Clinical characteristics and prognosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis in adults.

Background: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a causative agent of bacterial meningitis in adults. However, there is little information regarding this infection. Therefore, this study comprehensively analyzed the clinical characteristics and prognosis of Klebsiella pneumoniae meningitis (KPM) patients. Methods: The clinical data of adult hospitalized patients with KPM were retrospectively collected from January 2015 to December 2022. The clinical characteristics and antibiotic resistance of KPM were evaluated. Meanwhile, a set of logistic regression models was constructed to identify prognostic factors for death. These prognostic factors were subsequently combined to develop a nomogram for predicting the risk of in-hospital mortality in individual patients. Finally, the receiver operating characteristic curve and calibrate plot were utilized to verify the performance of the nomogram. Results: This study included 80 adult patients with KPM, 58 (72.5%) of whom were males. The mortality rate was 45%. Among them, 74 (92.5%) were diagnosed with healthcare-associated meningitis. Thirty-seven carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) strains were susceptible to tigecycline, polymyxin, and ceftazidime/avibactam. CRKP (OR = 9.825, 95%CI = 2.757-35.011, P < 0.001), length of stay (OR = 0.953, 95%CI = 0.921-0.986, P = 0.005), and C-reactive protein-to-prealbumin ratio (CRP/PA, OR = 3.053, 95%CI = 1.329-7.016, P = 0.009) were identified as predictive factors for mortality using multivariate logistic regression. Finally, a nomogram for death prediction was established. The area under the curve of this nomogram was 0.900 (95% CI = 0.828-0.971). Conclusions: KPM is a fatal disease associated with high incidence of healthcare-associated infections and carbapenem resistance. Moreover, CRKP, length of stay, and CRP/PA were found to be independent predictors of mortality.

"Sandwich" Structure in Reconstruction of Traumatic Comminuted Anterior Skull Base Fractures: Surgical Technique and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Comminuted fractures of the anterior skull base can easily cause dural damage, leading to cerebrospinal fluid leakage and retrograde infection. Skull base reconstruction is essential. This study aimed to present a novel and simple technique for repairing skull base defects using a self-made fascia-bone fragments-fascia "sandwich" structure made by fascia, fracture fragments, and sutures. METHOD: From 2018 to 2023, we performed self-made sandwich structures for skull reconstruction in 10 patients with anterior skull base comminuted fractures. After debridement, the intracranial bone fragments of the surgical patient were safely removed. In vitro, the bone fragments were spread between two layers of temporal or broad fascia to form a sandwich structure similar to the size of the bone defect, and the periphery was firmly sutured with sutures. The self-made structure was then filled to the defect and fixed with fibrin glue. The periosteum at the top of the forehead was also turned over to the repair area for covering and fixation. Meanwhile, a facial skin cosmetic suture was performed. Finally, we evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of this technique. RESULTS: All 10 patients underwent reconstructive surgery using the self-made fascia-fracture fragments-fascia sandwich structure. Five patients with open wounds on the face also underwent cosmetic revisions. No cerebrospinal fluid leakage occurred in all the patients at discharge as well as 3 months later. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with comminuted fracture of the anterior skull base, the fascia-bone fragments-fascia structure could repair the skull base and prevent the occurrence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage.

An optimized high-throughput SARS-CoV-2 dual reporter trans-complementation system for antiviral screening in vitro and in vivo.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still epidemic around the world. The manipulation of SARS-CoV-2 is restricted to biosafety level 3 laboratories (BSL-3). In this study, we developed a SARS-CoV-2 ΔN-GFP-HiBiT replicon delivery particles (RDPs) encoding a dual reporter gene, GFP-HiBiT, capable of producing both GFP signal and luciferase activities. Through optimal selection of the reporter gene, GFP-HiBiT demonstrated superior stability and convenience for antiviral evaluation. Additionally, we established a RDP infection mouse model by delivering the N gene into K18-hACE2 KI mouse through lentivirus. This mouse model supports RDP replication and can be utilized for in vivo antiviral evaluations. In summary, the RDP system serves as a valuable tool for efficient antiviral screening and studying the gene function of SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, this system can be manipulated in BSL-2 laboratories, decreasing the threshold of experimental requirements.

Variants in 3p24.3 predicts the risk of early neurological deterioration in large artery atherosclerotic stroke.

The rate of early neurological deterioration (END) differs in different subtypes of ischaemic stroke. Previous studies showed PLCL2 gene is a novel susceptibility locus for the occurrence of atherosclerosis and thrombotic events. The objective of this research is to examine the efficacy that PLCL2 may have on the risk of END in large artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke. Tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by a strategy of fine-mapping. The genotyping of the selected SNPs was performed by SNPscan. The impact of PLCL2 on indicating the susceptibility of END in LAA patients was evaluated by binary logistic regression. The SNP-SNP interactions of PLCL2 for END was assessed by generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR). A total of 1527 LAA stroke patients were recruited, 582 patients (38 %) experienced END. Compared to participants without END, participants experienced END were much older (P = 0.018), more likely to suffer pre-existing diabetes mellitus (P = 0.036), higher frequent in active tobacco users (P = 0.022) and had much higher median NIHSS on admission (P < 0.001). Rs4685423 was identified to be a predictor to the risk of END: the frequency of END in AA genotype patients is lower than that in AC or CC genotype patients (multivariate-adjusted, OR 0.63; 95 % CI 0.49-0.80; P < 0.001). The SNP-SNP interactions analysis indicates rs4685423 has the greatest impacton the risk of END for LAA patients. The time from admission diagnosis to END onset in AA genotype patients is much later than that in CA or CC genotype patients (log-rank, P = 0.005). In summary, the PLCL2 rs4685423 SNP is probably associated with the END risk in LAA stroke patients.

Prognostic impact of age in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing first-line checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.

BACKGROUND: Research on the association between age and clinical outcome in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy as first-line setting is limited. The aim of study is to determine the influence of age on the progress-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in those patients after adjusting for potential confounders. METHODS: A total of 207 advanced NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in the first-line treatment in Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital from March 10, 2019, to December 31, 2022, was retrospectively analyzed. χ2 (categorical variables) was used to analyze the differences among the different age groups. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess the association between age and clinical outcomes. P values < 0.05 (two-sided) were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 58.8 ± 10.3 years. The percentages of patients < 65, 65-69, 70-74, and ≥ 75 years were 66.7 %, 19.3 %, 9.2 % and 4.8 %, respectively. Compared to the aged < 65 years group, the HR for the risk of disease progression for each group are 0.67 (95 %CI = 0.40-1.12, P = 0.125), 0.66 (95 %CI = 0.31, 1.43, P = 0.298), and 2.27 (95 %CI = 0.80, 6.45, P = 0.124), respectively, with no significant differences in the results. And the HR for risk of death for the 65-69 years and 70-74 years groups was 1.16 (95 %CI = 0.64-2.08, P = 0.628) and 0.93 (95 %CI = 0.39-2.23, P = 0.879), respectively. The difference has no statistical significance. Whereas in patients aged ≥ 75, there is an increased risk of death after adjusted confounders with HR = 4.83 (95 %CI = 2.06-11.35). The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Trend test indicates that with advancing age, the patient's risk of death increases (HR = 1.33, 95 % CI = 1.02-1.75, P = 0.034). CONCLUSION: Age may not be the primary factor influencing the efficacy of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy, but particular attention should be given to the elderly population.

Genome-wide identification, gene expression and haplotype analysis of the rhomboid-like gene family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The rhomboid-like (RBL) gene encodes serine protease, which plays an important role in the response to cell development and diverse stresses. However, genome-wide identification, expression profiles, and haplotype analysis of the RBL family genes have not been performed in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This study investigated the phylogeny and diversity of the RBL family genes in the wheat genome through various approaches, including gene structure analysis, evolutionary relationship analysis, promoter cis-acting element analysis, expression pattern analysis, and haplotype analysis. The 41 TaRBL genes were identified and divided into five subfamilies in the wheat genome. RBL family genes were expanded through segmented duplication and purification selection. The cis-element analysis revealed their involvement in various stress responses and plant development. The results of RNA-seq and quantitative real-time-PCR showed that TaRBL genes displayed higher expression levels in developing spike/grain and were differentially regulated under polyethylene glycol, NaCl, and abscisic acid treatments, indicating their roles in grain development and abiotic stress response. A kompetitive allele-specific PCR molecular marker was developed to confirm the single nucleotide polymorphism of TaRBL14a gene in 263 wheat accessions. We found that the elite haplotype TaRBL14a-Hap2 showed a significantly higher 1000-grain weight than TaRBL14a-Hap11 in at least three environments, and the TaRBL14a-Hap2 was positively selected in wheat breeding. The findings will provide a good insight into the evolutionary and functional characteristics of the TaRBL genes family in wheat and lay the foundation for future exploration of the regulatory mechanisms of TaRBL genes in plant growth and development, as well as their response to abiotic stresses.

Pathogenic fungi shape the fungal community, network complexity, and pathogenesis in kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit decay caused by endophytic fungi is affected by exogenous pathogens that trigger changes in fungal community composition and interact with the endophytic fungal community. Four fungal pathogens of kiwifruit were identified. These were Aspergillus japonicus, Aspergillus flavus, Botryosphaeria dothidea, and Penicillium oxalicum. Except for P. oxalicum, the remaining three species represent newly described pathogens of kiwifruit. All four fungal species caused disease and decay in mature kiwifruit. Results of the fungal community analysis indicated that three pathogens that A. japonicus, A. flavus and P. oxalicum were the most dominant, however, other fungal species that did not cause disease symptoms were also present. Positive interactions between fungal species were found in asymptomatic, symptomatic, and infected kiwifruit. The ability of all four pathogens to infect kiwifruit was confirmed in an inoculation experiment. The presence of any one of the four identified pathogens accelerated decay development and limited the postharvest longevity of harvested kiwifruit. Results of the study identified and confirmed the ability of four fungal species to infect and cause decay in harvested kiwifruit. Changes in the structure and composition of the kiwifruit microbiome during the decay process were also characterized. This provides a foundation for the further study of the microbiome of kiwifruit and their involvement in postharvest diseases.

[Modified Biochar for Remediation of Soil Contaminated with Arsenic and Cadmium: A Review].

Binary pollution of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) has become the main soil environmental problem in China. As an adsorbent or immobilizer, modified biochar is playing an increasing role in the remediation of As and Cd-contaminated soil. Here, the limitations regarding the primitive biochar as an immobilizer for the remediation of As and Cd-contaminated soil were highlighted by this study. Meanwhile, the biochar modification methods for the remediation of As and Cd-contaminated soil were reviewed, and the main interaction mechanisms were analyzed. Finally, the prospects and questions for the future remediation of soil contaminated with As and Cd using modified biochar were proposed. The results showed that metal-modified biochar had a better synergistic effect on the remediation of As and Cd-contaminated soil and thus had better application prospects. The immobilization mechanisms of As and Cd using biochar material remediation were affected by its modification methods. For example, the mechanisms for (non)metal-modified biochar involved the functional group-induced bonding complexation, co-precipitation, and oxyanion As redox; for microorganism-modified biochar, the mechanisms were precipitation and As redox, and those for physical- and acid-modified biochar only included the physical adsorption and weak electrostatic attraction. In view of the limitations of present research on the application of modified biochar for the remediation of As and Cd-contaminated soil, future research is suggested to study the following:① the effect of biomass feedstock type, pyrolysis temperature, preparation conditions, cost, and soil aging; ② evaluation for stability and durability of heavy metal immobilization by modified biochar remediation under different environmental factors; and ③ insight to key remediation mechanisms of As and Cd-contaminated soil by material.

Ternary Ca-Mg-Al layered double-hydroxides for synergistic remediation of As, Cd, and Pb from both contaminated soil and groundwater: Characteristics, effectiveness, and immobilization mechanisms.

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are the cost-effective and high-efficiency materials for remediation of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in contaminated soil and groundwater. Herein, the effectiveness and mechanisms of a ternary Ca-Mg-Al LDH (CMAL) for the synergistic remediation of As, Cd, and Pb were investigated in contaminated soils and simulative groundwaters for the first time. The immobilization efficiencies of As, Cd, and Pb in both black soil (BS) and red soil (RS) amended by CMAL at 5 wt% were all > 75%. CMAL amendment transferred more mobile As, Cd, and Pb fractions in soils to immobile species than did Ca-Al LDH and Mg-Al LDH treatments. Furthermore, using a pump-and-treat technology, 82-98% of these 3 PTEs from contaminated groundwater were successfully immobilized in both CMAL treated BS and RS top-soils. Meanwhile, leaching of Ca, Mg, and Al from CMAL was minimal indicating the material was stable. The excellent immobilization performance of CMAL for these PTEs was attributed to the coating of soil microparticles by CMAL nanosheets that allowed complexation of Ca-O-As/Cd or Mg-O-As/Cd/Pb formation, co-precipitation of Ca/Fe-As and Cd(OH)2, and formation of Ca-bridged ternary complex (FeO-Ca-As/Cd). The adverse effect of oppositive pH/Eh-dependence between As and Cd/Pb was overshadowed by these mechanisms and thus allowed As immobilization. Immobilization of As, Cd, and Pb by CMAL amendment was more favorable for RS soil due to its lower reduction potential and more participation of metal-(hydr)oxides for complexation. Overall, the ternary-LDH is a promising synergistic remediation strategy for multi-PTEs contaminated soil and groundwater.

Applications and challenges of ultra-small particle size nanoparticles in tumor therapy.

With the development of nanotechnology, nanomedicines are widely used in tumor therapy. However, biological barriers in the delivery of nanoparticles still limit their application in tumor therapy. As one of the most fundamental properties of nanoparticles, particle size plays a crucial role in the process of the nanoparticles delivery process. It is difficult for large size nanoparticles with fixed size to achieve satisfactory outcomes in every process. In order to overcome the poor penetration of larger size, nanoparticles with ultra-small particle size are proposed, which are more conducive to deep tumor penetration and uniform drug distribution. In this review, the latest progresses and advantages of ultra-small nanoparticles are systematically summarized, the perspectives and challenges of ultra-small nanoparticles strategy for cancer treatment are also discussed.

Effect of three aging processes on physicochemical and As(V) adsorption properties of Ce/Mn-modified biochar.

Modified biochar used for soil remediation is affected by exposure to the environment and aging process results in changes in its physicochemical properties and As(V) adsorption and immobilization in soil. Herein, the Ce/Mn-modified wheat straw-biochar (MBC) was manufactured and then aged through three artificial aging processes by exposure to soil with additional natural, freeze-thaw, and dry-wet cycles involved. It revealed that the specific surface areas of freeze-thaw-aged MBC reached 214.98 m2/g and was increased more than those of other two aging treatments. In addition, the pH values and C contents of MBC all decreased after aging while the H and O contents increased. Correspondingly, the contents of O-containing functional groups like C-O, -OH, and CO all increased by >16% with aging. The freeze-thaw cycling and alternating dry-wet aging treatments improved adsorption capacities of As(V) onto MBC and were increased by 16.2 and 10.6% at pH 5, respectively and these samples exhibited the best recyclability and adsorption selectivity for As(V). However, natural aging exerted a lower effect for As(V) adsorption by MBC due to its few changes on physicochemical properties. Causally, the freeze-thaw and dry-wet aging activated the Ce/Mn-oxides to generate Mn2+/3+ species and a new mono-Ce that exerted a strong bonding complexation with As(V) to form Ce/Mn-O-As ligands and increased CeAsO4 precipitation. Our results offer a new insight into the alterations expected for modified biochars with aging treatment in terms of As(V) adsorption for its long-term utilization in As contaminated soil.

Rapid Conversion of Co2+ to Co3+ by Introducing Oxygen Vacancies in Co3O4 Nanowire Anodes for Nitrogen Removal with Highly Efficient H2 Recovery in Urine Treatment.

Urine is a nitrogenous waste biomass but can be used as an appealing alternative substrate for H2 recovery. However, urine electrolysis suffers from sluggish kinetics and requires alkaline condition. Herein, we report a novel system to decompose urine to H2 and N2 under neutral conditions mediated by Cl• using oxygen-vacancy-rich Co3O4 nanowire (Ov-Co3O4) anodes and CuO nanowire cathodes. The Co2+/Co3+ cycle in Co3O4 activates Cl- in urine to Cl•, which rapidly and selectively converts urea into N2. Thus, electron transfer is boosted for H2 production, eliminating the kinetic limitations. The shuttle of Co2+ to Co3+ is the key step for Cl• yield, which is accelerated due to the introduction of Ov. Electrochemical analysis shows that Ov induces positive charge on the Co center; therefore, Co2+ loses electrons more efficiently to form Co3+. H2 production in this system reaches 716 µmol h-1, which is 320% that of non-radical-mediated urine electrolysis. The utilization of Ov-Co3O4 further enhances H2 generation, which is 490 and 210% those of noble Pt and RuO2, respectively. Moreover, urine is effectively degraded in 90 min with the total nitrogen removal of 95.4%, and N2 is the final product. This work provides new insights for efficient and low-cost recovery of H2 and urine remediation.

Interferon-γ enhances the immunosuppressive ability of canine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by activating the TLR3-dependent IDO/kynurenine pathway.

BACKGROUND: The immunomodulatory function of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has been considered to be vital for MSC-based therapies. Many works have been devoted to excavate effective strategies for enhancing the immunomodulation effect of MSCs. Nonetheless, canine MSC-mediated immunomodulation is still poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: The inflammatory microenvironment was simulated through the employment of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in a culture system. Compared with unstimulated cBMSCs, IFN-γ stimulation increased the mRNA levels of Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO-1), and simultaneously enhanced the secretion of immunosuppressive molecules, including interleukin (IL)-10, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and kynurenine in cBMSCs. IFN-γ stimulation significantly enhanced the ability of cBMSCs and their supernatant to suppress the proliferation of murine spleen lymphocytes. Lymphocyte subtyping evaluation revealed that cBMSCs and their supernatant diminished the percentage of CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes compared with the control group, with a decreasing CD4+/CD8+ ratio. Notably, exposure to IFN-γ decreased the CD4+/CD8+ ratio more effectively than unstimulated cells or supernatant. Additionally, IFN-γ-stimulation increased the mRNA levels of the Th1 cytokines TNF-α, and remarkably decreased the mRNA level of the Th2 cytokine IL-4 and IL-10. CONCLUSION: Our findings substantiate that IFN-γ stimulation can enhance the immunomodulatory properties of cBMSCs by promoting TLR3-dependent activation of the IDO/kynurenine pathway, increasing the secretion of immunoregulatory molecules and strengthening interactions with T lymphocytes, which may provide a meaningful strategy for the clinical application of cBMSCs in immune-related diseases.

An antisense Alu transposon insertion/deletion polymorphism of ALDH1A1 may functionally associate with Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (encoded by ALDH1A1) has been shown to protect against Parkinson's disease (PD) by reducing toxic metabolites of dopamine. We herein revealed an antisense Alu element insertion/deletion polymorphism in intron 4 of ALDH1A1, and hypothesized that it might play a role in PD.  METHODS: A Han Chinese cohort comprising 488 PD patients and 515 controls was recruited to validate the Alu insertion/deletion polymorphism following a previous study of tag-single nucleotide polymorphisms, where rs7043217 was shown to be significantly associated with PD. Functional analyses of the Alu element insertion were performed. RESULTS: The Alu element of ALDH1A1 was identified to be a variant of Yb8 subfamily and termed as Yb8c4. The antisense Yb8c4 insertion/deletion polymorphism (named asYb8c4ins and asYb8c4del, respectively) appeared to be in a complete linkage disequilibrium with rs7043217 and was validated to be significantly associated with PD susceptibility with asYb8c4ins serving as a risk allele (P = 0.030, OR = 1.224, 95% CI = 1.020-1.470). Multiple functional analyses including ALDH1A1 mRNA expression in blood cells of carriers, and reporters of EGFP and luciferase showed that the asYb8c4ins had a suppressive activity on gene transcription. Mechanistic explorations suggested that the asYb8c4ins induced no changes in CpG methylation and mRNA splicing of ALDH1A1 and appeared no binding of transcription factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our results consolidate an involvement of ALDH1 in PD pathogenesis. The asYb8c4 polymorphism may be a functional output of its linkage disequilibrium-linked single nucleotide polymorphisms.

[Effects of Earthworms/Biochar on Bacterial Diversity and Community in As-contaminated Red Soil].

Cerium-manganese modified biochar (MBC) combined with earthworms (Eisenia foetida) can immobilize arsenic (As) in red soils. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to explore the combined effects of MBC and E. foetida on bacterial diversity and community structure in As-contaminated red soils. The results showed that the single earthworm treatment had the highest diversity index, whereas the diversity index decreased in the single biochar or MBC treatment, indicating that earthworms can boost the growth of bacteria in the soil, and the addition of biochar/MBC all decreased the bacterial diversity of soils. When biochar/MBC was combined with earthworms, the diversity index increased to some degree. In terms of bacterial community structure, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased significantly in each treatment, especially for MBC-earthworm treated soil, in which the relative abundance was increased by 17.08% and 329.47% for Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, respectively, compared to that in the control (CK). Otherwise, those abundances were decreased by 19.18% and 48.76%, respectively, for Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi. Correlation analysis results showed that the soil water-soluble As (WSAs) was negatively correlated with the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides (P<0.05) but was positively correlated with Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi (P<0.05), which indicated that with the decrease in WSAs in soils, the bacteria of Proteobacteria and Bacteroides reproduced rapidly, whereas the Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi were inhibited. Moreover, different treatments induced selective changes in the bacterial community, in which earthworms significantly promoted the proliferation of γ-Proteobacteria, Flavobacteriales, Aeromonadales, and Variovorax and earthworms improved the immobilization effect of As by promoting the growth of these bacteria.

Pre-magnetic bamboo biochar cross-linked CaMgAl layered double-hydroxide composite: High-efficiency removal of As(III) and Cd(II) from aqueous solutions and insight into the mechanism of simultaneous purification.

Trivalent arsenic (As(III)) and divalent cadmium (Cd(II)) contamination in water environment is an urgent issue because of their most toxic physicochemical properties. Herein, the simultaneous purification of As(III) and Cd(II) from aqueous solution was achieved by use of a pre-magnetic Fe modified bamboo biochar that cross-linked CaMgAl layered double-hydroxide composite (Fe-BC@LDH). In a binary system, adsorption equilibrium of As(III) and Cd(II) onto specific sorbent Fe-BC@LDH was reached within 100 and 10 min of contact time under anaerobic conditions, respectively, and the maximum adsorption capacities of As(III) and Cd(II) by Fe-BC@LDH were respectively calculated to be ⁓265.3 and ⁓320.7 mg/g at pH 4.5 and 5- and 14-times than that of unmodified biochar. Moreover, adsorption in a competitive or single system, the sorbent displayed a greater preference for Cd(II). Importantly, the removal of As(III) and Cd(II) onto the composite was more favorable in a binary system due to formation of ternary FeOCdAs bonding configuration as well as the redox transformation of As(III) to As(V), inner-sphere complexation of MOAs/Cd (MFe, Ca, Mg, Al), electrostatic attraction, and co-precipitation of scorodite and hydroxy­iron­cadmium. Furthermore, the nanocomposite was still highly efficient after 5 adsorption cycles. This study demonstrated that the synthesized cost-effective Fe-BC@LDH is a promising candidate for the simultaneous separation of As(III) and Cd(II) from wastewater.

Pre- and postharvest measures used to control decay and mycotoxigenic fungi in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) during storage.

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a worldwide, staple food crop, is susceptible to postharvest rots caused by a variety of fungal pathogens, including Fusarium spp., Alternaria spp., Phytophthora infestans, Helminthosporium solani, Rhizoctonia solani, and Colletotrichum coccodes. Rots resulting from infections by these pathogens cause a significant reduction in potato quality and marketable yield. Importantly, some of these decay fungi also produce mycotoxins that represent a potential risk to human health. In the present review, an overview and discussion are provided on the epidemiology and pathogenesis of decay fungi, especially Fusarium spp., that include recent data derived from genomic and phylogenetic analyses. The biosynthesis and functional role of fungitoxic metabolites such as trichothecene mycotoxins and fusaric acid, produced in rotted potatoes are also reviewed. Advances in pre- and postharvest measures for rot management, especially eco-friendly methods including physical control, biological control, the use of natural compounds, and other agricultural management practices are also reviewed. Lastly, novel approaches to control potato dry rot such as the use of mycoviruses and CRISPR technology are highlighted.

[PVT1 Promoted the Proliferation and Migration Ability of BMSCs in Glioma C6 Microenvironment].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the proliferation and migration ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after indirect co-culturing with glioma C6 cells, and to examine the role of plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 gene ( PVT1), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), in these changes. METHODS: After separation, cultivation and identification of BMSCs, BMSCs of good growth condition were picked out and indirectly co-cultured with glioma C6 cells in Transwell chambers. These cells are henceforth referred to as the co-culture group. Normal BMSCs cultured separately were the control group. CCK-8 and soft agar colony formation assay were used to examine the proliferation ability of the two groups of cells. Flow cytometry was used to examine the cell cycle. Wound healing assay and Transwell assay were used to explore the migration ability of the cells. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to examine the genetic expression level of PVT1 in the two groups. The above-mentioned tests were repeated after the co-cultured BMSCs were transfected with si- PVT1 (si- PVT1 group) and si-NC (si-NC group). In addition, qRT-PCR was done to evaluate the expression of CyclinD1, a cell cycle protein gene, and matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 ( MMP2 and MMP9), the migration-related genes in the si- PVT1 and si-NC transfected co-cultured BMSCs. RESULTS: The BMSCs used in the present study possess the capability of osteogeneic and adipogenic differentiation. Compared with the control group, the co-cultured BMSCs had smaller size, disorderly arrangement and the lack of intercellular contact inhibition. The proliferation and migration ability was significantly enhanced, the proportions of S and G 2 phase cells greatly increased and the expression level of PVT1 was significantly up-regulated ( P<0.05) in the co-cultured group in comparison with those of the control group. When compared with the si-NC group, the si- PVT1 group showed inhibited proliferation and migration ability of the co-cultured BMSCs; the percentage of G 1 phase cells increased, while that of S phase decreased; the expression of PVT1, CyclinD1, MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA also decreased ( P<0.05) in the si- PVT1 group. CONCLUSION: The enhanced proliferation and migration ability of BMSCs in the glioma C6 microenvironment may be associated with the up-regulated expression of PVT1 .

Effects of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mouth breathing is closely related to the facial skeletal development and malocclusion. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effect of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development and malocclusion in children. METHODS: An electronic search in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, EMBASE and Sigle through February 23rd, 2020, was conducted. Inclusion criteria were children under 18 years of age with maxillofacial deformities due to mouth breathing. The risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions (ROBINS-I) tool for controlled clinical trials. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used for the quality assessment. The included indicators were SNA, SNB, ANB, SN-OP, SN-PP, PP-MP, SNGoGn, MP-H, 1-NA, 1. NA, 1. NB, 1-NB, Overjet, Overbite, SPAS, PAS, and C3-H. Data concerning the mean difference in mesial molar movement and extent of canine retraction were extracted for statistical analysis. The mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were analyzed for continuous data. Review Manager 5.3, was used to synthesize various parameters associated with the impact of mouth breathing on facial skeletal development and malocclusion. RESULTS: Following full-text evaluations for eligibility, 10 studies were included in the final quantitative synthesis. In Sagittal direction, SNA (MD: - 1.63, P < 0.0001), SNB (MD: - 1.96, P < 0.0001) in mouth-breathing children was lower than that in nasal-breathing children. ANB (MD: 0.90, P < 0.0001), 1. NA (MD: 1.96, P = 0.009), 1-NA (MD: 0.66, P = 0.004), and 1-NB (MD: 1.03, P < 0.0001) showed higher values in children with mouth breathing. In vertical direction, SN-PP (MD: 0.68, P = 0.0050), SN-OP (MD: 3.05, P < 0.0001), PP-MP (MD: 4.92, P < 0.0001) and SNGoGn (MD: 4.10, P < 0.0001) were higher in mouth-breathing individuals. In airway, SPAS (MD: - 3.48, P = 0.0009), PAS (MD: - 2.11, P < 0.0001), and C3-H (MD: - 1.34, P < 0.0001) were lower in mouth breathing group. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that the mandible and maxilla rotated backward and downward, and the occlusal plane was steep. In addition, mouth breathing presented a tendency of labial inclination of the upper anterior teeth. Airway stenosis was common in mouth-breathing children. Trial registration crd-register@york.ac.uk, registration number CRD42019129198.

Fine-Mapping of the PLCL2 Gene Identifies Candidate Variants Associated With Ischaemic Stroke Risk in Metabolic Syndrome Patients.

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) reported PLCL2 on chromosome 3p24. 3 (rs4618210:A>G) as a novel susceptibility locus for myocardial infarction in the Japanese population. As the most common pathological process, atherosclerosis leads to metabolic syndrome (MetS)-related ischaemic stroke (IS) and myocardial infarction. Hypothesizing that polymorphisms of the PLCL2 gene might be associated with the onset and prognosis of IS in MetS patients, we performed the following study in a Chinese Han population. A total of 709 cases (patients with MetS plus IS) and 711 controls (patients with MetS) were enrolled. A fine-mapping strategy was adopted to identify tagged single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the PLCL2 gene, and improved multiplex ligation detection reaction (iMLDR) technology was used to genotype the selected SNPs. Logistic regression was used to analyse the values of the selected SNPs for the risk of IS between the cases and controls, adjusting for sex, age, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia, smoking and drinking. To compare the mean age of IS onset among different risk score groups, a genetic risk score was constructed for each case. The cumulative risk of IS events in the case group was presented using a cumulative incidence curve. All cases were followed up for 3 months, and functional outcomes were recorded prospectively. Two SNPs (rs4685423 and rs4618210) were significantly related to the risk of IS in MetS patients. For rs4685423, patients who were AA homozygotes were less likely to suffer from IS than C-allele carriers (OR 0.718; 95% CI 0.567-0.909; multivariate-adjusted, P = 0.006). For rs4618210, A-allele carriers were less likely to develop IS than patients who were GG homozygotes (OR 0.679; 95% CI 0.548-0.841; multivariate-adjusted, P < 0.001). As the genetic risk score increased, the mean age at IS onset decreased (log-rank P = 0.010). There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) outcomes across the rs4685423 (P = 0.319) or rs4618210 polymorphisms (P = 0.148). Our findings suggested that genetic polymorphisms of PLCL2 might be associated with the onset of MetS-related IS. Further studies are warranted to validate our findings in other ethnic populations.