The aim of the current study was to analyse the distribution of antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR) among Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa, PA) isolates from Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital (GDPH) from 2017 to 2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on changes in the clinical distribution and drug resistance rate of P. aeruginosa to establish guidelines for empiric therapy. Electronic clinical data registry records from 2017 to 2021 were retrospectively analysed to study the AMR among P. aeruginosa strains from GDPH. The strains were identified by VITEK 2 Compact and MALDI-TOF MS, MIC method or Kirby–Bauer method for antibiotic susceptibility testing. The results were interpreted according to the CLSI 2020 standard, and the data were analysed using WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 23.0 software. A total of 3036 P. aeruginosa strains were detected in the hospital from 2017 to 2021, and they were primarily distributed in the ICU (n = 1207, 39.8%). The most frequent specimens were respiratory tract samples (59.6%). The detection rate for P. aeruginosa in 5 years was highest in September, and the population distribution was primarily male(68.2%). For the trend in the drug resistance rate, the 5-year drug resistance rate of imipenem (22.4%), aztreonam (21.5%) and meropenem (19.3%) remained at high levels. The resistance rate of cefepime decreased from 9.4% to 4.8%, showing a decreasing trend year by year (p < 0.001). The antibiotics with low resistance rates were aminoglycoside antibiotics, which were gentamicin (4.4%), tobramycin (4.3%), and amikacin (1.4%), but amikacin showed an increasing trend year by year (p = 0.008). Our analysis indicated that the detection rate of clinically resistant P. aeruginosa strains showed an upwards trend, and the number of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains increased year by year, which will lead to stronger pathogenicity and mortality. However, after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the growth trend in the number of MDR bacteria slowed, presumably due to the strict epidemic prevention and control measures in China. This observation suggests that we should reasonably use antibiotics and treatment programs in the prevention and control of P. aeruginosa infection. Additionally, health prevention and control after the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic (such as wearing masks, washing hands with disinfectant, etc., which reduced the prevalence of drug resistance) led to a slowdown in the growth of the drug resistance rate of P. aeruginosa in hospitals, effectively reducing the occurrence and development of drug resistance, and saving patient’s treatment costs and time.

Biofilms shield bacteria via complex structures and persister cells, hindering treatment. Nanotechnology-based approaches like ROS-generating nanoparticles and microrobots offer innovative means to disrupt and penetrate these defenses.

Ammonia (NH₃) is essential for human endeavors, as around half of the world's food output depends on fertilizers derived from NH₃. Nonetheless, its industrial manufacturing demands substantial energy consumption and releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases, contributing to a variety of environmental concerns. Substantial ventures have been dedicated to creating an eco-friendly and sustainable method for synthesizing ammonia using renewable energy. Catalysts are pivotal in both chemical and electrochemical reactions. Hence, the creation of catalysts exhibiting increased efficiency and durability, obtained from readily accessible Earth materials, holds immense significance. Perovskite oxides, recognized for their significant flexibility in composition and structural design, demonstrate versatile electrocatalytic abilities across a variety of redox reactions. However, a comprehensive review addressing the most recent advancements in the electrochemical reduction of nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) to NH₃ catalyzed by perovskite oxides has been absent until now. This timely review provides readers with a thorough comprehension and up-to-date perspectives on progress made in enhancing the electrocatalytic potential of perovskite oxides in the electrochemical reduction of nitrate (eNO₃RR) to ammonia. We have also explored different strategies capable of enhancing the catalytic efficacy of perovskite oxides. A specific emphasis is placed on understanding how the interplay between perovskite and oxygen vacancies contributes to the improved efficiency of NO₃ ⁻ reduction to NH₃. Finally, this review outlines present challenges and upcoming avenues for developing more efficient catalysts based on perovskite compounds.

The gut microbiota profoundly influence human health through its composition and metabolic activity, which are shaped by diet and host factors. Disruption of this equilibrium, known as dysbiosis, has been implicated in cancer development. Microbial metabolites act as key mediators connecting the gut microbiome to tumor progression by altering the tumor microenvironment and modulating signaling pathways in tumor and immune cells. This review examines the mechanistic links between the gut microbiota, its metabolites, and tumorigenesis, emphasizing how microbial metabolism of host- and diet-derived compounds affects oncogenic and genotoxic processes in colorectal cancer (CRC). It also explores how dietary and host factors modulate microbial composition and function, influencing cancer susceptibility. Understanding these interconnected processes provides conceptual insight into the microbiota-cancer axis and highlights opportunities for microbiome-targeted interventions in cancer prevention and therapy.

Introduction: Bacterial resistance is a major threat to public health worldwide. To gain an understanding of the clinical infection distribution, drug resistance information, and genotype of CRE in Dongguan, China, as well as the resistance of relevant genotypes to CAZ-AVI, this research aims to improve drug resistance monitoring information in Dongguan and provide a reliable basis for the clinical control and treatment of CRE infection.Methods: VITEK-2 Compact automatic analyzer was utilized to identify 516 strains of CRE collected from January 2017 to June 2023. To determine drug sensitivity, the K-B method, E-test, and MIC methods were used. From June 2022 to June 2023, 80 CRE strains were selected, and GeneXpert Carba-R was used to detect and identify the genotype of the carbapenemase present in the collected CRE strains. An in-depth analysis was conducted on the CAZ-AVI in vitro drug sensitivity activity of various genotypes of CRE, and the results were statistically evaluated using SPSS 23.0 and WHONET 5.6 software.Results: This study identified 516 CRE strains, with the majority (70.16%) being K.pneumoniae, followed by E.coli (18.99%). Respiratory specimens had highest detection rate with 53.77% identified, whereas urine specimens had the second highest detection rate with 17.99%. From June 2022 to June 2023, 95% of the strains tested using the CRE GeneXpert Carba-R assay possessed carbapenemase genes, of which 32.5% were bla_NDM strains and 61.25% bla_KPC strains. The results showed that CRE strains containing bla_KPC had a significantly higher rate of resistance to amikacin, cefepime, and aztreonam than those harboring bla_NDM.Conclusions: The CRE strains isolated from Dongguan region demonstrated a high resistance rate to various antibiotics used in clinical practice but a low resistance rate to tigecycline. These strains produce Class A serine carbapenemases and Class B metals β-lactamases, with the majority of them carrying bla_NDM and bla_KPC. Notably, CRE strains with bla_KPC and bla_NDM had significantly lower resistance rates to tigecycline. CAZ-AVI showed a good sensitivity rate with no resistance to CRE strains carrying bla_KPC. Therefore, CAZ-AVI and tigecycline should be used as a guide for rational use of antibiotics in clinical practice to effectively treat CRE.

Follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) is prone to early distant metastasis and has a poor prognosis compared with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). This study aimed to unravel the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying FTC progression and its transformation into the aggressive anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). Through single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiling of 46 739 cells from PTC, follicular variant PTC (FVPTC), relapsed FTC (RFTC), and ATC, we reconstructed a comprehensive molecular trajectory of thyroid carcinoma progression. Our analysis revealed that PTC, FVPTC, and FTC possess distinct yet converging pathways of dedifferentiating into ATC, with FVPTC also able to progress to FTC. In RFTC, we identified a unique cluster of cells exhibiting ATC molecular characteristics. These cells interact with endothelial cells and fibroblasts mainly via the COL9A3-integrin α1β1 complex and may exhibit high metabolic and proliferative potential. UBE2C was identified as a specific marker for this population, which we termed “ATC-like cells.” Functional validation in vitro and in vivo confirmed that UBE2C was markedly upregulated in FTC and was associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Mechanistically, UBE2C promoted cell proliferation and tumor growth, and regulated D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and tryptophan metabolism in FTC. This reveals a previously unrecognized population of ATC-like cells in RFTC marked by high UBE2C expression. UBE2C contributes to FTC progression by enhancing proliferation and modulating key metabolic pathways, suggesting it as both a critical biomarker of aggressive disease and a potential therapeutic target.