Risk effects of meteorological factors on human brucellosis in Jilin province, China, 2005-2019.

Background: The impact of climate on zoonotic infectious diseases (or can be referred to as climate-sensitive zoonotic diseases) is confirmed. Yet, research on the association between brucellosis and climate is limited. We aim to understand the impact of meteorological factors on the risk of brucellosis, especially in northeastern China. Methods: Monthly incidence data for brucellosis from 2005 to 2019 in Jilin province was obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monthly meteorological data (average temperature (°C), wind velocity (m/s), relative humidity (%), sunshine hours (h), air pressure (hPa), and rainfall (mm)) in Jilin province, China, from 2005 to 2019 were collected from the China Meteorological Information Center (http://data.cma.cn/). The Spearman's correlation was used to choose among the several meteorological variables. A distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the lag and non-linearity effect of meteorological factors on the risk of brucellosis. Results: A total of 24,921 cases of human brucellosis were reported in Jilin province from 2005 to 2019, with the peak epidemic period from April to June. Low temperature and low sunshine hours were protective factors for the brucellosis, where the minimum RR values were 0.50 (95 % CI = 0.31-0.82) for -13.7 °C with 1 month lag and 0.61 (95 % CI = 0.41-0.91) for 110.5h with 2 months lag, respectively. High temperature, high sunshine hours, and low wind velocity were risk factors for brucellosis. The maximum RR values were 2.91 (95 % CI = 1.43-5.92, lag = 1, 25.7 °C), 1.85 (95 % CI = 1.23-2.80, lag = 2, 332.6h), and 1.68 (95 % CI = 1.25-2.26, lag = 2, 1.4 m/s). The trends in the impact of extreme temperature and extreme sunshine hours on the transmission of brucellosis were generally consistent. Conclusion: High temperature, high sunshine hours, and low wind velocity are more conducive to the transmission of brucellosis with an obvious lag effect. The results will deepen the understanding of the relationship between climate and brucellosis and provide a reference for formulating relevant public health policies.

STING in tumors: a focus on non-innate immune pathways.

Cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) and downstream stimulator of interferon genes (STING) are involved in mediating innate immunity by promoting the release of interferon and other inflammatory factors. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) with a double-stranded structure has greater efficiency and sensitivity in being detected by DNA sensors and thus has an important role in the activation of the cGAS-STING pathway. Many previous findings suggest that the cGAS-STING pathway-mediated innate immune regulation is the most important aspect affecting tumor survival, not only in its anti-tumor role but also in shaping the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) through a variety of pathways. However, recent studies have shown that STING regulation of non-immune pathways is equally profound and also involved in tumor cell progression. In this paper, we will focus on the non-innate immune system pathways, in which the cGAS-STING pathway also plays an important role in cancer.

A review of the evidence to support electrical stimulation-induced vascularization in engineered tissue.

Tissue engineering presents a promising solution for regenerative medicine and the success depends on the supply of oxygen/nutrients to the cells by rapid vascularization. More and more technologies are being developed to facilitate vascularization of engineered tissues. In this review, we indicated that a regulatory system which influences all angiogenesis associated cells to achieve their desired functional state is ideal for the construction of vascularized engineered tissues in vitro. We presented the evidence that electrical stimulation (ES) enhances the synergistic promotion of co-cultured angiogenesis associated cells and its potential regulatory mechanisms, highlighted the potential advantages of a combination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), endothelial cells (ECs) and ES to achieve tissue vascularization, with particular emphasis on the different biological pathways of ES-regulated ECs. Finally, we proposed the future direction of using ES to reconstruct engineered tissue blood vessels, pointed out the potential advantages and disadvantages of ES application on tissue vascularization.

A Novel Technique for Resection and Reconstruction of the Temporomandibular Joint by Sliding Vertical Ramus Osteotomy using Only Submandibular Approach.

In this paper, an innovative technique for resection and reconstruction of the temporomandibular joint by sliding vertical ramus osteotomy using only a submandibular approach is presented. Before pulling the posterior mandibular border slightly downward to expose parts of the condyle, the vertical ramus osteotomy was performed. With the help of 3D simulation and surgical templates, the condylectomy was carried out using the ultrasonic osteotome through the submandibular approach. Our technique achieved the desired results while preventing complications of facial nerve paralysis, the occurrence of Frey syndrome, and the preauricular scar. Therefore, we suggest that this surgical method represents an alternative treatment option for temporomandibular joint lesions.

CC4821 serogroup W meningococcal disease in China.

Neisseria meningitidis is a major public health concern worldwide, including China. A few cases of serogroup W meningococcal disease have been reported in southeast China in recent years. Thus far, invasive disease due to W isolates has involved sequence type 11. We report two cases of N. meningitidis infection caused by CC4821 serogroup W strains.

MALDI-TOF MS distinctly differentiates nontypable Haemophilus influenzae from Haemophilus haemolyticus.

Nontypable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Haemophilus haemolyticus exhibit different pathogenicities, but to date, there remains no definitive and reliable strategy for differentiating these strains. In this study, we evaluated matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as a potential method for differentiating NTHi and H. haemolyticus. The phylogenetic analysis of concatenated 16S rRNA and recombinase A (recA) gene sequences, outer membrane protein P6 gene sequencing and single-gene PCR were used as reference methods. The original reference database (ORD, provided with the Biotyper software) and new reference database (NRD, extended with Chinese strains) were compared for the evaluation of MALDI-TOF MS. Through a search of the ORD, 76.9% of the NTHi (40/52) and none of the H. haemolyticus (0/20) strains were identified at the species level. However, all NTHi and H. haemolyticus strains used for identification were accurately recognized at the species level when searching the NRD. From the dendrogram clustering of the main spectra projections, the Chinese and foreign H. influenzae reference strains were categorized into two distinct groups, and H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus were also separated into two categories. Compared to the existing methods, MALDI-TOF MS has the advantage of integrating high throughput, accuracy and speed. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS is an excellent method for differentiating NTHi and H. haemolyticus. This method can be recommended for use in appropriately equipped laboratories.

An in vitro recombination method to convert restriction- and ligation-independent expression vectors.

In recent years, restriction-less recombination cloning systems based on site-specific recombinase with high efficiency have been proven to be very successful. Thus, it is desirable to convert existing conventional vectors to recombination vectors. In this report, we describe the conversion of a set of widely used conventional vectors to Gateway recombination expression vectors. An attB cassette flanked by several restriction enzyme sites was inserted in a cloning vector, and then subcloned into existing vectors to be converted to construct intermediate vectors containing the attB cassette, which were then converted to recombination expression vectors by in vitro recombination. The intermediate vectors generated in this study can be used for releasing the attB cassette to convert other vectors using the same protocol described here. With the increasing number of recombination vectors constructed with this protocol, the likeliness of releasing the attB cassette from an existing vector, rather than synthesizing it with PCR, will increase. The final expression vectors can also be used for releasing the attR cassette for constructing new vectors.

Construction of two recombination yeast two-hybrid vectors by in vitro recombination.

Recombination-based restrictionless, ligation-independent cloning has been proven to be advantageous over restriction digestion and ligation cloning. To utilize the recombination cloning and previously constructed two-hybrid cDNA libraries, a new Gateway yeast two-hybrid bait vector, pEZY202, and a new prey vector, pEZY45, were constructed. The two-hybrid vectors were generated by in vitro recombination using a protocol that can be easily adapted for the conversion of other existing vectors. The new vectors were used to assay the interaction between the WW domain of PQBP1 (PQBPww) and the WW domain binding protein WBP11. Both PQBPww and WBP11 were cloned into a Gateway donor vector by in vitro recombination. They were then subcloned into pEZY45 and pEZY202, respectively, by in vitro recombination. The binding between PQBPww and WBP11 was reported in a two-hybrid experiment using the new vectors. The results of testing the new vectors in combination with the original vectors indicated that the new bait vector could be used to screen cDNA libraries that are constructed using the original prey vectors.

Identification of human dim1 as a peptidase with autocleavage activity.

Dim1 is a highly conserved splicing factor. It is encoded by an essential gene in fission yeast and the Caenorhabditis elegans. It may also be involved in tissue-specific or pathway-specific alternative splicing. Here, we report that besides its function in pre-mRNA splicing, human dim1 is a peptidase and has autocleavage activity. Its autocleavage results in a thioredoxin-like core that was shown previously to act as a dominant negative in fission yeast. The truncated form retains its peptidase activity. Future studies will be needed to identify residues important for dim1-peptidase activity and to characterize its substrate specificity. The biologic importance of dim1's peptidase function and its natural substrate(s) also need to be determined. However, if one or more of its substrates is involved in the pathogenesis of a human disease, dim1 may become a new target for drug development.

Overproduction, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the human spliceosomal protein TXNL4B.

The human gene coding for the spliceosomal protein thioredoxin-like 4B (TXNL4B) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the encoded protein was purified and crystallized. Well diffracting single crystals were obtained by the vapor-diffusion method in hanging drops. The crystals belong to the primitive monoclinic space group P2, with unit-cell parameters a = 39.0, b = 63.6, c = 51.0 A, beta = 92.484 degrees,, and diffract to at least 1.50 A. A SeMet derivative of the protein was prepared and crystallized for MAD phasing.

Overproduction, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the human transcription repressor ERH.

The human gene coding for the enhancer of rudimentary homologue (ERH) protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The ERH protein was purified by anion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction and gel-filtration chromatography. Well diffracting single crystals were obtained by the vapour-diffusion method in hanging drops. The crystals belong to the trigonal space group P3(1)21 or its enantiomorph P3(2)21, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 53.74, c = 67.45 A, alpha = beta = 90, gamma = 120 degrees. They diffract to at least 1.75 A. A selenomethionine derivative of the protein was prepared and crystallized for multiwavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) phasing.