LncRNA XXYLT1-AS2 promotes tumor progression via autophagy inhibition through ubiquitinated degradation of TFEB in hepatocellular carcinoma

Purpose There is compelling evidence that long-stranded non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lncRNA XXYLT1 antisense-2 (XXYLT1-AS2) in HCC progression. Methods Real-time PCR was used to assess the levels of XXYLT1-AS2 in plasma from HCC and normal patients. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were monitored, and tumor xenografts were established to investigate the biological functions of XXYLT1-AS2 by gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies in vitro and in vivo, the expression of autophagy biomarkers and transcriptional factor EB (TFEB) was examined by immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assays, and western blotting. Autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3MA), and proteasome inhibitor, MG132, were used to verify the role of autophagy in HCC progression and the effect of XXYLT1-AS2 on TFEB ubiquitination, respectively. Results In this study, we identified that lncRNA XXYLT1-AS2 is highly expressed in HCC plasma and promotes tumor growth in vivo. In functional studies, it was found that silent expression of XXYLT1-AS2 inhibited HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and activated autophagy of HCC cells, which were attenuated by autophagy inhibitor, 3MA. Mechanistically, XXYLT1-AS2 decreased the protein level of TFEB through promoting its degradation by ubiquitin proteasome pathway. Conclusion XXYLT1-AS2 plays an oncogenic role in HCC progression through inhibition of autophagy via promoting the degradation of TFEB, and thus could be a novel target for HCC treatment (AU)

LncRNA XXYLT1-AS2 promotes tumor progression via autophagy inhibition through ubiquitinated degradation of TFEB in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: There is compelling evidence that long-stranded non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of lncRNA XXYLT1 antisense-2 (XXYLT1-AS2) in HCC progression. METHODS: Real-time PCR was used to assess the levels of XXYLT1-AS2 in plasma from HCC and normal patients. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were monitored, and tumor xenografts were established to investigate the biological functions of XXYLT1-AS2 by gain-of-function and loss-of-function studies in vitro and in vivo, the expression of autophagy biomarkers and transcriptional factor EB (TFEB) was examined by immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination assays, and western blotting. Autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3MA), and proteasome inhibitor, MG132, were used to verify the role of autophagy in HCC progression and the effect of XXYLT1-AS2 on TFEB ubiquitination, respectively. RESULTS: In this study, we identified that lncRNA XXYLT1-AS2 is highly expressed in HCC plasma and promotes tumor growth in vivo. In functional studies, it was found that silent expression of XXYLT1-AS2 inhibited HCC proliferation, migration, invasion, and activated autophagy of HCC cells, which were attenuated by autophagy inhibitor, 3MA. Mechanistically, XXYLT1-AS2 decreased the protein level of TFEB through promoting its degradation by ubiquitin proteasome pathway. CONCLUSION: XXYLT1-AS2 plays an oncogenic role in HCC progression through inhibition of autophagy via promoting the degradation of TFEB, and thus could be a novel target for HCC treatment.

Scorpio and centipede ameliorate asthma by inhibiting the crosstalk between ferroptosis and inflammation in airway epithelial cells.

Objectives: We previously revealed that scorpio and centipede (SC) improve the inflammatory response in asthma, whereas it is unclear whether ferroptosis is involved in this process. Materials and Methods: The asthmatic mouse model was established and lung tissues were collected for histopathological examination. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin- (IL-)1ß, Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), ferritin heavy chain 1(FTH1), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed in asthmatic mice and mouse airway epithelial cells. Results: Our results showed that ferroptosis was induced in asthmatic mice, as evidenced by the reduction of FTH1 and GPX4 expression and the increase of MDA and Fe2+ levels (all P<0.05). Ferrostatin-1 repressed inflammation and ferroptosis of asthmatic mice. Additionally, SC significantly inhibited the levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, MDA, and Fe2+, while enhancing FTH1 and GPX4 expression. However, SC plus erastin showed the reverse results. Moreover, ferroptosis remarkably increased in asthmatic airway epithelial cells, while SC suppressed ferroptosis of the cells (all P<0.05). Conclusion: SC ameliorated asthma by inhibiting the crosstalk between ferroptosis and inflammation in airway epithelial cells.

Association between FGA gene polymorphisms and coronary artery lesion in Kawasaki disease.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between FGA gene polymorphisms and coronary artery lesion in Kawasaki disease. Methods: Two hundred and thirty four children with Kawasaki disease (KD group), 200 healthy children (normal group) and 208 children with non-KD fever (fever group) were enrolled. General clinical indicators, the concentration of serum MMPs, TIMP-1, FG-α,fibrinogen level, molecular function (FMPV/ODmax) and FGA Thr312Ala polymorphism were detected individually by testing peripheral venous blood after fasting in the morning. Results: There was no significant difference in average age among the three groups, which were 3.03 ± 1.22 years, 3.17 ± 1.30 years, and 3.21 ± 1.31 years, respectively. Compared with those in the fever group, the levels of white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT), procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and fibrinogen (Fg) levels were significantly increased in the KD group. Red blood cell count (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels were significantly decreased (p < 0.05).The concentration of serum MMPs, TIMP-1, and FG-α in the KD and fever groups were significantly higher than those in the normal group (p < 0.05). The concentration of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-13, TIMP-1, and FG-α in the KD group were significantly higher than those in the fever group (p < 0.05).The KD group was divided into two subgroups,55 patients with combined CAL and 179 patients without combined CAL. The plasma fibrinogen concentration in the combined CAL group was significantly higher than that in the non-combined CAL and normal groups (p < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in FMPV/ODmax among the three groups (p > 0.05). Compared with normal group, the FGA GG, GA, and AA genotype and G, A allele frequency of the FGA gene polymorphism in the KD group showed no significant difference (p > 0.05). In the KD group, the most common type in children with CAL was GA, while the most common type in children without CAL was GG. Conclusion: MMPs and FG-α were significantly upregulated in KD patients. The proportion of FGA genotype GA in children with CAL was significantly higher than that in children without CAL, suggesting that FGA gene polymorphisms affect coronary artery lesion in children with KD.

Oxidized corn oil changes the liver lipid metabolism of broilers by upregulating peroxisome proliferators activate receptor-α.

The objective of the following study was to investigate the effects of naturally oxidized corn oil on the antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism of broilers. A total of 450, 1-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 6 replicate cages and 15 birds/cage. The dietary treatment array consisted of ratios of naturally oxidized corn oil to non-oxidized corn oil from 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0, respectively. Serum, liver, and abdominal fat samples were taken at 42 d. The results showed that the liver organ index, liver catalase (CAT) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) content had significant quadratic relationships with the ratio of naturally oxidized corn oil (P < 0.05). Inflammatory infiltrating cells appeared in the liver of the 50% and 75% oxidized corn oil group. The percentage of abdominal fat, and serum free fatty acids (FFA) content increased linearly with the increased proportion of oxidized corn oil (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of NADH quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), peroxisome proliferators activate receptor-α (PPARα), carnitine acyltransferase (CPT1), and acyl-coenzyme oxidase (ACO) of the liver increased linearly while oxidized corn oil increased in the diet (P < 0.05). Diets containing 100% oxidized corn oil significantly changed the mRNA expression of liver Caveolin compared with other treatment groups (P < 0.05). Taken together, this study demonstrated that naturally oxidized corn oil could change liver lipid metabolism and accelerate lipid deposition of broilers by upregulating PPARα.

Qinggan Huoxue Recipe Protects against Experimental Alcoholic Liver Fibrosis through CXCL16 Inhibition.

Background: Qinggan Huoxue recipe (QGHXR), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, has a protective effect against liver fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objective: This study investigated the antifibrotic role of QGHXR and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: The composition of QGHXR was determined using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Female C57BL/6J mice were fed either a Lieber-DeCarli liquid diet or pair-fed control diet and intraperitoneally injected with CCl4 for 8 weeks (n = 8). In week 5, the mice were administered 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg QGHXR via oral gavage daily for 4 weeks. Results: UPLC-MS result showed that QGHXR contained 45 compounds including salvianolic acid A, scutellarin, baicalin, rutin, and chai saponin D. QGHXR alleviated pathological alterations in the liver. The alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was reduced to 44.88 ± 4.39 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to 76.25 ± 4.17 U/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) to 60.75 ± 5.41 U/L, and acetaldehyde to 38.54 ± 1.01 U/L compared with that of the control group (ALT 72.38 ± 5.19 U/L, AST 119.63 ± 9.82 U/L, and ALP 98.63 ± 6.71 U/L and acetaldehyde 64.86 ± 4.70 U/L). QGHXR inhibited lipid overproduction and fibrotic gene expression. The serum concentration of chemokine C-X-C ligand 16 (CXCL16) was reduced to 62.83 ± 6.80 pg/ml compared with that of the control group (130.91 ± 13.72 pg/mL). QGHXR downregulated CXCL16 mRNA and protein expressions. Pharmacological CXCL16 treatment reversed the QGHXR-induced protective effects in ethanol plus CCl4 fed mice. QGHXR reduced CXCL16 levels (91.97 ± 5.86 pg/ml) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells compared with that of the control group (148.68 ± 8.62 pg/ml) and inhibited toll-like receptor 4 and nuclear factor-kappa B phosphorylation. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that QGHXR mitigates experimental alcoholic liver fibrosis by CXCL16 inhibition, and may be considered a potential therapeutic agent for treating liver fibrosis.

Analysis of the trend of volatile compounds by HS-SPME-GC-MS and the main factors affecting the formation of rancid odor during the oxidation process of infant nutrition package.

In this study, headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) coupled with GC-MS was used to analyze the trend of volatile compounds in fresh and oxidative infant nutrition package. Among the volatile compounds, aldehydes and ketones, alcohols, lipids, cycloalkenes, alkanes, alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, oxygenated compound were identified. A total of 65 volatile compounds were detected in the fresh nutrition package, whereas 9 new volatile compounds were detected during the accelerated oxidation process, which was oxidized at 45 °C for 4 weeks. The main components of the rancid flavor formed and the relative content of volatile substances gradually changed during the accelerated oxidation process. The volatile substances hexanal, nonanal, and 2-pentylfuran substantially increased. Linalool, α-terpineol, d-limonene, and 1-methoxy-nonane presented an evidently downward trend. The relative content of the newly formed compound 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyran-4-one during the oxidation process was always large, its relative content initially increased, then decreased, and finally increased again. The formation of rancid flavor of the nutrient package was speculated to have been formed by the interaction of hexanal, nonanal, 2-pentylfuran, and 3-hydroxy-2-methylpyran-4-one.

A waste-free entropy-driven DNA nanomachine for smartly designed photoelectrochemical biosensing of MicroRNA-155.

DNA nanotechnology has been booming in many fields such as biosensors, logic gates, and material science. Typically, as a kind of powerful isothermal and enzyme-free DNA amplifier in biosensors, entropy-driven DNA nanomachines are superior to hairpin-based ones in speed, specificity, stability, and simplicity. However, the atomic economy of non-covalent molecular reactions in these machines is not high, and DNAs waste is typically generated during operation. Herein, in order to further save costs and improve the performance, we report a novel design for a smart photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor of microRNA-155 by engineering waste-free entropy-driven DNA amplifiers conjugated to superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 particles. This elegant design efficiently avoids leaving redundant DNA strands and waste complex in the amplification system, and all the displaced DNA strands can be regenerated into double-stranded structures, making the reaction irreversible. Thanks to superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 particles, this strategy is achieved by effectively enriching, extracting, and cleaning target analogs to prevent co-existing species from remaining on the modified electrode surface, enabling a highly specific and sensitive PEC biosensor. This innovative study will be a new perspective on microRNAs detection in complex biological systems, paving the way for the design of waste-free DNA molecular machines and promoting the development of DNA nanotechnology.

Age-dependent response to fasting during assessment of metabolizable energy and total tract digestibility in chicken.

Fasting is typically used to empty the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and assess feed metabolizable energy (ME). However, the effects of fasting on energy and nutrient utilization are not well understood. This study aimed to explore the difference in GIT emptying, energy and nutrient utilization of broilers and adult roosters fed corn-soybean meal-based diet upon fasting. In experiment 1, 7 cages of broilers/adult roosters were selected and fasted for 72 h, and excreta were collected from 12 h of fasting and analyzed every 12 h to explore GIT emptying. Results indicated the GIT emptying time of free-feeding broilers or adult roosters is 12 or 24 h, respectively. In experiment 2, 4 treatments were used that consisted of 2 ages of birds (25 d broilers and 30 wk adult roosters) and 2 feeding forms (fed ad libitum or fasted for 36 h before formal feeding). Excreta was collected during refeeding, and the total collection method (TCM) and the index method (IM) were used for data analysis. Compared to non-fasted group, fasting increased the total tract digestibility of ME, gross energy (GE), and ether extract (EE) (by 1.80, 3.50 and 18.56%, respectively, all P < 0.05) in broilers, but decreased the total tract digestibility of nitrogen by 8.10% (P < 0.05). Conversely, fasting increased total tract digestibility of nitrogen in adult roosters (-0.37% vs. 11.65%, P < 0.05). The comparative analysis found that total tract digestibility of nitrogen obtained by TCM was greater than the result calculated by IM (17.76 % vs. -0.37). Similarly, total tract digestibility of GE calculated by TCM was significantly higher than the value observed by IM (P < 0.05). However, the results of total tract digestibility of GE and nitrogen in broilers calculated by TCM were consistent with those obtained by IM. Overall, fasting increases total tract digestibility in broilers and total tract digestibility of nitrogen in adult roosters, respectively. Additionally, total tract digestibility calculated by TCM may be overestimated.

Scorpion and centipede alleviates severe asthma through M2 macrophage-derived exosomal miR-30b-5p.

Asthma is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases. Although the scorpion and centipede (SC) significantly ameliorates asthma and changes exosomal miRNAs, the molecular mechanism is still obscure. Here, we show that SC improves inflammation in asthmatic mice and increases M2 macrophage-derived exosomes (M2Φ-Exos) by promoting M2 macrophage polarization. The M2Φ-Exos remarkably inhibits airway epithelial cell pyroptosis by reducing the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, and LI-1ß and mitochondrial swelling. Furthermore, miR-30b-5p is up-regulated in M2Φ-Exos compared with M1Φ-Exos. Overexpression of miR-30b-5p in M2Φ-Exos prevents airway epithelial cell pyroptosis, while down-regulation of miR-30b-5p promotes pyroptosis. We also uncover that pyroptosis is increased in asthmatic mice, while SC blocks pyroptosis. Moreover, miR-30b-5p overexpressed M2Φ-Exos further enhances the ameliorative effect of SC, which significantly down-regulates IRF7 expression. Our results collectively reveal that M2Φ-Exos induced by SC could carry miR-30b-5p to mitigate severe asthma by inhibiting airway epithelial cell pyroptosis. Most importantly, our findings may provide a potential clinical application of M2Φ-Exos for treating severe asthma.

Effects of the Training of Aerobic Function on Clinical Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with Medium and Advanced Lung Cancer.

Objective: To investigate the effects of the training of aerobic function on clinical symptoms and quality of life in patients with medium and advanced lung cancer. Methods: The study objects were 84 patients with medium and advanced lung cancer who were treated in our hospital (July 2019-July 2021) and their materials were retrospectively reviewed. Depending on the different intervention modes, they were equally divided into control group (routine nursing intervention measures) and experiment group (training of aerobic function), with 42 cases in each group. The clinical symptoms and living quality were compared between the two groups. Results: After intervention, affective meaning, behavior/severity, cognitive/mood, and sensory scores in both groups were decreased, and the various indexes in the experiment group were lower compared with the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the patients' clinical symptoms, such as pain, inappetence, insomnia, and dyspnea in the two groups were improved, and the experiment group achieved eminently better improvement compared with the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the walking distances in 6 minute walk test (6MWT) in both groups were increased, and the experiment group achieved observably longer walking distance compared with the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the patients' pulmonary function indexes of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1), and FEV1/FVC% level in the two groups were all improved, and the experiment group had signally better indexes compared with the control group (P < 0.05). After intervention, the patients' scores of Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) in both groups were decreased, and the experiment group achieved much lower score compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The training of aerobic function has obvious therapeutic effect on medium and advanced lung cancer. This training can mitigate the patients' cancer-related fatigue and clinical symptoms, improve their pulmonary function, and enhance their athletic ability and quality of life.

Insights into the proteomic profile of newly harvested corn and metagenomic analysis of the broiler intestinal microbiota.

BACKGROUND: The use of newly harvested corn in feed causes wet droppings in broilers and increased feed cost which was termed as "new season grain problem". The present study was conducted to evaluate the proteomic profile of newly harvested corn and the subsequent influence on intestinal microbiol community for broiler chickens. METHODS: Newly harvested corn stored for either half a month (HM) or two months (TM) was used, and the pasting properties, total soluble sugars, and proteomic analysis technology was used to explore the influence of storage on natural aging corn properties. Additionally, seventy-two 7-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chicken were fed with different stored corn. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME), digesta viscosity, intestinal morphology and microbiota were examined to explore the influence of feed corn storage on broiler chickens. RESULTS: Pasting properties in the TM corn exhibited decreased viscoelastic properties. Proteomic studies found a total of 26 proteins that were differentially expressed between the two treatment groups. Proteins involved in starch and polysaccharides biosynthesis were upregulated in TM compared with HM. Chickens fed on TM diet had higher relative energy utilization compared to the HM birds. With increased corn storage, the relative digesta viscosity decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05). The total number of goblet cells and lymphocytes was lower in chickens fed the TM diet. The microbiota data showed that the TM chickens had decreased abundance of diarrheal bacteria such as Hungatella hathewayi and Bacteroides fragilis, and increased butyrate-producing bacteria such as Alistipes compared to the HM chickens. CONCLUSIONS: Storage of newly harvested corn induced the synthetic reaction of large molecules and changed the solubility of starch and protein with increasing soluble sugars and decreasing pasting properties that may improve the fermentation of intestinal microbiota, improve the energy utilization and protect gut health without the risk of diarrhea.

Methionine deficiency and its hydroxy analogue influence chicken intestinal 3-dimensional organoid development.

Methionine and its hydroxy analogue (MHA) have been shown to benefit mouse intestinal regeneration. The intestinal organoid is a good model that directly reflects the impact of certain nutrients or chemicals on intestinal development. Here, we aimed to establish a chicken intestinal organoid culture method first and then use the model to explore the influence of methionine deficiency and MHA on intestinal organoid development. The results showed that 125-µm cell strainer exhibited the highest efficiency for chicken embryo crypt harvesting. We found that transforming growth factor-ß inhibitor (A8301) supplementation promoted enterocyte differentiation at the expense of the proliferation of intestinal stem cells (ISC). The mitogen-activated protein kinase p38 inhibitor (SB202190) promoted intestinal organoid formation and enterocyte differentiation but suppressed the differentiation of enteroendocrine cells, goblet cells and Paneth cells. However, the suppression of enteroendocrine cell and Paneth cell differentiation by SB202190 was alleviated at the presence of A8301. The glycogen synthase kinase 3 inhibitor (CHIR99021), valproic acid (VPA) alone and their combination promoted chicken intestinal organoid formation and enterocyte differentiation at the expense of the expression of Paneth cells and goblet cells. Chicken serum significantly improved organoid formation, especially in the presence of A8301, SB202190, CHIR99021, and VPA, but inhibited the differentiation of Paneth cells and enteroendocrine cells. Chicken serum at a concentration of 0.25% meets the requirement of chicken intestinal organoid development, and the beneficial effect of chicken serum on chicken intestinal organoid culture could not be replaced by fetal bovine serum and insulin-like growth factor-1. Moreover, commercial mouse organoid culture medium supplemented with A8301, SB202190, CHIR99021, VPA, and chicken serum promotes chicken organoid budding. Based on the chicken intestinal organoid model, we found that methionine deficiency mimicked by cycloleucine suppressed organoid formation and organoid size, and this effect was reinforced with increased cycloleucine concentrations. Methionine hydroxy analogue promoted regeneration of ISC but decreased cell differentiation compared with the results obtained with L-methionine. In conclusion, our results provide a potentially excellent guideline for chicken intestinal organoid culture and insights into methionine function in crypt development.

Effects of naturally oxidized corn oil on inflammatory reaction and intestinal health of broilers.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of naturally oxidized corn oil on the inflammatory reaction and intestinal health of broilers. Total 450, one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 6 replicate cages (15 birds in each replicate cage). The dietary treatment array consisted of the varying ratio of nonoxidized corn oil to naturally oxidized corn oil from 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0, respectively. The experimental period was 42 d. Serum, jejunum, and contents of cecum samples were taken at the age of 42 d of broilers. The results showed no significant difference in the body weight gain (BWG) with a different proportion of oxidized corn oil compared with the 0% oxidized oil group on d 42. The feed intake (FI), the concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and interleukin-10 (IL10) in serum showed a significant quadratic response with the increase of oxidized oil concentration on d 42. The serum's concentration of IgG, IFN-γ, and IL-10 reached the highest value at 75% oxidized corn oil. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IFN-γ, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and myeloid differentiation factor-88 (MyD88) in the jejunum were significantly affected by different proportions of oxidized corn oil, and the gene expression levels were highest at 75% oxidized corn oil on d 42. The mRNA expression of Bcl2-associated X (Bax) in the jejunum showed a significantly quadratic curve with the increase of oxidized oil concentration, and its gene expression was the highest after adding 50% oxidized corn oil according to the regression equation on d 42. The villus height/crypt depth and goblet cells of jejunum decreased linearly with the increasing proportion of oxidized corn oil and reached the lowest point after adding 100% oxidized corn oil on d 42. The ß diversity showed the remarkable differentiation of microbial communities among 5 groups, and the microbial community of the 0% oxidized oil group was significantly separated from that of 75 and 100% oxidized oil groups in the cecum. Taken together, these results showed that a low dose of naturally oxidized corn oil is not harmful to the growth of broilers, while a high dose of oxidized corn oil will trigger the inflammatory response and adversely affect the gut health of broilers.

A simple, environmental-friendly and reliable d-SPE method using amino-containing metal-organic framework MIL-125-NH2 to determine pesticide residues in pomelo samples from different localities.

A simple, environmentally-friendly and reliable method was developed to simultaneously monitor the residue of methyl 1-naphthalene acetate, parathion-methyl, fenitrothion, bromophos and phenthoate in pomelo by using dispersive solid-phase extraction technique (d-SPE). In this method, these target analytes were captured by MIL-125-NH2 and detected by GC-MS/MS. The key parameters of d-SPE were optimized by the single factor experiment. Under the optimized conditions, a good determination coefficient (R2 > 0.9922) and extraction recoveries (64.7-116.8%) are obtained. The limit of detections (0.03-1.07 ng/g) is lower than the MRLs in citrus fruits established by EU (10-15000 ng/g) and China (10-10000 ng/g). The precisions of intra-day and inter-day are 1.3-8.9% and 3.8-14.9%, respectively. In addition, the sorbent MIL-125-NH2 is stable and can be reused at least eight times. These results prove the established method is efficient and reliable to detect the pesticide residues in pomelo.

Impact of Family Cohesion and Adaptability on Academic Burnout of Chinese College Students: Serial Mediation of Peer Support and Positive Psychological Capital.

This study aimed to explore the association between the functioning of family environment (i.e., family cohesion and family adaptability) and academic burnout of Chinese college students as well as the mediating effects of the interpersonal resource (i.e., peer support) and intrapersonal resource [i.e., positive psychological capital (PsyCap)] in this relationship. A total of 1971 Chinese undergraduates were involved in an online questionnaire survey and data analysis. It was found that family cohesion and adaptability was negatively related to academic burnout. Mediation analyses demonstrated that family cohesion and adaptability did not directly affect academic burnout, but indirectly through increasing PsyCap (characterized by optimism, hope, resilience, and self-efficacy), and through enhancing peer support and then increasing PsyCap in serial. Meanwhile, the relationship between family cohesion and adaptability and academic burnout was not mediated by peer support alone. These findings highlight the family environment's crucial role in youth mental health and positive development in the college context.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Depressive Symptoms Among College Students in Wuhan, China During the Normalization Stage of COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Objectives: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic has led to persistent negative psychological effects on the general public, especially on college students, who are highly susceptible to psychological difficulties, such as fear, anxiety, and depression. Little information is known about depressive symptoms among college students during the normalization stage of COVID-19 prevention and control in China. This study aimed to understand the prevalence of and factors associated with depressive symptoms after a long quarantine time and online learning at home among college students in Wuhan, China. Materials and Methods: A web-based survey was conducted from July to August 2020 during the Chinese summer holiday to collect data on sociodemographic variables, depressive symptoms, and their potential associated factors using an electronic questionnaire among college students in Wuhan, China. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to measure depressive symptoms. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the factors associated with depressive symptoms. Results: A total of 9,383 college students were included in the analysis. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.8% (1,486/9,383) among college students. The binary logistic regression showed that the experience of being quarantined for observation or treatment, family members or friends dying of COVID-19, rarely or never seeking help from others, fewer supportive relatives or friends, less support from family in the past month, a worse relationship with parents at home, a longer time spent daily on electronic devices except for online learning, and feeling anxious in the face of returning to school were independently associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms. Academic stress and concern about the epidemic were the main reasons for their anxiety. Conclusions: Targeted psychological intervention measures are recommended for college students to improve their mental health during the normalization stage of COVID-19 prevention and control.

The Pattern of Vitamin D Levels in Children 0-4 Years of Age in Yunnan Province.

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that regulates the activity of calcium and bone hormones throughout life; however, vitamin D levels in children, which is the most crucial period during human development, has not been established. METHODS: As the first descriptive study of serum vitamin D levels in children in Yunnan Province, we determined the serum vitamin D levels in children 0‒4 years of age who underwent physical examinations at Kunming Children's Hospital, and the association between the serum vitamin D level and the calcium, phosphorus and alkaline levels. RESULTS: Vitamin D levels in children were highest in the summer months and lowest in the winter months. Vitamin D deficiency was more common in girls than boys. A social-economic effect was shown, as evidenced by the significantly higher serum vitamin D levels in children from the top five cities compared with the lower-ranked cities. Moreover, we also demonstrated a significant correlation between vitamin D and serum calcium levels. CONCLUSION: Our study suggested that sex and age affected the vitamin D levels of children, and a reasonable reference range in children 0-4 years of age in Yunnan Province was determined.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Club Drug Use among Secondary Vocational Students in China.

To understand the prevalence of and factors associated with club drug use among Chinese secondary vocational students, a nationally representative survey was conducted. The multistage cluster sampling strategy was employed to select participants. A total of 9469 students from eleven secondary vocational schools in five cities completed self-reported questionnaires, which included information on club drug use, sociodemographic variables, individual factors, as well as peer and family related factors. The data were separately analyzed with Poisson regression models for female and male students. The overall lifetime prevalence of club drug use was 2.7% (258/9469), and male students had higher prevalence than female students (3.5% vs. 1.9%, p < 0.001). Female and male students shared four risk factors (i.e., having ever smoked, perceiving social benefit expectancies, peer drug using and perceiving peer's approval of drug use) and one protective factor (i.e., having medium or high levels of refusal skills) for club drug use. Moreover, family drug using and having a part-time job were two additionally independent risk factors for club drug use among male students. These findings indicate that the problem of club drug use among Chinese secondary vocational students is worthy of attention. The prevention of club drug use should address multiple risks and protective factors on individual, peer and family levels.

Father-Child Conflict and Chinese Adolescent Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model.

To investigate the effects of father-child conflict and regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) on Chinese adolescent depression, 654 middle-school students were measured. The results showed that: (1) Father-son conflict was significantly lower than father-daughter conflict, girls' depression was significantly higher than that of boys, and boys' RESE and self-efficacy in regulating negative emotions (NEG) were significantly higher than that for girls, but there was no significant difference between boys and girls in self-efficacy in expressing positive emotions (POS). (2) Father-child conflict was significantly positively associated with Chinese adolescent depression. Father-child conflict was negatively correlated with RESE, and its two dimensions. Both POS and NEG played a partial mediating role in the relationship between father-child conflict and adolescent depression. (3) Gender only regulated the relationship between NEG and adolescent depression. Compared to boys, girls are more affected by depression at the low level of NEG.