Motivación y ansiedad por aprender inglés con respecto a los niños abandonados en la China rural

This study addressed the affective factors in English learning of the Left-behind children (LBCs) in the seventh grade in rural China. Results indicated the difference between the non-LBCs and the LBCs in language achievement and motivation with statistical significance. Follow-up interviews revealed a lack of parental engagement, lower level of technological literacy, and test-taking and questions-answering anxiety contributed to the LBCs’ academic underperformance and lower motivation in English learning. Pedagogical implications are discussed regarding how to foster English learning motivation and enhance learner autonomy for LBCs and build communication among different stakeholders in education.Este estudio abordó los factores afectivos en el aprendizaje del inglés de los niños abandonados, Left-Behind Children (LBC’s) en el séptimo grado en la China rural. Los resultados indicaron diferencias significativas entre los LBCs y los no LBCs en el lenguaje y motivación. Las entrevistas conducidas revelaron una falta de participación de los padres y un nivel más bajo de alfabetización tecnológica. La ansiedad de tomar exámenes y responder a preguntas también contribuyeron al bajo rendimiento académico de los LBCs y a una baja motivación en el aprendizaje del inglés. En este estudio, se discuten las implicaciones pedagógicas sobre cómo fomentar la motivación del aprendizaje del inglés, como mejorar la autonomía del los LBC alumnos y fomentar la comunicación entre los interesados en mejorar la educación

Motivación y ansiedad por aprender inglés con respecto a los niños abandonados en la China rural

This study addressed the affective factors in English learning of the Left-behind children (LBCs) in the seventh grade in rural China. Results indicated the difference between the non-LBCs and the LBCs in language achievement and motivation with statistical significance. Follow-up interviews revealed a lack of parental engagement, lower level of technological literacy, and test-taking and questions-answering anxiety contributed to the LBCs’ academic underperformance and lower motivation in English learning. Pedagogical implications are discussed regarding how to foster English learning motivation and enhance learner autonomy for LBCs and build communication among different stakeholders in education.Este estudio abordó los factores afectivos en el aprendizaje del inglés de los niños abandonados, Left-Behind Children (LBC’s) en el séptimo grado en la China rural. Los resultados indicaron diferencias significativas entre los LBCs y los no LBCs en el lenguaje y motivación. Las entrevistas conducidas revelaron una falta de participación de los padres y un nivel más bajo de alfabetización tecnológica. La ansiedad de tomar exámenes y responder a preguntas también contribuyeron al bajo rendimiento académico de los LBCs y a una baja motivación en el aprendizaje del inglés. En este estudio, se discuten las implicaciones pedagógicas sobre cómo fomentar la motivación del aprendizaje del inglés, como mejorar la autonomía del los LBC alumnos y fomentar la comunicación entre los interesados en mejorar la educación

Progress of research on PD-1/PD-L1 in leukemia

Leukemia cells prevent immune system from clearing tumor cells by inducing the immunosuppression of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment. In recent years, further understanding of the BM microenvironment and immune landscape of leukemia has resulted in the introduction of several immunotherapies, including checkpoint inhibitors, T-cell engager, antibody drug conjugates, and cellular therapies in clinical trials. Among them, the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) axis is a significant checkpoint for controlling immune responses, the PD-1 receptor on tumor-infiltrating T cells is bound by PD-L1 on leukemia cells. Consequently, the activation of tumor reactive T cells is inhibited and their apoptosis is promoted, preventing the rejection of the tumor by immune system and thus resulting in the occurrence of immune tolerance. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis serves as a significant mechanism by which tumor cells evade immune surveillance, and PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of lymphomas and varieties of solid tumors. However, the development of drugs targeting PD-1/PD-L1 in leukemia remains in the clinical-trial stage. In this review, we tally up the basic research and clinical trials on PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in leukemia, as well as discuss the relevant toxicity and impacts of PD-1/PD-L1 on other immunotherapies such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, bi-specific T-cell engager, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy

Evaluation of the Antidepressant Effect of the Functional Beverage Containing Active Peptides, Menthol and Eleutheroside, and Investigation of Its Mechanism of Action in Mice

Pozadina istraživanja. Depresija je postala globalna prijetnja ljudskom zdravlju. Znanstvenici provode različita ispitivanja uključujući i analizu prehrane kako bi riješili taj problem. Mnogi bioaktivni spojevi iz hrane imaju antidepresivni učinak. No, mali se broj istraživanja bavi razvojem industrijskih prehrambenih proizvoda s antidepresivnim učinkom. Svrha je ovoga rada bila ocijeniti antidepresivni učinak i mehanizme djelovanja funkcionalnog napitka pripremljenog od nekoliko sastojaka s mogućim antidepresivnim svojstvima. Eksperimentalni pristup. Napitak se sastoji od ulja paprene metvice, aktivnih peptida iz kazeina kravljeg mlijeka i ekstrakta sibirskog ginsenga (Acanthopanax senticosus), čiji je aktivni sastojak eleuterozid. Ispitan je dodatak različitih udjela ekstrakta sibirskog ginsenga da bi se utvrdila optimalna koncentracija eleuterozida u ovom funkcionalnom napitku, radi postizanja najboljeg antidepresivnog učinka. Provedena su opsežna ispitivanja ponašanja, uključujući preliminarne testove akutnog stresa te kroničnog nepredvidljivog blagog stresa. Rezultati i zaključci. Rezultati pokazuju da napitak s 15 mg/kg eleuterozida može bitno smanjiti vrijeme mirovanja miša u testovima vješanja za rep i prisilnog plivanja, pozitivno utjecati na preferenciju saharoze i promjene ponašanja u testu otvorenog polja, povećati udjel dopamina, norepinefrina, serotonina i aktivnost superoksid dismutaze, te smanjiti udjel malondialdehida u mozgu miševa. To potvrđuje da su poboljšana neurotransmisija monoamina i antioksidacijski status mogući mehanizmi antidepresivnog učinka. Novina i znanstveni doprinos. U ovom je radu predložen sastav funkcionalnog napitka s antidepresivnim svojstvima za učinkovitu prevenciju i liječenje depresije.Research background. Depression has become a global threat to human health. In order to solve it, researchers have conducted multi-faceted studies including diet. Many food-derived bioactive substances have shown antidepressant effects. However, there are few studies on the design of industrialized food with antidepressant effect. This study aims to evaluate the antidepressant effect of afunctional beverage made from several ingredients with potential antidepressant function and investigate its antidepressant mechanisms. Experimental approach. The beverage consists of peppermint oil, active peptides derived from bovine milk casein and Acanthopanax senticosus extract (ASE) whose active ingredient is eleutheroside. Different amounts of ASE were evaluated to determine the optimal concentration of eleutheroside in this functional beverage to deliver the best antidepressant effect through extensive behavioral testing, including preliminary acute stress experiments and further chronic unpredictable mild stress test. Results and conclusions. The results demonstrated that the beverage with 15 mg/kg of eleutheroside could significantly reduce the mice’s immobility time of tail suspension test and forced swimming test, recover mice’s sucrose preference and behavior changes in the open field test, improve the contents of dopamine, norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and the activity of superoxide dismutase and reduce the content of malondialdehyde in mice’s brains, which indicated that the improvement of monoamine neurotransmitter systems and antioxidation was one potential mechanism of antidepressant action. Novelty and scientific contribution. This study provides a design of antidepressant functional beverage and an efficient way for the prevention and treatment of depression

Characterization of a novel thermophilic cyanobacterium within Trichocoleusaceae, Trichothermofontia sichuanensis gen. et sp. nov., and its CO2-concentrating mechanism

Thermophiles from extreme thermal environments have shown tremendous potential regarding ecological and biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, thermophilic cyanobacteria remain largely untapped and are rarely characterized. Herein, a polyphasic approach was used to characterize a thermophilic strain, PKUAC-SCTB231 (hereafter B231), isolated from a hot spring (pH 6.62, 55.5°C) in Zhonggu village, China. The analyses of 16S rRNA phylogeny, secondary structures of 16S-23S ITS and morphology strongly supported strain B231 as a novel genus within Trichocoleusaceae. Phylogenomic inference and three genome-based indices further verified the genus delineation. Based on the botanical code, the isolate is herein delineated as Trichothermofontia sichuanensis gen. et sp. nov., a genus closely related to a validly described genus Trichocoleus. In addition, our results suggest that Pinocchia currently classified to belong to the family Leptolyngbyaceae may require revision and assignment to the family Trichocoleusaceae. Furthermore, the complete genome of Trichothermofontia B231 facilitated the elucidation of the genetic basis regarding genes related to its carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM). The strain belongs to β-cyanobacteria according to its β-carboxysome shell protein and 1B form of Ribulose bisphosphate Carboxylase-Oxygenase (RubisCO). Compared to other thermophilic strains, strain B231contains a relatively low diversity of bicarbonate transporters (only BicA for HCO3− transport) but a higher abundance of different types of carbonic anhydrase (CA), β-CA (ccaA) and γ-CA (ccmM). The BCT1 transporter consistently possessed by freshwater cyanobacteria was absent in strain B231. Similar situation was occasionally observed in freshwater thermal Thermoleptolyngbya and Thermosynechococcus strains. Moreover, strain B231 shows a similar composition of carboxysome shell proteins (ccmK1-4, ccmL, -M, -N, -O, and -P) to mesophilic cyanobacteria, the diversity of which was higher than many thermophilic strains lacking at least one of the four ccmK genes. The genomic distribution of CCM-related genes suggests that the expression of some components is regulated as an operon and others in an independently controlled satellite locus. The current study also offers fundamental information for future taxogenomics, ecogenomics and geogenomic studies on distribution and significance of thermophilic cyanobacteria in the global ecosystem

Analysis of chromosomal structural variations in patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion using optical genome mapping

Background and aims: Certain chromosomal structural variations (SVs) in biological parents can lead to recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSAs). Unequal crossing over during meiosis can result in the unbalanced rearrangement of gamete chromosomes such as duplication or deletion. Unfortunately, routine techniques such as karyotyping, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), and copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq) cannot detect all types of SVs. In this study, we show that optical genome mapping (OGM) quickly and accurately detects SVs for RSA patients with a high resolution and provides more information about the breakpoint regions at gene level.Methods: Seven couples who had suffered RSA with unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements of aborted embryos were recruited, and ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) DNA was isolated from their peripheral blood. The consensus genome map was created by de novo assembly on the Bionano Solve data analysis software. SVs and breakpoints were identified via alignments of the reference genome GRCh38/hg38. The exact breakpoint sequences were verified using either Oxford Nanopore sequencing or Sanger sequencing.Results: Various SVs in the recruited couples were successfully detected by OGM. Also, additional complex chromosomal rearrangement (CCRs) and four cryptic balanced reciprocal translocations (BRTs) were revealed, further refining the underlying genetic causes of RSA. Two of the disrupted genes identified in this study, FOXK2 [46,XY,t(7; 17)(q31.3; q25)] and PLXDC2 [46,XX,t(10; 16)(p12.31; q23.1)], had been previously shown to be associated with male fertility and embryo transit.Conclusion: OGM accurately detects chromosomal SVs, especially cryptic BRTs and CCRs. It is a useful complement to routine human genetic diagnostics, such as karyotyping, and detects cryptic BRTs and CCRs more accurately than routine genetic diagnostics

Biotransformation of rare earth oxide nanoparticles eliciting microbiota imbalance

Background Disruption of microbiota balance may result in severe diseases in animals and phytotoxicity in plants. While substantial concerns have been raised on engineered nanomaterial (ENM) induced hazard effects (e.g., lung inflammation), exploration of the impacts of ENMs on microbiota balance holds great implications. Results This study found that rare earth oxide nanoparticles (REOs) among 19 ENMs showed severe toxicity in Gram-negative (G−) bacteria, but negligible effects in Gram-positive (G+) bacteria. This distinct cytotoxicity was disclosed to associate with the different molecular initiating events of REOs in G− and G+ strains. La2O3 as a representative REOs was demonstrated to transform into LaPO4 on G− cell membranes and induce 8.3% dephosphorylation of phospholipids. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed the dephosphorylation induced more than 2-fold increments of phospholipid diffusion constant and an unordered configuration in membranes, eliciting the increments of membrane fluidity and permeability. Notably, the ratios of G−/G+ reduced from 1.56 to 1.10 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the mice with La2O3 exposure. Finally, we demonstrated that both IL-6 and neutrophil cells showed strong correlations with G−/G+ ratios, evidenced by their correlation coefficients with 0.83 and 0.92, respectively. Conclusions This study deciphered the distinct toxic mechanisms of La2O3 as a representative REO in G− and G+ bacteria and disclosed that La2O3-induced membrane damages of G− cells cumulated into pulmonary microbiota imbalance exhibiting synergistic pulmonary toxicity. Overall, these findings offered new insights to understand the hazard effects induced by REOs

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation and Cigarette Smoking in a Chinese Population

Background: Smoking is a risk factor for many human diseases. DNA methylation has been related to smoking, but genome-wide methylation data for smoking in Chinese populations is limited. Objectives: We aimed to investigate epigenome-wide methylation in relation to smoking in a Chinese population. Methods: We measured the methylation levels at > 485,000 CpG sites (CpGs) in DNA from leukocytes using a methylation array and conducted a genome-wide meta-analysis of DNA methylation and smoking in a total of 596 Chinese participants. We further evaluated the associations of smoking-related CpGs with internal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) biomarkers and their correlations with the expression of corresponding genes. Results: We identified 318 CpGs whose methylation levels were associated with smoking at a genome-wide significance level (false discovery rate < 0.05), among which 161 CpGs annotated to 123 genes were not associated with smoking in recent studies of Europeans and African Americans. Of these smoking-related CpGs, methylation levels at 80 CpGs showed significant correlations with the expression of corresponding genes (including RUNX3, IL6R, PTAFR, ANKRD11, CEP135 and CDH23), and methylation at 15 CpGs was significantly associated with urinary 2-hydroxynaphthalene, the most representative internal monohydroxy-PAH biomarker for smoking. Conclusion: We identified DNA methylation markers associated with smoking in a Chinese population, including some markers that were also correlated with gene expression. Exposure to naphthalene, a byproduct of tobacco smoke, may contribute to smoking-related methylation. Citation: Zhu X, Li J, Deng S, Yu K, Liu X, Deng Q, Sun H, Zhang X, He M, Guo H, Chen W, Yuan J, Zhang B, Kuang D, He X, Bai Y, Han X, Liu B, Li X, Yang L, Jiang H, Zhang Y, Hu J, Cheng L, Luo X, Mei W, Zhou Z, Sun S, Zhang L, Liu C, Guo Y, Zhang Z, Hu FB, Liang L, Wu T. 2016. Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation and cigarette smoking in Chinese. Environ Health Perspect 124:966–973; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.150983