factors and the daily incidence number of TB in Yingjisha County. A total of 13,288 TB cases were reported from January 2016 to June 2023, and June to October is the peak period of annual TB incidence. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that average daily temperature (AT) and average daily wind speed (WS) were positively correlated with TB incidence (rAT = 0.110, rWS = 0.090); and average daily relative humidity (RH) and TB incidence was negatively correlated (rRH = - 0.093). When AT was - 15 °C, the RR reached a maximum of 2.20 (95% CI: 0.77-6.29) at a lag of 21 days. When RH was 92%, the RR reached a maximum of 1.05 (95% CI: 0.92-1.19) at a lag of 6 days. When WS was 5.2 m/s, the RR reached a maximum of 1.30 (95% CI: 0.78-2.16) at a lag of 16 days. There is a non-linearity and a certain lag between meteorological factors and the occurrence and prevalence of TB in the population, which is mainly manifested in the fact that the risk of incidence of TB decreases with the increase of the daily AT, has a hazardous effect within a certain range of humidity as the average daily RH rises, and gradually increases with the increase of the average daily WS. Local residents are advised to pay attention to climate change so as to take appropriate preventive measures, especially women and middle and old age group should pay close attention to climate change and add more clothes in time, minimise travelling in hazy weather and windy and sandy weather, maintain good nutrition, adequate sleep and moderate exercise in daily life to enhance their immunity, wash hands frequently and ventilate the air, and try to avoid staying in humid and confined spaces in order to reduce the risk of latent TB patients developing the disease.
Subject(s)
Latent Tuberculosis , Tuberculosis , Humans , Female , Incidence , Meteorological Concepts , Tuberculosis/epidemiology , WeatherABSTRACT
Estuaries, as important land-ocean transitional zones across the Earth's surface, are hotspots of microbially driven dark carbon fixation (DCF), yet understanding of DCF process remains limited across the estuarine-coastal continuum. This study explored DCF activities and associated chemoautotrophs along the estuarine and coastal environmental gradients, using radiocarbon labelling and molecular techniques. Significantly higher DCF rates were observed at middle- and high-salinity regions (0.65-2.31 and 0.66-2.82 mmol C m-2 d-1, respectively), compared to low-salinity zone (0.07-0.19 mmol C m-2 d-1). Metagenomic analysis revealed relatively stable DCF pathways along the estuarine-coastal continuum, primarily dominated by Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB) cycle and Wood-Ljungdahl (WL) pathway. Nevertheless, chemoautotrophic communities driving DCF exhibited significant spatial variations. It is worth noting that although CBB cycle played an important role in DCF in estuarine sediments, WL pathway might play a more significant role, which has not been previously recognized. Overall, this study highlights that DCF activities coincide with the genetic potential of chemoautotrophy and the availability of reductive substrates across the estuarine-coastal continuum, and provides an important scientific basis for accurate quantitative assessment of global estuarine carbon sink.