Microbial communities such as those residing in the human gut are highly diverse and complex, and many with important implications for health and diseases. The effects and functions of these microbial communities are determined not only by their species compositions and diversities but also by the dynamic intra- and inter-cellular states at the transcriptional level. Powerful and scalable technologies capable of acquiring single-microbe-resolution RNA sequencing information in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of complex microbial communities together with their hosts are therefore utterly needed. Here we report the development and utilization of a droplet-based smRNA-seq (single-microbe RNA sequencing) method capable of identifying large species varieties in human samples, which we name smRandom-seq2. Together with a triple-module computational pipeline designed for the bacteria and bacteriophage sequencing data by smRandom-seq2 in four human gut samples, we established a single-cell level bacterial transcriptional landscape of human gut microbiome, which included 29,742 single microbes and 329 unique species. Distinct adaptive response states among species in Prevotella and Roseburia genera and intrinsic adaptive strategy heterogeneity in Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens were uncovered. Additionally, we identified hundreds of novel host-phage transcriptional activity associations in the human gut microbiome. Our results indicated that smRandom-seq2 is a high-throughput and high-resolution smRNA-seq technique that is highly adaptable to complex microbial communities in real-world situations and promises new perspectives in the understanding of human microbiomes.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Bacteriophages/physiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods* ; Bacteria/virology*

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important sugar crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases, cold, and drought are major factors limiting sugarcane production. β-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39), a member of the pathogenesis-related protein family, plays an essential role not only in the plant defenses against pathogens but also in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. To systematically investigate the sugarcane β-1,3-glucanase gene family, 132 glycoside hydrolase (GH) 17 family members were identified in the genomes of the sugarcane wild species Saccharum spontaneum 'Np-X', the tropical species S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', and the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570'. The results of the phylogenetic analysis categorized them into four subfamilies, of which subfamily Ⅳ had the largest proportion of members (102). The members of the sugarcane GH17 gene family contained five conserved motifs and 0-16 introns. The majority of the GH17 genes exhibited a genome-wide replication pattern, with 89.50% originating from S. spontaneum 'Np-X' and S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', while 58.10% of them in the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570' belonged to the discrete replication type. Four major classes of cis-acting elements were identified in the promoters, including the elements related to plant growth, development, and tissue-specific expression (14.21%), light-responsive elements (38.24%), biotic or abiotic stress-responsive elements (9.18%), and hormone-responsive elements (38.37%), which suggested that this gene family was involved in plant growth, development, hormone responses, and stress responses. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses showed that the sugarcane GH17 genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and were differentially expressed under low temperature, drought, and hormone treatments, as well as during the interactions between different sugarcane genotypes and Sporisorium scitamineum, suggesting their potential roles in plant defenses. In addition, some SsGlu genes (SsGlu5, SsGlu20, SsGlu21, SsGlu25, SsGlu28, and SsGlu39) were expected to serve as candidate stress-related genes. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the molecular mechanisms of the stress resistance of sugarcane via β-1,3-glucanase genes.
Saccharum/physiology* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase/metabolism* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

Objective To analyze the risk factors for the development of chronic critical illness(CCI)in septic shock patients in the intensive care unit(ICU).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 102 sepsis shock patients admitted to the ICU of the hospital from August 2018 to May 2023.According to their clinical dates,they were divided into CCI group(n=60)and rapid recovery(RR)group(n=42).Multi-ple logistic regression analysis was perform to identify independent risk factors for developing CCI in septic shock patients,and construct their receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves to evaluate their predictive value for CCI.Results The prolonged duration of hypernatremia(OR=1.770,95％CI:1.147-2.731,P=0.010)and low acute physiology and chronic health(APACHEⅡ)scores(OR=1.212,95％CI:1.025-1.433,P=0.025)were independent risk factors for CCI in ICU septic shock patients.The occurrence of acute gastrointestinal injury(OR=0.060,95％CI:0.011-0.341,P=0.002)and peak blood sodium levels during ICU(OR=0.812,95％CI:0.662-0.995,P=0.044)were protective factors.Conclusion For septic shock pa-tients,special attention should be paid to its related independent risk factors and protective factors to improve the prognosis of septic shock patients.

Objective To explore the effect of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)inhibitor LW6 on ferroptosis in septic cardiomyopathy rats.Methods Rat septic cardiomyopathy model was prepared using cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)method.Thirty-six specific pathogen-free(SPF)6-8 weeks male SD rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group,CLP group,CLP+solvent group,LW6 group,ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)group,and LW6+Fer-1 group.The degree of myocardial damage in each group was evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin stai-ning and detection of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase content in cardiac tissue.Myocardial mitochondrial damage was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Ferroptosis level was determined by detecting iron ion concentration,reduced glutathione,malondialdehyde,and reactive oxygen species.Protein expression levels of HIF-1α,solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)in cardiac tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the CLP group and the CLP+solvent group,the LW6 group could ameliorate myocardial damage,alleviate mitochondrial damage,inhibit ferroptosis-related indicators(all P＜0.05),reduce HIF-1α protein expression levels(P＜0.05),and enhance SLC7A11 and GPX4 protein expression levels(both P＜0.05).Conclusion LW6 decreases HIF-1α expression and ferroptosis levels through the SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway,and ameliorates sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.

Objective:To explore the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (C-HNNE).Methods:A prospective cohort study.One hundred and fourteen neonates born in Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City between October 2022 and August 2023, who were hospitalized in the Neonatology or Obstetrics Department after birth and met the inclusion criteria, were enrolled as study subjects.They were divided into an early preterm group(34 cases), a mid-late preterm group(50 cases), and a full-term group(30 cases) based on gestational age.The first C-HNNE assessment was completed within 24 hours after birth, and 20 cases from each group were selected for inter-rater reliability assessment; 48 hours after the first C-HNNE assessment, 20 cases from each group were selected to undergo the C-HNNE assessment again for test-retest reliability assessment.At corrected 4 months of age, short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes were determined by pediatric rehabilitation physicians using clinical examination combined with general movements (GMs) assessment.Inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability were assessed by calculating intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The optimal cutoff scores of the C-HNNE for each group were determined by plotting receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves.Predictive validity was determined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).Results:The highest sensitivity for predicting neonatal corrected neuromotor developmental outcome at 4 months of age was achieved when the optimal C-HNNE scores were taken as 22.25, 25.25, and 29.25 in the early preterm, mid-late preterm, and term groups, respectively.The ICCs for the inter-rater reliability of the total C-HNNE score and subscale scores in all 3 groups were above 0.7, indicating good reliability.The ICCs for test-retest reliability of some individual items were<0.6, indicating moderate reliability.In terms of validity, the correlation coefficients between the total C-HNNE scores and the GMs scores of the three groups were 0.550, 0.483, 0.473 (all P<0.01), and the sensitivity of the C-HNNE for predicting neurodevelopmental developmental outcomes in neonates corrected to 4 months of age was 82.9%, specificity was 70.4%, PPV was 58.0%, and NPV was 89.3%. Conclusions:C-HNNE demonstrates good reliability and validity and can be used as a routine bedside examination program for early neonatal life.

Objective To explore the effect of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α)inhibitor LW6 on ferroptosis in septic cardiomyopathy rats.Methods Rat septic cardiomyopathy model was prepared using cecal ligation and puncture(CLP)method.Thirty-six specific pathogen-free(SPF)6-8 weeks male SD rats were randomly divided into the sham-operated group,CLP group,CLP+solvent group,LW6 group,ferrostatin-1(Fer-1)group,and LW6+Fer-1 group.The degree of myocardial damage in each group was evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin stai-ning and detection of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase content in cardiac tissue.Myocardial mitochondrial damage was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Ferroptosis level was determined by detecting iron ion concentration,reduced glutathione,malondialdehyde,and reactive oxygen species.Protein expression levels of HIF-1α,solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),and glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4)in cardiac tissue were detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the CLP group and the CLP+solvent group,the LW6 group could ameliorate myocardial damage,alleviate mitochondrial damage,inhibit ferroptosis-related indicators(all P＜0.05),reduce HIF-1α protein expression levels(P＜0.05),and enhance SLC7A11 and GPX4 protein expression levels(both P＜0.05).Conclusion LW6 decreases HIF-1α expression and ferroptosis levels through the SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway,and ameliorates sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy.

Objective:To explore the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of Hammersmith Neonatal Neurological Examination (C-HNNE).Methods:A prospective cohort study.One hundred and fourteen neonates born in Longgang District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital of Shenzhen City between October 2022 and August 2023, who were hospitalized in the Neonatology or Obstetrics Department after birth and met the inclusion criteria, were enrolled as study subjects.They were divided into an early preterm group(34 cases), a mid-late preterm group(50 cases), and a full-term group(30 cases) based on gestational age.The first C-HNNE assessment was completed within 24 hours after birth, and 20 cases from each group were selected for inter-rater reliability assessment; 48 hours after the first C-HNNE assessment, 20 cases from each group were selected to undergo the C-HNNE assessment again for test-retest reliability assessment.At corrected 4 months of age, short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes were determined by pediatric rehabilitation physicians using clinical examination combined with general movements (GMs) assessment.Inter-rater reliability and test-retest reliability were assessed by calculating intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). The optimal cutoff scores of the C-HNNE for each group were determined by plotting receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves.Predictive validity was determined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).Results:The highest sensitivity for predicting neonatal corrected neuromotor developmental outcome at 4 months of age was achieved when the optimal C-HNNE scores were taken as 22.25, 25.25, and 29.25 in the early preterm, mid-late preterm, and term groups, respectively.The ICCs for the inter-rater reliability of the total C-HNNE score and subscale scores in all 3 groups were above 0.7, indicating good reliability.The ICCs for test-retest reliability of some individual items were<0.6, indicating moderate reliability.In terms of validity, the correlation coefficients between the total C-HNNE scores and the GMs scores of the three groups were 0.550, 0.483, 0.473 (all P<0.01), and the sensitivity of the C-HNNE for predicting neurodevelopmental developmental outcomes in neonates corrected to 4 months of age was 82.9%, specificity was 70.4%, PPV was 58.0%, and NPV was 89.3%. Conclusions:C-HNNE demonstrates good reliability and validity and can be used as a routine bedside examination program for early neonatal life.

Objective To investigate the value of radiomics model based on multiple sequences MR in predicting the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)among different breast cancer subtypes.Methods Two hundred breast cancer patients undergoing NAC treatment were retrospectively selected,and then randomly divided into training group and validation group at a ratio of 7:3,as well as divided into responsive and non-responsive according to the therapeutic response.Radiomics features were selected and filtered from multiple sequences MR.The model was established by using machine learning,and validated in the validation group.The predictive performance of the model was evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,and the clinical application value of the model was assessed by clinical decision curve analysis(DCA).Results The area under the curve(AUC)of hormone receptor(HR)-positive with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2(HER-2)-negative breast cancer patients in training and validation groups were 0.881 and 0.682,respectively,while the AUC of HER-2-positive breast cancer patients were 0.831 and 0.636,respectively.The AUC of triple-negative breast cancer patients were 0.969 and 0.708,respectively.The clinical DCA showed significant clinical benefits.Conclusion The MR radiomics model can predict the efficacy of NAC among different breast cancer subtypes.

Objective To investigate whether Andrographolide(AG)can alleviate intestinal injury in sepsis by ac-tivating the SLC7A11/GPX4 axis in ferroptosis.Methods Forty rats were randomly divided into sham group(sham group),sepsis group(CLP group),AG low,medium and high dose groups(5,10 and 20 mg/kg).HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of Intestinal tract.ELISA method was used to determine Inter-leukin 6(IL-6),tumour necrosis factor α(TNF-α),intestinal fatty acid binding protein(I-FABP),D-lactate content.The mechanism of ferroptosis was explored with AG high dose group(AG20 group),forty rats were ran-domly divided into sham group,CLP group,ferroptosis inhibitor(Fer-1)group,AG20+Fer-1 group.HE staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the pathological changes of Intestinal tract.The kits were used to determine oxidative stress MDA,GSH levels and Fe3+content.Western blot was used to detect the protein levels of solute carrier family 7 member 11(SLC7A11),glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),and ferritin heavy poly-peptide 1(FTH-1).Results Compared with the sham group,the CLP group showed severe morphological damage to the small intestine,with significantly higher levels of inflammation,I-FABP and D-lactate(all P＜0.05),the AG group reversed these changes in a concentration-dependent manner(all P＜0.05).Compared with the CLP group,the AG20 and Fer-1 groups showed improved pathological damage to the small intestine,with lower levels of MDA and Fe3+and higher levels of GSH,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH-1 protein expression increased(all P＜0.05),and pathological injury and oxidative stress were reduced in the AG20+Fer-1 group,and SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH-1 protein expression increased more significantly(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The mechanism by which AG attenuates intestinal injury in sepsis may be related to SLC7A11/GPX4 axis activation in ferroptosis.

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of concurrent chemoradiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab in the treatment of patients with inoperable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 503 patients with inoperable ESCC who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the Department of Radiation Oncology, Changzhou No. 2 People′s Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University and Department of Radiation Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University from 2014 to 2020. Among these patients, 69 received concurrent chemoradiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab (the combined therapy group) and 434 received concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone (the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group). Patients of both groups were matched at a ratio of 1∶2 using the propensity score matching (PSM) method. As a result, 168 patients were determined for clinical analysis, including 61 in the combined therapy group and 107 in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group. The short-term efficacy and adverse reactions of both groups were compared. The overall survival (OS) curves and progression-free survival (PFS) curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method for the Log-rank test.Results:The two groups showed no statistical difference ( P > 0.05) in clinical baseline characteristics after the PSM. The objective response rate (ORR) of the combined therapy group was significantly higher than that of the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group with statistically significant differences (85.2% vs. 71.0%, χ2 = 4.33, P = 0.037). There was no statistical difference (98.4% vs. 91.6%, P > 0.05) in the disease control rate (DCR) between the two groups. The combined therapy group had median PFS of 28.07 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS ratios of 78.2%, 37.5% and 29.1%, respectively. The concurrent chemoradiotherapy group had mPFS of 19.54 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS ratios of 72.9%, 28.3% and 21.3%, respectively. Both groups showed statistically significant differences in PFS ( χ2 = 4.49, P = 0.034). The combined group had median OS of 34.93 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS ratios of 88.5%, 46.8% and 37.4%, respectively. The concurrent chemoradiotherapy group had mOS of 24.30 months and 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS ratios of 81.3%, 35.2% and 28.0%, respectively. Both groups showed statistically significant differences in OS (χ 2= 5.11, P = 0.024), but did not show statistical differences ( P > 0.05) in the severity degree of each adverse effect during the treatment. Conclusions:Concurrent chemoradiotherapy combined with nimotuzumab can improve the ORR and prolong the PFS and OS of patients with inoperable ESCC compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone. Furthermore, combining with nimotuzumab does not increase adverse effects and can be tolerated by patients with high safety.