[A case of fungal keratitis caused by Petriella setifera infection]

The patient, a 66-year-old male, suffered from redness, blurred vision, photophobia, and tearing in the right eye after being injured by a wooden board. Anti-inflammatory treatment showed poor effectiveness. A 4 mm × 4 mm infiltrate with white deposits on the surface was observed in the central cornea of the right eye. Microscopic examination of corneal scrapings, fungal culture, and in vivo confocal microscopy all indicated fungal infection. The isolated strain was identified as Scedosporium apiospermum through microscopic morphology and confirmed as Petriella setifera by gene sequencing. The patient received corneal debridement combined with routine anti-inflammatory and antifungal treatment in the outpatient clinic. During the follow-up period, the condition continued to improve. Slit lamp examination at the revisit 40 days after the initial diagnosis revealed thinning of the corneal stroma, basic healing of the epithelium, and an increase in uncorrected visual acuity from 0.3 to 0.6.

Genomic epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of Serratia marcescens neurosurgical site infections associated with contaminated haircutting toolkits in a hospital barber shop

BACKGROUND

Nine surgical site infections caused by Serratia marcescens were diagnosed in neurosurgical patients in a 3500-bed hospital between 2nd February and 6th April 2022.

OBJECTIVE

To trace the source of infections caused by S. marcescens to expedite termination of the outbreak and prevent future epidemics.

METHODS

A review of all surgical procedures and cultures yielding S. marcescens since February 2022 was conducted. Samples were collected from patients and environmental sources. S. marcescens isolates were characterized by antibiotic susceptibility testing. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to investigate genetic relationships. Resistance genes, virulence genes and plasmid replicons were identified.

RESULTS

S. marcescens was isolated from patients' puncture fluid, cerebrospinal fluid and other secretions, and was also cultured from the barbers' haircutting tools, including leather knives, slicker scrapers and razors. In total, 15 isolates were obtained from patients and eight isolates were obtained from haircutting tools. All isolates exhibited identical antibiotic resistance patterns. WGS revealed close clustering among the 23 isolates which differed significantly from previous strains. Three resistance genes and nine virulence-associated genes were detected in all isolates, and 19 of 23 isolates harboured an MOBP-type plasmid. The results confirmed an outbreak of S. marcescens, which was traced to contaminated haircutting tools in the hospital barber shop. The outbreak ended after extensive reinforcement of infection control procedures and re-education of the barbers.

CONCLUSIONS

These results highlight the risk of postoperative infections related to pre-operative skin preparation, and demonstrate the value of next-generation sequencing tools to expedite outbreak investigations.

Nutrient supplementation of beef female calves at pre-weaning enhances the commitment of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells to preadipocytes

We aimed to evaluate the impact of nutrient supplementation of beef female calves at pre-weaning on adipogenic determination. Thirty-four female calves were assigned to two experimental treatments: Control (CON, n = 17), where animals were supplemented only with mineral mixture; Supplemented (SUP, n = 17), where animals received energy-protein supplement containing minerals (5 g/kg of BW per day) of their body weight. Animals were supplemented from 100 to 250 days of age, and muscle samples were biopsied at the end of the supplementation period. Regarding the performance variables, there were no differences between treatments for initial body weight (P = 0.75). The final body weight (P = 0.07), average daily gain (P = 0.07), rib eye area (P = 0.03), and rib fat thickness (P = 0.08) were greater in SUP female calves compared with CON treatment. The number of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells (P = 0.69) did not differ between treatments, while a greater number of intramuscular pre-adipocytes were observed in SUP than CON female calves (P = 0.01). The expression of miRNA-4429 (P = 0.20) did not differ between treatments, while the expression of miRNA-129-5p (P = 0.09) and miRNA-129-2-3p (P = 0.05) was greater in CON than SUP female calves. Our results suggest that nutrient supplementation at early postnatal stages of development enhances the commitment of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells into the adipogenic lineages allowing to an increase in intramuscular fat deposition potential of the animals later in life.

CDC73 Impairment of MAPK1 Ubiquitination and Activation of the mTOR Signaling Pathway

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

CDC73 has been reported to be upregulated in breast cancer. This study aimed to illuminate the underlying mechanism by which CDC73 mediates breast cancer.

MATERIALS/METHODS

Here, a breast cancer tissue microarray and three breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231, BT-549 as well as MCF-7 were employed. Using RNAi method, we knocked down CDC73 and MAPK1 in breast cancer cells. CDC73 overexpression plasmids (LV-013) were generated through pMD2.G and pSPAX2 vectors. Cell events related to tumor development were analyzed through Celigo cell counting assay, a cell counting kit, wound healing assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry analysis. The exploration on the underlying mechanism was based on PrimeView human gene expression array. Xenograft tumor models were constructed to visualize the effects of CDC73/MAPK2 on breast cancer progression.

RESULTS

CDC73 was abundantly expressed in breast cancer tissues and cell lines, and the expression of CDC73 was related to poor prognosis of patients. In breast cancer, CDC73 could promote the proliferation and migration of tumor cells, while disrupting apoptosis. Also, we found that CBL, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, could interact with CDC73 and promote MAPK1 ubiquitination and degradation of this protein. In addition, silencing MAPK1 led to a suppression of breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo, and even abolished the promoting effects of CDC73 overexpression. We also found that mTOR pathway played a role in CDC73-mediated breast cancer. mTOR pathway inhibitor reversed cell phenotypes induced by CDC73 overexpression.

CONCLUSION

CDC73 promoted MAPK1 ubiquitination and degradation so that affected MAPK1 level and subsequently led to breast cancer progression, providing a novel therapeutic strategy to combat cancer.

Does Periodontitis Affect the Association of Biological Aging with Mortality?

The prevalence of periodontitis is increasing with the aging of the global population. Periodontitis has been suggested to accelerate aging and increase mortality. The present nationwide prospective cohort study aimed to determine whether periodontitis could modify the association of biological aging with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in middle-aged and older adults. Participants ≥40 y of age from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were included (n = 6,272). Phenotypic age acceleration (PhenoAgeAccel) was used to evaluate the biological aging process. Moderate/severe periodontitis was defined using a half-reduced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Periodontology case definition. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was conducted to estimate the association between PhenoAgeAccel and mortality risk, followed by effect modification analysis to test whether periodontitis modified the association. During a median follow-up of 24.5 y, 3,600 (57.4%) deaths occurred. The positive relationships between PhenoAgeAccel and all-cause and cause-specific mortality were nonlinear. After adjusting for potential confounders, the highest quartile of PhenoAgeAccel was associated with increased all-cause mortality in individuals with no/mild periodontitis (hazard ratio for Q4 vs. Q1 [HR_Q4vs.Q1] = 1.789; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.541-2.076). In contrast, the association was enhanced in patients with moderate/severe periodontitis (HR_Q4vs.Q1 = 2.446 [2.100-2.850]). Periodontal status significantly modified the association between PhenoAgeAccel and all-cause mortality (P for interaction = 0.012). In subgroup analyses, the modifying effect of periodontitis was observed in middle-aged adults (40-59 y), females, and non-Hispanic Whites. Although cause-specific mortality showed a similar trend, the PhenoAgeAccel × periodontitis interaction did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, periodontitis might enhance the association of biological aging with all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older adults. Hence, maintaining and enhancing periodontal health is expected to become an intervention to slow aging and extend life span.

Swinging between shine and shadow: Theoretical advances on thermally activated vibropolaritonic chemistry

Polariton chemistry has emerged as an appealing branch of synthetic chemistry that promises mode selectivity and a cleaner approach to kinetic control. Of particular interest are the numerous experiments in which reactivity has been modified by virtue of performing the reaction inside infrared optical microcavities in the absence of optical pumping; this effort is known as "vibropolaritonic chemistry." The optimal conditions for these observations are (1) resonance between cavity and reactive modes at normal incidence (k = 0) and (2) a monotonic increase of the effect with the concentration of emitters in the sample. Importantly, vibropolaritonic chemistry has only been experimentally demonstrated in the so-called "collective" strong coupling regime, where there is a macroscopic number of molecules (rather than a single molecule) coupled to each photon mode of the microcavity. Strikingly, efforts to understand this phenomenon from a conceptual standpoint have encountered several roadblocks, and no single, unifying theory has surfaced thus far. This Perspective documents the most relevant approaches taken by theorists, laying out the contributions and unresolved challenges from each work. We expect this Perspective to not only serve as a primer for experimentalists and theorists alike but also inform future endeavors in the quest for the ultimate formalism of vibropolaritonic chemical kinetics.

Metabolism of resistant starch RS3 administered in combination with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain 84-3 by human gut microbiota in simulated fermentation experiments in vitro and in a rat model

This study aimed to investigate the metabolic and population responses of gut microbiota to resistant starch (RS3) in the presence of exogenous Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain 84-3 (Lp84-3) in vitro and in vivo. Lp84-3 promoted acetate, propionate, and butyrate production from RS3 by gut microbiota and increased Lactobacillus and Blautia contents in vitro. Furthermore, in the presence of Lp84-3, starch granules presented a "dot-by-hole" fermentation pattern. Administration of Lp84-3 with RS3 increased the level of SCFA-producing Faecalibaculum, Parabacteroides, Alistipes, and Anaeroplasma in the faeces of rates, with Lactobacillus and Akkermansia representing the key genera that significantly promoted SCFAs, especially propionate and butyrate. Lp84-3 with RS3 promoted genes related to tryptophan synthase (EC 4.2.1.20) and beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) in faecal bacteria. Our findings highlight the ability of Lp84-3 to enhance RS3 degradation, possibly by promoting SCFA-producing bacteria, and indicate that Lp84-3 could be a potential probiotic with a beneficial effect on gut microbiota.

[The expression and function of PD-L1 in CD133(+) human liver cancer stem-like cells]

Objective: To investigate the expression of programmed death protein-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in liver cancer stem-like cells (LCSLC) and its effect on the characteristics of tumor stem cells and tumor biological function, to explore the upstream signaling pathway regulating PD-L1 expression in LCSLC and the downstream molecular mechanism of PD-L1 regulating stem cell characteristics, also tumor biological functions. Methods: HepG2 was cultured by sphere-formating method to obtain LCSLC. The expressions of CD133 and other stemness markers were detected by flow cytometry, western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to detect the expressions of stemness markers and PD-L1. The biological functions of the LCSLC were tested by cell function assays, to confirm that the LCSLC has the characteristics of tumor stem cells. LCSLC was treated with cell signaling pathway inhibitors to identify relevant upstream signaling pathways mediating PD-L1 expression changes. The expression of PD-L1 in LCSLC was down regulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of stem cell markers, tumor biological functions of LCSLC, and the changes of cell signaling pathways were detected. Results: Compared with HepG2 cells, the expression rate of CD133 in LCSLC was upregulated [(92.78±6.91)% and (1.40±1.77)%, P<0.001], the expressions of CD133, Nanog, Oct4A and Snail in LCSLC were also higher than those in HepG2 cells (P<0.05), the number of sphere-formating cells increased on day 7 [(395.30±54.05) and (124.70±19.30), P=0.001], cell migration rate increased [(35.41±6.78)% and (10.89±4.34)%, P=0.006], the number of transmembrane cells increased [(75.77±10.85) and (20.00±7.94), P=0.002], the number of cloned cells increased [(120.00±29.51) and (62.67±16.77), P=0.043]. Cell cycle experiments showed that LCSLC had significantly more cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase than those in HepG2 [(54.89±3.27) and (32.36±1.50), P<0.001]. The tumor formation experiment of mice showed that the weight of transplanted tumor in LCSLC group was (1.32±0.17)g, the volume is (1 779.0±200.2) mm(3), were higher than those of HepG2 cell [(0.31±0.06)g and (645.6±154.9)mm(3), P<0.001]. The expression level of PD-L1 protein in LCSLC was 1.88±0.52 and mRNA expression level was 2.53±0.62, both of which were higher than those of HepG2 cells (P<0.05). The expression levels of phosphorylation signal transduction and transcription activation factor 3 (p-STAT3) and p-Akt in LCSLC were higher than those in HepG2 cells (P<0.05). After the expression of p-STAT3 and p-Akt was down-regulated by inhibitor treatment, the expression of PD-L1 was also down-regulated (P<0.05). In contrast, the expression level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in LCSLC was lower than that in HepG2 cells (P<0.01), there was no significant change in PD-L1 expression after down-regulated by inhibitor treatment (P>0.05). After the expression of PD-L1 was knockdown by siRNA, the expressions of CD133, Nanog, Oct4A and Snail in LCSLC were decreased compared with those of siRNA-negative control (NC) group (P<0.05). The number of sphere-formating cells decreased [(45.33±12.01) and (282.00±29.21), P<0.001], the cell migration rate was lower than that in siRNA-NC group [(20.86±2.74)% and (46.73±15.43)%, P=0.046], the number of transmembrane cells decreased [(39.67±1.53) and (102.70±11.59), P=0.001], the number of cloned cells decreased [(57.67±14.57) and (120.70±15.04), P=0.007], the number of cells in G(0)/G(1) phase decreased [(37.68±2.51) and (57.27±0.92), P<0.001], the number of cells in S phase was more than that in siRNA-NC group [(30.78±0.52) and (15.52±0.83), P<0.001]. Tumor formation in mice showed that the tumor weight of shRNA-PD-L1 group was (0.47±0.12)g, the volume is (761.3±221.4)mm(3), were lower than those of shRNA-NC group [(1.57±0.45)g and (1 829.0±218.3)mm(3), P<0.001]. Meanwhile, the expression levels of p-STAT3 and p-Akt in siRNA-PD-L1 group were decreased (P<0.05), while the expression levels of p-ERK1/2 and β-catenin did not change significantly (P>0.05). Conclusion: Elevated PD-L1 expression in CD133(+) LCSLC is crucial to maintain stemness and promotes the tumor biological function of LCSLC.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by minimally invasive esophagectomy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Neoadjuvant therapy is recommended for locally advanced esophageal cancer, but the optimal strategy remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (nCT) followed by minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients staged as cT3-4aN0-1M0 ESCC were randomly assigned (1 : 1) to the nCRT or nCT group stratified by age, cN stage, and centers. The chemotherapy, based on paclitaxel and cisplatin, was administered to both groups, while concurrent radiotherapy was added for the nCRT group; then MIE was carried out. The primary endpoint was 3-year overall survival. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03001596).

RESULTS

A total of 264 patients were eligible for the intention-to-treat analysis. By 30 November 2021, 121 deaths had occurred. The median follow-up was 43.9 months (interquartile range 36.6-49.3 months). The overall survival in the intention-to-treat population was comparable between the nCRT and nCT strategies [hazard ratio (HR) 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-1.18; P = 0.28], with a 3-year survival rate of 64.1% (95% CI 56.4% to 72.9%) versus 54.9% (95% CI 47.0% to 64.2%), respectively. There were also no differences in progression-free survival (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.59-1.16; P = 0.27) and recurrence-free survival (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.71-1.60; P = 0.75), although the pathological complete response in the nCRT group (31/112, 27.7%) was significantly higher than that in the nCT group (3/104, 2.9%; P < 0.001). Besides, a trend of lower risk of recurrence was observed in the nCRT group (P = 0.063), while the recurrence pattern was similar (P = 0.802).

CONCLUSIONS

NCRT followed by MIE was not associated with significantly better overall survival than nCT among patients with cT3-4aN0-1M0 ESCC. The results underscore the pending issue of the best strategy of neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced bulky ESCC.

Rodent hole detection in a typical steppe ecosystem using UAS and deep learning

INTRODUCTION

Rodent outbreak is the main biological disaster in grassland ecosystems. Traditional rodent damage monitoring approaches mainly depend on costly field surveys, e.g., rodent trapping or hole counting. Integrating an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) image acquisition platform and deep learning (DL) provides a great opportunity to realize efficient large-scale rodent damage monitoring and early-stage diagnosis. As the major rodent species in Inner Mongolia, Brandt's voles (BV) (Lasiopodomys brandtii) have markedly small holes, which are difficult to identify regarding various seasonal noises in this typical steppe ecosystem.

METHODS

In this study, we proposed a novel UAS-DL-based framework for BV hole detection in two representative seasons. We also established the first bi-seasonal UAS image datasets for rodent hole detection. Three two-stage (Faster R-CNN, R-FCN, and Cascade R-CNN) and three one-stage (SSD, RetinaNet, and YOLOv4) object detection DL models were investigated from three perspectives: accuracy, running speed, and generalizability.

RESULTS

Experimental results revealed that: 1) Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 are the most accurate models; 2) SSD and YOLOv4 are the fastest; 3) Faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 have the most consistent performance across two different seasons.

DISCUSSION

The integration of UAS and DL techniques was demonstrated to utilize automatic, accurate, and efficient BV hole detection in a typical steppe ecosystem. The proposed method has a great potential for large-scale multi-seasonal rodent damage monitoring.

[Epidemiological, clinical characteristics, prevention, and control of monkeypox]

The World Health Organization officially declared that monkeypox was public health emergency of international concern on July 23, 2022. Current research shows that the clades of monkeypox virus are still Clade Ⅱ in multiple countries in 2022. Monkeypox cases are mainly males, with a wide range of ages. Compared with the population in previous studies, the reported population in 2022 had an increased median age, and the proportion of men who have sex with men increased. Monkeypox is usually a self-limited disease, with fever and rash as the primary clinical symptoms. Studies had shown that compared with before 2022, the proportion of fever in 2022 decreased, and the leading site of rash changed from cheek to genital mucosa. Asymptomatic monkeypox cases were first reported in 2022. Although there are no monkeypox local cases in China and imported risk is low, with the deepening of trade exchanges between countries in the world and frequent personnel exchanges, China should pay attention to the progress of the international epidemic and make efforts on emergency response, to prevent the possible occurrence and spread of cases.

[A case of microsporidial keratitis]

A case of keratitis caused by microsporidia infection was reported. A 57-year-old female patient, without any obvious predisposing cause, presented with eye redness, eye abrasion and vision loss for one year in the left eye. The patient was diagnosed with viral keratitis based on laboratory examinations and clinical symptoms two months ago in our hospital. He was given outpatient treatment for antivirus. Two months later, he was admitted to our hospital with worsened condition that presented with corneal ulcer. After admission, corneal scraping examination was performed for the detection of microsporidia with calcofluor white (CFW) and Ziehl-Neelsen staining, the smear revealed multiple oval spore-like structures, with acid-fast positive and showed blue fluorescence on potassium hydroxide with CFW stain, confirming a diagnosis of microsporidial keratitis in the left eye. Treatment: topical use of ofloxacin eye ointment and voriconazole eye drops was not effective, and then penetrating keratoplasty was performed, and the patient's condition was stable after surgery. At present, they are still in treatment and follow-up.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha and palmitate simulate bovine fatty liver disease in vitro when using abattoir-derived primary bovine hepatocytes isolated by a novel nonperfusion method

Hepatic lipidosis (i.e., fatty liver) is a common periparturient disease in high-producing dairy cattle affecting nearly 50% of cows to some degree and costing an estimated 60 million dollars annually. Large animal studies are costly, labor intensive, and are not well suited to mechanistic studies. Traditionally, mechanistic studies employ in vitro methodologies, utilizing established cell lines or primary cell culture methods. However, with dairy cattle, established hepatic cell lines do not exist, and methods for primary cell culture studies typically involve complicated procedures that often utilize very young animals (typically bull calves). Several previously published papers have used abattoir-derived tissues as a source of primary cells; however, a simple method utilizing simple culture media has yet to be presented. In addition, we sought to develop a way to replicate the syndrome of fatty liver disease "in a dish" using adult cattle that should more closely represent the physiology of the periparturient dairy cow. Herein we present a non-perfusion-based method that results in robust growth and proliferation of abattoir-derived bovine hepatocytes that demonstrate lipid loading, elevated lactate dehydrogenase leakage, and cytotoxicity as demonstrated by elevated caspase 3/7 expression consistent with in vivo physiology of the periparturient dairy cow with fatty liver disease.

Bifidobacterium longum 070103 Fermented Milk Improve Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Disorders by Regulating Gut Microbiota in Mice

Background: Fermented milk is beneficial for metabolic disorders, while the underlying mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study explored the benefits and underlying mechanisms of Bifidobacterium longum 070103 fermented milk (BLFM) in thirteen-week high-fat and high-sugar (HFHS) fed mice using omics techniques. Methods and results: BLFM with activated glucokinase (GK) was screened by a double-enzyme coupling method. After supplementing BLFM with 10 mL/kg BW per day, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and leptin were significantly reduced compared with the HFHS group. Among them, the final body weight (BW), epididymal fat, perirenal fat, and brown fat in BLFM group had better change trends than Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG fermented milk (LGGFM) group. The amplicon and metabolomic data analysis identified Bifibacterium as a key gut microbiota at regulating glycolipid metabolism. BLFM reverses HFHS-induced reduction in bifidobacteria abundance. Further studies showed that BLFM significantly reduces the content of 3-indoxyl sulofphate associated with intestinal barrier damage. In addition, mice treated with BLFM improved BW, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. Conclusion: BLFM consumption attenuates obesity and related symptoms in HFHS-fed mice probably via the modulation of gut microbes and metabolites.

[Progress in the development of treprostinil for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a progressive pulmonary vascular disease, which can cause right heart failure and even death in severe cases. Treprostinil is a stable prostacyclin analogue and a powerful drug for dilating pulmonary vessels. It can be administered in different ways, with a long half-life, good stability and is suited for diverse types of PAH. It is approved for the treatment of Group 1 PAH, but some studies show that treprostinil is effective in patients with Group 3 or Group 4 PAH. Therefore, this article will review the progress of evidence-based medicine evidence of traprostanil in the treatment of type 1, 3 and 4 pulmonary hypertension.

[A case of solitary fibrous tumor of the conjunctiva]

A patient presented with a chief complaint of a conjunctival mass in the right eye for 5 days. The slit-lamp examination revealed a reddish oval mass, about 3 mm in diameter, in the nasal conjunctiva of the lower central fornix, with a clear boundary, smooth surface, toughness by touch, good activity, no bleeding, and no tenderness. The tumor was excised completely. Solitary fibrous tumor of the conjunctiva was diagnosed by pathological examination.

Cloning, Expression, Purification, and Characterization of β-Galactosidase from Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum

Expression and purification of β-galactosidases derived from Bifidobacterium provide a new resource for efficient lactose hydrolysis and lactose intolerance alleviation. Here, we cloned and expressed two β-galactosidases derived from Bifidobacterium. The optimal pH for BLGLB1 was 5.5, and the optimal temperature was 45 °C, at which the enzyme activity of BLGLB1 was higher than that of commercial enzyme E (300 ± 3.6 U/mg) under its optimal conditions, reaching 2200 ± 15 U/mg. The optimal pH and temperature for BPGLB1 were 6.0 and 45 °C, respectively, and the enzyme activity (0.58 ± 0.03 U/mg) under optimum conditions was significantly lower than that of BLGLB1. The structures of the two β-galactosidase were similar, with all known key sites conserved. When o-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactoside (oNPG) was used as an enzyme reaction substrate, the maximum reaction velocity (Vmax) for BLGLB1 and BPGLB1 was 3700 ± 100 U/mg and 1.1 ± 0.1 U/mg, respectively. The kinetic constant (Km) of BLGLB1 and BPGLB1 was 1.9 ± 0.1 and 1.3 ± 0.3 mmol/L, respectively. The respective catalytic constant (kcat) of BLGLB1 and BPGLB1 was 1700 ± 40 s−1 and 0.5 ± 0.02 s−1, respectively; the respective kcat/Km value of BLGLB1 and BPGLB1 was 870 L/(mmol∙s) and 0.36 L/(mmol∙s), respectively. The Km, kcat and Vmax values of BLGLB1 were superior to those of earlier reported β-galactosidase derived from Bifidobacterium. Overall, BLGLB1 has potential application in the food industry.

[Epidemic situation of malaria and change trend in Belt and Road countries]

Objective: To understand the epidemic situation of malaria and its change trend in the Belt and Road countries. Methods: The 145 countries with which China has signed cooperation documents on the Belt and Road Initiative were selected for this study, and their malaria incidence data were collected from the Global Burden of Disease 2019. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) was used to describe the epidemic situation of malaria in 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of the ASR was calculated to assess the incidence trend of malaria from 2013 to 2019. Results: Among the 145 countries, 74 (51.03%) countries had malaria epidemics, mainly in Africa (60.81%, 45/74) and Asia (22.97%, 17/74). The countries with malaria incidence of ≥10 000 per 100 000 in 2019 were mainly distributed in Africa (96.15%, 25/26). From 2013 to 2019, the incidence rates of malaria showed decreasing trends in 32 countries (43.24%), and the incidence rates of malaria in 23 countries (31.08%) showed no significant change, while the incidence rates of malaria in 19 countries (25.68%) showed increasing trends. The obvious increasing trends were observed in Cape Verde (EAPC=151.46, 95%CI: 47.15-329.71), South Africa (EAPC=98.61, 95%CI: 32.11-198.58) and Namibia (EAPC=78.03, 95%CI: 54.30-105.42). Conclusion: About half of the Belt and Road countries had malaria epidemics in 2019, in which 1/4 had increased incidence of malaria. China should continue to strengthen the prevention and control of malaria, especially imported malaria, to maintain the achievements of malaria elimination.

[Epidemic situation of HIV/AIDS and change trend in Belt and Road countries]

Objective: To understand the epidemic situation of HIV/AIDS and its change trend in the Belt and Road countries and provide evidence for the improvement of prevention and control of the cross-border transmission of HIV/AIDS. Methods: The 145 countries that have signed the cooperation document of the Belt and Road initiative with China were selected in our study. Age-standardized incidence rate and prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in the 145 countries from 2013 to 2019 were downloaded from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Age-standardized incidence rate and prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS in 2019 were used to describe the HIV/AIDS epidemics in 145 countries, and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of incidence was calculated to analyze the trend of HIV/AIDS incidence from 2013 to 2019. Results: In 2019, Africa had the highest proportion of countries with HIV/AIDS incidence exceeding 40.00 per 100 000 (56.86%, 29/51), and Asia had the lowest proportion (5.41%, 2/37). The countries with the prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS exceeding 100.00 per 10 000 were almost distributed in Africa, accounting for 20.69% (30/145). From 2013 to 2019, the incidence rate of HIV/AIDS increased in 50 countries, accounting for 34.48% (50/145). The incidence rate of HIV/AIDS showed downward trends in 69 countries (47.59%, 69/145), and showed no significant change in 26 countries (17.93%, 26/145). The most obvious increase of incidence rate of HIV/AIDS was observed in Comoros (EAPC=15.60, 95%CI: 5.84-26.26) and the most obvious decrease was observed in Burundi (EAPC=-14.27, 95%CI: -15.21 to -13.31). Conclusions: In the Belt and Road countries, the most severe disease burden of HIV/AIDS was observed in countries in Africa, and the incidences of HIV/AIDS increased rapidly in some European countries, which means the risk of cross-border transmission still exists. Hence, the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS in China should be further strengthened in the future.

[Epidemic situation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and change trend in Belt and Road countries]

Objective: To analyze the epidemic situation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in 2019 and the incidence trends from 2013 to 2019 in the Belt and Road countries. Methods: The 145 countries that have signed cooperation documents of the Belt and Road Initiative with China were selected. Age-standardized incidence and prevalence rate of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis from the Global Burden of Disease Study were used to describe the epidemic situation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in 2019. The annual percentage changes of the age-standardized incidence rate were calculated to assess incidence trends of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis from 2013 to 2019. Results: In 2019, of the 145 countries, Somalia had the highest incidence rate (30.42 per 100 000) and prevalence rate (48.86 per 100 000) of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, while Slovenia had the lowest incidence rate (0.01 per 100 000) and prevalence rate (0.01 per 100 000). The incidence trends of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in six continents from 2013 to 2019 were as follows: multidrug-resistant tuberculosis incidence rates showed increasing trends in 14 countries (27.45%) and decreasing trends in 22 countries (43.14%) in Africa, showed increasing trends in 2 countries (18.18%) and decreasing trends in 3 countries (27.27%) in North America and showed increasing trends in 2 countries (5.41%) and decreasing trends in 23 countries (62.16%) in Asia. The increasing trends were observed in Europe, Oceania, and South America, but it was found that 26 countries (96.30%) in Europe, 2 countries (18.18%) in Oceania, and 1 country (12.50%) in South America had decreasing trends of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis incidence rates. Conclusion: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is endemic in 145 Belt and Road countries with the prevalence increasing year by year in some countries in central and southern Africa and decreasing in European countries except Ukraine.

[Epidemic situation and trend of dengue fever in Belt and Road countries]

Objective: To analyze epidemic situation of dengue fever in 2019 and the incidence trends from 2013 to 2019 in the Belt and Road countries. Methods: We used age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) which was from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to describe the epidemic situation of dengue fever in 2019. The estimated annual percentage change(EAPC) of the ASR was calculated to assess dengue fever incidence trends from 2013 to 2019. Results: The 2019 GBD dengue fever incidence records showed that in 145 Belt and Road countries, 93 (64.14%) countries had dengue fever epidemics. In 2019, there were 11 countries with the incidence >3 000.00 per 100 000, including 9 countries in Oceania; 16 countries with the incidence of 1 000.00 per 100 000-2 999.99 per 100 000, including 10 countries in Asia. The incidence rates in most countries in Africa (58.14%,25/43), North America (72.73%,8/11) and South America (66.67%,4/6) ranged from 500.00 per 100 000 to 999.99 per 100 000. The incidence rates of dengue fever in 90.00% (9/10) of countries in Oceania showed increasing trend, and the increasing trend in Fiji was most obvious (EAPC=18.22,95%CI:12.91-23.77), and the incidence rates of dengue fever in 18.18% (4/22) of countries in Asia showed increasing trend, the increasing trend in the Philippines was most obvious (EAPC=3.09,95%CI:1.74-4.45), and the incidence rates of dengue fever in 4.65% (2/43) of countries in Africa showed increasing trend, and the increasing trend in Seychelles was most obvious (EAPC=18.20,95%CI:7.82-29.58). The incidence rates of dengue fever showed no increasing trend in countries in South America and North America. Conclusions: In 2019, more than 60% of the Belt and Road countries had dengue fever epidemics. The incidences of dengue fever were high and showed increasing trends in most Oceanian countries, but the dengue fever epidemics in the countries in Asia, Africa and Americas were relatively mild.

[Clinical and genetic characteristics of congenital isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency]

Objective: To investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of congenital isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency. Methods: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of 5 cases with congenital isolated ACTH deficiency diagnosed in the Department of Endocrinology of the Children's Hospital, Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2019 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The general conditions, clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, genetic charcteistics, treatment and follow-up (up to October 2021) were analyzed. Results: Of the 5 cases, 1 was female and 4 were males, aged from 13 months to 6 years at the time of consultation. The symptoms of hypoglycemia and convulsion were presented in infancy, and 4 cases had infantile cholestasis. Glucose level of 5 cases ranged from 0.79-2.20 mmol/L, ACTH ranged from <1.00-4.17 ng/L, and cortisol ranged from 0.2-3.8 μg/L. Whole exon sequencing revealed that 3 cases carried homozygous TBX19 variations, and 2 cases had compound heterozygous TBX19 variations, including 3 variants that had been reported before and 3 novel variants were found. After the diagnosis was confirmed, all the cases were treated with hydrocortisone. Hypoglycemia was all corrected during the follow-up, and 4 cases no longer had convulsions. Conclusion: Congenital isolated ACTH deficiency should be considered in neonates and infants with cholestasis and hypoglycemia, and the diagnosis can be confirmed by genetic testing.

Surgical treatment of peri-implantitis with or without adjunctive graft material: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to compare the clinical effect of surgical treatment of peri-implantitis alone or in combination with graft material. Literature searches were conducted up to June 20, 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical effects of open flap debridement (OFD) alone and OFD with adjunctive graft materials for the treatment of peri-implantitis were included. Probing depth (PD) changes and marginal bone level (MBL) changes were assessed and expressed as the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted. The search yielded 7419 articles, five of which were analysed quantitatively. The adjunctive use of graft materials in OFD did not provide additional PD improvements (SMD 0.46, 95% CI -0.13 to 1.05; P = 0.13), but did yield additional MBL improvements (SMD 1.04, 95% CI 0.71-1.37; P < 0.01). The degradability of the material, number of implants included per patient, and risk of bias did not have significant effects on the results, but the origin of the material may affect the PD improvements. Based on the available evidence, the adjunctive use of graft materials in the surgical treatment of peri-implantitis can significantly improve MBL changes but not PD changes.

Novel multiplex PCR assays for rapid identification of Salmonella serogroups B, C1, C2, D, E, S. enteritidis, and S. typhimurium

Foodborne illnesses caused by Salmonella represent a significant public health problem worldwide. The aim of this study was to establish multiplex PCR (mPCR) for the rapid identification of Salmonella serogroups B, C1, C2, D, and E as well as for the serovars enteritidis and typhimurium. Employing pan-genome analysis and PCR verification, B-rfbJ, C1-9679, C2-pimB, D-rfbJ, E-rfbC, and four genes (SE18636, SE16574, SE2599, and SE13329) were identified as specific target genes for Salmonella serogroups B, C1, C2, D, E, and S. enteritidis, respectively. Thereafter, three novel mPCR assays (one of 3-mPCR and two of 2-mPCR) were successfully developed to identify these bacteria based on the target genes and another S. typhimurium-specific STM4495 gene. The primers targeting C1-9679, C2-pimB, and E-rfbC genes specific to the serogroups C1, C2, and E, respectively, constituted a 3-mPCR, while the other two 2-mPCRs, respectively, consisting primers specific to serogroup D and S. enteritidis (D-rfbJ and SE16574), and serogroup B and S. typhimurium-specific primers (B-rfbJ and STM4495), were also designed. The specificity of each mPCR was further evaluated by using non-target strains. The detection limits of mPCRs were approximately 10³-10⁴ CFU mL^-1 in pure culture and 10⁴-10⁵ CFU g^-1 in spiked chicken meat. In addition, mPCR assays could correctly detect target Salmonella in food samples. These results suggest that specific targets could be mined efficiently through a pan-genome analysis tool, and the novel mPCR assays developed in this study offer a promising technique for rapid and accurate detection of five serogroups of Salmonella (B, C1, C2, D, and E) and two serovars (S. enteritidis and S. typhimurium).

Unleashing the full power of LHCb to probe stealth new physics

In this paper, we describe the potential of the LHCb experiment to detect stealth physics. This refers to dynamics beyond the standard model that would elude searches that focus on energetic objects or precision measurements of known processes. Stealth signatures include long-lived particles and light resonances that are produced very rarely or together with overwhelming backgrounds. We will discuss why LHCb is equipped to discover this kind of physics at the Large Hadron Collider and provide examples of well-motivated theoretical models that can be probed with great detail at the experiment.

Speciation and Potential Ecological Risk of Heavy Metals in Soils from Overlapped Areas of Farmland and Coal Resources in Northern Xuzhou, China

Contamination caused by heavy metals (HMs) in soil of overlapped area of farmland and coal resources (OAFCR) has impact on crops. The concentrations and speciation of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn were investigated in topsoil of an OAFCR in Xuzhou, China. The results showed that mean concentrations of all six metals were higher than the background values of Xuzhou city and Cd was moderate accumulated with the maximum I_geo equalled to 2.13. Cd showed moderate contamination level (IP_i = 1.75) and potential ecological risk (Er = 44.06). Most of the total Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were presented in the residual forms (above 60%), and the percentages of reducible, oxidisable and residual forms of Pb were 23%, 21% and 43% respectively. Pb and Cd reflected a moderate degree of potential ecological risk and a considerable migration risk and ecotoxicity.

Lysozyme-like Protein Produced by Bifidobacterium longum Regulates Human Gut Microbiota Using In Vitro Models

The extracellular secreted protein of Bifidobacterium longum (B. longum) plays an important role in maintaining the homeostasis of the human intestinal microenvironment. However, the mechanism(s) of interaction remain unclear. Lysozyme is a kind of antibacterial peptide. In this study, the amino acid sequence of a lysozyme-like protein of B. longum based on whole-genome data of an isolate from human gut feces was found. We further predicted functional domains from the amino acid sequence, purified the protein, and verified its bioactivity. The growth of some bacteria were significantly delayed by the 020402_LYZ M1 protein. In addition, the gut microbiota was analyzed via high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and an in vitro fermentation model, and the fluctuations in the gut microbiota under the treatment of 020402_LYZ M1 protein were characterized. The 020402_LYZ M1 protein affected the composition of human gut microbiota significantly, implying that the protein is able to communicate with intestinal microbes as a regulatory factor.

Discretization of two-dimensional Luneburg lens based on the correctional effective medium theory

The Luneburg lens is widely applied in both the optical and microwave regimes because it offers high gain and a wide beam-scanning range. However, Luneburg lens typically suffer from low efficiency which is caused by the dielectric loss of medium employed. To address this issue, we propose herein a general method for discretization of two-dimensional Luneburg lens based on correctional effective-medium theory. In discrete Luneburg, the efficiency is not dependent on the employed medium roughly because that the main component in the lens is air, resulting into a significant improvement of efficiency. Subsequently, a systemic study of lens discretization is presented, which is validated by a discrete Luneburg lens easily fabricated by using 3D printing. In addition, a novel wave-patch reduction feature allows the discrete lens to function as well. This work presents a fundamental theory for lens discretization, which is valid not only for the Luneburg lens but also for other types of lenses. It can be applied in imaging, antennas, or phase manipulation in both the optical and microwave bands.

[Progress in research of epidemiologic feature and control of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant]

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant has the characteristics of stronger infectivity, higher viral load, and shorter incubation period, posing new challenges to the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was first discovered in India, then quickly spread in many countries and has gradually become one of the main epidemic strains worldwide. Local epidemics caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant also occurred in several provinces in China. This article summarizes the progress in research of etiological characteristics, transmission characteristics or possible mechanism and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, and the protective effects of vaccines and control measures against SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant in order to provide references for the effective prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant.

Insight into biosorption of heavy metals by extracellular polymer substances and the improvement of the efficacy: a review

Heavy metals are continuously released into aquatic environments in which they accumulate. This phenomenon endangers public health because heavy metals accumulate along the food chain. However, conventional remediation methods are inefficient, expensive and yield toxic intermediate products, which adversely affect the environment. The discovery of green bio-adsorbents such as microbial extracellular polymer substance (EPS) has quickly attracted considerable worldwide attention because of their low cost, high removal efficiency of heavy metals and industrial availability. Hence, this review considers the sources, hazards and treatment methods of heavy metals pollution, particularly the biosorption mechanism of EPS to heavy metals and the influencing factors of the bio-adsorption process, which are significant in the efficient removal of heavy metals-containing wastewater treatment. This review also focuses on strengthening the process of EPS adsorption of heavy metals, which can further contribute to heavy metals removal. Finally, it has been proposed that improving the yield, stability, selectivity and recoverability of EPS is the key direction of further research.

Multiple surgical excision for recurrent primary mediastinal liposarcoma

Liposarcoma is one of the most common soft tissue malignancies, occurring mostly in the extremities and retroperitoneal cavities, and occasionally in the mediastinum of the thoracic cavity. Here, we present a patient undergoing four operations over a period of 33 years because of repeated recurrence of mediastinal liposarcoma. A 34-year-old woman underwent her first surgery for mediastinal liposarcoma in 1986. Ten years later, a recurrent tumour was found during follow-up. The patient underwent a second operation for complete excision. The pathology was liposarcoma, partly myxoid and partly dedifferentiated. The patient remained tumour-free for 22 years, until one year ago, when a third operation was performed to resect the recurrent tumour which was myxoid liposarcoma. Unfortunately, upon computed tomography imaging three months later a fatty mass was spotted which increased rapidly in size. The patient underwent further surgery to achieve radical excision of the recurrent liposarcoma. Postoperative recovery was uneventful, and a follow-up examination showed no recurrence to date. For mediastinal liposarcoma, surgical removal is the treatment of choice. Considering that the tumour is prone to recurrence, the lesion should be removed as thoroughly as possible in the first operation. If the tumour recurs repeatedly, multiple resections are beneficial to patient survival on most occasions.

Determination of Azide Ions in Blood by Pentafluorobenzyl Derivation Followed by GC-MS

Abstract

Objective To establish a method for determination of the azide ions in blood by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry （GC-MS） following pentafluorobenzyl derivatization. Methods A blood sample of 0.2 mL was placed into a 10 mL glass test tube, and the internal standard sodium cyanide, derivatization reagent pentafluorobenzyl bromide and catalyst tetradecyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride were added in turn. After vortex mixing, the mixture was heated with low-power microwave for 3 min. After centrifugation, the organic phase was taken for GC-MS analysis. Results The azide ions in blood had a good linear relationship in the mass concentration range of 0.5 to 20 μg/mL. The lowest detection limit was 0.25 μg/mL and the relative recovery was 91.36%-94.58%. The method was successfully applied to a case of death from sodium azide poisoning. The mass concentration of azide ions in the blood of the dead was 11.11 μg/mL. Conclusion The method developed in this paper has strong specificity and is easy to operate, which is suitable for the rapid detection of azide ions in blood.

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment induces abscisic acid production, reduces stomatal aperture and improves seedling growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cold atmospheric pressure plasmas (CAPPs) have been widely used for pre-sowing treatment in agriculture to accelerate seed germination; however, information on their application to pre-transplant seedlings is scarce. The roles of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) on guard cell aperture that control air exchange with the environment were investigated after CAPPs treatment. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana seedling growth was evaluated under CAPPs treatment at different doses. Besides, the optimal growth stimulation dose was selected to further evaluate changes in ABA, ROS, Ca²⁺ and stomatal aperture during growth .The expression of most ABA signalling genes were aslo examined to investigate the mechanism. CAPPs treatment for 1 min significantly promoted Arabidopsis seedling growth; the ABA concentration in seedlings increased and peaked 48 h after treatment but was lower than in the control after 96 h. Transcript levels of most ABA signalling genes were markedly enhanced at 48 h, although their transcripts were significantly downregulated after 96 h. CAPPs treatment also reduced stomatal aperture after 24 h and accelerated ROS accumulation in guard cells. The Ca²⁺ concentration in the treatment group was markedly higher than in the control at 24 and 96 h. The results suggest that CAPPs treatment accelerates ABA accumulation in Arabidopsis at early growth stages and ABA regulates ROS and Ca²⁺ concentrations to affect stomatal aperture, and both ABA and stoma size are affected in CAPPs stimulation of Arabidopsis seedling growth.

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Salmonella Phage vB_SalP_TR2

Salmonella is a widely distributed foodborne pathogen. The use of Salmonella phages as biocontrol agents has recently gained significant interest. Because the Salmonella genus has high diversity, efforts are necessary to identify lytic Salmonella phages focusing on different serovars. Here, five Salmonella phages were isolated from soil samples, and vB_SalP_TR2 was selected as a novel phage with high lytic potential against the host Salmonella serovar Albany, as well as other tested serovars, including Corvallis, Newport, Kottbus, and Istanbul. Morphological analyses demonstrated that phage vB_SalP_TR2 belongs to the Podoviridae family, with an icosahedral head (62 ± 0.5 nm in diameter and 60 ± 1 nm in length) and a short tail (35 ± 1 nm in length). The latent period and burst size of phage vB_SalP_TR2 was 15 min and 211 PFU/cell, respectively. It contained a linear dsDNA of 71,453 bp, and G + C content was 40.64%. Among 96 putative open reading frames detected, only 35 gene products were found in database searches, with no virulence or antibiotic resistance genes being identified. As a biological control agent, phage vB_SalP_TR2 exhibited a high temperature and pH tolerance. In vitro, it lysed most S. Albany after 24 h at 37°C with multiplicities of infection of 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100. In food matrices (milk and chicken meat), treatment with phage vB_SalP_TR2 also reduced the number of S. Albany compared with that in controls. These findings highlighted phage vB_SalP_TR2 as a potential antibacterial agent for the control of Salmonella in food samples.

Selective Isolation of Bifidobacterium From Human Faeces Using Pangenomics, Metagenomics, and Enzymology

Bifidobacterium, an important genus for human health, is difficult to isolate. We applied metagenomics, pangenomics, and enzymology to determine the dominant glycoside hydrolase (GH) families of Bifidobacterium and designed selective medium for Bifidobacterium isolation. Pangenomics results showed that the GH13, GH3, GH42, and GH43 families were highly conserved in Bifidobacterium. Metagenomic analysis of GH families in human faecal samples was performed. The results indicated that Bifidobacterium contains core GHs for utilizing raffinose, D-trehalose anhydrous, D(+)-cellobiose, melibiose, lactulose, lactose, D(+)-sucrose, resistant starch, pullulan, xylan, and glucan. These carbohydrates as the main carbon sources were applied for selective media, which were more conducive to the growth of bifidobacteria. In the medium with lactose, raffinose and xylan as the main carbon sources, the ratio of cultivable bifidobacteria to cultivable microorganisms were 89.39% ± 2.50%, 71.45% ± 0.99%, and 53.95% ± 1.22%, respectively, whereas the ratio in the ordinary Gifu anaerobic medium was only 17.90% ± 0.58%. Furthermore, the species significantly (p < 0.05) varied among samples from different individuals. Results suggested that xylan might be a prebiotic that benefits host health, and it is feasible to screen and isolate bifidobacteria using the oligosaccharides corresponding to the specific GHs of bifidobacteria as the carbon sources of the selective media.

Wagyu-Angus cross improves meat tenderness compared to Angus cattle but unaffected by mild protein restriction during late gestation

For the spring-calving beef herds, late gestation coincides with winter and early spring, when cows are dependent on feed supplements with low quality hay, which is hard to meet their nutrient requirements. However, the effects of deficiencies of metabolizable protein intake during late gestation on offspring beef quality are unclear. Wagyu cattle have excellent marbling, and insemination with Wagyu vs Angus semen is a practical option for beef producers to improve beef quality. To test, Angus cows (621 ± 73 kg) were selected and randomly separated into two groups. Each group was inseminated with either Angus or Wagyu semen. During the last 90 days of gestation, cows in each group were further separated and received either a low protein diet (85% of the NRC metabolizable protein requirement), which was a low quality hay-based diet common in northwestern region of the U.S., or an adequate protein diet (108% NRC requirement). All progeny was managed together and harvested at a final BW of 576.5 ± 16.6 kg. Wagyu-sired offspring had higher marbling scores and quality grades than Angus (P < 0.01). Protein supplementation did not affect Slice Shear Force (SSF) in either breeds (P = 0.60). However, Wagyu-sired cattle had lower SSF than Angus-sired (P < 0.01). In addition, Wagyu-sired cattle had higher intramuscular fat (P < 0.05) and total collagen content (P < 0.05), but Angus-sired had greater mature collagen cross-links, as shown by higher contents of Pyridinoline (P < 0.01) and Ehrlich Chromogen (P < 0.01). Consistently, the mRNA expression of enzymes catalyzing collagen cross-linking was higher in Angus-sired offspring, including Plod 1 (P < 0.05), Plod 2 (P = 0.08), and P4Hα 2 (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Wagyu-sired cattle had greater tenderness and marbling score compared to Angus-sired, which was associated with lower collagen cross-links. Feeding mature grass hay-based diet with relatively low protein content during late gestation had no major effect on beef quality of subsequent cattle.

[Clinical and genetic characteristics of primary hypoparathyroidism in children]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of primary hypoparathyroidism in children. Methods: The clinical data including age, symptoms, laboratory examination and cranial CT of 13 children with primary hypoparathyroidism diagnosed in the Capital Institute of Pediatrics from May 2017 to December 2019 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. These children and their parents also had gene detected by whole exome sequencing and (or) copy number variation sequencing. Results: Among the 13 patients, 7 were male and 6 female. The onset age was 3 years (1 day-12 years) old. The time from onset to confirmed diagnosis was 2 months (2 days-10 years). The clinical manifestations included convulsion (9 cases), tetany (2 cases), muscle pain (1 case), mental retardation (5 cases), deafness (1 case), and initially misdiagnosed epilepsy (5 cases). The lab examination showed average blood calcium level of (1.7±0.3) mmol/L, blood phosphorus of (2.8±0.4) mmol/L, and parathyroid hormone of 8.2 (3.9-28.7)ng/L. Head CT found 7 cases of ectopic calcification. Among the 7 cases who had genetic abnormalities according to the gene detection, 5 had heterozygous deletion of 22q11.2 region, and only one of whom was diagnosed with typical DiGeorge syndrome. As for the rest 2 cases, one had autosomal dominant hypocalcemia caused by novel heterozygous variation of CaSR gene c.2495T>G (p.F832C), and the other was hypoparathyroidism-deafness-renal dysplasia syndrome caused by GATA3 c.708dupC (p.S237Qfs*66) novel heterozygous variation. Conclusions: Primary hypoparathyroidism in children is mainly characterized by hypocalcemia and usually accompanied with diverse symptoms which may indicate genetic disorders. The detection of large fragment deletion should be considered to exclude 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Quality assessment of randomized controlled trial abstracts on drug therapy of periodontal disease from the abstracts published in dental Science Citation Indexed journals in the last ten years

Background

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the highest level of evidence and are likely to influence clinical decision-making. This study evaluated the reporting quality of RCT abstracts on drug therapy of periodontal disease and assessed the associated factors.

Material and Methods

The Pubmed database was searched for periodontal RCTs published in Science Citation Indexed (SCI) dental journals from 2010/01/01 to 2019/07/17. Information was extracted from the abstracts according to a modified Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guideline checklist. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis and the statistical associations were examined using the linear regression analysis (P <0.05).

Results

This study retrieved 1715 articles and 249 of them were finally included. The average overall CONSORT score was 15.6 ± 3.4, which represented 40.9% (±0.6) of CONSORT criteria filling. The reporting rate of some items (trial design, numbers analyzed, confidence intervals, intention-to-treat analysis or per-protocol analysis, harms, registration) was less than 30%. The adequate reporting rate of some items (participants, randomization, numbers analyzed, confidence intervals, intention-to-treat analysis or per protocol analysis) was no more than 4%. None of the abstracts reported funding. According to the multivariable linear regression results, number of authors (P=0.030), word count (P <0.001), continent (P=0.003), structured format (P <0.001), type of periodontal disease (P <0.001) and international collaboration (P=0.023) have a significant association with reporting quality.

Conclusions

The quality of RCT abstracts on drug therapy of periodontal disease in SCI dental journals remained suboptimal. More efforts should be made to improve RCT abstracts reporting quality.

Key words:Abstracts, RCT, drug therapy, periodontal disease, CONSORT, reporting quality assessment.

Cycloastragenol prevents age-related bone loss: Evidence in d-galactose-treated and aged rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Aging-induced bone loss is a multifactorial, age-related, and progressive phenomenon among the general population and may further progress to osteoporosis and increase the risk of fractures. Cycloastragenol (CAG), currently the only compound reported that activates human telomerase, is thought to be able to alleviate or delay the symptoms of aging and chronic diseases. Previous research has suggested that CAG may have the potential to alleviate age-related bone loss. However, to date, no research has specifically focused on this aspect. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether CAG could prevent senile osteoporosis, and further reveal its underlying mechanism.

METHODS

CAG treatment was administrated into two bone loss rat models (D-galactose administration and aging) for 20 weeks and 33 weeks, respectively. Serum biomarkers analyses, bone biomechanical tests, micro-computed tomography assessment, and bone histomorphometry analyses were performed on the bone samples collected at the endpoint, to determine whether CAG could prevent or alleviate age-related bone loss. Proteomic analysis was performed to reveal the changes in protein profiles of the bones, and western blot was used to further verify the identity of the key proteins. The viability, osteoblastic differentiation, and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells were also evaluated after CAG treatment in vitro.

RESULTS

The results suggest that CAG treatment improves bone formation, reduces osteoclast number, alleviates the degradation of bone microstructure, and enhances bone biomechanical properties in both d-galactose- and aging-induced bone loss models. CAG treatment promotes viability, osteoblastic differentiation, and mineralization in MC3T3-E1 cells. Proteomic and western blot analyses revealed that CAG treatment increases osteoactivin (OA) expression to alleviate bone loss.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that CAG alleviates age-related bone loss and improves bone microstructure and biomechanical properties. This may due to CAG-induced increase in OA expression. In addition, the results support preclinical investigations of CAG as a potential therapeutic medicine for the treatment of senile osteoporosis.

Global, Regional, and National Levels and Trends in Burden of Oral Conditions from 1990 to 2017: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study

Government and nongovernmental organizations need national and global estimates on the descriptive epidemiology of common oral conditions for policy planning and evaluation. The aim of this component of the Global Burden of Disease study was to produce estimates on prevalence, incidence, and years lived with disability for oral conditions from 1990 to 2017 by sex, age, and countries. In addition, this study reports the global socioeconomic pattern in burden of oral conditions by the standard World Bank classification of economies as well as the Global Burden of Disease Socio-demographic Index. The findings show that oral conditions remain a substantial population health challenge. Globally, there were 3.5 billion cases (95% uncertainty interval [95% UI], 3.2 to 3.7 billion) of oral conditions, of which 2.3 billion (95% UI, 2.1 to 2.5 billion) had untreated caries in permanent teeth, 796 million (95% UI, 671 to 930 million) had severe periodontitis, 532 million (95% UI, 443 to 622 million) had untreated caries in deciduous teeth, 267 million (95% UI, 235 to 300 million) had total tooth loss, and 139 million (95% UI, 133 to 146 million) had other oral conditions in 2017. Several patterns emerged when the World Bank’s classification of economies and the Socio-demographic Index were used as indicators of economic development. In general, more economically developed countries have the lowest burden of untreated dental caries and severe periodontitis and the highest burden of total tooth loss. The findings offer an opportunity for policy makers to identify successful oral health strategies and strengthen them; introduce and monitor different approaches where oral diseases are increasing; plan integration of oral health in the agenda for prevention of noncommunicable diseases; and estimate the cost of providing universal coverage for dental care.

Dual-Axis Metasurface Strain Sensor Based on Polarization-Phase-Deformation Relationship

Herein, we propose an approach for sensitivity improvement of dual-axis strain sensing using the property of a metasurface (MS) that the phase response shifts sharply with the MS deformation. A feasible approach for phase measurement is first demonstrated by calculating multi-polarized reception when the incident electromagnetic (EM) wave has anisotropic phase values. A flexible MS consisting of periodically arranged lantern-shaped elements is designed and fabricated for dual-axis strain sensing and evaluation based on the proposed method. The simulation and measurement results demonstrated a high sensitivity of the proposed MS for strain sensing in the microwave band. The method can be used potentially in both pressure and tensile sensing. Moreover, the operational frequency can be extended to the THz range and even to the optical band.

Examining Bias and Reporting in Oral Health Prediction Modeling Studies

Recent efforts to improve the reliability and efficiency of scientific research have caught the attention of researchers conducting prediction modeling studies (PMSs). Use of prediction models in oral health has become more common over the past decades for predicting the risk of diseases and treatment outcomes. Risk of bias and insufficient reporting present challenges to the reproducibility and implementation of these models. A recent tool for bias assessment and a reporting guideline—PROBAST (Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool) and TRIPOD (Transparent Reporting of a Multivariable Prediction Model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis)—have been proposed to guide researchers in the development and reporting of PMSs, but their application has been limited. Following the standards proposed in these tools and a systematic review approach, a literature search was carried out in PubMed to identify oral health PMSs published in dental, epidemiologic, and biostatistical journals. Risk of bias and transparency of reporting were assessed with PROBAST and TRIPOD. Among 2,881 papers identified, 34 studies containing 58 models were included. The most investigated outcomes were periodontal diseases (42%) and oral cancers (30%). Seventy-five percent of the studies were susceptible to at least 4 of 20 sources of bias, including measurement error in predictors ( n = 12) and/or outcome ( n = 7), omitting samples with missing data ( n = 10), selecting variables based on univariate analyses ( n = 9), overfitting ( n = 13), and lack of model performance assessment ( n = 24). Based on TRIPOD, at least 5 of 31 items were inadequately reported in 95% of the studies. These items included sampling approaches ( n = 15), participant eligibility criteria ( n = 6), and model-building procedures ( n = 16). There was a general lack of transparent reporting and identification of bias across the studies. Application of the recommendations proposed in PROBAST and TRIPOD can benefit future research and improve the reproducibility and applicability of prediction models in oral health.

Incidence Trends of Lip, Oral Cavity, and Pharyngeal Cancers: Global Burden of Disease 1990–2017

The worldwide incidence trends of the lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers (LOCPs) need to be updated. This study aims to examine the temporal incidence trends of LOCPs from 1990 to 2017, using the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study data to explore sex, age, and regional differences. GBD incidence data for LOCPs were driven by population cancer registries and were estimated from mortality data. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) were directly extracted from the 2017 GBD database to calculate the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) over the study period. Incidence trends are mapped and compared separately by sex (females vs. males), age groups (15–49, 50–69, and 70+ y), regions (21 geographical and 5 sociodemographic regions), and countries. Among 678,900 incident cases of LOCPs notified in 2017, more than half were lip and oral cavity cancers. From 1990 to 2017, the estimated global incidence for nasopharyngeal cancers decreased dramatically (EAPC = −1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], –1.70 to −1.34), while the incidence for lip and oral cavity cancers (EAPC = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.16–0.37) and other pharyngeal cancers (EAPC = 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54–0.71) increased. Higher ASIRs were observed among males than females across all age groups. However, females had larger EAPC variation when compared to males. Population groups aged 15 to 49 y presented the lowest ASIRs, with larger values of EAPC than those aged 50 to 69 and 70+ y. While high-income countries had higher ASIRs with little EAPC variation, ASIRs varied across low/middle-income regions with larger EAPC variations. South Asia and East Asia had the highest ASIRs and EAPC for lip and oral cavity cancers, respectively. In conclusion, the global incidence of LOCPs has increased among females, those aged 15 to 49 y, and people from low/middle-income countries over the study period, excepting nasopharyngeal cancers, which had a decreasing worldwide trend.