A Chinese patent medicine's long-term efficacy on non-dialysis patients with CKD stages 3-5: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Chinese patent medicine is commonly used in China as an important treatment mechanism to thwart the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3-5, among which Niaoduqing granules are a representative Chinese patent medicine; however, its long-term efficacy on CKD prognosis remains unclear. Methods: Patients were grouped according to Niaoduqing granule prescription duration (non-Niaoduqing granule (non-NDQ) group vs Niaoduqing granule (NDQ) group). Serum creatinine (SCr) variation was compared using a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM). Multivariate Cox regression models were constructed, adjusting for confounding factors, to explore the risk of composite outcomes (receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) or having an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)<5 mL/min/1.73 m2, ≥50% decline in the eGFR from the baseline, and doubling of SCr) in individuals consuming Niaoduqing granules. Results: A total of 1,271 patients were included, with a median follow-up duration of 29.71 (12.10, 56.07) months. The mean SCr Z-scores for the non-NDQ group and NDQ group were -0.175 and 0.153, respectively, at baseline (p = 0.015). The coefficients of the NDQ group from visit 1 to visit 5 were -0.207 (95% CI: -0.346, -0.068, p = 0.004), -0.214 (95% CI: 0.389, -0.039, p = 0.017), -0.324 (95% CI: 0.538, -0.109, p = 0.003), -0.502 (95% CI: 0.761, -0.243, p = 0.000), and -0.252 (95% CI: 0.569, 0.065, p = 0.119), respectively. The survival probability was significantly higher in the NDQ group (p = 0.0039). Taking Niaoduqing granules was a significant protective factor for thwarting disease progression (model 1: HR 0.654 (95% CI 0.489-0.875, p = 0.004); model 2: HR 0.646 (95% CI 0.476, 0.877, p = 0.005); and model 3: HR 0.602 (95% CI 0.442, 0.820, p = 0.001)). Conclusion: The long-term use of Niaoduqing granules improved SCr variation and lowered the risk of CKD progression by 39.8%.

Depletion of regulatory T cells enhancing the anti-tumor effect of in situ vaccination in solid tumors.

The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has revolutionized the clinical treatment for tumor. However, the low response rate of ICIs remains the major obstacle for curing patients and effective approaches for patients with primary or secondary resistance to ICIs remain lacking. In this study, immune stimulating agent unmethylated CG-enriched (CpG) oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) was locally injected into the tumor to trigger a robust immune response to eradicate cancer cells, while anti-CD25 antibody was applied to remove immunosuppressive regulatory T cells, which further enhanced the host immune activity to attack tumor systematically. The combination of CpG and anti-CD25 antibody obtained notable regression in mouse melanoma model. Furthermore, rechallenge of tumor cells in the xenograft model has resulted in smaller tumor volume, which demonstrated that the combinational treatment enhanced the activity of memory T cells. Remarkably, this combinational therapy presented significant efficacy on multiple types of tumors as well and was able to prevent relapse of tumor partially. Taken together, our combinational immunotherapy provides a new avenue to enhance the clinical outcomes of patients who are insensitive or resistant to ICIs treatments.

[Analysis of the Impact of Fireworks on Air Quality During the Spring Festival in Chengdu from 2019 to 2022].

Based on the observation data of air quality and PM2.5 components, the influence of fireworks on pollutant concentrations, PM2.5 components, and secondary transformation during the Spring Festival period from 2019 to 2022 in Chengdu were analyzed. The results indicated that the fireworks had a greater impact on the concentration of SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 than the other pollutants. During the centralized discharge of fireworks from 2019 to 2022, the average hourly concentrations of SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 increased by 6.7, 105.0, and 117.4 µg·m-3, with an increase of 135%, 236%, and 203%, respectively. During the centralized discharge period of fireworks, the contributions of fireworks to the SO2, PM2.5, and PM10 concentration were 10.0%-34.0%, 28.1%-31.3%, and 27.8%-34.6%, respectively. The impact time of fireworks on air quality decreased slightly, from 42 h in 2019 to 38 h in 2022; however, the impact on PM2.5 concentration fluctuated, and the impact in 2022 was similar to that in 2019. The main components of fireworks were K, Cl, Al, K+, and Cl-; the concentrations of these components were high and increased rapidly during the concentrated discharge, accounting for 5%-18% of PM2.5, with an increase rate of 87%-1511%. The discharge of fireworks had little effect on NH4+, V, Cd, and Co, and the variation range was within±20%. Throughout the pollution period during the Spring Festival, the mass concentrations of the main components of fireworks were 4.9-31.7 times and 7.4-68.2 times that of the heavy pollution and good weather before the Spring Festival, and their proportions increased by 4%-8%. Secondary sources; fireworks; and biomass burning, coal burning, and industry were the main sources of PM2.5 during the 2019-2022 Spring Festival. The contribution rate of fireworks and biomass combustion was 13%-25%, with higher contribution rates in 2019 and 2022. From the perspective of the impact of meteorological conditions on fireworks discharge, high humidity, low wind speed, and low temperature will intensify the impact of firework discharge on air quality and vice versa. Wind speed mainly affected Al, K+, Cl-, and SO42-, whereas relative humidity mainly affected secondary components such as NO3- and NH4+.

Single-cell transcriptomic dissection of the cellular and molecular events underlying the triclosan-induced liver fibrosis in mice.

BACKGROUND: Triclosan [5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol, TCS], a common antimicrobial additive in many personal care and health care products, is frequently detected in human blood and urine. Therefore, it has been considered an emerging and potentially toxic pollutant in recent years. Long-term exposure to TCS has been suggested to exert endocrine disruption effects, and promote liver fibrogenesis and tumorigenesis. This study was aimed at clarifying the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of hepatotoxicity effect of TCS at the initiation stage. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were exposed to different dosages of TCS for 2 weeks and the organ toxicity was evaluated by various measurements including complete blood count, histological analysis and TCS quantification. Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was then carried out on TCS- or mock-treated mouse livers to delineate the TCS-induced hepatotoxicity. The acquired single-cell transcriptomic data were analyzed from different aspects including differential gene expression, transcription factor (TF) regulatory network, pseudotime trajectory, and cellular communication, to systematically dissect the molecular and cellular events after TCS exposure. To verify the TCS-induced liver fibrosis, the expression levels of key fibrogenic proteins were examined by Western blotting, immunofluorescence, Masson's trichrome and Sirius red staining. In addition, normal hepatocyte cell MIHA and hepatic stellate cell LX-2 were used as in vitro cell models to experimentally validate the effects of TCS by immunological, proteomic and metabolomic technologies. RESULTS: We established a relatively short term TCS exposure murine model and found the TCS mainly accumulated in the liver. The scRNA-seq performed on the livers of the TCS-treated and control group profiled the gene expressions of > 76,000 cells belonging to 13 major cell types. Among these types, hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were significantly increased in TCS-treated group. We found that TCS promoted fibrosis-associated proliferation of hepatocytes, in which Gata2 and Mef2c are the key driving TFs. Our data also suggested that TCS induced the proliferation and activation of HSCs, which was experimentally verified in both liver tissue and cell model. In addition, other changes including the dysfunction and capillarization of endothelial cells, an increase of fibrotic characteristics in B plasma cells, and M2 phenotype-skewing of macrophage cells, were also deduced from the scRNA-seq analysis, and these changes are likely to contribute to the progression of liver fibrosis. Lastly, the key differential ligand-receptor pairs involved in cellular communications were identified and we confirmed the role of GAS6_AXL interaction-mediated cellular communication in promoting liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: TCS modulates the cellular activities and fates of several specific cell types (including hepatocytes, HSCs, endothelial cells, B cells, Kupffer cells and liver capsular macrophages) in the liver, and regulates the ligand-receptor interactions between these cells, thereby promoting the proliferation and activation of HSCs, leading to liver fibrosis. Overall, we provide the first comprehensive single-cell atlas of mouse livers in response to TCS and delineate the key cellular and molecular processes involved in TCS-induced hepatotoxicity and fibrosis.

Cidan Capsule in Combination with Adjuvant Transarterial Chemoembolization Reduces Recurrence Rate after Curative Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Cidan Capsule combined with adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with a high risk of early recurrence after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients with high-risk recurrence factors after curative resection of HCC from 9 medical centers between July 2014 and July 2018. Totally 249 patients were randomly assigned to TACE with or without Cidan Capsule administration groups by stratified block in a 1:1 ratio. Postoperative adjuvant TACE was given 4-5 weeks after hepatic resection in both groups. Additionally, 125 patients in the TACE plus Cidan group were administrated Cidan Capsule (0.27 g/capsule, 5 capsules every time, 4 times a day) for 6 months with a 24-month follow-up. Primary endpoints included disease-free survival (DFS) and tumor recurrence rate (TRR). Secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Any drug-related adverse events (AEs) were observed and recorded. RESULTS: As the data cutoff in July 9th, 2018, the median DFS was not reached in the TACE plus Cidan group and 234.0 days in the TACE group (hazard ratio, 0.420, 95% confidence interval, 0.290-0.608; P<0.01). The 1- and 2-year TRR in the TACE plus Cidan and TACE groups were 31.5%, 37.1%, and 60.8%, 63.4%, respectively (P<0.01). Median OS was not reached in both groups. The 1- and 2-year OS rates in TACE plus Cidan and TACE groups were 98.4%, 98.4%, and 89.5%, 87.9%, respectively (P<0.05). The most common grade 3-4 AEs included fatigue, abdominal pain, lumbar pain, and nausea. One serious AE was reported in 1 patient in the TACE plus Cidan group, the death was due to retroperitoneal mass hemorrhage and hemorrhagic shock, and was not related to study drug. CONCLUSIONS: Cidan Capsule in combination with TACE can reduce the incidence of early recurrence in HCC patients at high-risk of recurrence after radical hepatectomy and may be an appropriate option in postoperative anti-recurrence treatment. (Registration No. NCT02253511).

The mechanism and relevant mediators associated with neuronal apoptosis and potential therapeutic targets in subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a dominant cause of death and disability worldwide. A sharp increase in intracranial pressure after SAH leads to a reduction in cerebral perfusion and insufficient blood supply for neurons, which subsequently promotes a series of pathophysiological responses leading to neuronal death. Many previous experimental studies have reported that excitotoxicity, mitochondrial death pathways, the release of free radicals, protein misfolding, apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, and inflammation are involved solely or in combination in this disorder. Among them, irreversible neuronal apoptosis plays a key role in both short- and long-term prognoses after SAH. Neuronal apoptosis occurs through multiple pathways including extrinsic, mitochondrial, endoplasmic reticulum, p53 and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, a large number of blood contents enter the subarachnoid space after SAH, and the secondary metabolites, including oxygenated hemoglobin and heme, further aggravate the destruction of the blood-brain barrier and vasogenic and cytotoxic brain edema, causing early brain injury and delayed cerebral ischemia, and ultimately increasing neuronal apoptosis. Even there is no clear and effective therapeutic strategy for SAH thus far, but by understanding apoptosis, we might excavate new ideas and approaches, as targeting the upstream and downstream molecules of apoptosis-related pathways shows promise in the treatment of SAH. In this review, we summarize the existing evidence on molecules and related drugs or molecules involved in the apoptotic pathway after SAH, which provides a possible target or new strategy for the treatment of SAH.

PA-MSHA induces inflamed tumor microenvironment and sensitizes tumor to anti-PD-1 therapy.

A low response rate to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has impeded its clinical use. As reported previously, an inflamed tumor microenvironment (TME) was directly correlated with patients' response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Thus, restoring the cytotoxic effect of immune cells in the TME is a promising way to improve the efficacy of ICB and overcome primary resistance to immunotherapy. The effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa mannose-sensitive-hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA) in facilitating T cell activation was determined in vitro and in vivo. Subsets of immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Proteomics was carried out to comprehensively analyze the discriminated cellular kinases and transcription factors. The combinational efficacy of PA-MSHA and αPD-1 therapy was studied in vivo. In this study we demonstrated that PA-MSHA, which is a clinically used immune adjuvant, effectively induced the anti-tumor immune response and suppressed the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. PA-MSHA showed great potential to sensitize refractory "cold" tumors to immunotherapy. It effectively enhanced macrophage M1 polarization and induced T cell activation. In vivo, in combination with αPD-1, PA-MSHA suppressed tumor growth and prolonged the survival time of allograft model mice. These results indicate that PA-MSHA is a potent agent to stimulate immune cells infiltration into the TME and consequently induces inflammation in tumors. The combination of PA-MSHA with αPD-1 is a potential strategy to enhance the clinical response rate to ICI therapy.

[Effects of combined application of biochar with organic amendments on enzyme activity and microbial metabolic function of carbon sources in infertile red soil]. / ç”Ÿç‰©è´¨ç‚­é æ–½æœ‰æœºç‰©æ–™å¯¹è´«ç˜ çº¢å£¤é ¶æ´»æ€§å’Œå¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç¢³æºä»£è°¢åŠŸèƒ½çš„å½±å“.

To improve carbon (C) sequestration and soil fertility of red soil, a two-year (2017 and 2018) field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of two organic amendments (i.e., corn straw and sheep manure) applied alone or combined with biochar on soil nutrient content, enzyme activities involved in C cycling, and microbial substrate utilization rate in infertile red soil. There were six treatments, including control (non-amendment), corn straw, sheep manure and across biochar treatments (without and with biochar amendment, respectively). The organic amendments and biochar were applied in 2017 and 2018. The results showed that, compared with the control, organic amendments significantly increased soil pH, organic C, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium contents. Compared with straw and manure alone, the biochar co-application with straw or manure significantly increased the contents of soil organic C, available potassium, and available nitrogen, without any significant interactive effects. Application of organic amendments significantly increased the activities of soil ß-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CB), ß-xylosidase (XYL), and peroxidase (PERO). The combined application of biochar and straw significantly reduced the activity of phenol oxidase (PHOX) by 28.6% and PERO by 22.2% in comparison with straw addition alone, respectively, while the combined application of biochar and manure significantly reduced the activities of α-glucosidase (AG) by 46.1%, BG by 50.9%, XYL by 41.6%, and PERO by 31.3% compared with manure addition alone, respectively. Compared with the control, the application of organic amendments significantly enhanced soil basal respiration and microbial utilization rates of carbohydrates, whereas biochar co-application significantly decreased microbial utilization rates of carbohydrates and carboxylic acids. Microbial C source utilization rates were significantly and positively correlated with the activities of BG and PERO. Thus, biochar co-application with organic amendments can enhance nutrient content and reduce enzymatic and microbial metabolic activities, thereby may facilitate C sequestration and fertility of infertile red soil.

[Effects of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) expansion on soil microbial community in evergreen broad-leaved forest]. / æ¯›ç«¹æ‰©å¼ å¯¹å¸¸ç»¿é˜”å¶æž—åœŸå£¤å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç¾¤è½çš„å½±å“.

The special eco-physiological characteristics of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) facilitate their fast invasion in nature ecosystems. The widespread expansion of moso bamboo causes degradation of adjacent forest ecosystem and change of landscape, as well as soil properties and microbial community composition. However, how moso bamboo expansion affects soil microbial composition is far from fully understood. Herein, we selected four moso bamboo expansion transects with three forest types at the Anji Lingfeng temple forest farm, Zhejiang Province, including evergreen broadleaved forest (BLF), mixed P. edulis and broadleaved forest (MEF) and P. edulis forest (PEF). We examined the effects of moso bamboo expansion on soil properties and soil microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). Our results showed that soil pH was higher in moso bamboo forest than in MEF and BLF by 0.37 and 0.32 unit. In contrast, soil organic carbon, ammonium, and nitrate contents significantly decreased. Biomass of soil microbial groups displayed a decreasing trend except arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and the microbial richness index (SR) and diversity index (H) decreased significantly. In summary, moso bamboo expansion affected soil nutrient and carbon inputs, which was an important factor affecting soil microbial community structure. Results of redundancy analysis showed that changes of soil organic carbon and ammonium content were the main factors driving soil microbial community.

[Emission Characteristics and Inventory of Volatile Organic Compounds from Cooking in Sichuan Province].

NMHCs concentrations and VOCs components were sampled from 12 typical catering units in Sichuan Province. Combined with literature data, the cooking source profile containing 117 VOCs was established comprehensively, and the NMHCs emission factors were obtained. Based on the bottom-up research method, the volatile organic compounds emission inventory of cooking sources in Sichuan Province was established. The results showed that the oxygen and alkane groups were the most important components for Sichuan cuisine, barbecue, and canteen, and the total proportion of the two groups was greater than 75%. The main VOCs species were ethanol, formaldehyde, ethane, hexanal, ethylene, 1,3-butadiene, and acrolein. Oxygen-containing components contributed the most to OFP, followed by olefin. The major OFP contributors were formaldehyde, ethylene, ethanol, 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, hexanal, etc. In 2019, the VOCs emissions and OFP values of cooking sources in Sichuan Province were 32kt and 141kt, respectively, accounting for approximately 5% of the anthropogenic VOCs emissions and OFP values in Sichuan Province. The VOCs emission from cooking may have an important contribution to ozone formation, which means more attention should be paid to cooking.

[Characteristics of O3 Pollution and Key Precursors in Chengdu During Spring].

To study the characteristics of O3 pollution and identify the key precursors for O3 formation in Chengdu in spring, O3 concentrations in April between 2016 and 2018 were analyzed, and on-line measurements of O3 and the precursors(VOCs and NOx) were also studied at an urban site. The results showed that the O3 pollution level in April increased year by year, and diurnal variations showed a unimodal distribution. When the ambient temperature was more than 20℃, the wind speed was between 1 and 1.5 m·s-1, and the relative humidity was less than 65%, the probability of O3 pollution occurring in April was more than 80%. In April 2018, the average concentrations of NOx and VOCs during O3 pollution days were 2.3-times and 2-times higher than non-pollution days. Furthermore, an OBM method was used to calculate the RIR values of different ozone precursors. This showed that the RIR values of anthropogenic VOCs, CO, biogenic VOCs, and NOx for ozone were 2.4, 0.87, 0.06, and -2.6, respectively, indicating that O3 formation in Chengdu was generally VOC-limited. The RIR values of the VOC species showed that m/p-xylene, ethylene, trans-2-butane, propylene, o-xylene, toluene, acetone, isoprene, isopentane, and n-butane were the key active VOC species of ozone formation.

Genomic anatomy of male-specific microchromosomes in a gynogenetic fish.

Unisexual taxa are commonly considered short-lived as the absence of meiotic recombination is supposed to accumulate deleterious mutations and hinder the creation of genetic diversity. However, the gynogenetic gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) with high genetic diversity and wide ecological distribution has outlived its predicted extinction time of a strict unisexual reproduction population. Unlike other unisexual vertebrates, males associated with supernumerary microchromosomes have been observed in gibel carp, which provides a unique system to explore the rationales underlying male occurrence in unisexual lineage and evolution of unisexual reproduction. Here, we identified a massively expanded satellite DNA cluster on microchromosomes of hexaploid gibel carp via comparing with the ancestral tetraploid crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Based on the satellite cluster, we developed a method for single chromosomal fluorescence microdissection and isolated three male-specific microchromosomes in a male metaphase cell. Genomic anatomy revealed that these male-specific microchromosomes contained homologous sequences of autosomes and abundant repetitive elements. Significantly, several potential male-specific genes with transcriptional activity were identified, among which four and five genes displayed male-specific and male-biased expression in gonads, respectively, during the developmental period of sex determination. Therefore, the male-specific microchromosomes resembling common features of sex chromosomes may be the main driving force for male occurrence in gynogenetic gibel carp, which sheds new light on the evolution of unisexual reproduction.

Primary intracranial papillary meningioma: Analysis of factors of prognosis and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Papillary meningioma is rare and displays an aggressive clinical behavior with poor prognosis. Therefore, we performed an extensive literature review to evaluate the adverse factors and treatment strategy of survival. METHOD: We performed Ovid, Medline, Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science and Cochrane database queries for articles published between 1938 and 2019 with the search term "WHO grade III meningioma" or "papillary meningioma" and "central nervous system", "cerebral", or "intracranial". RESULTS: After a careful evaluation, a total of 19 studies were included. The entire cohort included the 67 patients, 34 (50.7%) were male and 33 (49.3%) were female with a mean age of 32.6 ± 2.1 years ranging from 4.5 months to 74 years. Gross total resection was achieved in 48 (71.6%) cases, and 29 (51.8%) patients received postoperative radiation. The mean follow-up period was 42.3 ± 4.4 months (range, 2-197 months). Thirty-six (53.7%) patients happened to recurrences, 11 (16.4%) patients happened to extracranial metastasis and 25 (37.3%) patients died. Univariate analysis revealed that the MIB > 5% trended toward a shorter time to recurrence (p = 0.084). Gross total resection was associated with favorable progression-free survival (p = 0.007) and overall survival (p = 0.001). Postoperative radiation was associated with favorable progression-free survival (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Gross total resection and adjuvant radiation were recommended as the initial treatment option for patients with papillary meningioma.

[Liver Tissue-specific Genes IGFALS,CYP3A4,SLC22A1 and CYP2E1 May be Associated with Poor Prognosis of Liver Cancer].

Objective To explore the function and mechanism of related genes in the occurrence and development of liver cancer, and the possibility of key genes as potential biomarkers and prognostic indicators for the treatment of liver cancer.Methods We selected 4 datasets(GSE57957, GSE121248, GSE36376 and GSE14520)from the GEO database.With P<0.05 and |log2FC|>1 as the thresholds, we used GEO2R and Venn Diagram Software to filter out the common significant differentially expressed genes(DEGs).Cytoscape 3.6.1 plug-ins CytoHubba and molecular complex detection(MCODE)were used to screen out the hub genes and modules of DEGs.In addition, survival analysis of DEGs was performed by gene expression profiling(GEPIA), and Human Protein Atlas(HPA)were used to examine the protein expression levels of key genes in normal liver tissue and liver cancer tissue.Results There were 45 obviously up-regulated genes and 132 down-regulated genes, and MCODE identified 13 clusters.The cluster 1 and cluster 2 with higher scores included 16 genes and 13 genes, respectively.Among the 32 significant DEGs, IGFALS, HGFAC, CYP3A4, SLC22A1, TAT and CYP2E1 demonstrated significantly higher expression levels in liver tissue than in other organs.The HPA immunohistochemistry(IHC)data showed that the expression levels of IGFALS, CYP3A4, SLC22A1 and CYP2E1 in liver cancer tissue were significantly down-regulated and related to the low overall survival rate of patients.Conclusion The liver tissue-specific genes IGFALS, CYP3A4, SLC22A1 and CYP2E1 are under-expressed in liver cancer and associated with poor prognosis, which may be potential biomarkers and prognostic indicators for liver cancer.

Fitness comparison of Plutella xylostella on original and marginal hosts using age-stage, two-sex life tables.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, is an important agricultural pest that severely damages cruciferous vegetables. Although previously considered a threat only to Brassica species, P. xylostella has been observed to feed on noncruciferous vegetables. Here, we established a population of P. xylostella on the pea Pisum sativum (PxP population). We compared this PxP population's performance on the pea host plant to a population (PxR) reared on the original host plant radish (Raphanus sativus) for several generations using an age-stage, two-sex life table and analyzed the correlations between different fitness parameters. In the 1st generation of the PxP population, survival rate of immature stage was 17%, while the survival rate of PxR was 68%; the duration of the 4th larval instar (5.30 d) and mortality (25%) of this generation were significantly longer (2.8 d) and higher (1%) than that of PxR, respectively (both p < .001). Upon long-term acclimation, the PxP fitness improved significantly, especially that the survival rate of immature stages increased to approximately 60% in the 15th, 30th, and 45th generations. However, PxP feeding on pea exhibited poorer fitness with longer larval developmental time, shorter total life span, lighter pupa, and lower fecundity in different generations compared with PxP feeding on radish. PxP feeding on pea also showed a significantly lower intrinsic rate of increase (r), net reproduction rate (R 0), finite increase rate (λ), and longer mean generation time (T) than PxP feeding on radish in all generations tested. Significant positive correlations were observed between pupal weight and female fecundity in pea-fed populations, and between female longevity and female fecundity in pea-fed and radish-fed populations. Our findings suggest that P. xylostella adaptation to pea does not improve overall fitness compared with the original host radish, making pea a marginal host for P. xylostella.

Imaging presentation and postoperative recurrence of peliosis hepatis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Peliosis hepatis (PH) is a rare benign lesion of vascular origin with a pathological characteristic of multiple blood-filled cavities in the liver parenchyma. It is commonly misdiagnosed due to its lack of specificity in clinical presentation and laboratory test results. Herein, a case of a patient with PH who was misdiagnosed with hepatic echinococcosis before operation to remove the lesions was analyzed, with an emphasis on the computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of PH. CASE SUMMARY: We outline the case of a 40-year-old Chinese female who was admitted with aggravated abdominal pain with fever for 1 wk. Ultrasound examination at the local hospital indicated hepatic echinococcosis. However, discordance between imaging diagnosis, clinical history and laboratory examinations in our hospital. Subsequently, the patient was pathologically confirmed as having PH-like changes, which recurred 1 year after operation removal of the lesion. CONCLUSION: Our objective is to highlight the imaging diagnostic value of PH.

[Sources Apportionment of Oxygenated Volatile Organic Compounds (OVOCs) in a Typical Southwestern Region in China During Summer].

Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) are important intermediates in the troposphere and the most important sources of ozone. Proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) was used to measure VOCs in the Chengdu Plain, Southwestern China. The diurnal variations, photochemical reactivity, O3 formation potential, and sources were also investigated. The mixing ratios of ten kinds of VOCs (acetaldehyde, acetone, isoprene, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl vinyl ketone and Methacrolein, benzene, toluene, styrene, C8 aromatics, and C9 aromatics) were (10.97±4.69)×10-9. The concentrations of OVOCs, aromatic hydrocarbons, and biogenic VOCs were (8.54±3.44)×10-9, (1.53±0.93)×10-9, and (0.90±0.32)×10-9, respectively. Isoprene, acetaldehyde, and m-xylene were the top three photochemically active species with the greatest O3 formation potentials. The dominant three OVOCs species (acetaldehyde, acetone, and MEK) were mainly derived from local biogenic sources and anthropogenic secondary sources, and acetone had a strong regional background level, indicating that pollution in this area is significantly affected by regional transmission. This study deepens the understanding of regional O3 formation mechanisms in southwest China and provides a basis for the scientifically informed control of O3 pollution.

[Trends in Vehicle Emissions in Sichuan Province, 2010-2017].

Vehicle pollution in Sichuan Province is becoming increasingly serious. Here, based on specific inventory calculation methods and multi-caliber activity level data, this study calculated vehicle exhaust emissions from 2010 to 2017 in Sichuan Province. The results show that the average growth rate of vehicle ownership in Sichuan is higher than the national trend. In 2017, vehicle emissions of CO, NOx, SO2, NH3, HC, PM2.5, PM10, BC, and OC were 706.9, 275.3, 0.3, 5.7, 164.8, 8.1, 8.9, 4.1, and 1.4 kt, respectively. Except for NH3, showed a downward trend, peaking in 2014-2016. Diesel vehicle ownership showed a strong correlation with the emission of NOx. Based on these observations, stricter vehicle emission standards offer the greatest potential for emissions reductions, with early implementation offering the greatest reduction potential. The improvement of fuel quality will also have more than a 6% emission reduction effect on pollutant emission each year. HC and NOx emissions reductions will be an important control on vehicle pollution in Sichuan Province in the future.

[Characteristics and Sources of Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds Pollution in Summer in Chengdu].

In the research, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were observed online in urban areas of Chengdu to study VOC concentration level, change characteristics, ozone generation contribution (OFP), and source contribution from June to September 2019. The results showed that the average concentration of TVOCs (total volatile organic compounds) was 112.66 µg·m-3, with alkanes (29.51%) and halogenated hydrocarbons (23.23%) forming the main components. The diurnal peak in VOCs mainly occurred from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, which is affected by urban motor vehicles, oil or gas volatilization, and industrial emissions. For OFP contribution of VOCs in summer, the contribution rate of aromatic hydrocarbons (42.7%) was the highest, followed by alkenes (27.4%). The key active species were m/p-xylene, ethylene, propylene, o-xylene, isopentane, cyclopentane, and acrolein. According to the source analysis by the PMF model, mobile sources are the main contributors of VOCs in summer in Chengdu, contributing 34% to TVOCs, followed by industrial sources (17%), volatile oil and gas (14%), and solvent use and natural sources contributing 11% and 13%. Therefore, motor vehicle and industrial emissions are the key control sources of VOCs in Chengdu, although control of pollution sources such as solvent use and oil or gas volatilization cannot be ignored.