Diversity Patterns of Eukaryotic Phytoplankton in the Medog Section of the Yarlung Zangbo River.

As one of the important biodiversity conservation areas in China, the ecosystem in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River is fragile, and is particularly sensitive to global changes. To reveal the diversity pattern of phytoplankton, the metabarcode sequencing was employed in the Medog section of the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River during autumn 2019 in present study. The phytoplankton assemblies can be significantly divided into the main stem and the tributaries; there are significant differences in the phytoplankton biomass, alpha and beta diversity between the main stem and the tributaries. While both the main stem and the tributaries are affected by dispersal limitation, the phytoplankton assemblages in the entire lower reaches are primarily influenced by heterogeneous selection. Community dissimilarity and assembly process were significantly correlated with turbidity, electrical conductivity, and nitrogen nutrition. The tributaries were the main source of the increase in phytoplankton diversity in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. Such diversity pattern of phytoplankton in the lower reach may be caused by the special habitat in Medog, that is, the excessive flow velocity, and the significant spatial heterogeneity in physical and chemical factors between stem and tributaries. Based on the results and conclusions obtained in present study, continuous long-term monitoring is essential to assess and quantify the impact of global changes on phytoplankton.

Existing levels of biodiversity and river location may determine changes from small hydropower developments.

Global ecosystems are facing anthropogenic threats that affect their ecological functions and biodiversity. However, we still lack an understanding of how biodiversity can mediate the responses of ecosystems or communities to human disturbance across spatial gradients. Here, we examined how existing, spatial patterns of biodiversity influence the ecological effects of small hydropower plants (SHPs) on macroinvertebrates in river ecosystems. This study found that levels of biodiversity (e.g., number of species) can influence the degrees of its alterations by SHPs occurring along elevational gradients. The results of the study reveal that the construction of SHPs has various effects on biodiversity. For example, low-altitude areas with low biodiversity (species richness less than 12) showed a small increase in biodiversity compared to high-altitude areas (species richness more than 12) under SHP disturbances. The increases in the effective habitat area of the river segment could be a driver of the enhanced biodiversity in response to SHP effects. Changes in the numerically dominant species contributed to the overall level of community variation from disturbances. Location-specific strategies may mitigate the effects of SHPs and perhaps other disturbances.

Instability in a carbon pool driven by multiple dissolved organic matter sources in a eutrophic lake basin: Potential factors for increased greenhouse gas emissions.

Lakes serve as vital reservoirs of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and play pivotal roles in biogeochemical carbon cycles. However, the sources and compositions of DOM in freshwater lakes and their potential effects on lake sediment carbon pools remain unclear. In this study, seven inflowing rivers in the Lake Taihu basin were selected to explore the potential effects of multi-source DOM inputs on the stability of the lake sediment carbon pool. The results showed the high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in the Lake Taihu basin, accompanied by a high complexity level. Lignins constituted the majority of DOM compounds, surpassing 40% of the total, while the organic carbon content was predominantly composed of humic acids (1.02-3.01 g kg-1). The high amounts of lignin oxidative cleavage led to CHO being the main molecular structure in the DOM of the seven rivers. The carbon constituents within the sediment carbon reservoir exhibited a positive correlation with dissolved CH4 and CO2, with a notable emphasis on humic acid and dissolved CH4 (R2 = 0.86). The elevated concentration of DOM, coupled with its intricate composition, contributed to the increases in dissolved greenhouse gases (GHGs). Experiments showed that the mixing of multi-source DOM can accelerate the organic carbon mineralization processes. The unit carbon emission efficiency was highest in the mixed group, reaching reached 160.9 µmol∙Cg-1, which also exhibited a significantly different carbon pool. The mixed decomposition of DOM from different sources influenced the roles of the lake carbon pool as source and sink, indicating that the multi-source DOM of this lake basin was a potential driving factor for increased carbon emissions. These findings have improved our understanding of the sources and compositions of DOM in lake basins and revealed their impacts on carbon emissions, thereby providing a theoretical basis for improving assessments of lake carbon emissions.

A new perspective on predicting the reaction rate constants of hydrated electrons for organic contaminants: Exploring molecular structure characterization methods and ambient conditions.

Hydrated electrons (eaq-) exhibit rapid degradation of diverse persistent organic contaminants (OCs) and hold great promise as a formidable reducing agent in water treatment. However, the diverse structures of compounds exert different influences on the second-order rate constant of hydrated electron reactions (keaq-), while the same OCs demonstrate notable discrepancies in keaq- values across different pH levels. This study aims to develop machine learning (ML) models that can effectively simulate the intricate reaction kinetics between eaq- and OCs. Furthermore, the introduction of the pH variable enables a comprehensive investigation into the impact of ambient conditions on this process, thereby improving the practicality of the model. A dataset encompassing 701 keaq- values derived from 351 peer-reviewed publications was compiled. To comprehensively investigate compound properties, this study introduced molecular descriptor (MD), molecular fingerprint (MF), and the integration of both (MD + MF) as model variables. Furthermore, 60 sets of predictive models were established utilizing two variable screening methodologies (MLR and RF) and ten prominent algorithms. Through statistical parameter analysis, it was determined that descriptors combined with MD and MF, the RF screening method, and the symbolism algorithm exhibited the best predictive efficacy. Importantly, the combination of descriptor models exhibited significantly superior performance compared to individual MF and MD models. Notably, the optimal model, denoted as RF - (MF + MD) - LGB, exhibited highly satisfactory predictive results (R2tra = 0.967, Q2tra = 0.840, R2ext = 0.761). The mechanistic explanation study based on Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) values further elucidated the crucial influences of polarity, pH, molecular weight, electronegativity, carbon-carbon double bonds, and molecular topology on the degradation of OCs by eaq-. The proposed modeling approach, particularly the integration of MF and MD, alongside the introduction of pH, may furnish innovative ideas for advanced reduction or oxidation processes (ARPs/AOPs) and machine learning applications in other domains.

Phyllosphere eukaryotic microalgal communities in rainforests: Drivers and diversity.

Phyllosphere algae are common in tropical rainforests, forming visible biofilms or spots on plant leaf surfaces. However, knowledge of phyllosphere algal diversity and the environmental factors that drive that diversity is limited. The aim of this study is to identify the environmental factors that drive phyllosphere algal community composition and diversity in rainforests. For this purpose, we used single molecule real-time sequencing of full-length 18S rDNA to characterize the composition of phyllosphere microalgal communities growing on four host tree species (Ficus tikoua, Caryota mitis, Arenga pinnata, and Musa acuminata) common to three types of forest over four months at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Yunnan Province, China. Environmental 18S rDNA sequences revealed that the green algae orders Watanabeales and Trentepohliales were dominant in almost all algal communities and that phyllosphere algal species richness and biomass were lower in planted forest than in primeval and reserve rainforest. In addition, algal community composition differed significantly between planted forest and primeval rainforest. We also found that algal communities were affected by soluble reactive phosphorous, total nitrogen, and ammonium contents. Our findings indicate that algal community structure is significantly related to forest type and host tree species. Furthermore, this study is the first to identify environmental factors that affect phyllosphere algal communities, significantly contributing to future taxonomic research, especially for the green algae orders Watanabeales and Trentepohliales. This research also serves as an important reference for molecular diversity analysis of algae in other specific habitats, such as epiphytic algae and soil algae.

Seven newly sequenced chloroplast genomes from the order Watanabeales (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta): Phylogenetic and comparative analysis.

The little-known order Watanabeales currently includes 10 genera with Chlorella-like species that reproduce by unequal-sized autospores and are predominantly solitary or terrestrial. The taxonomic scheme of Watanabeales has only been primarily inferred by short and less informative rDNA phylogenetic analysis. In the present study, seven newly sequenced genomes and one reported chloroplast genome representing the existing major branches of Watanabeales were harvested to phylogenetically reconstruct this order and to further understand its evolution. All chloroplast genomes of Watanabeales ranging from 133 to 274 kb were circular mapping and lacked a quadripartite structure. The chloroplast genome size, GC content, number of introns, and length of intergenic region proportion of the Watanabeales showed consistent trends, with Calidiella yingdensis D201 and Kalinella pachyderma 2601 having the lowest and highest values, respectively, echoing the positive correlation between organismal size and genome size. Phylogenetic analysis of Watanabeales based on 76 protein-coding genes coupled with the establishment of various complex analytical methods determined the unique robust taxonomic scheme which was incongruent with rDNA. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that the chloroplast genomes of Watanabeales accounted for numerous complex rearrangements and inversions which indicated high cryptic diversity. Substitution rate estimation indicated that the chloroplast genomes of Watanabeales were under purifying selection and similar evolutionary pressure and supported the view that genus Symbiochloris should be excluded from Watanabeales. Our results enrich the chloroplast genome resources of Watanabeales, clarify the phylogenetic status of species within this order, and provide more reference information for subsequent taxonomic and phylogenetic study.

Detection of superficial and buried optic disc drusen with swept-source optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: To detect the superficial and buried optic disc drusen (ODD) with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Twenty patients (age 18-74 years) diagnosed with ODD via B-scan ultrasonography were analysed. All patients underwent color fundus photography (CFP), B-scan ultrasonography, fundus autofluorescence (FAF), and SS-OCT. We defined each hyporeflective signal mass of SS-OCT as an ODD, recorded its location and relationship with Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), and other ophthalmic imaging characteristics. RESULTS: Twenty (33 eyes) patients had 54 ODDs in all, except one eye did not show abnormal optic disc findings on SS-OCT. We classified ODD into three categories: ODD above BMO, ODD across BMO, and ODD below BMO. The ODDs across BMO were the largest, followed by ODDs below BMO, and those above BMO. The location of the ODDs: One (1.9%) was in the border tissue of Elschnig, 6 (11.1%) might span across the lamina cribrosa, 16 (29.6%) were above BMO located in the neuroepithelial layer, 9 (16.7%) spanned across BMO located near the center of the optic disc, 18 (33.3%) were below BMO located near the center of the optic disc, 4 (7.4%) were below BMO located within the optic disc rim. When the anterior margin was ≥ 100 µm from the BMO, clear autofluorescence could be seen. CONCLUSION: Multimodal imaging provided a deeper understanding of ODD. SS-OCT illustrated more details about the relationship between the posterior surface of ODD, BMO and the lamina cribrosa.

Phenotype Heterogeneity and the Association Between Visual Acuity and Outer Retinal Structure in a Cohort of Chinese X-Linked Juvenile Retinoschisis Patients.

Purpose: X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS), caused by mutations in the RS1 gene, is an X-linked recessive inherited disease that typically involves both eyes in the first 2 decades of life. Recently, the phenotype heterogeneity of this condition has drawn increasing attention. We reported various phenotypes caused by RS1 gene mutations in eleven patients from ten Chinese families. Methods: Data on the medical history of the patients from ten Han families of central China were collected. Ophthalmic examinations including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus photography, ultra-wide-angle sweep source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), and electroretinography (ERG) were performed. Adaptive optics (AO) images were acquired to evaluate the cone photoreceptor mosaic when applicable. Venous blood of the probands and their family members was collected, and DNA was subjected to sequencing based on next-generation sequencing with a custom-designed targeted gene panel PS400 for inherited retinal diseases. Validation was performed by Sanger sequencing and cosegregation. Pathogenicity was determined in accordance with the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: Ten RS1 mutations, including eight missense mutations and two terminator mutations, were identified in 10 XLRS families. c.657C > A (p.C219X) was a novel mutation in this cohort. These patients showed a variety of clinical phenotypes, including fovea schisis, bullous retinoschisis, and macular or peripheral atrophy. Fifteen eyes of eight patients exhibited macular retinoschisis, and twelve eyes of seven patients exhibited peripheral retinoschisis. In addition, three patients showed asymmetrical fundus manifestations. Of importance, three patients without macular retinoschisis were misdiagnosed until genetic testing results were obtained. AO showed a decrease in cone density and loss of regularity in the cystic schisis macular of XLRS. Furthermore, the BCVA was associated with the photoreceptor inner segment and outer segment (IS/OS) thickness. Conclusion: With complicated clinical manifestations, a considerable portion of XLRS patients may present various phenotypes. It should be noted that asymmetry in fundus appearance in both eyes could lead to misdiagnosis easily. Thus, genetic testing is crucial for making a final diagnosis in those patients who are suspected of having amblyopia, bilateral or unilateral macular atrophy, or conditions presenting an asymmetric fundus appearance. In addition, the residual cone photoreceptor structure was critical for the maintenance of useful vision.

Watanabeales ord. nov. and twelve novel species of Trebouxiophyceae (Chlorophyta).

The Trebouxiophyceae include Chlorellales, Prasiolales, Trebouxiales, Microthamniales, and numerous members for which taxonomic locations have not been determined. The Watanabea clade is a group in the Trebouxiophyceae of Chlorella-like taxa, which are predominantly solitary and terrestrial. With the increase in descriptions of new species within the Watanabea clade in recent years, it is necessary to define the boundary and taxonomic status of the clade. In this study, nineteen strains of terrestrial algae collected from China were investigated based on molecular and morphological data, involving phylogenetic analyses, light and electron microscopy, and ITS-2 secondary structures. These 19 strains were described as five known species and 12 novel ones. Based on the consistent topological structures of the phylogenetic analyses for three taxonomic levels (the core Chorophyta, Trebouxiophyceae based on 18S sequences, Watanabeales and Symbiochloris based on 18S, 5.8S, ITS2 and rbcL gene sequences) and common morphological characteristics, especially the key phenotypic feature of unequally sized autospores, the Watanabea clade was defined as a new order, Watanabeales ord. nov., with one family, Watanabeaceae fam. nov. The boundary of Watanabeales was delineated and included the genera Chloroidium, Calidiella, Jaagichlorella, Kalinella, Massjukichlorella, Mysteriochloris, Polulichloris, Phyllosiphon, Watanabea, and Viridiella. Symbiochloris did not belong to Watanabeales according to the phylogenetic analyses and the reproduction by equal-sized autospores, aplanospores, or zoospores. The Watanabeales were separated into four groups during the phylogenetic analyses, but no regular differences in habitats or morphology could be used as the morphological basis to split Watanabeales into the four groups.

Multimodality Image Analysis in a Cohort of Patients with Atypical Juvenile Ocular Toxocariasis.

PURPOSE: To analysis the multimodal imaging of a group of patients diagnosed clinically with atypical juvenile ocular toxocariasis (OT). METHODS: In this case series study, we examined 9 young patients diagnosed with atypical OT. Routine ophthalmological examinations, fundus photography, optical-coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography (FFA), and B-mode ultrasound were performed. A questionnaire was used to record whether the patients were newly diagnosed and whether they had a history of exposure to a cat and dog. Aqueous humor and serum samples were taken for serological tests. RESULTS: In all the patients, yellow-and-white dot-shaped lesions and perivascular white sheath were seen in the fundus. Heterogeneous changes including hyper-reflection in the disrupted neuroretina, hyper-reflection in the outer retinal layer, high-reflection mass on the surface of the neuroretina accompanied with reflective attenuation, and high-reflection mass involving the entire neuroretina or high-reflection mass in the vitreous body were noticed in OCT images. On FFA, seven of these patients (77.8%) showed leakage of fluorescein in the small- and medium-branch veins of the retina, and a "bristle-like" change indicated increased permeability of the vessels. B-mode ultrasound showed proliferative membranes and proliferative bands (33.3%), as well as spotted opacity in the vitreous (66.7%). The antibodies to Toxocara canis in the aqueous humor and serum were positive, and the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient was significantly increased in 6 out of 7 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Multimodality images are useful in the diagnosis of atypical juvenile OT, which could be easily overlooked and misdiagnosed.

Evaluation of a novel artificial intelligence-based screening system for diabetic retinopathy in community of China: a real-world study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of an AI-based diabetic retinopathy (DR) grading model in real-world community clinical setting. METHODS: Participants with diabetes on record in the chosen community were recruited by health care staffs in a primary clinic of Zhengzhou city, China. Retinal images were prospectively collected during December 2018 and April 2019 based on intent-to-screen principle. A pre-validated AI system based on deep learning algorithm was deployed to screen DR graded according to the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy scale. Kappa value of DR severity, the sensitivity, specificity of detecting referable DR (RDR) and any DR were generated based on the standard of the majority manual grading decision of a retina specialist panel. RESULTS: Of the 193 eligible participants, 173 (89.6%) were readable with at least one eye image. Mean [SD] age was 69.3 (9.0) years old. Total of 321 eyes (83.2%) were graded both by AI and the specialist panel. The κ value in eye image grading was 0.715. The sensitivity, specificity and area under curve for detection of RDR were 84.6% (95% CI: 54.6- 98.1%), 98.0% (95% CI: 94.3-99.6%) and 0.913 (95% CI: 0.797-1.000), respectively. For detection of any DR, the upper indicators were 90.0% (95% CI: 68.3-98.8), 96.6% (95% CI: 92.1-98.9) and 0.933 (95% CI: 0.933-1.000), respectively. CONCLUSION: The AI system showed relatively good consistency with ophthalmologist diagnosis in DR grading, high specificity and acceptable sensitivity for identifying RDR and any DR. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: It is feasible to apply AI-based DR screening in community. PRECIS: Deployed in community real-world clinic setting, AI-based DR screening system showed high specificity and acceptable sensitivity in identifying RDR and any DR. Good DR diagnostic consistency was found between AI and manual grading. These prospective evidences were essential for regulatory approval.

The Impact of Air Pollution on Hospitalization for Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease in Shenyang, China.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the overall impact of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, CO, and O3 on the admission of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. METHODS: We collected data on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease admissions from two hospitals in Shenyang Liaoning, China from Jan 2014 to Dec 2017, as well as daily measurements of six pollutants at 11 sites in Shenyang. The generalized additive model was used to assess the association between daily contaminants and admission to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. RESULTS: The single-contamination model showed a significant correlation between NO2, O3, PM10 and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases at lag0 day. Air pollutants had lag effects on different gender groups. Excess relative risks (ERs) associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase were 1.522(1.057, 1.988) on lag02 for NO2, 0.547% (0.367%, 0.728%), 0.133% (0.061%, 0.205%) on lag3 for O3 and PM10. The dual pollutant model showed that the effects of NO2, O3, and PM10 after adjusting the influence of other pollutants were still statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to ambient air pollution (NO2, O3, and PM10) may be associated with an increased risk of daily cardiovascular and cerebrovascular admission, which may provide reliable evidence for further understanding of the potential adverse effects of air pollution on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Tumor heterogeneity and clonal cooperation influence the immune selection of IFN-γ-signaling mutant cancer cells.

PD-1/PD-L1 blockade can promote robust tumor regression yet secondary resistance often occurs as immune selective pressure drives outgrowth of resistant tumor clones. Here using a genome-wide CRISPR screen in B16.SIY melanoma cells, we confirm Ifngr2 and Jak1 as important genes conferring sensitivity to T cell-mediated killing in vitro. However, when implanted into mice, these Ifngr2- and Jak1-deficient tumors paradoxically are better controlled immunologically. This phenotype maps to defective PD-L1 upregulation on mutant tumor cells, which improves anti-tumor efficacy of CD8+ T cells. To reconcile these observations with clinical reports of anti-PD-1 resistance linked to emergence of IFN-γ signaling mutants, we show that when mixed with wild-type tumor cells, IFN-γ-insensitive tumor cells indeed grow out, which depends upon PD-L1 expression by wild-type cells. Our results illustrate the complexity of functions for IFN-γ in anti-tumor immunity and demonstrate that intratumor heterogeneity and clonal cooperation can contribute to immunotherapy resistance.

Four New Members of Foliicolous Green Algae Within the Watanabea Clade (Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) from China.

Members of the Watanabea clade of Trebouxiophyceae are genetically diverse and widely distributed in all kinds of habitats, especially in most terrestrial habitats. Ten new strains of terrestrial algae isolated from the tropical rainforest in China, and four published strains were investigated in this study. Morphological observation and molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the 18S, ITS, rbcL, and tufA genes were used to identify the new strains. Four previously described species were reinvestigated to supplement molecular data and autospores' morphological photographs. The phylogenetic analyses based on 18S only, the concatenated dataset of 18S and ITS, as well as the concatenated dataset of rbcL and tufA, showed the same phylogenetic positions and relationships of these new strains. According to the phylogenetic analysis and morphological comparisons results, we described these 10 strains as four new members within the Watanabea clade, Polulichloris yunnanensis sp. nov., Polulichloris ovale sp. nov., Massjukichlorella orientale sp. nov., and Massjukichlorella minus sp. nov., and two known species, Massjukichlorella epiphytica, and Mysteriochloris nanningensis. Additionally, we provide strong evidence proving that Phyllosiphon, Mysteriochloris, Polulichloris, and Desertella all reproduce through unequal sized autospores.

CORRELATION BETWEEN POSTERIOR STAPHYLOMA AND DOME-SHAPED MACULA IN HIGH MYOPIC EYES.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between posterior staphyloma and dome-shaped macula (DSM) in highly myopic eyes. METHODS: The clinical data were collected from patients with high myopia: diopter, best-corrected visual acuity, axial length, fundus images, optical coherence tomography, and 3D magnetic resonance imaging. A DSM was defined as a convex curvature of the macula in one or both of the vertical and horizontal optical coherence tomography scans. The relationship between DSM and posterior staphyloma was evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 123 eyes were included. Dome-shaped macula was found in 18 eyes (14.63%). Twelve eyes with DSM had positive 3D magnetic resonance imaging findings. Nine eyes had horizontal oval-shaped dome, and a band-shaped inward convexity that extended horizontally from the optic disc through the fovea could be seen. Three eyes had round dome, and 3D magnetic resonance imaging showed a round inward convexity of the macular area. Five inward convexities were the border of multiple staphylomas, five were the boundary of one staphyloma, and two were within a single staphyloma. CONCLUSION: The formation of highly myopic DSM is related to the morphological change of the entire posterior segment.

Screening of antagonistic strains of respiratory origin and analysis of their bacteriostatic effects on pathogens.

OBJECTIVE: To find antagonistic strains in the respiratory tract having bacteriostatic properties against common pathogens. METHODS: The oropharyngeal microbiota of five healthy children aged 4-6 years were collected and α-hemolytic bacteria screened on 15% sheep blood agar. Bacteriostatic effects of the isolated α-hemolytic bacteria on Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pyogenes were evaluated by the Oxford cup method. Antagonistic strains were identified by mass spectrometry, and the16S rDNAs were sequenced, and their best bacteriostatic concentrations and antagonistic spectra for Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter Baumanii, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pyogenes were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 300 isolated α-hemolytic bacterial clones, four exhibited bacteriostatic activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus pyogenes. Mass spectrometric analyses revealed that two of them were Streptococcus mitis and two others were Streptococcus parasanguinis strains. Further tests showed that all 4 antagonistic strains also had bacteriostatic effects on Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Enterobacter cloacae, and Acinetobacter Baumanii, and the mode of action was not mediated by lactic acid production. CONCLUSION: Four antagonistic Streptococcus strains derived from oropharyngeal microbiotas showed bacteriostatic effects on pathogens and may be involved in pharyngeal microbiome homeostasis.

STING pathway agonism as a cancer therapeutic.

The fact that a subset of human cancers showed evidence for a spontaneous adaptive immune response as reflected by the T cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment phenotype led to the search for candidate innate immune pathways that might be driving such endogenous responses. Preclinical studies indicated a major role for the host STING pathway, a cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, as a proximal event required for optimal type I interferon production, dendritic cell activation, and priming of CD8+ T cells against tumor-associated antigens. STING agonists are therefore being developed as a novel cancer therapeutic, and a greater understanding of STING pathway regulation is leading to a broadened list of candidate immune regulatory targets. Early phase clinical trials of intratumoral STING agonists are already showing promise, alone and in combination with checkpoint blockade. Further advancement will derive from a deeper understanding of STING pathway biology as well as mechanisms of response vs resistance in individual cancer patients.

Air pollution during the winter period and respiratory tract microbial imbalance in a healthy young population in Northeastern China.

In order to investigate the relationship between air pollution and the respiratory tract microbiota, 114 healthy volunteers aged 18-21 years were selected during the winter heating period in Northeast China; 35 from a lightly polluted region (group A), 40 from a moderately polluted region (group B) and 39 from a heavily polluted region (group C). Microbial genome DNA was extracted from throat swab samples to study the oral flora composition of the volunteers by amplifying and sequencing the V3 regions of prokaryotic 16S rRNA. Lung function tests were also performed. The relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria were significantly lower and Firmicutes Proteonacteria and Actinobacteria higher in participants from polluted regions. Within bacteria classes, Bacterioida abundance was lower and Clostridia abundance higher in polluted areas, which was also reflected in the order of abundance. In samples from region C, the abundance of Prevotellaceae, Veillonellaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Fusobacteriaceae Paraprevollaceae and Flavobacteriaceae were lowest among the 3 regions studied, whereas the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae were the highest. From group A to group C, the relative class abundances of Prevotella, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, Camphylobacter and Capnocytophaga Porphyromonas, Peptostreptococcus and Moraxella became lower in polluted areas. Pulmonary function correlated with air pollution and the oropharyngeal microbiota differed within regions of high, medium and low air pollution. Thus, during the winter heating period in Northeast China, the imbalance of the oropharyngeal microbiota might be caused by air pollution and is likely associated with impairment of lung function in young people.

Molecular characterization of eukaryotic algal communities in the tropical phyllosphere based on real-time sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene.

BACKGROUD: Foliicolous algae are a common occurrence in tropical forests. They are referable to a few simple morphotypes (unicellular, sarcinoid-like or filamentous), which makes their morphology of limited usefulness for taxonomic studies and species diversity assessments. The relationship between algal community and their host phyllosphere was not clear. In order to obtain a more accurate assessment, we used single molecule real-time sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene to characterize the eukaryotic algal community in an area of South-western China. RESULT: We annotated 2922 OTUs belonging to five classes, Ulvophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Dinophyceae and Eustigmatophyceae. Novel clades formed by large numbers sequences of green algae were detected in the order Trentepohliales (Ulvophyceae) and the Watanabea clade (Trebouxiophyceae), suggesting that these foliicolous communities may be substantially more diverse than so far appreciated and require further research. Species in Trentepohliales, Watanabea clade and Apatococcus clade were detected as the core members in the phyllosphere community studied. Communities from different host trees and sampling sites were not significantly different in terms of OTUs composition. However, the communities of Musa and Ravenala differed from other host plants significantly at the genus level, since they were dominated by Trebouxiophycean epiphytes. CONCLUSION: The cryptic diversity of eukaryotic algae especially Chlorophytes in tropical phyllosphere is very high. The community structure at species-level has no significant relationship either with host phyllosphere or locations. The core algal community in tropical phyllopshere is consisted of members from Trentepohliales, Watanabea clade and Apatococcus clade. Our study provided a large amount of novel 18S rDNA sequences that will be useful to unravel the cryptic diversity of phyllosphere eukaryotic algae and for comparisons with similar future studies on this type of communities.

Time series analysis of death of residents with malignant granules in Shenyang, China.

The aim of the study was to find out the association between air pollution and meteorological conditions with the death of residents living in Shenyang due to malignant tumors. Tumor related death data of residents of five urban districts in Shenyang were obtained from Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Daily temperature, pressure, wind speed and humidity data of Shenyang from 2010 to 2015 were obtained from Shenyang Meteorological Bureau. Urban air pollution data were obtained from the Shenyang Environmental Monitoring Center Station, Shenyang Environmental Protection Bureau of China. All data were analyzed by the Poisson regression model. During the period from 2010 to 2015, the number of deaths among malignancies in Shenyang was 215,141,000, and the death rate of malignancies in Shenyang was increasing year by year from 2010 to 2015. Mortality rate is higher in men than in women, and mortality rate increased with aging and the highest mortality rate was observed in the 75-80 years age group. Average concentration of aerodynamic diameter of <10 µm particles, the aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 µm particles, sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was 122.37, 74.75, 79.36, and 47.65 µg/m3, respectively. After control of confounding factors, it was observed that every 10 µg/m3 increase of PM2.5 is followed by the 0.024% (95% confidence interval: 0.005% and 0.043%) increase of malignant tumor mortality rate. The results show that the increase of air pollution is related to the number of malignant tumors-related deaths in Shenyang, China, and season, sex and age are also influencing factors.