Implications of depressive mood in OSAHS patients: insights from event-related potential.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) is a chronic breathing disorder characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction during sleep. Although previous studies have shown a link between OSAHS and depressive mood, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying mood disorders in OSAHS patients remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the emotion processing mechanism in OSAHS patients with depressive mood using event-related potentials (ERPs). METHODS: Seventy-four OSAHS patients were divided into the depressive mood and non-depressive mood groups according to their Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores. Patients underwent overnight polysomnography and completed various cognitive and emotional questionnaires. The patients were shown facial images displaying positive, neutral, and negative emotions and tasked to identify the emotion category, while their visual evoked potential was simultaneously recorded. RESULTS: The two groups did not differ significantly in age, BMI, and years of education, but showed significant differences in their slow wave sleep ratio (P = 0.039), ESS (P = 0.006), MMSE (P < 0.001), and MOCA scores (P = 0.043). No significant difference was found in accuracy and response time on emotional face recognition between the two groups. N170 latency in the depressive group was significantly longer than the non-depressive group (P = 0.014 and 0.007) at the bilateral parieto-occipital lobe, while no significant difference in N170 amplitude was found. No significant difference in P300 amplitude or latency between the two groups. Furthermore, N170 amplitude at PO7 was positively correlated with the arousal index and negatively with MOCA scores (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: OSAHS patients with depressive mood exhibit increased N170 latency and impaired facial emotion recognition ability. Special attention towards the depressive mood among OSAHS patients is warranted for its implications for patient care.

Global phylogeography and genomic characterization of blaKPC and blaNDM-positive clinical Klebsiella aerogenes isolates from China, 2016-2022.

Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella aerogenes (CRKA), being one of the members of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), has caused great public health concern, but with fewer studies compared to other CRE members. Furthermore, studies on phylogenetic analysis based on whole genome Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) of CRKA were limited. Here, 20 CRKA isolates (11 blaKPC-2-bearing and 9 blaNDM-1/5-harboring) were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, conjugation assay, whole genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis. Additionally, the phylogeographic relationships of K. aerogenes were further investigated from public databases. All isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, and they demonstrated susceptibility to colistin. Most blaKPC-2 or blaNDM-1/5-carrying plasmids were found to be conjugative. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the clonal dissemination of K. aerogenes primarily occurred within clinical settings. Notably, some strains in this study showed the potential for clonal transmission, sharing few SNPs between K. aerogenes and KPC- and/or NDM-positive K. aerogenes isolated from various countries. The STs of K. aerogenes strains had significant diversity. WGS analysis showed that the IncFIIK plasmid was the most prevalent carrier of blaKPC-2, and, blaNDM-1/5 were detected on the IncX3 plasmids. The Tn6296 and Tn3000 transposons were most common vehicles for facilitating the transmission of blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1/5, respectively. This study highlights the importance of continuous screening and surveillance by WGS for analysis of drug-resistant strains in hospital settings, and provide clinical information that supports epidemiological and public health research on human pathogens.

Epidemiological investigation and ß-lactam antibiotic resistance of Riemerella anatipestifer isolates with waterfowl origination in Anhui Province, China.

Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) is a highly pathogenic and complex serotypes waterfowl pathogen with inherent resistance to multiple antibiotics. This study was aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance characteristics and genomic features of R. anatipestifer isolates in Anhui Province, China in 2023. A total of 287 cases were analysed from duck farms and goose farms, and the R. anatipestifer isolates were subjected to drug resistance tests for 30 antimicrobials. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis were performed on the bacterial genomes, targeting the ß-lactam resistance genes. The results showed that a total of 74 isolates of R. anatipestifer were isolated from 287 cases, with a prevalence of 25.8%. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) revealed that all the 74 isolates were resistant to multiple drugs, ranging from 13 to 26 kinds of drugs. Notably, these isolates showed significant resistance to aminoglycosides and macrolides, which are also commonly used in clinical practices. Data revealed the presence of several ß-lactamase-related genes among the isolates, including a novel blaRASA-1 variant (16.2%), the class A extended-spectrum ß-lactamase blaRAA-1 (12.2%), and a blaOXA-209 variant (98.6%). Functional analysis of the variants blaRASA-1 and blaOXA-209 showed that the blaRASA-1 variant exhibited activity against various ß-lactam antibiotics while their occurrence in R. anatipestifer were not common. The blaOXA-209 variant, on the other hand, did not perform any ß-lactam antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, we observed that blaRAA-1 could undergo horizontal transmission among different bacteria via the insertion sequence IS982. In conclusion, this study delves into the high prevalence of R. anatipestifer infection in waterfowl in Anhui, China. The isolated strains exhibit severe drug resistance issues, closely associated with the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG). Additionally, our research investigates the ß-lactam antibiotic resistance mechanism in R. anatipestifer.

Molecular epidemiology, phenotypic and genomic characterization of antibiotic-resistant enterococcal isolates from diverse farm animals in Xinjiang, China.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in farm environments can be transferred to humans through the food chain and occupational exposure. Enterococcus infections caused by linezolid resistant enterococci (LRE) are becoming more challenging to treat as their resistance to antibiotics intensifies. Therefore, this study investigated the molecular epidemiology, phenotypic and genomic characterization of enterococci in seven species of farm animals (sheep, chicken, swine, camel, cattle, equine, pigeon) anal swab from Xinjiang, China by agar dilution method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis. A total of 771 samples were collected, 599 (78 %) were contaminated with Enterococcus spp., among which Enterococcus faecalis (350/599) was dominant. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that high resistance was observed in rifampicin (80 %), tetracycline (71 %), doxycycline (71 %), and erythromycin (69 %). The results of PCR showed the highest prevalent antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were aac(6')-aph(2″) (85 %), followed by tet(M) (73 %), erm(B) (62 %), and aph(3')-IIIa (61 %). Besides, 29 optrA-carrying E. faecalis isolates belonging to 13 STs (including 3 new alleles) were detected, with ST714 (31 %, 9/29) being the dominant ST type. The phylogenetic tree showed that optrA-carrying E. faecalis prevalent in the intensive swine farm is mainly caused by clonal transmission. Notably, optrA gene in Enterococcus spp. isolate from camel was first characterized here. WGS of E. faecalis F109 isolate from camel confirmed the colocalization of optrA with other five ARGs in the same plasmid (pAFL-109F). The optrA-harboring genetic context is IS1216E-fexA-optrA-erm(A)-IS1216E. This study highlights the prevalence of MDR Enterococcus (≥88 %) and four ARGs (≥75 %) in swine (intensive farming), cattle (commercial farming), and chickens (backyard farming) are high and also highlights that optrA-carrying E. faecalis of farm animals incur a transmission risk to humans through environment, food consumption and others. Therefore, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) monitoring and effective control measures should be strengthened and implemented in diverse animals.

Characterisation of a Novel Tigecycline Resistance Gene tet(X22) and its Coexistence with blaNDM-1 in a Pseudomonas caeni Isolate.

OBJECTIVES: The emergence of pathogens that are resistant to both tigecycline and carbapenem poses a threat to public health globally. Continuous emergence of novel tet(X) variants accelerates the tigecycline resistance crisis. This study aimed to characterise the novel tigecycline resistance gene tet(X22) and its coexistence with carbapenem resistance gene blaNDM-1 in Pseudomonas caeni. METHODS: This P. caeni isolate co-harbouring tet(X22) and blaNDM-1 was systematically investigated using antimicrobial susceptibility testing, conjugation assays, genome sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, cloning of tet(X22) and functional analysis, and protein structure prediction. RESULTS: The carbapenem-resistant and tigecycline-resistant P. caeni isolate CE14 was obtained from chicken faeces in 2022. CE14 carried multiple antibiotic resistance genes, including the novel tet(X22) and blaNDM-1. Tet(X22) exhibited 64.72-90.48% amino acid identity with other variants [Tet(X) to Tet(X21)]. Cloning of the gene tet(X22) and protein structure prediction revealed that Tet(X22) confers resistance to tetracyclines, including tigecycline. tet(X22) and blaNDM-1 were located in two multidrug-resistant regions of the chromosome. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of the novel ISCR2-flanked tet(X22) in P. caeni suggests that the tet(X) variant has adapted to new hosts and may widely spread to further expand the host range. The future global spread of such pathogens co-harbouring tet(X) and blaNDM variants needs to be continuously monitored according to the One Health approach.

Integrative conjugative elements mediate the high prevalence of tmexCD3-toprJ1b in Proteus spp. of animal source.

IMPORTANCE: The emergence and spread of tmexCD-toprJ have greatly weakened the function of tigecycline. Although studies have demonstrated the significance of Proteus as carriers for tmexCD-toprJ, the epidemic mechanism and characteristics of tmexCD-toprJ in Proteus remain unclear. Herein, we deciphered that the umuC gene in VRIII of SXT/R391 ICEs was a hotspot for the integration of tmexCD3-toprJ1b-bearing mobile genetic elements by genomic analysis. The mobilization and dissemination of tmexCD3-toprJ1b in Proteus were mediated by highly prevalent ICEs. Furthermore, the co-occurrence of tmexCD3-toprJ1b-bearing ICEs with other chromosomally encoded multidrug resistance gene islands warned that the chromosomes of Proteus are significant reservoirs of ARGs. Overall, our results provide significant insights for the prevention and control of tmexCD3-toprJ1b in Proteus.

Excessive daytime sleepiness in young and middle-aged Chinese adults with obstructive sleep apnea: implications for cognitive dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) on cognitive function among Chinese young and middle-aged Chinese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: Chinese adults struggling from moderate to severe OSA with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 events per hour and adults with primary snoring and mild OSA (AHI < 15 events per hour) were included in the study. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale measured hypersomnia, and cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA). RESULTS: In comparison to the primary snoring and mild OSA group (n=635), the moderate to severe OSA group (n=1423) tended to be older men with higher scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), as well as higher levels of oxygen desaturation (ODI) and a higher body mass index (BMI). Patients with moderate to severe OSA had fewer years of education, lower minimum arterial oxygen saturation (min-SaO2), and more severe sleep disturbances, such as decreased slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) and increased non-REM stages (N1 and N2). Comorbid conditions such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus were more common in these patients (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, accordingly). Only the delayed recall scores were statistically lower in the moderate to severe OSA group than the primary snoring and mild OSA group (P < 0.05). The main factor associated with delayed recall was the ESS score rather than age or years of education among moderate-severe OSA patients ≤ 40 years of age (P < 0.05). After controlling for potential confounding factors such as age, gender, BMI, education, hypertension, diabetes, sleep stages (SWS and REM), minimum arterial oxygen saturation (min-SaO2), oxygen ODI, and AHI, there was a negative correlation between the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score and the delayed recall scores. CONCLUSION: Patients with moderate to severe OSA had cognitive dysfunction, particularly impairment of delayed recall. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) was significantly associated with cognitive dysfunction in young and middle-aged patients with OSA.

Genomic insights into linezolid-resistant Enterococci revealed its evolutionary diversity and poxtA copy number heterogeneity.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the molecular mechanisms of linezolid-resistant enterococci (LRE) in swine slaughterhouses in China and apply the "One Health" perspective to analyse the evolutionary dynamics of poxtA-positive E. faecium in clinical and non-clinical settings worldwide. METHODS: The phenotypic and genomic characteristics of multiple LRE isolates were systematically investigated using antimicrobial susceptibility testing, transfer assays, evolutionary experiments, quantitative RT-PCR assays, whole-genome sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses. RESULTS: Swine faeces served as a significant reservoir for LRE isolates, and optrA and poxtA were the primary contributors to linezolid resistance. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed a significant interconnection between optrA and several other ARGs. The poxtA copy number heterogeneity and polymorphism were initially observed in E. faecium parental and evolved isolates. The poxtA-carrying tandem repeat region exhibits high mobility and has undergone extensive duplication owing to linezolid pressure. The poxtA copy number varies from four copies on the plasmid of E. faecium IC25 to 11 copies on the plasmid and six copies on the chromosome in the evolved isolate IC25-50_poxtA. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of 185 poxtA-positive E. faecium strains worldwide found that one isolate from a French patient in 2018 shared only two SNPs with CC17 E. faecium isolates IC25 and IC7-2 from this study, highlighting the potential global transmission of CC17 poxtA-positive E. faecium between humans and animals. CONCLUSION: This study identified amplification of poxtA as a response of E. faecium to linezolid pressure. Phylogenetic analysis shed light on the potential global transmission of hospital-associated CC17 poxtA-positive E. faecium in clinical and non-clinical settings.

Long-read metagenomic sequencing reveals that high-copy small plasmids shape the highly prevalent antibiotic resistance genes in animal fecal microbiome.

The emergence and prevalence of animal-derived antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose a great threat to public health globally. Long-read metagenomic sequencing is increasingly being used to decipher the fate of environmental ARGs. However, the investigations of the distribution, co-occurrence patterns, and host information of animal-derived environmental ARGs with long-read metagenomic sequencing have received little attention. To cover the gap, we employed a novel QitanTech nanopore long-read metagenomic sequencing method to perform a comprehensive and systematic investigation of the microbial communities and antibiotic resistance profiles, as well as to analyze the host information and genetic structures of ARGs in the feces of laying hens. Our results showed that highly abundant and diverse ARGs were detected in the feces of different ages of laying hens, indicating that feeding animal feces was an important reservoir for the enrichment and maintenance of ARGs. The distribution pattern of chromosomal ARGs was more strongly associated with fecal microbial communities than plasmid-mediated ARGs. Further long-read host tracking analysis revealed that ARGs from Proteobacteria are commonly located on plasmids, whereas in Firmicutes, they are usually carried by chromosomes. Co-occurrence analysis displayed that co-selection phenomena of different ARGs were common occurrences and highly active insertion sequences (ISs) could result in the serious prevalence of many ARGs. Notably, small high-copy plasmids played a significant role in the dissemination of several ARGs, such as floR and tet(L), which could disturb the compositions of fecal ARGs. Overall, our findings significantly expand our knowledge of the comprehensive landscape of feeding animal feces resistome, which is important for the prevention and management of multi-drug resistant bacteria in laying hens.

Daytime Hypercapnia Impairs Working Memory in Young and Middle-Aged Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome.

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) can lead to cognitive impairment, though few studies have so far examined hypercapnia as its causal mechanism, due to the invasive nature of conventional arterial CO2 measurement. The study aims to investigate the effects of daytime hypercapnia on working memory in young and middle-aged patients with OSAHS. Patients and Methods: This prospective study screened 218 patients and eventually recruited 131 patients (aged 25-60 years) with polysomnography (PSG)-diagnosed OSAHS. Using a cut-off of 45mmHg daytime transcutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PtcCO2), 86 patients were assigned into the normocapnic group and 45 patients into the hypercapnic group. Working memory was evaluated using the Digit Span Backward Test (DSB) and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Results: Compared with the normocapnic group, the hypercapnic group performed worse in verbal, visual, and spatial working memory tasks. PtcCO2≥45mmHg was an independent predictor for lower DSB scores (OR=4.057), lower accuracy in the immediate Pattern Recognition Memory (OR=2.600), delayed Pattern Recognition Memory (OR=2.766) and Spatial Recognition Memory (OR=2.722) tasks, lower Spatial Span scores (OR=4.795), and more between errors in the Spatial Working Memory task (OR=2.734 and 2.558, respectively). Notably, PSG indicators of hypoxia and sleep fragmentation did not predict task performance. Conclusion: Hypercapnia may be plays an important role in working memory impairment in patients with OSAHS, perhaps more so than hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Routine CO2 monitoring in these patients could prove of utility in clinical practices.

Associations between dairy consumption, physical activity, and blood pressure in Chinese young women.

Introduction: The prevalence of hypertension (HTN) has been increasing in young adults. A healthy dietary pattern and increasing physical activity (PA) are commonly recommended as lifestyle modifications needed to manage blood pressure (BP). However, little is known about the relationship between dairy intake, PA, and BP in Chinese young women. The aim of this study was to examine whether BP was associated with dairy intake, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and total physical activity (TPA) in a sample of Chinese young women. Methods: A total of 122 women (20.4 ± 1.4) who had complete data sets from the Physical Fitness in Campus (PFIC) study were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Data related to dairy intake and PA was collected using a food frequency questionnaire and an accelerometer. BP was measured following standardized procedures. The association between BP with dairy intake and PA was examined using multivariable linear regression models. Results: After controlling for potential covariables, we observed a significant and independent relationship only between systolic BP with dairy intake [standardized beta (b) = -0.275, p < 0.001], MVPA (b = -0.167, p = 0.027), and TPA (b = -0.233, p = 0.002). Furthermore, we found a decrease of 5.82 ± 2.94, 1.13 ± 1.01, and 1.10 ± 0.60 mm Hg in systolic BP for daily additional servings of dairy, 10 min of MVPA, and 100 counts per minute of TPA, respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the higher amount of dairy consumption or PA was associated with lower level of SBP in Chinese young women.

The effect of Tabata-style functional high-intensity interval training on cardiometabolic health and physical activity in female university students.

Introduction: The increasing prevalence of metabolic syndrome and physical inactivity enhances exposure to cardiometabolic risk factors in university students. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) improved cardiometabolic health in clinical adults but the evidence in the university setting is limited. Furthermore, few studies examined the effect of low-volume HIIT on habitual physical activity (PA). Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 12-week Tabata-style functional HIIT for improving multiple cardiometabolic health outcomes and habitual PA. We also investigated whether changes in habitual PA over the intervention period had an impact on exercise-induced health outcomes. Methods: 122 female freshmen were randomized into the Tabata group (n = 60) and the control (n = 62). The Tabata training protocol involved 8 × 20 s maximal repeated functional exercises followed by 10 s rest with a frequency of 3 times per week for 12 weeks. Body composition, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), blood pressure (BP), blood lipids, fasting glucose and insulin, C-reactive protein and PA were objectively measured using standardized methods. Dietary intake was measured using a valid food frequency questionnaire. All variables were measured pre- and post-intervention. Results: Mixed linear modelling results showed that there were large intervention effects on VO2max (p < 0.001, d = 2.53, 95% CI: 2.03 to 3.00 for relative VO2max; p < 0.001, d = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.76 to 2.68 for absolute VO2max), resting heart rate (p < 0.001, d = -1.82, 95% CI: -2.23 to -1.37), systolic BP (p < 0.001, d = -1.24, 95% CI: -1.63 to -0.84), moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) (p < 0.001, d = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.83 to 2.77), total PA (p < 0.001, d = 1.98, 95% CI: 1.53 to 2.41); moderate effects on %BF (p < 0.001, d = -1.15, 95% CI: -1.53 to -0.75), FM (p < 0.001, d = -1.08, 95% CI: -1.46 to -0.69), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (p < 0.001, d = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.65 to 1.42), total cholesterol (p = 0.001, d = -0.64, 95% CI: -1.00 to -0.26); small effects on BMI (p = 0.011, d = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.84 to 0.11), WC (p = 0.043, d = -0.37, 95% CI: -0.74 to -0.01), low-density lipoprotein (p = 0.003, d = -0.57, 95% CI: -0.93 to -0.19), HOMA-IR (p = 0.026, d = -0.42, 95% CI: -0.78 to -0.05) and fasting insulin (p = 0.035, d = -0.40, 95% CI: -0.76 to -0.03). Regression analysis showed that only the percentage change of HDL was associated with the change of MVPA (b = 0.326, p = 0.015) and TPA (b = 0.480, p = 0.001). Conclusion: From the findings of the study we can conclude that 12-week low-volume Tabata-style functional HIIT was highly effective for university female students to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, body fat, some cardiometabolic health outcomes and habitual PA.

Clonal outbreak of NDM-1-producing Enterobacter hormaechei belonging to high-risk international clone ST78 with the coexistence of tmexCD2-toprJ2 and mcr-9 in China.

OBJECTIVES: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex (CR-ECC) has posed significant global challenges to the clinical treatment of healthcare-associated infections. This study reports the clonal outbreak of NDM-1-producing Enterobacter hormaechei (E. hormaechei) with the coexistence of tmexCD2-toprJ2 and mcr-9 in China. METHODS: During the outbreak (January 2018 - December 2021), 15 non-repetitive multidrug-resistant E. hormaechei strains were obtained from 13 patients in a tertiary hospital. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, plasmid stability, plasmid conjugation, plasmid fitness evaluation, colistin induction, whole-genome sequencing, and bioinformatics analysis were performed. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on single nucleotide polymorphisms of core genomes to illustrate the evolutionary dynamics of mcr-9-carrying E. hormaechei strains worldwide. RESULTS: The 15 E. hormaechei strains belonged to the high-risk international clone ST78 and co-harboured tmexCD2-toprJ2 and blaNDM-1, of which 12 E. hormaechei strains carried the mcr-9 gene. Whole-genome sequencing analysis revealed that tmexCD2-toprJ2 and blaNDM-1 coexisted on the IncFIB/IncFII-type plasmid, which could be transferred to Escherichia coli J53 by conjugation and had a significant effect on host fitness. The mcr-9 gene was located between two insertion sequences, IS903B and IS1R, but lacked the two-component system regulatory gene qseBC, which might be the reason for all mcr-9-positive E. hormaechei strains remaining susceptible to colistin. The expression of mcr-9 was not inducible in strains confirmed by colistin induction assays. Phylogenetic analysis illustrated the silent spread and rapid evolution of mcr-9-carrying E. hormaechei worldwide. CONCLUSION: This study enriched the epidemiological and genomic characterisation of the coexistence of tmexCD2-toprJ2 and mcr-9 in ST78 CR-ECC isolates and demonstrated that they could prolong clonal dissemination in a tertiary hospital in China. Continuous epidemiological surveillance and molecular characterisation of CR-ECC should be conducted to monitor the evolution of CR-ECC around the world.

Novel Trimethoprim Resistance Gene dfrA49 Identified in Riemerella anatipestifer from China.

Resistance to trimethoprim is mainly mediated by the acquisition of mobile dfrA genes, and most of them were discovered in Enterobacteriales. A total of 139 Riemerella anatipestifer isolates were collected from different farms in China during 2014 to 2020. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and genome analysis of R. anatipestifer isolates revealed a 504-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative dfrA gene. This DfrA variant shared 66.47% amino acid sequence identity with DfrA36 and shared ≤51.20% identity with any other previously identified DfrA proteins. The novel dfrA gene, designated dfrA49, conferred trimethoprim (TMP) resistance when cloned into Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Thirty dfrA49-positive isolates were identified from Jiangsu and Guangdong province (5/38, 13.16%, and 25/101, 24.75%, respectively). Five of the 38 isolates had obtained the complete genome sequences. Genomic analysis showed that the dfrA49 gene was located on chromosomes or a plasmid (four of them were on chromosomes and one was located on a plasmid). The plasmid p20190305E2-2_2 carried dfrA49, catB, ermF, ereD, blaOXA (88.36% identity with blaOXA-209), Δarr, and tet(X18). Further research indicated that dfrA49 usually coexisted with catB in R. anatipestifer. In this study, a novel trimethoprim resistance gene, dfrA49, was identified and characterized in chromosome and plasmid sequences from R. anatipestifer using WGS and bioinformatic methods. It further expands knowledge about the pool of mobile dfrA genes that confer resistance to trimethoprim and provides information about antibiotic resistance genes in R. anatipestifer, where the resistance gene pool circulating is not well understood. IMPORTANCE Trimethoprim is a synthetic antimicrobial agent inhibiting dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which is encoded by the folA gene. Acquired genes that confer trimethoprim resistance due to mutations in the folA gene are designated dfr and divided into two main families including dfrA and dfrB. Resistance to trimethoprim is mainly mediated by the acquisition of mobile dfrA genes, and most of them were discovered in Enterobacteriales. R. anatipestifer belongs to the Flavobacteriaceae family, and the reservoir of dfrA resistance genes in R. anatipestifer has not been fully investigated. A novel trimethoprim resistance gene, dfrA49, which was identified and characterized in chromosome and plasmid sequences in this study, increased the MIC of TMP (>256-fold) in E. coli BL21(DE3). Our study expands knowledge about the pool of mobile dfrA genes that confer resistance to trimethoprim and broadens the understanding of the host spectrum of dfrA family genes.

Capsaicinoids and volatile flavor compounds profile of Sichuan hotpot as affected by cultivar of chili peppers during processing.

Sichuan hotpot oil is a distinctive traditional Chinese cuisine, and chili pepper is an essential material for its flavor formation. In this study, the effect of chili pepper cultivars on capsaicinoids as well as Sichuan hotpot oil volatile compounds were examined. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and chemometrics were employed to ascertain the differences between volatile components and flavor. The results showed that the EJT hotpot oil had the highest color intensity of 34.8, and the SSL hotpot oil had the highest capsaicinoids content of 1.536 g/kg. The results of QDA showed distinct differences among hotpot oils in terms of all sensory properties. A total of 74 volatile components were detected. Aldehydes, ketones, esters, and acids were the dominant volatile compounds formed in 18 hotpot oil samples and showed a significant difference, suggesting that they played a key role in flavor contribution and distinguishing the flavor differences between different hotpot oils. The PCA results well distinguished 18 kinds of hotpot oil.

Sleep Spindle Characteristics and Relationship with Memory Ability in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) causes intermittent hypoxia and sleep disruption in the brain, resulting in cognitive dysfunction, but its pathogenesis is unclear. The sleep spindle wave is a transient neural event involved in sleep memory consolidation and synaptic plasticity. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of sleep spindle activity and its relationship with memory ability in patients with OSAS. A total of 119 patients, who were divided into the OSAS group (n = 59, AHI ≥ 15) and control group (n = 60, AHI < 15) according to the Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI), were enrolled and underwent polysomnography. Power spectral density (PSD) and omega complexity were used to analyze the characteristics of single and different brain regions of sleep spindles. Memory-related cognitive functions were assessed in all subjects, including logical memory, digit ordering, pattern recognition, spatial recognition and spatial working memory. The spindle PSD of the OSAS group was significantly slower than the control group, regardless of the slow, fast, or total spindle. The complexity of the spindles in the prefrontal and central region decreased significantly, whereas it increased in the occipital region. Sleep spindle PSD was positively correlated with logical memory and working memory. Spindle complexity was positively correlated with immediate logical and visual memory in the prefrontal region and positively correlated with immediate/delayed logical and working memory in the central region. In contrast, spindle complexity in the occipital region negatively correlated with delayed logical memory. Spindle hyperconnectivity in the prefrontal and central regions underlies declines in logical, visual and working memory and weak connections in the occipital spindles underlie the decline in delayed logical memory.

Effects of severe obstructive sleep apnea on functional prognosis in the acute phase of ischemic stroke and quantitative electroencephalographic markers.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on functional prognosis in the acute phase and quantitative electroencephalography (EEG) markers during sleep in ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: This study included 125 mild-to-moderate acute ischemic stroke patients with OSA who underwent polysomnography (PSG) within one week of stroke onset between January 2015 and June 2020. Patients were grouped according to their apnea-hypopnea index (

Optimization and Preparation of Tallow with a Strong Aroma by Mild Oxidation.

This study was performed to extract and separate the volatiles with solid-phase microextraction (SPME), and was conducted to analyze volatile odor compounds qualitatively and quantitatively in the production of a strong aroma tallow by mild oxidation. A total of 51 odor compounds were detected in the tallow smelted under different conditions. It was found that the high proportion of aldehydes was an important feature of the aroma components in the oxidized melted tallow, such as 1-hexanal, heptanal, nonanal, octanal, benzaldehyde, etc. Through the determination of various indicators, sensory evaluation, and the gas chromatography-olfaction-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) analysis and, in combination with response surface methodology, the optimal process parameters for oxidative smelting of tallow were determined as follows: a reaction temperature of 149.61 °C, a reaction time of 31.68 min, and an airflow rate of 97.44 L/h. The accelerated oxidation test further verified the quality of the oxidized tallow.

Prediction of flavor of Maillard reaction product of beef tallow residue based on artificial neural network.

The beef flavor of beef tallow residue was improved by enzymatic hydrolysis followed by the Maillard reaction, and the flavor could be predicted using an artificial neural network. Five beef tallow residue hydrolysates were prepared using different enzymes. The Flavourzyme and Papain (FP) hydrolysate had low molecular weight peptides and high degree of hydrolysis and free amino acid content. We identified 49 main compounds, including aldehydes, pyrazines, and furan. Furan and pyrazine were the dominant volatile compounds in the five beef tallow residue-derived Maillard reaction products (MRPs), and their profiles and levels in the FP MRPs were high. The FP MRPs had the best sensory characteristics. The artificial neural network analysis revealed that the multiple input single output model had a better performance than the single input single output model, and the prediction accuracy was>90%, indicating that the MRPs sensory evaluation scores could be accurately predicted.