Harnessing Self-Repairing and Crystallization Processes for Effective Enzyme Encapsulation in Covalent Organic Frameworks.

Immobilization of fragile enzymes in crystalline porous materials offers new opportunities to expand the applications of biocatalysts. However, limited by the pore size and/or harsh synthesis conditions of the porous hosts, enzymes often suffer from dimension limitation or denaturation during the immobilization process. Taking advantage of the dynamic covalent chemistry feature of covalent organic frameworks (COFs), herein, we report a preprotection strategy to encapsulate enzymes in COFs during the self-repairing and crystallization process. Enzymes were first loaded in the low-crystalline polymer networks with mesopores formed at the initial growth stage, which could offer effective protection for enzymes from the harsh reaction conditions, and subsequently the encapsulation proceeded during the self-repairing and crystallization of the disordered polymer into the crystalline framework. Impressively, the biological activity of the enzymes can be well-maintained after encapsulation, and the obtained enzyme@COFs also show superior stability. Furthermore, the preprotection strategy circumvents the size limitation for enzymes, and its versatility was verified by enzymes with different sizes and surface charges, as well as a two-enzyme cascade system. This study offers a universal design idea to encapsulate enzymes in robust porous supports and holds promise for developing high-performance immobilized biocatalysts.

Hierarchical Microtubular Covalent Organic Frameworks Achieved by COF-to-COF Transformation.

Pore environment and aggregated structure play a vital role in determining the properties of porous materials, especially regarding the mass transfer. Reticular chemistry imparts covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with well-aligned micro/mesopores, yet constructing hierarchical architectures remains a great challenge. Herein, we reported a COF-to-COF transformation methodology to prepare microtubular COFs. In this process, the C3 -symmetric guanidine units decomposed into C2 -symmetric hydrazine units, leading to the crystal transformation of COFs. Moreover, the aggregated structure and conversion degree varied with the reaction time, where the hollow tubular aggregates composed of mixed COF crystals could be obtained. Such hierarchical architecture leads to enhanced mass transfer properties, as proved by the adsorption measurement and chemical catalytic reactions. This self-template strategy was successfully applied to another four COFs with different building units.

Covalent Organic Framework Based Crosslinked Porous Microcapsules for Enzymatic Catalysis.

The design of porous microcapsules with selective mass transfer and mechanical robustness for enzyme encapsulation is highly desired for biocatalysis, yet the construction remains challenging. Herein, we report the facile fabrication of porous microcapsules by assembling covalent organic framework (COF) spheres at the interfaces of emulsion droplets followed by interparticle crosslinking. The COF microcapsules could offer an enclosed aqueous environment for enzymes, with size-selective porous shells that allow for the fast diffusion of substrates and products while excluding larger molecules such as protease. Crosslinking of COF spheres not only enhances the structural stability of capsules but also imparts enrichment effects. The enzymes encased in the COF microcapsules show enhanced activity and durability in organic media as verified in both batch reaction and continuous-flow reaction. The COF microcapsules offer a promising platform for the encapsulation of biomacromolecules.

Incorporating bioaccessibility and source apportionment into human health risk assessment of heavy metals in urban dust of Xiamen, China.

Heavy metals in urban dust could pose noticeable human health risks, but there are few studies focusing on comprehensive human health risk assessment with the incorporation of both bioaccessibility and source apportionment in urban dust. Thus, fifty-eight urban dust samples were collected from kindergartens in Xiamen to analyze the bioaccessibility-based, source-specific health risk of heavy metals (V, Co, Ni, As, Mo, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb). Most heavy metals, except for V and Mn, were significantly enriched in urban dust based on their values of geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and may be influenced by human activities. The oral bioaccessibility values of heavy metals, which were estimated by the Solubility/Bioaccessibility Research Consortium (SBRC) in vitro model, ranged from 1.563% to 76.51%. The source apportionment determined by applying the absolute principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) model indicated five main potential sources, coal combustion, traffic and industrial, natural, construction and furniture sources, and unidentified sources, with contributions of 34.09%, 20.72%, 18.72%, 7.597% and 18.87%, respectively, to the accumulation of heavy metals in urban dust. After incorporating bioaccessibility adjustments, lower non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of heavy metals were observed than those based on total metal content, with the mean hazard index (HI) values being less than the threshold value (1) and the mean total carcinogenic risk (TCR) values exceeding the precautionary criterion (10-6) for both adults and children. By combining bioaccessibility-based health risk assessment and source apportionment, traffic and industrial emissions and coal combustion dominated the noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks induced by heavy metals in urban dust, respectively. This study is expected to promote the systematic integration of source apportionment and bioaccessibility into health risk estimation for heavy metal contamination in urban dust, thus providing useful implications for better human health protection.

Early intervention for heterotopic caesarean scar pregnancy to preserve intrauterine pregnancy may improve outcomes: a retrospective cohort study.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the best intervention time and method for patients who are diagnosed with heterotopic caesarean scar pregnancy (HCSP) wishing to preserve intrauterine pregnancy. DESIGN: Four patients diagnosed with HCSP from January 2014 to May 2019 were enrolled. Because HCSP is rare, data on 27 published cases were extracted to augment the analysis. Clinical characteristics and medical documents related to fetal reduction and subsequent maternal-neonate outcomes were analysed. RESULTS: The intervention time was significantly earlier in the full-term birth group (6.76 ± 1.05 weeks) compared with pre-term birth group (8.02 ± 1.55 weeks; P = 0.042). The cumulative full-term delivery rate was 91.48% when the intervention was at 6 weeks' gestation and decreased to 42.02% at 8 weeks. The maternal-neonate outcome was similar among the selective fetal reduction and surgical removal groups as was delivery time (34.68 ± 3.12 versus 34.80 ± 6.64 weeks; P = 0.955). In the four cases undergoing selective fetal reduction, the residual mass grew by 1.16-7.07 times compared with the area before reduction. The maximum size of the residual mass was observed at 12-13 weeks and 22-25 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with HCSP who choose to keep intrauterine pregnancy will be able to carry the fetus to term. Selective fetal reduction would be the first intervention of choice and should take place immediately after diagnosis. The residual mass after reduction could continue to grow throughout the whole pregnancy, although this should not be considered as an indication for termination. With good supervision and careful management, the pregnancy could be maintained and carried to term.

An observation study of the emergency intervention in placenta accreta spectrum.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the probability and outcome of delivery in women with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) according to gestational age at delivery. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study among women with PAS who had cesarean section was conducted. The gestational week (gw) of delivery and estimated blood loss (EBL) were recorded. The proportion of urgent delivery beyond 32 gw and EBL in women with or without antepartum suspected diagnosis of placenta accreta was compared. RESULTS: Totally, 180 women with PAS were enrolled. Of these, 54 (30.0%, 95% CI 23.8-37.1%) were delivered by urgent cesarean delivery and 126 (70.0%, 95% CI 62.9-76.2%) by elective cesarean section. The probability of emergent delivery was increased from 3.1 to 5.7% at 33-36 weeks, and increased by > 10% beyond 37 weeks. Among 121 antenatal suspected PAS patients, 25 (20.7%, 95% CI 14.4-28.7%) had emergency cesarean section, and 96 (79.3%, 95% CI 71.3-85.6%) experienced elective cesarean. The EBL of PAS in both emergent group (r = - 0.276, p = 0.044) and elective group (r = - 0.370, p < 0.001) was significantly decreased with gestational age progression. The antepartum hemorrhage increased the risk of urgent delivery [OR 2.54 (1.19, 5.44)] (p = 0.016), while PAS with antepartum diagnosis decreased the risk [OR 0.21 (0.10, 0.43)] (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although the incidence of emergency operation in PAS patients was increased at 32-36 gw, there was no significant difference among the groups. The decision of timing for pregnancy termination should be made cautiously. We recommend scheduled operation at around 36-37 gw. In serious cases, the termination time could be arranged as early as appropriate.

Construction of Crowning ß-cyclodextrin with Temperature Response and Efficient Properties of Host-Guest Inclusion.

Promoting a drug inclusion proportion in hydrophobic cavity of ß-cyclodextrin using simple methods is a highly ambitious task. Herein, we report the crowning ß-cyclodextrins formed by intramolecular hydrogen bonding interaction, which has greatly prolonged the cavity depth of ß-cyclodextrin, and therefore further efficiently improved the inclusion proportion to complex drug molecule (vitamin E). Furthermore, the self-assembly behaviors, controllable release, and antioxidant properties of vitamin E embedded into the cavity of crowning ß-cyclodextrins was investigated, and host-guest inclusions exhibited temperature-responsive controlled release, excellent antioxidant activity, and photostability.

MicroRNA-30a-3p is overexpressed in the placentas of patients with preeclampsia and affects trophoblast invasion and apoptosis by its effects on IGF-1.

OBJECTIVE: Preeclampsia (PE) affects many women globally and remains a primary cause of neonatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Aberrant placental microRNA (miRNA) expression might be associated with PE. Previously, 33 PE-related miRNAs, 11 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated, were detected in placentas of women with severe PE when compared with those of normal patients. One of the most up-regulated miRNAs in PE is miR-30a-3p. The predicted target of it is insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which has been reported to have a relatively low expression level in PE patients. This study was conducted to determine the aberrant increased of miR-30a-3p in the placentas of women with preeclampsia and to elucidate the target and function of it in trophoblast cells. STUDY DESIGN: miR-30a-3p expression in placenta tissues was compared between women with preeclampsia (n = 25) and normal pregnant women (n = 20). The miRNA target was studied by in silico and functional assay. The effects of the miRNA were verified by apoptosis assay and invasion assay in the trophoblast cell line. RESULTS: miR-30a-3p was increased significantly in the placenta of women with preeclampsia when compared to those with normal pregnancies. Luciferase assay confirmed direct regulation of miR-30a-3p on the expression of IGF-1. Forced expression of miR-30a-3p suppressed IGF-1 protein expression in the HTR-8/SVneo cells. The functional assay suggests that the over-expression of miR-30a-3p alter the invasive capacity of JEG-3 cells and induce the apoptosis of HTR-8/SVneo cells (Figure). CONCLUSION: Expression of miR-30a-3p was significantly increased in the placentas of patients with preeclampsia. miR-30a-3p might be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia by targeting IGF-1 and regulating the invasion and apoptosis of trophoblast cells.

A meta-analysis of the impact of human leukocyte antigen-G on the outcomes of IVF/ICSI.

This analysis was performed to determine whether the presence of soluble human leukocyte antigen-G (sHLA-G) in embryo culture medium is predictive of clinical outcomes in IVF treatment. The outcomes of implantation, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy and miscarriage, between groups with and without sHLA-G in embryo culture media, were analysed. Fifteen studies with a total of 6170 cases were included. Ten of them were prospective studies while five were retrospective studies. Embryo culture media with sHLA-G were associated with significantly higher implantation rate and clinical pregnancy rate when compared with those without; the odd ratios (ORs) were 2.66 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.75-4.06, P < 0.00001], 3.79 (95% CI: 2.69-5.33, P < 0.00001), respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of multiple pregnancy (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 0.55-6.31) and miscarriage (OR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.52-1.16). The results suggested that the presence of sHLA-G in the embryo culture medium favoured higher implantation rate and pregnancy rate. However, the conclusion needs to be consolidated by further clinical studies using a more precise method of determination of sHLA-G and research on the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effect of sHLA-G on early embryo development and implantation.

De Novo Paternal FBN1 Mutation Detected in Embryos Before Implantation.

BACKGROUND Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations in the Fibrillin (FBN)1 gene and characterized by disorders in the cardiovascular, skeletal, and visual systems. The diversity of mutations and phenotypic heterogeneity of MFS make prenatal molecular diagnoses difficult. In this study, we used pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to identify the pathogenic mutation in a male patient with MFS and to determine whether his offspring would be free of the disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS The history and pedigree of the proband were analyzed. Mutation analysis was performed on the couple and immediate family members. The couple chose IVF treatment and 4 blastocysts were biopsied. PGD was carried out by targeted high-throughput sequencing of the FBN1 gene in the embryos, along with single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotyping. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the causative mutation. RESULTS c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) was identified as the de novo likely pathogenic mutation in the proband. Whole-genome amplification and sequencing of the 3 embryos revealed that they did not carry the mutation, and 1 blastocyst was transferred back to the uterus. The amniocentesis test result analyzed by Sanger sequencing confirmed the PGD. A premature but healthy infant free of heart malformations was born. CONCLUSIONS The de novo mutation c.2647T>C (p.Trp883Arg) in FBN1 was identified in a Chinese patient with MFS. Embryos without the mutation were identified by PGD and resulted in a successful pregnancy.

Detection of chromosomal aneuploidy in human preimplantation embryos by next-generation sequencing.

Embryos produced by assisted reproductive technologies are commonly associated with a high level of aneuploidy. Currently, 24-chromosome profiling of embryo biopsy samples by array-based methods is available to identify euploid embryos for transfer that have a higher potential for implantation and development to term. From a laboratory and patient perspective, there is a need to explore the feasibility of developing an alternative method for routine aneuploidy assessment of embryos that would be more comprehensive, cost-effective, and efficient. We speculated that aneuploidy could be readily assessed in test single-cell biopsy samples by first performing whole genome amplification followed by library generation, massively parallel shot-gun sequencing, and finally bioinformatics analysis to quantitatively compare the ratio of uniquely mapped reads to reference cells. Using Down syndrome as an example, the copy number change for chromosome 21 was consistently 1.5-fold higher in multiple cell and single-cell samples with a 47,XX,+21 karyotype. Applying the validated sequencing strategy to 10 sister blastomeres from a single human embryo, we showed that the aneuploidy status called by sequencing was consistent with short tandem repeat allelic profiling. These validation studies indicate that aneuploidy detection using sequencing-based methodology is feasible for further improving the practice of preimplantation genetic diagnosis.

New perspective on first-trimester serum uric acid level in predicting the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum uric acid (UA) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during the first trimester and provide a new perspective for the prevention and treatment of GDM. Based on the diagnostic criteria of gestational diabetes of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups, 1744 and 4256 patients were enrolled in the GDM and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) groups. Four groups were constituted based on the quartile of first-trimester serum UA (UA) level, and the differences in each indicator between groups were compared. Logistic regression was used to analyze the effects of UA level on GDM risk. The rate of GDM in the UA quartile changed from low to high. Significant differences were also observed in fasting plasma glucose level, 1 h post glucose and 2 h post glucose levels, in all the groups (P < 0.05), which increased with the UA level. UA level were independent risk factors for GDM. The best threshold of GDM predicted by the first-trimester UA level was 226.55 µmol/L. The first-trimester UA level in patients with GDM was relatively higher and was an independent risk factor for GDM.

Effects of cropping patterns on the distribution, carbon contents, and nitrogen contents of aeolian sand soil aggregates in Northwest China.

The long-term physicochemical responses of aeolian sandy soil aggregates to different crop rotation patterns are poorly understood. Here, we collected soil samples from the 0 to 20 cm tillage layer of continuous maize crop and alfalfa-maize rotation plots situated on the edge of the Zhangye Oasis, Northwest China. These samples were analyzed to quantify the influence of both cropping patterns on the structure, carbon content, and nitrogen content of aeolian sandy soils. When compared with long-term continuous maize cropping, planting alfalfa-maize rotation system significantly increased the mass fraction of macro-aggregates with sizes of > 2 mm and 0.25-2 mm from 8.7 to 12.1% and 19.1 to 21.2%, respectively, but decreased the mass fraction of micro-aggregates (0.053-0.25 mm) from 8.1 to 6.2%. Further, there was no significant difference in the content of silt and clay particles between each system. The alfalfa-maize rotation increased the stability of aggregates from 32 to 37%, representing an increase of 15.6%. Soil organic carbon, inorganic carbon, and total nitrogen were mainly enriched in macro-aggregates with sizes of > 2 mm, and silt and clay fractions for both cropping patterns. Implementation of a rotation pattern increased organic carbon contents by 27.2%, 25.6%, 26.7%, and 27.6%, inorganic carbon contents by 14.4%, 4.5%, 53.3%, and 21.0%, and total nitrogen contents by 29.7%, 7.0%, 4.2%, and 50.0% in aggregate particle sizes of > 2 mm, 0.25-2 mm, 0.053-0.25 mm, and < 0.053 mm, respectively, when compared to continuous maize cropping. The alfalfa-maize crop rotation can therefore effectively improve soil aggregate composition and aggregate stability, alongside organic carbon content, inorganic carbon content, total nitrogen content, and their storage capacity. This system thus represents a soil cultivation technique that can increase the soil carbon sequestration capacity in the oasis zone of Northwest China.

Endothelial specific prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing protein 2 deficiency attenuates aging-related obesity and exercise intolerance.

Obesity and exercise intolerance greatly reduce the life quality of older people. Prolyl hydroxylase domain-containing protein 2 (PHD2) is an important enzyme in modulating hypoxia-inducible factor-alpha (HIF) protein. Using vascular endothelial cell-specific PHD2 gene knockout (PHD2 ECKO) mice, we investigated the role of endothelial PHD2 in aging-related obesity and exercise capacity. Briefly, PHD2 ECKO mice were obtained by crossing PHD2-floxed mice with VE-Cadherin (Cdh5)-Cre transgenic mice. The effect of PHD2 ECKO on obesity and exercise capacity in PHD2 ECKO mice and control PHD2f/f mice were determined in young mice (6 to 7 months) and aged mice (16-18 months). We found that aged PHD2 ECKO mice, but not young mice, exhibited a lean phenotype, characterized by lower fat mass, and its ratio to lean weight, body weight, or tibial length, while their food uptake was not reduced compared with controls. Moreover, as compared with aged control mice, aged PHD2 ECKO mice exhibited increased oxygen consumption at rest and during exercise, and the maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO2 max) during exercise. Furthermore, as compared with corresponding control mice, both young and aged PHD2 ECKO mice demonstrated improved glucose tolerance and lower insulin resistance. Together, these data demonstrate that inhibition of vascular endothelial PHD2 signaling significantly attenuates aging-related obesity, exercise intolerance, and glucose intolerance.

[A meta-analysis of preventing bone mineral loss in patients with endometriosis treated by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues with add-back therapy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role and efficacy of preventing bone mineral loss in patients with endometriosis treated by gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-a) combined with add-back therapy. METHODS: Prospective, randomized controlled studies of the use of GnRHa with add-back therapy in treatment of endometriosis were enrolled in this study from Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI), Chinese Biological Medicine Disk (CBM) and Data Base of Wanfang.After quality assessment and data extraction, meta-analysis were conducted in the change of BMD, reproductive hormone (E2) and visual pain score(VAS) by Stata 11.0 software. RESULTS: A total of 785 patients from 13 randomized controlled trail (RCT) studies enrolled in this study after exclude no following up, poor quality and repeat published studies.377 patients were in group of GnRH-a with add-back treatment and 408 patients were in group of GnRna alone.The findinds were showed in meta-analysis: (1) there was a significant difference in percentage change of bone mineral density (BMD) between two groups, the add-back therapy was more effective in prevention of bone loss which was (SMD = 0.223, 95%CI:0.003 to 0.443, P = 0.047). (2) There was no significant difference in the level of reproductive hormone between two groups (SMD = -0.053, 95% CI:-0.479 to 0.373, P = 0.807). (3) There was also no significant difference in the visual pain score between the two groups (SMD = -0.157, 95% CI: -0.474 to 0.160, P = 0.332). CONCLUSIONS: GnRH-a with add-back therapy have been shown to be more effective in preventing loss of BMD than GnRH-a treatment alone.However, the long term effect of preventing BMD should be studied.

Prognostic significance of delirium in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Delirium is a common symptom of heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and heightened medical costs. The impact of delirium on the prognosis of HF patients is currently controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic significance of delirium in HF. Methods: Relevant articles were systematically searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase based on the PRISMA guidelines. Studies that reported mortality and hospitalization-related outcomes in HF patients with or without delirium using raw or adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and odds ratio (OD) were included. Meta-analysis was then performed to evaluate the effect of delirium in HF patients. Outcomes of interest were all-cause mortality and events of the hospitalization. Results: Of the 1,501 studies identified, 7 eligible studies involving 12,830,390 HF patients (6,322,846 males and 6,507,544 females) were included in the meta-analysis. There were 91,640 patients with delirium (0.71%) and 12,738,750 patients without delirium (99.28%). HF patients with delirium had higher OR for in-hospital mortality (1.95, 95% CI = 1.30-2.91, P = 0.135), higher pooled HR for 90-day mortality (2.64, 95% CI = 1.06-1.56, P = 0.215), higher pooled HR for 1-year mortality (2.08, 95% CI = 1.34-3.22, P = 0.004), and higher pooled HR for 30-day readmission rate (4.15, 95% CI = 2.85-6.04, P = 0.831) than those without delirium. Conclusion: Current evidence suggests that combined delirium increases the risk of HF-related mortality and hospitalization-related outcomes in patients with HF. However, more research is needed to assess the impact of delirium on the prognosis of HF patients.

Correlation Between Neck Circumference and Gestational Diabetes.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to explore whether neck circumference can serve as an early predictor of the risk of Gestational Diabetes (GDM). Patients and Methods: A total of 318 singleton pregnant women who underwent routine prenatal examinations at Qinhuangdao Maternal and Child Health Hospital from September 2017 to September 2020 were selected and categorized into the GDM group and the normal glucose tolerance group (NGT) based on the results of the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) conducted during the second trimester. The general information and laboratory test results were compared and analyzed. Inter-group comparison was conducted using the t-test, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the independent risk factors of GDM. The predictive threshold of various indicators for GDM occurrence during pregnancy was determined using the subject's work curve. Results: The GDM group exhibited significantly higher levels of pre-pregnancy weight, pre-pregnancy BMI, neck circumference, waist circumference, hip circumference, triglycerides (TG), uric acid (UA), TG/HDL-C ratio, and waist-hip ratio compared to the NGT group. Additionally, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower in the GDM group, and blood glucose levels at each point of the OGTT were markedly higher compared to the NGT group (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that neck circumference (OR=1.239, P<0.001) and early pregnancy TG (OR=1.842, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for GDM. The receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that the optimal critical value of neck circumference for predicting GDM was 32.6 cm, with a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 74.3%. Conclusion: The neck circumference during early pregnancy was found to be related to GDM, and the predictive cutoff point of 32.6 cm for neck circumference could be employed as a simple index to predict GDM in early pregnancy.

Effects of Multi-Task Mode on Cognition and Lower Limb Function in Frail Older Adults: A Systematic Search and Review.

The application of multi-tasking (MT), especially dual-tasking (DT), in frail older adults is currently gaining attention. The aim was to review the application of the MT mode on cognition and lower limb function in frail older adults, including the MT test and MT training. By searching five electronic databases, Scopus, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science and the Chinese electronic database, a total of 18 studies were finally included in this study, with 7 articles on MT testing and 11 articles on MT training. The results of the study showed that the current testing and training of MT is mainly based on the DT mode, with a wide variety of test types and protocols, as well as a variety of outcomes. The included studies suggested that DT can be used as a test to assess cognitive and lower limb function in the frail population and that an MT (DT) training program with an intervention period of ≥3 months or a duration of ≥60 min per session could improve cognitive and lower limb function in the frail population, thereby reducing the risk of falls. Further research is required to explore the effects of different types of MT and task prioritization in frail older adults.

Succession of soil bacterial community along a 46-year choronsequence artificial revegetation in an arid oasis-desert ecotone.

How the bacterial community structure and potential metabolic functions will change after revegetation in arid desert ecosystems is still unknown. We used high-throughput pyrosequencing to explore changes in soil bacterial diversity, structure and metabolic pathways, and the key driving factors along a chronosequence of 46-year Haloxylon ammodendron revegetation in an oasis-desert ecotone in the northwestern China. Our results indicated that establishment of H. ammodendron on shifting sand dunes significantly changed the structure of bacterial communities and increased their diversity and richness. The main dominant phyla were Actinobacteria (32.1-41.3%) and Proteobacteria (19.2-27.0%); in that, α-Proteobacteria (16.4-20.7%) were the most abundant Proteobacteria. Kocuria coexisted at different succession stage after year 0, and their relative abundance ranged from 3.8-9.0%. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that bacterial community from the same revegetation site grouped together and generally separated from each other, indicating that significant shifts in bacterial community structure occurred after revegetation. LEfSe analysis identified unique biomarkers in the soil samples from seven sites. Moreover, PICRUSt analysis indicated similar overall patterns of metabolic pathways in different succession stage. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that total carbon, pH and total phosphorus were major abiotic factors driving the structure of bacterial communities, which explained 57.5% of the variation in bacterial communities. Our findings advance the current understanding of plant-soil interactions in the processes of ecological restoration and desertification reversal.