Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and human health outcomes: An umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Although evidence on the association between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and human health outcomes has grown exponentially, specific health outcomes and their potential associations with PFASs have not been conclusively evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search through the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to February 29, 2024, to identify systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies examining the associations between the PFASs and multiple health outcomes. The quality of included studies was evaluated using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool, and credibility of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) criteria. The protocol of this umbrella review (UR) had been registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42023480817). RESULTS: The UR identified 157 meta-analyses from 29 articles. Using the AMSTAR measurement tool, all articles were categorized as of moderate-to-high quality. Based on the GRADE assessment, significant associations between specific types of PFASs and low birth weight, tetanus vaccine response, and triglyceride levels showed high certainty of evidence. Moreover, moderate certainty of evidence with statistical significance was observed between PFASs and health outcomes including lower BMI z-score in infancy, poor sperm progressive motility, and decreased risk of preterm birth as well as preeclampsia. Fifty-two (33%) associations (e.g., PFASs and gestational hypertension, cardiovascular disease, etc) presented low certainty evidence. Additionally, eighty-five (55%) associations (e.g., PFASs with infertility, lipid metabolism, etc) presented very low certainty evidence. CONCLUSION: High certainty of evidence supported that certain PFASs were associated with the incidence of low birth weight, low efficiency of the tetanus vaccine, and low triglyceride levels.

Butein inhibits oral squamous cell carcinoma growth via promoting MCL-1 ubiquitination.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant head and neck carcinoma type. Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1), an anti-apoptotic BCL-1 protein, has been verified to be among the most highly upregulated pathologic proteins in human cancers linked to tumor relapse, poor prognosis and therapeutic resistance. Herein, therapeutic targeting MCL-1 is an attractive focus for cancer treatment. The present study found that butein, a potential phytochemical compound, exerted profound antitumor effects on OSCC cells. Butein treatment significantly inhibited cell viability, proliferation capacity and colony formation ability, and activated cell apoptotic process. Further potential mechanism investigation showed that promoting MCL-1 ubiquitination and degradation is the major reason for butein-mediated OSCC cell cytotoxicity. Our results uncovered that butein could facilitate E3 ligase FBW7 combined with MCL-1, which contributed to an increase in the ubiquitination of MCL-1 Ub-K48 and degradation. The results of both in vitro cell experiments and in vivo xenograft models imply a critical antitumor function of butein with the well-tolerated feature, and it might be an attractive and promising agent for OSCC treatment.

Prediction and analysis of risk factors for diabetic retinopathy based on machine learning and interpretable models.

Objective: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the major complications of diabetes. In this study, a diabetic retinopathy risk prediction model integrating machine learning models and SHAP was established to increase the accuracy of risk prediction for diabetic retinopathy, explain the rationality of the findings from model prediction and improve the reliability of prediction results. Methods: Data were preprocessed for missing values and outliers, features selected through information gain, a diabetic retinopathy risk prediction model established using the CatBoost and the outputs of the mode interpreted using the SHAP model. Results: One thousand early warning data of diabetes complications derived from diabetes complication early warning dataset from the National Clinical Medical Sciences Data Center were used in this study. The CatBoost-based model for diabetic retinopathy prediction performed the best in the comparative model test. ALB_CR, HbA1c, UPR_24, NEPHROPATHY and SCR were positively correlated with diabetic retinopathy, while CP, HB, ALB, DBILI and CRP were negatively correlated with diabetic retinopathy. The relationships between HEIGHT, WEIGHT and ESR characteristics and diabetic retinopathy were not significant. Conclusion: The risk factors for diabetic retinopathy include poor renal function, elevated blood glucose level, liver disease, hematonosis and dysarteriotony, among others. Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented by monitoring and effectively controlling relevant indices. In this study, the influence relationships between the features were also analyzed to further explore the potential factors of diabetic retinopathy, which can provide new methods and new ideas for the early prevention and clinical diagnosis of subsequent diabetic retinopathy.

Apigenin intervenes in liver fibrosis by regulating PKM2-HIF-1α mediated oxidative stress.

Apigenin (API) is a natural flavonoid compound with antioxidant, anti fibrotic, anti-inflammatory and other effects, but there is limited research on the effect of API on liver fibrosis. This study aims to explore the effect and potential mechanism of API on liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 in mice. The results indicate that API reduces oxidative stress levels, inhibits hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, and exerts anti liver fibrosis effects by regulating the PKM2-HIF-1α pathway. We observed that API alleviated liver tissue pathological damage and collagen deposition in CCl4 induced mouse liver fibrosis model, promoting the recovery of liver function in mice with liver fibrosis. In addition, the API inhibits the transition of Pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2) from dimer to tetramer formation by regulating the EGFR-MEK1/2-ERK1/2 pathway, thereby preventing dimer from entering the nucleus and blocking PKM2-HIF-1α access. This change leads to a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) and Catalase (CAT) levels and an increase in glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) levels, as well as total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in the liver of liver fibrosis mice. At the same time, API downregulated the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Vimentin and Desmin in the liver tissue of mice with liver fibrosis, inhibited the activation of HSC, and reduced collagen deposition. These results indicate that API can inhibit HSC activation and alleviate CCl4 induced liver fibrosis by inhibiting the PKM2-HIF-1α pathway and reducing oxidative stress, laying an important foundation for the development and clinical application of API as a novel drug for treating liver fibrosis.

Moxibustion ameliorates chronic inflammatory visceral pain via spinal circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks: a central mechanism study.

This study aimed to unveil the central mechanism of moxibustion treating chronic inflammatory visceral pain (CIVP) from the angle of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks in the spinal cord. The rat CIVP model was established using a mixture of 5% (w/v) 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid and 50% ethanol at a volume ratio of 2:1 via enema. Rats in the moxibustion group received herb-partitioned moxibustion at Tianshu (ST25, bilateral) and Qihai (CV6) points. The abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR), mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT), and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) were adopted for pain behavior observation and pain sensitivity assessment. The circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression profiles were detected using the high-throughput sequencing technique. Relevant databases and bioinformatics analysis methods were used to screen for differentially expressed (DE) RNAs and build a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA (competing endogenous RNA) ceRNA regulatory network. The real-time quantitative PCR was employed to verify the sequencing result. CIVP rat models had a significantly higher AWR and lower TWL and MWT than normal rats. Between normal and model rats, there were 103 DE-circRNAs, 16 DE-miRNAs, and 397 DE-mRNAs in the spinal cord. Compared with the model group, the moxibustion group had a lower AWR and higher TWL and MWT; between these two groups, there were 118 DE-circRNAs, 15 DE-miRNAs, and 804 DE-mRNAs in the spinal cord. Two ceRNA networks were chosen to be verified. As a result, moxibustion's analgesic effect on visceral pain in CIVP rats may be associated with regulating the circRNA_02767/rno-miR-483-3p/Gfap network in the spinal cord and improving central sensitization.

2024 Chinese expert consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in the Elderly. Executive Summary.

The consensus guidelines of the Geriatric Society of Chinese Medical Association (GSCMA) on the management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the elderly was first published in 2011 and updated in 2016, with endorsement by Chinese Society of Geriatric Health Medicine (CSGHM). Since then, many important studies regarding the screening and treatment in the elderly population have been reported, necessitating this updated expert consensus guidelines. The writing committee members comprehensively reviewed updated evidence pertaining to elderly patients with AF, and formulated this 2024 update. The highlighted issues focused on the following: screening for AF, geriatric comprehensive assessment, use of the Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway for the elderly patients, and special clinical settings related to elderly patients with AF. New recommendations addressing smart technology facilitated AF screening, ABC pathway based management and optimal anticoagulation were developed, with a focus on the elderly.

Occurrence of black queen cell virus in wild bumble bee communities in China.

Wild bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) play a vital role in agro-ecosystems as important pollinators. However, they are threatened by virus pathogens that are widespread in honey bees. Previous studies have reported that viruses were able to be transmitted across bee genera and caused potential danger to wild bumble bees. China is a global biodiversity hotspot for bumble bees. However, the impact of viruses on the wild bumble bee communities remains elusive. Black queen cell virus (BQCV) is one of the most common honey bee viruses. Here, a total of 72 wild bumble bee samples from 17 geographic regions of China were tested for BQCV. Thirteen positive samples were identified and sequence comparison of partial capsid genes demonstrated a genetic identity of 99.69% to 100%. A phylogenetic tree analysis also showed a close relationship between 13 BQCV isolates and others from a variety of recorded hosts in China. Meanwhile, a distinct evolutionary branch of China isolates was formed when clustering isolates from worldwide bumble bee species. A correlation between BQCV and their geographic locations were observed (P < 0.05). This study not only provides the first evidence of widespread BQCV in wild bumble bee communities in China but also detects a distinct set of genetically identical or closely related BQCV variants that circulate and evolutionarily differ from other countries.

Morphological study of superficial palmar arch and the significance in clinical operation.

BACKGROUND: The superficial palmar arch is a crucial blood supply to the palm. However, it exhibits significant variations, posing challenges in surgical procedures. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between different types, physiological indices, and the clinical significance of the superficial palmar arch will enhance the accuracy of diagnosing and treating patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we dissected a total of 72 specimens, comprising 39 males and 33 females. We observed the type, length, and diameter of the superficial palmar arch and analyzed its correlation with the disease. Additionally, we conducted Doppler ultrasound measurements on 20 healthy volunteers (10 males and 10 females) and 18 patients with superficial palmar arch injury (10 males and 8 females) to assess the classification, diameter, intimal thickness, and blood flow velocity of the superficial palmar arch. We collected information on 9 male patients with finger fracture and observed the classification of the superficial palmar arch, fracture healing time, and basic function recovery time. Lastly, we analyzed rare variant specimens encountered during the anatomy process. RESULTS: In the exploration of human anatomy, there were four types of superficial palmar arch: ulnar artery arch type in 17 cases (23.61%), radial ulnar artery type in 46 cases (63.89%), ulnar artery without arch type in 6 cases (8.33%), and 3 cases (4.17%) of double arch type of radial and ulnar artery. One case non-arched type was found in imaging examination (5%). In one elderly male specimen, the hand's superficial palmar arch artery was tortuous and dilated. In addition, there was a positive correlation between the diameter and length of the superficial palmar arch (except the second common palmar digital artery in women), among which the ulnar artery and the third common palmar digital artery had the strongest correlation. Compared to healthy volunteers, patients with ulnar injury in the Radial-ulnar artery type exhibited a decrease in the diameter and blood flow velocity of the ulnar artery, as well as the second and third common palmar digital arteries. No such change was observed in patients with radial injury. Additionally, patients with ulnar injury in other types of Radial-ulnar artery also experienced a decrease in the diameter and blood flow velocity of the ulnar artery. Finger fracture patients with Ulnar artery with arch and Ulnar artery without arch had shorter fracture healing time and basic function recovery time compared to those with Radial-ulnar artery type. CONCLUSIONS: This study investigated the relationship between the classification, physiological index, and clinical significance of the superficial palmar arch at all levels. The results demonstrated that when the superficial palmar arch is damaged, it is important to consider both the classification and the site of damage, as this can potentially result in improved therapeutic outcomes. These findings provide a basis for future clinical research.

Simultaneous determination of 19 bromophenols by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after derivatization.

Bromophenols (BPs) are a class of ubiquitous emerging halogenated pollutants. Their 19 congeners are problematically separated and detected. This work described the separation and detection of 19 BP congeners by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Investigations into the derivatization of bromophenols were carried out using two silylation reagents (N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide and N-methyl-N-(trimethylsily)trifluoroacetamide), two alkylation reagents (methyl iodide and trimethylsilyldiazomethane) and acetic anhydride prior to GC-MS analysis. Optimal chromatographic separation, sensitivity, and linearity were achieved after BP derivatization using acetic anhydride, featuring the equipment detection limits of 0.39-1.26 pg and correlation coefficients of 0.9948-0.9999 (linear range: 0.5-250 ng mL-1) for all 19 BP congeners. Furthermore, the simultaneous determination of 19 bromophenols and 19 bromoanisoles, common environmental transformation products of BPs, is also demonstrated. The improved analytical performance on GC-MS after derivatization would benefit investigations on the environmental origins, behaviors and fates of BPs and their environmental metabolites.

FOXF1 reverses lung fibroblasts transdifferentiation via inhibiting TGF-ß/SMAD2/3 pathway in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Silicosis is one of the most common and severe types of pneumoconiosis and is characterized by lung dysfunction, persistent lung inflammation, pulmonary nodule formation, and irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. The transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts is one of the main reasons for the exacerbation of silicosis. However, the underlying mechanism of transcription factors regulating silicosis fibrosis has not been clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential mechanism of transcription factor FOXF1 in fibroblast transdifferentiation in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, a silicosis mouse model was established, and we found that FOXF1 expression level was significantly down-regulated in the silicosis group, and after overexpression of FOXF1 by adeno-associated virus (AAV), FOXF1 expression level was up-regulated, and silicosis fibrosis was alleviated. In order to further explore the specific regulatory mechanism of FOXF1 in silicosis, we established a fibroblasts transdifferentiation model induced by TGF-ß in vitro. In the model, the expression levels of SMAD2/3 and P-SMAD2/3 were up-regulated, but the expression levels of SMAD2/3 and P-SMAD2/3 were down-regulated, inhibiting transdifferentiation and accumulation of extracellular matrix after the overexpressed FOXF1 plasmid was constructed. However, after silencing FOXF1, the expression levels of SMAD2/3 and P-SMAD2/3 were further up-regulated, aggravating transdifferentiation and accumulation of extracellular matrix. These results indicate that the activation of FOXF1 in fibroblasts can slow down the progression of silicosis fibrosis by inhibiting TGF-ß/SMAD2/3 classical pathway, which provides a new idea for further exploration of silicosis treatment.

Challenges and facilitators in repeated bio-behavioural surveys for blood-borne virus infections in Australian prisons.

BACKGROUND: Prison-based blood-borne virus (BBV) surveillance is essential for evaluation of prevention and treatment programs for high-risk populations, such as people who inject drugs who are over-represented amongst those incarcerated. Regular triennial surveillance has been in place in Australian prisons for almost two decades, but has been focused to date only on new prison entrants. Recently, the Australian Hepatitis and risk survey in prisons (AusHep study) was established to provide improved surveillance via an expanded bio-behavioural survey representative of all people in prison, including those sentenced and those on remand. This paper aims to identify the challenges and facilitators in conducting bio-behavioural surveys for BBV infections in prison settings. METHODS: Randomly selected individuals in 23 prisons, representative of prisons and people in prison (male/female, security classification, rural location, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander), were offered point-of-care testing for HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) antibodies, hepatitis B virus surface (HBs) antigen, and HCV RNA (if HCV antibody positive). Data regarding risk behaviours, harm reduction measures, and prior BBV testing and treatment were collected by interview. Data was also collected on the challenges and facilitators encountered during planning and implementation at each participating prison. RESULTS: In the first round, AusHep recruited 1599 participants (98 % participation, 89 % male, median age 35 years, 49 % ever injected drugs). Major implementation challenges included: slow and complex ethics and governance requirements in each jurisdiction, and challenging logistical arrangements and participant access constraints in the prisons. Major facilitators included use of point-of-care testing allowing immediate feedback of results, strong support from jurisdictional stakeholders in correction and public health sectors, flexibility in the timing and detailed planning for each site, and computer tablet-based data collection. CONCLUSION: The high participation and informative findings indicated clear feasibility of this improved surveillance system. Strong stakeholder engagement and flexibility in logistics facilitated successful implementation of multi-jurisdictional prison-based surveillance.

The role of the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase gene in preventing ovarian transplant rejection in rats.

Indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) plays important roles in maternal immune tolerance. Female Sprague Dawley rats (9-11 weeks old) were randomly divided into an autoplastic transplantation group (n = 75) and an allograft transplantation group (n = 300) further divided into subgroups of ovarian transplantation, allograft ovarian transplantation, allograft ovarian transplantation with cyclosporine A treatment, allograft ovarian transplantation and transfection with IDO-expressing lentiviruses, and allograft ovarian transplantation and transfection with control lentiviruses. IDO was successfully transfected intothe transplanted ovarian tissue. The survival rate, success rate of ovarian transplantation, period until estrous cycle restoration, and estrogen levels of rats that received IDO-expressing lentiviruseswere significantly different from those of rats that underwent allograft transplantation and with control transfection (all P < 0.05), but not significantly different from those of rats that received autoplastic transplantation (all P > 0.05). The number of ovarian follicles in the transplanted ovarian tissue of rats that received IDO-expressing lentiviruses was also significantly higher. The expression level of IDO protein detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting was especially high in ovaries that had received IDO-containing lentiviruses. Naturally pregnant rats were found in each group postoperatively. These results indicate that IDO-expressing lentiviruses were successfully transfected into transplanted ovarian tissues of rats and that IDO was stably expressed within a certain time. These findings suggest that the expression level of IDO protein is associated with an enhanced success rate of ovarian tissue transplantation and a short restoration period of endocrine function.

Risk Factors for Postoperative Cognitive Decline After Orthopedic Surgery in Elderly Chinese Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: We aimed to identify the risk factors for postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) by evaluating the outcomes from preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and intraoperative anesthetic interventions. Patients and Methods: Data used in the study were obtained from the Aged Patient Perioperative Longitudinal Evaluation-Multidisciplinary Trial (APPLE-MDT) cohort recruited from the Department of Orthopedics in Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University between March, 2019 and June, 2022. All patients accepted preoperative CGA by the multidisciplinary team using 13 common scales across 15 domains reflecting the multi-organ functions. The variables included demographic data, scales in CGA, comorbidities, laboratory tests and intraoperative anesthetic data. Cognitive function was assessed by Montreal Cognitive Assessment scale within 48 hours after admission and after surgery. Dropping of ≥1 point between the preoperative and postoperative scale was defined as POCD. Results: We enrolled 119 patients. The median age was 80.00 years [IQR, 77.00, 82.00] and 68 patients (57.1%) were female. Forty-two patients (35.3%) developed POCD. Three cognitive domains including calculation (P = 0.046), recall (P = 0.047) and attention (P = 0.007) were significantly worsened after surgery. Univariate analysis showed that disability of instrumental activity of daily living, incidence rate of postoperative respiratory failure (PRF) ≥4.2%, STOP-Bang scale score, Caprini risk scale score and Sufentanil for maintenance of anesthesia were different between the POCD and non-POCD patients. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, PRF ≥ 4.2% (odds ratio [OR] = 2.343; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.028-5.551; P = 0.046) and Sufentanil for maintenance of anesthesia (OR = 0.260; 95% CI: 0.057-0.859; P = 0.044) was independently associated with POCD as risk and protective factors, respectively. Conclusion: Our study suggests that POCD is frequent among older patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery, in which decline of calculation, recall and attention was predominant. Preoperative comprehensive geriatric assessments are important to identify the high-risk individuals of POCD.

Expanding catalytic promiscuity of a bifunctional terpene synthase through a single mutation-induced change in hydrogen-bond network within the catalytic pocket.

Fungal bifunctional terpene synthases (BFTSs) catalyze the formation of numerous di-/sester-/tri-terpenes skeletons. However, the mechanism in controlling the cyclization pattern of terpene scaffolds is rarely deciphered for further application of tuning the catalytic promiscuity of terpene synthases for expanding the chemical space. In this study, we expanded the catalytic promiscuity of Fusarium oxysporum fusoxypene synthase (FoFS) by a single mutation at L89, leading to the production of three new sesterterpenes. Further computational analysis revealed that the reconstitution of the hydrogen-bond (H-bond) network of second-shell residues around the active site of FoFS influences the orientation of the aromatic residue W69 within the first-shell catalytic pocket. Thus, the dynamic orientation of W69 alters the carbocation transport, leading to the production of diverse ring system skeletons. These findings enhance our knowledge on understanding the molecular mechanisms, which could be applied on protein engineering terpene synthases on regulating the terpene skeletons.

The Ageing of µPlasma-Modified Polymers: The Role of Hydrophilicity.

Thermoplastic polymers exhibit relatively limited surface energies and this results in poor adhesion when bonded to other materials. Plasma surface modification offers the potential to overcome this challenge through the functionalisation of the polymer surfaces. In this study, three polymers of differing hydrophobicity (HDPE, PA12, and PA6) were subjected to a novel, atmospheric, µPlasma surface treatment technique, and its effectiveness at increasing the surface energies was evaluated via measurement of the contact angle. To characterise the physical and chemical changes following µPlasma surface modification, the surface morphology was observed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the functionalisation of the surface was evaluated using infrared spectroscopy. Immediately after treatment, the contact angle decreased by 47.3° (HDPE), 42.6° (PA12), and 50.1° (PA6), but the effect was not permanent in that there was a pronounced relaxation or ageing phenomenon in operation. The ageing process over five hours was modelled using a modified stretched exponential function Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) model, and it was found that the ageing rate was dependent on the hydrophilicity of polymers, with polyamides ageing more rapidly than polyethylene.

Identification of host protein ENO1 (alpha-enolase) interacting with Cryptosporidium parvum sporozoite surface protein, Cpgp40.

BACKGROUND: Cryptosporidium parvum is an apicomplexan zoonotic parasite causing the diarrheal illness cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals. To invade the host intestinal epithelial cells, parasitic proteins expressed on the surface of sporozoites interact with host cells to facilitate the formation of parasitophorous vacuole for the parasite to reside and develop. The gp40 of C. parvum, named Cpgp40 and located on the surface of sporozoites, was proven to participate in the process of host cell invasion. METHODS: We utilized the purified Cpgp40 as a bait to obtain host cell proteins interacting with Cpgp40 through the glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-down method. In vitro analysis, through bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay (BiFC) and coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP), confirmed the solid interaction between Cpgp40 and ENO1. In addition, by using protein mutation and parasite infection rate analysis, it was demonstrated that ENO1 plays an important role in the C. parvum invasion of HCT-8 cells. RESULTS: To illustrate the functional activity of Cpgp40 interacting with host cells, we identified the alpha-enolase protein (ENO1) from HCT-8 cells, which showed direct interaction with Cpgp40. The mRNA level of ENO1 gene was significantly decreased at 3 and 24 h after C. parvum infection. Antibodies and siRNA specific to ENO1 showed the ability to neutralize C. parvum infection in vitro, which indicated the participation of ENO1 during the parasite invasion of HCT-8 cells. In addition, we further demonstrated that ENO1 protein was involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic matrix of HCT-8 cells during C. parvum invasion. Functional study of the protein mutation illustrated that ENO1 was also required for the endogenous development of C. parvum. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we utilized the purified Cpgp40 as a bait to obtain host cell proteins ENO1 interacting with Cpgp40. Functional studies illustrated that the host cell protein ENO1 was involved in the regulation of tight junction and adherent junction proteins during C. parvum invasion and was required for endogenous development of C. parvum.

Host specific Eimeria genus diagnosis and qPCR development in Ovis aries and Capra hircus.

The objective of the present study was to develop a real-time PCR (qPCR) technique for the diagnosis of Eimeria spp. in Ovis aries and Capra hircus. The qPCR technique was developed using SYBR Green, resulting in a PCR with high sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility.

Polyploidization: A Biological Force That Enhances Stress Resistance.

Organisms with three or more complete sets of chromosomes are designated as polyploids. Polyploidy serves as a crucial pathway in biological evolution and enriches species diversity, which is demonstrated to have significant advantages in coping with both biotic stressors (such as diseases and pests) and abiotic stressors (like extreme temperatures, drought, and salinity), particularly in the context of ongoing global climate deterioration, increased agrochemical use, and industrialization. Polyploid cultivars have been developed to achieve higher yields and improved product quality. Numerous studies have shown that polyploids exhibit substantial enhancements in cell size and structure, physiological and biochemical traits, gene expression, and epigenetic modifications compared to their diploid counterparts. However, some research also suggested that increased stress tolerance might not always be associated with polyploidy. Therefore, a more comprehensive and detailed investigation is essential to complete the underlying stress tolerance mechanisms of polyploids. Thus, this review summarizes the mechanism of polyploid formation, the polyploid biochemical tolerance mechanism of abiotic and biotic stressors, and molecular regulatory networks that confer polyploidy stress tolerance, which can shed light on the theoretical foundation for future research.

Suspended sediment dynamics and the related environmental risk assessment in a sensitive water area.

Suspended sediment (SS) is a natural component of aquatic environments. It is characterized by the adsorption of pollutants, and its physical properties can affect water volume quality. In this study, SS dynamics were simulated using a 2D hydrodynamic model in the Nanji Mountain Nature Reserve (NNR), and the fluxes of pollutants caused by SS were calculated to assess the biological risks during the wet (May-August) and dry (November-March) seasons. High spatial and temporal variability in SS load within the NNR was found in this study. The average SS load in the reserve increased and then decreased during the year, and the SS input from Ganjiang significantly affected the SS load in the NNR (p < 0.01). The SS load uptrend in the NNR occurred later than that of Ganjiang during the wet season because of the SS sedimentation in the NNR. And the suspension of SS in the NNR during the dry season resulted in a later SS load downtrend compared to Ganjiang. High SS load from Ganjiang during the wet season was responsible for the high nutrient and microplastic fluxes in the NNR, which were 8.38 and 10.61 times higher than those in the dry season, respectively. And the pollutant fluxes during the wet season were almost all from Ganjiang. In contrast, higher waterbird diversity and population during the dry season is the main reason for the increased biological risk of contaminants. Therefore, monitoring and managing SS and its contamination concentrations in rivers entering the lake is helpful for the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and key species in the lake.