Boosting Sono-immunotherapy of Prostate Carcinoma through Amplifying Domino-Effect of Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress Using Biodegradable Cascade-Targeting Nanocomposites

Sono-immunotherapy faces challenges from poor immunogenicity and low response rate due to complex biological barriers. Herein, we prepared MCTH nanocomposites (NCs) consisting of disulfide bonds (S-S) doped mesoporous organosilica (MONs), Cu-modified protoporphyrin (CuPpIX), mitochondria-targeting triphenylphosphine (TPP), and CD44-targeting hyaluronic acid (HA). MCTH NCs efficiently accumulate at the tumor site due to the overexpressed CD44 receptors on the membrane of the cancer cells. Under the function of HAase and glutathione (GSH), MCTH degrades and exposes TPP to deliver CuPpIX to the mitochondrial site and induce a reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst in situ under ultrasound irradiations, thereby causing severe mitochondria dysfunction. This cascade-targeting ability of MCTH NCs not only reinforces oxidative stress in cancer cells but also amplifies immunogenic cell death (ICD) to stimulate the body's immune response and alleviate the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. These NCs significantly enhance the infiltration of immune cells into the tumor, particularly CD8+ T cells, for a powerful antitumor sono-immunotherapy. The proposed cascade-targeting strategy holds promise for strengthening sono-immunotherapy for prostate cancer treatment and overcoming the limitations of traditional immunotherapy.

Peer relationships mediate the pathways from behavioral qualities to United States and Chinese children's loneliness

Loneliness is a perceived deficit in social relationships that is nested within broader cultural meaning systems. This longitudinal study examined predictors of loneliness in Chinese and U.S. children with the hypothesis that peer relationship parameters (number of friends, social preference, and popularity) mediate the associations between behavior qualities and loneliness differently across countries. Fifth-grade Chinese (n = 576, Mage  = 10.58 years) and U.S. (White, Black, Asian, n = 540; Mage  = 10.23 years) children completed two waves of assessment within an academic year. Shyness and athletic competence more strongly predicted loneliness for U.S. children, and academic ability, and aggression more strongly predicted loneliness for Chinese children. Popularity was a mediator for U.S. children but not Chinese children.

Analysis of Nuclear Dynamics in Nematode-Trapping Fungi Based on Fluorescent Protein Labeling

Nematophagous fungi constitute a category of fungi that exhibit parasitic behavior by capturing, colonizing, and poisoning nematodes, which are critical factors in controlling nematode populations in nature, and provide important research materials for biological control. Arthrobotrys oligospora serves as a model strain among nematophagous fungi, which begins its life as conidia, and then its hyphae produce traps to capture nematodes, completing its lifestyle switch from saprophytic to parasitic. There have been many descriptions of the morphological characteristics of A. oligospora lifestyle changes, but there have been no reports on the nuclear dynamics in this species. In this work, we constructed A. oligospora strains labeled with histone H2B-EGFP and observed the nuclear dynamics from conidia germination and hyphal extension to trap formation. We conducted real-time imaging observations on live cells of germinating and extending hyphae and found that the nucleus was located near the tip. It is interesting that the migration rate of this type of cell nucleus is very fast, and we speculate that this may be related to the morphological changes involved in the transformation to a predatory lifestyle. We suggest that alterations in nuclear shape and fixation imply the immediate disruption of the interaction with cytoskeletal mechanisms during nuclear migration. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the signal initiating nuclear migration into fungal traps is generated at the onset of nucleus entry into a trap cell. Our work provides a reference for analysis of the dynamics of nucleus distribution and a means to visualize protein localization and interactions in A. oligospora.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation versus dexamethasone for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting in breast surgery: A non-inferiority randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation and dexamethasone can reduce postoperative nausea and/or vomiting. In this noninferiority study, we compared the effects of Neiguan acupoint (PC6) transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation with dexamethasone to prevent postoperative nausea and/or vomiting in female patients undergoing breast surgery.

METHODS

In total, 280 patients were randomized into the following 2 groups: transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (n = 140) and dexamethasone (n = 140). Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation was performed 0.5 hours before anesthesia induction, immediately after entering the post-anesthesia care unit, and every 3 hours after leaving the post-anesthesia care unit. In the postoperative ward, the anesthetist instructed the patient's family members to assist the patient with PC6 patient-controlled transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation. Patients in the dexamethasone group were given 8 mg dexamethasone (intravenously) at 0.5 hours before induction of anesthesia. The incidence of nausea, vomiting, need for rescue antiemetics, patient satisfaction score, and the feasibility results of PC6 patient-controlled transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation were recorded 24 hours after surgery.

RESULT

Within 0 to 24 hours after surgery, the incidence of postoperative nausea and/or vomiting in the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation group was not inferior to the dexamethasone group (31.1% vs 27.9%, per protocol risk difference 3.2; 95% confidence interval -7.7 to 14.0). The results of the intention-to-treat analysis (30.7% vs 27.1%, risk difference 3.6; 95% confidence interval -7.0 to 14.2) agreed with the per protocol analysis. Patient satisfaction score in the transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation group was higher than that in the dexamethasone group (3.9 ± 0.1 vs 3.6 ± 0.1, P = .003). The scheme of preventing postoperative nausea and/or vomiting by PC6 patient-controlled transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation was feasible.

CONCLUSION

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation was noninferior to dexamethasone in preventing postoperative nausea and/or vomiting within 24 hours after breast surgery. Neiguan acupoint patient-controlled transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation was feasible to prevent postoperative nausea and/or vomiting.

MicroRNA-376b is involved in the pathogenesis of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy by regulating HAS2

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients and to explore the molecular mechanisms of MicroRNA-376b (miR-376b) in the pathogenesis of TAO.

METHODS

PBMCs from TAO patients and healthy controls were analyzed by miRNA microarray to screen for the significantly differentially expressed miRNAs. The miR-376b expression in PBMCs were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The downstream target of miR-376b was screened by online bioinformatics, and detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

RESULTS

Compared with normal controls, 26 miRNAs were significantly different in PBMCs of TAO patients (14 miRNAs were down-regulated and 12 miRNAs were up-regulated). Among them, miR-376b expression was significantly decreased in PBMCs from TAO patients compared to healthy controls. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that miR-376b expression in PBMCs was significantly negatively correlated with free triiodothyronine (FT3), and positively correlated with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). MiR-376b expression was obviously reduced in 6T-CEM cells after triiodothyronine (T3) stimulation compared to controls. MiR-376b mimics significantly decreased hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) protein expression and the mRNA expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in 6T-CEM cells, whereas miR-376b inhibitors markedly elevated HAS2 protein expression and gene expression of ICAM1 and TNF-α.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-376b expression in PBMCs was significantly decreased in PBMCs from TAO patients compared with the healthy controls. MiR-376b, regulated by T3, could modulate the expression of HAS2 and inflammatory factors. We speculate that miR-376b may be involved in the pathogenesis of TAO patients by regulating the expression of HAS2 and inflammatory factors.

Optimal Perioperative Antimicrobial Management Strategies of Kidney Transplant Recipients Guided by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing of Deceased Donors' Microbiology Samples

Background

There is no consensus on the optimal use of perioperative antibiotics prophylaxis after kidney transplantation, but there is a common trend to limit the duration of antibiotic use worldwide. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has emerged as a novel technology for pathogen detection in clinical practice due to its noninvasive, rapid, precise and high susceptibility to detect infectious pathogens. However, data are lacking on whether mNGS analyses could be used to detect pathogens and guide anti-infection regimens in kidney transplant donors and recipients.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study to review all clinic data of mNGS and traditional laboratory methods (TMs) for pathogen detection in kidney transplant recipients and their corresponding deceased donors from August 1, 2021 to October 30, 2022 in our center.

Results

A total of 57 donors and 112 of their corresponding recipients were included. The antimicrobial strategy mainly depended on mNGS results combined with traditional pathogen culture and clinical conditions. The percentages of positive pathogen detected by mNGS in blood, urine, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and preservation fluids (PFs) were 50.9% (29/57), 35.1% (20/57), 84.2% (48/57) and 54.4% (31/57) respectively, and were 24.6% (14/57), 15.8% (9/57), 57.9% (33/57) and 14.1% (8/57) respectively when using TMs. mNGS could detected all of pathogens which were detected by TMs. However, samples with negative TMs testing can be additionally detected as positive by mNGS (15/43 in blood, 11/48 in urine, 15/24 in BALF and 23/49 in PFs). Drug resistance genes were detected in 9 donors by mNGS,which were consistent with 6 donors by TMs. There was only one case of donor-derived infection in this study.

Conclusion

This study showed that it is effective to combine mNGS with traditional pathogen detection methods and clinical features to develop optimal perioperative antimicrobial management strategies for deceased donor kidney transplantation.

[The Origin and Academic Characteristics of Xujiang School]

Xujiang School of acupuncture and moxibustion has a long history with distinctive academic characteristics and regional influence. Xujiang School, originated from Xi Hong in Song Dynasty, is the oldest acupuncture and moxibustion school recorded in Chinese history. Later, it was passed down from family to family for more than ten generations. The tenth generation Xi Xinqing passed it on to Chen Honggang and gradually evolved into a school of acupuncture and moxibustion with regional characteristics and a certain national influence. In terms of academic characteristics, doctors in Xujiang School kept innovating based on the Classics.Its acupuncture and moxibustion academic ideas including reinforcement and reduction , point selection and searching for the primary cause of disease in treatment have had an important impact on contemporary acupuncture in clinic.

Treatment of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria after Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background and Objectives: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is prevalent in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) and is hypothesized to heighten the risk of subsequent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Whether antibiotic treatment of ASB in KTRs is beneficial has not been elucidated. Materials and Methods: We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that examined the merits of managing asymptomatic bacteriuria in KTRs. The primary outcomes were rates of symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs) and antimicrobial resistance. Results: Five studies encompassing 566 patients were included. No significant difference in symptomatic UTI rates was found between antibiotics and no treatment groups (relative risk (RR) 1.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.78-1.41), with moderate heterogeneity (I2 = 36%). Antibiotic treatment was found to present an uncertain risk for the development of drug-resistant strains (RR = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.95-2.40, I2 = 0%). In all trials, no significant difference between study arms was demonstrated regarding patient and graft outcomes, such as graft function, graft loss, hospitalization due to UTI, all-cause mortality, or acute rejection. Conclusions: The practice of screening and treating kidney transplant patients for asymptomatic bacteriuria does not curtail the incidence of future symptomatic UTIs, increase antimicrobial resistance, or affect graft outcomes. Whether early treatment of ASB after kidney transplantation (<2 months) is beneficial requires more RCTs.

Ammonia and Nematode Ascaroside Are Synergistic in Trap Formation in Arthrobotrys oligospora

Nematode-trapping (NT) fungi are natural predators of the soil living nematodes. Diverse external signals mediate the generation of predatory devices of NT fungi. Among these, broad ascarosides and nitrogenous ammonia are highly efficient inducers for trap structure initiation. However, the overlay effect of ammonia and ascaroside on the trap morphogenesis remains unclear. This study demonstrated that the combination of nitrogenous substances with nematode-derived ascarosides led to higher trap production compared to the single inducing cues; notably, ammonia and Ascr#18 had the most synergistic effect on the trap in A. oligospora. Further, the deletion of ammonia transceptor Amt43 blocked trap formation against ammonia addition in A. oligospora but not for the ascaroside Ascr#18 induction. Moreover, ammonia addition could promote plasma endocytosis in the process of trap formation. In contrast, ascaroside addition would facilitate the stability of intracellular organization away from endocytosis. Therefore, there is a synergistic effect on trap induction from different nitrogenous and ascaroside signals.

High-power green-light laser endoscopic submucosal dissection for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: A technical improvement and its initial application

Background

The technique of laser en bloc resection of bladder tumor (ERBT) has been a valuable alternative technique to transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). However, the combination of laser ERBT and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) technique has not been well studied. Here, a novel technique integrating a high-power green-light laser with ESD was presented. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of high-power green-light laser endoscopic submucosal dissection (HPL-ESD) for the treatment of primary non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

Materials and Methods

From January 2015 to December 2018, a total of 56 patients with NMIBC underwent HPL-ESD. All tumors were transurethral en bloc resected in the ESD technique. Perioperative clinical data were retrospectively collected and analyzed.

Results

All operations were safely performed by the technique of HPL-ESD without blood transfusion. The mean tumor diameter was 2.04 ± 0.65 cm, ranging from 0.5 to 3.5 cm. The mean operative time was 28.39 ± 16.04 min. The average serum hemoglobin decrease was 0.88 ± 0.54 g/dL. The mean postoperative catheterization time was 2.88 ± 0.94 days. The pathologic stages included pTa (32 cases), and pT1 (24 cases). Double-J stent indwelling was not performed for four patients whose tumors were adjacent to the ureteral orifice and no postoperative hydronephrosis was observed. Only one case of ectopic bladder tumor recurred due to irregular bladder irrigation during the 36-month follow-up.

Conclusion

HPL-ESD is a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of primary NMIBCs, especially for tumors adjacent to the ureteral orifice.

Melanin precursors mediated adaption to temperature changes in fungus and animal via inhibition of lipid-mediated ferroptosis

The discovery of biological activities of natural products plays a vital part in drug development. The mechanism by which organisms respond to temperature changes via biosynthesis of natural products remained largely cryptic. A thermophilic fungus under cold stress turned black and accumulated a polyketide metabolite 1 and lipid mass. Deficiency in 1 caused melanin loss and accumulated extra lipid mass, unexpectedly leading to seriously damaged mitochondria diagnostic for ferroptosis. Further analysis revealed that lipid mass induced by cold stress intensively increased ferroptosis risk and 1 functioned as cell wall reinforcer against mass lipid accumulation and as reactive oxygen species scavenger against lipid peroxidation. We also found that melanin in mice lowered lipid level but enhanced animal resistance to cold stress. Treatment with melanin precursors significantly increased mouse cell survival rate under cold stress. Our results unveiled a metabolite-lipid-ferroptosis-cold relationship, which provided mechanistic insights into the functions of most common metabolites and into diseases related to cold stress. These findings opened a perspective for developing anti-cold and anti-ferroptosis therapeutics and agents.

Effects of endoplasmic reticulum stress on erectile function in rats with cavernous nerve injury

Background

Erectile dysfunction (ED) occurs in an increasing number of patients after radical prostatectomy and cystectomy, and the phenotypic modulation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells is closely related to ED.

Aim

To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is implicated in the phenotypic modulation of ED induced by bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI).

Methods

In total, 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: sham, in which rats received sham surgery with bilateral cavernous nerve exposure plus phosphate-buffered saline; control, in which rats received BCNI plus phosphate-buffered saline; and experimental, in which rats received BCNI plus 4-phenylbutyric acid. Analysis of variance and a Bonferroni multiple-comparison test were utilized to evaluate differences among groups.

Outcomes

Erectile function, smooth muscle/collagen ratios, and the expression levels of phenotypic modulation and ERS were measured.

Results

Two ratios-maximum intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial pressure and smooth muscle/collagen-were decreased in the control group as compared with the sham group. In penile tissue, there was increased expression of GRP78 (78-kDa glucose-regulated protein), p-PERK/PERK (phosphorylated protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase/protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase), caspase 3, CHOP (C/EBP homologous protein), and OPN (osteopontin) but decreased expression of nNOS (neuronal nitric oxide synthase) and α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin). As compared with the control group, erectile function was improved and pathologic changes were partially recovered in the experimental group.

Clinical Translation

The present study demonstrated that ERS is involved in ED caused by cavernous nerve injury, thereby providing a new target and theoretical basis for clinical treatment.

Strengths and Limitations

The present study demonstrated for the first time that ERS is related to ED caused by cavernous nerve injury. Inhibition of ERS reverses phenotypic modulation and improves erectile function in rats with BCNI. Additional in vitro studies should be performed to verify these conclusions and explore the specific mechanism of phenotypic modulation.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrated that inhibiting ERS reverses phenotypic modulation and enhances erectile function in rats with BCNI.

Efficacy and Safety of 1470 nm Diode Laser Enucleation of the Prostate in Elderly Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Patients

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of 1470 nm diode laser enucleation of the prostate (DiLEP) and plasmakinetic resection of the prostate (PKRP) in elderly benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Methods: A total of 123 elderly patients with BPH were randomized to undergo either 1470 nm DiLEP or PKRP by means of a random number table from September 2020 to April 2022. The perioperative and postoperative data were studied during a 3- and 6-month follow-up. Results: The patients treated with 1470 nm DiLEP had significantly decreased operation time (74.6 ± 17.0 vs 98.8 ± 18.9 minutes, p < 0.001), hemoglobin loss (1.06 ± 0.49 vs 1.59 ± 0.60 g/dL, p < 0.001), bladder irrigation time (22.1 ± 8.1 vs 33.9 ± 10.0 hours, p < 0.001), catheter duration (3.2 ± 1.3 vs 5.8 ± 1.0 days, p < 0.001), and hospital stay (7.6 ± 1.4 vs 9.6 ± 1.3 days, p < 0.001) compared with the PKRP group. Besides, International Index of Erectile Function-5 score of 1470 nm DiLEP group at postoperative 3- and 6-month follow-up was significantly higher than PKRP group. No differences achieving statistical significance were identified in total prostate-specific antigen, maximum urinary flow rate, International Prostate Symptom Score, quality-of-life score, and the postvoid residual urine volume, transient incontinence, urethral stricture, bladder neck contracture, and retrograde ejaculation at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: 1470 nm DiLEP is safer than PKRP, with a smaller effect on sexual function, and it is comparable with the efficacy of PKRP, thus making it more suitable for elderly BPH patients. Clinical Trial Registration number: S2021-463-01.

Nest box entrance hole size can influence nest site selection and nest defence behaviour in Japanese tits

Birds have the ability to assess the risk of predation in their environment and adjust their antipredation strategies based on this risk information. However, whether nest site selection has effect on subsequent nest defence behaviour has not been studied. In this study, we aimed to determine whether the Japanese tit (Parus minor) exhibits a nest-box hole size preference and whether the entrance hole sizes of nest boxes influence the nest defence behaviour of tits. We hung nest boxes with three different entrance hole sizes (diameters: 6.5 cm, 4.5 cm and 2.8 cm) in our study sites and investigated which nest boxes were occupied by tits. In addition, by using dummy-presentation experiments, we observed the nest defence behaviours of tits that nested in boxes with 2.8 cm and 4.5 cm entrance holes towards common chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus, a small nest predator able to enter these holes) and Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris, a large nest predator unable to enter the 2.8 cm entrance hole). The tits that bred in nest boxes with 2.8 cm entrance holes exhibited more intense nest defence responses to chipmunks than to squirrels. In contrast, the tits that bred in nest boxes with 4.5 cm entrance holes exhibited similar nest defence responses to chipmunks and squirrels. Additionally, Japanese tits that bred in nest boxes with 2.8 cm entrance holes exhibited more intense behavioural responses to chipmunks than those that bred in nest boxes with 4.5 cm entrance holes. Our results suggested that Japanese tits prefer to occupy nest boxes with small holes for breeding and that nest-box characteristics influenced their nest defence behaviour.

Effect of Poria cocos Mushroom Polysaccharides (PCPs) on the Quality and DNA Methylation of Cryopreserved Shanghai White Pig Spermatozoa

In this study, we explore the effects of Poria cocos mushroom polysaccharides (PCPs) on the quality and DNA methylation of the cryopreserved spermatozoa of Shanghai white pigs. A total of 24 ejaculates (three ejaculate samples per boar) from eight Shanghai white pigs were manually collected. The pooled semen was diluted with a based extender supplemented with different concentrations of PCPs (0, 300, 600, 900, 1200, and 1500 μg/mL). Once thawed, the quality of the spermatozoa and their antioxidant function were assessed. In the meantime, the effect of spermatozoa DNA methylation was also analyzed. The results show that compared with the control group, 600 μg/mL of PCPs significantly improves the spermatozoa viability (p < 0.05). The motility and plasma membrane integrity of the frozen-thawed spermatozoa are significantly higher after treatment with 600, 900, and 1200 μg/mL of PCPs compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, the percentages of acrosome integrity and mitochondrial activity are significantly enhanced after the application of 600 and 900 μg/mL PCPs (p < 0.05). The reactive oxygen species (ROS), the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, in comparison with the control group, are significantly decreased in all groups with PCPs (all p < 0.05). The enzymatic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in spermatozoa is significantly higher in the treatment with 600 μg/mL of PCPs than in the other groups (p < 0.05). As compared with the control group, a significant increase in the catalase (CAT) level is found in the groups with PCPs at 300, 600, 900, and 1200 μg/mL (all p < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, the 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) levels are significantly decreased in all groups with PCPs (all p < 0.05). As a result of these findings, a certain amount of PCPs (600-900 μg/mL) added to the cryodiluent can significantly improve the quality of Shanghai white pig spermatozoa and can also reduce the methylation of spermatozoa DNA caused by cryopreservation. This treatment strategy may establish a foundation for the cryopreservation of semen from pigs.

The serum levels of activin A and bone morphogenetic protein-4 and -6 in patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva

BACKGROUND

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an ultrarare and disabling genetic disorder of connective tissue characterized by congenital malformation of the great toes, and progressive heterotopic ossification (HO) in soft connective tissues. A gain-of-function mutation of activin A receptor type I (ACVR1) enables ACVR1 to recognize activin A as an agonist with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling that leads to HO. Previous studies confirmed that activin A stimulates BMP signalling in vitro and drives HO in mouse models of FOP. However, the roles for BMP4 and BMP6 in FOP are supported only by correlative evidence in vitro. Thus, it remains unclear whether the circulating levels of activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 correlate with flare-ups in FOP patients. Hence, we investigated the protein levels of activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 in the serum of FOP patients.

RESULTS

We recruited 16 untreated FOP patients and 16 age- and sex- matched healthy control subjects in this study. The 16 FOP patients were retrospectively divided into the flare-up group (n = 8) and remission group (n = 8) depending on whether they had flare-ups or worsening of any joint movement in the last 6 months. The serum activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 levels were slightly higher in FOP patients (median: 434.05 pg/mL, 459.48 pg/mL and 67.84 pg/mL) versus healthy control subjects (median: 364.14 pg/mL, 450.39 pg/mL and 55.36 pg/mL). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05 for all items), nor were there significant differences between the flare-up and remission groups of FOP (p > 0.05 for all items). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age, sex, and serum activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 levels were not related to flare-up in FOP patients.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no significant differences in the serum levels of activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 in FOP patients compared with healthy control subjects. Serum activin A, BMP4 and BMP6 proteins might not be the stimulators for FOP flare-up, and may not be biomarkers for FOP diagnosis.

A case report of an Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) attacking an incubating adult and depredating the eggs of the Japanese tit (Parus minor)

In May 2021, we opportunistically observed one Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) attacking an adult incubating Japanese tit (Parus minor) and depredating nine tit eggs at a nest box where a woodpecker had greatly enlarged the entrance. After the predation event, the Japanese tits abandoned the nest. We recommend that when using artificial nest boxes to protect hole‐nesting birds, the appropriate entrance size should be proportional to the body size of the target species. This observation gives us a better understanding of the potential predators of secondary hole‐nesting birds.

Sustainable wheat gluten foams with self-expansion and water/blood-triggered shape recovery

A cheap and easily obtainable wheat gluten (WG) was used to fabricate bio-foams via a simple method of stirring, heating, and lyophilization. The foam possesses a 3D layered porous structure with interconnected channels, and the biofoam has excellent mechanical properties through glycerol plasticization and glutaraldehyde (GA) cross-linking. The water absorption and volume expansion rate can reach 793.67 ∼ 918.45% and 201.47 ∼ 239.53% respectively. In dry state, the foams had good compression resilience, and can basically recover its original shape after withstanding 60% compression strain for about 7 h. In wet state, they can withstand 10 cycles of compression test, and had good compressive resilience and durability; they also had fast liquid-triggered shape recovery performance, of which the foams can reabsorb liquid, expand, and recover its original shape within 40 seconds after withstanding 80% compression strain. In addition, The hemolysis rates of red blood cells treated with 1, 3, and 5 mg/mL of 14WG-20g-5GA foam suspension were 0.53 ± 0.12%, 2.12 ± 0.34%, and 3.97 ± 0.21%, respectively, all of which were below the permissible range for biological materials (<5%). The above-mentioned advantages made the sustainable foams be potentially useful for medical dressings, especially for the treatment of non-compressible haemorrhaging, which offered a new field of application for WG protein and its added value was also increased obviously.

Tryptophan-centered metabolic alterations coincides with lipid-mediated fungal response to cold stress

Tryptophan and its derived metabolites have been assumed to play important roles in the development and survival of organisms. However, the links of tryptophan and its derived metabolites to temperature change remained largely cryptic. Here we presented that a class of prenyl indole alkaloids biosynthesized from tryptophan dramatically accumulated in thermophilic fungus Thermomyces dupontii under cold stress, in which lipid droplets were also highly accumulated and whose conidiophores were highly build-up. Concurrently, disruption of the key NRPS gene involved in the biosynthesis of prenyl indole alkaloids, resulted in decreased lipid and shrunken mitochondria but enlarged vacuoles. Moreover, the Fe³⁺ and superoxide levels in ΔNRPS were significantly increased but the reactive oxygen species lipid peroxidation and autophagy levels decreased. Metabolomics study revealed that most enriched metabolites in ΔNRPS were mainly composed of tryptophan degraded metabolites including well known ROS scavenger kynurenamines, and lipid-inhibitors, anthranilic acid and indoleacetic acid, and free radical reaction suppressor free fatty acids. Transcriptomic analysis suggested that the key gene involved in tryptophan metabolism, coinciding with the lipid metabolic processes and ion transports were most up-regulated in ΔNRPS under stress. Our results confirmed a lipid-mediated fungal response to cold stress and unveiled a link of tryptophan-based metabolic reprogramming to the fungal cold adaption.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors analysis of viral shedding time in mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in Shanghai

Objective

To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of viral shedding time in mildly symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant (BA.2 and BA2.2) infection in Shanghai, and the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment, so as to provide a reference basis for epidemic prevention, control and clinical treatment.

Methods

A total of 6,134 asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Omicron-infected patients admitted to Tianhua Road fangcang shelter hospital in Jinshan, Shanghai, between April 2022 and May 2022 were included. Demographic characteristics and clinical histories were collected and compared in subgroups according to the different durations of viral shedding. Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to explore the association between virus shedding time and clinical variables. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the risk factors for viral shedding time.

Result

Most patients with asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic Omicron infection were male, and more than half of patients had a viral shedding time of 8-15 days. The patients were divided into three groups according to the time of viral shedding: short-duration (≤ 7 days), intermediate-duration (8-15 days) and long-duration group (≥16 days). The proportion of patients aged ≤ 29 years was the highest in the short-duration group (30.2%), whereas the proportion of patients aged 50-64 yeas was the highest in the long-duration group (37.9%). The proportion of patients with the chronic non-communicable diseases among the short-, intermediate- and long-duration groups was 6.2, 9.4, and 14.9%, respectively. Among them, hypertension was the most found (4.9, 7.8, and 11.7%, respectively). By multivariate analyses, we identified that viral shedding time of Omicron variants was independently negatively correlated with male patients, TCM treatment, and manual laborers, while it was independently positively associated with age and hypertension. Additionally, TCM treatment could significantly shorten the length of viral shedding time, especially for men, age ≥30 years, comorbid chronic non-communicable diseases, unemployed people and manual worker.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that age and hypertension were independent risk factors for the duration of viral shedding in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic omicron infected patients. TCM can effectively shorten viral shedding time.

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Protects Against Diabetic Cardiomyopathy by Modulating microRNA-29b-3p/SLMAP

Purpose

Our aims were to investigate the pathogenesis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to explore the protective effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) on DCM.

Methods

After 12 weeks of treatment with exenatide-loaded microspheres, a long-acting GLP-1RA, in DCM mice, cardiac structure and function were evaluated by plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), echocardiography, H&E, oil red and Sirius staining. The expression of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor in mouse heart tissue was determined by immunofluorescence staining. The label-free proteomic analysis of cardiac proteins was conducted among control, DCM and DM+GLP-1RA groups. Then, quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to verify the regulation of target protein by the upstream microRNA (miRNA).

Results

GLP-1RA treatment obviously improved serum BNP, myocardial fibrosis, lipid deposition of the myocardium and echocardiography parameters in DCM mice. Sarcolemmal membrane-associated protein (SLMAP) was one of 61 differentially expressed cardiac proteins found in three groups by proteomic analysis. Up-regulation of microRNA-29b-3p (miR-29b-3p) and down-regulation of SLMAP were found in the ventricular myocardium of GLP-1RA-treated DCM mice. SLMAP was a target of miR-29b-3p, while GLP-1RA regulated SLMAP expression through miR-29b-3p. Furthermore, inhibition of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in cardiomyocytes reversed the effects of GLP-1RA on miR-29b/SLMAP.

Conclusion

SLMAP may play roles in the pathogenesis of DCM and may be a target of GLP-1RA in protecting against DCM. After binding to myocardial GLP-1R, GLP-1RA can regulate the expression of myocardial SLMAP through miR-29b-3p.

Correlation of multiple lipid and lipoprotein ratios with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic mellitus: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The diagnostic value of lipid and lipoprotein ratios for NAFLD in newly diagnosed T2DM remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between lipid and lipoprotein ratios and the risk of NAFLD in subjects with newly diagnosed T2DM.

METHODS

A total of 371 newly diagnosed T2DM patients with NAFLD and 360 newly diagnosed T2DM without NAFLD were enrolled in the study. Demographics variables, clinical history and serum biochemical indicators of the subjects were collected. Six lipid and lipoprotein ratios, including triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, cholesterol to HDL-C (TC/HDL-C) ratio, free fatty acid to HDL-C (FFA/HDL-C) ratio, uric acid to HDL-C (UA/HDL-C) ratio, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol to HDL-C (LDL-C/HDL-C) ratio, apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 (APOB/A1) ratio, were calculated. We compared the differences in lipid and lipoprotein ratios between NAFLD group and non-NAFLD group, and further analyzed the correlation and diagnostic value of these ratios with the risk of NAFLD in the newly diagnosed T2DM patients.

RESULTS

The proportion of NAFLD in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM increased progressively over the range Q1 to Q4 of six lipid ratios, including the TG/HDL-C ratio, TC/HDL-C ratio, FFA/HDL-C ratio, UA/HDL-C ratio, LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, and APOB/A1 ratio. After adjusting for multiple confounders, TG/HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, UA/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C and APOB/A1 were all strongly correlated with the risk of NAFLD in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM. In patients with newly-onset T2DM, the TG/HDL-C ratio was the most powerful indicator for the diagnosis of NAFLD among all six indicators, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.732 (95% CI 0.696-0.769). In addition, TG/HDL-C ratio>1.405, with a sensitivity of 73.8% and specificity of 60.1%, had a good diagnostic ability for NAFLD in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM.

CONCLUSIONS

The TG/HDL-C ratio may be an effective marker to help identify the risk of NAFLD in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM.

Semaglutide May Alleviate Hepatic Steatosis in T2DM Combined with NFALD Mice via miR-5120/ABHD6

Objective

Although the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been extensively studied, the role of its underlying pathogenesis remains unclear, and there is currently no approved therapeutic strategy for NAFLD. The purpose of this study was to observe the beneficial effects of Semaglutide on NAFLD in vivo and in vitro, as well as its potential molecular mechanisms.

Methods

Semaglutide was used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with NAFLD mice for 12 weeks. Hepatic function and structure were evaluated by liver function, blood lipids, liver lipids, H&E staining, oil red staining and Sirius staining. The expression of α/β hydrolase domain-6 (ABHD6) was measured by qPCR and Western blotting in vivo and in vitro. Then, dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the regulation of the upstream miR-5120 on ABHD6.

Results

Our data revealed that Semaglutide administration significantly improved liver function and hepatic steatosis in T2DM combined with NAFLD mice. Furthermore, compared with controls, up-regulation of ABHD6 and down-regulation of miR-5120 were found in the liver of T2DM+NAFLD mice and HG+FFA-stimulated Hepa 1-6 hepatocytes. Interestingly, after Semaglutide intervention, ABHD6 expression was significantly decreased in the liver of T2DM+NAFLD mice and in HG+FFA-stimulated Hepa 1-6 hepatocytes, while miR-5120 expression was increased. We also found that miR-5120 could regulate the expression of ABHD6 in hepatocytes, while Semaglutide could modulate the expression of ABHD6 through miR-5120. In addition, GLP-1R was widely expressed in mouse liver tissues and Hepa 1-6 cells. Semaglutide could regulate miR-5120/ABHD6 expression through GLP-1R.

Conclusion

Our data revealed the underlying mechanism by which Semaglutide improves hepatic steatosis in T2DM+NAFLD, and might shed new light on the pathological role of miR-5120/ABHD6 in the pathogenesis of T2DM+NAFLD.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone regulates cardiac function through modulating HCN2 via targeting microRNA-1a

Previous studies have found microRNA-1 (miR-1) and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 2 (HCN2) may be involved in the pathogenesis of thyroid hormone (TH) induced cardiac hypertrophy. However, little is known about the role of miR-1 and HCN2 in thyroid stimulation hormone (TSH)-induced cardiac dysfunction. In order to investigate the molecular mechanisms of TSH induced cardiac dysfunction and the role of miR-1/HCN2 in that process, we evaluated the expression of miR-1a/HCN2 in the ventricular myocardium of hypothyroid mice and in TSH-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Our data revealed that hypothyroidism mice had smaller hearts, ventricular muscle atrophy, and cardiac contractile dysfunction compared with euthyroid controls. The upregulation of miR-1a and downregulation of HCN2 were found in ventricular myocardium of hypothyroid mice and TSH-stimulated H9c2 cardiomyocytes, indicating that miR-1a and HCN2 may be involved in TSH-induced cardiac dysfunction. We also found that the regulation of miR-1a and HCN2 expression and HCN2 channel activity by TSH requires TSHR, while the regulation of HCN2 expression and HCN2 channel function by TSH requires miR-1a. Thus, our data revealed the potential mechanism of TSH-induced cardiac dysfunction and might shed new light on the pathological role of miR-1a/HCN2 in hypothyroid heart disease.

Tegaserod maleate exhibits antileukemic activity by targeting TRPM8

To identify therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we conducted growth inhibition screens of 2040 small molecules from a library of FDA-approved drugs using a panel of 12 AML cell lines. Tegaserod maleate, a 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor partial agonist, elicits strong anti-AML effects in vitro and in vivo by targeting transient receptor potential melastatin subtype 8 (TRPM8), which plays critical roles in several important processes. However, the role of TRPM8 remains incompletely described in AML, whose treatment is based mostly on antimitotic chemotherapy. Here, we report an unexpected role of TRPM8 in leukemogenesis. Strikingly, TRPM8 knockout inhibits AML cell survival/proliferation by promoting apoptosis. Mechanistically, TRPM8 exerts its oncogenic effect by regulating the ERK-CREB/c-Fos signaling axis. Hyperactivation of ERK signaling can be reversed by TRPM8 inhibition. Importantly, TRPM8 is overexpressed in AML patients, indicating that it is a new prognostic factor in AML. Collectively, our work demonstrates the anti-AML effects of tegaserod maleate via targeting TRPM8 and indicates that TRPM8 is a regulator of leukemogenesis with therapeutic potential in AML.

Repulsive response of Meloidogyne incognita induced by biocontrol bacteria and its effect on interspecific interactions

The aversive behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans is an important strategy that increases their survival under pathogen infection, and the molecular mechanisms underlying this behavior have been described. However, whether this defensive response occurs in plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs), which have quite different life cycles and genomic sequences from the model nematode, against biocontrol microbes and affects interspecific interactions in ecological environments remains unclear. Here, we showed that Meloidogyne incognita, one of the most common PPNs, engaged in lawn-leaving behavior in response to biocontrol bacteria such as Bacillus nematocida B16 and B. thuringiensis Bt79. Genomic analysis revealed that the key genes responsible for the aversive behavior of C. elegans, such as serotonin-and TGF-β-related genes in canonical signaling pathways, were homologous to those of M. incognita, and the similarity between these sequences ranged from 30% to 67%. Knockdown of the homologous genes impaired avoidance of M. incognita to varying degrees. Calcium ion imaging showed that the repulsive response requires the involvement of the multiple amphid neurons of M. incognita. In situ hybridization specifically localized Mi-tph-1 of the serotonin pathway to ADF/NSM neurons and Mi-dbl-1 of the TGF-β pathway to AVA neurons. Our data suggested that the repulsive response induced by different biocontrol bacteria strongly suppresses the invasion of tomato host plants by M. incognita. Overall, our study is the first to clarify the pathogen-induced repulsive response of M. incognita and elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Our findings provide new insights into interspecific interactions among biocontrol bacteria, PPNs, and host plants.

Risk Factors and Pathogen Spectrum in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis-Associated Peritonitis: A Single Center Retrospective Study

Background

To investigate the incidence, risk factors, pathogen distribution, and drug resistance patterns in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis (CAPDP).

Material/Methods

Clinical data for 248 patients who underwent continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) treatment in a single center in China from March 2018 to January 2021 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into the CAPDP group (n=40) and the non-CAPDP group (n=208) according to whether peritonitis occurred. The incidence rate, risk factors, bacterial distribution, and drug sensitivity of CAPDP were analyzed.

Results

The incidence of CAPDP was 16.13%, and 87.5% of patients with CAPDP continued CAPDP treatment after anti-infection treatment. Patients with and without CAPDP were clearly distinguished, on the basis of their clinical characteristics, by using principal component analysis (PCA) methods. Logistic regression analysis found that body mass index (BMI; P=0.0095), albumin (P=0.016), albumin/globulin ratio (P=0.018), C-reactive protein (P=0.0001), and rapid transport (P=0.034) were independent risk factors for CAPDP. The main pathogens causing the CAPDP were Staphylococcus epidermidis (50.00%), Staphylococcus capitis (13.33%), and Escherichia coli (10.00%).

Among the pathogenic bacteria, the main drugs to which gram-negative cocci were sensitive were imipenem, meropenem, piperacillin/tazobactam, cefoperazone/sulbactam, ceftazidime, and tigecycline. The main drugs to which gram-positive cocci were sensitive were vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid. The drug resistance rate of pathogenic bacteria to penicillin G, ampicillin, compound trimethoprim, cefepime, ceftriaxone, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid drugs was 36.26–100%.

Conclusions

BMI, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, C-reactive protein, and rapid transport are independent risk factors for CAPDP. Gram-positive bacteria are the main pathogens of CAPDP and are sensitive to vancomycin, teicoplanin, and linezolid.

Association of Intrauterine Microbes with Endometrial Factors in Intrauterine Adhesion Formation and after Medicine Treatment

Intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) have caused serious harm to women’s reproductive health. Although emerging evidence has linked intrauterine microbiome to gynecological diseases, the association of intrauterine microbiome with IUA, remains unknown. We performed metagenome-wide association, metabolomics, and transcriptomics studies on IUA and non-IUA uteri of adult rats to identify IUA-associated microbial species, which affected uterine metabolites and endometrial transcriptions. A rat model was used with one side of the duplex uterus undergoing IUA and the other remaining as a non-IUA control. Both 16S rRNA sequencing and metagenome-wide association analysis revealed that instead of Mycoplasmopsis specie in genital tract, murine lung pathogen Mycoplasmopsispulmonis markedly increased in IUA samples and displayed a distinct positive interaction with the host immune system. Moreover, most of the IUA-enriched 58 metabolites positively correlate with M.pulmonis, which inversely correlates with a mitotic progression inhibitor named 3-hydroxycapric acid. A comparison of metabolic profiles of intrauterine flushing fluids from human patients with IUA, endometritis, and fallopian tube obstruction suggested that rat IUA shared much similarity to human IUA. The endometrial gene Tenascin-N, which is responsible for extracellular matrix of wounds, was highly up-regulated, while the key genes encoding parvalbumin, trophectoderm Dkkl1 and telomerase involved in leydig cells, trophectoderm cells, activated T cells and monocytes were dramatically down-regulated in rat IUA endometria. Treatment for rat IUA with estrogen (E2), oxytetracycline (OTC), and a traditional Chinese patent medicine GongXueNing (GXN) did not reduce the incidence of IUA, though inflammatory factor IL-6 was dramatically down-regulated (96–86%) with all three. Instead, in both the E2 and OTC treated groups, IUA became worse with a highly up-regulated B cell receptor signaling pathway, which may be associated with the significantly increased proportions of Ulvibacter or Staphylococcus. Our results suggest an association between intrauterine microbiota alterations, certain uterine metabolites, characteristic changes in endometrial transcription, and IUA and the possibility to intervene in IUA formation by targeting the causal factors, microbial infection, and Tenascin-like proteins.

Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Modified Y-V Plasty for the Treatment of Refractory Bladder Neck Contracture

Bladder neck contracture (BNC) is a rare, late complication of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Although the endoscopic procedure is the primary treatment for BNC, the recurrence rate remains high. Y-V plasty offers excellent surgical results for those individuals with refractory and recurrent BNC. Traditional open operations usually fail to provide satisfactory exposure to the operating field and lead to greater invasiveness. Interrupted sutures lead to prolonged operative time and increased anastomotic leakage. Laparoscopic modified Y-V plasty is performed through extraperitoneal access to the pelvis, which provides adequate exposure to the surgical view and avoids intra-abdominal injury. After incising the anterior bladder wall neck in a Y-shaped fashion, anastomosis is performed using two absorbable barbed sutures. The mucosa and submucosa layer of the bladder is closed to both sides with consecutive sutures in a V-shape before suturing serosa, and tunica muscularis are sutured to reinforce. The aforementioned procedures reduce leakage from the anastomosis and decrease operative time and patient trauma. Extraperitoneal laparoscopic modified Y-V plasty offers significant advantages over the open approach in terms of post-surgical recovery and invasiveness, making it a feasible and safe surgical option for patients with refractory BNC.

Adrenal Gland Metastasis of Breast Invasive Mucinous Carcinoma: A Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

The adrenal gland is a frequent site for metastasis, and the majority of the metastatic lesions of the adrenal gland normally originate from lung cancer, colon cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. However, adrenal gland metastasis from breast invasive mucinous carcinoma is extremely rare. This report described a rare case of right adrenal gland metastasis in a 48-year-old female, who was diagnosed with breast invasive mucinous carcinoma and underwent right modified radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection 5 years previously. A mass located on the right adrenal gland was detected during a routine examination 2 months ago. The patient was asymptomatic and adrenal gland MRI revealed a mass in the right adrenal gland. Definitive preoperative diagnosis failed to be established. Right adrenal gland laparoscopic adrenalectomy was performed and the diagnosis of adrenal gland metastasis of breast carcinoma was confirmed by pathological and immunohistochemical examination, especially ER, PR, GATA3, and HER-2. The patient remained in good condition by the time of writing.

Dorzagliatin in drug-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial

Improving glucose sensitivity remains an unmet medical need in treating type 2 diabetes (T2D). Dorzagliatin is a dual-acting, orally bioavailable glucokinase activator that enhances glucokinase activity in a glucose-dependent manner, improves glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and demonstrates effects on glycemic control in patients with T2D. We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dorzagliatin in patients with T2D. Eligible drug-naïve patients with T2D (n = 463) were randomly assigned to the dorzagliatin or placebo group at a ratio of 2:1 for 24 weeks of double-blind treatment, followed by 28 weeks of open-label treatment with dorzagliatin for all patients. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in glycated hemoglobin from baseline to week 24. Safety was assessed throughout the trial. At week 24, the least-squares mean change in glycated hemoglobin from baseline (95% confidence interval) was -1.07% (-1.19%, -0.95%) in the dorzagliatin group and -0.50% (-0.68%, -0.32%) in the placebo group (estimated treatment difference, -0.57%; 95% confidence interval: -0.79%, -0.36%; P < 0.001). The incidence of adverse events was similar between the two groups. There were no severe hypoglycemia events or drug-related serious adverse events in the dorzagliatin group. In summary, dorzagliatin improved glycemic control in drug-naïve patients with T2D and showed a good tolerability and safety profile.

The Association Between Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Postoperative Cognitive Decline in Elderly Patients

Purpose

Postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is highly prevalent in elderly patients who received surgery. The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) has been shown to be an independent predictor of many diseases associated with inflammation, but the relationship between the SII and POCD is unknown. We aimed to investigate the association between POCD and SII levels to examine the potential of SII in predicting POCD in elderly patients.

Patients and Methods

The present study was carried out among elderly patients who underwent elective orthopedics operation in our hospital, and SII, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte to lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were calculated from the admission blood sample. POCD was measured by Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) in elderly patients. The association between SII levels and POCD was analyzed by binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

Finally, 19 (25%) of 76 patients were diagnosed with POCD. Compared with Non-POCD patients, POCD patients showed significantly higher levels of NLR, MLR, SII, especially SII at admission. SII was independently associated with the occurrence of POCD through the logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that preoperative SII was a significant predictor for POCD, and the area under the curve was 0.909.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that preoperative NLR, MLR, SII levels in the blood are related to the occurrence of POCD. Preoperative SII level is a prognostic biomarker of POCD in elderly patients after orthopedics operation. More clinical studies are needed to further verify the value of SII in POCD.

Postnatal deletion of β-catenin in preosteoblasts regulates global energy metabolism through increasing bone resorption and adipose tissue fibrosis

Many studies revealed bone can regulate global energy metabolism and our previous study also showed that Wnt/β-catenin pathway is involved in this process. To better understand the participation of canonical Wnt pathway in energy metabolism, we examined the β-catenin knock-out (β-cat KO) mice by crossing the osterix-cre transgenic mice with β-catenin^flox/flox mice. First, we identified that postnatal deletion of β-catenin in preosteoblasts led to decreased fat mass and increased energy expenditure in mice. Osteoprotegerin administration largely rescued the decreased fat mass and partly normalized the energy expenditure accompanied by the inhibition of bone resorption. Anti-resorption with alendronate or RANKL-antibody could also partly rescued the decreased bone mass, decreased fat mass and increased energy expenditure in β-cat KO mice. We further found that the adipose cells in the inguinal fat tissue were smaller and the extracellular matrix components around adipocytes accumulated more in β-cat KO mice than their controls by histomorphology. Gene analysis by RT-PCR showed that the expression of collagen VI is 4.8 folds in adipose tissue of the β-cat KO mice compared with the control mice. We further detected the expression of cytokines which were related to fibrosis and the data showed that the level of TGF-beta1 was elevated in both of bone marrow serum and adipose tissue derived from the β-cat KO mice. After administration of TGF-beta1 neutralizing antibody, the impaired energy metabolism was partly rescued in β-cat KO mice. Besides, anti-resorption treatment and TGF-beta1 antibody could partly suppress the increased expression of genes related to fat tissue fibrosis. These results indicate that the abnormal global energy metabolism in β-cat KO mice may be attributed to increasing bone resorption and adipose tissue fibrosis.

Arrestin-Coding Genes Regulate Endocytosis, Sporulation, Pathogenicity, and Stress Resistance in Arthrobotrys oligospora

Arrestins are a family of scaffold proteins that play a crucial role in regulating numerous cellular processes, such as GPCR signaling. The Arthrobotrys oligospora arrestin family contains 12 members, which have highly conserved N-terminal and C-terminal domains. In the presence of ammonia, A. oligospora can change its lifestyle from saprotrophic to carnivorous. During this transition, the expression pattern of arrestin-coding (AoArc) genes was markedly upregulated. Therefore, we disrupted seven AoArc genes from A. oligospora to identify their functions. Although individual arrestin mutant strains display similar pathogenesis, phenotypes, and stress resistance, the fundamental data on the roles of AoArc genes in A. oligospora are obtained in this study. Membrane endocytosis in AoArc mutants was significantly reduced. Meanwhile, the capacity of trap device formation against nematodes and ammonia was impaired due to AoArc deletions. We also found that AoArc genes could regulate conidial phenotypes, cell nuclear distribution, pH response, and stress resistance. Results of qRT-PCR assays revealed that sporulation-regulated genes were affected after the deletion of AoArc genes. In particular, among the 12 arrestins, AoArc2 mediates pH signaling in the fungus A. oligospora. Notably, combined with the classical paradigm of arrestin–GPCR signal transduction, we suggest that arrestin-regulated trap formation in A. oligospora may be directly linked to the receptor endocytosis pathway.

Establishing a Thermal Imaging Technology (IRT) Based System for Evaluating Rat Erectile Function

Introduction

Measurement of intra-cavernous pressure (ICP) is an internationally recognized method to evaluate erectile function of animals, however, this process is invasive, destructive, and cannot be repeated, leading to a daunting challenge for monitoring the changes in erectile function throughout the whole treatment duration.

Aim

To verify whether infrared ray thermography technology based system could be a good substitution of ICP for evaluating rat erectile function.

Methods

A novel thermal image-based method, infrared ray thermography technology (IRT) was employed to monitor erectile function in erectile dysfunction (ED) rats. To detect the sensitivity and specificity of this new technology, 4 ED rat models (Diabetic, nerve-injury, vascular-injury and aged ED models) were established and subjected to both ICP and IRT test.

Outcomes

Statistical comparisons were done to test the effectiveness of this new way for detecting and dynamically monitoring erectile function.

Results

Based on the data curves obtained from ICP and IRT, the IRT showed a similar trend (including peak value, climbing speed) as that of ICP. IRT is considered as a precise way to monitor the real-time changes of erectile function in all ED rat models. The AUC of peak temperature detected by IRT in DMED, aged ED, vascular-injury ED, the nerve-injury ED and total ED rat models were 0.9811,0.9836,0.9893,0.9989 and 0.9882, respectively. Meanwhile, the AUC of temperature climbing rate were 0.6486,0.8357,0.9184,0.8675and 0.8168.Also,it is a non-invasive process of dynamically monitoring erectile function of a same rat at different time points (before and after drug intervention). The data showed that the real-time recovery by tadalafil was obtained by IRT methods even after treatment for only 2 weeks in the diabetic ED (DMED) rat model.

Conclusion

A novel noninvasive method for monitoring erectile function in rat ED models was established, and can replace or supplement ICP test.

Liu S, Zhao Z, Wang Z et al. Establishing a Thermal Imaging Technology (IRT) Based System for Evaluating Rat Erectile Function. Sex Med 2022;10:100475.

Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Improves Renal Tubular Damage in Mice with Diabetic Kidney Disease

PURPOSE

This study aims to investigate the renal protective effect of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) on improving renal tubular damage in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and to explore the potential mechanism of GLP-1RA on renal tubular protection.

METHODS

Long-acting GLP-1RA was used to treat DKD mice for 12 weeks. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis of renal proteins was conducted to explore the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the renal tissues of the control, DKD and GLP-1RA groups. The DEPs and markers of renal tubular injury were verified by qPCR in vivo and in vitro. The expression of glucagon-likepeptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) in renal tubules was determined by immunofluorescence staining.

RESULTS

GLP-1RA treatment significantly improved the tubular damages in kidney tissues of DKD mice and mTEC cells stimulated by high glucose (HG). Proteomics analysis revealed that 30 proteins in kidney tissue were differentially expressed among three groups. Seminal vesicle secretory protein 6 (SVS6) was the most differentially expressed protein in kidney tissues among three groups of mice. The expression changes of Svs6 mRNA in vitro and in vivo detected by qPCR were consistent with the results of proteomic analysis. Furthermore, reduction of Svs6 expression by SVS6 siRNA could attenuate HG-stimulated tubular injury in mTEC cells. Immunofluorescence staining also found that GLP-1R was widely expressed in renal tubules in vitro and in vivo.

CONCLUSION

GLP-1RA significantly improved renal tubular damage in DKD mice. SVS6 may be a potential therapeutic target for GLP-1RA in the treatment of DKD.

Association of Serum Periostin Level with Classical Bone Turnover Markers and Bone Mineral Density in Shanghai Chinese Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis

Background

It has been reported that serum periostin levels are significantly higher in postmenopausal patients with osteoporotic fractures. Nonetheless, the levels of serum periostin in postmenopausal women with different bone mass remain unclear.

Purpose

The objective of the study was to identify the levels of serum periostin in Chinese postmenopausal women with different bone mass, and the correlations between the periostin levels and the classical bone turnover markers (BTMs), and bone mineral densities (BMDs) at different sites.

Patients and Methods

This study enrolled 331 Chinese postmenopausal women in Shanghai; their clinical features were collected; their levels of serum periostin and traditional BTMs were measured by ELISA or the fully automated immunoassay analyzer; their BMDs at different sites were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Results

According to the T-value of bone mineral density (BMD), these postmenopausal women were divided into normal group (n=84), osteopenia group (n=126) and osteoporosis group (n=121). There was no significant difference in the serum periostin levels among the above three groups of subjects. In addition, Spearman correlation analysis also revealed that no correlation was observed between the value of serum periostin and those of traditional BTMs, and BMDs at different sites, respectively. The values of traditional BTMs were negatively correlated with those of BMDs at all measured sites. Furthermore, the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis indicated that among the periostin and traditional BTMs mentioned above, the best predictors for postmenopausal osteoporosis in Shanghai Chinese postmenopausal women were osteocalcin (OC) and procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) [the areas under the ROC curve (AUC)=0.746 and 0.761, respectively].

Conclusion

Serum periostin may not be used as a marker of systemic bone metabolism in Shanghai Chinese postmenopausal women without prior fracture. In addition, serum P1NP and OC levels may be the predictors of osteoporosis occurrence in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Identifying the role of parent-child conflict and intimacy in Chinese adolescents' psychological distress during school reopening in COVID-19 pandemic

School reopening during COVID-19 can be a particularly stressful transition for many adolescents. However, little is known about the impact of parent-child relationships on adolescents' mental health during this transition. Using a 2-wave longitudinal design, this research examined the role of parent-child conflict and intimacy in adolescents' psychological distress after school reopening. Immediately before school reopening, 879 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 13.14 years, 51% girls) reported on their parent-child conflict and intimacy. They also reported on their depressive symptoms and anger problems before and 3 months after school reopening. Youth who reported higher levels of parent-child conflict and lower levels of parent-child intimacy before school reopening were more likely to show increased depressive symptoms and anger problems over time. Moreover, the moderating role of parent-child conflict and intimacy in the link between youth's perceived stress toward school reopening and psychological distress was investigated. Specifically, parent-child conflict moderated the impact of youth's perceived stress on their psychological distress, such that greater perceived stress was only linked with more psychological distress over time in families with higher levels of parent-child conflict, but not in families with lower levels of parent-child conflict. Taken together, the findings highlight the important role of parent-child relationships in shaping adolescent's mental health as they return to school, which provides key insights into reducing adolescents' psychological distress during the transition of school reopening in COVID-19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

[Convolutional neural network human gesture recognition algorithm based on phase portrait of surface electromyography energy kernel]

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a weak signal which is non-stationary and non-periodic. The sEMG classification methods based on time domain and frequency domain features have low recognition rate and poor stability. Based on the modeling and analysis of sEMG energy kernel, this paper proposes a new method to recognize human gestures utilizing convolutional neural network (CNN) and phase portrait of sEMG energy kernel. Firstly, the matrix counting method is used to process the sEMG energy kernel phase portrait into a grayscale image. Secondly, the grayscale image is preprocessed by moving average method. Finally, CNN is used to recognize sEMG of gestures. Experiments on gesture sEMG signal data set show that the effectiveness of the recognition framework and the recognition method of CNN combined with the energy kernel phase portrait have obvious advantages in recognition accuracy and computational efficiency over the area extraction methods. The algorithm in this paper provides a new feasible method for sEMG signal modeling analysis and real-time identification.

A Stretchable and Transparent Electrode Based on PEGylated Silk Fibroin for In Vivo Dual-Modal Neural-Vascular Activity Probing

Transparent electrodes that form seamless contact and enable optical interrogation at the electrode-brain interface are potentially of high significance for neuroscience studies. Silk hydrogels can offer an ideal platform for transparent neural interfaces owing to their superior biocompatibility. However, conventional silk hydrogels are too weak and have difficulties integrating with highly conductive and stretchable electronics. Here, a transparent and stretchable hydrogel electrode based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) and PEGylated silk protein is reported. PEGylated silk protein with poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) improves the Young's modulus to 1.51-10.73 MPa and the stretchability to ≈400% from conventional silk hydrogels (<10 kPa). The PEGylated silk also helps form a robust interface with PEDOT:PSS thin film, making the hydrogel electrode synergistically incorporate superior stretchability (≈260%), stable electrical performance (≈4 months), and a low sheet resistance (≈160 ± 56 Ω sq^-1 ). Finally, the electrode facilitates efficient electrical recording, and stimulation with unobstructed optical interrogation and rat-brain imaging are demonstrated. The highly transparent and stretchable hydrogel electrode offers a practical tool for neuroscience and paves the way for a harmonized tissue-electrode interface.

Is targeted magnetic resonance imaging/transrectal ultrasound fusion prostate biopsy enough for the detection of prostate cancer in patients with PI-RADS ≥3: Results of a prospective, randomized clinical trial

Objective

To evaluate targeted magnetic resonance imaging/transrectal ultrasound (MRI/TRUS) fusion prostate biopsy versus systematic prostate biopsy and the two approaches combined for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) in our center.

Patients and Methods

From September 2018 to June 2020, a total of 161 patients with PI-RADS ≥3 were enrolled in this study. They were randomly to undergo either systematic prostate biopsy (systematic group) or targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy + systematic prostate biopsy (combined group). The clinical data and pathological results of biopsies were analyzed.

Results

The detection rate of PCa by targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy was higher than systematic prostate biopsy (38/81 vs. 33/81) in combinated group, but there was no significantly difference. The PCa detection rate in combinated group was significantly higher than systematic group (47/81 vs. 34/80, P = 0.049). There were 40 patients in combinated group and 22 patients in systematic group diagnosed as csPCa, respectively. The ratio of detected csPCa was much higher in combinated group (P = 0.032). In Gleason score no more than 6, the detected ratio of targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy was significantly lower than systematic biopsies in combinated group (P = 0.044). While, in Gleason score higher than 6, the detected ratios of targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy were all higher than systematic biopsies.

Conclusions

Among patients with PI-RADS ≥ 3, targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy is superior to systematic prostate biopsy in the detection rate of PCa and csPCa, but it still misses some PCa patients, including csPCa. Combining targeted MRI/TRUS fusion prostate biopsy and systematic prostate biopsy can led to more detection of all PCas, especially csPCa.

Probucol improves erectile function by regulating endoplasmic reticulum stress in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes

This study was to explore the effect and mechanism of Probucol on STZ-induced erectile dysfunction in diabetic rats. Thirty SD male rats aged 12 weeks were given intraperitoneal injection of STZ after fasting for 12 hr. Diabetic rats were haphazardly partitioned under two assemblies and administered 0 or 500 mg/kg probucol by oral gavage to 12 weeks. Control group was intraperitoneally injected with physiological saline, and saline was administered by oral gavage daily. Intracorporeal pressure was used to evaluate erectile function. Levels of proteins were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. α-SMA and vWF were detected using immunofluorescence staining. After treatment, erectile function in probucol group was significantly improved. Endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins were expressed higher in DM group than in sham group, while expression of these proteins decreased significantly in probucol group. However, α-SMA and vWF were expressed at lower levels in DM group than in sham group, and probucol treatment reversed this phenomenon. Finally, Bax and Caspase3 were expressed at higher levels and Bcl-2 was expressed at lower levels in DM group, while the opposite result was obtained in probucol group. In conclusions, probucol improves erectile function by reducing endothelial dysfunction and inhibiting PERK/ATF4/CHOP pathway in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Overexpression of replication protein A3 is associated with unfavorable outcome in bladder urothelial carcinoma

Purpose

The replication protein A3 (RPA3) is a subunit of the RPA protein complex, which plays an essential role in multiple processes of DNA metabolism. However, the involvement of RPA3 bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC) prognosis has not yet been elucidated. The aim of our study is to investigate the prognostic role of RPA3 expression in patients with bladder UC.

Materials and Methods

Bladder UC tissue specimens from 155 consecutively treated patients who underwent surgery between 2013 and 2018 were evaluated. The RPA3 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and correlated with clinicopathological parameters. The prognostic significance of RPA3 expression was explored using the univariate and multivariate survival analysis of 155 patients who were followed.

Results

A total of 155 tissue specimens "of patients" who were regularly followed with the mean 39.6 months (from 4 to 71 months). The expression of RPA3 was significantly associated with tumor grade (P = 0.031) and stage (P = 0.021), as well as tumor size (P = 0.034). In univariate analysis, RPA3 overexpression showed an unfavorable influence on recurrence-free survival with statistical significance (P < 0.01). TNM stage and grade also showed strong statistical relation with adverse recurrence-free survival (P < 0.01, P = 0.030). Multivariate analysis revealed that grade, stage, and RPA3 reactivity (P = 0.025, P < 0.01, P = 0.016) were identified as independent prognostic factors for recurrence-free survival in patients with bladder UC.

Conclusions

These results of this study proved that elevated expression of RPA3 was associated with worse clinical outcome in bladder UC patients. This finding suggested that RPA3 served as a potential prognostic biomarker, which could be useful to predict cancer evolution and may represent a novel therapeutic target for the intervention of bladder UC patients.

Correlation of Osteoporosis in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes: A Retrospective Study in Chinese Population

This study aimed to explore the risk factors attributed to osteoporosis in newly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. This study aimed to recruit 244 T2DM patients and 218 non-diabetic controls. We collected demographic characteristics, medical history, bone mineral density and biomarkers including bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin, N-terminal peptide of type I procollagen (P1NP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRCAP-5b), β-Cross Laps of type I collagen-containing cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX), 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone were recorded or detected. Bone mineral density (BMD) was our primary outcome. Based on the result of BMD, we divided both the control group and T2DM group into three subgroups: normal bone mass, osteopenia and osteoporosis. In control group, we found age, sex, menopausal status, BMI, P1NP, BALP, TRACP-5b, osteocalcin, and corrected serum calcium are differential among three subgroups. In T2DM group, we found age, sex, menopausal status, drinking status, BMI, HbA1c, TRACP-5b and OC were differential among three subgroups. In T2DM and control groups, age, female, postmenopausal status, BALP, TRACP-5b and osteocalcin were positively correlated while BMI was negatively correlated with osteoporosis. In control group, β-CTX was positively correlated with osteoporosis. In T2DM group, HbA1c and corrected serum calcium concentration were positively correlated with osteoporosis. After further adjustment of age, BMI in male, TRACP-5b was positively correlated with the risk of osteoporosis in newly diagnosed T2DM. After adjusted of age, BMI and menopausal status in female, OC was positively correlated with the risk of osteoporosis in newly diagnosed T2DM and controls. In female T2DM, BALP and P1NP were positively correlated with the risk of osteoporosis. In conclusion, age, BMI and menopausal status are common risk factors for osteoporosis in diabetic and non-diabetic patients, however TRACP-5b, BALP and osteocalcin are special risk factors for osteoporosis in newly diagnosed T2DM patients but not non-diabetic patients, which may be applied to identify osteoporosis risk in T2DM patients, but this result needs to be proven with fracture data.

Clinical profiles, outcomes and risk factors among type 2 diabetic inpatients with diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state: a hospital-based analysis over a 6-year period

OBJECTIVE

Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (HHS) are the two most common hyperglycemic emergencies (HEs) associated with diabetes mellitus. Individuals with HEs can present with combined features of DKA and HHS. The objective of this study is to assess the clinical characteristics, therapeutic outcomes, and associated predisposing factors of type 2 diabetic patients with isolated or combined HEs in China.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective analysis of 158 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), complicated with DKA, HHS, or DKA combined with HHS (DKA-HHS) in Shanghai Tongji Hospital, China from 2010 to 2015. Admission clinical features, therapeutic approaches and treatment outcomes of those patients were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 158 patients with T2DM, 65 (41.1%) patients were DKA, 74 (46.8%) were HHS, and 19 (12.0%) were DKA-HHS. The most common precipitants were infections (111, 70.3%), newly diagnosed diabetes (28,17.7%) and non-compliance to medications (9, 5.7%). DKA patients were divided into mild, moderate and severe group, based on arterial blood gas. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that C-reaction protein (CRP) was positively correlated with severity of DKA, whereas age and fasting C peptide were inversely correlated with severity of DKA (P < 0.05). The mortality was 10.8% (17/158) in total and 21.6% (16/74) in the HHS group, 5.9% (1/17) in DKA-HHS. Spearman correlation analysis indicated that death in patients with HHS was positively correlated to effective plasma osmolality (EPO), renal function indicators and hepatic enzymes, while inversely associated with the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. Logistic regression analysis suggested that elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) on admission was an independent predisposing factor of mortality in HHS, while CSII might be a protective factor for patients with HHS. Furthermore, the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that BUN had the largest area under the ROC curves for predicting death in patients with HHS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings showed elevated CRP and decreased fasting C-peptide might serve as indicator for severe DKA. Elevated BUN might be an independent predictor of mortality in patients with HHS, whereas CSII might be a protective factor against death in HHS.

A trade-off switch of two immunological memories in Caenorhabditis elegans reinfected by bacterial pathogens

Recent studies have suggested that innate immune responses exhibit characteristics associated with memory linked to modulations in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the diverse evolutionary paths taken, particularly within the invertebrate taxa, should lead to similarly diverse innate immunity memory processes. Our understanding of innate immune memory in invertebrates primarily comes from studies of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the generality of which is unclear. Caenorhabditis elegans typically inhabits soil harboring a variety of fatal microbial pathogens; for this invertebrate, the innate immune system and aversive behavior are the major defensive strategies against microbial infection. However, their characteristics of immunological memory remains infantile. Here we discovered an immunological memory that promoted avoidance and suppressed innate immunity during reinfection with bacteria, which we revealed to be specific to the previously exposed pathogens. During this trade-off switch of avoidance and innate immunity, the chemosensory neurons AWB and ADF modulated production of serotonin and dopamine, which in turn decreased expression of the innate immunity-associated genes and led to enhanced avoidance via the downstream insulin-like pathway. Therefore, our current study profiles the immune memories during C. elegans reinfected by pathogenic bacteria and further reveals that the chemosensory neurons, the neurotransmitter(s), and their associated molecular signaling pathways are responsible for a trade-off switch between the two immunological memories.

Multiple olfactory pathways contribute to the lure process of Caenorhabditis elegans by pathogenic bacteria

Chemosensation is indispensable for the survival of Caenorhabditis elegans to discriminate food and pathogenic bacteria in their living environment. Food-like odors emitted by the pathogen Bacillus nematocida B16 for trapping its hosts and an olfactory signaling pathway responsible to sense the attractant 2-heptanone were identified in our previous study. Here, we further explore how the worms recognize the attractive molecules indole and 2-ethyl hexanol, which have different chemical properties and modest nematode-luring ability. We show that the chemotaxis toward indole and 2-ethyl hexanol requires the G protein-coupled receptors encoded by str-193 on AWC and str-7 on AWA. In a further genetic screen for downstream effectors in olfactory signaling cascades, the Gα subunit GSA-1, guanylyl cyclase ODR-1 and DAF-11 and the cGMP-gated channel TAX-2/TAX-4 were found to be necessary for indole sensation, whereas the TRPV channels OSM-9/OCR-2 and the PLC pathway activated by GPA-6 are responsible for the detection of 2-ethyl hexanol. Altogether, our current work further clarifies the distinct olfactory signaling pathways through which C. elegans senses different chemicals and is lured by B. nematocida B16, improving our comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens effectively infect their hosts.