Cronobacter sakazakii, an emerging opportunistic pathogen, is implicated in severe foodborne outbreak infections in premature and full-term infants. Generally, acid tolerance is vital for the pathogenesis of foodborne pathogens; however, its role in C. sakazakii virulence remains largely unknown. To screen out acid-tolerance determinants from transposon mutants, anovel counterselection method using gentamicin and acid was developed. Using the counterselection method and growth assay, we screened several acid-sensitive mutants and found that nlpD encodes an acid-resistance...

The wedge-tailed green pigeon (Treron sphenurus) has a protective value in the evolution of the family Columbidae. In this study, the complete mitogenome of T. sphenurus from Baise City, China, which represents the first sequenced species of the genus Treron in Tribe Treronini, is reported. This was accomplished using PCR-based methods and a primer-walking sequencing strategy with genus-specific primers. The mitogenome was found to be 18,919 bp in length comprising 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding...

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare retinal disorder characterised by incomplete retinal vascular development. Symptoms vary widely from none to blindness even within the same family. Multiple genes related to the Wnt pathway have been found to be associated with FEVR. Recent studies identified tetraspanin 12 (TSPAN12) as a cause of the autosomal dominant inheritance form of FEVR. Here, we describe a novel TSPAN12 mutation in a Chinese family with FEVR. Targeted next-generation sequencing...

Chimeric RNAs are gaining more and more attention as they have broad implications in both cancer and normal physiology. To date, over 40 chimeric RNA prediction methods have been developed to facilitate their identification from RNA sequencing data. However, a limited number of studies have been conducted to compare the performance of these tools; additionally, previous studies have become outdated as more software tools have been developed within the last three years. In this study,...

Melanoma is considered as the most frequent primary malignancy occurring in skin. Accumulating studies have suggested that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical parts in multiple cancers. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism of ZBED3 antisense RNA 1 (ZBED3-AS1) in melanoma. We observed that ZBED3-AS1 expression was remarkably up-regulated in melanoma tissues, and high ZBED3-AS1 level was linked to unsatisfactory survival of melanoma patients. Then, we discovered that ZBED3-AS1 was overexpressed in melanoma...

Surra, one of the most important animal diseases with economic consequences in Asia and South America, is caused by Trypanosoma evansi. However, the mechanism of immune evasion by T. evansi has not been extensively studied. In the present study, T. evansi extracellular vesicles (TeEVs) were characterized and the role of TeEVs in T. evansi infection were examined. The results showed that T. evansi and TeEVs could activate TLR2-AKT pathway to inhibit the secretions of IL-12p40,...

Biological treatment is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for treating toluene. However, this process is limited by the type and quantity of toluene degraders that can be applied to different environments and methods. It is a feasible solution to constructing new genetic engineering organisms for toluene degradation through biotechnology. To facilitate genetic manipulation and improve gene expression, the toluene/o-xylene monooxygenase locus from Pseudomonas stutzeri was reconstructed and artificially synthesized. All six genes were optimized...

Surra, one of the most important animal diseases with economic consequences in Asia and South America, is caused by Trypanosoma evansi. However, the mechanism of immune evasion by T. evansi has not been extensively studied. In the present study, T. evansi extracellular vesicles (TeEVs) were characterized and the role of TeEVs in T. evansi infection were examined. The results showed that T. evansi and TeEVs could activate TLR2-AKT pathway to inhibit the secretions of IL-12p40,...

Drug-resistant pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) has severely threatened human health and arouses widespread concern. Sortase A (SrtA) is an essential virulence factor of S. aureus, which is responsible for the covalent anchoring of a variety of virulence-related proteins to the cell wall. SrtA has always been regarded as an ideal pharmacological target against S. aureus infections. In this research, we have determined that orientin, a natural compound isolated from various medicinal plants, can effectively...

The Cenozoic Beibuwan Basin is located along the eastern margin of the Ailao Shan Red River Shear Zone (ASRRSZ). The rifting and inversion processes of this basin provide important clues to the mechanism by which extrusion tectonics drive continental rifting and inversion development. However, the rifting and inversion of this basin remain ambiguous. Here, we employ seismic data, information about the time and displacement of faulting, syn-rift fault and isopach maps to analyse the Cenozoic...

The relationship between childbirth delivery methods and the risk of wheezing in children remains controversial. Few studies have explored it under different maternal conditions. To explore the influence of childbirth delivery method on the onset of wheezing in children of different parity. A total of 21716 patients were included in this retrospective observational study. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between childbirth delivery method and wheezing in children under 18 years of...

Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is an endometrial fibrotic disease with unclear pathogenesis. Increasing evidence suggested the important role of competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) in diseases. This study aimed to identify and verify the key long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) associated-ceRNAs in IUA. The lncRNA/mRNA expression file was obtained by transcriptome sequencing of IUA and normal samples. The microRNAs expression date was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential expressions of mRNAs, lncRNAs and miRNAs were analyzed...

This study examines the influence of grandparenthood and grandparental childcare on loneliness among Chinese older adults. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of 9240 individuals from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we applied logistic regression to examine the relationship between various grandparental statuses and loneliness with a focus on gender. The grandparental role is a protective factor for loneliness. Providing care to grandchildren was associated with a lower likelihood of...

Supplemental Material, sj-pdf-1-jfi-10.1177_0192513X211041992 for Loneliness Among Chinese Older Adults: The Role of Grandparenthood and Grandparental Childcare by Gender by Jing Zhang, Tineke Fokkema and Bruno Arpino in Journal of Family Issues

Preimplantation development is critical for reproductive successes in mammals. Thus, it is important to understand how preimplantation embryogenesis is regulated. As a key event of preimplantation development, epigenetic reprogramming has been widely studied, yet how epigenetic complexes regulate preimplantation development remains largely unknown. Retinoblastoma binding protein 4 (RBBP4) and 7 (RBBP7) are integral components of epigenetic complexes including SIN3A, NuRD, and CoREST. Here, we demonstrate that double knockdown of Rbbp4 and 7, but not individually,...

Biological treatment is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly technique for treating toluene. However, this process is limited by the type and quantity of toluene degraders that can be applied to different environments and methods. It is a feasible solution to constructing new genetic engineering organisms for toluene degradation through biotechnology. To facilitate genetic manipulation and improve gene expression, the toluene/o-xylene monooxygenase locus from Pseudomonas stutzeri was reconstructed and artificially synthesized. All six genes were optimized...

We conducted a meta-analysis to systematically review the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab for advanced NSCLC. Databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treated with pembrolizumab till July 2021. Seven RCTs and 3988 patients were included. Our analysis suggests that pembrolizumab was more effective at improving PFS (HR, 0.59; 95% CI: 0.43–0.79; p = 0.0005), OS (HR, 0.65; 95% CI: 0.55–0.76; p ＜ 0.00001) and ORR (RR, 1.85; 95% CI: 1.64–2.09; p ＜ 0.00001)...

The role of prokaryotic CRISPR/Cas system proteins as a defensive shield against invasive nucleic acids has been studied extensively. Non-canonical roles in pathogenesis involving intracellular targeting of certain virulence-associated endogenous mRNA have also been reported for some Type I and Type II CRISPR/Cas proteins, but no such roles have yet been established for Type III system proteins. Here, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis (Type III-A system) CRISPR/Cas proteins Csm1, Csm3, Csm5, Csm6, and Cas6 are...

The number of mobile apps has rapidly increased in recent years, but the distribution of app downloads is uneven. As the first and only visual image of apps before downloading, app icons are vital tools through which app publishers promote their apps. Thus, identifying the elements of app icons that can increase consumers’ download intention is crucial. This research examines how the distribution of the lightness of yellow colour in app icon backgrounds influences consumers’...

The number of mobile apps has rapidly increased in recent years, but the distribution of app downloads is uneven. As the first and only visual image of apps before downloading, app icons are vital tools through which app publishers promote their apps. Thus, identifying the elements of app icons that can increase consumers’ download intention is crucial. This research examines how the distribution of the lightness of yellow colour in app icon backgrounds influences consumers’...

FK506, a first-line immunosuppressant, is routinely administered orally and intravenously to inhibit activation and proliferation of T cells after heart transplantation (HT). Current administration route is not conducive enough to exert its efficacy in lymphatic system. Herein, we proposed that subcutaneous (SC) administration of FK506-loaded nanoparticles (PLGA-FK506-NPs) would be valuable for treating acute rejection after HT. The biodistribution and pharmacokinetic study revealed that it could effectively deliver FK506 to the lymph nodes (LNs) due to...

FK506, a first-line immunosuppressant, is routinely administered orally and intravenously to inhibit activation and proliferation of T cells after heart transplantation (HT). Current administration route is not conducive enough to exert its efficacy in lymphatic system. Herein, we proposed that subcutaneous (SC) administration of FK506-loaded nanoparticles (PLGA-FK506-NPs) would be valuable for treating acute rejection after HT. The biodistribution and pharmacokinetic study revealed that it could effectively deliver FK506 to the lymph nodes (LNs) due to...

Our previous studies indicated that Yiguanjian decoction (YGJ) has an anti-hepatic-fibrosis effect and could regulate macrophage status. To elucidate the mechanism of YGJ in regulating macrophages. Liver cirrhosis was induced by CCl4 for 12 weeks combined with 2-acetylaminofluorene (2-AAF) for the last 4 weeks in male Wistar rats. YGJ (3.56 mg/kg) orally administered in the last 4 weeks, and SORA (1 mg/kg) as control. In vitro, RAW264.7 cells were treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) to induce...

Qingre Huoxue (QRHX) decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used to prevent and treat myocardial infarction (MI). This study elucidates the possible mechanisms of QRHX in preventing or treating MI in a rat model. The chemical constituents of QRHX were identified by UPLC-MS. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the Sham (normal saline), Model (normal saline), QRHX-L, QRHX-M and QRHX-H group (n = 10 per group). QRHX decoction was administered by gavage to...

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from Kazak individuals with normal glucose tolerance (KNGT) significantly reduces plasma glycolipid levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus db/db mice. However, the mechanism behind this effect has not been reported. To study the mechanism of improved glycolipid disorders in db/db mice by FMT from a KNGT donor. The normal diet group consisted of db/m mice orally administered 0.2 mL phosphate buffer saline (PBS) (db/m + PBS). For the db/db + PBS...