Altererythrobacter litoralis sp. nov., a New Carotenoid-Producing Member of the Family Erythrobacteraceae, Isolated from a Tidal Flat Sediment.

A new isolate designated as 1XM1-14T was isolated from a tidal flat sediment of Xiamen Island. The yellow-pigmented colonies and rod-shaped cells were observed. Strain 1XM1-14T could hydrolyze Tweens 20, 40, 60, aesculin, and skim milk, and was chemoheterotrophic and mesophilic, required NaCl for the growth. The 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain 1XM1-14T was the most closely related to Altererythrobacter epoxidivorans CGMCC 1.7731T (97.0%), followed by other type strain of the genus Altererythrobacter with identities below 97.0%. The DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity values between strain 1XM1-14T and its relatives of the genus Altererythrobacter were below the respective thresholds for prokaryotic species demarcation. The phylogenomic inference further revealed that strain 1XM1-14T formed a separate branch distinct from the type strains of the recognized species within the genus Altererythrobacter. The major cellular fatty acids of strain 1XM1-14T were identified as summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω6c and/or C18:1 ω7c), C17:1 ω6c, and C16:0; the profile of polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, sphingoglycolipid, an unidentified glycolipid, and two unidentified lipids; the respiratory quinone was determined to ubiquinone-10. The genomic size and DNA G+C content of strain 1XM1-14T were 2.5 Mbp and 62.71%. The key carotenoid biosynthetic genes were determined in the genome of strain 1XM1-14T and the generated carotenoids were detected. The combined genotypic and phenotypic characteristics supported the classification of strain 1XM1-14T (= GDMCC 1.2383T = KCTC 82612T) as a novel species in the genus Altererythrobacter, for which the name Altererythrobacter litoralis sp. nov. is proposed.

Correction for: Cornel iridoid glycoside exerts a neuroprotective effect on neuroinflammation in rats with brain injury by inhibiting NF-kB and STAT3.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s13205-019-1697-5.].

Association between modifiable lifestyle pattern and periodontitis: a cross-sectional study based on NHANES.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis can be avoided with a healthy lifestyle. However, studies have only looked at one lifestyle, ignoring the connection between lifestyle patterns and periodontitis. The purpose of this study was to look at the association between modifiable lifestyle patterns and periodontitis. METHODS: Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2009-2010 and 2011-2012. Smoke, drink, exercise, sleep duration, oral exams, and self-rated oral health were all lifestyle factors. The CDC/AAP classification/case definition was used to evaluate periodontitis. Drawing upon latent class analysis, distinct patterns of lifestyle were identified, with each participant exclusively affiliated with a single pattern. The association between lifestyle classes and periodontitis was then examined using ordinal logistic regression. RESULTS: 4686 (52%) of the total 9034 participants, with a mean age of 54.08, were women. Three lifestyle latent classes were found by fitting 2-10 models: "Class 1" (52%), " Class 2" (13%), and " Class 3" (35%). The "Class 1" displayed a prevalence of oral examination (75%), favorable self-rated oral health (92%), and engagement in physical activity (50%). The 'Class 2' exhibited the lowest alcohol consumption (64%) and smoking rates (73%) but the highest prevalence of physical inactivity (98%). The 'Class 3' showed a tendency for smoking (72%), alcohol consumption (78%), shorter sleep duration (50%), absence of oral examinations (75%), and suboptimal self-rated oral health (68%). The influencing variables for the latent classes of lifestyle were age, education, and poverty level. Periodontitis risk may rise by 24% for each additional unhealthy lifestyle practiced by participants (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.18-1.31). The 'Class 3' (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.52-2.13) had a greater risk of periodontitis compared to the 'Class 1'. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed that unhealthy lifestyle patterns are associated with periodontitis. These different lifestyle patterns need to be taken into account when developing public health interventions and clinical care.

High-throughput semi-automated emulsive liquid-liquid microextraction for detecting SDHI fungicides in water, juice, and alcoholic beverage samples via UHPLC-MS/MS.

Herein, a High-Throughput Semi-automated Emulsive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (HTSA-ELLME) method was developed to detect Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides in food samples via UHPLC-MS/MS. The Oil-in-Water (O/W) emulsion comprising a hydrophobic extractant and water was dilutable with the aqueous sample solution. Upon injecting the primary emulsion into the sample solution, a secondary O/W emulsion was formed, allowing SDHI fungicides to be extracted. Subsequently, a NaCl-saturated solution was injected in the secondary O/W emulsion as a demulsifier to rapidly separate the extractant, eliminating the need for centrifugation. A 12-channel electronic micropipette was used to achieve a high-throughput semi-automation of the novel sample pretreatment. The linear range was 0.003-0.3 µg L-1 with R2 > 0.998. The limit of detection was 0.001 µg L-1. The HTSA-ELLME method successfully detected SDHI fungicides in water, juice, and alcoholic beverage samples, with recoveries and relative standard deviations of 82.6-106.9% and 0.8-5.8%, respectively. Unlike previously reported liquid-liquid microextraction approaches, the HTSA-ELLME method is the first to be both high-throughput and semi-automated and may aid in designing pesticide pretreatment processes in food samples.

Anthropogenic forcing has increased the risk of longer-traveling and slower-moving large contiguous heatwaves.

Heatwaves are consecutive hot days with devastating impacts on human health and the environment. These events may evolve across both space and time, characterizing a spatiotemporally contiguous propagation pattern that has not been fully understood. Here, we track the spatiotemporally contiguous heatwaves in both reanalysis datasets and model simulations and examine their moving patterns (i.e., moving distance, speed, and direction) in different continents and periods. Substantial changes in contiguous heatwaves have been identified from 1979 to 2020, with longer persistence, longer traveling distance, and slower propagation. These changes have been amplified since 1997, probably due to the weakening of eddy kinetic energy, zonal wind, and anthropogenic forcing. The results suggest that longer-lived, longer-traveling, and slower-moving contiguous heatwaves will cause more devastating impacts on human health and the environment in the future if greenhouse gas emissions keep rising and no effective measures are taken immediately. Our findings provide important implications for the adaption and mitigation of globally connected extreme heatwaves.

Metabolism, digestion, and horizontal transfer: potential roles and interaction of symbiotic bacteria in the ladybird beetle Novius pumilus and their prey Icerya aegyptiaca.

In this study, we first time sequenced and analyzed the 16S rRNA gene data of predator ladybird beetles Novius pumilus and globally distributed invasive pest Icerya aegyptiaca at different stages, and combined data with bacterial genome sequences in N. pumilus to explored the taxonomic distribution, alpha and beta diversity, differentially abundant bacteria, co-occurrence network, and putative functions of their microbial community. Our finding revealed that Candidatus Walczuchella, which exhibited a higher abundance in I. aegyptiaca, possessed several genes in essential amino acid biosynthesis and seemed to perform roles in providing nutrients to the host, similar to other obligate symbionts in scale insects. Lactococcus, Serratia, and Pseudomonas, more abundant in N. pumilus, were predicted to have genes related to hydrocarbon, fatty acids, and chitin degradation, which may assist their hosts in digesting the wax shell covering the scale insects. Notably, our result showed that Lactococcus had relatively higher abundances in adults and eggs compared to other stages in N. pumilus, indicating potential vertical transmission. Additionally, we found that Arsenophonus, known to influence sex ratios in whitefly and wasp, may also function in I. aegyptiaca, probably by influencing nutrient metabolism as it similarly had many genes corresponding to vitamin B and essential amino acid biosynthesis. Also, we observed a potential horizontal transfer of Arsenophonus between the scale insect and its predator, with a relatively high abundance in the ladybirds compared to other bacteria from the scale insects.IMPORTANCEThe composition and dynamic changes of microbiome in different developmental stages of ladybird beetles Novius pumilus with its prey Icerya aegyptiaca were detected. We found that Candidatus Walczuchella, abundant in I. aegyptiaca, probably provide nutrients to their host based on their amino acid biosynthesis-related genes. Abundant symbionts in N. pumilus, including Lactococcus, Serratia, and Pseudophonus, may help the host digest the scale insects with their hydrocarbon, fatty acid, and chitin degrading-related genes. A key endosymbiont Arsenophonus may play potential roles in the nutrient metabolisms and sex determination in I. aegyptiaca, and is possibly transferred from the scale insect to the predator.

Evaluation of three-dimensional reconstructed palatal morphology in skeletal class III subjects with different vertical patterns using cone beam computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the difference of three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed palatal morphology between subjects with skeletal Class III and skeletal Class I in different vertical patterns using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). METHODS: In this study, 89 subjects with skeletal Class III (49 females, 40 males; 25.45 ± 3.81 years) and 85 subjects with skeletal Class I (45 females, 40 males; 23.95 ± 4.45 years) were collected retrospectively and divided into hyperdivergent, normodivergent and hypodivergent groups. Dolphin software was used to reorient the CBCT images of these subjects. After segmenting 3D object of maxilla from the 3D skull by ProPlan software, Geomagic Studio was used to reconstruct 3D palatal morphology and establish an average 3D palatal morphology for each group. The differences of 3D palatal morphology between different groups were compared by deviation patterns on 3D colored map analysis. RESULTS: 3D colored map analysis showed the posterior part of male's palate was higher and wider than that of female's palate in skeletal Class III subjects. In skeletal Class III subjects, males with hyperdivergent pattern had a higher and narrower palate compared with hypodivergent subjects, while females with hyperdivergent had a higher but not obviously narrower palate compared with hypodivergent subjects. In the similar vertical patterns, skeletal Class III subjects had a flatter but not narrower palate compared with skeletal Class I subjects, along with a smaller palate volume. CONCLUSIONS: This method allows more intuitive between-group comparisons of the differences of 3D palatal morphology. In skeletal Class III subjects, as the vertical dimension increased, the palate tends to be higher and narrower. Therefore, the influence of vertical patterns on the palatal morphology should be fully considered in the orthodontic and orthognathic treatment of skeletal Class III subjects.

The gut microbiome and metabolites are altered and interrelated in patients with functional constipation.

Introduction: Gut microbiota and metabolites have been identified to contribute to the pathogenesis of functional constipation (FC); however, the underlying mechanism(s) have not been elucidated, and the relationship between the gut microbiota and metabolites in FC has received limited attention in the literature. Methods: 16S rDNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomic detection based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technologies were combined to analyze the altered gut microbiome and metabolic profile of fecal samples from FC patients and healthy individuals (healthy control; HC). Results: The richness and diversity of gut microbiota significantly (p < 0.01) increased in FC patients. Compared to the HC group, 18 genera, including Intestinibacter, Klebsiella, and Akkermansia, exhibited statistically significant changes (p < 0.05). Metabolic analysis showed that metabolic profiles were also markedly altered with 79 metabolites, such as (-)-caryophyllene oxide, chenodeoxycholic acid, and biliverdin, indicating significant inter-group differences (p < 0.05). Besides, the primary bile acid biosynthesis, as well as the metabolic profile of porphyrin and chlorophyll, were the most dominant enriched pathways (FDR < 0.01), in which chenodeoxycholic acid and biliverdin were significantly enriched, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between 10 genera and 19 metabolites (r > 0.6, FDR < 0.05), and notably, Intestinibacter showed a negative correlation with biliverdin (FDR < 0.001), which highlighted the interplay of the gut microbiota and metabolites in the pathogenesis of FC. Conclusion: Our research describes the characteristics of the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles and the correlation between the gut microbiota and metabolites in FC patients. This may contribute to the understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in FC pathogenesis and may provide novel insights into therapeutic interventions.

Polyphasic Characterization and Genomic Insights into an Aerobic Denitrifying Bacterium, Shewanella zhuhaiensis sp. nov., Isolated from a Tidal Flat Sediment.

A new, facultatively anaerobic, light-yellow, and rod-shaped bacterium designated as 3B26T isolated from Qi'ao Island's tidal flat sediment was identified. Strain 3B26T can hydrolyze gelatin, aesculin, and skim milk. The major cellular fatty acids were identified as iso-C15:0, referred to as summed feature 3, and C16:0; the polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and phospholipid; and the quinones contained Q-7, Q-8, MK-7, and MMK7. The genomic size of strain 3B26T was 4,682,650 bp, and its genomic DNA G + C content was 54.8%. While a 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis confirmed that strain 3B26T belongs to the genus Shewanella, both phylogenomic inference and genomic comparison revealed that strain 3B26T is distinguishable from its relatives, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values of 24.4-62.6% and average nucleotide identities (ANIs) of 83.5-95.6% between them were below the 70% dDDH and 96% ANI thresholds for bacterial species delineation. Genomic functional analysis demonstrated that strain 3B26T possesses complete gene clusters of eicosapentaenoic acid biosynthesis and denitrification. Based on the evidence above, strain 3B26T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Shewanella, and the name Shewanella zhuhaiensis sp. nov. (type strain 3B26T = GDMCC 1.2057T = KCTC 82339T) is proposed.

The effect of self-directed online metacognitive listening practice on Chinese EFL learners' listening ability, metacognition, and self-efficacy.

Research into metacognitive listening instruction under the Metacognitive Pedagogical Cycle (MPC) has been growing in recent decades, but its effects on L2 listening comprehension, metacognitive awareness, and self-efficacy remain inconclusive. In this mixed-method study, we developed a self-directed online listening practice based on the MPC and investigated its effects on 89 Chinese intermediate EFL learners over 14 weeks. Learners were assigned to either an experimental group, which used the online metacognitive listening practice, or a control group, which used the traditional listening practice without stressing metacognitive awareness. Multiple data sources (listening tests, questionnaires, reflective notes, and interviews) were used to assess learners' listening comprehension, metacognitive awareness, and listening self-efficacy. Results showed that online metacognitive listening practice significantly improved the learners' listening comprehension, but there was little evidence that it increased metacognitive awareness or listening self-efficacy. This study suggests that deploying online listening practice under MPC is a more effective way to improve L2 learners' listening comprehension than traditional listening practice. However, the task-setting of MPC and the task-dependence of self-efficacy may constrain the development of some factors of metacognitive awareness and self-efficacy.

Terminal Residue and Dietary Risk Assessment of Atrazine and Isoxaflutole in Corn Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Isoxaflutole and atrazine are representative pesticides for weed control in corn fields. Formulations containing these two pesticides have been registered in China, and their residues may threaten food safety and human health. In this study, a method for simultaneous determination of isoxaflutole, atrazine, and their metabolites in fresh corn, corn kernels, and corn straw was established based on modified QuEChERS pre-treatment and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The linearity of seven compounds was good (R2 ≥ 0.9912), and the matrix effect was 48.5-77.1%. At four spiked levels of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.5 mg kg-1, all compounds' average recovery was 76% to 116%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 18.9%. Field experiments were conducted in Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Beijing, and Yunnan provinces to study the terminal residues. The terminal residues of all compounds were below the LOQ (0.01 mg kg-1) in fresh corn and corn kernels, and atrazine residues in corn straw ranged from <0.05 mg kg-1 to 0.17 mg kg-1. Finally, a dietary risk assessment was conducted based on residues from field trials, food consumption, and acceptable daily intake (ADI). For all populations, the chronic dietary risk probability (RQc) of atrazine was between 0.0185% and 0.0739%, while that of isoxaflutole was 0.0074-0.0296%, much lower than 100%. The results may provide scientific guidance for using isoxaflutole and atrazine in corn field ecosystems.

Enhanced adsorption of phenol from aqueous solution by KOH combined Fe-Zn bimetallic oxide co-pyrolysis biochar: Fabrication, performance, and mechanism.

In this study, impregnation combined with KOH activation with different mixing methods was used to prepare magnetic biochar. The effects of synthetic method on biochar physicochemical properties and adsorption performance were explored. The results showed that treatment of a Fe-Zn oxide with KOH activation provided excellent adsorption properties with adsorption capacity of 458.90 mg/g due to well-developed microporous structure and rich-in O-containing functional groups as well as exposed oxidizing functional groups (Fe2O3 and FeOOH). Langmuir-Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models accurately fit phenol adsorption. Neutral conditions (pH = 6) and lower ionic strengths were beneficial to phenol removal. Additionally, the predominant adsorption processes were physisorption and chemisorption. Correlation analyses and characterization data confirmed that pore filling, π-π interactions and surface complexation were the dominant driving forces for phenol adsorption. This research provides an environmentally friendly method for utilizing agricultural wastes for the removal of a variety of pollutions from aquatic environment.

Gimibacter soli gen. nov. sp. nov., isolated from mangrove soil and insight into its ecological distribution and metabolic potential.

A Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterium, designated as 6D33T, was isolated from mangrove soil. Growth was found to occur at 15-32 °C (optimum, 28 °C), at pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7) and in 0-3 % NaCl (optimum, 1 %, w/v). The results of 16S rRNA gene-based analysis showed that strain 6D33T belonged to the family Temperatibacteraceae, sharing 93.1-94.4 % identity with its close neighbours within the genus Kordiimonas. The phylogenomic results indicated that strain 6D33T formed an independent branch distinct from type strains of the genus Kordiimonas. The overall genome relatedness indices of digital DNA-DNA hybridization, average nucleotide identity and amino acid identity values showed that strain 6D33T represents a novel species of a novel genus. The results of chemotaxonomic characterization indicated that the major cellular fatty acids of strain 6D33T were summed feature 9 (C16 : 0 10-methyl and/or iso-C17 : 1 ω9c), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω6c and/or C16 : 1 ω7c) and iso-C15 : 0; the polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, an unidentified aminolipid and three unidentified lipids; the only respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. The genomic size and DNA G+C contents were 3.59 Mbp and 60.84 mol%, respectively. The 16S rRNA gene sequence reads abundance profiles revealed that the rare taxon is prevalent in marine environments, especially in sediments. Genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of strain 6D33T revealed a heterotrophic lifestyle and many pathways responsible for the degradation of aromatic compounds, suggesting application potential in aromatic hydrocarbon removal. Based on its genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, strain 6D33T is concluded to represent a novel species of the novel genus in the family Temperatibacteraceae, for which the name Gimibacter soli gen. nov. sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is 6D33T (=GDMCC 1.1959T=KCTC 82335T).

Bamboo-derived nitrogen-doping magnetic porous hydrochar coactivated by K2FeO4 and CaCO3 for phenol removal: Governing factors and mechanisms.

In this study, a novel nitrogen-doped magnetic Fe-Ca codoped biochar for phenol removal was successfully fabricated via a hydrothermal and coactivation pyrolysis method. A series of adsorption process parameters (K2FeO4 to CaCO3 ratio, initial phenol concentration, pH value, adsorption time, adsorbent dosage and ion strength) and adsorption models (kinetic models, isotherms and thermodynamic models) were determined using batch experiments and various analysis techniques (XRD, BET, SEM-EDX, Raman spectroscopy, VSM, FTIR and XPS) to investigate the adsorption mechanism and metal-nitrogen-carbon interaction. The biochar with a ratio of Biochar: K2FeO4: CaCO3 = 3:1:1 exhibited superior properties for adsorption of phenol and had a maximum adsorption capacity of 211.73 mg/g at 298 K, C0 = 200 mg/L, pH = 6.0 and t = 480 min. These excellent adsorption properties were due to superior physicomechanical properties (a large specific surface area (610.53 m2/g) and pore volume (0.3950 cm3/g), a well-developed pore structure (hierarchical), a high graphitization degree (ID/IG = 2.02), the presence of O/N-rich functional groups and Fe-Ox,Ca-Ox, N-doping, as well as synergistic activation by K2FeO4 and CaCO3). The Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models effectively fit the adsorption data, indicating multilayer physicochemical adsorption. Pore filling and π-π interactions were the predominant mechanisms for phenol removal, and H-bonding interactions, Lewis-acid-base interactions, and metal complexation played an important role in enhancing phenol removal. A simple, feasible approach with application potential to organic contaminant/pollutant removal was developed in this study.

Widespread global disparities between modelled and observed mid-depth ocean currents.

The mid-depth ocean circulation is critically linked to actual changes in the long-term global climate system. However, in the past few decades, predictions based on ocean circulation models highlight the lack of data, knowledge, and long-term implications in climate change assessment. Here, using 842,421 observations produced by Argo floats from 2001-2020, and Lagrangian simulations, we show that only 3.8% of the mid-depth oceans, including part of the equatorial Pacific Ocean and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, can be regarded as accurately modelled, while other regions exhibit significant underestimations in mean current velocity. Knowledge of ocean circulation is generally more complete in the low-latitude oceans but is especially poor in high latitude regions. Accordingly, we propose improvements in forecasting, model representation of stochasticity, and enhancement of observations of ocean currents. The study demonstrates that knowledge and model representations of global circulation are substantially compromised by inaccuracies of significant magnitude and direction, with important implications for modelled predictions of currents, temperature, carbon dioxide sequestration, and sea-level rise trends.

Tsuneonella litorea sp. nov., a novel carotenoid-producing bacterium isolated from coastal sediment.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and pleomorphic bacterium designated as YG55T was isolated from a coastal sediment sample. Growth was found to occur at 10-37 °C (optimum, 28 °C), at pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 8) and in 0-6 % NaCl (optimum, 1 %). The results of 16S rRNA gene-based analysis showed that strain YG55T was related to the members of the genus Tsuneonella and shared the highest identity of 99.4 % with Tsuneonella dongtanensis GDMCC 1.2307T, followed by Tsuneonella troitsensis JCM 17037T (98.4 %). The phylogenomic results indicated that strain YG55T formed an independent branch distinct from the reference type strains. The 22.7 and 21.8 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values and 83.0 and 81.8 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain YG55T and the two relatives were below the species definition thresholds of 70 % (dDDH) and 95-96 % (ANI), indicating that the strain represents a novel genospecies. The results of chemotaxonomic characterization indicated that the major cellular fatty acids of strain YG55T were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω6c and/or C18 : 1 ω7c), C14 : 0 2OH and C16 : 0; the main polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and sphingoglycolipid; the respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10. The genomic size and DNA G+C contents were 3.03 Mbp and 66.98 %. The strain contained carotenoid biosynthesis genes and could produce carotenoids. Based on its genotypic and phenotypic characteristics, strain YG55T is concluded to represent a novel species of the genus Tsuneonella, for which the name Tsuneonella litorea sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YG55T (=GDMCC 1.2590 T=KCTC 82812T).

Prenatal exposure to particulate matter and term low birth weight: systematic review and meta-analysis.

To evaluate the relationships between maternal particulate matter exposure and offspring birth weight. Studies were categorized into three subgroups: term low birth weight (TLBW) among full-term births and all births (regardless of gestational age) and low birth weight (LBW) among all births, based on the search results of MEDLINE and the Web of Science from the inception of the database to April 2022. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on the economic status, region, exposure assessment, risk of bias, and adjustment. Sixty-one studies involving 34,506,975 singleton live births in 15 countries were analyzed. Overall, the risk of bias for most studies (75%) was low. In 39 of 47 term birth studies, the pooled odds ratio of TLBW among term births for per interquartile range (IQR) increases throughout the entire pregnancy was 1.02 (1.01 to 1.03) for PM2.5 and 1.03 (1.01 to 1.05) for PM10 after adjustment for covariates. No significant relevance was detected across each trimester period for PM2.5. A stronger effect was observed during the second trimester (1.03, 1.01 to 1.06) for PM10. There was no increased risk of TLBW in all births associated with IQR increases in PM2.5 and PM10. LBW was associated with PM2.5 exposure in 4 of 7 studies, but statistical heterogeneity was considerable. In the TLBW subgroup analysis, the effects of PM2.5 and PM10 were both greater in studies conducted in advanced countries, studies with low bias, and studies that adjusted for maternal age, infant sex, and parity. Stronger effects were present for PM2.5 exposure collected from monitoring stations and PM10 exposure interpolated from the inverse distance weighting model. TLBW may be associated with prenatal exposure to particulate matter, but no critical windows were identified. Stronger associations were observed in advanced countries. Future original study designs need to consider the impact of different exposure assessment modalities and all possible confounding factors.

Quantifying human mobility resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic: A case study of Beijing, China.

Human mobility, as a fundamental requirement of everyday life, has been most directly impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing studies have revealed its ensuing changes. However, its resilience, which is defined as people's ability to resist such impact and maintain their normal mobility, still remains unclear. Such resilience reveals people's response capabilities to the pandemic and quantifying it can help us better understand the interplay between them. Herein, we introduced an integrated framework to quantify the resilience of human mobility to COVID-19 based on its change process. Taking Beijing as a case study, the resilience of different mobility characteristics among different population groups, and under different waves of COVID-19, were compared. Overall, the mobility range and diversity were found to be less resilient than decisions on whether to move. Females consistently exhibited lower resilience than males; middle-aged people exhibited the lowest resilience under the first wave of COVID-19 while older adult's resilience became the lowest during the COVID-19 rebound. With the refinement of pandemic-control measures, human mobility resilience was enhanced. These findings reveal heterogeneities and variations in people's response capabilities to the pandemic, which can help formulate targeted and flexible policies, and thereby promote sustainable and resilient urban management.

Structural characterization, in vivo toxicity and biological activity of two new pyro-type diterpenoid alkaloids derived from 3-acetylaconitine / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#The transformations that occur in diterpenoid alkaloids during the process of sand frying for Chinese herbal medicine preparation have yet to be clarified. This study investigated the structural changes that take place in 3-acetylaconitine during a simulation of heat-processing and evaluated the toxicity and biological activity of the pyrolysis products.@*METHODS@#The diterpenoid alkaloid 3-acetylaconitine was heated at 180 °C for 15 min to simulate the process of sand frying. The pyrolysis products were separated using column chromatography, and their structures were investigated using high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Further, in vivo cardiotoxicity and acute toxicity of 3-acetylaconitine and its pyrolysis products were compared, and the aconitine-induced arrhythmia model was employed to evaluate the antiarrhythmic effect of the pyrolysis products.@*RESULTS@#Two new diterpenoid alkaloids, pyroacetylaconitine and 16-epi-pyroacetylaconitine, a pair of epimers at C-16, were isolated. After comparing the structures of these compounds, possible transformation pathways were proposed. Compared with the prototype compound, 3-acetylaconitine, the cardiotoxicity and acute toxicity of the heat-transformed products were significantly decreased. In the biological activity assay, the two pyrolysis products exhibited an effective increase in ventricular premature beat latency, a reduction in the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia, as well as an increase in the rate of arrhythmia inhibition, implying strong antiarrhythmic activity.@*CONCLUSION@#Compared with 3-acetylaconitine, its pyrolysis products displayed lower toxicity and good antiarrhythmic effects; thus, they have potential for being developed into antiarrhythmic medicines. Please cite this article as: Wang YJ, Wang Y, Tao P. Structural characterization, in vivo toxicity and biological activity of two new pyro-type diterpenoid alkaloids derived from 3-acetylaconitine. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(3): 302-314.