Biology and function of pericytes in the vascular microcirculation

Pericytes are the main cellular components of tiny arteries and capillaries.Studies have found that pericytes can undergo morphological contraction or relaxation under stimulation by cytokines,thus affecting the contraction and relaxation of microvessels and playing an essential role in regulating vascular microcirculation.Moreover,due to the characteristics of stem cells,pericytes can differentiate into a variety of inflammatory cell phenotypes,which then affect the immune function.Additionally,pericytes can also participate in angiogenesis and wound healing by interacting with endothelial cells in vascular microcirculation disorders.Here we review the origin,biological phenotype and function of pericytes,and discuss the potential mechanisms of pericytes in vascular microcirculation disorders,especially in pulmonary hypertension,so as to provide a sound basis and direction for the prevention and treatment of vascular microcirculation diseases.

Function and Screening of Plants in Ecological Floating Bed Applied in Treating Rural Domestic Wastewater

With the construction of new countryside and the development of people's living standard,the environmental problems caused by rural domestic sewage gradually attracts more attention. Ecological floating bed is one of the effective techniques for treating rural domestic sewage. Building different types of ecological floating beds according to the surrounding environment characteristics in rural areas could treat rural domestic sewage with low operation cost,simple management and convenient maintenance,and could obtain a certain economic benefit as well. Therefore,ecological floating bed get fast development in treating rural domestic sewage. The screening of plants would be vital as an important role. Assembling different plants by choosing those with ornamental function,economic benefit and strong decontamination ability according to the surrounding environment and characteristics of domestic waste water along with the seasonal features of plant growth could take full advantages of ecological floating bed.

Neural stem cell-derived exosomes regulate cell proliferation,migration,and cell death of brain microvascular endothelial cells via the miR-9/Hes1 axis under hypoxia

Background:Our previous study found that mouse embryonic neural stem cell(NSC)-derived exosomes(EXOs)regulated NSC differentiation via the miR-9/Hes1 axis.However,the effects of EXOs on brain microvascular endothelial cell(BMEC)dysfunction via the miR-9/Hes1 axis remain unknown.Therefore,the current study aimed to determine the effects of EXOs on BMEC proliferation,migration,and death via the miR-9/Hes1 axis.Methods:Immunofluorescence,quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction,cell counting kit-8 assay,wound healing assay,calcein-acetoxymethyl/propidium iodide staining,and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to determine the role and mechanism of EXOs on BMECs.Results:EXOs promoted BMEC proliferation and migration and reduced cell death under hypoxic conditions.The overexpression of miR-9 promoted BMEC prolifera-tion and migration and reduced cell death under hypoxic conditions.Moreover,miR-9 downregulation inhibited BMEC proliferation and migration and also promoted cell death.Hes1 silencing ameliorated the effect of amtagomiR-9 on BMEC proliferation and migration and cell death.Hyperemic structures were observed in the regions of the hippocampus and cortex in hypoxia-induced mice.Meanwhile,EXO treatment improved cerebrovascular alterations.Conclusion:NSC-derived EXOs can promote BMEC proliferation and migra-tion and reduce cell death via the miR-9/Hes1 axis under hypoxic conditions.Therefore,EXO therapeutic strategies could be considered for hypoxia-induced vascular injury.

Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Psychological Well-Being of Elderly People in the Community

Objective:To investigate the current psychological well-being of older people in the community and analyze its influencing factors.Methods:A total of 265 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above in Baoding City,Hebei Province,were selected through convenience sampling from November 2023 to March 2024.They were surveyed using a general information questionnaire and a comprehensive well-being questionnaire,with results analyzed statistically using SPSS 27.0.Results:Six dimensions of the psychological well-being scale for community older adults were identified:life vitality(P50=4.83),health concern(P50=4.6),self-worth(P50=5.6),friendly relationships(P50=5.33),altruistic behavior(P50=5.2),personality growth(P50=4.67),and comprehensive well-being(P50=161).Multivariate regression analysis showed that social isolation(β=-0.021,P<0.001),type of work(β=-0.142,P<0.001),chronic disease history(β=0.004,P<0.001),need for mobility aid(β=0.192,P<0.001),and monthly income(β=0.381,P<0.001)were factors influencing psychological well-being.Conclusion:The psychological well-being of the elderly is slightly above moderate and requires improvement.Enhancing factors such as reducing social isolation,addressing chronic disease history,and improving financial support could improve psychological well-being in older adults.

Research Progress on Energy Plants in Piggery Wastewater Treatment

Large-scale pig-raising can discharge a great deal of wastewater,which contains high content of organic matter,ammonia nitrogen and suspended solids.The improper treatment of the piggery wastewater can lead to serious environmental problems. As a liquid fertilizer,piggery wastewater is relatively low in fertilizer efficiency and high in transportation cost,so it is very necessary to treat it in situ. Energy plants have the advantages of rapid growth,large biomass,strong tillering ability and developed root system. Therefore,energy plants can be used to absorb and transform the pollutants( like nitrogen and phosphorus) in piggery wastewater into the components of plants,as well as form the rhizosphere environment which is conducive to microbial growth,so as to enhance the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus removal. The obtained energy plants can be recycled as the raw materials for biogas to increase the production of biogas,which brings economic benefits while solving the environmental problems caused by piggery wastewater.

Anaerobic co-digestion of thermo-alkaline pretreated microalgae and sewage sludge: Methane potential and microbial community

To improve methane production from sewage sludge(SS),co-digestion of SS and microalgae(MA)was studied and the application of thermo-alkaline pretreatment to MA was evaluated.The results showed that thermo-alkaline pretreatment at 90℃ for 120 min on MA was the optimum pretreatment condition.Furthermore,when the volatile solids(VS)ratio of SS and MA was 1:2,the methane yield reached maximum(368.94 mL/g VS).Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR)and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the synergetic effects of thermoalkaline pretreated MA on its co-digestion with SS.The analyses of microbial community indicated that Methanobacterium and Methanosarcina were the dominant methanogens during the co-digestion process.However,the relative abundance of Methanosarcina in thermoalkaline pretreated groups was higher compared to unpretreated groups.The microbial community structure might be affected by thermo-alkaline pretreatment rather than by the MA dosage in the co-digestion.

Legionella pneumophila temporally regulates the activity of ADP/ATP translocases by reversible ADP-ribosylation

The mitochondrion is an important signaling hub that governs diverse cellular functions,including metabolism,energy production,and immunity.Among the hundreds of effectors translocated into host cells by the Dot/Icm system of Legionella pneumophila,several are targeted to mitochondria but the function of most of them remains elusive.Our recent study found that the effector Ceg3 inhibits the activity of ADP/ATP translocases(ANTs)by ADP-ribosylation(ADPR).Here,we show that the effect of Ceg3 is antagonized by Larg1,an effector encoded by lpg0081,a gene that is situated next to ceg3.Larg1 functions to reverse Ceg3-mediated ADPR of ANTs by cleaving the N-glycosidic bond between the ADPR moiety and the modified arginine residues in ANTs,leading to restoration of their activity in ADP/ATP exchange.Structural analysis of Larg1 and its complex with ADPR reveals that this ADPR glycohydrolase harbors a unique macrodomain that catalyzes the removal of ADPR modification on ANTs.Our results also demonstrate that together with Ceg3,Larg1 imposes temporal regulation of the activity of ANTs by reversible ADPR during L.pneumophila infection.

Influence of Exposure Pathways on Tissue Distribution and Health Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Derivatives

The oxygen(OPAHs),nitro(NPAHs),hydroxyl(OH-PAHs),and alkylated(APAHs)derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAHs)are ubiquitous pollutants in the environment.The concentrations of NPAHs,OPAHs,OH-PAHs,and APAHs are lower than that of PAHs in the environment,but the carcinogenic abilities of the derivatives are usually 10 to 1,000-fold higher than that of parent PAHs.There are three main pathways for the exposure of polycyclic aromatic compounds to humans,including inhalation,direct contact,and ingestion.After exposure by inhalation,they are mainly distributed in the lungs,affecting lung function and causing inflammation,asthma,etc.Due to the digestive system’s strong capacity for metabolism,intake of PAHs and the derivatives is primarily distributed in the digestive system and metabolized there.And it may lead to dysplasia of these organs and even to cancer.The skin is the primary site of direct contact with PAH derivatives.PAH derivatives can enter the bloodstream through all three contact pathways,thereby accumulating in various organs.This study aimed to summarize the influence of exposure pathways on tissue distribution and the health impact of PAH derivatives to provide references for future research and evaluation on public health.

基于晶体塑性的辐照金属材料局部化颈缩和吕德斯带的模拟研究

金属材料中,颈缩失稳通常由表面缺陷或材料不均匀性等潜在扰动引起并随着微结构的演化进一步发展.本文将构型扰动法与考虑辐照效应的晶体塑性本构关系相结合,模拟了辐照前后局部化颈缩和吕德斯带等现象.通过考虑模拟局部化变形中扰动的必要性,发现了外在的几何缺陷和内禀的微结构演化在颈缩过程中的竞争关系.此外,以纯金属铜和奥氏体不锈钢为例研究了辐照硬化效应对颈缩失稳的影响.结果表明,流动应力的增加和功硬化能力的降低是均匀延伸率下降的原因,辐照效应导致的织构软化作用可以忽略.为了解释辐照后低碳钢下屈服点和吕德斯应变同时增加的现象,一种位错脱钉扎和位错与辐照缺陷的交互作用相耦合的塑性变形机制被提出并结合修正的流动方程,很好地模拟出包含屈服下降、应力平台、应变扩展和应变硬化等特征的吕德斯带现象.其中,位错与辐照缺陷的相互作用也可以解释辐照后纯金属材料中发现的扩散颈缩现象.我们的模拟结果既阐明了几何缺陷在颈缩失稳中的重要作用,也为辐照金属中常见的宏观塑性失稳现象提供了清晰的物理图像.

Mediating role of resilience in the relationship between COVID-19 related stigma and mental health among COVID-19 survivors:a cross-sectional study

Background The global coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has caused many negative effects on physical and mental health of patients who have survived COVID-19.Apart from some long-lasting physical sequelae,those COVID-19 survivors are also suffering stigma and discrimination at different levels around the world.The current study aims to assess the role resilience played in stigma and mental disorders among COVID-19 survivors.Methods The cross-sectional study was carried out among former COVID-19 patients in Jianghan District(Wuhan,China)from June 10 to July 25,2021.The demographic questions,the Impact of Events Scale-Revised,the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire,the Patient Health Questionnaire,the Resilience Style Questionnaire and the Short Version of COVID-19 Stigma Scale of 12 items were used to collect relevant information of the participants.Descriptive analyses,Pearson correlation analysis and Structural Equation Modeling were used to make data description and analysis.Results A total of 1541 out of 1601 COVID-19 survivors(887 females and 654 males)were included in the analysis.Perceived stigma of those COVID-19 survivors correlates significantly with anxiety(r=0.335,P<0.001),depression(r=0.325,P<0.001)and post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)(r=0.384,P<0.001).It has a direct effect on COVID-19 survivors’anxiety(β=0.326,P<0.001),depression(β=0.314,P<0.001),PTSD(β=0.385,P<0.001)and their resilience(β=−0.114,P<0.01).Resilience partially mediated the association between perceived stigma and anxiety(β=0.020,P<0.01),depression(β=0.020,P<0.01),and PTSD(β=0.014,P<0.01)among COVID-19 survivors.Conclusion Stigma has a significant negative impact on mental health,while resilience plays a mediator role in the relationship between stigma and mental health among COVID-19 survivors.Based on our study,we suggested that when designing psychological interventions for COVID-19 survivors,consideration should be taken into account to reduce stigma and improve resilience.

First detection of cutavirus DNA in stools of patients with rheumatic diseases in Guangzhou,China

Cutavirus(CuV)is a novel protoparvovirus possibly associated with diarrhea and cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.Patients with rheumatic disease are immunosuppressed and may be more vulnerable to pathogenic viruses.A descriptive study was conducted among hospitalized patients with rheumatic diseases and individuals undergoing medical health check-ups between June 2019 and June 2022 in Guangzhou,China.Stool samples of subjects were tested for CuV DNA.Demographic and fecal examination data of patients were obtained from electronic medical records.A total of 505 patients with rheumatic diseases and 244 individuals who underwent medical health check-ups were included in the study.Of the patients with rheumatic disease,5.74%[95%confidence interval(CI):4.03%–8.12%]were positive for CuV DNA,while no individual in the medical health check-up group was positive,indicating a close correlation between CuV and rheumatic disease.Men and patients with rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis,according to the disease classification,were more susceptible to being infected with CuV(P<0.01).After adjustments,being male remained the only significant factor,with an adjusted odd ratio(OR)of 4.4(95%CI:1.7–11.4,P=0.002).Phylogenetic analysis of the CuV VP2 sequences showed three diverse clades,one of which was segregated to be a single branching independent of previously known sequences,which is possible a new genotype.

Ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus are different genotypes of the same species of virus

Bocaviruses are associated with many human infectious diseases, such as respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis, and hepatitis. Rats are known to be reservoirs of bocaviruses, including rodent bocavirus and rat bocavirus.Recently, ungulate bocaparvovirus 4, a known porcine bocavirus, has also been found in rats. Thus, investigating bocaviruses in rats is important for determining the origin of the viruses and preventing and controlling their transmission. To the best of our knowledge, no study to date has investigated bocaviruses in the livers of rats. In this report, a total of 624 rats were trapped in southern China between 2014 and 2017. Liver and serum samples from rats were tested for the prevalence of bocaviruses using PCR. Sequences related to ungulate bocaparvovirus 4and rodent bocavirus were detected in both liver and serum samples. Interestingly, the prevalence of ungulate bocaparvovirus 4(reference strain: KJ622366.1) was higher than that of rodent bocavirus(reference strain:KY927868.1) in both liver(2.24% and 0.64%, respectively) and serum samples(2.19% and 0.44%, respectively).The NS1 regions of ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus related sequences displayed over 84% and88% identity at the nucleic acid and amino acid levels, respectively. Furthermore, these sequences had similar genomic structure, genomic features, and codon usage bias, and shared a common ancestor. These viruses also displayed greater adaptability to rats than pigs. Our results suggested that ungulate bocaparvovirus 4 and rodent bocavirus may originate from rats and may be different genotypes of the same bocavirus species.