[Ecosystem CO2 Exchange and Its Environmental Regulation of a Restored Wetland in the Liaohe River Estuary].

Coastal wetlands are important carbon sinks， and they contribute to reducing the effects of global warming. This study used the eddy covariance method to detect the CO2 flux in the restoration wetland of the Liaohe River estuary in 2021 and investigate the characteristics of ecosystem CO2 exchange and its environmental control factors. The aim was to assess the carbon source/sink capacity of salt marshes in the restored area and to provide data support and theoretical basis for evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration projects. The study revealed "U" curves in spring and autumn， "V" curves in summer， and horizontal lines in winter for the average daily variation curve of net ecosystem CO2 exchange （NEE） in the restored area. Its carbon sink efficiencies were -40.06， -63.62， 2.33， and 34.43 g·m-2 in the spring， summer， autumn， and winter， respectively. In the restored area， the daily cumulative variation in NEE was "V" shaped， and the monthly cumulative changes in NEE， ecosystem respiration （Reco）， and gross primary productivity （GPP） were obviously different. Photosynthetically active radiation （PAR） was an important regulation factor of daytime NEE in the restored area in 2021， and they displayed a rectangular hyperbolic relationship. PAR could explain 53% of the variation in the daytime NEE. Air temperature （Ta） was the main control factor of Reco，night， and there was an exponential relationship between them. When Ta < 5.5 ℃， the temperature sensitivity of ecosystem respiration （Q10） was 2.19， and Ta could explain 42% of the variation in the Reco，night； when Ta ≥ 5.5 ℃， the Q10 was 1.81， and Ta could explain 51% of the variation in the Reco，night. Additionally， there were significant linear negative correlations between NEE and both soil water content （SWC） and vapor pressure deficit （VPD）， whereas NEE was not significantly correlated with soil temperature （Ts） or relative humidity （RH）. In 2021， the restored wetland in the Liaohe River estuary acted as a CO2 sink， and the total net carbon sequestration was -66.89 g·m-2. The restored salt plays a role as an important carbon sink and has long-term carbon sequestration potential.

Clinical pharmacists' involvement in carbapenem antibiotics management at Wenzhou Integrated Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem antibiotics are a pivotal solution for severe infections, particularly in hospital settings. The emergence of carbapenem-resistant bacteria owing to the irrational and extensive use of carbapenems underscores the need for meticulous management and rational use. Clinical pharmacists, with their specialized training and extensive knowledge, play a substantial role in ensuring the judicious use of carbapenem. This study aimed to elucidate the patterns of carbapenem use and shed light on the integral role played by clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting the rational use of carbapenem antibiotics at Wenzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital. AIM: To analyze carbapenem use patterns in our hospital and role of clinical pharmacists in managing and promoting their rational use. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of carbapenem use at our hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Several key indicators, including the drug utilization index, defined daily doses (DDDs), proportion of antimicrobial drug costs to total hospitalization expenses, antibiotic utilization density, and utilization rates in different clinical departments were comprehensively analyzed. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2021, there was a consistent decline in the consumption and sales of imipenem-cilastatin sodium, meropenem (0.3 g), and meropenem (0.5 g). Conversely, the DDDs of imipenem-cilastatin sodium for injection increased in 2020 and 2021 vs 2019, with a B/A value of 0.67, indicating a relatively higher drug cost. The DDDs of meropenem for injection (0.3 g) exhibited an overall upward trend, indicating an increasing clinical preference. However, the B/A values for 2020 and 2021 were both > 1, suggesting a relatively lower drug cost. The DDDs of meropenem for injection (0.5 g) demonstrated a progressive increase annually and consistently ranked first, indicating a high clinical preference with a B/A value of 1, signifying good alignment between economic and social benefits. CONCLUSION: Carbapenem use in our hospital was generally reasonable with a downward trend in consumption and sales over time. Clinical pharmacists play a pivotal role in promoting appropriate use of carbapenems.

IGF2BP3 promotes the progression of colorectal cancer and mediates cetuximab resistance by stabilizing EGFR mRNA in an m6A-dependent manner.

Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3), an RNA-binding protein, is associated with tumorigenesis and progression. However, the exact molecular mechanisms of IGF2BP3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) oncogenesis, progression, and drug resistance remain unclear. This study found that IGF2BP3 was upregulated in CRC tissues. Clinically, the elevated IGF2BP3 level is predictive of a poor prognosis. Functionally, IGF2BP3 enhances CRC tumorigenesis and progression both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, IGF2BP3 promotes epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mRNA stability and translation and further activates the EGFR pathway by serving as a reader in an N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-dependent manner by cooperating with METTL14. Furthermore, IGF2BP3 increases the drug resistance of CRC cells to the EGFR-targeted antibody cetuximab. Taken together, our results demonstrated that IGF2BP3 was a functional and clinical oncogene of CRC. Targeting IGF2BP3 and m6A modification may therefore offer rational therapeutic targets for patients with CRC.

Gate-Level Circuit Partitioning Algorithm Based on Clustering and an Improved Genetic Algorithm.

Gate-level circuit partitioning is an important development trend for improving the efficiency of simulation in EDA software. In this paper, a gate-level circuit partitioning algorithm, based on clustering and an improved genetic algorithm, is proposed for the gate-level simulation task. First, a clustering algorithm based on betweenness centrality is proposed to quickly identify clusters in the original circuit and achieve the circuit coarse. Next, a constraint-based genetic algorithm is proposed which provides absolute and probabilistic genetic strategies for clustered circuits and other circuits, respectively. This new genetic strategy guarantees the integrity of clusters and is effective for realizing the fine partitioning of gate-level circuits. The experimental results using 12 ISCAS '89 and ISCAS '85 benchmark circuits show that the proposed algorithm is 5% better than Metis, 80% better than KL, and 61% better than traditional genetic algorithms for finding the minimum number of connections between subsets.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging-Based Single-Cell Lipidomics Profiles Metabolic Signatures of Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF), leading as one of the main causes of mortality, has become a serious public health issue with high prevalence around the world. Single cardiomyocyte (CM) metabolomics promises to revolutionize the understanding of HF pathogenesis since the metabolic remodeling in the human hearts plays a vital role in the disease progression. Unfortunately, current metabolic analysis is often limited by the dynamic features of metabolites and the critical needs for high-quality isolated CMs. Here, high-quality CMs were directly isolated from transgenic HF mice biopsies and further employed in the cellular metabolic analysis. The lipids landscape in individual CMs was profiled with a delayed extraction mode in time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Specific metabolic signatures were identified to distinguish HF CMs from the control subjects, presenting as possible single-cell biomarkers. The spatial distributions of these signatures were imaged in single cells, and those were further found to be strongly associated with lipoprotein metabolism, transmembrane transport, and signal transduction. Taken together, we systematically studied the lipid metabolism of single CMs with a mass spectrometry imaging method, which directly benefited the identification of HF-associated signatures and a deeper understanding of HF-related metabolic pathways.

[Analysis of the Impact of Fireworks on Air Quality During the Spring Festival in Chengdu from 2019 to 2022].

Based on the observation data of air quality and PM2.5 components, the influence of fireworks on pollutant concentrations, PM2.5 components, and secondary transformation during the Spring Festival period from 2019 to 2022 in Chengdu were analyzed. The results indicated that the fireworks had a greater impact on the concentration of SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 than the other pollutants. During the centralized discharge of fireworks from 2019 to 2022, the average hourly concentrations of SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 increased by 6.7, 105.0, and 117.4 µg·m-3, with an increase of 135%, 236%, and 203%, respectively. During the centralized discharge period of fireworks, the contributions of fireworks to the SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 concentration were 10.0%-34.0%, 28.1%-31.3%, and 27.8%-34.6%, respectively. The impact time of fireworks on air quality decreased slightly, from 42 h in 2019 to 38 h in 2022; however, the impact on PM2.5 concentration fluctuated, and the impact in 2022 was similar to that in 2019. The main components of fireworks were K, Cl, Al, K+, and Cl-; the concentrations of these components were high and increased rapidly during the concentrated discharge, accounting for 5%-18% of PM2.5, with an increase rate of 87%-1511%. The discharge of fireworks had little effect on NH4+, V, Cd, and Co, and the variation range was within±20%. Throughout the pollution period during the Spring Festival, the mass concentrations of the main components of fireworks were 4.9-31.7 times and 7.4-68.2 times that of the heavy pollution and good weather before the Spring Festival, and their proportions increased by 4%-8%. Secondary sources; fireworks; and biomass burning, coal burning, and industry were the main sources of PM2.5 during the 2019-2022 Spring Festival. The contribution rate of fireworks and biomass combustion was 13%-25%, with higher contribution rates in 2019 and 2022. From the perspective of the impact of meteorological conditions on fireworks discharge, high humidity, low wind speed, and low temperature will intensify the impact of firework discharge on air quality and vice versa. Wind speed mainly affected Al, K+, Cl-, and SO42-, whereas relative humidity mainly affected secondary components such as NO3- and NH4+.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy After Minimally Invasive Surgery in Patients With Stage IA1-IIA1 Cervical Cancer.

To estimate whether adjuvant radiotherapy is necessary for patients with stage IA1-IIA1 cervical cancer after laparoscopic hysterectomy, 221 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty-two of them were treated with laparoscopic hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy (group A), 115 underwent open surgery (group B) and 44 received laparoscopic hysterectomy alone (group C). Results showed that the 3-year local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) rates of group A, B and C were 98.4%, 97.4% and 86.4%, respectively. The LRFS rates of group A and B surpassed C (A vs. B, p=0.634; A vs. C, p=0.011; B vs. C, p=0.006). The inter-group differences of 3-year overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) were not statistically significant. In subgroup analysis of stage IB disease, the 3-year LRFS rates of group A, B and C were 100%, 98.8% and 83.1%, the 3-year OS rates of group A, B and C were 100%, 98.9% and 91.5%, respectively. The 3-year LRFS and OS rates of group A and B were significantly superior to group C (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that adjuvant radiotherapy can reduce the risk of recurrence for women with early-stage cervical cancer after laparoscopic hysterectomy and bring survival benefits for patients with stage IB disease.

Retraction notice to "MicroRNA-19a and -19b regulate cervical carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion by targeting CUL5" [Canc. Lett. 322 (2012) 148-158].

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Upon investigation, it was discovered that 4 out of 8 images contain fabrication. Fig. 6D, E, 8E and 7F have used the same microscopic image for different experimental settings. The Figure represented in 8E is the correct image placement. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.

PAMI syndrome: A rare cause that can be easily misdiagnosed.

PSTPIP1-associated myeloid-related proteinemia inflammatory (PAMI) syndrome caused by mutations in PSTPIP1 is a rare inflammatory disorder that can be easily misdiagnosed. It is characterized by anemia, arthritis, cutaneous inflammation, recurrent infections, growth failure, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, hyperzincemia/hypercalprotectinemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated inflammatory indicators. This study describes the cases of two pediatric female patients with long-standing recurrent arthralgia in different parts of the extremities and severe anemia, respectively, who were misdiagnosed and treated for aseptic necrosis of the femoral head and severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia, respectively. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed a de novo heterozygous missense mutation (c.748G > A, p. Glu250Lys) in exon 11 of PSTPIP1 (NM_003978.5) in both patients, which supported a diagnosis of PAMI. The patients were treated with prednisone and etanercept, which improved their symptoms, but neutropenia remained unchanged. These cases highlight the importance of genetic assessment for the accurate diagnosis of PAMI and to ensure adequate and timely treatment of these patients.

A Multicarbohydrase and Phytase Complex Is Able to Compensate a Nutrient-Deficiency in Growing-Finishing Pigs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of supplementing a corn-wheat-soybean meal-based diet with a multicarbohydrase and phytase complex (MCPC) on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, carcass traits, and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 300 pigs (Duroc × Large White × Landrace; body weight = 25.3 ± 0.7 kg) were randomly allotted to three groups with 10 replicates of 10 pigs each. Pigs from three groups were fed positive control (PC) or negative control (NC), without or with MCPC diets, respectively. The MCPC supplied at least 1800, 1244, 6600, and 1000 units of xylanase, ß-glucanase, α-arabinofuranosidase, and phytase per kilogram of diet, respectively. The NC diet was the PC diet but reduced in net energy (NE), digestible amino acids (dig. AA), digestible P (dig. P), and Ca by 74 kcal/kg, 7.0%, 0.134, and 0.119 percentage points, respectively. The diets were fed in 4 growth phases based on body weight (BW): phase 1: 25-50 kg, phase 2: 50-75 kg, phase 3: 75-100 kg, and phase 4: 100-135 kg. Compared to the PC, the NC diet decreased (p < 0.05) body weight gain, feed intake, and(or) feed to gain ratio during the growing/finishing phases 1, 2, 3, and 4. It also reduced (p < 0.05) the ATTD of crude protein, crude fat, P, and Ca of pigs. MCPC supplementation improved (p < 0.05) the body weight gain, feed intake, and(or) feed to gain ratio in phases 2, 3, and 4 and the ATTD of crude protein, crude fat, ash, P, and Ca for the NC diet. Additionally, dietary treatment had no effects on carcass traits and meat quality with the exception that the loin eye area in the NC plus MCPC diet was higher (p < 0.05) than the NC diet. In conclusion, the addition of MCPC to a corn-soybean meal-wheat-based diet reduced in energy and nutrients improved the growth performance and nutrient digestibility but had little effect on carcass traits and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs.

[Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Three Haze Pollution Processes in Chengdu in Winter].

Based on the online monitoring data of gaseous pollutants and components in PM2.5 from Chengdu super observatory of atmospheric environment, the meteorological factors and component characteristics of three haze pollution process in Chengdu from 2019 to 2020 were analyzed. The CMB model was adopted to simulate the sources and variation trends of PM2.5 pollution during the study period, and the causes of each pollution process were analyzed. The results showed that all the three pollution processes occurred under adverse meteorological conditions, where the relative humidity and temperature continued to rise and the wind speed and boundary layer height continued to decrease. The average daily relative humidity was greater than 70%, average daily temperature was greater than 8℃, average daily wind speed was less than 0.8 m ·s-1, and average daily boundary layer height was less than 650 m. During the three events of pollution, the main components were NO3-, OC, NH4+, and SO42-. Among them, the mass concentration and proportion of NO3- increased by 1.47-2.09 and 0.22-0.35 times, respectively, during the pollution period as compared to those during the clean period. NO3- was a key component of PM2.5 pollution during winter in Chengdu. During the three pollution processes, the mean values of SOR and NOR were 0.40 and 0.27, respectively, and the secondary transformation degree of SO2 and NOx was high. The conversion of SO2 to SO42- was mainly dominated by heterogeneous oxidation at night, and the conversion of NOx to NO3- was dominated by heterogeneous hydrolysis. The characteristics of the three processes were slightly different. Process Ⅰ showed evident secondary nitrate-dominated characteristics. During the period of rising PM2.5 concentration in process Ⅱ, it was mainly affected by coal emissions, but during the periods of high PM2.5 concentration, it was mainly affected by NO3-. Process Ⅲ was also a nitrate-dominated process, but emissions of fossil fuel combustion had increased during certain polluted periods. Secondary nitrate, secondary sulfate, motor vehicles, and coal combustion were the main pollution sources during the study period. The PM2.5 concentration was positively correlated with the contribution of secondary nitrate and negatively correlated with the contribution of dust source.

Biosynthesis, characterization of PLGA coated folate-mediated multiple drug loaded copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles and it's cytotoxicity on nasopharyngeal cancer cell lines.

Cytotoxicity of CuO nanoparticles (NPs) are an impediment in utilizing them as an effective nanocarriers of chemotherapeutic drugs for targeted drug delivery in nasopharyngeal cancer. In our current study, we have designed a two-step synthesis and coating of CuO NPs with different concentrations of PLGA (polylactide-co-glycolide) to reduce the cytotoxicity. This was further conjugated with folic acid to enhance targeting to specific tissue. The multiple drugs loaded in the NPs were two potent anticancer drugs doxorubicin and docetaxel. A complete characterization studies including micrographic analysis, zeta potential measurements, polydispersity index, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), encapsulation and loading efficiencies, stability and in vitro release studies were done. Cytoxicity studies were done with MTT 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, acridine orange/ethidium bromide and DAPI (4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride) staining procedures. Impediametric studies were also carried out to reinforce the reduction in cytotoxicity. Finally the cellular uptake of the NPs was seen. It was evident from the results that the multiple drugs loaded CuO NPs formed with PLGA coating were uniform, non-agglomerated in size ranging from 180 to 195 nm. The FTIR revealed no major changes in drug peaks. Encapsulation and loading efficiencies showed sufficient amount of drug being loaded into the NPs. The drug loaded NPs showed no change in size or zeta potential even after a period of 30 days. The cytotoxicity studies revealed significant reduction in toxicity after coating the surface treated with PLGA as evident from the microscopic analysis of cells. Hence the current study may be prioritized and further in vivo/in vitro studies may be carried out.

Lupus enteritis masquerading as Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease which can affect multiple organs, resulting in significant mortality and morbidity. Lupus enteritis is one of the rare complications of SLE, defined as vasculitis of the intestinal tract, with supportive biopsy findings and/or image. However, lupus enteritis is seldom confirmed on histology or image and the changes of intestinal mucosa are nonspecific. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract which affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract. The diagnosis of CD is confirmed by clinical evaluation and a combination of endoscopic, histology, radiology, and/or biochemical investigations. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we report a rare case of a 71-years-old Chinese male has been diagnosed with lupus enteritis which similar to CD in the aspects of endoscopic, histology, and radiology. So far, there are no relevant cases reported. CONCLUSIONS: The endoscopic appearance of lupus enteritis is nonspecific, on the basis of our case, the features of lupus enteritis can be described as spacious, clean and no moss ulcers which discontinuous involved all gastrointestinal tract.

[Fine Particulate Matter Source Profile of Typical Industries in Sichuan Province].

An electrical low pressure impactor particle monitor was used to monitor typical industries in Sichuan Province, such as cement, glass, ceramic, brick-tile, coal-fired boiler, biomass boiler, power plant, and steel industry. Fine particulate matter source profiles of each industry were developed based on the laboratory analysis. The results showed that Si, Ca, and Mg were the major elements of building industry particulate matter emission. Sulfate emission from double sodium-calcium was higher than from other desulfurization technologies in the building industry. The main chemical components of PM2.5 from power plants were SO42-, Ca2+, NH4+, Mg, and Si, while OC, Al, Si, and Ca were the main chemical components of PM2.5 from coal-fired boilers. The content of OC was the most abundant in biomass briquette boiler particulate matter emissions, followed by K and EC. In term of the biomass fuel boiler PM2.5 source profile, OC, EC, and Cl- were the major chemical components. Ca was the largest component of PM2.5 from the steel industry, accounting for 18.11% of the total PM2.5 emission, followed by SO42-, Na+, and Fe.

[Value of combined determination of neutrophil CD64 and procalcitonin in early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of combined determination of neutrophil CD64 and procalcitonin (PCT) in the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection. METHODS: According to discharge diagnosis, 37 neonates with bacterial infection were divided into sepsis (n=15) and ordinary infection (non-sepsis) groups (n=22). Twenty-one neonates without infection who were hospitalized during the same period of time were enrolled as the control group. Venous blood samples were collected immediately after admission. Flow cytometry was used to measure the serum level of neutrophil CD64. Chemiluminescence and immune transmission turbidimetry were used to measure the serum levels of PCT and CRP respectively. RESULTS: The sepsis group had higher serum levels of neutrophil CD64, PCT, and CRP than the control group (P<0.01), the ordinary infection group had a higher serum level of neutrophil CD64 than the control group (P<0.01), and the sepsis group had higher serum levels of PCT and CRP than the ordinary infection group (P<0.01). The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of neutrophil CD64, PCT, and CRP in diagnosing bacterial infection were 0.818, 0.818, and 0.704 respectively, and the AUC of combined neutrophil CD64 and PCT was 0.926. A combination of neutrophil CD64 and PCT had a sensitivity of 97.29% and an accuracy of 89.65% in the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection.The sensitivity and accuracy were higher than those of a combination of CRP and neutrophil CD64 or PCT as well as neutrophil CD64, PCT, or CRP alone for the early diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection. CONCLUSIONS: The combined determination of neutrophil CD64 and PCT can improve the sensitivity and accuracy in the diagnosis of neonatal bacterial infection, which helps with early identification of bacterial infection.

Mitochondrial mutations in 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA presenting as chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) plus: A case report.

RATIONALE: Chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO) is a classical mitochondrial ocular disorder characterized by bilateral progressive ptosis and ophthalmoplegia. Kearns -Sayre syndrome (KSS) is a multisystem disorder with PEO, cardiac conduction block, and pigmentary retinopathy. A few individuals with CPEO have other manifestations of KSS, but do not meet all the clinical diagnosis criteria, and this is called "CPEO plus." PATIENT CONCERNS: We report a 48-year-old woman exhibiting limb weakness, ptosis, ophthalmoparesis, and cerebellar dysfunctions. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed as exhibiting CPEO plus syndrome. INTERVENTIONS: The patient underwent clinical, genetic, histological, and histochemical analysis. She was treated orally with CoQ10, vitamin Bs, L-carnitine, and vitamin E. OUTCOMES: The patient's serum creatine kinase levels, electrocardiography, and nerve conduction study results were normal; an electromyogram revealed myopathic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging showed global brain atrophy, particularly in the brainstem and cerebellum areas. A muscle biopsy showed the presence of abundant ragged red fibers. Sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA from the skeletal muscle biopsy revealed C960del mutation in 12S rRNA and homozygous mutation C2835T in 16S rRNA. She took medicines on schedule, the clinical features were similar as 2 years ago. LESSONS: This is the first report of 2 rRNA mutations in a patient with MRI findings showing global brain atrophy, particularly in brainstem and cerebellum areas. Early recognition and appropriate treatment is crucial. This case highlights the cerebellar ataxia can occur in CPEO plus.

Effects of clostridium butyricum and bifidobacterium on BTLA expression on CD4+ T cells and lymphocyte differentiation in late preterm infants.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Probiotics is recognized to promote growth performance and immune function via balancing the intestinal microflora. Live clostridium butyricum and bifidobacterium combined powder (LCBBCP) has been widely to treat intestinal dysbacteriosis in newborns in China. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the combined probiotics on the expression of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) on CD4+ T cells and the differentiation of lymphocyte subsets in late preterm infants. METHODS: Eighty eligible late preterm infants were equally randomized into LCBBCP therapy group (oral LCBBCP dissolved in formula milk before intake) and control group (treated with simple formula milk for preterm infants) by random digit table. Flow cytometry was used to determine the expression level of BTLA on CD4+ T cells and the percentage of individual subpopulation of lymphocytes in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from the late preterm infants in both groups. RESULTS: BTLA protein expression on CD4+ T cells showed no significant change in LCBBCP therapy group before and after intervention, yet was rapidly and significantly down-regulated in the controls. The percentage of increased CD4+ T cells, decreased CD8+ T cells and increased ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cell proportion were seen in both groups after treatment, yet the increasing or decreasing extent in LCBBCP therapy group was more obvious than in control group. The proportion of NK cells and B lymphocytes remained no significant difference between the two groups before and after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: LCBBCP appears capable of facilitating the activation, proliferation and differentiation of T lymphocytes, which is beneficial to improving immunity in late preterm infants. The continuous high expression of BTLA on CD4+ T cells in LCBBCP therapy group may be involved in the inhibiting of excessive activation of T lymphocytes. Our findings may lay a basis for further clinical evaluation of the efficacies and wider clinical recommendation of probiotics containing live clostridium butyricum and bifidobacterium for late preterm infants.

RETRACTED: MicroRNA-19a and -19b regulate cervical carcinoma cell proliferation and invasion by targeting CUL5.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article has been retracted at the request of the Editor-in-Chief. Upon investigation, it was discovered that 4 out of 8 images contain fabrication. Figures 6D, 6E, 8E and 7F have used the same microscopic image for different experimental settings. The Figure represented in 8E is the correct image placement. The scientific community takes a very strong view on this matter and apologies are offered to readers of the journal that this was not detected during the submission process.

[Physiological and molecular control of lipid accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans].

Fat storage is a complex physiological process, and model organism of Caenorhabditis elegans has already been explored as an important model to study lipid accumulation. The lipid particles or fatty acid can be stained or labeled with Sudan Black B or Neil Red. The metabolism pathways for fatty acid synthesis and breakdown in nematodes are almost identical to those in other organisms, and functions of many genes encoding the key regulation enzymes have been identified. At least four central regulation pathways are involved in the fat storage control in nematodes: insulin and TGF-beta signaling pathway, sbp-1/mdt-15 mediated pathway, nhr-49 mediated pathway, and TOR and hexosamine pathway. Moreover, neurotransmitters 5-HT, dopamine, and glutamate were found to participate in the control of lipid accumulation. In addition, involvement of tub-1 and bbs-1 in neuronal control of fat storage suggest the possibly important roles of amphid structure and sensory neurons in regulating lipid accumulation. The data obtained in C. elegans on fat storage control will contribute largely to the study on metabolism related diseases, such as obesity, in human beings.

[POC content in size-fractioned TSS and transportation character in the Yellow River].

Relationship between grain size of total suspended solids (TSS) and particulate organic carbon (POC) content is the base of studying POC transportation and flux in river. Based on sedimentation classification, POC in size-fractioned TSS of The Yellow River was studied by multiple linear regression. The results indicate that: with the median diameter increasing, POC is decreased in a logarithm tendency, the maximum is 0.56% lower than the other rivers; POC is different in the same size-fractioned TSS between characteristic sample stations: the estuary > Huayuankou > Lanshou > Tongguan > Lijin, for example POC is 0.661%, 0.627%, 0.550%, 0.505%, 0.493% in TSS of which the grain size is < 8 microm; the proportion of POC in size-fractioned TSS has little distinction, POC is decreased remarkably with the increasing of the grain size of TSS, and more than 80% of POC is concentrated in the particles < 16 microm while over 95% of POC is concentrated in particles of size < 32 microm. So the transportation of POC is consistent, the main control of transportation of POC is attributed to the grain size of TSS.