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Background: The common infection agents causing meningitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) include Cryptococcus neoformans and Treponema pallidum. Furthermore, there is an elevated risk of meningitis in patients with HIV concomitantly infected with SARS-CoV-2. Case presentation: A 38-year-old male presented with headache and dizziness. After hospitalization, polymerase chain reaction test for SARS-CoV-2 with a nasopharyngeal swab was positive, and lumbar puncture revealed neurosyphilis with concomitant cryptococcal meningitis. He underwent nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, penicillin, antifungal and antiretroviral treatment. The patient had no other neurological symptoms and was stable during the 6-month follow-up period. Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic patients with HIV, particularly those who did not undergo antiretroviral therapy are at higher risk for severe infections, including central nervous system complications, due to their compromised immune systems.

Worldwide, hoverflies (Syrphidae: Diptera) provide crucial ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control. Although many hoverfly species exhibit migratory behavior, the spatiotemporal facets of these movement dynamics, and their ecosystem services implications are poorly understood. In this study, we use long-term (16-year) trapping records, trajectory analysis, and intrinsic (i.e., isotope, genetic, pollen) markers to describe migration patterns of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus in northern China. Our work reveals how E. balteatus migrate northward during spring–summer and exhibits return (long-range) migration during autumn. The extensive genetic mixing and high genetic diversity of E. balteatus populations underscore its adaptive capacity to environmental disturbances, for example, climate change. Pollen markers and molecular gut analysis further illuminate how E. balteatus visits min. 1012 flowering plant species (39 orders) over space and time. By thus delineating E. balteatus transregional movements and pollination networks, we advance our understanding of its migration ecology and facilitate the design of targeted strategies to conserve and enhance its ecosystem services.

An increasing number of studies have reported that microRNAs (miRNAs) are dysregulated in cervical cancer and serve critical roles in cervical oncogenesis and progression. Therefore, identifying the aberrantly expressed miRNAs implicated in the formation and progression of cervical cancer may provide key clues for the development of effective therapeutic targets in treating patients with this type of malignancy. In the present study, miRNA-874 (miR-874) was downregulated in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines, and this downregulation was associated with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stage and lymph node metastasis. The restored expression of miR-874 prohibited the proliferation, migration and invasion, but promoted the apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. In addition, E26 transformation specific-1 (ETS1) was identified as the direct target of miR-874 in cervical cancer. Inhibition of ETS1 served tumour-suppressive roles similar to miR-874 overexpression in cervical cancer cells. A series of rescue experiments revealed that restoring ETS1 expression abolished the tumour-suppressing effects of miR-874 in cervical cancer cells. Taken together, the results of the present study indicated that miR-874 may serve as a tumour suppressor in cervical cancer by directly targeting ETS1. This function suggested that miR-874 holds potential therapeutic applications in treating patients with this type of malignancy.

Nocturnal moths (Lepidoptera) are important pollinators of a wide range of plant species. Understanding the foraging preferences of these insects is essential for their scientific management. However, this information is lacking for most moth species. The present study was therefore conducted to delineate the host plant feeding and pollination ranges of an agriculturally important nocturnal moth species Athetis lepigone by identifying the pollen species adhering to their bodies during long-distance migration. Pollen grains were dislodged from 1871 A. lepigone migrants captured on Beihuang Island in the Bohai Strait between 2020 and 2021. This region is a key seasonal migration pathway for A. lepigone in northern China. Almost 20% of all moths sampled harbored pollens, providing direct evidences that this moth species may serve as pollinators. Moreover, at least 39 pollen taxa spanning 21 plant families and 31 genera were identified, with a preference for Asteraceae, Amaranthaceae, and Pinaceae. Additionally, the pollen adherence ratios and taxa varied with moth sex, inter-annual changes, and seasonal fluctuations. Most importantly, the pollen taxa were correlated with insect migration stages and indicated that A. lepigone bidirectionally migrates between central China (Shandong, Hebei, and Henan Provinces) and northeastern China (Liaoning Province). Overall, the findings of the present work provide valuable information on the pollination behavior, geographical origins, and pollination regions of A. lepigone moths and could facilitate the design and optimization of efficacious local and regional management strategies for this important insect.

Resource-continuity over spatial and temporal scales plays a central role in the population abundance of polyphagous pests in an agricultural landscape. Shifts in the agricultural land use in a region may alter the configuration of key resource habitats, resulting in drastic changes in pest abundance. Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a pest of cotton in northern China that has become more serious in recent years following changes in the region’s cropping systems. However, no evidence from the landscape perspective has yet been gathered to account for the increasing population of A. lucorum in China. In this study, we investigated the effects of landscape composition on the population abundance of A. lucorum in cotton fields in July and August of 2016, respectively. We found that increased acreage planted to cotton actually had a negative effect on the abundance of A. lucorum, while planting of other crops (e.g., vegetables, soybean, and peanut) was positively associated with the mirid’s population abundance in cotton fields. Maize production only displayed a positive effect on population abundance in August. Our results suggested that the decreasing of cotton area may weaken the trap-kill effect on A. lucorum, and the extension of other crops and maize potentially enhance the continuity of resources needed by A. lucorum. Combined effects of these two aspects may promote an increased population density of A. lucorum in the agriculture district. In the future, when possible, management strategies in key regional crops should be coordinated to reduce resource continuity at the landscape or area-wide scale to lower A. lucorum populations across multiple crops.

Table 1 Blood test results one year previously, and on admission Test Results (1 year previously) Results on admission Reference range Sodium, mmol/L 142.5 140.5 135.0–145.0 Potassium, mmol/L 1.78 2.59 3.50–5.50 Calcium, mmol/L 2.60 2.49 2.25–2.75 Magnesium, mmol/L 0.61 0.63 0.75–1.25 Urinary potassium excretion, mmol/24 h - 76.23) <25 (for patient with hypokalaemia) Urinary calcium excretion, mmol/24 h - 1.6 2.5–7.5 PH 7.525 7.46 7.35–7.45 Renin, ng/mL/h - 19.64 0.15–2.33 Aldosterone, pg/mL - 193.6 30.00–160.0 Thyroid stimulating hormone, μIU/mL 0.003 7.283 0.350-4.940 Free triiodothyronine, pg/mL 5.16 2.23 1.58-3.91 Free thyroxine, ng/dL 1.99 0.90 0.70-1.48 Thyroid stimulating hormone receptor antibody, IU/L 3.41 - 0.00-1.75 SLC12A3 gene mutation - Positive - Questions 1. Common causes of hypokalaemia include inadequate intake, increased gastrointestinal losses, excessive renal excretion, drug induced (eg, diuretics, antibiotics, beta-agonists), genetic causes (eg, Bartter’s and Gitelman’s syndromes), and iatrogenic (table 2).12 Table 2 Causes of hypokalaemia Reason Related diseases Inadequate intake or increased gastro-intestinal losses Digestive tract obstruction, anorexia nervosa, partial eating, long term fasting, gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal drainage, fistula Excessive potassium excretion from the kidney Renal diseases: acute renal failure polyuria stage, renal tubular acidosis, Fanconi syndrome Hyperaldosteronism: primary aldosteronism, Bartter/Gitelman syndrome, renin tumour, renal artery stenosis, etc Excessive glucocorticoids: stress such as trauma, surgery, hypoxia, infection; Cushing syndrome, ectopic adrenocorticotropin secretion syndrome Drugs Diuretics, eg, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide, acetazolamide, mannitol and sorbitol; excessive sodium supplementation; antibiotics, eg, penicillin, gentamicin, and carbenicillin; beta-agonists, eg, albuterol, epinephrine, and salbutamol; mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids, eg, hydrocortisones, fludrocortisones, and prednisolone; laxatives, eg, sorbitol, phenophtalein, and sodium polysterene fulfonate; xanthines, eg, theophylline and caffeine; other drugs, including insulin overdose Iatrogenic causes Infusion of large glucose solutions, medication induced (as above), dilute hypokalaemia Genetic disorders Hypokalaemic periodic paralysis, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (11-beta hydroxylase or 17-alpha hydroxylase deficiency), Liddle/Bartter/Gitelman/Gullner syndrome, thyrotoxic periodic paralysis, SeSAME syndrome (seizures, sensorineural deafness, ataxia, mental retardation and electrolyte imbalance), glucocorticoid remedial hypertension, glucocorticoid receptor deficiency Other Discharge of ascites, peritoneal dialysis, haemodialysis, extensive burns 2. Gitelman syndrome is a rare genetic disorder with a global prevalence of approximately 1/400 00 to 1/4000.34 The disorder typically presents clinically with systemic manifestations of hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia, including salt craving, muscle weakness, palpitation, and low blood pressure.56 Patients with Gitelman syndrome have an increased urinary potassium excretion, while those with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis have a lower 24 hour urinary potassium excretion owing to the absence of renal losses of potassium.7 Clinical diagnosis of Gitelman syndrome is based on biochemical changes, whereas a definitive diagnosis relies on genetic testing which reveals a positive mutation for SLC12A3.8 Diagnostic criteria are listed below: Heterozygous mutations of the sodium chloride cotransporter in Chinese children: prevalence and association with blood pressure.

An automated flower thinning system, when combined with machine vision, has the potential to reduce the labor force, improve efficiency, and lower costs. This combination represents the future of agricultural machinery development. The primary objective of automatic flower thinning is to determine the flowering density of fruit trees under natural light conditions. In this study, we introduce a flower recognition algorithm that uses pixel values as an independent variable to recognize flower categories by constructing a nonlinear regression model. Initially, the RGB pixel values of elements in the training set are extracted. Similar pixel values are clustered together to reduce the amount of computation, and representative elements are selected to construct a nonlinear classification function, known as the regression function. The coefficients in the classifier are determined by transforming the problem into an unconstrained optimization problem using the least square method. The optimal solution is then found as the coefficient value in the classifier. The classification function calculates the function value of the RGB pixel value for each input entity to determine whether it belongs to the flower entity. Finally, the developed algorithm is used to classify the flower graphic elements of the measured pictures, and the efficiency of the algorithm is verified.

ContextPlant diversity can sometimes determine the distribution of pests in ecosystems, but the effects of plant diversity at local and landscape scales on the occurrence of pests on novel marginal hosts are still unknown.ObjectivesWe explored the direct effects of plant diversity at local and landscape scales on the colonization of the marginal host walnut by Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).MethodsWe surveyed and compared the occurrence (and damage) of H. armigera in walnut orchards embedded in simple vs. diverse landscapes, and with weeds or without weed cover. The surrounding landscape composition and weed communities in walnut orchards were also investigated to shed light on the mechanisms driving H. armigera responses.ResultsDiverse landscapes were associated with lower densities of overwintering adult H. armigera, first generation eggs and larvae, as well as with lower infestation rates of walnut fruits. Weed presence in walnut orchards had no significant effects on the abundance of H. armigera adults or eggs, but was associated with higher larvae densities in orchards, in both simple and diverse landscapes. The effect of within-orchard weed cover on larvae was stronger in diverse landscapes.ConclusionsOur study demonstrated that landscape composition coupled with local orchard ground cover vegetation mediated the occurrence of H. armigera on a marginal host walnut. Monoculture production increases walnut’s exposure to the pest and may accelerate its evolutionary adaptation to this poor host; weed cover in individual orchards may increase larval density by providing floral resources for adults.

Aiming at the lack of dynamic and comprehensiveness of trust evaluation methods in current adjudication algorithms, an adjudication algorithm for mimic API gateway based on trust distribution is proposed. The algorithm comprehensively considers the direct and indirect trust relationships between equipment executives from the perspective of trust distribution, and on this basis introduces a dynamic penalty strategy, which greatly improves the dynamics and effectiveness of the algorithm. In addition, the algorithm is simulated and tested in the simulated API gateway environment, and the simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has significantly improved the reliability and security of trust evaluation compared with the previous adjudication algorithms.