Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on distribution of starch granules in different regions of wheat endosperm

This study provided visual evidence of a nitrogen effect on starch granules(SGs) in wheat endosperm. Winter wheat(Titicum aestivum L.) cultivar Xumai 30 was cultured under no nitrogen(control) and 240 kg ha-1of nitrogen applied at the booting stage. The number, morphology, and size of Aand B-type SGs in subaleurone of dorsal endosperm(SDE), center of dorsal endosperm(CDE), modified aleurone(MA), subaleurone of ventral endosperm(SVE), and center of ventral endosperm(CVE) were observed under light and electron microscopes.(1) The distribution of SGs in SDE was similar to that in SVE, the distributions of SGs in CDE and CVE were similar, but the distribution of SGs in MA was different from those in the other four endosperm regions. The number of SGs in the five endosperm regions was in the order SDE > CDE > SVE > CVE > MA.(2) Nitrogen increased the number of Aand B-type SGs in SDE and SVE. Nitrogen also increased the number of B-type SGs but decreased the number of A-type SGs in CDE and CVE. Nitrogen decreased the numbers of A-type and B-type SGs in MA. The results suggest that increased N fertilizer application mainly increased the numbers of small SGs and decreased the numbers of large SGs, but that the results varied in different regions of the wheat endosperm.

Estimation of ultra-stability of methane hydrate at 1 atm by thermal conductivity measurement

Thermal conductivity of methane hydrate was measured in hydrate dissociation self-preservation zone by means of the transient plane source（TPS） technique developed by Gustafsson.The sample was formed from 99.9%（volume ratio） methane gas with 280 ppm sodium dodecyl sulfate（SDS） solution under 6.6 MPa and 273.15 K.The methane hydrate sample was taken out of the cell and moved into a low temperature chamber when the conversion ratio of water was more than 90%.In order to measure the thermal conductivity,the sample was compacted into two columnar parts by compact tool at 268.15 K.The measurements are carried out in the temperature ranging from 263.15 K to 271.15 K at atmospheric pressure.Additionally,the relationship between thermal conductivity and time is also investigated at 263.15 K and 268.15 K,respectively.In 24 h,thermal conductivity increases only 5.45% at 268.15 K,but thermal conductivity increases 196.29% at 263.15 K.Methane hydrates exhibit only minimal decomposition at 1 atm and the temperature ranging from 263.15 K to 271.15 K.At 1 atm and 268.15 K,the total gas that evolved after 24 h was amounted to less than 0.71% of the originally stored gas,and this ultra-stability was maintained if the test was lasted for more than two hundreds hours before terminating.

Classification of snow cover days in western China and comparison with satellite remote sensing data

The daily snow cover data from 232 meteorological stations to the west of 105°E in China for the period 1951-2004 were used to classify the snow cover and analyze decadal variations of snow cover types in western China, and comparison was made between the observational data and those retrieved from passive microwave remote sensing data （SMMR and SSM/I） in 1980-2004. The results show that stable snow-covered areas included northern Xinjiang, the Tianshan Mountains, and the eastern Tibetan Plateau with more than 60 snow cover days; no snow cover was found in the center of the southern Xinjiang Basin, the Sichuan Basin, and southern Yunnan. In addition to the above-mentioned, there were unstable snow-covered areas in western China. Furthermore, the snow cover types in northern Xinjiang, the Tianshan Mountains, the Hexi Corridor, and the vast areas from Chengdu to Kunming were unchanged. In the 1980s, the south-north dividing line between the major snow-covered area and snow-free area advanced to its most southern position. The snow cover days calculated from satellite remote sensing were generally longer than those from observational data in western China, mainly in the higher-altitude mountains, the Hexi Corridor, and the western Sichuan Plateau.

Changes of learning and memory ability associated with neuronal nitric oxide synthase in brain tissues of rats with acute alcoholism

BACKGROUD： Ethanol can influence neural development and the ability of leaming and memory, but its mechanism of the neural toxicity is not clear till now. Endogenous nitric oxide （NO） as a gaseous messenger is proved to play an important role in the formation of synaptic plasticity, transference of neuronal information and the neural development, but excessive nitro oxide can result in neurotoxicity. OBJECTIVE ： To observe the effects of acute alcoholism on the learning and memory ability and the content of neuronal nitric oxide synthase （nNOS） in brain tissue of rats. DESIGN ： A randomized controlled animal experiment. SETTING ： Department of Physiology, Xinxiang Medical College MATERIALS： Eighteen male clean-degree SD rats of 18-22 weeks were raised adaptively for 2 days, and then randomly divided into control group （n = 8） and experimental group （n = 10）. The nNOS immunohistochemical reagent was provided by Beijing Zhongshan Golden Bridge Biotechnology Co.,Ltd. Y-maze was produced by Suixi Zhenghua Apparatus Plant. METHODS ： The experiment was carded out in the laboratory of the Department of Physiology, Xinxiang Medical College from June to October in 2005. ① Rats in the experimental group were intraperitoneally injected with ethanol （2.5 g/kg） which was dissolved in normal saline （20%）. The loss of righting reflex and ataxia within 5 minutes indicated the successful model. Whereas rats in the control group were given saline of the same volume. ② Examinations of learning and memory ability： The Y-maze tests for learning and memory ability were performed at 6 hours after the models establishment. The rats were put into the Y-maze separately. The test was performed in a quiet and dark room. There was a lamp at the end of each of three pathways in Y-maze and the base of maze had electric net. All the lamps of the three pathways were turned on for 3 minutes and then turned off. One lamp was turned on randomly, and the other two delayed automatically. In 5 seconds after alternation, pulsating electric current presented in the base of unsafe area to stimulate rat＇s feet to run to the safe area. The lighting lasted for 15 seconds as one test. Running from unsafe area to safe area at one time in 10 seconds was justified as successful. Such test was repeated for 10 times for each rat and the successful frequency was recorded. The qualified standard of maze test was that the rat ardved in the safe area g times during 10 experiments. The number of trainings for the qualified standard was used to represent the result of spatial learning. ③ Determination of the content of nNOS in brain tissue： After the Y-maze test, the rats were anaesthetized, and blood was let from the incision on right auricle, transcardially perfused via the left ventricle with about 200 mL saline, then fixed by perfusion of 40 g/L paraformaldehyde. Hippocampal CA1 region, corpus striatum and cerebellum were taken to prepare serial freezing coronal sections. The nNOS contents in the brain regions were determined with the immunohistochemical methods to reflect the changes of nitdc oxide in brain tissue. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ： The changes of learning and memory ability and the changes of the nNOS contents in the brain tissue of rats with acute alcoholism were observed. RESULTS ： One rat in the experimental group was excluded due to its slow reaction to electdc stimulation in the Y-maze test, and the other 17 rats were involved in the analysis of results. ① The training times to reach qualifying standards of Y-maze in the expedmental group was more than that in the control group [（34.33 ±13.04）, （27.50±8.79） times, P〈 0.05]. ② Forms and numbers of nNOS positive neurons in brain tissue： It could be observed under light microscope that in the hippocampal CA1 region, there were fewer nNOS positive neurons, which were lightly stained, and the processes were not clear enough; But the numbers of the positive neurons which were deeply stained as huffy were obviously increased in the experimental group, the cell body and cyloplasm of process were evenly stained, but the nucleus was not stained. The nNOS positive neurons in corpus stdatum had similar forms and size in the experimental group and control group. The form of the nNOS positive neurons in cerebellum were similar between the two groups. The numbers of nNOS positive neurons in hippocampal CA1 region and corpus striatum in the expedmental group [（18.22±7.47）, （11.38±5.00） cells/high power field] were obviously higher than those in the control group [（10.15±4.24）, （6.15±3.69） cells/high power field. The number of nNOS positive neurons in cerebellum had no significant difference between the two groups [（49.56±18.84）, （44.43±15.42） cells/high power field, P〉 0.05]. CONCLUSION ： Acute alcoholism may impair learning and memory ability, and nitric oxide may be involved in mediating the neurotoxic role of ethanol.

The Biomass Dosage Influences the Effects of Diethyl Aminoethyl Hexanoate on Micropropagation of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench

The plant growth regulator diethyl aminoethyl hexanoate (DA-6) has proved highly effective on micropropagation of the medicinal plant purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench), however, sharp variation of the effects existed among explants in the same treatment, making the application of DA-6 in micropropagation difficult. In order to clarify factors that influencing the treating results of DA-6, explants with different biomass dosage were prepared and inoculated onto medium supplemented with different concentrations of DA-6. It was found that among the three kinds of biomass dosage explants, the lowest biomass explants required the lowest concentration of DA-6, and the highest biomass explants required the highest concentration of DA-6 for the best results on adventitious buds regeneration. Similar results were obtained when regenerated buds of three different biomass dosages were cultured. It could be concluded from the above experimental results that for achieving better DA-6 application results, the concentration of DA-6 should be determined not only by the types but also by the biomass dosage of the explants. The present finding might help to improve the micropropagation efficiency in E. purpurea, and might be applicable for other species

Mannitol and Sorbitol Improve Uniformity of Adventitious Shoots Regeneration in Echinacea purpurea L. Moench

Mannitol or sorbitol was added into the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium contain-ing certain concentrations of 6-Benzyladenine (BA) which was used to induce adventi-tious buds of Echinacea purpurea L. Results showed that the induced adventitious buds growing from medium added with 15 g·L-1 mannitol or sorbitol of the same con-centration were more consistent in height. The regeneration rates in MS medium containing 0.2 mg·L-1 BA and 15 g·L-1 mannitol were increased, while in MS medium containing 0.2 and 0.5 mg·L-1 BA, and 15 g·L-1 sorbitol, the regeneration rates were suppressed. On the other hand, genotype of explants and the concentration of BA in-fluenced the incidence of hyperhydricity, and the hyperhydricity of regenerated buds was more severe when the petiole explants were inoculated on medium with 15 g·L-1 mannitol or 15 g·L-1 sorbitol. The present study offers new possibility to the production of uniform plantlets for commercial cultivation in this important medicinal plant.

Autophagy occurs within an hour of adenosine triphosphate treatment after nerve cell damage:the neuroprotective effects of adenosine triphosphate against apoptosis

After hypoxia, ischemia, or inflammatory injuries to the central nervous system, the damaged cells release a large amount of adenosine triphosphate, which may cause secondary neuronal death. Autophagy is a form of cell death that also has neuroprotective effects. Cell Counting Kit assay, monodansylcadaverine staining, flow cytometry, western blotting, and real-time PCR were used to determine the effects of exogenous adenosine triphosphate treatment at different concentrations （2, 4, 6, 8, 10 mmol/L） over time （1, 2, 3, and 6 hours） on the apoptosis and autophagy of SH-SY5Y cells. High concentrations of extracellular adenosine triphosphate induced autophagy and apoptosis of SH-SYSY cells. The enhanced autophagy first appeared, and peaked at 1 hour after treatment with adenosine triphosphate. Cell apoptosis peaked at 3 hours, and persisted through 6 hours. With prolonged exposure to the adenosine triphosphate treatment, the fraction of apoptotic cells increased. These data suggest that the SH-SY5Y neural cells initiated autophagy against apoptosis within an hour of adenosine triphosphate treatment to protect themselves against injury.

Molecular dynamics simulations for the growth of CH_4-CO_2 mixed hydrate

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the growth mechanism of CH4-CO2 mixed hydrate in xco2 = 75%, xco2 = 50%, and zco2 = 25% systems at T = 250 K, 255 K and 260 K, respectively. Our simulation results show that the growth rate of CH4-CO2 mixed hydrate increases as the CO2 concentration in the initial solution phase increases and the temperature decreases. Via hydrate formation, the composition of CO2 in hydrate phase is higher than that in initial solution phase and the encaging capacity of CO2 in hydrates increases with the decrease in temperature. By analysis of the cage occupancy ratio of CH4 molecules and CO2 molecules in large cages to small cages, we find that CO2 molecules are preferably encaged into the large cages of the hydrate crystal as compared with CH4 molecules. Interestingly, CH4 molecules and CO2 molecules frequently replace with each other in some particular cage sites adjacent to hydrate/solution interface during the crystal growth process. These two species of guest molecules eventually act to stabilize the newly formed hydrates, with CO2 molecules occupying large cages and CH4 molecules occupying small cages in hydrate.

Comparison and analysis of snow cover data based on dif-ferent definitions of snow cover days

In order to analyze the differences between the two snow cover data, the snow cover data of 884 meteorological stations in China from 1951 to 2005 are counted. The data include days of visual snow observation, snow depth, and snow cover durations, which vary according to different definitions of snow cover days. Two series of data, as defined by ＂snow depth＂ and by ＂weather obser- vation,＂ are investigated here. Our results show that there is no apparent difference between them in east China and the Xinjiang region, but in northeast China and the Tibetan Plateau the ＂weather observation＂ data vary by more than 10 days and the ＂snow depth＂ data vary by 0.4 cm. Especially in the Tibetan Plateau, there are at least 15 more days of＂weather observation＂ snow in most areas （sometimes more than 30 days）. There is an obvious difference in the snow cover data due to bimodal snowfall data in the Tibetan Plateau, which has peak snowfalls from September to October and from .April to May. At those times the temperature is too high for snow cover fol：mation mad only a few days have trace snow cover. Also, the characteristics and changing trends of snow cover are analyzed here based on the snow cover data of nine weather stations iri the northeast region of the Tibetan Plateau, by the Mann-KendaU test. The results show significantly fewer days of snow cover and shorter snow dtwations as defined by ＂snow depth＂ compared to that as defined by ＂weather observation.＂ Mann-Kendall tests of both series of snow cover durations show an abrupt change in 1987.

Characteristics Analysis on Short-Time Heavy Rainfall during the Flood Season in Shanxi Province, China

In order to provide a reference for the correct forecasting of short-term heavy rainfall and better disaster prevention and mitigation services in Shanxi Province, China, it is very important to carry out systematic research on short-term heavy precipitation events in Shanxi Province. Based on hourly precipitation data during the flood season (May to September) from 109 meteorological stations in Shanxi, China in 1980-2015, the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of short-time heavy rainfall during the flood season are analyzed by using wavelet analysis and Mann-Kendall test. The results show that the short-time heavy rainfall in the flood season in Shanxi Province is mainly at the grade of 20 - 30 mm/h, with an average of 97 stations having short-time heavy rainfall each year, accounting for 89% of the total stations. The short-time heavy rainfall mainly concentrated in July and August, and the maximal rain intensity in history appeared at 23 - 24 on June 17, 1991 in Yongji, Shanxi is 91.7 mm/h. During the flood season, the short-time heavy rainfalls always occur at 16 - 18 pm, and have slightly different concentrated time in different months. The main peaks of June, July and August are at 16, 17 and 18 respectively, postponed for one hour. Short-time heavy rainfall overall has the distribution that the south is more than the north and the east less than the west in Shanxi area. In the last 36 years, short-time heavy rainfall has a slight increasing trend in Shanxi, but not significant. There is a clear 4-year period of oscillation and inter-decadal variation. It has a good correlation between the total precipitation and times of short-time heavy rainfall during the flood season.

Mifepristone modulates serotonin transporter function

Regulating serotonin expression can be used to treat psychotic depression. Mifepristone, a glu- cocorticoid receptor antagonist, is an effective candidate for psychotic depression treatment. However, the underlying mechanism related to serotonin transporter expression is poorly un- derstood. In this study, we cloned the human brain serotonin transporter into Xenopus oocytes, to establish an in vitro expression system. Two-electrode voltage clamp recordings were used to detect serotonin transporter activity. Our results show that mifepristone attenuates serotonin transporter activity by directly inhibiting the serotonin transporter, and suggests that the se- rotonin transporter is a pharmacological target of mifepristone for the treatment of psychotic depression.

Estimation of precipitation condensation latent heat in rainy season over Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The basic data for this research comprise the outgoing long-wave radiation(OLR) data observed by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) series satellites from June 1974 through December 2005 over the area of 75°-105°E and 25°-40°N(totaling 91 grid zones when the horizontal resolution is 2.5° longitude by 2.5° latitude) and the monthly rainfall data recorded,from 1961 through 2005,by 93 conventional meteorological stations on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Based on the research of the relation between rainfall and OLR and climate regionalization,a mathematic model was established for each region and grid zone,which is applied to estimate the monthly rainfall and then to estimate the monthly latent heat resulting from the condensation of precipitation year by year from 1961 through 2005.The results indicated that the multi-year average precipitation is 401.5 mm and the condensation latent heat is 18.55×1020 J in the eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau;the increasing rate of condensation latent heat is 0.218×1020J/10a in the recent 45 years;that is to say,it will increase 1.2 percent in each decade.Furthermore,the total condensation latent heat and its variation rate in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are slightly larger than in the east to the plateau.

Definition and characteristics of the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon in East Asian

Based on observational daily data of 730 meteorological stations in China, the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon is defined according to relevant criterion and its variation characteristics are analyzed. Results show that this south edge has obvious inter-annual variation characteristics and shows a northward moving tendency as a whole, but since the 21 st century it has moved southwards and date of the south edge entering winter becomes earlier. Wind fields of the anomalously northward south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon in East Asia has an obvious southerly wind component which prevents cold air from moving southward. The index of this south edge and winter temperature has a positive correlation. Climate warming might be the main reason for the northward movement of the south edge of the subtropical winter monsoon.

新疆教育行政四级专网安全防护体系建设研究

网络安全和信息化是事关国家安全和发展、广大人民群众工作生活的重大战略问题。近年来,我国相继出台《中华人民共和国网络安全法》《中华人民共和国数据安全法》《关键信息基础设施安全保护条例》、“网络安全等级保护2.0”等相关法律法规及标准,对各行业的网络安全提出了严格要求。文章结合新疆教育行政四级专网的实际状况,根据“网络安全等级保护2.0”的基本要求,按照分域保护、访问控制、身份认证、恶意代码防范、入侵检测、数据安全、终端安全、管理审计、风险预警、集中统一安全管理等,从技术和管理两个层面构建了一套基于新疆教育行政四级专网“可信、可控、可管”的网络安全防护管理体系,以有效防范、控制和抵御网络安全风险,保障数据、系统、应用、网络的安全,增强网络安全预警,提高新疆教育系统整体网络安全的防护水平。

An atlas of immune cell transcriptomes in human immunodeficiency virus-infected immunological non-responders identified marker genes that control viral replication

Background:Previous studies have examined the bulk transcriptome of peripheral blood immune cells in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients experiencing immunological non-responsiveness.This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of specific immune cell subtypes in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients who exhibit immunological non-responsiveness.Methods:A single-cell transcriptome sequencing of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from both immunological responders(IRs)(CD4^(+)T-cell count>500)and immunological non-responders(INRs)(CD4^(+)T-cell count<300)was conducted.The transcriptomic profiles were used to identify distinct cell subpopulations,marker genes,and differentially expressed genes aiming to uncover potential genetic factors associated with immunological non-responsiveness.Results:Among the cellular subpopulations analyzed,the ratios of monocytes,CD16^(+)monocytes,and exhausted B cells demonstrated the most substantial differences between INRs and IRs,with fold changes of 39.79,11.08,and 2.71,respectively.In contrast,the CD4^(+)T cell ratio was significantly decreased(0.39-fold change)in INRs compared with that in IRs.Similarly,the ratios of natural killer cells and terminal effector CD8^(+)T cells were also lower(0.37-fold and 0.27-fold,respectively)in the INRs group.In addition to several well-characterized immune cell-specific markers,we identified a set of 181 marker genes that were enriched in biological pathways associated with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)replication.Notably,ISG15,IFITM3,PLSCR1,HLA-DQB1,CCL3L1,and DDX5,which have been demonstrated to influence HIV replication through their interaction with viral proteins,emerged as significant monocyte marker genes.Furthermore,the differentially expressed genes in natural killer cells were also enriched in biological pathways associated with HIV replication.Conclusions:We generated an atlas of immune cell transcriptomes in HIV-infected IRs and INRs.Host genes associated with HIV replication were identified as markers of,and were found to be differentially expressed in,different types of immune cells.

Abnormal platelet count correlates with poor survival in hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Normal platelet(PLT) plays a vital role in thrombosis, the inflammatory response, and liver regeneration. The effect of abnormal PLT counts has been seldom explored in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC); hence, this investigation was conducted to evaluate the prognostic importance of preoperative abnormal PLT count in HCC patients after liver resection retrospectively. Methodology: The PLT counts were determined using Sysmex XT-1800 i automated hematology analyzer and its matching reagents. Patients were divided into two groups: a normal PLT group and an abnormal PLT group. Chi-square test, Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox univariable and multivariable regressions were utilized to analyze the data. Results: A total of 391 HCC patients who underwent liver resection were included in this study. The overall survival(OS) rates were 59% and 31%, and the median survival time was 69 months and 31 months in the normal and abnormal PLT groups, respectively. The PLT level was associated with OS in univariate and multivariate analyses(hazard ratio [HR], 1.991 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.412–2.808] and HR, 2.217 [95% CI, 1.556–3.159], respectively). Conclusions: Patients with normal PLT had a better outcome in terms of OS. The results suggested that abnormal PLT count is an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients after liver resection.

Identification of niclosamide as a novel antiviral agent against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection by targeting viral internalization

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus(PEDV),an enteropathogenic coronavirus,has catastrophic impacts on the global pig industry.However,there remain no effective drugs against PEDV infection.In this study,we utilized a recombinant PEDV expressing renilla luciferase(PEDV-Rluc)to screen potential anti-PEDV agents from an FDAapproved drug library in Vero cells.Four compounds were identified that significantly decreased luciferase activity of PEDV-Rluc.Among them,niclosamide was further characterized because it exhibited the most potent antiviral activity with the highest selectivity index.It can efficiently inhibit viral RNA synthesis,protein expression and viral progeny production of classical and variant PEDV strains in a dose-dependent manner.Time of addition assay showed that niclosamide exhibited potent anti-PEDV activity when added simultaneously with or after virus infection.Furthermore,niclosamide significantly inhibited the entry stage of PEDV infection by affecting viral internalization rather than viral attachment to cells.In addition,a combination with other small molecule inhibitors of endosomal acidification enhanced the anti-PEDV effect of niclosamide in vitro.Taken together,these findings suggested that niclosamide is a novel antiviral agent that might provide a basis for the development of novel drug therapies against PEDV and other related pathogenic coronavirus infections.

Efficacy and Safety of All-oral,12-week Ravidasvir Plus Ritonavir-boosted Danoprevir and Ribavirin in Treatment-naive Noncirrhotic HCV Genotype 1 Patients:Results from a Phase 2/3 Clinical Trial in China

Background and Aims:Ravidasvir(RDV)is a new generation pangenotypic hepatitis C virus(HCV)NS5A inhibitor,with high barrier to baseline resistance-associated species.This is the first phase 2/3 study conducted in China's Mainland confirming the efficacy and safety of RDV+ritonavir-boosted danoprevir+ribavirin for 12 weeks in treatment-naive noncirrhotic patients with genotype 1 infection in a large population.Methods:In this multicenter,randomized,doubleblinded,placebo-controlled phase 2/3 trial(NCT03362814),we enrolled 424 treatment-nafve,noncirrhotic adult HCV genotype 1 patients.All patients were randomized at 3∶1 ratio to receive a combination of RDV 200mg once daily plus ritonavir-boosted danoprevir 100mg/100mg twice daily and oral ribavirin 1000/1200mg/day(body weight<75/≥75 kg)(n=318)or placebo(n=106)for 12 weeks.The primary end-point was the rate of sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment,and the safety was evaluated and compared between treatment and placebo groups.Results:The overall rate of sustained virological response at 12 weeks after treatment is 99%(306/309,95%,CI:97%-100%)under per protocol set analysis.All patients harboring baseline NS5A resistance-associated species in the treatment group(76/76,per protocol set)achieved sustained virological response at 12 weeks after treatment.No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported.Laboratory abnormalities showed mild or moderate severity(grade 1 and grade 2)in liver function tests.Conclusions:In treatment-na(i)ve,noncirrhotic HCV Chinese patients infected with HCV genotype 1,all-oral regimen of RDV+ritonavir-boosted danoprevir+ribavirin for 12 weeks was highly efficacious,safe,and well tolerated.

Host cell Rac1 GTPase facilitates Toxoplasma gondii invasion

Dear Editor,Toxoplasma gondii is broadly distributed worldwide,and infects nearly all warm-blooded animals(Montoya and Liesenfeld,2004).Its primary infections in pregnant women may lead to abortion,stillbirth and other conditions,and it also attributes largely to encephalitis,retinochoroiditis and other serious diseases in immunocompromised individuals(Moncada and Montoya,2012).Rac1 is a small GTPase in the Rho family that plays an important role in cytoskeleton reorganization(Hall,1998).Rac1 GTPase is reported to be activated by infection of Chlamydia pneumoniae(Zhang et al.,2014).

The Association between Meteorological Factors and the Prevalence of Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure:A Population-based Study,2007-2016

Background and Aims:The aim of this study was to inves-tigate the effect(s)of meteorological factors on the preva-lence of acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF)based on 10-years'worth of population data.Methods:We retrospec-tively collected ACLF case data from January 2007 to Decem-ber 2016 from three major hospitals in Fuzhou City,China.Climatic data,including rainfall,mean temperature,differen-ces in temperature(delta temperature)and mean humidity for each month were downloaded from the China Climatic Data Service Center.Following data collection,Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate the effect(s)of climatic factors on the risk of the prevalence of ACLF.Results:The population consisted of a total of 3510 cases,with a mean age of 44.7±14.8 years-old and with 79.8%being male.Upon analyzing the population data,we found a growing trend and seasonal pattern of monthly counts of ACLF-related hospitalization throughout the past decade.Specifically,the primary peak of ACLF prevalence was in January and the secondary peak was in July.Poisson regression showed mean temperature(risk ratio=0.991,95%CI=0.986–0.996)and mean humidity(risk ra-tio=1.011,95%CI=1.006–1.017)to be independently cor-related with the monthly cases of ACLF.The results suggest that every unit increase of mean temperature(1°C)and mean humidity(1%)are associated with 0.991-and 1.011-fold changes of ACLF cases,respectively.Rainfall and delta temper-ature did not appear to affect the prevalence of this disease.Conclusions:The hospitalization for ACLF peaks in January and July.Low temperature and high humidity appear to func-tion as factors contributing to this seasonal pattern.