Effects of water temperature on swimming performance of <em>Siniperca knerii</em> Garman under the Yuanshui River cascade development

We examined the swimming parameters and oxygen consumption rate at four temperature levels (15，20，25 and 30°C) of Siniperca knerii Garman (11.81 ±2.21 cm, 26.4 ± 6.28g) from Yuanshui River for 30 days to analyze the ecological adaptability of the typical fish and the conservation of fishery resources from the Dongting Lake water system. Their relationship was also analyzed, and the results showed an approximately linear increasing trend of the fish's critical swimming speed and preferred swimming speed with the change of temperature (PSiniperca knerii Garman. The changes were due to physiological and biochemical regulation with temperature and environmental changes. This experiment provided essential data support for the adaptive mechanism of sports physiology and ecology of typical fishes in the Yuanshui River

Alterations to the Gastrointestinal Microbiome Associated with Methamphetamine Use among Young Men who have Sex with Men.

Methamphetamine (MA) use is a major public health problem in the United States, especially among people living with HIV (PLWH). Many MA-induced neurotoxic effects are mediated by inflammation and gut microbiota may play a role in this process, yet the effects of MA on the microbiome have not been adequately explored. Therefore, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing on rectal swab samples from 381 men who have sex with men, 48% of whom were PLWH and 41% of whom used MA. We compared microbiome composition between MA users and non-users while testing for potential interactions with HIV and controlling for numerous confounders using inverse probability of treatment weighting. We found that MA use explained significant variation in overall composition (R2 = 0.005, p = 0.008) and was associated with elevated Finegoldia, Parvimonas, Peptoniphilus, and Porphyromonas and reduced Butyricicoccus and Faecalibacterium, among others. Genera including Actinomyces and Streptobacillus interacted with HIV status, such that they were increased in HIV+ MA users. Finegoldia and Peptoniphilus increased with increasing frequency of MA use, among others. In summary, MA use was associated with a microbial imbalance favoring pro-inflammatory bacteria, including some with neuroactive potential and others that have previously been associated with poor HIV outcomes

Comparative removal of As(V) and Sb(V) from aqueous solution by sulfide-modified α-FeOOH

Efficient elimination of As(V) and Sb(V) from wastewater streams has long been a major challenge. Herein, sulfide-modified α-FeOOH adsorbent was fabricated via a simple sulfidation reaction for removing As(V) and Sb(V) from aqueous media. Compared with the pristine α-FeOOH, sulfide-modified α-FeOOH increased the adsorption of As(V) from 153.8 to 384.6 mg/g, and Sb(V) adsorption from 277.8 to 1111.1 mg/g. The enhanced adsorption of both As(V) and Sb(V) was maintained at the pH range from 2 to 11, and was not interfered by various coexisting anions such as Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, SiO32− and PO43−. The adsorption affinity increased from 0.0047 to 0.0915 and 0.0053 to 0.4091 for As(V) and Sb(V), respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic investigation demonstrated a reductive conversion of As(V) to As(III) during the adsorption process with sulfide-modified α-FeOOH, but with no obvious variation of Sb(V) speciation. While the removal mechanism for As(V) was reduction followed by adsorption via hydroxyl groups, mainly surface complexation was involved in the removal of Sb(V). This study presented a simple strategy to enhance the adsorption capacity and adsorption affinity of α-FeOOH toward As(V)/Sb(V) via sulfide-modification

De Novo Assembly of Mud Loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) Skin Transcriptome to Identify Putative Genes Involved in Immunity and Epidermal Mucus Secretion

Fish skin serves as the first line of defense against a wide variety of chemical, physical and biological stressors. Secretion of mucus is among the most prominent characteristics of fish skin and numerous innate immune factors have been identified in the epidermal mucus. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the mucus secretion and immune activities of fish skin remain largely unclear due to the lack of genomic and transcriptomic data for most economically important fish species. In this study, we characterized the skin transcriptome of mud loach using Illumia paired-end sequencing. A total of 40364 unigenes were assembled from 86.6 million (3.07 gigabases) filtered reads. The mean length, N50 size and maximum length of assembled transcripts were 387, 611 and 8670 bp, respectively. A total of 17336 (43.76%) unigenes were annotated by blast searches against the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Gene ontology mapping assigned a total of 108513 GO terms to 15369 (38.08%) unigenes. KEGG orthology mapping annotated 9337 (23.23%) unigenes. Among the identified KO categories, immune system is the largest category that contains various components of multiple immune pathways such as chemokine signaling, leukocyte transendothelial migration and T cell receptor signaling, suggesting the complexity of immune mechanisms in fish skin. As for mucin biosynthesis, 37 unigenes were mapped to 7 enzymes of the mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis pathway and 8 members of the polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase family were identified. Additionally, 38 unigenes were mapped to 23 factors of the SNARE interactions in vesicular transport pathway, indicating that the activity of this pathway is required for the processes of epidermal mucus storage and release. Moreover, 1754 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in 1564 unigenes and dinucleotide repeats represented the most abundant type. These findings have laid the foundation for further understanding the secretary processes and immune functions of loach skin mucus.Fish skin serves as the first line of defense against a wide variety of chemical, physical and biological stressors. Secretion of mucus is among the most prominent characteristics of fish skin and numerous innate immune factors have been identified in the epidermal mucus. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the mucus secretion and immune activities of fish skin remain largely unclear due to the lack of genomic and transcriptomic data for most economically important fish species. In this study, we characterized the skin transcriptome of mud loach using Illumia paired-end sequencing. A total of 40364 unigenes were assembled from 86.6 million (3.07 gigabases) filtered reads. The mean length, N50 size and maximum length of assembled transcripts were 387, 611 and 8670 bp, respectively. A total of 17336 (43.76%) unigenes were annotated by blast searches against the NCBI non-redundant protein database. Gene ontology mapping assigned a total of 108513 GO terms to 15369 (38.08%) unigenes. KEGG orthology mapping annotated 9337 (23.23%) unigenes. Among the identified KO categories, immune system is the largest category that contains various components of multiple immune pathways such as chemokine signaling, leukocyte transendothelial migration and T cell receptor signaling, suggesting the complexity of immune mechanisms in fish skin. As for mucin biosynthesis, 37 unigenes were mapped to 7 enzymes of the mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis pathway and 8 members of the polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase family were identified. Additionally, 38 unigenes were mapped to 23 factors of the SNARE interactions in vesicular transport pathway, indicating that the activity of this pathway is required for the processes of epidermal mucus storage and release. Moreover, 1754 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were detected in 1564 unigenes and dinucleotide repeats represented the most abundant type. These findings have laid the foundation for further understanding the secretary processes and immune functions of loach skin mucus

A review of microplastics aggregation in aquatic environment: Influence factors, analytical methods, and environmental implications

A large amount of plastic waste released into natural waters and their demonstrated toxicity have made the transformation of microplastics (MPs; < 5 mm) and nanoplastics (NPs; < 100 nm) an emerging environmental concern. Aggregation is one of the most important environmental behaviors of MPs, especially in aquatic environments, which determines the mobility, distribution and bioavailability of MPs. In this paper, the sources and inputs of MPs in aquatic environments were first summarized followed by the analytical methods for investigating MP aggregation, including the sampling, visualization, and quantification procedures of MP’ particle sizes. We critically evaluated the sampling methods that still remains a methodological gap. Identification and quantification of MPs were mostly carried out by visual, spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, and modeling analysis. Important factors affecting MP aggregation in natural waters and environmental implications of the aggregation process were also reviewed. Finally, recommendations for future research were discussed, including (1) conducting more field studies; (2) using MPs in laboratory works representing those in the environment; and (3) standardizing methods of identification and quantification. The review gives a comprehensive overview of current knowledge for MP aggregation in natural waters, identifies knowledge gaps, and provides suggestions for future research

Preoperative controlling nutritional status on the prognosis of postoperative gastric cancer patients： a Meta-analysis

Objective To evaluate the prognostic value of controlling nutritional status score (CONUT) in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods CNKI, Wanfang, China Biomedical Literature Library, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were electronically searched for collecting relevant studies on the application of preoperative CONUT scores to the prognosis of gastric cancer patients after surgery. The search period was from database establishment to April 20, 2023. After screening literature, extracting data, and assessing quality assessment, Meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0 software. Results A total of 17 studies involving 9 233 patients were included. The results of Meta-analysis showed that, compared with the low CONUT group, patients in the high CONUT group had poorer overall survival ［HR=1.70, 95%CI(1.54,1.87), P＜0.01］, tumor specific survival ［HR=2.55, 95%CI (1.23,5.27), P=0.01］, and progression free survival ［HR=1.53, 95%CI(1.29,1.82), P＜0.01］. The CONUT score was significantly correlated with complications ［OR=2.10, 95%CI (1.53,2.90), P＜0.01］, nerve infiltration ［OR=1.54, 95%CI(1.02,2.32), P=0.04］, mortality ［OR=2.24, 95%CI (1.25,4.01), P＜0.01］, T3/4 ［OR=2.06, 95%CI (1.73,2.46), P＜0.01］, N2/3 ［OR=1.76, 95%CI (1.51,2.05), P＜0.01］, Stage Ⅲ ［OR=1.62, 95%CI (1.39,1.90), P＜0.01］, but not with tumor differentiation ［OR=0.88, 95%CI (0.75,1.04), P=0.13］. Conclusion Preoperative CONUT score is an independent prognostic indicator of gastric cancer patiem associated with clinicopathological parameters of gastric cancer

Influence of pyrolysis temperature on the characteristics and lead(II) adsorption capacity of phosphorus-engineered poplar sawdust biochar

Phosphorus (P)–engineered biochars (BCP) were prepared via co-pyrolysis of poplar sawdust and monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4) (10 %, w/w) at 300 ℃, 500 ℃ and 700 ℃ to evaluate their potential lead [Pb(II)] adsorption. Effects of pH, contact time, and initial Pb(II) concentration on the Pb(II) adsorption capacity of the biochars were investigated. The physico-chemical, morphological, porous structure, crystallinity and spectroscopic characteristics of pre- and post-Pb-adsorbed biochars were analyzed to unravel the Pb(II) adsorption mechanism. Results showed that KH2PO4 reacted with biomass carbon to form stable C–P and/or C–O–P groups in BCP, and increased carbon retention and aromaticity of BCP. However, the addition of KH2PO4 led to an adverse effect on porous structure, e.g. surface area of biochars produced at 300 ℃, 500 ℃ and 700 ℃ were decreased by 41.53 %, 80.32 %, and 59.74 %, respectively. Adsorption experiments displayed that BCP produced at 300 ℃ exhibited the highest Pb(II) adsorption capacity (qmax = 154.7 mg g−1), which was almost 6 times higher than the pristine biochar (qmax = 24.3 mg g−1). Potassium polymetaphosphate [(KPO3)n] particles were attached on the surface of BCP, which facilitated the precipitation of Pb(II) to form [Pb(PO3)2]n, Pb5(PO4)3OH and PbHPO4. This study thus demonstrated the effect of pyrolysis temperature on the enhancing removal capability of P-modified biochar for Pb(II) from aqueous solutions

Association between free testosterone levels and anal human papillomavirus Types 16/18 infections in a cohort of men who have sex with men

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) types 16 and 18 cause invasive cervical cancer and most invasive anal cancers (IACs). Overall, IAC rates are highest among men who have sex with men (MSM), especially MSM with HIV infection. Testosterone is prescribed for men showing hypogonadism and HIV-related wasting. While there are direct and indirect physiological effects of testosterone in males, its role in anal HPV16/18 infections in men is unknown. Methods Free testosterone (FT) was measured in serum from 340 Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) participants who were tested for anal HPV16/18-DNA approximately 36 months later. The effect of log10-transformed current FT level on anal HPV16/18 prevalence was modeled using Poisson regression with robust error variance. Multivariate models controlled for other HPV types, cumulative years of exogenous testosterone use, race, age, lifetime number of receptive anal intercourse partnerships, body mass index, tobacco smoking, HIV-infection and CD4+ T-cell counts among HIV-infected, and blood draw timing. Results Participants were, on average, 60 (+5.4) years of age, White (86%), and HIV-uninfected (56%); Twenty-four percent tested positive for anal HPV16 and/or 18-DNA (HPV16 prevalence= 17.1%, HPV18=9.1%). In adjusted analysis, each half-log10 increase of FT was associated with a 1.9-fold (95% Confidence Interval: 1.11, 3.24) higher HPV16/18 prevalence. Additionally, other Group 1 high-risk HPVs were associated with a 1.56-fold (1.03, 2.37) higher HPV16/18 prevalence. Traditional risk factors for HPV16/18 infection (age, tobacco smoking; lifetime number of sexual partners, including the number of receptive anal intercourse partnerships within 24 months preceding HPV testing) were poorly correlated with one another and not statistically significantly associated with higher prevalence of HPV16/ 18 infection in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Conclusions Higher free testosterone was associated with increased HPV16/18 prevalence measured approximately three years later, independent of sexual behavior and other potential confounders. The mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear and warrant further study

Biochar modulates heavy metal toxicity and improves microbial carbon use efficiency in soil

Soil organic carbon is essential to improve soil fertility and ecosystem functioning. Soil microorganisms contribute significantly to the carbon transformation and immobilisation processes. However, microorganisms are sensitive to environmental stresses such as heavy metals. Applying amendments, such as biochar, to contaminated soils can alleviate the metal toxicity and add carbon inputs. In this study, Cd and Pb spiked soils treated with macadamia nutshell biochar (5% w/w) were monitored during a 49days incubation period. Microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) were extracted and analysed as biomarkers in order to identify the microbial community composition. Soil properties, metal bioavailability, microbial respiration, and microbial biomass carbon were measured after the incubation period. Microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE) was calculated from the ratio of carbon incorporated into microbial biomass to the carbon mineralised. Total PLFA concentration decreased to a greater extent in metal contaminated soils than uncontaminated soils. Microbial CUE also decreased due to metal toxicity. However, biochar addition alleviated the metal toxicity, and increased total PLFA concentration. Both microbial respiration and biomass carbon increased due to biochar application, and CUE was significantly (p<0.01) higher in biochar treated soils than untreated soils. Heavy metals reduced the microbial carbon sequestration in contaminated soils by negatively influencing the CUE. The improvement of CUE through biochar addition in the contaminated soils could be attributed to the decrease in metal bioavailability, thereby mitigating the biotoxicity to soil microorganisms