In this study, we reported two featured series of rRNA-derived RNA fragments (rRFs) from the small RNA sequencing (sRNA-seq) data of Amblyomma testudinarium using the Illunima platform. Two series of rRFs (rRF5 and rRF3) were precisely aligned to the 5' and 3' ends of the 5.8S and 28S rRNA gene. The rRF5 and rRF3 series were significantly more highly expressed than the rRFs located in the body of the rRNA genes. These series contained perfectly aligned reads, the lengths of which varied progressively with 1-bp differences. The rRF5 and rRF3 series in the same expression pattern exist ubiquitously from ticks to human. The cellular experiments showed the RNAi knockdown of one 20-nt rRF3 induced the cell apoptosis and inhibited the cell proliferation. In addition, the RNAi knockdown resulted in a significant decrease of H1299 cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. These results indicated the rRF5 and rRF3 series were not random intermediates or products during rRNA degradation, but could constitute a new class of small RNAs that deserves further investigation.

Methyleugenol (ME) as a natural essential oil in many plant species is widely used in human food and beverage for its fragrance and possible beneficial health effects. Previous chronic or subacute studies in rodents show that ME mainly causes liver toxicity. However, whether and how acute ME affects the central nervous system still remain elusive. Here, we found that ME administrated into the hippocampus impaired the acquisition of hippocampus-dependent contextual fear memory in mice (ME vs control: repeated-measures two-way ANOVA, F (5,70) = 2.937, p < 0.05; Fisher test, p < 0.05, respectively, 53 ± 5.2% vs 73 ± 7.6% during trial 4 and 46.8 ± 6% vs 74.5 ± 9.3% during trial 5). Meanwhile, acute ME impaired hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP; ME vs control: independent t-test, p < 0.01, 110.6 ± 1.8% vs 133.3 ± 5.6%) while facilitated long-term depression (LTD; p < 0.01, 75.7 ± 3.4% vs 88.6 ± 1.7%) in mice brain slices and inducing a decrease in learning-dependent phosphorylation of Ser831 (ME vs control: independent t-test, p < 0.001, 0.87 ± 0.03 vs 1.23 ± 0.03) and Ser845 (p < 0.01, 0.42 ± 0.07 vs 0.97 ± 0.14) sites of excitatory glutamate AMPA receptor subunit 1 (GluA1) in the hippocampus, which may be the underlying mechanisms of impairment of hippocampus-dependent learning. In addition, intrahippocampal infusion of ME also increased anxiety-like behaviors in mice. These results suggested that acute ME impaired the hippocampus function at behavioral, cellular, and molecular levels, indicating the potential risks of ME on the central nervous system.

Providing equal geographical access to hospitals, either in the public or private healthcare sector, is vital and will benefit public health in general. Against the background of the partial privatization of the healthcare sector, the impact of private hospitals on equal healthcare access has been a highly neglected issue. We have applied an assessment methodology to study this situation by comparing the status quo scenario with one without private hospitals, based on accessibility analysis and spatial equality measurements. The case study of Beijing, China revealed a double-sided impact. With the presence of private hospitals, the Gini coefficient of spatial accessibility in urban districts was reduced from 0.03391 to 0.03211, while it increased from 0.1734 to 0.1914 in suburban districts. Thus, private hospitals improved spatial equality in urban districts in Beijing but jeopardized it in suburban districts. These research findings should enlighten policymakers to promote healthcare equality but would also need to be repeated in some other big cities.

The distribution of school districts would largely influence people’s commuting distance, but this association is hardly examined. This study applies the 2015 Xiamen household travel survey to investigate the associations between the school district and parental commuting behavior. The results showed that school districts mainly affect the parents’ commuting distance when the interaction effects between gender and commuting distance are considered. Specifically, the school district is positively associated with commuting distances for males, whereas the opposite trend is observed for females. Then, variations exist in the effects of the school district on parental commuting distance between respondents with different levels of education. The school district quality is positively associated with the commuting distance for respondents without college degrees, especially male respondents, whereas no significant association was found for more respondents with college degrees. Male respondents, especially those without college degrees, suffer higher costs and longer commuting distances than their female counterparts. This study highlights that urban planners and policy makers should consider the impact of school districts and rethink the most effective distribution of high-quality primary schools to reduce socio-spatial inequality (e.g., disadvantage of males in commuting).

The guava fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta, is one of the most destructive pests in the genus Bactrocera and detects environmental odorants mainly through antennal olfactory sensilla phenotypes with nanopores. However, it is unclear whether there are naturally occurring abnormal antennal olfactory sensilla phenotypes that affect olfaction. Here, we found that there were abnormal bulges besides nanopores on the surface of trichoid and basiconic olfactory sensilla in the antennal flagellum of long-term laboratory rearing colony (LTC), and that nanopore number in these olfactory sensilla was also remarkably reduced. Notably, the electroantennogram (EAG) responses of LTC insects to methyl eugenol or β-caryophyllene were inhibited, and their behavioral responses elicited by the same odorants were also impaired. These results revealed naturally occurring abnormal antennal olfactory sensilla phenotypes which were involved in olfactory deficit in B. correcta, providing a platform to further study nanopore-targeted pest control technologies in the future.