Landscape of IGH germline genes of Chiroptera and the pattern of Rhinolophus affinis bat IGH CDR3 repertoire

The emergence and re-emergence of abundant viruses from bats that impact human and animal health have resulted in a resurgence of interest in bat immunology. Characterizing the immune receptor repertoire is critical to understanding how bats coexist with viruses in the absence of disease and developing new therapeutics to target viruses in humans and susceptible livestock. In this study, IGH germline genes of Chiroptera including Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Phyllostomus discolor, and Pipistrellus pipistrellus were annotated, and we profiled the characteristics of Rhinolophus affinis (RA) IGH CDR3 repertoire. The germline genes of Chiroptera are quite different from those of human, mouse, cow, and dog in evolution, but the three bat species have high homology. The CDR3 repertoire of RA is unique in many aspects including CDR3 subclass, V/J genes access and pairing, CDR3 clones, and somatic high-frequency mutation compared with that of human and mouse, which is an important point in understanding the asymptomatic nature of viral infection in bats. This study unveiled a detailed map of bat IGH germline genes on chromosome level and provided the first immune receptor repertoire of bat, which will stimulate new avenues of research that are directly relevant to human health and disease.IMPORTANCEThe intricate relationship between bats and viruses has been a subject of study since the mid-20th century, with more than 100 viruses identified, including those affecting humans. While preliminary investigations have outlined the innate immune responses of bats, the role of adaptive immunity remains unclear. This study presents a pioneering contribution to bat immunology by unveiling, for the first time, a detailed map of bat IGH germline genes at the chromosome level. This breakthrough not only provides a foundation for B cell receptor research in bats but also contributes to primer design and sequencing of the CDR3 repertoire. Additionally, we offer the first comprehensive immune receptor repertoire of bats, serving as a crucial library for future comparative analyses. In summary, this research significantly advances the understanding of bats' immune responses, providing essential resources for further investigations into viral tolerance and potential zoonotic threats.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the GLK Gene Family and Its Expression at Different Leaf Ages in the Citrus Cultivar Kanpei

The GLK gene family plays a crucial role in the regulation of chloroplast development and participates in chlorophyll synthesis. However, the precise mechanism by which GLK contributes to citrus's chlorophyll synthesis remains elusive. The GLK gene family causes variations in the photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll synthesis of different citrus varieties. In this study, we identified tissue-specific members and the key CcGLKs involved in chlorophyll synthesis. A total of thirty CcGLK transcription factors (TFs) were discovered in the citrus genome, distributed across all nine chromosomes. The low occurrence of gene tandem duplication events and intronic variability suggests that intronic variation may be the primary mode of evolution for CcGLK TFs. Tissue-specific expression patterns were observed for various GLK family members; for instance, CcGLK12 and CcGLK15 were specifically expressed in the skin, while CcGLK30 was specific to the ovary, and CcGLK10, CcGLK6, CcGLK21, CcGLK2, CcGLK18, CcGLK9, CcGLK28, and CcGLK8 were specifically expressed in the leaves. CcGLK4, CcGLK5, CcGLK11, CcGLK23, CcGLKl7, CcGLK26, and CcGLK20 may participate in the regulation of the ALA, prochlorophylate, protoporphyrin IX, Mg-protoporphyrin IX, Chl b, T-Chl, MG-ProtoIX ME, and POR contents in citrus.

Metabolic habitat imaging with hemodynamic heterogeneity predicts individual progression-free survival in high-grade glioma

AIM

We design a feasibility study to obtain a set of metabolic-hemodynamic habitats for tackling tumor spatial metabolic patterns with hemodynamic information.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Preoperative data from 69 high-grade gliomas (HGG) patients with subsequent histologic confirmation of HGG were prospectively collected (January 2016 to March 2020) after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Four vascular habitats were automatically segmented by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The metabolic information, either at enhancing or edema tumor regions, was obtained by two neuroradiologists. The relative habitat volumes were used for weight estimation procedures for computing the coefficients of a linear regression model using weighted least squares (WLS) for metabolite semiquantifications (i.e. the Cho/NAA ratio and the Cho/Cr ratio) at vascular habitats. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses are used to obtain the odds ratio (OR) and develop a nomogram using weighted estimators corresponding to each covariate derived from Cox regression coefficients.

RESULTS

There was a strongly correlation between perfusion indexes and the Cho/Cr ratio (rCBV, r=0.71) or Cho/NAA ratio (rCBV, r=0.66) at high-angiogenic enhancing tumor habitats (HAT) habitat. Compared isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation to their wild type, the IDH wild type had significantly decreased Cho/Cr ratio (IDH mutation: Cho/Cr ratio = 2.44 ± 0.33, IDH wildtype: Cho/Cr ratio = 2.66 ± 0.36, p=0.02) and Cho/NAA ratio (IDH mutation: Cho/Cr ratio = 4.59 ± 0.61, IDH wildtype: Cho/Cr ratio = 4.99 ± 0.66, p=0.022) at the HAT. The C-index for the median progression-free survival (PFS) prediction was 0.769 for the Cho/NAA nomogram and 0.747 for the Cho/Cr nomogram through 1000 bootstrapping validation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that spatial metabolism combined with hemodynamic heterogeneity is associated with individual PFS to HGG patients post-CCRT.

[Clinical effect of anterolateral thigh flow-through chimeric perforator free flap transplantation in the treatment of upper limb complex tissue defects with main artery injury]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of anterolateral thigh flow-through chimeric perforator free flap transplantation in the treatment of upper limb complex tissue defects with main artery injury. Methods: The study was a retrospective observational study. From May 2019 to January 2022, 11 patients with upper limb complex tissue defects combined with main artery injury who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Hand, Foot and Ankle Surgery of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, including 7 males and 4 females, aged from 18 to 56 years. After debridement, the area of skin and soft tissue defects was from 20 cm×6 cm to 32 cm×10 cm, and the exposed area of dead cavity or deep tissue was from 7 cm×4 cm to 10 cm×7 cm. Three patients had radial artery defects with a length of 4 to 7 cm; two patients had ulnar artery defects with a length of 5 to 8 cm; 4 patients had defects in both ulnar and radial arteries with a length of 3 to 7 cm; and in two patients, the ulnar, radial and brachial arteries were all defective with a length of 4 to 8 cm. The anterolateral thigh flow-through chimeric perforator flap was designed and cut. The skin flap area was from 22 cm×7 cm to 32 cm×11 cm, the chimeric muscle flap area was from 7 cm×4 cm to 10 cm×7 cm, and the length of the flow-through vessel in the "T" shaped vessel pedicle was from 4 to 8 cm. When transplanting the skin flap, the proximal end of the vascular pedicle was anastomosed with the proximal end of the recipient site, and the distal end of the vascular pedicle was anastomosed with the more normal blood vessel at the distal end of the forearm; the invalid cavity was filled with the muscle flap. The donor site wounds of tissue flap were closed directly or treated with skin grafting. After operation, the blood supply and survival of the flap, the survival of the distal limb, and the survival of the skin graft at the flap donor site were observed. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed to observe the patency of the proximal and distal anastomotic arteries from 2 to 4 weeks after surgery. During follow-up, the texture of the flap, the survival of the grafted skin and the healing of the donor area were observed. Results: One patient (complete forearm disconnection) developed distal limb blood disorder on 5 days after surgery. CTA examination suggested embolization of the distal anastomosis of the flow-through artery. more muscle and skin and soft tissue necrosis of the distal limb showed in emergency exploration. So, amputation was performed ultimately. No vascular crisis occurred in the skin flaps of the remaining 10 patients, and all skin flaps, distal limbs and the skin grafts in flap donor sites survived well. Two to 4 weeks after surgery, the proximal and distal ends of the anastomosed arteries were good in the patency. Follow-up for 11-37 months, the flap texture was good, and all donor site wounds healed well. Conclusions: The use of anterolateral thigh flow-through chimeric perforator flap to repair upper limb complex tissue defects accompanied by main artery injury can improve the success rate of limb salvage, which can be promoted in clinical practice.

Immunotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: Disappointing or Promising?

Ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies, lacks effective treatment, despite advancements in surgical techniques and chemotherapy. Thus, new therapeutic approaches are imperative to improving treatment outcomes. Immunotherapy, which has demonstrated considerable success in managing various cancers, has already found its place in clinical practice. This review aims to provide an overview of ovarian tumor immunotherapy, including its basics, key strategies, and clinical research data supporting its potential. In particular, this discussion highlights promising strategies such as checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and pericyte transfer, both individually and in combination. However, the advancement of new immunotherapies necessitates large controlled randomized trials, which will undoubtedly shape the future of ovarian cancer treatment.

Predictive value of hematological parameters in cirrhotic patients with open umbilical hernia repair

PURPOSE

Patients with liver cirrhosis sometimes suffer from high recurrence rates and postoperative complications. We previously reported that platelet-related hematological parameters are associated with the outcomes after incisional herniorrhaphy, and aim to evaluate the predictive value of these criteria in cirrhotic patients undergoing open umbilical herniorrhaphy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study. The data of 95 cirrhotic patients undergoing open umbilical herniorrhaphy were analyzed. Patients were grouped based on the recurrence and defined hematological values. Platelet-multiple-lymphocyte index (PLM), neutrophil-leukocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio, platelet-neutrophil ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, and aspartate aminotransferase-leukocyte ratio values were calculated based on preoperative blood analyses. The outcomes were obtained from hospital records and follow-up calls to patients.

RESULTS

Using cutoff values acquired by the Youden Index, we found a PLM value < 27.9, and the history of inguinal herniorrhaphy were revealed to be statistically significant in the recurrence based on univariant and multivariant analyses (p < 0.05). We further divided patients into two groups based on the cutoff value of PLM and found that a PLM value < 27.9 was significantly associated with the recurrence of incisional hernias (p = 0.018) and the occurrence of postoperative foreign sensation (p = 0.044), and tended to result in other postoperative complications such as cardiopathy, respiratory infection, hypoproteinemia, and hepatic diseases (p = 0.089).

CONCLUSION

The preoperative hematological values, especially PLM, may indicate the outcomes in cirrhotic patients after open umbilical herniorrhaphy. Accurate identification of risks may alert the intraoperative and postoperative care for patients.

Newborn screening for G6PD deficiency in HeFei, FuYang and AnQing, China: Prevalence, cut-off value, variant spectrum

Background

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is an X-linked recessive Mendelian genetic disorder characterized by neonatal jaundice and hemolytic anemia, affecting more than 400 million people worldwide. The purpose of this research was to investigate prevalence rates of G6PD deficiency and to evaluate and establish specific cut-off values in early prediction of G6PD deficiency by regions (HeFei, FuYang, AnQing) on different seasons, as well as to investigate the frequencies of G6PD gene mutations among three regions mentioned above.

Methods

A total of 31,482 neonates (21,402, 7680, and 2340 for HeFei, FuYang, and AnQing cities, respectively) were recruited. Positive subjects were recalled to attend genetic tests for diagnosis. G6PD activity on the Genetic screening processor (GSP analyzer, 2021-0010) was measured following the manufactureržs protocol. The cut-off value was first set to 35 U/dL. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was employed to assess and compare the efficiency in predicting G6PD deficiency among HeFei, FuYang, and AnQing cities in different seasons.

Development and validation of survival nomograms for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer with distant metastases: a SEER Program-based study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to develop a nomogram model of overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer with distant metastases, and to evaluate and validate the nomogram. Also, its prognostic value was compared with that of the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor-node-metastasis staging system (AJCC8SS).

METHODS

Patients with distant metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DMDTC) from 2004 to 2015 were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program to extract the clinical variables used for analysis. A total of 906 patients were divided into a training set (n = 634) and validation set (n = 272). OS and CSS were selected as the primary end point and secondary end point. LASSO regression analysis and multivariate Cox regression analysis were applied to screen variables for constructing OS and CSS nomograms for survival probability at 3, 5, and 10 years. Nomograms were evaluated and validated using the consistency index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, area under the ROC curve, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). The predictive survival of the nomogram was compared with that of AJCC8SS. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to evaluate the risk-stratification ability OS and CSS nomograms.

RESULTS

CS and CSS nomograms included six independent predictors: age, marital status, type of surgical procedure, lymphadenectomy, radiotherapy, and T stage. The C-index for the OS nomogram was 0.7474 (95% CI = 0.7199-0.775), and that for the CSS nomogram was 0.7572 (0.7281-0.7862). The nomogram showed good agreement with the "ideal" calibration curve in the training set and validation sets. DCA confirmed that the survival probability predicted by the nomogram had high clinical predictive value. The nomogram could stratify patients more accurately, and showed more robust accuracy and predictive power, than AJCC8SS.

CONCLUSIONS

We established and validated prognostic nomograms for patients with DMDTC, which had significant clinical value compared with AJCC8SS.

Bibliometric analysis of the global publication activity in the field of relapsing polychondritis during 1960-2023

BACKGROUND

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is an inflammatory disease with significant individual heterogeneity that involves systemic cartilage tissues. This study aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis of RP-related publications to quantitatively assess the scholarly productivity in the field.

METHODS

We extracted the RP-related original research articles and reviews published during 1960-2023 from the Web of Science database by using the keyword "relapsing polychondritis." By using R, CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and SCImago Graphica, the bibliometric analysis was performed on the retrieved publications.

RESULTS

A total of 1096 articles, consisting of 909 original research articles and 187 reviews, were identified. A mean annual growth rate of 6.71% was found in the number of RP-related publications during 1960-2022. The United States accounted for the highest number of publications (21.9%), exhibited the highest mean citation number per publication (40.7), and engaged in the most frequent academic collaboration. Three clusters of RP-related journals were identified: 1) otology, rhinology, and laryngology; 2) respiratory and radiology medicine; and 3) rheumatology. Journals with a focus on rheumatology issued the most publications, and most of the RP-related publications were from The Journal of Rheumatology (n = 27). Most of these publications were co-authored by Dr. Jean-Charles Piette (n = 19), who also had the highest H-index (13) among all the authors. The co-citation network analysis revealed 11 highly connected clusters of RP research and indicated the "VEXAS Syndrome" as a hotspot.

CONCLUSION

This overview of the RP research field comprehensively describes the progress in the field. The number of publications on RP has progressively increased but remains insufficient. The United States and European countries are at the forefront of RP-related research, and the journals related to rheumatology have covered the majority of publications. Additionally, several key topics for future investigations, such as "VEXAS Syndrome," have been identified. Key Points •We identified a mean annual growth rate of 6.71% in the number of the RP-related publications during 1960-2022. •The United States accounted for the majority of the publications, exhibited the highest mean citation number per publication, and engaged in the most frequent academic collaborations. •The journals of the publications were categorized into three clusters of research areas: 1) otology, rhinology, and laryngology; 2) respiratory and radiology medicine; and 3) rheumatology. Journals related to rheumatology issued the most publications, and most of the publications were from The Journal of Rheumatology •Most of the publications were co-authored by Dr. Jean-Charles Piette, who also had the highest scientific-research impact among the scholars in the field. •The co-citation network analysis revealed 11 highly connected clusters of RP research and indicated the "VEXAS Syndrome" as a key research area.

Van der Waals isotope heterostructures for engineering phonon polariton dispersions

Element isotopes are characterized by distinct atomic masses and nuclear spins, which can significantly influence material properties. Notably, however, isotopes in natural materials are homogenously distributed in space. Here, we propose a method to configure material properties by repositioning isotopes in engineered van der Waals (vdW) isotopic heterostructures. We showcase the properties of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) isotopic heterostructures in engineering confined photon-lattice waves-hyperbolic phonon polaritons. By varying the composition, stacking order, and thicknesses of h10BN and h11BN building blocks, hyperbolic phonon polaritons can be engineered into a variety of energy-momentum dispersions. These confined and tailored polaritons are promising for various nanophotonic and thermal functionalities. Due to the universality and importance of isotopes, our vdW isotope heterostructuring method can be applied to engineer the properties of a broad range of materials.

Energetic Electron Precipitation Driven by Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves from ELFIN's Low Altitude Perspective

We review comprehensive observations of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) wave-driven energetic electron precipitation using data collected by the energetic electron detector on the Electron Losses and Fields InvestigatioN (ELFIN) mission, two polar-orbiting low-altitude spinning CubeSats, measuring 50-5000 keV electrons with good pitch-angle and energy resolution. EMIC wave-driven precipitation exhibits a distinct signature in energy-spectrograms of the precipitating-to-trapped flux ratio: peaks at >0.5 MeV which are abrupt (bursty) (lasting ∼17 s, or Δ L ∼ 0.56 ) with significant substructure (occasionally down to sub-second timescale). We attribute the bursty nature of the precipitation to the spatial extent and structuredness of the wave field at the equator. Multiple ELFIN passes over the same MLT sector allow us to study the spatial and temporal evolution of the EMIC wave - electron interaction region. Case studies employing conjugate ground-based or equatorial observations of the EMIC waves reveal that the energy of moderate and strong precipitation at ELFIN approximately agrees with theoretical expectations for cyclotron resonant interactions in a cold plasma. Using multiple years of ELFIN data uniformly distributed in local time, we assemble a statistical database of ∼50 events of strong EMIC wave-driven precipitation. Most reside at L ∼ 5 - 7 at dusk, while a smaller subset exists at L ∼ 8 - 12 at post-midnight. The energies of the peak-precipitation ratio and of the half-peak precipitation ratio (our proxy for the minimum resonance energy) exhibit an L -shell dependence in good agreement with theoretical estimates based on prior statistical observations of EMIC wave power spectra. The precipitation ratio's spectral shape for the most intense events has an exponential falloff away from the peak (i.e., on either side of ∼ 1.45 MeV). It too agrees well with quasi-linear diffusion theory based on prior statistics of wave spectra. It should be noted though that this diffusive treatment likely includes effects from nonlinear resonant interactions (especially at high energies) and nonresonant effects from sharp wave packet edges (at low energies). Sub-MeV electron precipitation observed concurrently with strong EMIC wave-driven >1 MeV precipitation has a spectral shape that is consistent with efficient pitch-angle scattering down to ∼ 200-300 keV by much less intense higher frequency EMIC waves at dusk (where such waves are most frequent). At ∼100 keV, whistler-mode chorus may be implicated in concurrent precipitation. These results confirm the critical role of EMIC waves in driving relativistic electron losses. Nonlinear effects may abound and require further investigation.

Design, Synthesis, Antibacterial Activity, and Mechanism of Novel Mesoionic Compounds Based on Natural Pyrazole Isolated from an Endophytic Fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoo) is a type of bacteria that causes bacterial leaf blight disease in rice plants. This disease is substantially harmful, and the current prevention and control measures are facing challenges. This study has investigated the effectiveness of the control activity that the endophytic fungus NS7 fermented from Dendrobium candidum possessed against Xoo. Twenty-eight novel mesoionic compounds were designed and synthesized based on the natural compound D. These compounds displayed moderate to excellent anti-Xoo activity in vitro. Notably, compound 24 exhibited prominent anti-Xoo activity in vitro with an EC₅₀ value of 40.3 mg/L, which was better than that of the positive control thiodiazole copper (TC)(71.2 mg/L) and the lead compound D (108.1 mg/L). In vivo pot experiments on Xoo showed that compound 24 exhibited protective and curative activities of 39.4 and 30.4%, respectively, which were better than those of TC (35.7 and 28.8%, respectively). Further, a preliminary mechanism study indicated that compound 24 could enhance the activity of defense enzymes to improve the ability for anti-Xoo. Meanwhile, compound 24 could also regulate the carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, which might be related to the enhanced immune function of rice. This study offers a new strategy for discovering antibacterial agents based on natural products.

[Association of body fat distribution with depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents: A cross-sectional study based on dual-energy X-ray detection]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the status of depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents, and to analyze the association between body fat distribution and depression, social anxiety in children and adolescents.

METHODS

A total of 1 412 children aged 7 to 18 years in Beijing were included by stratified cluster random sampling method. Body fat distribution, including total body fat percentage (total BF%), Android BF%, Gynoid BF% and Android-to-Gynoid fat ratio (AOI), were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorption method. Depression and social anxiety were evaluated by Children Depression Inventory and Social Anxiety Scale for Children. Multivariate linear regression and restricted cubic spline analysis were used to estimate the linear and non-linear correlation between body fat distribution and depression and social anxiety.

RESULTS

13.1% and 31.1% of the children and adolescents had depressive symptoms and social anxiety symptoms respectively, and the detection rate of depression and social anxiety in the boys and young groups was significantly lower than those in the girls and old groups. There was no significant linear correlation between total BF%, Android BF%, Gynoid BF%, AOI and depression and social anxiety in the children and adolescents. However, total BF% and Gynoid BF% had significant nonlinear correlation with depression, showing an inverted U-shaped curve relationship with the tangent points of 26.8% and 30.9%, respectively. In terms of the nonlinear association of total BF%, Android BF%, Gynoid BF% and AOI with depression and social anxiety, the change trends of the boys and girls, low age group and high age group were consistent. The overall anxiety risk HR of body fat distribution in the boys was significantly higher than that in the girls, and the risk HR of depression and social anxiety were significantly higher in the high age group than those in the low age group.

CONCLUSION

There was no significant linear correlation between body fat distribution and depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents. Total BF% and depression showed an inverted U-shaped curve, mainly manifested in Gynoid BF%, and this trend was consistent in different genders and different age groups. Maintaining children and adolescents' body fat distribution at an appropriate level is the future direction of the prevention and control of depression and social anxiety in children and adolescents.

Design, Synthesis, and Insecticidal Activity of Mesoionic Pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinone Containing Isoxazole/Isoxazoline Moiety as a Potential Insecticide

Bean aphid (Aphis craccivora) resistance to commonly used insecticides has made controlling these pests increasingly difficult. In this study, we introduced isoxazole and isoxazoline, which possess insecticidal activity, into pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidinone through a scaffold hopping strategy. We designed and synthesized a series of novel mesoionic compounds that exhibited a range of insecticidal activities against A. craccivora. The LC₅₀ values of compounds E1 and E2 were 0.73 and 0.88 μg/mL, respectively, better than triflumezopyrim (LC₅₀ = 2.43 μg/mL). Proteomics and molecular docking analyses showed that E1 might influence the A. craccivora nervous system by interacting with neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). This research offers a new approach to the advancement of novel mesoionic insecticides.

An observational study on the safety of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with myasthenia gravis

OBJECTIVE

There is concern that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine may trigger or worsen autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of COVID-19 vaccination on symptom severity in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG).

METHODS

A total of 106 enrolled patients with MG who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were followed up, and a questionnaire was used to document in detail the exacerbation of muscle weakness after vaccination and all other uncomfortable reactions after vaccination. Demographic, clinical characteristics, medication, and vaccination data were collected by follow-up interview. The main observation outcome was whether the MG symptoms of patients were exacerbated. The definition of exacerbation is according to the subjective feeling of the patient or a 2-point increase in daily life myasthenia gravis activity score relative to before vaccination, within 30 days after vaccination.

RESULTS

Of 106 enrolled patients [median age (SD) 41.0 years, 38 (35.8%) men, 53 (50.0%) with generalized MG, 74 (69.8%) positive for acetylcholine receptor antibody, and 21 (19.8%) with accompanying thymoma], muscle weakness symptoms were stable in 102 (96.2%) patients before vaccine inoculation. Muscle weakness worsened in 10 (9.4%) people after vaccination, of which 8 patients reported slight symptom worsening that resolved quickly (within a few days). Two (1.9%) of patients showed serious symptom aggravation that required hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that inactivated virus vaccines against COVID-19 may be safe for patients with MG whose condition is stable. Patients with generalized MG may be more likely to develop increased muscle weakness after vaccination.

The role of differentially expressed miR-660 in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the significance of miRNA expression levels in peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients clinically diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Method: Pulmonary tuberculosis-related datasets in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database were analyzed, and DE-miRNAs were screened for Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia ofGenes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment to construct a DE-miRNA-DE-mRNA network. The peripheral blood lymphocytes of 10 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 10 patients with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis, and 10 healthy volunteers were selected for validation of RNA expression levels. qRT-PCR was done to verify the expression of DE-miRNA, and Western blotting was done to check the expression levels of genes of associated pathways. Results: Differential expression of miR-660 was found in pulmonary tuberculosis through data analysis and literature mining. The differential expression was also confirmed by qRT-PCR in samples from patients and healthy controls. The expression of miR-660 was significantly upregulated (p < 0.01) in pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients compared to the healthy controls. According to western blotting results, the expression levels of P-NF-κB and AKT in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and NF-κB, P-NF-κB, AKT, and p-AKT in rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis patients were significantly upregulated (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The high expression levels of miR-660 may activate the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway and has the potential to serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

New insights into the germline genes and CDR3 repertoire of the TCRβ chain in Chiroptera

Introduction

Bats are recognized as natural reservoirs for many viruses, and their unique immune system enables them to coexist with these viruses without frequently exhibiting disease symptoms. However, the current understanding of the bat adaptive immune system is limited due to the lack of a database or tool capable of processing T-cell receptor (TCR) sequences for bats.

Methods

We performed germline gene annotation in three bat species using homologous genes and RSSs (Recombinational Signal Sequences) scanning method. Then we used the conserved C gene to construct the TCRβ chain receptor library of the Intermediate Horseshoe Bat. Bats' TCRβ data will be analyzed using MiXCR and constructed reference library.

Results

Regarding the annotation results, we found that the Pale Spear-nosed Bat has 37 members in the TRBV12 family, which is more than the total number of TRBV genes in the Greater Horseshoe Bat. The average number of unique TCRβ chain receptor sequences in each Intermediate Horseshoe Bat sample reached 24,904.

Discussion

The distinct variations in the distribution of TRBV genes among the three types of bats could have a direct impact on the diversity of the TCR repertoire, as evidenced by the presence of conserved amino acids that indicate the T-cell recognition of antigens in bats is MHC-restricted. The bats’ TCRβ repertoire is formed through the rearrangement of the V-D-J-C genes, with D-J/V-D deletions and insertions resulting in high diversity.

Thinned young apple polyphenols may prevent neuronal apoptosis by up-regulating 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the cerebral cortex of high-fat diet-induced diabetic mice

Apple polyphenols exert neuroprotective effects by improving the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle function, but the details of their mechanisms are still not fully understood. TCA cycle metabolites regulate the level of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) by affecting the ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that thinned young apple polyphenols (TYAPs) inhibit neuronal apoptosis by up-regulating the level of 5hmC in the cerebral cortex of high-fat diet-induced diabetic mice. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10 each group): the control (CON) group, the high-fat diet (HFD, negative control) group, the lovastatin (LOV, positive drug control) group, the resveratrol (RES, positive polyphenol control) group and the TYAP group during an eight-week intervention. The presented results verified that in the HFD group, the level of 5hmC and the expression of TET2 in the cerebral cortex were significantly lower, and the ratio of (succinic acid + fumaric acid)/α-ketoglutarate and the neuronal apoptosis rate were significantly higher than those in the CON group. However, TYAP intervention effectively restored the level of 5hmC through up-regulating the expression and activity of TET2, so as to improve diabetes symptoms and prevent diabetes-induced neuronal apoptosis.

Age-dependent mechanical properties of tail tendons in wild-type and mimecan gene-knockout mice - A preliminary study

Mimecan, or osteoglycin, belongs to the family of small leucine-rich proteoglycans. In connective tissues mimecan is implicated in the development and maintenance of normal collagen fibrillar organization. Since collagen fibrils are responsible for tissue reinforcement, the absence of mimecan could lead to abnormal tissue mechanical properties. Here, we carried out a preliminary investigation of possible changes in the mechanical properties of tendons in mice lacking a functional mimecan gene, as a function of age. Tail tendons were dissected from mimecan gene knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice at ages 1, 4 and 8 months and mechanical properties evaluated using a microtensile testing equipment. Mimecan gene knockout resulted in changes in tendon elasticity- and fracture-related properties. While tendons of WT mice exhibited enhanced mechanical properties with increasing age, this trend was notably attenuated in mimecan KO tendons, with the exception of fracture strain. When genotype and age were considered as cross factors, the diminution in the mechanical properties of mimecan KO tendons was significant for yield strength, modulus and fracture strength. This effect appeared to affect the mice at 4 month old. These preliminary results suggest that mimecan may have a role in regulating age-dependent mechanical function in mouse tail tendon.

Association between acrylamide exposure and sex hormones among premenopausal and postmenopausal women: NHANES, 2013-2016

PURPOSE

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential carcinogen that mainly comes from fried, baked and roasted foods, and Hb adducts of AA (HbAA) and its metabolite glycidamide (HbGA) are the biomarkers of its exposure. Increasing evidence suggests that AA is associated with various hormone-related cancers. This study aims to explore the association of HbAA and HbGA with female serum sex hormone concentrations.

METHODS

942 women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cycles (2013-2016) were included in this cross-sectional study. The associations between HbAA or HbGA or HbGA/HbAA and sex hormones were assessed by the multiple linear regression. Further stratified analyses were conducted to figure out the effects of menopausal status, BMI and smoking status on sex hormone levels.

RESULTS

Among all participants, 597 were premenopausal and 345 were postmenopausal. HbAA was positively associated with both two androgen indicators. Specifically, a ln-unit increase in HbAA was associated with 0.41 ng/dL higher ln(total testosterone, TT) (95% CI 0.00, 0.27) and 0.14 ng/dL higher ln(free testosterone) (95%CI 0.00, 0.28), respectively. However, HbGA concentrations had no association with sex hormones in the overall population. Additionally, HbGA/HbAA was negatively associated with TT and SHBG in the overall population as well as postmenopausal women. In stratified analysis, higher HbAA was associated with rising TT in postmenopausal women (β = 0.29, 95%CI 0.04, 0.53) and underweight/normal-weight women (β = 0.18, 95%CI 0.03, 0.33). Other indicators had no significant association detected in estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that HbAA was positively associated with androgen concentrations, especially in postmenopausal and BMI < 25 women.

The chloroplast genome of Cuphea hookeriana Walp. (Lythraceae), a Mexico ornamental plant

Cuphea hookeriana Walp. is an ornamental plant belonging to the Lythraceae. In this study, we reported the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence here and analyzed the phylogenetic relationship among Lythraceae plants. The length of the cp genome was 158,999 bp, including a large single-copy (LSC, 89,311 bp) region and a small single-copy (SSC, 18,436 bp) region separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 25,626 bp). There were 72 unique protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and four ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes in the cp genome of C. hookeriana. A total of 223 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 34 long repeat sequences were identified. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum-likelihood (ML) revealed that C. hookeriana was close to C. hyssopifolia. In addition, the two Cuphea species were the sister group of Woodfordia fruticosa.

[Prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle among children and adolescents of Han nationality in China]

Objective: To explore the epidemiological characteristics and geographical distribution of unhealthy lifestyle among children and adolescents of Han nationality in China and obtain evidence for proposing the related strategies to improve the well-being of this population. Methods: Students aged 6-22 years old were selected from the Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health in 2019. The prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles (physical inactivity, lack of outdoor activity, sedentary behavior, excessive screen time, sleep insufficiency, unhealthy eating behavior) between sex, residence, and age groups was calculated and compared. Multilevel logistic regression was used to explore the influencing factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Results: The prevalence of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity less than 1 h/d or 30 min/d were 82.06% and 54.69%, respectively. The prevalence of less than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of outdoor activities were 95.20% and 83.26%, respectively. The prevalence of more than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of sitting time were 50.64% and 31.92%, respectively. The prevalence of more than 2 h/d or 3 h/d of screen time were 42.02% and 27.79%, respectively. The prevalence of sleep insufficiency, excessive sugary beverages consumption (≥ 1 time/d), and insufficient consumption of eggs, milk, and breakfast (<7 d/week) were 66.49%, 20.97%, 83.36%, 70.71%, and 34.34%, respectively. The prevalence of severe sleep insufficiency, excessive sugary beverages consumption (≥ 3 times/d), and insufficient consumption of eggs, milk, and breakfast (≤2 d/week) were 27.77%, 8.21%, 47.21%, 32.36% and 9.73%, respectively. Conclusion: In 2019, unhealthy lifestyle is common among Han students aged 6-22 years in China. It is of importance to propose policies to strengthen the health education and initiatives to support healthy behaviors in Han children and adolescents. Jointly promotion on the creation of a healthy environment for Han children and adolescents, and formulation of targeted improvement measures in accordance with the epidemic characteristics in various regions are essential to improve the healthy lifestyle of this population.

Identification of CAMTA Gene Family in Heimia myrtifolia and Expression Analysis under Drought Stress

Calmodulin-binding transcription factor (CAMTA) is an important component of plant hormone signal transduction, development, and drought resistance. Based on previous transcriptome data, drought resistance genes of the Heimia myrtifolia CAMTA transcription factor family were predicted in this study. The physicochemical characteristics of amino acids, subcellular localization, transmembrane structure, GO enrichment, and expression patterns were also examined. The results revealed that H. myrtifolia has a total of ten members (HmCAMTA1~10). Phylogenetic tree analysis of the HmCAMTA gene family revealed four different branches. The amino acid composition of CAMTA from H. myrtifolia and Punica granatum was quite similar. In addition, qRT-PCR data showed that the expression levels of HmCAMTA1, HmCAMTA2, and HmCAMTA10 genes increased with the deepening of drought, and the peak values appeared in the T4 treatment. Therefore, it is speculated that the above four genes are involved in the response of H. myrtifolia to drought stress. Additionally, HmCAMTA gene expression was shown to be more abundant in roots and leaves than in other tissues according to tissue-specific expression patterns. This study can be used to learn more about the function of CAMTA family genes and the drought tolerance response mechanism in H. myrtifolia.

An α type gluco-oligosaccharide from brown algae Laminaria japonica stimulated the growth of lactic acid bacteria encoding specific ABC transport system components

Glucan is the most widely distributed glycan. Many probiotics such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) encoded corresponding hydrolytic enzymes, which could use these glucans as energy substances. Brown alga is rich in glucan and has high edible and medicinal value, but research on its regulation to probiotics is not detailed enough. In this study, we determined a novel neutral α type gluco-oligosaccharide from the brown alga Laminaria japonica with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 2-8 and a structure that mainly consists of α-(1→4)-linked glycosidic bonds called Laminaria japonica gluco-oligosaccharide (LJGO). Fermentation in vitro and gene-phenotype correlation analyses revealed that LJGO selectively stimulated the growth of the LAB strain encoding a specific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport system in a GH13 gene cluster, with apparent differences among 14 tested species. Comparative genomics further revealed that this transport system is species-specific, implying a potential contribution to species evolution. Transcriptomic analysis based on LAB strains cultured on LJGO and 1H-NMR findings of LJGO residues after strain utilization showed that the GH13 gene cluster contains functional LAB genes involved in LJGO utilization. Further verification by gene knockout studies is needed to expand our findings.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of HSF Transcription Factors in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under Abiotic Stress

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is one of the most important legume forage species in the world. It is often affected by several abiotic stressors that result in reduced yields and poor growth. Therefore, it is crucial to study the resistance of M. sativa to abiotic stresses. Heat shock transcription factors (HSF) are key players in a number of transcriptional regulatory pathways. These pathways play an essential role in controlling how plants react to different abiotic stressors. Studies on the HSF gene family have been reported in many species but have not yet undergone a thorough analysis in M. sativa. Therefore, in order to identify a more comprehensive set of HSF genes, from the genomic data, we identified 16 members of the MsHSF gene, which were unevenly distributed over six chromosomes. We also looked at their gene architectures and protein motifs, and phylogenetic analysis allowed us to divide them into 3 groups with a total of 15 subgroups. Along with these aspects, we then examined the physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, synteny analysis, GO annotation and enrichment, and protein interaction networks of amino acids. Finally, the analysis of 16 MsHSF genes' expression levels across all tissues and under four abiotic stresses using publicly available RNA-Seq data revealed that these genes had significant tissue-specific expression. Moreover, the expression of most MsHSF genes increased dramatically under abiotic stress, further validating the critical function played by the MsHSF gene family in abiotic stress. These results provided basic information about MsHSF gene family and laid a foundation for further study on the biological role of MsHSF gene in response to stress in M. sativa.

[Associations between early onset of puberty and obesity types in children: Based on both the cross-sectional study and cohort study]

OBJECTIVE

To explore and analyze the relationship between early onset of puberty and different types of obesity in children, by combining large sample cross-sectional survey data with long-term longitudinal cohort data, so as to provide clues for further clarifying the health hazards of early onset of puberty and obesity prevention and control.

METHODS

The research data were from the cross-sectional survey data of seven provinces(autonomous regions, municipalities) in China and the cohort data of adolescent development in Xiamen. The study first found the association between early onset of puberty and obesity by Logistic regression on the cross-sectional data, and then used Poisson regression to analyze the association between early puberty initiation and various types of obesity risk.

RESULTS

In the study, 43 137 and 1 266 children were included in the cross-sectional survey and cohort survey respectively. The cross-sectional study found that among the girls aged 10-13 years, compared with the girls of the same age who did not start puberty, the body mass index (BMI)-Z score of the girls in the puberty start group was 0.5-0.8 higher, and the waist circumference Z score was 0.4-0.7 higher, and the risk of various types of obesity was higher. At the same time, the early onset of puberty was positively correlated with simple obesity, central obesity and compound obesity, the OR (95%CI) were 1.86 (1.42-2.44), 1.95 (1.65-2.32) and 1.86 (1.41-2.45), respectively. No significant association was found in boys. According to the cohort data, in girls, the risk of simple obesity was 6.00 times [RR (95%CI): 6.00 (1.07-33.60)], the risk of central obesity was 3.30 times [RR (95%CI): 3.30 (1.22-8.92)], and the risk of compound obesity was 5.76 times [RR (95%CI): 5.76 (1.03-32.30)], compared with the group without early puberty initiation, while no association between early puberty initiation and obesity was found in boys.

CONCLUSION

Based on the cross-sectional survey and longitudinal cohort survey, it is confirmed that the early onset of puberty in girls may increase the risk of simple obesity, central obesity and compound obesity, while there is no significant correlation between puberty onset and obesity in boys.

Quantifying Radiation Belt Electron Loss Processes at L < 4

We present a comprehensive analysis of the processes that lead to quasilinear pitch-angle-scattering loss of electrons from the L < 4 region of the Earth's inner magnetosphere during geomagnetically quiet times. We consider scattering via Coulomb collisions, hiss waves, lightning-generated whistler (LGW) waves, waves from ground-based very-low-frequency (VLF) transmitters, and electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves. The amplitude, frequency, and wave normal angle spectra of these waves are parameterized with empirical wave models, which are then used to compute pitch-angle diffusion coefficients. From these coefficients, we estimate the decay timescales, or lifetimes, of 30 keV to 4 MeV electrons and compare the results with timescales obtained from in-situ observations. We demonstrate good quantitative agreement between the two over most of the L and energy range under investigation. Our analysis suggests that the electron decay timescales are very sensitive to the choice of plasmaspheric density model. At L < 2, where our theoretical lifetimes do not agree well with the observations, we show that including Coulomb energy drag (ionization energy loss) in our calculations significantly improves the quantitative agreement with the observed decay timescales. We also use an accurate model of the geomagnetic field to provide an estimate of the effect that the drift-loss cone has on the theoretically calculated electron lifetimes, which are usually obtained using an axisymmetric dipole field.

Decoding the formation of diverse petal colors of Lagerstroemia indica by integrating the data from transcriptome and metabolome

Lagerstroemia indica has great economic value due to its ecological, medicinal, and ornamental properties. Because its bloom color is one of the most essential characteristics, research into its color development is a hot topic. In this study, five representative colored cultivars were chosen, each representing a different color, such as white, red, pink, violet, and purple. Fully bloomed flowers were used to detect flavonoids in the petals. Anthocyanin is the main factor for the color formation of L. indica. 14 anthocyanins were discovered among the 299 flavonoids. Among 14 anthocyanins, malvidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside varied greatly among four colored samples and is the main contributor to color diversity. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that compared to white flowers, Anthocyanin pathway genes appear to be more active in colored samples. Analyzing the correlation network between metabolites and differential expressed genes, 53 key structural genes, and 24 TFs were detected that may play an essential role in the formation of color in L. indica flowers. Among these, the differential expression of F3'5'H and F3'H between all samples are contributors to color diversity. These findings lay the foundation for discovering the molecular mechanism of L. indica flower color diversity.

Identification and Expression Analysis of NAC Gene Family in Weeping Trait of Lagerstroemia indica

Lagerstroemia indica is a widely used ornamental plant in summer gardens because of its desirable plant shape. The weeping traits of plants are related to secondary cell wall thickness and hormone signaling. NAC (NAM-ATAF1/2-CUC2), as one of the plant-specific transcription factors, is a switch for the secondary cell wall and also involved in leaf senescence, phytohormone signaling, and other growth processes. We identified a total of 21 LiNAC genes from the transcriptome data, which we divided into 14 subgroups and 2 groups. The physicochemical characteristics of amino acids, subcellular localization, transmembrane structure, GO and KEGG enrichment, and expression patterns were also examined. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expressions of LiNAC8 and LiNAC13 in upright L. indica 'Shaoguifei' and weeping L. indica 'Xiariwuniang' were significantly higher from the beginning to the end of growth stage (S1-S3), and the expressions of 'Shaoguifei' were always higher than those of 'Xiariwuniang'. However, LiNAC2 showed a downward trend in S1-S3 and the relative expression level of 'Shaoguifei' was lower than that of 'Xiariwuniang'. It is hypothesized that these LiNAC genes may be involved in the regulation of weeping traits in L. indica. The results of this study provide a basis for analyzing the functions of LiNAC genes and help to explore the molecular regulatory mechanisms related to the weeping traits in L. indica.

Physiological and transcriptional responses to heat stress and functional analyses of PsHSPs in tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa)

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) is a traditional Chinese flower that is not resistant to high temperatures, and the frequent sunburn during summer limits its normal growth. The lack of understanding of the molecular mechanisms in tree peony has greatly restricted the improvement of novel heat-tolerant varieties. Therefore, we treated tree peony cultivar "Yuhong" (P. suffruticosa "Yuhong") at normal (25°C) and high temperatures (40°C) and sequenced the transcriptomes, to investigate the molecular responsive mechanisms to heat stress. By comparing the transcriptomes, a total of 7,673 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were detected comprising 4,220 upregulated and 3,453 downregulated genes. Functional annotation showed that the DEGs were mainly related to the metabolic process, cells and binding, carbon metabolism, and endoplasmic reticulum protein processing. qRT-PCR revealed that three sHSP genes (PsHSP17.8, PsHSP21, and PsHSP27.4) were upregulated in the response of tree peony to heat stress. Tissue quantification of the transgenic lines (Arabidopsis thaliana) showed that all three genes were most highly expressed in the leaves. The survival rates of transgenic lines (PsHSP17.8, PsHSP21, and PsHSP27.4) restored to normal growth after high-temperature treatment were 43, 36, and 31%, respectively. In addition, the activity of superoxide dismutase, accumulation of free proline, and chlorophyll level was higher than those of the wild-type lines, while the malondialdehyde content and conductivity were lower, and the membrane lipid peroxidation reaction of the wild-type plant was more intense. Our research found several processes and pathways related to heat resistance in tree peony including metabolic process, single-organism process, phenylpropane biosynthesis pathway, and endoplasmic reticulum protein synthesis pathway. PsHSP17.8, PsHSP21, and PsHSP27.4 improved heat tolerance by increasing SOD activity and proline content. These findings can provide genetic resources for understanding the heat-resistance response of tree peony and benefit future germplasm innovation.

Transcriptome Approach Reveals the Response Mechanism of Heimia myrtifolia (Lythraceae, Myrtales) to Drought Stress

Drought is a major environmental condition that inhibits the development and cultivation of Heimia myrtifolia. The molecular processes of drought resistance in H. myrtifolia remain unknown, which has limited its application. In our study, transcriptome analyzes were compared across three treatment groups (CK, T1, and T2), to investigate the molecular mechanism of drought resistance. Plant leaves wilted and drooped as the duration of drought stress increased. The relative water content of the leaves declined dramatically, and relative electrolyte leakage rose progressively. Using an RNA-Seq approach, a total of 62,015 unigenes with an average length of 1730 bp were found, with 86.61% of them annotated to seven databases, and 14,272 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in drought stress. GO and KEGG enrichment analyzes of the DEGs revealed significantly enriched KEGG pathways, including photosynthesis, photosynthetic antenna proteins, plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. Abscisic acid signal transduction was the most prevalent in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, and other plant hormone signal transductions were also involved in the drought stress response. The transcription factors (including MYB, NAC, WRKY, and bHLH) and related differential genes on significantly enriched pathways all played important roles in the drought process, such as photosynthesis-related genes and antioxidant enzyme genes. In conclusion, this study will provide several genetic resources for further investigation of the molecular processes that will be beneficial to H. myrtifolia cultivation and breeding.

LncRNA HOTTIP PROMOTES OVARIAN CANCER CELL INVASION AND METASTASIS BY STABILIZING HIF-1α IN THE ANOXIC CELLULAR MICROENVIRONMENT

Background

The high recurrence rate and low survival rate of ovarian cancer (OC) patients are closely related to an anoxic environment. We aim to study the mechanism of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) on hypoxia ovarian cancer cells (OCC) and its mechanism was investigated.

Methods

Knockdown and overexpression of HOTTIP in human OCC (SKOV-3, OVCAR3) were performed. The expression levels of HOTTIP and HIF-1α were monitored by qRT-PCR and WB. Transwell was conducted to validate the cell migration and invasion. ELISA was performed to calculate VEGF concentration in cells. Cell viability was monitored by CCK-8. Cell apoptosis and cycle were tested by flow cytometry. RNA pull-down was used to analyze the interaction between HIF-1α and HOTTIP.

Results

HOTTIP was highly expressed in OCC. After HOTTIP knockdown, HIF-1α expression and VEGF concentration in OCC were decreased. Cell migration, invasion, and cell viability were decreased. Cell apoptosis rate and G0/G1 phase cells were increased. RNA pull-down indicated a direct interaction between HIF-1α and HOTTIP.

Conclusions

HOTTIP formed a positive feedback loop with HIF-1α to promote the development and metastasis of hypoxia ovarian cancer. This study provided theoretical support for the development of new OC treatment strategies.

[Clinical characteristics and whole exome sequencing results of patients with Möbius syndrome]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with Möbius syndrome (MBS) and to explore likely pathogenic genes. Methods: Cross-sectional study. The study enrolled 18 sporadic MBS patients who visited the Eye Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from July 2018 to December 2021. All patients completed the general information questionnaire and underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations and general physical examinations. Seventeen patients received MRI examination of cranial nerves and the orbit. The peripheral venous blood of all patients and their nuclear family members was collected, the genomic DNA was extracted, and the pathogenic gene variations that may lead to MBS were identified by whole exome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Results: Among the 18 patients, there were 8 males and 10 females, and the age was (4.5±4.0) years (range, 8 months to 17 years). All patients showed congenital, bilateral or unilateral abduction deficit and facial weakness, which met the minimum diagnostic criteria of MBS. Among them, bilateral abduction deficit (16/18) and bilateral facial weakness (15/18) were more common. Nine patients were orthotopic in primary position, eight presented with esotropia, and one showed hypotropia. All patients had ametropia, of which 4 patients were diagnosed as amblyopia. Fifteen patients were also accompanied by other multiple congenital malformations, mainly characterized by abnormal development of glossopharynx (14/18) and limbs (5/18), and 7 patients were also accompanied by motor retardation. In addition, 9 patients had intrauterine exposure to adverse factors. Among the 17 patients who underwent MRI, 15 patients had bilateral hypoplasia of the abducens nerve, two had unilateral hypoplasia of the abducens nerve, 14 showed bilateral hypoplasia of the facial nerve, and three showed hypoplasia of the left facial nerve. Besides, some patients were also accompanied by hypoplasia of other cranial nerves, mainly the glossopharyngeal nerve and the hypoglossal nerve. No definite pathogenic variations were found by whole exome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Conclusions: The main clinical features of MBS were congenital abduction deficit and facial weakness, with complicated manifestations and variable severity. MRI showed absence or thinning of the abducens nerve and the facial nerve. The results of MRI can be used as a supplement to the diagnostic criteria of MBS. The mutation detection rate of MBS was low, and half of patients had exposure to adverse factors during pregnancy, suggesting that there was a multifactorial pathogenic mechanism in MBS.

Active Precipitation of Radiation Belt Electrons Using Rocket Exhaust Driven Amplification (REDA) of Man-Made Whistlers

Ground-based very low frequency (VLF) transmitters located around the world generate signals that leak through the bottom side of the ionosphere in the form of whistler mode waves. Wave and particle measurements on satellites have observed that these man-made VLF waves can be strong enough to scatter trapped energetic electrons into low pitch angle orbits, causing loss by absorption in the lower atmosphere. This precipitation loss process is greatly enhanced by intentional amplification of the whistler waves using a newly discovered process called rocket exhaust driven amplification (REDA). Satellite measurements of REDA have shown between 30 and 50 dB intensification of VLF waves in space using a 60 s burn of the 150 g/s thruster on the Cygnus satellite that services the International Space Station. This controlled amplification process is adequate to deplete the energetic particle population on the affected field lines in a few minutes rather than the multi-day period it would take naturally. Numerical simulations of the pitch angle diffusion for radiation belt particles use the UCLA quasi-linear Fokker Planck model to assess the impact of REDA on radiation belt remediation of newly injected energetic electrons. The simulated precipitation fluxes of energetic electrons are applied to models of D-region electron density and bremsstrahlung X-rays for predictions of the modified environment that can be observed with satellite and ground-based sensors.

[Epidemic status of imported malaria before and after malaria elimination in Jiaozuo City of Henan Province]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze and compare the epidemiological characteristics of imported malaria in Jiaozuo City before and after malaria elimination, so as to provide insights into the malaria surveillance during the post-elimination stage and prevention of re-establishment of imported malaria.

METHODS

Data pertaining to the epidemic situation and individual investigation of malaria in Jiaozuo City before (from 2010 to 2016) and after malaria elimination (from 2017 to November, 2020) were captured from the National Notifiable Disease Reporting System and the Information System for Parasitic Diseases Control and Prevention of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS

A total of 74 imported malaria cases were reported in Jiaozuo City from 2010 to 2021. Imported cases were predominantly Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases in Jiaozuo City before and after malaria elimination, and there was no significant difference in the proportion of malaria parasite species (χ² = 0.234, P > 0.05). The imported malaria cases was predominantly reported in Wuzhi County, and was identified in overseas male farmers and businessmen at ages of 20 to 59 years, while the greatest number of imported malaria cases was reported in June and December before and after malaria elimination. The imported malaria cases predominantly acquired malaria parasite infections in sub-Saharan African countries; however, the proportion of imported malaria cases returning from Southeast Asian counties increased after malaria elimination than before malaria elimination (χ² = 5.989, P < 0.05). The longest duration from onset to definitive diagnosis of malaria reduced from 27 days before malaria elimination to 18 days after malaria elimination, and the median duration reduced from 3 days to 2 days, while the proportion of definitive diagnosis of malaria increased from 60.47% before malaria elimination to 83.87% after malaria elimination (χ² = 4.724, P < 0.05). In addition, the proportion of malaria cases definitively diagnosed and reported by medical institutions increased after malaria elimination than before malaria elimination (χ² = 5.406, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The imported malaria patients were predominantly P. falciparum malaria cases in Jiaozuo City during 2010 to 2021, and the patient's medical care-seeking awareness and medical staff's diagnosis and treatment ability have improved after malaria elimination. It is necessary to strengthen and improve malaria surveillance and response system and prevent the re-establishment of overseas imported malaria.

[Clinical characteristics and outcomes of myasthenia gravis patients with double positive antibodies against acetylcholine receptor and muscle-specific tyrosine kinase]

Objective: To investigate the clinical manifestations, treatment characteristics and outcomes of myasthenia gravis (MG) dually positive for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab) and anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase antibody (MuSK-Ab). Method: MG patients hospitalized in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from August 2017 to November 2020 were retrospectively collected. Thirty-four MuSK-Ab positive MG (MuSK-MG) patients, 11 double-antibodies positive MG (DP-MG) patients, and 80 AChR-Ab positive MG (AChR-MG) patients were included and allocated to three different groups. The clinical data of patients in the three groups were collected, and the differences of demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations and treatment outcomes between DP-MG patients and AChR-MG and MuSK-MG patients were analyzed. Result: The proportion of female and male patients in DP-MG group was 7/11 and 4/11 respectively, and the onset age of DP-MG was (41±27) years.The difference in gender distribution between DP-MG and AChR-MG groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). The proportion of extraocular muscle involvement in the DP-MG and MuSK-MG groups (8/11 and 52.9%) was lower than that in the AChR-MG group (83.8%), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The incidence of myasthenia crisis in DP-MG and MuSK-MG groups (54.5% and 61.8%) were higher than that in AChR-MG group (20.0%), with astatistically significant difference(P<0.05). The positive rate of neostigmine test in DP-MG and MuSK-MG groups(8/11 and 74.2%) were lower than that of AChR-MG group (96.8%), and the positive rate of low frequency repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) in DP-MG group (5/10) was lower than that in AChR-MG group (85.1%), with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). MuSK-Ab titer was positively correlated with the course of disease (r=0.466, P<0.05), and antibody titer decreased after symptom improvement (P<0.05). The response of patients in DP-MG and MuSK-MG groups to cholinesterase inhibitors (2/11 and 9.1%) was worse than that in the AChR-MG group (66.3%), and the incidence of side effects in the two groups (5/11 and 39.4%) was higher than that in the AChR-MG group (15.0%), with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). There were 4 DP-MG patients underwent thymectomy, and the pathological results detected two cases of thymoma and two cases of thymic hyperplasia. Subsequent follow-up showed that 5 (5/11) DP-MG patients achieved minimal manifestation status or better status. Conclusion: The gender distribution, age of onset, pharmacological characteristics and electrophysiological examination of DP-MG patients were similar to those of MuSK-MG patients, but the severity of DP-MG patients was between that of AChR-MG and MuSK-MG patients.

Public attitudes and influencing factors toward COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents/children: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to systematically clarify attitudes and influencing factors of the public toward COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a scoping review.

METHODS

This scoping review screened, included, sorted, and analyzed relevant studies on COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents before December 31, 2021, in databases, including PubMed, Elsevier, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Wiley.

RESULTS

A total of 34 studies were included. The results showed that the public's acceptance rate toward COVID-19 vaccination for children or adolescents ranged from 4.9% (southeast Nigerian mothers) to 91% (Brazilian parents). Parents' or adolescents' age, gender, education level, and cognition and behavior characteristics for the vaccines were the central factors affecting vaccination. The vaccine's safety, effectiveness, and potential side-effects were the main reasons affecting vaccination.

CONCLUSIONS

Realizing current public attitudes of COVID-19 vaccination for adolescents or children can effectively develop intervention measures and control the pandemic as soon as possible through herd immunity.

TRPM2-AS promotes the malignancy of osteosarcoma cells by targeting miR-15b-5p/PPM1D axis

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a malignant tumor with a low survival rate and a high incidence rate worldwide. Although research has reported the involvement of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis of OS cells, the role of TRPM2-AS, miR-15b-5p, and PPM1D in OS progression remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the interaction of the TRPM2-AS/miR-15b-5p/PPM1D axis in OS cells to gain new insights into the molecular mechanism and pathogenesis of OS. After performing in vitro functional assays, we discovered that TRPM2-AS was overexpressed in OS cells. TRPM2-AS silencing impaired OS cell viability, proliferation, and migration, while it induced apoptosis in OS cells in vitro. Our experimental analysis also revealed that PPM1D is a direct target of miR-15b-5p. TRPM2-AS silencing was found to reverse the tumorigenic effect of the miR-15b-5p inhibitor, while the miR-15b-5p inhibitor restored the inhibition of OS caused by silencing PPM1D. Moreover, our findings revealed that miR-15b-5p exerted its tumor-suppressive role by directly targeting PPM1D. In conclusion, this study suggests that TRPM2-AS could promote OS cell malignancy by sponging miR-15b-5p/PPM1D axis.

Portable immunosensor directly and rapidly detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health problem that cannot be ignored. The portable and efficient detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is important for the effective control of this disease. However, current detection techniques do not meet the requirements for MTB detection in the actual environment and often require cumbersome detection steps that are time consuming and inflexible. In this study, a portable immunosensor to detect MTB in sputum was prepared and then subjected to interface characterizations, such as scanning electron microscopy, hydrophilic angle test, and fluorescence characterization. The source and gate voltage of the device were optimized and tested using a non-contact photoresponse. The results showed that the sensitivity of the sensor to luminance increases with the decrease in source voltage. The gate voltage can substantially improve the response of the immunosensor to the normalized current of protein and amplify the signal at least 1.6 times. The optimal voltage detection conditions of source voltage (0.3 V) and gate voltage (0.1 V) were also determined. Several common proteins present in simulated saliva were used for anti-interference tests, and the sensor exhibited good specificity. Finally, the dilution gradient of an actual TB sputum sample was optimized. In the absence of preconditioning, a double-blind experiment was used to distinguish between the sputum from patients with TB and healthy individuals to shorten the TB detection time to a few minutes. Compared with the hospital's conventional detection method using cultures, the proposed method can complete the detection in a shorter time. This study provides a new strategy for the portable diagnosis of TB.

Rapid detection of airborne protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a biosensor detection system

The developed biosensor detection system can complete the detection of air samples by collecting exhaled breath condensate, greatly reducing the time to diagnose tuberculosis.