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Background: The medicinal plant, Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus), accumulates a wide range of terpenoid indole alkaloids (TIAs). Ethylene (ET) and methyl-jasmonate (MeJA) were previously reported as effective elicitors for the production of various valuable secondary metabolites of C. roseus, while a few ET or MeJA induced transcriptomic research is yet reported on this species. In this study, the de-novo transcriptome assembly of C. roseus is performed by using the next-generation sequencing technology. Results: The result shows that phenolic biosynthesis genes respond specifically to ET in leaves, monoterpenoid biosynthesis genes respond specifically to MeJA in roots. By screening the database, 23 ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter partial sequences are identified in C. roseus. On this basis, more than 80 key genes that encode key enzymes (namely TIA pathway, transcriptional factor (TF) and candidate ABC transporter) of alkaloid synthesis in TIA biosynthetic pathways are chosen to explore the integrative responses to ET and MeJA at the transcriptional level. Our data indicated that TIA accumulation is strictly regulated by the TF ethylene responsive factor (ERF) and bHLH iridoid synthesis 1 (BIS1). The heatmap, combined with principal component analysis (PCA) of C. roseus, shows that ERF co-expression with ABC2 and ABC8 specific expression in roots affect the root-specific accumulation of vinblastine in C. roseus. On the contrast, BIS1 activities follow a similar pattern of ABC3 and CrTPT2 specific expression in leaves, which affects the leaf-specific accumulation of vindoline in C. roseus. Conclusions: Results presented above illustrate that ethylene has a stronger effect than MeJA on TIA induction at both transcriptional and metabolite level. Furthermore, meta-analysis reveals that ERF and BIS1 form a positive feedback loop connecting two ABC transporters respectively and are actively involved in TIAs responding to ET and MeJA in C. roseus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We selected different concentrations of ethephon, to stress C. roseus. We used qRT-PCR and HPLC followed by PCA to obtain comprehensive profiling of the vinblastine biosynthesis in response to ethephon. Based on our findings, the results showed that the high concentration of ethephon had a positive effect at both transcriptional and metabolite level. Meanwhile, there was a remarkable decrease of hydrogen peroxide content and a promoted peroxidase activity in leaves. The loading plot combination with correlation analysis suggested that CrPrx1 could be regarded as a positive regulator and interacts with ethylene response factor (ERF) to play a key role in vinblastine content and peroxidase (POD) activity. This study provides the foundation for a better understanding of the regulation and accumulation of vinblastine in response to ethephon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Data on the management of patients aged more than 85 years with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequential infections are lacking., Methods: The current study described the management of an older couple aged more than 85 years with these above-mentioned two diseases treated with 12 weeks of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir (Epclusa ® ) and 5 days of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid ® ) sequentially. The effectiveness and safety profiles were closely monitored during therapy and till 9 months posttreatment., Results: In late March 2023, the husband with the main complaint of repeated gingival bleeding and asymptomatic wife were 86 and 85 years old, and had HCV RNA levels of 91,800 and 6,630,000 IU/mL, respectively. On the fourth day of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment, the husband had a moderate headache, and the wife had severe headache and moderate fever and dizziness. We then found that their SARS-CoV-2 test results were positive. After careful consideration, the expert panel decided to treat the couple with oral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (300 mg/100 mg, twice daily) beginning on the fifth day of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment for 5 days. During the 5 days of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir treatment, the patient's symptoms and signs gradually improved, and the patient was negative for SARS-CoV-2 RNA on the fifth day of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir therapy. Meanwhile, the husband's HCV RNA was not detectable after one week of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment till posttreatment month 9, and his ALT level was normal beginning at week 1 of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment. Moreover, the wife's HCV RNA was not detectable after week 4 of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment till posttreatment month 9. Notably, no other symptoms or signs occurred during the treatment or follow-up period, and other serum biochemical parameters remained stable until 9 months after the discontinuation of sofosbuvir/velpatasvir treatment., Conclusion: The older couple aged more than 85 years with chronic HCV and SARS-CoV-2 sequential infection were safely cured by the sofosbuvir/velpatasvir and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir sequential treatment., Discussion: This study suggested that old age should not be a barrier to HCV/SARS-CoV-2 treatment. Given that the proportion of older HCV-infected patients is increasing, clinical trials of direct-acting antiviral agents should include older HCV-infected individuals., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zeng, Lv, Chen and Pan.)

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a modified technique [trocar opening (TO)] for silicone oil removal (SOR) in combination with phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation., Methods: A total of 60 eyes of 60 patients with cataract and silicone oil-filled eyes were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: the patients in the control group underwent 23-gauge pars plana active SOR surgery with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation, while the patients in the TO group underwent TO methods during surgery. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), surgery time, intraocular pressure, and operative complications were observed 6mo after surgery., Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, gender, preoperative, intraocular pressure, or time of silicone oil stay. Prior to surgery, the mean BCVA for the control and TO groups was 1.34±0.44 and 1.36±0.42. At 6mo following surgery, the mean BCVA improved to 0.74±0.36 and 0.77±0.32, respectively ( P <0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups. The mean SOR time was 6.9±2.3min and 4.8±1.2min in the control and TO groups ( P =0.008). The total operation time was 28.2±8.5min and 24.6±6.4min, respectively ( P =0.035). Posterior capsule rupture occurred in four eyes of control and none of TO group ( P <0.01). Late recurrent retinal detachment occurred in one eye in the control group (2mo after surgery) and in one eye in the TO group (4mo after surgery)., Conclusion: TO is a simple, effective, time-saving, and safe method for SOR combined with phacoemulsification and IOL implantation., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)