科技期刊信息图设计分析——以国际一流期刊COVID-19相关研究为例

【目的】 以国际一流科技期刊信息图为例,分析信息图实用性和艺术性相结合的设计方法,并对国内科技期刊信息图设计提出建议。【方法】 采取个案研究法,分析《自然》《科学》和《细胞》网络平台发布的COVID-19相关研究与报道中信息图的功能、设计方法和设计特点。【结果】 国际期刊信息图设计方法包含:精炼信息,形象生动;重视艺术性表现;注重信息图的整体性和逻辑性。【结论】 我国科技期刊信息图设计应提升艺术性,重视信息图对期刊传播的作用,兼顾受众审美需求,注重线上传播以及与新技术结合。     

The distribution characteristics of β-propeller phytase genes in rhizosphere sediment provide insight into species specialty from phytic mineralization in subtropical and tropical seagrass ecosystems

Seagrass meadows have seriously deteriorated in recent years. Seagrass associated phytate-mineralizing rhizobacteria potentially have functions related to seagrass nutrition, health and sustainable growth. The β-propeller phytases (BPPs) are the only phytase family in aquatic environments, but there are few studies on the BPP community structure of seagrass. In this study, clone libraries and quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were used to compare the diversity and abundances of the BPP communities of Halodule endl, Halophila ovalis and Thalassia hemprichii in Xisha and Sanya, and to investigate the distribution characteristics of BPP genes in the rhizosphere sediment, which provedes insight into species specialty from phytic mineralization in subtropical and tropical seagrass ecosystems. The highest diversity of BPP genes was found for Thalassia hemprichii in Sanya Bay. Thalassia hemprichii in Sanya had higher abundances of BPPs, which were linked to Gammaproteobacteria. The BPP community diversity and OTUs of Thalassia hemprichii in Sanya were much higher than those of Thalassia hemprichii on Yongxing Island and Stone Island. The seagrass BPP communities had higher diversity and evenness from sampling sites with more human activity. The qPCR results showed that the abundance of phytate acid-degradating bacteria was approximately three times larger in Thalassia hemprichii rhizosphere sediment samples than in Halodule endl and Halophila ovalis rhizosphere sediment samples. This study highlighted that the diversity and abundances of bacteria genetically encoding BPP in the rhizosphere of Thalassia hemprichii were clearly higher than those of Halodule endl and Halophila ovalis. Further study of microbial phosphorus cycling will provide new insights into seagrass meadow ecosystems.

     

Identification of sterols from the soft coral Dendronephthya gigantea and their anti-inflammatory potential

Exploration of anti-inflammatory phytochemicals has received tremendous attention worldwide owing to the rapid increase in inflammatory diseases. Current study reveals the identification of eight 3β-hydroxy-Δ⁵-steroidal congeners from a nonpolar column fraction of the ethanol solubles from the soft coral Dendronephthya gigantea collected from Jeju Island South Korea, using GC–MS/MS analysis. The sterol-rich fraction (DGEH21) showed a significant anti-inflammatory activity as exhibited by the inhibition of NO production (IC₅₀ 4.33 ± 0.50 μg/mL) and PGE₂ production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. It also suppressed the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, DGEH21 effectively downregulated the expression levels of iNOS, and COX-2 and reduced NO and ROS production as well as cell death in LPS-stimulated in-vivo zebrafish embryo model. However, DGEH21 at relatively high concentrations indicated cytotoxicity in both RAW cells and zebrafish embryos with RAW cell viability being nearly 80% after treatment with 25 μg/mL DGEH21. This study highlights the synergistic anti-inflammatory activity of several steroids found in D. gigantea. Their actions may be useful in the development of anti-inflammatory cosmeceuticals, pharmaceutical agents, and other consumer products.     

赖氨酸特异性去甲基化酶6A及其在白血病中的研究进展

白血病是发生于血液系统造血干/祖细胞的恶性增殖性疾病,临床以化学药物治疗为主,但其复发及耐药仍是难题和瓶颈。最新研究显示组蛋白甲基化是通过调控基因转录参与了细胞增殖、分化、凋亡等过程的表观遗传调节机制之一。另有研究显示赖氨酸特异性去甲基化酶6A(KDM6A),又称X染色体上普遍转录的四肽重复序列(UTX),与多种肿瘤尤其白血病的发生密切相关。 KDM6A通过将H3K27me3去甲基化为H3K27me2或H3K27me1激活基因的表达;还可通过非去甲基化酶功能调控靶基因转录的激活,参与形成与Set1结构域相关的蛋白质复合体的亚基继而调节H3K4me1表达;与酵母交配型转换/蔗糖不发酵复合物的结合,从而促使染色质构象开放;促进H3K27ac生成。本文全面阐述KDM6A(UTX)结构和生物活性的最新进展,重点讨论其在白血病中的作用,为白血病的靶向治疗提供新的研究方向。     

Characterization of a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor (MjKuPI) reveals the involvement of MjKuPI positive hemocytes in the immune responses of kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus

Serine proteases and their inhibitors play vital roles in biological processes. Serine protease inhibitors, including Kunitz-type protease inhibitors play important roles not only in physiological process (i.e. blood clotting and fibrinolysis) but also in immune responses. In this study, we characterized a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, designated MjKuPI, from kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus. An expression profile showed that MjKuPI was mainly expressed in hemocytes. Immunostaining revealed that some hemocytes expressed MjKuPI (MjKuPI⁺ hemocytes) and others did not (MjKuPI⁻ hemocytes). Injection of shrimp with Vibrio penaeicida and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) upregulated the mRNA level of MjKuPI, and a flow cytometry analysis revealed that the proportion of MjKuPI⁺ hemocytes increased significantly 24 h after injection. Together, these results suggest that MjKuPI and MjKuPI⁺ hemocytes have a role in the innate immune system of kuruma shrimp.     

Towards an integrative picture of human sickness behavior

Sickness behavior, a coordinated set of behavioral changes during infection and elicited by the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), is well studied in non-human animals. Over the last two decades, several papers have expanded this research to include humans. However, these studies use a variety of research designs, and typically focus on a single cytokine and only a few of the many behavioral changes constituting sickness behavior. Therefore, our understanding of human sickness behavior remains equivocal. To generate a more holistic, integrative picture of this phenomenon, a meta-analysis of the human sickness behavior literature was conducted. Full model results show that both IL-6 and IL-1β have significant relationships with sickness behavior, and the strength of these relationships is affected by a number of study parameters, such as type of immune stimulus and inclusion of controls. In addition to research design heterogeneity, other issues to address in future studies include an unequal focus on different cytokines and different sickness behaviors.     

Reduced nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae lower airway infection in children with chronic endobronchial suppuration vaccinated with the 10-valent pneumococcal H. influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine

BackgroundNontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi), the most common bacterial lower airway infection in children with protracted bacterial bronchitis, is associated with progression to bronchiectasis. We determined whether vaccination with 10-valent pneumococcal NTHi protein-D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) reduced NTHi lower airway infection compared to children not PHiD-CV-vaccinated. Our unique childhood vaccination schedule and prospective 9-year bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) collection provided an exclusive opportunity to examine this hypothesis.MethodsPaired BAL fluids and nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs were collected from 543 children (2007–2016) undergoing bronchoscopy for chronic cough. Children who received a primary course of ≥2 doses of one pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and <2 doses of another PCV were included in each vaccine group. Logistic regression determined associations between NTHi lower airway infection (≥10⁴ colony-forming units/mL BAL) and age, sex, Indigenous status, antibiotic exposure, and PHiD-CV vaccination.ResultsOf 262 PCV7-vaccinated, 53 PHiD-CV-vaccinated and 166 PCV13-vaccinated children (62 had mixed schedules, <2 PCV doses or missing vaccination data), NTHi lower airway infection was detected in 89 (34%), 9 (17%) and 47 (28%), respectively. On multivariate regression, significant independent factors associated with reduced NTHi lower airway infection were PHiD-CV vaccination (OR_adjusted = 0.42, 95%CI 0.19–0.93), macrolide use (OR_adjusted = 0.57, 95%CI 0.35–0.93) and increasing age (OR_adjusted = 0.88, 95%CI 0.80–0.96). PHiD-CV vaccination had no impact on NTHi NP carriage.ConclusionsPHiD-CV-vaccinated children were significantly less likely to have NTHi lower airway infection than children not PHiD-CV-vaccinated. PHiD-CV is likely an effective intervention for reducing NTHi endobronchial infection in children at risk of chronic suppurative lung diseases.     

基于GIS技术分析长沙市2006-2013年手足口病流行病学特征分析

目的 运用地理信息系统（geographic information system，GIS）探索长沙市2006-2013年手足口病的流行病学特征，为实施公共卫生资源的优化配置提供科学依据。方法 收集长沙市2006-2013年手足口病相关数据，采用SPSS 18.0和ArcGIS 10.2进行流行病学特征分析。结果 2006-2013年长沙市手足口病的平均发病率为181.55/10万，主要为5岁以下儿童（95.2%），尤以散居儿童居多（75.1%）；2006-2013年发病率总体呈现先升后降的趋势，发病月份主要集中在4~7月（69.8%）；从GIS专题地图来看，星沙街道、雨花亭街道、洞井街道、左家塘街道、黎托乡等属于手足口病高发地区；从自相关分析来看，2008-2013年长沙市手足口病发病存在空间聚集性（均有P<0.05），热点区域集中在中部地区；从趋势面分析来看，手足口病发病在空间上呈中间高，四周低的趋势。结论 2006-2013年长沙市手足口病的患者主要为5岁以下散居儿童，发病月份集中在4~7月，发病地点主要是长沙市中部地区，应以此为指导，确定长沙市手足口病的重点防疫人群、时间和区域，实施公共卫生资源的优化配置。     

Trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials on neoadjuvant therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer

IntroductionMeta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) provide the highest level of evidence but can suffer from type I (false-positive) and II (false-negative) errors, which can be estimated through trial sequential analysis (TSA) demonstrating eventual credibility of results. Aim of the study was to establish through TSA which strategy between neoadjuvant approach or upfront surgery provides best results when treating potentially resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma.Materials and methodsRCTs were searched until September 2021. Intention-to-treat (ITT) overall survival, resection rate, ITT R0 and N0 rates and per-protocol R0 and N0 rates were the outcomes considered. Fixed-effect model was applied. TSA assumed an alpha = 5% and a power = 80%.ResultsFour RCTs were identified accruing 325 patients for the ITT analyses and 242 for the per-protocol analyses. Neoadjuvant did not improve survival (p = 0.167) and TSA supported that this result was underpowered, requiring additional 1514 patients to prove credibility. Neoadjuvant reduced resection rate (p = 0.044) but type I error was not avoided. Neoadjuvant credibly increased per-protocol R0 and N0 rates (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001), and TSA showed that these were true-positive findings. Neoadjuvant did not increase ITT R0 rate since randomization (p = 0.169) but TSA showed lack of power. Neoadjuvant credibly increased the ITT N0 rate (p < 0.001) and TSA supported that this was a true positive finding.ConclusionsNeoadjuvant strategy credibly demonstrated superiority over upfront surgery in determine per-protocol R0 resection and N0 rates, as well as ITT N0 rate. For the remaining outcomes, TSA suggested the need of larger samples to exclude type I and II errors.     

The apoptotic perspective of autism

Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, deficits in verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive behavior and restricted interests. The normal brain development during fetal brain development and the first year of life is critical to the behaviors and cognitions in adulthood. Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is an important mechanism that determines the size and shape of the brain and regulates the proper wiring of developing neuronal networks. Pathological activation of apoptotic death pathways under pathological conditions may lead to neuroanatomic abnormalities and possibly to developmental disabilities. It has been demonstrated a possible association between neural cell death and autism. Here, the abnormal apoptosis found in autism from postmortem and animal studies was reviewed and the possible mechanism was discussed.