A total of 171 Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates causing invasive disease were isolated from Chinese children. The serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance were tested. The results suggested that the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has a preventive effect among children and that there should be long-term surveillance for serotype 19A.

In eukaryotes, autophagy maintains cellular homeostasis by recycling cytoplasmic components. The autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) ATG1 and ATG13 form a protein kinase complex that regulates autophagosome formation; however, mechanisms regulating ATG1 and ATG13 remain poorly understood. Here, we show that, under different nutrient conditions, the RING-type E3 ligases SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA1 (SINAT1), SINAT2, and SINAT6 control ATG1 and ATG13 stability and autophagy dynamics by modulating ATG13 ubiquitylation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). During prolonged starvation and recovery, ATG1 and ATG13 were degraded through the 26S proteasome pathway. TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR RECEPTOR ASSOCIATED FACTOR1a (TRAF1a) and TRAF1b interacted in planta with ATG13a and ATG13b and required SINAT1 and SINAT2 to ubiquitylate and degrade ATG13s in vivo. Moreover, lysines K607 and K609 of ATG13a protein contributed to K48-linked ubiquitylation and destabilization, and suppression of autophagy. Under starvation conditions, SINAT6 competitively interacted with ATG13 and induced autophagosome biogenesis. Furthermore, under starvation conditions, ATG1 promoted TRAF1a protein stability in vivo, suggesting feedback regulation of autophagy. Consistent with ATGs functioning in autophagy, the atg1a atg1b atg1c triple knockout mutants exhibited premature leaf senescence, hypersensitivity to nutrient starvation, and reduction in TRAF1a stability. Therefore, these findings demonstrate that SINAT family proteins facilitate ATG13 ubiquitylation and stability and thus regulate autophagy.

PurposeTo determine corneal Q value and its related factors in Chinese subjects older than 30 years.DesignCross sectional study.Methods1,683 participants (1,683 eyes) from the Handan Eye Study were involved, including 955 female and 728 male with average age of 53.64 years old (range from 30 to 107 years). The corneal Q values of anterior and posterior surfaces were measured at 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0mm aperture diameters using Bausch & Lomb Orbscan IIz (software version 3.12). Age, gender and refractive power were recorded.ResultsThe average Q values of the anterior surface at 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0mm aperture diameters were -0.28±0.18, -0.28±0.18, and -0.29±0.18, respectively. The average Q value of the anterior surface at the 5.0mm aperture diameter was negatively correlated with age (B = -0.003, p<0.01) and the refractive power (B = -0.013, p = 0.016). The average Q values of the posterior surface at 3.0, 5.0, and 7.0mm were -0.26±0.216, -0.26±0.214, and -0.26±0.215, respectively. The average Q value of the posterior surface at the 5.0mm aperture diameter was positively correlated with age (B = 0.002, p = 0.036) and the refractive power (B = 0.016, p = 0.043).ConclusionThe corneal Q value of the elderly Chinese subjects is different from that of previously reported European and American subjects, and the Q value appears to be correlated with age and refractive power.