Impaired extinction of cocaine seeking in HIV-infected mice is accompanied by peripheral and central immune dysregulation

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly comorbid with HIV infection, necessitating an understanding of the interactive effects of drug exposure and HIV. The relationship between progressive HIV infection and cocaine use disorder is likely bidirectional, with cocaine use having direct effects on immune function while HIV infection can alter addiction-related behavior. To better characterized the neurobehavioral and immune consequences of HIV infection and cocaine exposure, this study utilized a humanized mouse model to investigate the outcomes of progressive HIV infection on cocaine-related behaviors in a cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) model, and the interactive effects of cocaine and HIV infection on peripheral and central nervous system inflammation. HIV infection did not impact the formation of a cocaine CPP, but did result in resistance to extinction of the CPP. No effects of HIV on yohimbine-primed reinstatement or cocaine seeking under conflict were observed. These behavioral alterations were accompanied by immune changes in HIV infected mice, including increased prefrontal cortex astrocyte immunoreactivity and brain-region specific effects on microglia number and reactivity. Peripheral immune system changes were observed in both mouse and human markers. Among other targets, this included HIV-induced reductions in mouse IL-1α and G-CSF and human TNFα and cocaine-induced alterations in human TNFα and mouse GM-CSF such that cocaine exposure increases both cytokines only in the absence of HIV infection. Together these data provide new insights into the unique neurobehavioral processes underlying HIV infection and cocaine use disorders, and further how they interact to effect immune responses.

Bitter Almond Albumin ACE-Inhibitory Peptides: Purification, Screening, and Characterization In Silico, Action Mechanisms, Antihypertensive Effect In Vivo, and Stability

Almond expeller is an undeveloped reservoir of bioactive peptides. In the current study, a zinc ion ligand Arg-Pro-Pro-Ser-Glu-Asp-Glu-Asp-Gln-Glu (RPPSEDEDQE) offering a noncompetitive inhibitory effect on ACE (IC50: 205.50 μmol·L-1) was identified from almond albumin hydrolysates via papain and thermolysin hydrolysis, subsequent chromatographic separation, and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis. Molecular docking simulated the binding modes of RPPSEDEDQE to ACE and showed the formation of hydrogen bonds between RPPSEDEDQE and seven active residues of ACE. Moreover, RPPSEDEDQE could bind to fifteen active sites of ACE by hydrophobic interactions, and link with the His387 and zinc ions of the zinc tetrahedral coordination. Ultraviolet wavelength scanning and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that RPPSEDEDQE can provide multiple binding sites for zinc ions. However, RPPSEDEDQE cannot bind with any central pocket of ACE, which was evidenced by an inhibition kinetics experiment. Additionally, the zinc-chelating capacity and inhibiting ability against ACE of RPPSEDEDQE were both not significantly reduced by the hydrolysis of gastrointestinal enzymes. A moderate to high dose of RPPSEDEDQE (100-150 mg·kg bw-1) significantly reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rats, but chelation with zinc ions decreased its antihypertensive efficiency. These results indicate that bitter almond albumin peptides may be used for lowering blood pressure.

Short-Term Outcomes of Modified Boston Type-II Keratoprosthesis Implantation With Autologous Auricular Cartilage Reinforcement

PURPOSE

To report the short-term visual outcomes and complications of a modified Boston Type-II keratoprosthesis (Kpro) procedure.

DESIGN

Retrospective case series.

METHODS

Thirty-seven eyes of 37 patients who had an implantation of autologous auricular cartilage-reinforced (AACR) Boston Type-II Kpro (BK2) were included in the current study. Preoperative and postoperative data were recorded and analyzed for each eye. Main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity, symptoms as assessed by questionnaires, complications associated with implantation, and retention of the implanted BK2 device.

RESULTS

A total of 37 eyes, consisting of 19 with severe autoimmune dry eye (ADE) and 18 with burn injury, completed ≥12 months of follow-up. The median (interquartile range) best-corrected visual acuity at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years of follow-up was hand motion (HM) 20/60 (20/100-20/40), 20/60 (20/200-20/40), 20/60 (20/200-20/40), 20/100 (20/200-20/40), and 20/100 (20/400-20/40), respectively. All eyes retained the initial device (37/37, 100%). Common postoperative complications included retroprosthetic membrane (n = 21), de novo glaucoma (n = 7), endophthalmitis (n = 1), and conjunctival erosion (n = 4). No ear complications were discovered during follow-up assessments. The ocular surface disease index score improved from baseline to a 2-year follow-up (median 57.5 vs 21.43).

CONCLUSION

The modified AACR-BK2 procedure could be considered to restore vision in patients with end-stage corneal blindness.

FIT links c-Myc and P53 acetylation by recruiting RBBP7 during colorectal carcinogenesis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses one of the most serious threats to human health worldwide, and abnormally expressed c-Myc and p53 are deemed the pivotal driving forces of CRC progression. In this study, we discovered that the lncRNA FIT, which was downregulated in CRC clinical samples, was transcriptionally suppressed by c-Myc in vitro and promoted CRC cell apoptosis by inducing FAS expression. FAS is a p53 target gene, and we found that FIT formed a trimer with RBBP7 and p53 that facilitated p53 acetylation and p53-mediated FAS gene transcription. Moreover, FIT was capable of retarding CRC growth in a mouse xenograft model, and FIT expression was positively correlated with FAS expression in clinical samples. Thus, our study elucidates the role of the lncRNA FIT in human colorectal cancer growth and provides a potential target for anti-CRC drugs.

In-Depth Mass Spectrometry Analysis Reveals the Plasma Proteomic and N-Glycoproteomic Impact of an Amish-Enriched Cardioprotective Variant in B4GALT1

B4GALT1 encodes β-1,4-galactosyltransferase 1, an enzyme that plays a major role in glycan synthesis in the Golgi apparatus by catalyzing the addition of terminal galactose. Studies increasingly suggest that B4GALT1 may be involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism pathways. Recently, we discovered a single-site missense variant Asn352Ser (N352S) in the functional domain of B4GALT1 in an Amish population, which decreases the level of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) as well as the protein levels of ApoB, fibrinogen, and IgG in the blood. To systematically evaluate the effects of this missense variant on protein glycosylation, expression, and secretion, we developed a nano-LC-MS/MS-based platform combined with TMT-labeling for in-depth quantitative proteomic and glycoproteomic analyses in the plasma of individuals homozygous for the B4GALT1 missense variant N352S versus non-carriers (n = 5 per genotype). A total of 488 secreted proteins in the plasma were identified and quantified, 34 of which showed significant fold changes in protein levels between N352S homozygotes and non-carriers. We determined N-glycosylation profiles from 370 glycosylation sites in 151 glycoproteins and identified ten proteins most significantly associated with decreased galactosylation and sialyation in B4GALT1 N352S homozygotes. These results further support that B4GALT1 N352S alters the glycosylation profiles of a variety of critical target proteins, thus governing the functions of these proteins in multiple pathways, such as those involved in lipid metabolism, coagulation, and the immune response.

Screening of Reference miRNA of Different Early- and Late-Flowering Tree Peony Varieties

miRNA plays an important role in plant growth and development and in response to various stresses. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) technology is often used to detect the expression level of miRNAs and genes by comparing with reference genes. In order to screen out the optimal reference miRNAs in different tree peony varieties, the petals of 42 different early- and late-flowering tree peony varieties were used as experimental materials, and geNorm, NormFinder, Bestkeeper, and RefFinder software were used to evaluate the stability of 16 candidate reference miRNAs. The results showed that the average Ct values of all candidate reference miRNAs were between 15.34 ± 0.29 and 32.64 ± 0.38. The optimal number of reference miRNAs was four, which were PsPC-5p-19095, PsPC-3p-51259, PsmiR159a, and PsPC-3p-6660 in geNorm. The stability of PsPC-3p-6660 was the highest in the analysis results of NormFinder software. Among the analysis results of Bestkeeper software, PsMIR319-p5 has the highest stability. Among the results of comprehensive evaluation and analysis of several software using RefFinder, the candidate reference miRNA with the highest stability was PsPC-3p-6660. When PsPC-3p-6660 was used as the reference miRNA, the expression of PomiR171 and PomiR414 in response to different flowering times of tree peony was relatively stable in 42 tree peony varieties, indicating that PsPC-3p-6660 was stable and reliable. The results of this study provide a reference miRNA for studying the expression changes of miRNA in different tree peony varieties and further exploring the regulatory mechanism of miRNA in different peony varieties.

Identification of Floral Volatile Components and Expression Analysis of Controlling Gene in Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' under Different Cultivation Conditions

In order to explore the release rule of floral volatile substances and the diurnal variation of different flower development stages of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' in potted and ground-planted conditions, dynamic headspace adsorption combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) was used to analyze the dynamic changes in floral volatile components and contents. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze changes in flower fragrance-regulating genes PsPAL, PsTPSs, and PsbHLH at different flower development stages and a daily change process at the full-blooming stage. The results show that there were differences in aroma components and contents of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' at different flower development stages and different time quantum of every day. There were 25 and 28 aroma components identified in 7 flower development stages of tree peonies planted in pots and in the field, respectively, and 23 and 22 aroma components identified at different time quantum of the day, of which the largest and highest content was alkanes. The main characteristic aroma substances were (E)-β-ocimene, 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol, methyl jasmonate, nerol, and cinnamyl alcohol; released amounts of the abovementioned substances varied depending on the development stage and the time of the day. The expression of flower fragrance-controlling genes (PsPAL, PsTPSs, and PsbHLH) in tree peonies varied greatly in different conditions. The results of this study provide a valuable resource to investigate floral fragrance formation in tree peonies.

Comparing myopic error in patients with basic and convergence insufficiency intermittent exotropia in China

PURPOSE

To compare the degree of myopia between the dominant and non-dominant eyes in teenagers with intermittent exotropia (IXT) in China.

METHODS

A total of 199 IXT patients with myopia were included in this retrospective study and were divided into two groups according to the difference between near and distance exodeviation: basic IXT and convergence insufficiency (CI) IXT. Refractive errors were analyzed by spherical equivalent (SE) values. Patients were further stratified into anisometropia group and non-anisometropia group based on binocular SE values difference greater than 1.0D or not.

RESULTS

There were 127 patients in the CI IXT group, with a near deviation of 46.94 ± 20.53 prism diopters (PD) and a distance deviation of 28.36 ± 14.34 PD, and there were 72 (36.2%) patients in the basic IXT group, with a near deviation of 37.68 ± 22.21 PD and a distance deviation angle of 33.21 ± 23.96 PD. The near exodeviation was significantly larger in the CI group than in the basic IXT group(P < 0.001). In the CI IXT group, the mean SE was - 2.09 ± 1.45 diopters (D) in the dominant eye and - 2.53 ± 1.44D in the non-dominant eye, while in the basic IXT group, the mean SE was - 2.46 ± 1.56D in the dominant eye and - 2.89 ± 1.37D in the non-dominant eye. The anisometropia group included 43 patients, while non-anisometropia group included 156 patients. The near and distance exodeviation in the anisometropia group were 45.26 ± 24.41 PD and 33.53 ± 23.31 PD, respectively, and those in the non-anisometropia group were 43.42 ± 20.69 PD and 29.07 ± 16.84 PD, respectively. There were no significant differences in near and distance deviation (P = 0.78 and P = 0.73 respectively) between the two groups. The SE of the dominant eye was less myopic than of the non-dominant eyes in both the CI and anisometropia groups (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed that convergence insufficiency IXT is more common than the basic type in pediatric myopic population and is characterized by higher inter-eye differences of myopia. The dominant eye was found to be less myopic in IXT patients, particularly in those with convergence insufficiency and anisometropia.

Low expression of acyl-CoA thioesterase 13 is associated with poor prognosis in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma

Objective: Acyl-CoA thioesterase 13 (ACOT13) encodes a member of the thioesterase superfamily. It has not been reported in ovarian cancer. This research aimed at evaluating the expression and prognostic value of ACOT13 in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OSC). Methods: We extracted and analyzed TCGA, GEPIA, THPA, GTEx, miRWalk, and GDSC databases to investigate the potential carcinogenic mechanism of ACOT13 in OSC, including the correlation of ACOT13 with prognosis, immune checkpoint, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) score. The incidence of endpoint events was compared with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Independent prognostic factors for OSC were evaluated with univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, and a nomogram was established. Results: The expression of ACOT13 was increased in OSC and correlated with tumor stage, with higher expression in stages I and II than in stages III and IV. Besides, it was observed that low expression of ACOT13 is correlated with poor overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with OSC. There was a positive correlation between ACOT13 expression and immune checkpoint sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin (SIGLEC) 15 and TMB. Patients with low ACOT13 expression had higher cisplatin IC50 scores. Conclusion: ACOT13 is an independent prognostic factor and a promising clinical target for OSC. In the future, the carcinogenic mechanism and clinical application value of ACOT13 in ovarian cancer need to be further studied.

Genetic profiling of circulating cell-free DNA from cerebrospinal fluid and paired plasma in ALK-positive lung cancer with brain metastases

BACKGROUND

This study used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to investigate the genetic profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and tumor tissue to explore alternative detection methods for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement status and potential resistance mechanisms to ALK inhibitors.

METHODS

From January 2016 to January 2021, 19 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with brain metastases (BMs) and ALK-positive primary tumors were enrolled at Beijing Chest Hospital. CSF, plasma, and primary tumor samples from patients with BMs of NSCLC were tested using NGS with a 168-gene panel. The intracranial response and prognosis were also investigated.

RESULTS

The study included 19 patients, seven females and 12 males, aged between 29 and 68 (median age 44). CSF cytology was negative in all cases. NGS results showed ALK fusion genes detected in 26.3% (5/19) of CSF cfDNA samples, 78.9% (15/19) of plasma samples, and 89.5% (17/19) of tumor samples from ALK-positive patients. ALK-positive CSF samples had significantly higher allele fractions in CSF cfDNA compared with the other two sample types. In five patients with ALK-positive in CSF, after receiving ALK inhibitors ± local treatment, one case achieved an intracranial complete response, and two had an intracranial partial response. In CSF samples, the intracranial median progression-free survival was 8.0 and 18.0 months for ALK-positive (n = 5) and ALK-negative (n = 14), respectively (p = 0.077).

CONCLUSION

CSF may serve as a liquid biopsy for ALK-positive lung cancer with BMs by detecting cfDNA within CSF to characterize driver and resistant genes.

Altered resting-state hippocampal functional connectivity in breast cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea

INTRODUCTION

Amenorrhea induced decrease of hormones is associated with cognitive impairment. This study aimed to evaluate hippocampal functional connectivity patterns in chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) breast cancer (BC) patients, to evaluate the relationship between the functional connectivity features and hormone levels.

METHOD

Neuropsychological test, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and assessment of hormone levels were conducted in 21 premenopausal BC patients before chemotherapy (t0 ) and 1 week after completing chemotherapy (t1 ). Twenty matched healthy controls (HC) were also included and underwent the same assessments at similar time intervals. Mixed effect analysis and paired t-test were used to compare differences in brain functional connectivity.

RESULTS

Voxel-based paired t-tests revealed increased functional connectivity of the right and left hippocampus with the left fusiform gyrus, inferior and middle temporal gyrus, inferior occipital gyrus, left lingual gyrus, and parahippocampal gyrus after chemotherapy (p < .001) in CIA patients. Repeated measures analysis revealed significant group-by-time interactions in the left hippocampus with the bilateral fusiform gyrus, right parahippocampal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, and left inferior occipital gyrus (p < .001). Premenopausal BC patients had no significant differences in cognitive function compared with HC at baseline. However, the CIA patients had high levels of self-rating depression scale, self-rating anxiety scale, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Further, the CIA patients showed significant differences in hormone and fasting plasma glucose levels and cognitive performances between t0 and t1 (p < .05). Functional connectivity changes between the left hippocampus and the left inferior occipital gyrus was negatively correlated with E2 and luteinizing hormone changes (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

The CIA patients had cognitive dysfunction mainly in memory and visual mobility. Chemotherapy may affect hippocampal-posterior cortical circuit which mediates visual processing in CIA patients. Moreover, E2 may be involved in this process.

Reducing the carbon emission from agricultural production in China: do land transfer and urbanization matter?

Urbanization and land transfer have triggered a profound reform of the Chinese agricultural sector since reform and opening, leading to a continuous rise in agricultural carbon emissions. However, the impact of urbanization and land transfer on agricultural carbon emissions is not widely understood. Therefore, based on the panel data covering 30 provinces (cities) in China from 2005 to 2019, we adopted a panel autoregressive distributed lag model and a vector autoregressive model to empirically explore the causal relationship between land transfer, urbanization, and agricultural carbon emissions. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Land transfer can significantly reduce carbon emissions from agricultural production in the long run, while urbanization has a positive effect on agricultural carbon emissions. (2) In the short run, land transfer has a significant positive impact on agricultural carbon emissions, and urbanization also has a positive impact on the carbon emissions of agricultural production, but in insignificant ways. (3) There is two-way causality between land transfer and agricultural carbon emission, and between urbanization and land transfer is the same, but urbanization is the one-way Granger cause of agricultural carbon emissions. Finally, some suggestions are provided for low-carbon agriculture development: the government should encourage the transfer of land management rights and guide high-quality resources to gather in green agriculture.

Screening and Validation Potential Therapeutic Marker of Early to Middle Stage ACLF Patients Treated by ALSSs

BACKGROUND

Artificial liver support systems (ALSSs) are important approaches for treating acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients. Few studies have investigated potential serum therapeutic markers of ACLF patients treated by ALSSs.

METHODS

Serum samples were obtained from 57 early to middle stage ACLF patients before and after ALSSs treatment and analyzed by metabonomics. The diagnostic values were evaluated by the area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC). A retrospective cohort analysis was further employed.

RESULTS

Metabonomic study showed that serum ratios of lactate: creatinine in ACLF patients is significantly altered and then restored to normal levels after ALSSs treatment. A retrospective cohort analysis (n = 47) validated that the lactate: creatinine ratio of ACLF patients in the one-month death group remained unchanged after ALSSs treatment, but fell markedly in the survival group with AUROC of 0.682 for diagnosis of survival group from death group, which is a more sensitive measure than measures of prothrombin time activity (PTA) to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ALSSs treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated the greater the decline in the serum lactate: creatinine ratio with better effective treatments of ALSSs in the ACLF patients with early to middle stage, which presents a potential therapeutic biomarker of ALSSs treatment.

Evolution of the 14-3-3 gene family in monocotyledons and dicotyledons and validation of MdGRF13 function in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

KEY MESSAGE

The 14-3-3 family is more highly conserved among monocotyledons, and overexpression of MdGRF13 improved drought and salt tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. The 14-3-3 are highly conserved regulatory proteins found in eukaryotes and play an essential role in plant growth, development and stress response. However, the 14-3-3 gene family evolution in monocotyledons and dicotyledons and the biological functions of the MdGRF13 under abiotic stress remain unknown. In our study, 195 members of the 14-3-3 family were identified from 12 species and divided into ε group and the Non-ε group. Synteny analysis within the 14-3-3 family indicated that segmental duplication events contributed to the expansion of the family. Selective pressure analysis indicated that purifying selection was a vital force in the 14-3-3 genes evolution, and monocotyledons had a lower million years ago (Mya) mean values than dicotyledons. Meanwhile, the codon adaptation index (CAI) and frequency of optical codons (FOP) are higher and the effective number of codons (Nc) is lower in monocotyledons 14-3-3 genes compared to dicotyledons. Moreover, the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) demonstrated that MdGRF13 interacts with MdRD22, MdLHP1a and MdMORF1. Significantly, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative conductivity were decreased, while the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities were increased in transgenic Arabidopsis compared to the wild type (WT) under drought and salt stress. These results suggest that overexpression of MdGRF13 significantly improved the tolerance to drought and salt stress in transgenic Arabidopsis. Thus, our results provide a theoretical basis for exploring the evolution and function of the 14-3-3 gene family in monocotyledons and dicotyledons.

Synthesis, cytotoxicity, and biomacromolecule binding: Three isomers of nitrosylruthenium complexes with bidentate bioactive molecules as co-ligands

Three isomeric nitrosylruthenium complexes [RuNO(Qn)(PZA)Cl] (P1, P2, and P3) with bioactive small molecules 8-hydroxyquinoline (Qn) and pyrazinamide (PZA) as co-ligands were synthesized, and their crystal structures were determined using X-ray diffraction technique. The cellular toxicity of the isomeric complexes was compared to understand the effects of the geometries on the biological activity of the complexes. Both the complexes and the human serum albumin (HSA) complex adducts affected the extent of proliferation of HeLa cells (IC₅₀: 0.77-1.45 μM). P2 showed prominent activity-induced cell apoptosis and arrested cell cycles at the G1 phase. The binding constants (K_b) of the complex with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and HSA were quantitatively evaluated using fluorescence spectroscopy in the range of 0.17-1.56 × 10⁴ M^-1 and 0.88-3.21 × 10⁵ M^-1, respectively. The average binding site (n) number was close to 1. Moreover, the structure of HSA and the P2 complex adduct solved at the resolution of 2.48 Å revealed that one PZA-coordinated nitrosylruthenium complex bound at the subdomain I of HSA via a noncoordinative bond. HSA could serve as a potential nano-delivery system. This study provides a framework for the rational design of metal-based drugs.

Transportation of whey protein-derived peptides using Caco-2 cell model and identification of novel cholesterol-lowering peptides

Background

The increasing morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease have become a major factor in human death. Serum cholesterol is considered to be an important risk factor for inducing coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. To screen intestinal absorbable functional small peptides with cholesterol-lowering activity by enzymatic hydrolysis of whey protein and develop cholesterol-based functional food that may become a substitute for chemically synthesized drugs, providing new ideas for diseases caused by high cholesterol.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the cholesterol-lowering activity of intestinal absorbable whey protein-derived peptides hydrolyzed by alkaline protease, trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively.

Method

The whey protein hydrolysates acquired by enzymatic hydrolysis under optimal conditions were purified by a hollow fiber ultrafiltration membrane with a molecular weight cutoff of 10 kDa. The fractions obtained by Sephadex G-10 gel filtration chromatography were transported through a Caco-2 cell monolayer. The transported peptides were detected in the basolateral aspect of Caco-2 cell monolayers using ultra- performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS).

Results

His-Thr-Ser-Gly-Tyr (HTSGY), Ala-Val-Phe-Lys (AVFK) and Ala-Leu-Pro-Met (ALPM) were unreported peptides with cholesterol-lowering activity. The cholesterol-lowering activities of the three peptides did not change significantly during simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Conclusion

This study not only provides theoretical support for the development of bioactive peptides that can be directly absorbed by the human body, but also provides new treatment ideas for hypercholesterolemia.

Analysis and prediction of athlete's anxiety state based on artificial intelligence

Obtaining athletes' anxiety accurately and regulating their psychological state helps improve their competitive performance. Therefore, this article uses a hierarchical clustering algorithm to identify the sources of stress of track and field athletes. A novel and efficient hierarchical clustering algorithm is proposed in this article. The algorithm consists of two stages: dividing and agglomerating. In the dividing stage, the initial data set is taken as a class and subclasses more than the actual number of clusters are obtained through multiple dividing. In the agglomerating phase, the subclasses divided during the dividing process are merged into the correct class. In addition, we construct an analysis model of athletes' anxiety state based on the radial basis function (RBF) model, where athletes' anxiety is divided into three categories: physical condition anxiety, competition state and cognitive state. The proposed model is trained from the official website of the China Track and Field Association. The athletes' information from 500 samples was arranged to form the sample database of athletes' data. The implicit unit center, function width and connection weight record the characteristics of various sports anxiety states. Then we used the Bayesian and Lagrange models as comparative models for evaluating the psychological state. Precision and efficiency were used for evaluation indexes. The proposed model's results are much better in accuracy and time than those of the Lagrange and Bayesian models. The outcome of the proposed research can provide a reasonable basis for the decision-making of stress relief for track and field athletes.

CRISPR editing of CCR5 and HIV-1 facilitates viral elimination in antiretroviral drug-suppressed virus-infected humanized mice

Treatment of HIV-1ADA-infected CD34+ NSG-humanized mice with long-acting ester prodrugs of cabotegravir, lamivudine, and abacavir in combination with native rilpivirine was followed by dual CRISPR-Cas9 C-C chemokine receptor type five (CCR5) and HIV-1 proviral DNA gene editing. This led to sequential viral suppression, restoration of absolute human CD4+ T cell numbers, then elimination of replication-competent virus in 58% of infected mice. Dual CRISPR therapies enabled the excision of integrated proviral DNA in infected human cells contained within live infected animals. Highly sensitive nucleic acid nested and droplet digital PCR, RNAscope, and viral outgrowth assays affirmed viral elimination. HIV-1 was not detected in the blood, spleen, lung, kidney, liver, gut, bone marrow, and brain of virus-free animals. Progeny virus from adoptively transferred and CRISPR-treated virus-free mice was neither detected nor recovered. Residual HIV-1 DNA fragments were easily seen in untreated and viral-rebounded animals. No evidence of off-target toxicities was recorded in any of the treated animals. Importantly, the dual CRISPR therapy demonstrated statistically significant improvements in HIV-1 cure percentages compared to single treatments. Taken together, these observations underscore a pivotal role of combinatorial CRISPR gene editing in achieving the elimination of HIV-1 infection.

Synergistic antimicrobial system based on nisin and α-hydroxy organic acids

Synergistic antimicrobial is a promising way to overcome microbial contamination in food and drugs. In the study, the synergistic effect between nisin and α-hydroxy organic acids on E. coli and S. aureus was investigated. The experimental results showed that the combined antibacterial ability of nisin-citric acid system was the most prominent. The FCI index also indicated that the combination of nisin and citric acid had synergistic effects on E. coli. When nisin was combined with citric acid, the inhibition rates of E. coli and S. aureus were increased to 4.43 and 1.49 times, respectively. Nisin-citric acid complex system could effectively slow down the proliferation of S. aureus and E. coli at lower concentrations, and can quickly destroy the cell membrane after 4 h of action. Therefore, the combination of nisin and citric acid is expected to be a potential solution for food and drug preservation.

Synergistic antimicrobial effect of nisin-octanoic acid nanoemulsions against E. coli and S. aureus

Food safety is a major public health concern all over the world. Therefore, the prevention of food contamination is becoming extremely crucial. In this study, an antimicrobial nanoemulsion composed of water-soluble nisin and fat-soluble octanoic acid was successfully prepared. The results showed that the average particle size and the polymer dispersity index of the nisin-octanoic acid (NOA) nanoemulsion were around 52.21 nm and 0.253, respectively. The NOA nanoemulsion required less amounts of nisin and octanoic acid to achieve the effective antimicrobial effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the growth curves of E. coli and S. aureus were determined. The OD₆₀₀ of NOA nanoemulsion was significantly lower than free nisin after being incubated for 24 h (p < 0.001), indicating that the antimicrobial effect of NOA nanoemulsion was outstanding. Meanwhile, the synergistic antimicrobial property of NOA nanoemulsion against E. coli and S. aureus was significantly better than free nisin under nonacid conditions (p < 0.05). Overall, the results of this study may provide guidance for the further application of nisin in more forms.

A CT-Based Radiomics Model for Prediction of Prognosis in Patients with Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pneumonia: A Preliminary Study

This study aimed to develop a computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics model to predict the outcome of COVID-19 pneumonia. In total of 44 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The radiomics model and subtracted radiomics model were developed to assess the prognosis of COVID-19 and compare differences between the aggravate and relief groups. Each radiomic signature consisted of 10 selected features and showed good performance in differentiating between the aggravate and relief groups. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the first model were 98.1%, 97.3%, and 97.6%, respectively (AUC = 0.99). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the second model were 100%, 97.3%, and 98.4%, respectively (AUC = 1.00). There was no significant difference between the models. The radiomics models revealed good performance for predicting the outcome of COVID-19 in the early stage. The CT-based radiomic signature can provide valuable information to identify potential severe COVID-19 patients and aid clinical decisions.

Rational Design of Mixed Matrix Membranes Modulated by Trisilver Complex for Efficient Propylene/Propane Separation

The application of membrane-based separation processes for propylene/propane (C₃ H₆ /C₃ H₈ ) is extremely promising and attractive as it is poised to reduce the high operation cost of the established low temperature distillation process, but major challenges remain in achieving high gas selectivity/permeability and long-term membrane stability. Herein, a C₃ H₆ facilitated transport membrane using trisilver pyrazolate (Ag₃ pz₃ ) as a carrier filler is reported, which is uniformly dispersed in a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) matrix at the molecular level (≈15 nm), verified by several analytical techniques, including 3D-reconstructed focused ion beam scanning electron microscropy (FIB-SEM) tomography. The π-acidic Ag₃ pz₃ combines preferentially with π-basic C₃ H₆ , which is confirmed by density functional theory calculations showing that the silver ions in Ag₃ pz₃ form a reversible π complex with C₃ H₆ , endowing the membranes with superior C₃ H₆ affinity. The resulting membranes exhibit superior stability, C₃ H₆ /C₃ H₈ selectivity as high as ≈200 and excellent C₃ H₆ permeability of 306 Barrer, surpassing the upper bound selectivity/permeability performance line of polymeric membranes. This work provides a conceptually new approach of using coordinatively unsaturated 0D complexes as fillers in mixed matrix membranes, which can accomplish olefin/alkane separation with high performance.

Improving agricultural green total factor productivity in China: do environmental governance and green low-carbon policies matter?

Strengthening environmental governance and green low-carbon policies is a key measure to improve agriculture green total factor productivity and develop sustainable agriculture. Against this background, this study explores the relationship between agriculture green total factor productivity (AGTFP), environmental governance, and green low carbon policies based on panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2019, and the system generalized method of moments model is adopted. The empirical results are as follows: (1) Environmental governance will not only directly affect AGTFP, but also indirectly affect AGTFP by influencing green technology innovation. (2) Environmental governance can strengthen the promotion of green low-carbon policies to AGTFP. (3) There are regional differences in causality among AGTFP, environmental governance, and green low-carbon policies. These empirical results offer Chinese policymakers scientific and normative recommendations for improving AGTFP and developing sustainable green agriculture.

Spatial characterization of HCHO and reapportionment of its secondary sources considering photochemical loss in Taiyuan, China

Formaldehyde (HCHO) plays an important role in atmospheric ozone (O₃) formation. To accurately identify the sources of HCHO, carbonyls and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at three urban sites (Taoyuan, TY-U; Jinyuan, JY-U; Xiaodian, XD-U) and a suburban site (Shanglan, SL-B) in Taiyuan during a high O₃ period (from July 20 to August 3, 2020). The average mixing ratio of HCHO at XD-U (8.1 ± 2.8 ppbv) was comparable to those at TY-U (7.4 ± 2.1 ppbv) and JY-U (7.0 ± 2.3 ppbv) but higher (p < 0.01) than that at SL-B (4.9 ± 2.3 ppbv). HCHO contributed to 54.3-59.9 % of the total ozone formation potentials (OFPs) of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) at four sites. The diurnal variation of HCHO concentrations reached a peak value at 12:00-15:00, which may be attributed to the strong photochemical reaction. To obtain more accurate source results of HCHO under the condition of photochemical loss, the initial concentrations of NMHCs were estimated based on photochemical age parameterization and incorporated into the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model (termed IC-PMF). According to the IC-PMF results, secondary formation (SF) contributed the most to HCHO at XD-U (35.6 %) and SL-B (25.1 %), whereas solvent usage (SU) (40.9 %) and coking sources (CS) (36.0 %) were the major sources at TY-U and JY-U, respectively. Compared to the IC-PMF, the conventional PMF analysis based on the observed data underestimated the contributions of SU (100.5-154.2 %) and biogenic sources (BS) (28.5-324.7 %). Further reapportionment of secondary HCHO by multiple linear regression indicated that SU dominated the sources of HCHO at SL-B (28.3 %) and TY-U (41.7 %), while industrial emissions (IE) and CS contributed the most to XD-U (26.6 %) and JY-U (43.0 %) in Taiyuan from north to south, respectively.