Effects and mechanisms of ultrasound-assisted emulsification treatment on the curcumin delivery and digestive properties of myofibrillar protein-carboxymethyl cellulose complex emulsion gel.

Different emulsion gel systems are widely applied to deliver functional ingredients. The effects and mechanisms of ultrasound-assisted emulsification (UAE) treatment and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) modifying the curcumin delivery properties and in vitro digestibility of the myofibrillar protein (MP)-soybean oil emulsion gels were investigated. The rheological properties, droplet size, protein and CMC distribution, ultrastructure, surface hydrophobicity, sulfhydryl groups, and zeta potential of emulsion gels were also measured. Results indicate that UAE treatment and CMC addition both improved curcumin encapsulation and protection efficiency in MP emulsion gel, especially for the UAE combined with CMC (UAE-CMC) treatment which encapsulation efficiency, protection efficiency, the release rate, and bioaccessibility of curcumin increased from 86.75 % to 97.67 %, 44.85 % to 68.85 %, 18.44 % to 41.78 %, and 28.68 % to 44.93 % respectively. The protein digestibility during the gastric stage was decreased after the CMC addition and UAE treatment, and the protein digestibility during the intestinal stage was reduced after the CMC addition. The fatty acid release rate was increased after CMC addition and UAE treatment. Apparent viscosity, storage modulus, and loss modulus were decreased after CMC addition while increased after UAE and UAE-CMC treatment especially the storage modulus increased from 0.26 Pa to 41 Pa after UAE-CMC treatment. The oil size was decreased, the protein and CMC concentration around the oil was increased, and a denser and uniform emulsion gel network structure was formed after UAE treatment. The surface hydrophobicity, free SH groups, and absolute zeta potential were increased after UAE treatment. The UAE-CMC treatment could strengthen the MP emulsion gel structure and decrease the oil size to increase the curcumin delivery properties, and hydrophobic and electrostatic interaction might be essential forces to maintain the emulsion gel.

A ferritin nanoparticle vaccine based on the hemagglutinin extracellular domain of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus elicits protective immune responses in mice and pigs.

Introduction: Swine influenza viruses (SIVs) pose significant economic losses to the pig industry and are a burden on global public health systems. The increasing complexity of the distribution and evolution of different serotypes of influenza strains in swine herds escalates the potential for the emergence of novel pandemic viruses, so it is essential to develop new vaccines based on swine influenza. Methods: Here, we constructed a self-assembling ferritin nanoparticle vaccine based on the hemagglutinin (HA) extracellular domain of swine influenza A (H1N1) virus using insect baculovirus expression vector system (IBEVS), and after two immunizations, the immunogenicities and protective efficacies of the HA-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine against the swine influenza virus H1N1 strain in mice and piglets were evaluated. Results: Our results demonstrated that HA-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine induced more efficient immunity than traditional swine influenza vaccines. Vaccination with the HA-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine elicited robust hemagglutinin inhibition titers and antigen-specific IgG antibodies and increased cytokine levels in serum. MF59 adjuvant can significantly promote the humoral immunity of HA-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine. Furthermore, challenge tests showed that HA-Ferritin nanoparticle vaccine conferred full protection against lethal challenge with H1N1 virus and significantly decreased the severity of virus-associated lung lesions after challenge in both BALB/c mice and piglets. Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicate that the hemagglutinin extracellular-based ferritin nanoparticle vaccine may be a promising vaccine candidate against SIVs infection.

New species and records of Hybos Meigen (Diptera, Empidoidea) from Huaping National Nature Reserve, China.

In this study, 21 species of Hybos Meigen, 1803 are reviewed in Huaping National Nature Reserve, China. Among these, three species, i.e., Hybosdenticulatussp. nov., Hybosforcipatasp. nov. and H.paraterminalissp. nov., are described as new to science. In addition, nine known species of this genus are reported for the first time in Guangxi. All the known species were enumerated, and an identification key to the species of Hybos from Huaping National Nature Reserve based on morphological characteristics is provided.

Mass Production of Rg1-Loaded Small Extracellular Vesicles Using a 3D Bioreactor System for Enhanced Cardioprotective Efficacy of Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) obtained from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown cardioprotective efficacy in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC). However, their clinical application is limited due to the low yield and high consumption. This study aims to achieve large-scale production of sEVs using a three-dimensional (3D) bioreactor system. In addition, sEVs were developed to deliver Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), a compound derived from traditional Chinese medicine, Ginseng, that has cardioprotective properties but limited bioavailability, to enhance the treatment of DIC. METHODS: The 3D bioreactor system with spinner flasks was used to expand human umbilical cord MSCs and collect MSC-conditioned medium. Subsequently, sEVs were isolated from the conditioned medium using differential ultra-centrifugation (dUC). The sEVs were loaded with Ginsenoside Rg1 by electroporation and evaluated for cardioprotective efficacy using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) analysis, Annexin V/PI staining and live cell count of H9c2 cells under DIC. RESULTS: Using the 3D bioreactor system with spinner flasks, the expansion of MSCs reached ~600 million, and the production of sEVs was up to 2.2 × 1012 particles in five days with significantly reduced bench work compared to traditional 2D flasks. With the optimized protocol, the Ginsenoside Rg1 loading efficiency of sEVs by electroporation was ~21%, higher than sonication or co-incubation. Moreover, Rg1-loaded sEVs had attenuated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity with reduced apoptosis compared to free Ginsenoside Rg1 or sEVs. CONCLUSIONS: The 3D culture system scaled up the production of sEVs, which facilitated the Rg1 delivery and attenuated cardiomyocyte apoptosis, suggesting a potential treatment of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Myclobutanil induces cardiotoxicity in developing zebrafish larvae by initiating oxidative stress and apoptosis: The protective role of curcumin.

Myclobutanil (MYC) is a common triazole fungicide widely applied in agriculture. MYC extensively exists in the natural environment and can be detected in organisms. However, little is known about MYC-induced embryonic developmental damage. This study aimed to unravel the cardiotoxicity of MYC and the underlying mechanisms, as well as the cardioprotective effect of curcumin (CUR, an antioxidant polyphenol) using the zebrafish model. Here, zebrafish embryos were exposed to MYC at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L from 4 to 96 h post fertilization (hpf) and cardiac development was assessed. As results, MYC reduced the survival and hatching rate, body length and heart rate, but increased the malformation rate and spontaneous movement. MYC caused abnormal cardiac morphology and function in myl7:egfp transgenic zebrafish, and downregulated cardiac developmental genes. MYC promoted oxidative stress through excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and suppressed the activities of antioxidant enzymes, triggering cardiomyocytic apoptosis via upregulated expression of apoptosis-related genes. These adverse toxicities could be significantly ameliorated by the antioxidant properties of CUR, indicating that CUR rescued MYC-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Overall, our study revealed the potential mechanisms of oxidative stress and apoptosis in MYC-induced cardiotoxicity in zebrafish and identified the cardioprotection of CUR in this pathological process.

Predicting future vaccination habits: The link between influenza vaccination patterns and future vaccination decisions among old aged adults in China.

BACKGROUND: Annual influenza vaccination is crucially recommended for the elderly to maintain humoral immunity. Insufficient coverage requires us to understand the determinants of their influenza behaviors and how these patterns impact vaccination choices. METHODS: Data from 540 Beijing residents aged over 65 were collected through interviews, capturing vaccination history and sociodemographic details. Individual influenza vaccination records from 2016 to 2020 were obtained from China's Immunization Information Systems. A latent class model identified three vaccination patterns. Multinomial logistic regression assessed relative risk ratios (RRRs) for vaccination based on sociodemographic factors. Vaccination patterns were used to predict future vaccination likelihood. RESULTS: The analysis revealed three groups: sporadically vaccinated (63.33%), occasionally vaccinated (18.71%), and frequently vaccinated (17.96%). Factors associated with frequent vaccination included age over 70 (RRR = 2.81), lower income (RRR = 0.39), higher vaccine hesitancy (RRR = 3.10), multiple chronic conditions (RRR = 2.72), and rural residence (RRR = 2.48). The frequently vaccinated group was more likely to sustain regular vaccination habits in subsequent years compared to the occasionally vaccinated group. CONCLUSIONS: Only 17.96% of Beijing's older population exhibited a consistent influenza vaccination pattern. Older age, rural residency, and chronic diseases correlated with repeated influenza vaccination. Segmenting the population based on past vaccination behavior can aid in designing targeted interventions to improve vaccination rates.

The selective sponging of miRNAs by OIP5-AS1 regulates metabolic reprogramming of pyruvate in adenoma-carcinoma transition of human colorectal cancer.

RNA interactomes and their diversified functionalities have recently benefited from critical methodological advances leading to a paradigm shift from a conventional conception on the regulatory roles of RNA in pathogenesis. However, the dynamic RNA interactomes in adenoma-carcinoma sequence of human CRC remain unexplored. The coexistence of adenoma, cancer, and normal tissues in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients provides an appropriate model to address this issue. Here, we adopted an RNA in situ conformation sequencing technology for mapping RNA-RNA interactions in CRC patients. We observed large-scale paired RNA counts and identified some unique RNA complexes including multiple partners RNAs, single partner RNAs, non-overlapping single partner RNAs. We focused on the antisense RNA OIP5-AS1 and found that OIP5-AS1 could sponge different miRNA to regulate the production of metabolites including pyruvate, alanine and lactic acid. Our findings provide novel perspectives in CRC pathogenesis and suggest metabolic reprogramming of pyruvate for the early diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Sulforaphane decreases oxidative stress and inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis.

Excessive oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation are considered the main drivers of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and inhibition of inflammasomes ameliorates clinical symptoms and morphological manifestations of IBD. Herein, we examined the roles of NLRP3 activation in IBD and modulation of NLRP3 by sulforaphane (SFN), a compound with multiple pharmacological activities that is extracted from cruciferous plants. To simulate human IBD, we established a mouse colitis model by administering dextran sodium sulfate in the drinking water. SFN (25, 50 mg·kg-1·d-1, ig) or the positive control sulfasalazine (500 mg/kg, ig) was administered to colitis-affected mice for 7 days. Model mice displayed pathological alterations in colon tissue as well as classic symptoms of colitis beyond substantial tissue inflammation. Expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 was significantly elevated in the colonic epithelium. The expression of NLRP3 inflammasomes led to activation of downstream proteins and increases in the cytokines IL-18 and IL-1ß. SFN administration either fully or partially reversed these changes, thus restoring IL-18 and IL-1ß, substantially inhibiting NLRP3 activation, and decreasing inflammation. SFN alleviated the inflammation induced by LPS and NLRP3 agonists in RAW264.7 cells by decreasing the levels of reactive oxygen species. In summary, our results revealed the pathological roles of oxidative stress and NLRP3 in colitis, and indicated that SFN might serve as a natural NLRP3 inhibitor, thereby providing a new strategy for alternative colitis treatment.

Cuproptosis is involved in decabromodiphenyl ether-induced ovarian dysfunction and the protective effect of melatonin.

Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209) has been universally detected in environmental media and animals, but its damage to ovarian function and mechanism is still unclear, and melatonin has been shown to improve mammalian ovarian function. This study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of BDE-209 on the ovary and tried to improve ovarian function with melatonin. Herein, BDE-209 was administered orally to female SD rats for 60 days. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, HE staining, transcriptome analysis, qPCR and immunohistochemical staining were used to explore and verify the potential mechanism. We found that BDE-209 exposure had effects on the ovary, as shown by abnormal changes in the estrous cycle, hormone levels and ovarian reserve function in rats, while increasing the proportion of collagen fibres in ovarian tissue. In terms of mechanism, cuproptosis, a form of cell death, was identified to play a crucial role in BDE-209-induced ovarian dysfunction, with the phenotype manifested as copper salt accumulation in ovary, downregulation of glutathione pathway metabolism and copper transfer molecule (ATP7A/B), and upregulation of FDX1, lipoic acid pathway (LIAS, LIPT1), pyruvate dehydrogenase complex components (DLAT, PDHB, PDHA1), and copper transfer molecule (SLC31A1). Furthermore, possible interventions were explored. Notably, a supplement with melatonin has a repair effect on the damage to ovarian function by reversing the gene expression of cuproptosis-involved molecules. Overall, this study revealed that cuproptosis is involved in BDE-209-induced ovarian damage and the beneficial effect of melatonin on ovarian copper damage, providing evidence for the prevention and control of female reproductive damage induced by BDE-209.

Case report: Cutaneous anthrax diagnosed using mNGS of a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sample.

The metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) method is preferred for genotyping useful for the identification of organisms, illumination of metabolic pathways, and determination of microbiota. It can accurately obtain all the nucleic acid information in the test sample. Anthrax is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, infecting mainly herbivores and occasionally humans. The disease has four typical clinical forms, cutaneous, gastrointestinal, inhalation, and injection, all of which may result in sepsis or meningitis, with cutaneous being the most common form. Here, we report a case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS in a butcher. Histopathology of a skin biopsy revealed PAS-positive bacilli. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sample was confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax by mNGS. He was cured with intravenous penicillin. To our knowledge, this is the first case of cutaneous anthrax diagnosed by mNGS using FFPE tissue. mNGS is useful for identifying pathogens that are difficult to diagnose with conventional methods, and FFPE samples are simple to manage. Compared with traditional bacterial culture, which is difficult to cultivate and takes a long time, mNGS can quickly and accurately help us diagnose anthrax, so that anthrax can be controlled in a timely manner and prevent the outbreak of epidemic events.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) in corals of the South China Sea: Occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have garnered significant attention in recent years. In view of the enormous ecosystem services value and severe degradation of coral reefs in the South China Sea, this study investigated the occurrence, distribution, and bioaccumulation of 11 OPEs in five coral regions: Daya Bay (DY), Weizhou Island (WZ), Sanya Luhuitou (LHT), Xisha (XS) Islands, and Nansha (NS) Islands. Although OPEs were detected at a high rate, their concentration in South China Sea seawater (1.56 ± 0.89 ng L-1) remained relatively low compared to global levels. All OPEs were identified in coral tissues, with Luhuitou (575 ± 242 ng g-1 dw) showing the highest pollution levels, attributed to intense human activities. Coral mucus, acting as a defense against environmental stresses, accumulated higher ∑11OPEs (414 ± 461 ng g-1 dw) than coral tissues (412 ± 197 ng g-1 dw) (nonparametric test, p < 0.05), and their compositional characteristics varied greatly. In the case of harsh aquatic environments, corals increase mucus secretion and then accumulate organic pollutants. Tissue-mucus partitioning varied among coral species. Most OPEs were found to be bioaccumulative (BAFs >5000 L kg-1) in a few coral tissue samples besides Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP). Mucus' role in the bioaccumulation of OPEs in coral shouldn't be ignored.

Myclobutanil induces neurotoxicity by activating autophagy and apoptosis in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio).

Myclobutanil (MYC), a typical broad-spectrum triazole fungicide, is often detected in surface water. This study aimed to explore the neurotoxicity of MYC and the underlying mechanisms in zebrafish and in PC12 cells. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 0.5 and 1 mg/L of MYC from 4 to 96 h post fertilization (hpf) and neurobehavior was evaluated. Our data showed that MYC decreased the survival rate, hatching rate and heart rate, but increased the malformation rate and spontaneous movement. MYC caused abnormal neurobehaviors characterized by decreased swimming distance and movement time. MYC impaired cerebral histopathological morphology and inhibited neurogenesis in HuC:egfp transgenic zebrafish. MYC also reduced the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and downregulated neurodevelopment related genes (gfap, syn2a, gap43 and mbp) in zebrafish and PC12 cells. Besides, MYC activated autophagy through enhanced expression of the LC3-II protein and suppressed expression of the p62 protein and autophagosome formation, subsequently triggering apoptosis by upregulating apoptotic genes (p53, bax, bcl-2 and caspase 3) and the cleaved caspase-3 protein in zebrafish and PC12 cells. These processes were restored by the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) both in vivo and in vitro, indicating that MYC induces neurotoxicity by activating autophagy and apoptosis. Overall, this study revealed the potential autophagy and apoptosis mechanisms of MYC-induced neurotoxicity and provided novel strategies to counteract its toxicity.

Differential innate immune responses to fowl adenovirus serotype 4 infection in Leghorn male hepatocellular and chicken embryo fibroblast cells.

Fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4) infections result in substantial economic losses in the poultry industry. Recent findings have revealed that FAdV-4 significantly suppresses the host immune response upon infection; however, the specific viral and host factors contributing to this immunomodulatory activity remain poorly characterized. Moreover, diverse cell types exhibit differential immune responses to FAdV-4 infection. To elucidate cell-specific host responses, we performed transcriptomic analysis of FAdV-4 infected leghorn male hepatocellular (LMH) and chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells. Although FAdV-4 replicated more efficiently in LMH cells, it provoked limited interferon-stimulated gene induction. In contrast, FAdV-4 infection triggered robust antiviral responses in CEF cells, including upregulation of cytosolic DNA sensing and interferon-stimulated genes. Knockdown of key cytosolic DNA sensing molecules enhanced FAdV-4 replication in LMH cells while reducing interferon-stimulated gene expression. Our findings reveal cell-specific virus-host interactions that provide insight into FAdV-4 pathogenesis while identifying factors that mediate antiviral immunity against FAdV-4.

The impact of hypertension on clinical manifestations of Omicron variant BA.1 infection in adult patients.

COVID-19 caused by Omicron BA.1 has resulted in a global humanitarian crisis. In this COVID-19 pandemic era, hypertension has been receiving increased attention. Omicron BA.1 infection combined with hypertension created a serious public health problem and complicated the treatment and prognosis of COVID-19. The aim of our study was to assess the implications of hypertension for the clinical manifestations of adult patients (APs) infected with Omicron BA.1. This single-center retrospective cohort study enrolled consecutive COVID-19 APs, who were admitted to Tianjin First Central Hospital from 01 August 2022 to 30 November 2022. All included APs were divided into two groups: hypertension and non-hypertension group. The APs' baseline demographic, laboratory, clinical, and radiological characteristics were collected and analyzed. Of 512 APs admitted with PCR proven COVID-19, 161 (31.45%) APs had comorbid hypertension. Hypertension APs have older age, higher body mass index, lower Ct-values of the viral target genes at admission, and longer hospital stay than non-hypertension APs. Furthermore, hypertension aggravates the clinical classification, impairs liver, kidney, and myocardium function, and abnormalizes the coagulation system in Omicron BA.1- infected APs. Moreover, hypertension elevates inflammation levels and lung lesion involvement while weakened virus-specific IgM level in APs with Omicron BA.1 infection. Hypertension APs tend to have worse clinical conditions at baseline than those non-hypertension APs. This study indicates that hypertension is a contributor to the poor clinical manifestations of Omicron BA.1-infected APs and supports that steps to control blood pressure should be a vital consideration for reducing the burden of Omicron BA.1 infection in hypertension individuals. IMPORTANCE: This study provided inclusive insight regarding the relationship between hypertension and Omicron BA.1 infection and supported that hypertension was an adverse factor for COVID-19 APs. In conclusion, this study showed that hypertension was considered to be associated with severe conditions, and a contributor to poor clinical manifestations. Proper medical management of hypertension patients is an imperative step in mitigating the severity of Omicron BA.1 variant infection.

Time-varying propagation model and dynamic-feedback-phase correction for multiplexed orbital angular momentum beams in atmospheric turbulence.

Freespace optical (FSO) communication in an outdoor setting is complicated by atmospheric turbulence (AT). A time-varying (TV) multiplexed orbital angular momentum (OAM) propagation model to consider AT under transverse-wind conditions is formulated for the first time, and optimized dynamic correction periods for various TV AT situations are found to improve the transmission efficiency. The TV nature of AT has until now been neglected from modeling of OAM propagation models, but it is shown to be important. First, according to the Taylor frozen-turbulence hypothesis, a series of AT phase screens influenced by transverse wind are introduced into the conventional angular-spectrum propagation analysis method to model both the temporal and spatial propagation characteristics of multiplexed OAM beams. Our model shows that while in weak TV AT, the power standard deviation of lower-order modes is usually smaller than that of higher-order modes, the phenomena in strong TV AT are qualitatively different. Moreover, after analyzing the effective time of each OAM phase correction, optimized dynamic correction periods for a dynamic feedback communication link are obtained. An optimized result shows that, under the moderate TV AT, both a system BER within the forward-error-correction limit and a low iterative computation volume with 6% of the real-time correction could be achieved with a correction period of 0.18 s. The research emphasizes the significance of establishing a TV propagation model for exploring the effect of TV AT on multiplexed OAM beams and proposing an optimized phase-correction mechanism to mitigate performance degradation caused by TV AT, ultimately enhancing overall transmission efficiency.

Association of secondhand smoke exposure with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular death in patients with hypertension: Insights from NHANES.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The impact of environmental chemical exposure on blood pressure (BP) is well-established. However, the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) and mortality in hypertensive patients in the general population remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cohort study included US adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2018. All-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality outcomes were determined by associating them with the National Death Index records. Cox proportional risk models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for SHSE. The cohort included 10,760 adult participants. The mean serum cotinine level was 0.024 ng/mL. During a mean follow-up period of 76.9 months, there were 1729 deaths, including 469 cardiovascular disease deaths recorded. After adjusting for lifestyle factors, BMI, hypertension duration, medication use, and chronic disease presence, the highest SHSE was significantly associated with higher all-cause and CVD mortality. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that higher SHSE is significantly associated with higher all-cause mortality and CVD mortality. Further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

An isothermal nucleic acid amplification-based enzymatic recombinase amplification method for dual detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine rotavirus A.

Viral diarrhea is the predominant digestive tract sickness in piglings, resulting in substantial profit losses in the porcine industry. Porcine rotavirus A (PoRVA) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) are the main causes of grave gastroenteritis and massive dysentery, especially in piglets. PoRVA and PEDV have high transmissibility, exhibit similar clinical symptoms, and frequently co-occur. Therefore, to avoid financial losses, a quick, highly efficient, objective diagnostic test for the prevention and detection of these diseases is required. Enzymatic recombinase amplification (ERA) is a novel technology based on isothermal nucleic acid amplification. It demonstrates high sensitivity and excellent specificity, with a short processing time and easy operability, compared with other in vitro nucleic acid amplification technologies. In this study, a dual ERA method to detect and distinguish between PEDV and PoRVA nucleic acids was established. The method shows high sensitivity, as the detection limits were 101 copies/µL for both viruses. To test the usefulness of this method in clinical settings, we tested 64 swine clinical samples. Our results were 100% matched with those acquired using a commercially available kit. Therefore, we have successfully developed a dual diagnostic ERA nucleic acids method for detecting and distinguishing between PEDV and PoRVA.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci are the main causes of bacterial meningitis in duck.

Since September 2018, serious meningitis has been found on some breeding-duck farms in Shandong Province, China. A large number of ducks exhibit severe neurological symptoms. The ducks were randomly selected for laboratory testing. Duck brain samples were collected using standard sterile techniques, and the staphylococci isolates were detected in 404 (70.14%) out of 576 brain samples. A total of 525 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) strains were isolated, including 6 species: Staphylococcus sciuri (S. sciuri) (67.24%, 353/525), Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) (9.71%, 51/525), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (S. saprophyticus) (8.38%, 44/525), Staphylococcus lentus (S. lentus) (7.62%, 40/525), Staphylococcus haemolyticus (S. haemolyticus) (2.48%, 13/525), and Staphylococcus xylosus (S. xylosus) (4.57%, 24/525). Mixed strain infections were detected in 121 (29.95%) infected presentations. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicated that 40.38% of the isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance, and 53.90% of the strains were methicillin-resistant strains by amplification of the methicillin resistance gene (mecA) gene. Through experimental reproduction of the disease, we determined that the CoNS strains were the leading pathogens causing bacterial meningitis in ducks. Although these CoNS strains does not directly cause the death of sick ducks, they still cause large economic losses due to the retarded growth and development of the sick ducks, lower feed returns, and lower grades of processed duck products. The results of this study will contribute to our understanding of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of CoNS and be helpful in the prevention and treatment of the infection.

Peptide Self-Assembly Facilitating DNA Transfection and the Application in Inhibiting Cancer Cells.

Non-viral vectors have been developing in gene delivery due to their safety and low immunogenicity. But their transfection effect is usually very low, thus limiting the application. Hence, we designed eight peptides (compounds 1-8). We compared their performances; compound 8 had the best transfection efficacy and biocompatibility. The transfection effect was similar with that of PEI, a most-widely-employed commercial transfection reagent. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that the compound could self-assemble and the self-assembled peptide might encapsulate DNA. Based on these results, we further analyzed the inhibitory result in cancer cells and found that compound 8 could partially fight against Hela cells. Therefore, the compound is promising to pave the way for the development of more effective and less toxic transfection vectors.

Anapole assisted self-hybridized exciton-polaritons in perovskite metasurfaces.

The exciton-polaritons in a lead halide perovskite not only have great significance for macroscopic quantum effects but also possess vital potential for applications in ultralow-threshold polariton lasers, integrated photonics, slow-light devices, and quantum light sources. In this study, we have successfully demonstrated strong coupling with huge Rabi splitting of 553 meV between perovskite excitons and anapole modes in the perovskite metasurface at room temperature. This outcome is achieved by introducing anapole modes to suppress radiative losses, thereby confining light to the perovskite metasurface and subsequently hybridizing it with excitons in the same material. Our results indicate the formation of self-hybridized exciton-polaritons within the perovskite metasurface, which may pave the way towards achieving high coupling strengths that could potentially bring exciting phenomena to fruition, such as Bose-Einstein condensation as well as enabling applications such as efficient light-emitting diodes and lasers.