T6SS nuclease effectors in Pseudomonas syringae act as potent antimicrobials in interbacterial competition.

Type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a potent weapon employed by various Pseudomonas species to compete with neighboring microorganisms for limited nutrients and ecological niches. However, the involvement of T6SS effectors in interbacterial competition within the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae remains unknown. In this study, we examined two T6SS clusters in a wild-type P. syringae MB03 and verified the involvement of one cluster, namely, T6SS-1, in interbacterial competition. Additionally, our results showed that two T6SS DNase effectors, specifically Tde1 and Tde4, effectively outcompeted antagonistic bacteria, with Tde4 playing a prominent role. Furthermore, we found several cognate immunity proteins, including Tde1ia, Tde1ib, and Tde4i, which are located in the downstream loci of their corresponding effector protein genes and worked synergistically to protect MB03 cells from self-intoxication. Moreover, expression of either Tde1 or C-terminus of Tde4 in Escherichia coli cells induced DNA degradation and changes in cell morphology. Thus, our results provide new insights into the role of the T6SS effectors of P. syringae in the interbacterial competition in the natural environment. IMPORTANCE: The phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae employs an active type VI secretion system (T6SS) to outcompete other microorganisms in the natural environment, particularly during the epiphytic growth in the phyllosphere. By examining two T6SS clusters in P. syringae MB03, T6SS-1 is found to be effective in killing Escherichia coli cells. We highlight the excellent antibacterial effect of two T6SS DNase effectors, namely, Tde1 and Tde4. Both of them function as nuclease effectors, leading to DNA degradation and cell filamentation in prey cells, ultimately resulting in cell death. Our findings deepen our understanding of the T6SS effector repertoires used in P. syringae and will facilitate the development of effective antibacterial strategies.

General strategy for developing thick-film micro-thermoelectric coolers from material fabrication to device integration.

Micro-thermoelectric coolers are emerging as a promising solution for high-density cooling applications in confined spaces. Unlike thin-film micro-thermoelectric coolers with high cooling flux at the expense of cooling temperature difference due to very short thermoelectric legs, thick-film micro-thermoelectric coolers can achieve better comprehensive cooling performance. However, they still face significant challenges in both material preparation and device integration. Herein, we propose a design strategy which combines Bi2Te3-based thick film prepared by powder direct molding with micro-thermoelectric cooler integrated via phase-change batch transfer. Accurate thickness control and relatively high thermoelectric performance can be achieved for the thick film, and the high-density-integrated thick-film micro-thermoelectric cooler exhibits excellent performance with maximum cooling temperature difference of 40.6 K and maximum cooling flux of 56.5 W·cm-2 at room temperature. The micro-thermoelectric cooler also shows high temperature control accuracy (0.01 K) and reliability (over 30000 cooling cycles). Moreover, the device demonstrates remarkable capacity in power generation with normalized power density up to 214.0 µW · cm-2 · K-2. This study provides a general and scalable route for developing high-performance thick-film micro-thermoelectric cooler, benefiting widespread applications in thermal management of microsystems.

Nonuniform and pathway-specific laminar processing of spatial frequencies in the primary visual cortex of primates.

The neocortex comprises six cortical layers that play a crucial role in information processing; however, it remains unclear whether laminar processing is consistent across all regions within a single cortex. In this study, we demonstrate diverse laminar response patterns in the primary visual cortex (V1) of three male macaque monkeys when exposed to visual stimuli at different spatial frequencies (SFs). These response patterns can be categorized into two groups. One group exhibit suppressed responses in the output layers for all SFs, while the other type shows amplified responses specifically at high SFs. Further analysis suggests that both magnocellular (M) and parvocellular (P) pathways contribute to the suppressive effect through feedforward mechanisms, whereas amplification is specific to local recurrent mechanisms within the parvocellular pathway. These findings highlight the non-uniform distribution of neural mechanisms involved in laminar processing and emphasize how pathway-specific amplification selectively enhances representations of high-SF information in primate V1.

Characterization of a novel circular bacteriocin from Bacillus velezensis 1-3, and its mode of action against Listeria monocytogenes.

In this study, isolate Bacillus velezensis1-3 was selected out for its anti- Listeria potency, from which a novel circular bacteriocin, velezin, was purified out of the fermentate, and then characterized. Facilitated with a broad antibacterial spectrum, velezin has demonstrated decent inhibitive activity against of foodborne pathogen L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. It exerted the antibacterial activity through damaging the membrane integrity of targeted cell and causing leakage of vital elements, including K+ ion. It was noteworthy that velezin also inhibited the biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115. At the challenge of velezin, L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 up-regulated expression of genes associated with membrane, ion transporters, stressing-related proteins as well as the genes responsible for the synthesis of small molecule. Taken together, velezin may have potential to be a candidate as natural additive used in food/feed in the future.

A Fluorination Strategy and Low-Acidity Anchoring Group in Self-Assembled Molecules for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

Herein, we synthesized two donor-acceptor (D-A) type small organic molecules with self-assembly properties, namely MPA-BT-BA and MPA-2FBT-BA, both containing a low acidity anchoring group, benzoic acid. After systematically investigation, it is found that, with the fluorination, the MPA-2FBT-BA demonstrates a lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level, higher hole mobility, higher hydrophobicity and stronger interaction with the perovskite layer than that of MPA-BT-BA. As a result, the device based-on MPA-2FBT-BA displays a better crystallization and morphology of perovskite layer with larger grain size and less non-radiative recombination. Consequently, the device using MPA-2FBT-BA as hole transport material achieved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.32 % and remarkable stability. After being kept in an N2 glove box for 116 days, the unsealed PSCs' device retained 93 % of its initial PCE. Even exposed to air with a relative humidity range of 30±5 % for 43 days, its PCE remained above 91 % of its initial condition. This study highlights the vital importance of the fluorination strategy combined with a low acidity anchoring group in SAMs, offering a pathway to achieve efficient and stable PSCs.

Analysis of factors impacting postoperative pain and quality of life in patients with mixed hemorrhoids: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhoids are among the most common and frequently encountered chronic anorectal diseases in anorectal surgery. They are venous clusters formed by congestion, expansion, and flexion of the venous plexus in the lower part of the rectum. Mixed hemorrhoids bleed easily and recurrently, and this can result in severe anemia. Hence, they may have a negative effect on the health of the patient and surgical treatment is required. Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy has been widely used since 1937 for the treatment of grade III and IV hemorrhoids. However, most patients experience different degrees of postoperative pain that may cause anxiety. AIM: To assess the factors influencing pain scores and quality of life (QoL) in patients with mixed hemorrhoids post-surgery. METHODS: The clinical data of patients with mixed hemorrhoids who underwent Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy were collected retrospectively. The basic characteristics of the enrolled patients with mixed hemorrhoids were recorded, and based on the Goligher clinical grading system, the hemorrhoids were classified as grades III or IV. The endpoint of this study was the disappearance of pain in all patients. Quantitative data were presented as mean ± SD, such as age, pain score, and QoL score. Student's t-test was used to compare the groups. RESULTS: A total of 164 patients were enrolled. The distribution of the visual analog scale pain scores of all patients at 3, 7, 14 and 28 d after surgery showed that post-surgery pain was significantly reduced with the passage of time. Fourteen days after the operation, the pain had completely disappeared in some patients. Twenty-eight days after the surgery, none of the patients experienced any pain. Comparing the World Health Organization Quality of Life - BREF self-reporting questionnaire scores of patients between 14 and 28 d after surgery, we observed that the quality-of-life scores of the patients post-surgery had significantly improved. There were six items that were compared at 14- and 28-d post-surgery. The mean QoL score 28 d after surgery (4.79 ± 0.46) was higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (3.79 ± 0.57). The mean health condition score 28 d after surgery (4.80 ± 0.41) was also higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (4.01 ± 0.62). The mean physical health score 28 d after surgery (32.10 ± 2.96) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (23.41 ± 2.85). The mean psychological health score 28 d after surgery (27.22 ± 1.62) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (21.37 ± 1.70). The mean social relations score 28 d after surgery (12.21 ± 1.59) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (6.32 ± 1.66). The mean surrounding environment score 28 d after surgery (37.13 ± 2.88) was significantly higher than that at 14 d post-surgery (28.42 ± 2.86). The differences in quality-of-life scores at day 14 and day 28 post-surgery were observed to be statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy can significantly improve the postoperative QoL of patients. Age, sex, and the number of surgical resections were important factors influencing Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy.

A linker selective retention strategy to construct hierarchical porous metal-organic frameworks with high catalytic activity for oxidative desulfurization.

In order to improve the oxidative desulfurization (ODS) performance of MOF materials, an effective way is to convert a microporous MOF into a hierarchical porous MOF (HP-MOF) by utilizing the linker selective retention strategy. Herein, UiO-66 with the introduction of an unstable linker ligand (dihydro-1,2,4,5-tetrazine-3,6-dicarboxylate, dhtz) can selectively remove dhtz ligands to form HP-MOF (HP-UiO-66-dhtz) through heat treatment at high temperature. While maintaining the original structure of UiO-66, HP-UiO-66-dhtz features mesopores and abundant Lewis acid sites, showing excellent ODS performance for diphenylthiophene (DBT).

Efficient remediation of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and plant-growth promotion with the application of a phosphate-solubilizing compound microbial agent.

The ecotoxic endocrine-disrupting chemical di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is ubiquitous in agricultural soil, posing a serious threat to human health. Here, we report efficient soil-borne DEHP degradation and plant growth promotion by a microbial organic fertilizer GK-PPB prepared by combining a recycled garden waste-kitchen waste compost product with ternary compound microbial agent PPB-MA, composed of Penicillium oxalic MB08F, Pseudomonas simiae MB751, and Bacillus tequilensis MB05B. The combination of MB08F and MB751 provided synergistic phosphorus solubilization, and MB05B enhanced the DEHP degradation capacity of MB08F via bioemulsification. Under optimal conditions (25.70 °C and pH 7.62), PPB-MA achieved a 96.81 % degradation percentage for 1000 mg L-1 DEHP within 5 days. The degradation curve followed first-order kinetics with a half-life of 18.24 to 24.76 h. A complete mineralization pathway was constructed after identifying the degradation intermediates of 2H-labeled DEHP. Evaluation in Caenorhabditis elegans N2 showed that PPB-MA eliminated the ecological toxicity of DEHP. A pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) pot experiment demonstrated that GK-PPB promoted phosphorus solubilization and plant growth, reduced soil DEHP residue, and decreased DEHP accumulation in pakchoi, suggesting its potential practical utility in environmentally responsible and safe cultivation of vegetables.

Comparative analysis of micronucleus induction and DNA damage biomarkers in TK6 and A375 cells using flow cytometry.

Previously, we introduced an alternative adherent A375 cell line for clastogenicity and aneugenicity testing using a high content imaging platform. To further characterize the performance of A375 cells, we investigated the sensitivity and specificity of A375 and TK6 cells by directly comparing micronucleus (MN) induction, cytotoxicity (relative cell counts, viability, and apoptosis), clastogenicity (γH2AX), and aneuploidy markers (pH 3, MPM-2, and polyploidy) using flow cytometric methods. We evaluated 14 compounds across different mechanisms (non-genotoxic apoptosis inducers, clastogens, and aneugens with either tubulin binding or aurora kinase inhibiting phenotypes) at 4-h and 24-h post treatment. Both aneugens and clastogens tested positive for micronucleus induction in both cell lines. Apoptosis continued to be a confounding factor for flow cytometry-based micronuclei assessment in TK6 cells as evidenced by positive responses by the three cytotoxicants. Conversely, A375 cells were not affected by apoptosis-related false positive signals and did not produce a positive response in the in vitro micronucleus assay. Benchmark dose response (BMD) analysis showed that the induction of micronuclei and biomarkers occurred at similar concentrations in both cell lines for clastogens and aneugens. By showing that A375 cells have similar sensitivity to TK6 cells but a greater specificity, these results provide additional support for A375 cells to be used as an alternative adherent cell line for in vitro genetic toxicology assessment.

The neural origin for asymmetric coding of surface color in the primate visual cortex.

The coding privilege of end-spectral hues (red and blue) in the early visual cortex has been reported in primates. However, the origin of such bias remains unclear. Here, we provide a complete picture of the end-spectral bias in visual system by measuring fMRI signals and spiking activities in macaques. The correlated end-spectral biases between the LGN and V1 suggest a subcortical source for asymmetric coding. Along the ventral pathway from V1 to V4, red bias against green peaked in V1 and then declined, whereas blue bias against yellow showed an increasing trend. The feedforward and recurrent modifications of end-spectral bias were further revealed by dynamic causal modeling analysis. Moreover, we found that the strongest end-spectral bias in V1 was in layer 4C[Formula: see text]. Our results suggest that end-spectral bias already exists in the LGN and is transmitted to V1 mainly through the parvocellular pathway, then embellished by cortical processing.

Novel enterprises digital transformation influence empirical study.

With the rapid development of technologies such as cloud computing and big data, various levels of government departments in the country have successively introduced digital subsidy policies to promote enterprises' digital transformation. However, the effectiveness of these policies and their ability to truly achieve policy objectives have become pressing concerns across society. Against this backdrop, this paper employs a moderated mediation effects model to empirically analyze the incentive effects of financial subsidies on the digital transformation of A-share listed manufacturing companies in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2013 to 2022. The research findings indicate a significant promotion effect of financial subsidies on the digital transformation of manufacturing enterprises, especially demonstrating a notable incentive impact on the digital transformation of large enterprises, non-asset-intensive enterprises, technology-intensive enterprises, and non-labor-intensive enterprises. However, the incentive effect on the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), asset-intensive enterprises, non-technology-intensive enterprises, and labor-intensive enterprises is not significant. Notably, the expansion of financial subsidies positively influences the augmentation of R&D investment within manufacturing enterprises, subsequently providing indirect encouragement for their digital transformation. Additionally, the incorporation of the degree of marketization implies its potential to moderate both the direct and indirect impacts of financial subsidies on enterprise digital transformation. This study enriches the research on the mechanism of the role of financial subsidies in digital transformation and provides empirical evidence on how market participation influences the effects of financial subsidies, thereby assisting policymakers in comprehensively understanding the impact of financial subsidy policies on different types of enterprises.

Residential Segregation and County-Level COVID-19 Booster Coverage in the Deep South: Surveillance Report and Ecological Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 had a greater impact in the Deep South compared with other regions in the United States. While vaccination remains a top priority for all eligible individuals, data regarding the progress of booster coverage in the Deep South and how the coverage varies by county and age are sparse. Despite existing evidence of racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 vaccinations at the individual level, there is an urgent need for evidence at the population level. Such information could highlight vulnerable communities and guide future health care policy-making and resource allocation. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate county-level COVID-19 booster coverage by age group in the Deep South and explore its association with residential segregation. METHODS: An ecological study was conducted at the population level by integrating COVID-19 vaccine surveillance data, residential segregation index, and county-level factors across the 418 counties of 5 Deep South states from December 15, 2021, to October 19, 2022. We analyzed the cumulative percentages of county-level COVID-19 booster uptake by age group (eg, 12 to 17 years, 18 to 64 years, and at least 65 years) by the end of the study period. The longitudinal relationships were examined between residential segregation, the interaction of time and residential segregation, and COVID-19 booster coverage using the Poisson model. RESULTS: As of October 19, 2022, among the 418 counties, the median of booster uptake was 40% (IQR 37.8%-43%). Compared with older adults (ie, at least 65 years; median 63.1%, IQR 59.5%-66.5%), youth (ie, 12 to 17 years; median 14.1%, IQR 11.3%-17.4%) and adults (ie, 18 to 64 years; median 33.4%, IQR 30.5%-36.5%) had lower percentages of booster uptake. There was geospatial heterogeneity in the county-level COVID-19 booster coverage. We found that higher segregated counties had lower percentages of booster coverage. Such relationships attenuated as time increased. The findings were consistent across the age groups. CONCLUSIONS: The progress of county-level COVID-19 booster coverage in the Deep South was slow and varied by age group. Residential segregation precluded the county-level COVID-19 booster coverage across age groups. Future efforts regarding vaccination strategies should focus on youth and adults. Health care facilities and resources are needed in racial and ethnic minority communities.

High-Throughput Screening of Effective Dual Atom Catalysts for the Nitric Oxide Reduction Reaction.

Electrochemical NO-to-NH3 conversion has been attracting more attention in the field of green energy, which, however, imposes restrictions on the catalysts. We therefore design a family of dual atom catalysts (DACs) TM1TM2@g-CN and perform high-throughput screening to position the effective catalysts for electrocatalytic NO-to-NH3 conversion from first-principles computations. We identify that TiCr@g-CN (-0.37 V), TiMo@g-CN (-0.36 V), and MnMo@g-CN (-0.43 V) are promising candidates with low overpotentials. In particular, we find that MoMo@g-CN can spontaneously reduce NO to NH3, which makes it an excellent electrocatalyst for the NO reduction reaction (NORR) to be translated to experiments. In terms of the local geometry feature and local electronic structures, we unravel the origin of the high NORR activity and high selectivity of the DAC MoMo@g-CN.

Self-Powered Temperature Electronic Skin Based on Island-Bridge Structure and Bi-Te Micro-Thermoelectric Generator for Distributed Mini-Region Sensing.

Thermoelectric (TE) effect based temperature sensor can accurately convert temperature signal into voltage without external power supply, which have great application prospects in self-powered temperature electronic skin (STES). But the fabrication of stretchable and distributed STES still remains a challenge. Here, a novel STES design strategy is proposed by combining flexible island-bridge structure with BiTe-based micro-thermoelectric generator (µ-TEG). Furthermore, a 4 × 4 vertical temperature sensor array with good stretchability and distributed sensing property has been fabricated for the first time. The interfacial chemical bonds located between the rigid islands (µ-TEG) and the flexible substrate (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) endow the STES with excellent stretchability, and its sensing performance remains unchanged under 30% strain (the maximum strain of human skin). Moreover, the STES sensing unit possesses high sensitivity (729 µV K-1 ), rapid response time (0.157 s), and high spatial resolution (2.75 × 2.75 mm2 ). As a proof of concept, this work demonstrates the application of the STES in the detection of mini-region heat sources in various scenarios including noncontact spatial temperature responsing, intelligent robotic thermosensing, and wearable temperature sensing. Such an inspiring design strategy is expected to provide guidance for the design and fabrication of wearable self-powered temperature sensors.

Understanding social risk factors of county-level disparities in COVID-19 tests per confirmed case in South Carolina using statewide electronic health records data.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 testing is essential for pandemic control, and insufficient testing in areas with high disease burdens could magnify the risk of poor health outcomes. However, few area-based studies on COVID-19 testing disparities have considered the disease burden (e.g., confirmed cases). The current study aims to investigate socioeconomic drivers of geospatial disparities in COVID-19 testing relative to disease burden across 46 counties in South Carolina (SC) in the early (from April 1, 2020, to June 30, 2020) and later (from July 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021) phases of the pandemic. METHODS: Using SC statewide COVID-19 testing data, the COVID-19 testing coverage was measured by monthly COVID-19 tests per confirmed case (hereafter CTPC) in each county. We used modified Lorenz curves to describe the unequal geographic distribution of CTPC and generalized linear mixed-effects regression models to assess the association of county-level social risk factors with CTPC in two phases of the pandemic in SC. RESULTS: As of September 30, 2021, a total of 641,201 out of 2,941,227 tests were positive in SC. The Lorenz curve showed that county-level disparities in CTPC were less apparent in the later phase of the pandemic. Counties with a larger percentage of Black had lower CTPC during the early phase (ß = -0.94, 95%CI: -1.80, -0.08), while such associations reversed in the later phase (ß = 0.28, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.55). The association of some other social risk factors diminished as the pandemic evolved, such as food insecurity (ß: -1.19 and -0.42; p-value is < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS: County-level disparities in CTPC and their predictors are dynamic across the pandemic. These results highlight the systematic inequalities in COVID-19 testing resources and accessibility, especially in the early stage of the pandemic. Counties with greater social vulnerability and those with fewer health care resources should be paid extra attention in the early and later phases, respectively. The current study provided empirical evidence for public health agencies to conduct more targeted community-based testing campaigns to enhance access to testing in future public health crises.

In Situ Photoisomerization of an Azobenzene-Based Triple Helicate with a Prolonged Thermal Relaxation Time.

The phosphate-coordination triple helicates A2 L3 (A=anion) with azobenzene-spaced bis-bis(urea) ligands (L) have proven to undergo a rare in situ photoisomerization (without disassembly of the structure) rather than the typically known, stepwise "disassembly-isomerization-reassembly" process. This is enabled by the structural self-adaptability of the "aniono" assembly arising from multiple relatively weak and flexible hydrogen bonds between the phosphate anion and bis(urea) units. Notably, the Z→E thermal relaxation rate of the isomerized azobenzene unit is significantly decreased (up to 20-fold) for the triple helicates compared to the free ligands. Moreover, the binding of chiral guest cations inside the cavity of the Z-isomerized triple helicate can induce optically pure diastereomers, thus demonstrating a new strategy for making light-activated chiroptical materials.

Place Visitation Data Reveals the Geographic and Racial Disparities of COVID-19 Impact on HIV Service Utilization in the Deep South.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented pressure to health care systems, and interrupted health care delivery and access including HIV care in the United States' Deep South, which endures a double epidemic of HIV and COVID-19. Ryan White programs cover HIV care services for over half of PLWH in the Deep South. Given the important role of Ryan White programs, examining the visitation changes to Ryan White facilities during the pandemic offers insights into the impact of the pandemic on HIV healthcare utilization. OBJECTIVES: Analyze the geographic distribution of HIV facility visitors at the county level before and during the pandemic in the nine US states of Deep South (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas) to reveal the geographic and racial disparity in visitation disruption caused by the pandemic. METHODS: We first extracted mobile device-based visitation data for Ryan White HIV facilities in the Deep South during 2019 and 2020. To quantify the disruption in visitations during 2020, we calculated the visitation reduction rate (VRR) for each county, using 2019 data as the baseline. Next, we conducted a spatial analysis of the VRR values to uncover geographical disparities in visitation interruptions. To investigate racial disparities, we performed spatial regression analyses with VRR as the dependent variable, and the percentages of Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations as the independent variables. In this analysis, we controlled for potential confounders. RESULTS: Geographic disparities in visitation reduction were observed, with all nine Deep South states experiencing significant drops. Georgia experienced the highest visitation loss (VRR = -0.58), followed by Texas (-0.47), Alabama (0.47), and Tennessee (-0.46), while South Carolina had the smallest reductions (-0.11). All the regression models consistently revealed racial disparities in visitation interruption. That is, counties with a higher proportion of Black population tended to have higher RW facility visitation reductions. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed distinct geographic disparities in visitation interruptions at Ryan White HIV facilities in the Deep South during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Furthermore, we found that the Black/African American population experienced a greater disruption at the county level in the Deep South during this period.

Anger and aggression research: A bibliometric analysis from 2012 to 2022.

Anger and aggression are common sources of distress and impairment. There is, however, no available data on anger and aggression based on bibliometric analysis. This study uses bibliometric analysis to analyze research hotspots and trends in anger and aggression. Publications on anger and aggression within the last ten years were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection. Using descriptive bibliometrics, journals, countries, institutions, authors, references, and keywords in anger and aggression research were visually analyzed via CiteSpace. A total of 3114 articles were included, and studies on anger and aggression increased yearly. The publications are mainly from 106 countries led by the USA and 381 institutions led by Univ Penn. We identified 505 authors, where Emil F. Coccaro had the highest number of articles, while Buss A.H. was the most frequently co-cited author. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR is the journal that bore most of the studies, while PLOS ONE was the most cited journal. Our analysis demonstrated that research on anger and aggression is flourishing. Behaviors of anger and aggression, risk factors, neural mechanisms, personality, and adolescence have been researched hotspots in the past ten years. Besides, victimization, drosophila melanogaster, psychopathic traits, and perpetration are emerging anger and aggression research trends.

Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of Xihuang Pills/capsules in adjuvant treatment of uterine cervical neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Xihuang Pills/Capsules have a longstanding history of utilization in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for treating cancer. Nevertheless, a comprehensive investigation is required regarding the specific impacts and safety of Xihuang Pills/Capsules in individuals with uterine cervical neoplasms. Thus, conducting a meta-analysis is essential to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of combining Xihuang Pills/Capsules with Western medicine in patients with cervical neoplasms. METHODS: The research involved searching 5 English and 4 Chinese databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the use of Xihuang Pills/Capsules in conjunction with Western medicine for treating uterine cervical neoplasms. Subsequently, statistical analysis was carried out using Review Manager software (version 5.3). RESULTS: This research encompassed 10 RCTs involving 937 patients. The findings revealed that the combination of Xihuang Pills/Capsules with Western medicine treatment led to improvements in various aspects of the patients' condition. Specifically, there was an enhancement in the short-term efficacy rate (risk ratio [RR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.22, P = .0003), Karnofsky performance score (KPS) (mean difference [MD] = 5.90, 95% CI: 0.54-11.26, P = .03), survival rates, CD3+, CD3 + CD4+, CD3 + CD8+, CD3-CD56 + cells, and immunoglobulin M in patients with uterine cervical neoplasms. Moreover, the combination treatment resulted in a reduction of adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal reactions (RR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.42-0.64, P < .00001), radiation proctitis (RR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.33-0.68, P < .0001), myelosuppression (RR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.26-0.64, P < .0001), as well as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) levels. Additionally, the treatment exhibited an inhibitory effect on white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets (PLTs). CONCLUSION: The amalgamation of Xihuang Pills/Capsules with conventional anti-tumor therapy proves to be both effective and safe in the treatment of cervical neoplasms. However, further validation through high-quality RCTs is necessary to substantiate these findings.

The Deubiquitinase OTUD1 Suppresses Secretory Neutrophil Polarization And Ameliorates Immunopathology of Periodontitis.

Tissue-infiltrating neutrophils (TINs) secrete various signaling molecules to establish paracrine communication within the inflammatory milieu. It is imperative to identify molecular mediators that control this secretory phenotype of TINs. The present study uncovers a secretory neutrophil subset that exhibits increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production and enhanced migratory capacity which is highly related with periodontal pathogenesis. Further analysis identifies the OTU domain-containing protein 1 (OTUD1) plays a regulatory role in this secretory neutrophil polarization. In human and mouse periodontitis, the waning of inflammation is correlated with OTUD1 upregulation, whereas severe periodontitis is induced when neutrophil-intrinsic OTUD1 is depleted. Mechanistically, OTUD1 interacts with SEC23B, a component of the coat protein II complex (COPII). By removing the K63-linked polyubiquitin chains on SEC23B Lysine 81, the deubiquitinase OTUD1 negatively regulates the COPII secretory machinery and limits protein ER-to-Golgi trafficking, thus restricting the surface expression of integrin-regulated proteins, CD9 and CD47. Accordingly, blockade of protein transport by Brefeldin A (BFA) curbs recruitment of Otud1-deficient TINs and attenuates inflammation-induced alveolar bone destruction. The results thus identify OTUD1 signaling as a negative feedback loop that limits the polarization of neutrophils with secretory phenotype and highlight the potential application of BFA in the treatment of periodontal inflammation.