AnnoView enables large-scale analysis, comparison, and visualization of microbial gene neighborhoods.

The analysis and comparison of gene neighborhoods is a powerful approach for exploring microbial genome structure, function, and evolution. Although numerous tools exist for genome visualization and comparison, genome exploration across large genomic databases or user-generated datasets remains a challenge. Here, we introduce AnnoView, a web server designed for interactive exploration of gene neighborhoods across the bacterial and archaeal tree of life. Our server offers users the ability to identify, compare, and visualize gene neighborhoods of interest from 30 238 bacterial genomes and 1672 archaeal genomes, through integration with the comprehensive Genome Taxonomy Database and AnnoTree databases. Identified gene neighborhoods can be visualized using pre-computed functional annotations from different sources such as KEGG, Pfam and TIGRFAM, or clustered based on similarity. Alternatively, users can upload and explore their own custom genomic datasets in GBK, GFF or CSV format, or use AnnoView as a genome browser for relatively small genomes (e.g. viruses and plasmids). Ultimately, we anticipate that AnnoView will catalyze biological discovery by enabling user-friendly search, comparison, and visualization of genomic data. AnnoView is available at http://annoview.uwaterloo.ca.

Unveiling the molecular complexity of proliferative diabetic retinopathy through scRNA-seq, AlphaFold 2, and machine learning.

Background: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), a major cause of blindness, is characterized by complex pathogenesis. This study integrates single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF), machine learning, and AlphaFold 2 methods to explore the molecular level of PDR. Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data from PDR patients and healthy controls to identify distinct cellular subtypes and gene expression patterns. NMF was used to define specific transcriptional programs in PDR. The oxidative stress-related genes (ORGs) identified within Meta-Program 1 were utilized to construct a predictive model using twelve machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, we employed AlphaFold 2 for the prediction of protein structures, complementing this with molecular docking to validate the structural foundation of potential therapeutic targets. We also analyzed protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and the interplay among key ORGs. Results: Our scRNA-seq analysis revealed five major cell types and 14 subcell types in PDR patients, with significant differences in gene expression compared to those in controls. We identified three key meta-programs underscoring the role of microglia in the pathogenesis of PDR. Three critical ORGs (ALKBH1, PSIP1, and ATP13A2) were identified, with the best-performing predictive model demonstrating high accuracy (AUC of 0.989 in the training cohort and 0.833 in the validation cohort). Moreover, AlphaFold 2 predictions combined with molecular docking revealed that resveratrol has a strong affinity for ALKBH1, indicating its potential as a targeted therapeutic agent. PPI network analysis, revealed a complex network of interactions among the hub ORGs and other genes, suggesting a collective role in PDR pathogenesis. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the cellular and molecular aspects of PDR, identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets using advanced technological approaches.

Barriers and facilitators of adherence to evidence-based pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline among intensive care nurses: A cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: To explore intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' perceptions of their adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline and identify the perceived barriers and facilitators that influence evidence-based pressure injury prevention practices in Chinese tertiary hospitals. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: This was a multi-site, quantitative, cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire with three sections: participant demographic information, adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline, and barriers to and facilitators of pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline implementation. SETTING: Thirty-three adult ICUs in 16 tertiary general hospitals in 5 major cities in Liaoning Province, China. RESULTS: In total, 473 nurses responded to the survey. The mean score for adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was 159.06 ± 20.65, with 65.3 % reporting good adherence. Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that smaller ICU size (ß = -0.114, p = 0.012) and having participated in training on pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline (ß = 0.149, p = 0.001) were statistically significantly associated with better adherence. ICU nurses identified the low priority given to pressure injury prevention as the top barrier. The top three facilitators were awareness of evidence-based practice, the current documentation format for pressure injury risk/nursing interventions, and leadership support. CONCLUSION: ICU nurses' adherence to pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was satisfactory, and they reported low-to-moderate barriers and moderate facilitators. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Participating in training on pressure injury prevention clinical practice guideline was a predictor of ICU nurses' adherence. Therefore, it is highly recommended that healthcare organisations consider providing training to nurses and address the barriers identified to improve nurses' adherence to evidence-based pressure injury prevention guidelines.

Mechanistic investigation of the electricity and gallic acid synergistically accelerated Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle for the degradation of carbamazepine.

This study investigated the application of a natural plant polyphenol, gallic acid (GA) to form complex with iron to promote the redox cycle of Fe(III)/Fe(II) under neutral initial pH conditions in the electrochemical (EC) system for activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to efficiently degrade carbamazepine (CBZ). Results demonstrated that the synergistic effects of GA and EC significantly improved the removal efficiency, and the EC/GA/Fe(III)/PMS system effectively removed 100% of CBZ within a wide initial pH range of 3.0-7.0. The optimum stoichiometric ratio of GA to Fe(III) was found as 2:1. Investigations including quenching experiment, chemical probe analysis, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis were conducted to identify the primary reaction radicals as •OH, SO4•-, along with the 1O2 and Fe(IV). In the EC/GA/Fe(III)/PMS system, the synergistic effect of GA and electrochemistry led to a remarkable enhancement in the generation of •OH. Furthermore, the complexation reduction mechanism of GA and Fe(III) was proposed based on experimental and instrumental analyses, which demonstrated that the semi-quinone products of GA were the main substances promoting the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle. Mass spectrometry results showed that CBZ generated 27 byproducts during degradation, with formic acid as the main product of GA. The degradation efficiency of the EC/GA/Fe(III)/PMS system remained stable and excellent, exhibiting remarkable performance in the presence of various inorganic anions, including Cl- and NO3-, as well as naturally occurring organic compounds such as fulvic acid (FA). Overall results indicated that the EC/GA/Fe(III)/PMS system can be applied to effectively treat practical wastewater treatment without requirement of pH adjustment.

Chemical composition and biological evaluation of the essential oil of the flowering aerial parts of Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb.

Aegopodium alpestre Ledeb (A. alpestre) is a plant known for its fragrant smell and has been traditionally used to treat influenza. However, despite its widespread use, there is no research on its flowering aerial parts. This study aims to contribute to the understanding the flowering aerial parts by investigating its volatile oil. The essential oil was extracted through hydrodistillation and analysed using GC-MS. The analysis identified 54 compounds, which accounted for 95.16% of the oil composition. The major components are germacrene D (31.68%), ß-caryophyllene (16.07%), and (E)-ß-farnesene (7.99%). To evaluate the antioxidant activity of volatile oil, six antioxidant experiments were conducted. The results indicated that volatile oil exhibited significant 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt and hydroxyl radical scavenging abilities. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of volatile oil was assessed against four common pathogenic bacteria. The findings demonstrated that volatile oil displayed potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Aerogenic bacterium.

Corrigendum: Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals the role of phosphorylation-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma stem cells.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.734287.].

Schisandrin protects against ulcerative colitis by inhibiting the SGK1/NLRP3 signaling pathway and reshaping gut microbiota in mice.

BACKGROUND: According to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the fruit of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (SC) is an important traditional Chinese medicine that can be used to treat diarrhea. Despite the increasing research on the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant aspects of SC, the studies on the anti-ulcerative colitis of Schisandrin (SCH), the main constituent of SC, are relatively few. METHODS: The mice used in the study were randomly distributed into 6 groups: control, model, 5-ASA, and SCH (20, 40, 80 mg/kg/d). The mice in the model group were administered 3% (w/v) dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) through drinking water for 7 days, and the various parameters of disease activity index (DAI) such as body weight loss, stool consistency, and gross blood were measured. ELISA was used to detect inflammatory factors, and bioinformatics combined with transcriptome analysis was done to screen and verify relevant targets. 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the composition of the gut microbiota(GM), while mass spectrometry was done to analyze the changes in the content of bile acids (BAs) in the intestine. RESULTS: Mice treated with SCH experienced significant weight gain, effectively alleviating the severity of colitis, and decreasing the levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, and other related proteins (NLRP3, Caspase-1, SGK1) in UC mice. Furthermore, the analysis of GM and BAs in mice revealed that SCH increased the relative abundance of Lactobacilli spp, reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroides, and promoted the conversion of primary BAs to secondary BAs. These effects contributed to a significant improvement in the DSS-induced GM imbalance and the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis. CONCLUSION: It seems that there is a close relationship between the SCH mechanism and the regulation of SGK1/NLRP3 pathway and the restoration of GM balance. Therefore, it can be concluded that SCH could be a potential drug for the treatment of UC.

A high propensity for excessive daytime sleepiness independent of lifestyle is associated with cognitive performance in community-dwelling older adults.

Objective: The relationship between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and cognitive performance of older adults remains unclear, especially when a healthy lifestyle is considered. The study aimed to explore the association between EDS in passive and active situations and general cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Two hundred and seventy-one older adults aged 60 and above were recruited from the community cohort in Shangrao. All study participants were free of depression and dementia. The Chinese version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (CESS) was used to evaluate EDS. Using the item scores of CESS, the presence of EDS among all study participants were grouped as non-EDS, passive situation-related EDS (PSR-EDS), active situation-related EDS (ASR-EDS), and high sleep propensity (HSP). The Hong Kong Brief Cognitive Test (HKBC) was used to assess cognitive function. Chinese healthy lifestyle metrics were scored based on AHA Life Simple-7. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the presence of EDS and cognitive function. Results: The PSR-EDS (n = 29, 20.8 ± 5.3) and the HSP groups (n = 21, 19.8 ± 4.8) scored lower with HKBC than in the non-EDS group (n = 213, 23.2 ± 4.9). The subdomain performance of language in the HSP group was poorer than in the non-EDS group (ps < 0.05). Relative to non-EDS, HSP (OR = 3.848, 95% CI = 1.398-10.591) was associated with an increased risk of poor cognitive performance after adjusting age, sex, education, and healthy lifestyle metrics. Conclusion: High propensity for excessive daytime sleepiness, irrespective of lifestyle, is associated with poorer cognitive performance among community-dwelling older adults. The findings may provide empirical evidence to support sleepiness intervention for reducing the risk of cognitive decline.

Hybridization chain reaction cascaded amplification platform for sensitive detection of pathogen.

Rapid, sensitive, and accurate identification of pathogens is vital for preventing and controlling fish disease, reducing economic losses in aquaculture, and interrupting the spread of food-borne diseases in human populations. Herein, we proposed a hybridization chain reaction (HCR) cascaded dual-signal amplification platform for the ultrasensitive and specific detection of pathogenic microorganisms. A couple of specific primers for target bacterial 16S rRNAs were used to obtain amplified target single-stranded DNAs (AT-ssDNA). Then, AT-ssDNA initiated HCR amplification along with the opening of fluorophore (FAM) and a quencher (BHQ1) labeled hairpin reporter probe (H1), and the FAM fluorescence signal recovered. The proposed strategy could achieve a detection limit down to 0.31 CFU/mL for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), 0.49 CFU/mL for Escherichia coli (E. coli) in buffer, and a linear range from 1 to 1 × 106 CFU/mL for S. aureus, 1 to 1 × 107 CFU/mL for E. coli. Furthermore, this platform enabled sensitive and precise detection of pathogenic microorganisms in complex samples such as fish blood and different organ tissues (large intestine, gallbladder, heart, liver, ren, gill, skin), which shows great potential in disease prevention and control in aquatic products.

Barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention in hospitals: A mixed methods systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically synthesize research evidence on barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention in hospital settings. METHODS: A systematic literature review of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research was undertaken using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. Studies that reported barriers or/and facilitators to pressure injury prevention in the acute care settings and published in English from 2008 to 2022 were included. Studies were excluded if they were conducted in residential care facilities and nursing homes, or other long-term community care settings. Two authors independently screened articles against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Quality appraisal was conducted by two authors by using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Reported results were mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify the barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention. RESULTS: A total of 78 studies were included. There were 65 quantitative studies, 11 qualitative studies, and two mix-methods studies. The most salient Theoretical Domains Framework domains identified in this review were "Knowledge", "Skills", "Environmental Context and Resources", "Optimism", "Social/Professional Role and Identity", and "Social influences". CONCLUSION: The barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention in hospital settings identified in this systematic review were diverse, and included issues at both individual and organizational level. Healthcare organizations can address the barriers and facilitators from the influential Theoretical Domains Framework domains. Future research is required to investigate the effectiveness of behaviour change interventions that specifically target these barriers and facilitators to pressure injury prevention.

Deep learning enables satellite-based monitoring of large populations of terrestrial mammals across heterogeneous landscape.

New satellite remote sensing and machine learning techniques offer untapped possibilities to monitor global biodiversity with unprecedented speed and precision. These efficiencies promise to reveal novel ecological insights at spatial scales which are germane to the management of populations and entire ecosystems. Here, we present a robust transferable deep learning pipeline to automatically locate and count large herds of migratory ungulates (wildebeest and zebra) in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem using fine-resolution (38-50 cm) satellite imagery. The results achieve accurate detection of nearly 500,000 individuals across thousands of square kilometers and multiple habitat types, with an overall F1-score of 84.75% (Precision: 87.85%, Recall: 81.86%). This research demonstrates the capability of satellite remote sensing and machine learning techniques to automatically and accurately count very large populations of terrestrial mammals across a highly heterogeneous landscape. We also discuss the potential for satellite-derived species detections to advance basic understanding of animal behavior and ecology.

Direct Measurement of Negative Capacitance in Ferroelectric/Semiconductor Heterostructures.

Negative capacitance (NC) is now an attractive research topic owing to its potential applications. For better integration, investigation about the phenomenon and mechanism of NC in ferroelectric materials on semiconductor substrates is important. In this work, ferroelectric BaTiO3 (BTO) films are deposited on the low-resistance Si(100) substrates to constitute Pt/BTO/p-Si/Pt samples with the metal/ferroelectric/semiconductor/metal (MFSM) structure, on which NC are directly measured at low frequencies with a large DC bias. Because of the unique asymmetric interface, the NC value is tunable by the polarity and magnitude of the DC bias. Analysis based on the impedance and ferroelectric characteristics reveals that, in addition to the displacement current related to the electric polarization, there is also relaxation current caused by interface charge injection and oxygen vacancy migration. This work provides another idea for studying miniaturized and low-energy devices utilizing NC, which is of great significance for the development of silicon-based ferroelectric devices.

The HALP (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet) score is associated with early-onset post-stroke cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: The HALP score (hemoglobin, albumin, lymphocyte, and platelet) is a novel indicator that measures systemic inflammation and nutritional status. The goal of this study was to look into the relationship between the HALP score and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) in people who had an acute ischemic stroke (AIS). METHODS: A total of 592 individuals with ischemic stroke were included in the research, and the PSCI (n = 382) and non-PSCI (n = 210) groups were determined using the Mini-Mental State Examination scale 2 weeks following the stroke. HALP score was computed by the formula: hemoglobin (g/L) × albumin (g/L) × lymphocytes (/L) / platelets (/L), and was split into three layers according to the tertiles. The connection between the HALP and cognitive results was investigated by binary logistic regression. RESULTS: The PSCI group's HALP score was much lower than the non-PSCI group's (p < 0.001). The HALP score was divided into three layers: T1 ≤ 34.0, T2 34.1-49.4, and T3 ≥ 49.5, respectively. In the binary regression analysis, taking the T3 layer as the reference, the T1 layer showed the highest risk of PSCI after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio (OR) = 1.965, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.237-3.122, p = 0.004), while there was no increased risk of PSCI in the T2 layer (OR = 1.538, 95%CI = 0.983-2.404, p = 0.059). CONCLUSION: Low HALP score at admission was found to be correlated with early-onset PSCI and may help clinicians in the early identification of high-risk patients.

Association Between the Serum Iron and Acute Cognitive Impairment After Stroke: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Complications such as cognitive impairment are common in stroke victims. The goal of this study was to see if there was a link between blood iron levels and post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) within 2 weeks after stroke. METHODS: A total of 313 patients with ischemic stroke were recruited and separated into two groups: PSCI (n = 202) and non-PSCI (n = 111). The Mini-mental state examination scale was used to evaluate the cognitive status within 2 weeks after stroke (acute phase). The serum iron levels were divided into 4 layers: Q1 ≤ 11.7 µmol/L, Q2 11.8-15.1 µmol/, Q3 15.2-19.3 µmol/L, Q4 ≥ 19.4 µmol/L, respectively. The connection between serum iron and PSCI was then investigated further using binary logistic regression, which was adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: The difference in serum iron levels between the PSCI and non-PSCI group was initially conducted by the Mann-Whitney test, and a significant difference was found (14.5 (11.0-17.8) vs. 16.9 (13.7-21.8), p < .001), with no confounders being adjusted. After adjusting for confounding factors, the binary regression analysis showed that the Q4 layer showed the lowest risk of PSCI, with the Q1 layer being the reference. (odds ratio (OR) = 0.297, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.136-0.649, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: A decreased risk of early-onset PSCI was linked to high serum iron levels. Low serum iron levels were found to be a risk factor for acute cognitive impairment following stroke, which could help physicians identify and take intervention measures early to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment after stroke.

Risk factors for rapid eye-movement sleep-related behavioral disorders (RBDs): A systematic review and a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to systematically analyze the risk factors for RBD. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies derived from the articles published in eight electronic databases before December 1, 2021. The primary outcome was the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI), and heterogeneity was quantified using I2. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were used to explore sources of heterogeneity. Egger's test and sensitivity analysis were performed. The PROSPERO ID number of the present study is CRD42021293942. RESULTS: We identified 26 studies (44,230 subjects) among 2022 citations, and 13 factors were considered. Male sex (OR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.13-1.64), smoking (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.26-1.50), depression (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.66-2.56), antidepressant use (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.98-2.82), duration of neuropsychiatric disorders(OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.13-1.73), levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD, OR = 60.15, 95% CI = 23.95-96.35) and observable motor dysfunction (OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 0.65-4.22) were associated with a higher risk of RBD. Tertiary education and above (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35-0.96) was associated with a lower RBD risk. Men (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.10-1.78, I2 = 0%, P = 0.005) and older individual (OR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.03-4.43, I2 = 60%, P = 0.002) were more likely to have iRBD. CONCLUSION: Six modifiable risk factors and one protective factor were associated with RBD. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms and to develop preventative strategies.

Clinical and Prognostic Value of PPIA, SQSTM1, and CCL20 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients by Single-Cell Transcriptome Analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most malignant and poor-prognosis subtype of primary liver cancer. The scRNA-seq approach provides unique insight into tumor cell behavior at the single-cell level. Cytokine signaling in the immune system plays an important role in tumorigenesis and has both pro-tumorigenic and anti-tumorigenic functions. A biomarker of cytokine signaling in immune-related genes (CSIRG) is urgently required to assess HCC patient diagnosis and treatment. By analyzing the expression profiles of HCC single cells, TCGA, and ICGC data, we discovered that three important CSIRG (PPIA, SQSTM1, and CCL20) were linked to the overall survival of HCC patients. Cancer status and three hub CSIRG were taken into account while creating a risk nomogram. The nomogram had a high level of predictability and accuracy. Based on the CSIRG risk score, a distinct pattern of somatic tumor mutational burden (TMB) was detected between the two groups. The enrichment of the pyrimidine metabolism pathway, purine metabolism pathway, and lysosome pathway in HCC was linked to the CSIRG high-risk scores. Overall, scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq were used to create a strong CSIRG signature for HCC diagnosis.

Lactate dehydrogenase-to albumin ratio (LAR) is associated with early-onset cognitive impairment after acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is the most prevalent complication of acute ischemic stroke(AIS) in individuals. The lactate dehydrogenase-to albumin ratio (LAR) is a novel indicator that measures systemic inflammation and nutritional status. The purpose of this research was to investigate the connection between the LAR and PSCI. METHODS: Following inclusion criteria, this study recruited 701 AIS patients who were segmented into the PSCI (n = 441) and non-PSCI (n = 260) groups according to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) within 2 weeks after stroke. The lactate dehydrogenase and albumin levels were measured within 24 h after hospitalization. A binary logistic regression was constructed to examine the association between LAR and PSCI with the LAR divided into tertiles. RESULTS: The PSCI group showed a higher level of LAR in comparison to the non-PSCI group (p < 0.001). Compared with T1 (≦4.93), patients in the highest quartile of LAR (≧5.93) had a greater risk of PSCI after controlling for confounding factors, as demonstrated by logistic regression (odds ratio (OR) = 2.003, 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 1.305-3.074, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher LAR is independently related to the development of cognitive impairment in the early phase after stroke, which may help physicians in the early identification of patients with PSCI.

Psychometric properties of the Postpartum Depression Literacy Scale (PoDLiS) among Chinese perinatal women: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present work was to cross-culturally adapt the Postpartum Depression Literacy Scale (PoDLiS) and use a descriptive cross-sectional design to evaluate its psychometric properties in Chinese perinatal women. METHODS: Brislin's translation theory was applied to translate the PoDLiS, with subsequent cultural adaptation. The reliability and validity of the PoDLiS were determined using a questionnaire in 635 Chinese perinatal women. RESULTS: Good internal consistency was found (omega coefficient, 0.894) for the Chinese version of the Postpartum Depression Literacy Scale (PoDLiS-C), with omega coefficients of the six dimensions of 0.865, 0.870, 0.838, 0.777, 0.837 and 0.794, and a test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.874. The item-level content validity index (CVI) ranged from 0.8 to 1 while the scale-level CVI was 0.968. Moreover, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) determined satisfactory construct validity of the PoDLiS-C, with the six-factor model explaining 60.76% of the total variance, demonstrating good model fit (likelihood ratio χ2/df, 1.003; goodness-of-fit index, 0.916; adjusted goodness-of-fit index, 0.901; comparative fit index, 0.999; incremental fit index, 0.999; root mean square error of approximation, 0.003; and standardized root mean square error of approximation, 0.0478). CONCLUSIONS: The PoDLiS-C has adequate psychometric properties. This tool could be used to assess the postpartum depression literacy of perinatal women in Chinese-speaking populations.

Single-Cell Landscape of Mouse Islet Allograft and Syngeneic Graft.

Islet transplantation to treat the late stage of type 1 diabetic patient (T1DM) has recently made inspiring success in clinical trials. However, most patients experience a decline in islet graft function in one to three years due to immune rejection. Although the mechanisms of immune cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), neutrophils, natural killer cells (NKs), B cells, and T cells, that mediate immune rejection have been investigated, the overall characteristics of immune infiltrates in islet allografts and syngeneic grafts remain unclear. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has provided us with new opportunities to study the complexity of the immune microenvironment in islet transplants. In the present study, we used scRNA-seq to comprehensively analyze the immune heterogeneity in the mouse model of islet transplantation. Our data revealed T lymphocytes and myeloid cells as the main immune components of grafts 7 days post-islet transplantation, especially in allografts. Moreover, our results indicated that allogeneic islet cells were transformed into antigen-presenting cell-like cells with highly expressed MHC class I molecules and genes involved in MHC class I-mediated antigen presentation. This transformation may dramatically facilitate the interaction with cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and promote the destruction of islet allografts. Our study provides insight into the transcriptomics and diverse microenvironment of islet grafts and their impacts on immune rejection.

Spherical neutralizing aptamer suppresses SARS-CoV-2 Omicron escape.

Recently, the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron has spread very quickly worldwide. Several studies have indicated that the Omicron variant causes a substantial evasion of the humoral immune response and the majority of existing SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. Here we address this challenge by applying a spherical cocktail neutralizing aptamer-gold nanoparticle (SNAP) to block the interaction of Omicron receptor binding domain (RBD) and host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). With the synergetic blocking strategy based on multivalent multisite aptamer binding and steric hindrance by the size-matched gold scaffold, the SNAP conjugate tightly binds to Omicron RBD with a dissociation constant of 13.6 pM, almost completely blocking the infection of Omicron pseudovirus with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 35.9 pM. Overall, the SNAP strategy not only fills the gap of the humoral immune evasion caused by clustered mutations on Omicron, but also provides a clue for the development of new broad neutralizing reagents against future variants.