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Abstract Background Temperature is an important environment factor that is critical to the survival and growth of crustaceans. However, the mechanisms by which crustaceans detect changes in temperature are still unclear. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are non-selective cation channels well known for properties in temperature sensation. However, comprehensive understandings on TRP channels as well as their temperature sensing functions are still lacking in crustaceans. Results In this study, a total of 26 TRP genes were identified in the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, which can be classified into TRPA, TRPC, TRPP, TRPM, TRPML, TRPN and TRPV. Tissue expression analysis revealed a wide distribution of these TRP genes in P. trituberculatus, and antennules, neural tissues, and ovaries were the most commonly expressed tissues. To investigate the responsiveness of TRP genes to the temperature change, 18 TRPs were selected to detect their expression after high and low temperature stress. The results showed that 12 TRPs showed induced gene expression in both high and low temperature groups, while 3 were down-regulated in the low temperature group, and 3 showed no change in expression in either group. Conclusions This study characterized the TRP family genes in P. trituberculatus, and explored their involvement in response to temperature stress. Our results will enhance overall understanding of crustacean TRP channels and their possible functions.

ObjectiveThis meta-analysis aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of novel antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in treating epilepsy in patients with brain tumors (BTRE).MethodsA search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to February 2023, with English language restriction.ResultsIn this meta-analysis, 18 clinical trials involving 755 BTRE patients were included to assess the efficacy and safety of novel AEDs in BTRE treatment. At the last follow-up, a ≥50% reduction in seizure frequency was experienced by 72% of patients (random-effects model, 95% CI = 0.64–0.78) using novel AEDs. At the last follow-up, seizure freedom was experienced by 34% of patients (random-effects model, 95% CI = 0.28–0.41) using novel AEDs. The pooled incidence of AEs was found to be 19% (95% CI: 13%–26%), with a withdrawal rate due to adverse effects of only 3%. Comparable efficacy and incidence of adverse effects were observed between lacosamide and perampanel.ConclusionThis meta-analysis suggests that novel antiepileptic drugs are deemed effective for seizure control in brain tumor patients, particularly when used as adjunctive therapy. Although lacosamide and perampanel received more focus in studies, no significant difference was observed in the efficacy and adverse reactions of these two drugs in seizure control. Further randomized controlled trials are deemed necessary to validate our findings.

Legubicin, a novel prodrug based on doxorubicin, has both albumin-binding and legumain-activating properties. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a UHPLC-MS/MS method for investigating the in vivo pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution profiles of legubicin in rats and tumor-bearing mice following intravenous administration, and to compare this prodrug with the positive control drug doxorubicin. The study employed a UHLC-MS/MS method to determine the levels of albumin-bound of legubicin and two metabolites (free Leu-DOX and DOX) in plasma, tumor, and tissue samples. This method was validated for good selectivity, high sensitivity, excellent extraction recovery, and short run time. The results showed that legubicin was present in the circulation in vivo mainly in a protein-bound form with larger AUC values and lower clearance and distribution, and essentially released small amounts of doxorubicin. Compared to administration of equimolar doses of doxorubicin, legubicin showed increased exposure of the active drug in the tumor and decreased the level of the active drug in the heart and kidney. This study provides valuable information on the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of legubicin, implicating its potential as a novel and effective drug candidate for anti-cancer therapies.

Abstract Background The gasdermins (GSDMs) family is proposed to be pore-forming effector proteins that cause cell membrane permeabilization and pyroptosis. Despite our increasing knowledge of GSDMD, GSDME and GSDMB, the biological functions and the regulation of GSDM expression and activation remain elusive for most GSDMs. In this study, we analyzed the molecular characteristics and oncogenic role of GSDM family genes systematically. Methods TCGA, CCLE, cBioPortal, GEPIA, CellMiner and BioGRID databases were utilized in this study. Immunohistochemical analysis and a series of in vitro experiments were conducted. Results We found that, in cancer, GSDM genes and their expressions extensively changed, which were associated with patient survival. The expression of GSDMs was widely associated with cancer-related pathways, drug resistance, immune subtypes, tumor microenvironment and cancer cell stemness. However, an intra- and inter-cancer heterogeneity was discovered regarding the corresponding GSDM gene. We found that GSDMA and GSDMB regulated drug resistance to the opposite direction of GSDME. In colorectal cancer, GSDME might be a positive regulator in cell invasion and metastasis through cell migration and angiogenesis, while GSDMA, GSDMB and GSDMD might be a negatively regulator of cell migration. Conclusions GSDM family genes might play important roles in cancer other than pyroptosis. We suggest more efforts be made to investigate the GSDM family and each GSDM gene be studied as an entity in each type of cancer.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), environmental pollutants of emerging concern, have posed a potential threat to the public health. Soil is one of the huge reservoirs and propagation hotspot of ARGs. To alleviate the potential risk of ARGs, it is necessary to figure out the source and fate of ARGs in the soil. This paper mainly reviewed recent studies on the association of ARGs with the microbiome and the transmission mechanism of ARGs in soil. The compositions and abundance of ARGs can be changed by modulating microbiome, soil physicochemical properties, such as pH and moisture. The relationships of ARGs with antibiotics, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and pesticides were discussed in this review. Among the various factors mentioned above, microbial community structure, mobile genetic elements, pH and heavy metals have a relatively more important impact on ARGs profiles. Moreover, human health could be impacted by soil ARGs through plants and animals. Understanding the dynamic changes of ARGs with influencing factors promotes us to develop strategies for mitigating the occurrence and dissemination of ARGs to reduce health risks.

Plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) are high-altitude model animals and famous “ecosystem engineers” on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Pika activities may accelerate the degradation of alpine meadows. Nevertheless, little is known about the responses of bacterial, fungal, and archaeal communities, and ecosystem multifunctionality to pika perturbations. To address this question, we studied the impacts of only pika disturbance and combined disturbance (pika disturbance and grazing) on ecological networks of soil microbial communities and ecosystem multifunctionality. Our results demonstrated that Proteobacteria, Ascomycota, and Crenarchaeota were dominant in bacteria, fungi, and archaea, respectively. Bacteria, fungi, and archaea were all influenced by the combined disturbance of grazing and pika. Most fungal communities became convergent, while bacterial and archaeal communities became differentiated during the succession of surface types. In particular, the bacterial and fungal networks were less stable than archaeal networks. In response to the interference, cross-domain cooperation between bacterial and fungal communities increased, while competitive interactions between bacterial and archaeal communities increased. Pika disturbance at high intensity significantly reduced the ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the mixed effects of grazing and pika weakened such influences. This study revealed how pika activities affected microbial networks and ecosystem multifunctionality. These results provide insights to designing reasonable ecological management strategies for alpine grassland ecosystems.

It has been shown in recent studies that the crustacean female sex hormone (CFSH) plays a crucial role in the development of secondary sexual characteristics in Decapoda crustaceans. However, research on the function of CFSH in the eyestalk-AG-testicular endocrine axis has been inadequate. We cloned and identified a homolog of CFSH, PtCFSH, in this study. RT-PCR showed that PtCFSH was mainly expressed in the eyestalk. A long-term injection of dsPtCFSH and recombinant PtCFSH (rPtCFSH) in vivo showed opposite effects on spermatogenesis-related gene expression and histological features in the testis of P. trituberculatus, and was accompanied by changes in AG morphological characteristics and PtIAG expression. In addition, the phosphorylated-MAPK levels and the expression of several IIS pathway genes in the testis was changed accordingly in two treatments, suggesting that PtCFSH may regulate the testicular development via IAG. The hypothesis was further validated by a mixed injection of both dsPtCFSH and dsPtIAG in vivo. The following in vitro studies confirmed the negatively effects of PtCFSH on AG, and revealed that the PtCFSH can also act directly on the testis. Treatment with rPtCFSH reduced the cAMP and cGMP levels as well as the nitric oxide synthetase activity. These findings provide vital clues to the mechanisms of CFSH action in both the eyestalk-AG-testis endocrinal axis and its direct effects on the testis.

The rumen microbiota plays an important role in animal functional attributes. These microbes are indispensable for the normal physiological development of the rumen, and may also convert the plant polysaccharides from grass into available milk and meat, making it highly valuable to humans. Exploring the microbial composition and metabolites of rumen across developmental stages is important for understanding ruminant nutrition and metabolism. However, relatively few reports have investigated the microbiome and metabolites across developmental stages in ruminants. Using 16S rRNA gene sequnecing, metabolomics and high-performance liquid chromatography techniques, we compared the rumen microbiota, metabolites and short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) between lambs and sub-adult Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetae were enriched in sub-adult sheep, while Firmicutes and Tenericutes were more abundant in young individuals. The sub-adult individuals had higher alpha diversity values than those in young sheep. Metabolomics analysis showed that the content of essential amino acids and related gene functional pathways in rumen were different between the lambs and sub-adult population. L-Leucine that participates in valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis was more abundant in the lambs, while phenylethylamine that takes part in phenylalanine metabolism was more enriched in the sub-adults. Both rumen microbial community structures and metabolite profiles were impacted by age, but rumen SCFA concentration was relatively stable between different age stages. Some specific microbes (e.g., Clostridium and Ruminococcaceae) were positively associated with L-Leucine but negatively correlated with phenylethylamine, implying that rumen microbes may play different roles for metabolite production at different ages. Mantel test analysis showed that rumen microbiota was significantly correlated with metabolomics and SCFA profiles. Our results indicates the close relationship between microbial composition and metabolites, and also reveal different nutritional requirement for different ages in ruminants, thus having important significance for regulating animal nutrition and metabolism by microbiome intervention.

Background/Aims: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays important roles in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and growth. Previous studies showed that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IGF-1 are associated with various diseases. This case-control study aimed to examine the relationship between IGF-1 polymorphisms and IgA nephropathy (IgAN) risk in a Chinese Han population. Methods: We recruited 351 IgAN patients and 310 healthy controls from Northwestern China. Sequenom MassARRAY was utilized to examine the genotypes of two common IGF-1 SNPs (rs1520220 and rs2195239). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated by the Chi square test to evaluate the associations between IGF-1 and IgAN. Results: Our study demonstrated that IGF-1 gene rs1520220 and rs2195239 polymorphisms did not confer susceptibility to IgAN. We found no correlation between gender, blood pressure, proteinuria, eGFR, and IgAN in both SNPs. However, the rs1520220 and rs2195239 variants were correlated with M1 and E1 in patients with IgAN (M0/M1: CC vs. CG+GG: OR = 1.62, P = 0.04; E0/E1: CC vs. CG+GG: OR = 1.95, P = 0.004; GG vs. GC+CC: OR = 1.90, P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: These results indicate that IGF-1 gene polymorphisms play crucial roles in the histopathological progression of IgAN in the Chinese Han population.

Gut microbiomes play important functional roles in human health and are also affected by many factors. However, few studies concentrate on gut microbiomes under exercise intervention. Additionally, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) carried by gut microbiomes may constantly pose a threat to human health. Here, ARGs and microbiomes of Chinese and Pakistanis participants were investigated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and high-throughput quantitative PCR techniques. The exercise had no impact on gut microbiomes in the 12 individuals investigated during the observation period, while the different distribution of gut microbiomes was found in distinct nationalities. Overall, the dominant microbial phyla in the participants’ gut were Bacteroidota, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Some genera such as Prevotella and Dialister were more abundant in Pakistani participants and some other genera such as Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium were more abundant in Chinese participants. The microbial diversity in Chinese was higher than that in Pakistanis. Furthermore, microbial community structures were also different between Chinese and Pakistanis. For ARGs, the distribution of all detected ARGs is not distinct at each time point. Among these ARGs, floR was distributed differently in Chinese and Pakistani participants, and some ARGs such as tetQ and sul2 are positively correlated with several dominant microbiomes, particularly Bacteroidota and Firmicutes bacteria that did not fluctuate over time.

Background/Aims: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is one of the most important enzymes for producting nitric oxide (NO), which regulate the function of many organs and cells. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of eNOS were found to be associated with many kidney diseases. However, it is lack of relevant studies to evaluate the associations between eNOS polymorphisms and immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). This case-control study aimed to evaluate the relationship between eNOS polymorphisms and IgAN. Methods: We recruited 351 IgAN patients and 310 age- and sex-matched healthy controls from Northwest China. Sequenom MassARRAY was used to detect the genotypes of two common eNOS SNPs (rs1799983 and rs2070744). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated by the Chi square test to evaluate the associations between eNOS and IgAN. Phase 2.1 was used to conduct haplotype analysis. Results: In the overall analysis, we found that the rs1799983 polymorphism was associated with a decreased risk of IgAN (G/T vs. G/G: OR=0.57, 95%CI=0.34–0.96; G/T+T/T vs. G/G: OR=0.52, 95%CI=0.31–0.86; G/T vs. G/G-T/T: OR=0.60, 95%CI=0.36–0.99; Log-additive model: OR=0.48, 95%CI=0.30–0.78). Haplotype analysis indicated that Trs1799983Crs2070744 is a protective factor against IgAN (OR=0.62, 95%CI=0.42––0.92). However, no significant differences were found between the two SNPs (rs1799983 and rs2070744) and clinical features (age, sex, blood pressure, and Lee’s grade) of IgAN. Conclusion: The eNOS gene rs1799983 polymorphism and Trs1799983Crs2070744 haplotype may reduce the risk of IgAN in Chinese populations.

Background/Aims: IFN-γ was reported to be involved in the development and progression of Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), however, few studies have investigated the association between IFN-γ polymorphisms and IgAN. Therefore, we performed a case-control study to assess the association between IFN-γ polymorphisms and the risk of IgAN. Methods: Sequenom MassARRAY was used to genotype two SNPs (rs1861494 and rs2430561) in 351 patients with IgAN and 310 healthy controls. Associations were evaluated as odd ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: No association was found between IFN-γ rs1861494 and IgAN risk or clinical parameters. For rs2430561, the AA genotype was more common in patients with IgAN, compared with controls (AT vs. AA: OR = 0.57, P = 0.035). IFN-γ-rs2430561 T allele may be a protective factor for IgAN susceptibility (T vs. A: OR = 0.59, P = 0.04). Subgroup analysis based on clinical features revealed no significant association between rs2430561 polymorphism and clinical data such as gender, 24-h urine protein, blood pressure, Oxford classifcation and estimated glomerular fltration rate. IgAN patients had a higher IFN-γ serum level than healthy controls and patients with rs1861494 AA genotype had a higher IFN-γ serum level compared with those with AG/GG genotypes. Conclusions: IFN-γ polymorphisms may be involved in the development and progression of IgAN.

Background/Aims: IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is a common form of primary glomerulonephritis worldwide. Previous studies indicated that IL-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) play an important role in IgAN pathogenesis, but the results were controversy. This study aimed to investigate the association between IL-10 SNPs (rs1800872, rs1800871, and rs1800896) with IgAN in a Chinese Han population. Methods: We conducted a case–control study that included 351 patients with IgAN and 310 age-, gender- and ethnicity-matched healthy controls. Three promoter SNPs (rs1800872, rs1800871, and rs1800896) of IL-10 were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess the relationship with IgAN. Results: We found that the rs1800896 did not correlate with IgAN risk, whereas rs1800872 and rs1800871 were significantly associated with increased IgAN risk in all genetic models. The haplotype analysis indicated that the CCA haplotype was associated with increased IgAN risk (OR = 1.36; 95% CI = 1.05–1.75). Moreover, there were no associations between these SNPs and blood pressure or gender, whereas the rs1800896 variant was correlated with higher 24-hour urine protein in patients with IgAN. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that IL-10 is a susceptibility gene in patients with IgAN.

Abstract Tandem repeats (TRs) are genomic regions that tandemly change in repeat number, which are often multiallelic. Their characteristics and contributions to gene expression and quantitative traits in rice are largely unknown. Here, we survey rice TR variations based on 231 genome assemblies and the rice pan-genome graph. We identify 227,391 multiallelic TR loci, including 54,416 TR variations that are absent from the Nipponbare reference genome. Only 1/3 TR variations show strong linkage with nearby bi-allelic variants (SNPs, Indels and PAVs). Using 193 panicle and 202 leaf transcriptomic data, we reveal 485 and 511 TRs act as QTLs independently of other bi-allelic variations to nearby gene expression, respectively. Using plant height and grain width as examples, we identify and validate TRs contributions to rice agronomic trait variations. These findings would enhance our understanding of the functions of multiallelic variants and facilitate rice molecular breeding.

Wild yeast suitable for kiwifruit wine fermentation was isolated and purified, and the fermentation process was optimized to increase the alcohol content of the kiwifruit wine. Pichia kluyveri was isolated from kiwifruit pulp by lineation separating, screened by morphological characteristics in Wallerstein Laboratory Nutrient Agar (WL) medium and microscope observation, and further identified by 26S rDNA D1/D2 domain sequence analysis. Taking alcohol content and sensory evaluation as two indexes, the fermentation condition for kiwifruit wine was optimized by single factor and response surface experiment. The optimal fermentation conditions were optimized as follows: the fermentation temperature was at 24 °C, the initial pH was 3.8, the sugar dosage in second step was 8% (w/w), and the inoculating quantity of Pichia kluyveri and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was 0.15 g/L at equal proportion. Under these optimal conditions, the maximum estimated alcohol content was 15.6 vol%, and the kiwifruit wine was light green in color with strong kiwifruit aroma and mellow taste.

Abstract Background Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that is harmful to the environment and human health. Cd pollution threatens the cultivation of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in many countries. Improving rice performance under Cd stress could potentially improve rice productivity. Results In this study, 9 growth traits of 188 different cultivated rice accessions under normal and Cd stress conditions were found to be highly variable during the seedling stage. Based on ~3.3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 119 Cd-mediated growth response (CGR) quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified by a genome-wide association study (GWAS), 55 of which have been validated by previously reported QTL and 64 were new CGR loci. Combined with the data from the GWAS, transcriptome analysis, gene annotations from the gene ontology (GO) Slim database, and annotations and functions of homologous genes, 148 CGR candidate genes were obtained. Additionally, several reported genes have been found to play certain roles in CGRs. Seven Cd-related cloned genes were found among the CGR genes. Natural elite haplotypes/alleles in these genes that increased Cd tolerance were identified by a haplotype analysis of a diverse mini core collection. More importantly, this study was the first to uncover the natural variations of 5 GST genes that play important roles in CGRs. Conclusion The exploration of Cd-resistant rice germplasm resources and the identification of elite natural variations related to Cd-resistance will help improve the tolerance of current major rice varieties to Cd, as well as provide raw materials and new genes for breeding Cd-resistant varieties.

Abstract Background Rice plants suffer from the rising temperature which is becoming more and more prominent. Mining heat-resistant genes and applying them to rice breeding is a feasible and effective way to solve the problem. Result Three main biomass traits, including shoot length, dry weight, and fresh weight, changed after abnormally high-temperature treatment in the rice seedling stage of a recombinant inbred lines and the natural indica germplasm population. Based on a comparison of the results of linkage analysis and genome-wide association analysis, two loci with lengths of 57 kb and 69 kb in qDW7 and qFW6, respectively, were associated with the rice response to abnormally high temperatures at the seedling stage. Meanwhile, based on integrated transcriptome analysis, some genes are considered as important candidate genes. Combining with known genes and analysis of homologous genes, it was found that there are eight genes in candidate intervals that need to be focused on in subsequent research. Conclusions The results indicated several relevant loci, which would help researchers to further discover beneficial heat-resistant genes that can be applied to rice heat-resistant breeding.

Posttranscriptional modifications have been implicated in regulation of nearly all biological aspects of cellular RNAs, from stability, translation, splicing, nuclear export to localization. Chemical modifications also have been revealed for virus derived RNAs several decades before, along with the potential of their regulatory roles in virus infection. Due to the dynamic changes of RNA modifications during virus infection, illustrating the mechanisms of RNA epigenetic regulations remains a challenge. Nevertheless, many studies have indicated that these RNA epigenetic marks may directly regulate virus infection through antiviral innate immune responses. The present review summarizes the impacts of important epigenetic marks on viral RNAs, including N6-methyladenosine (m6A), 5-methylcytidine (m5C), 2ʹ-O-methylation (2ʹ-O-Methyl), and a few uncanonical nucleotides (A-to-I editing, pseudouridine), on antiviral innate immunity and relevant signaling pathways, while highlighting the significance of antiviral innate immune responses during virus infection.

The transcription factors, B-box (BBX), belong to a subfamily of the zinc finger family of proteins and exhibit multiple biological functions in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress response pathways. In this study, a total of 23 CaBBX members were identified using the pepper reference genome database. According to the gene structure, conserved domains, and the phylogenetic tree, 23 CaBBX genes were divided into four groups, wherein the analysis of the promoter region indicated the presence of cis-acting elements related to plant development, hormones, and stress response. Interspecies collinearity analysis showed that the CaBBXs had three duplicated gene pairs, and the highest gene density was found on chromosomes 2 and 7. Transcriptome RNA-seq data and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis of pepper plants spanning the entire period showed that more than half of the CaBBX genes were widely expressed in diversity tissues of pepper. Co-expression network analysis indicated that the CaBBXs and the anthocyanin structural genes had a close co-expression relationship. Thus, it was reasonably speculated that the CaBBX genes may be involved in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. Overall, this study involved the genome-wide characterization of the CaBBX family and may serve as a solid foundation for further investigations on CaBBX genes involved in the anthocyanin synthesis mechanisms and development in pepper.

A novel capillary-based three-dimensional (3D) fluoroimmunosensor for carcinoembryonic antigen detection was explored for the first time. The immunosensor was designed in symmetrical cylinder structure and fabricated with capillary tubes encapsulated in a quartz tube. The 3D design of the sensor increased the area of sensing surface, flexibility in light path design and efficiency of fluorescence collection by aluminum foil, resulting in analytical performance improvement. The CEA immunosensor was constructed in double antibody sandwich format. Fluorescence signals from DyLight 550-labeled antibody were measured using a laser-induced fluorescence spectrometry. There is an obvious improvement in the linear detection range of 0.7–80 ng/mL. This novel 3D immunosensor dramatically improved the detection limit (1.1 pmol/L CEA) and sensitivity. Assay validation studies indicated that the correlation coefficient reached 0.9935, with recoveries of 92.82–118.81%. Furthermore, the immunosensor was successfully applied to CEA determination in actual saliva specimens with high sensitivity and acceptable precision. Regarding accuracy, the results obtained by 3D immunosensor were not significantly different (t test) from those obtained by validated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. This new 3D CEA immunosensor was demonstrated to be a high-performance tool for CEA diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fumonisins are a group of common mycotoxins found around the world that mainly contaminate maize. As environmental toxins, they pose a threat to human and animal health. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the most widely distributed and the most toxic. FB1 can cause pulmonary edema in pigs. However, the current toxicity mechanism of fumonisins is still in the exploratory stage, which may be related to sphingolipid metabolism. Our study is designed to investigate the effect of FB1 on the cell proliferation and barrier function of swine umbilical vein endothelial cells (SUVECs). We show that FB1 can inhibit the cell viability of SUVECs. FB1 prevents cells from entering the S phase from the G1 phase by regulating the expression of the cell cycle-related genes cyclin B1, cyclin D1, cyclin E1, Cdc25c, and the cyclin-dependent kinase-4 (CDK-4). This results in an inhibition of cell proliferation. In addition, FB1 can also change the cell morphology, increase paracellular permeability, destroy tight junctions and the cytoskeleton, and reduce the expression of tight junction-related genes claudin 1, occludin, and ZO-1. This indicates that FB1 can cause cell barrier dysfunction of SUVECs and promote the weakening or even destruction of the connections between endothelial cells. In turn, this leads to increased blood vessel permeability and promotes exudation. Our findings suggest that FB1 induces toxicity in SUVECs by affecting cell proliferation and disrupting the barrier function.

In this study, antibody immobilization using a microwave-induced H2O/Ar plasma pretreatment was achieved for the first time. Plasma was used to activate the surface of a capillary-based immunosensor by increasing the density of silicon hydroxyls and dangling bonds to ensure better silanization. The capture antibodies were covalently immobilized after the silanized surface reacted with glutaraldehyde and antibodies. A Cy3-labeled detection antibody was used in combination with the antigen captured by the immunosensor to complete the sandwich-type immunoassay, and the signals were measured using a laser-induced fluorescence system. Microwave-induced H2O/Ar plasma pretreatment of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) immunosensor improved the antibody immobilization, and there was an obvious improvement in the linear detection range, i.e., 1 order of magnitude compared with a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This novel immobilization method dramatically improved the detection limit (0.5 pmol/L CEA) and sensitivity. Assay validation studies indicated that the correlation coefficient reached 0.9978, and the relative standard deviations were <7% for all samples, with recoveries of 99.7-107.1%. Furthermore, the immunosensor was applied successfully to CEA determination in actual saliva specimens with high sensitivity, acceptable precision, and reasonable accuracy. This enhanced CEA immunosensor based on microwave-induced H2O/Ar plasma was demonstrated to be a sensitive tool for CEA diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore the effects of glycyrrhizin (GL) and matrine (MT) on acute vanishing bile duct syndromes (AVBDS) in rats. Methods: AVBDS in rats were induced by alphanaphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT), and the effects of GL and MT on AVBDS were explored and compared with dexamethasone (DEX) by serology determination, histological assessment of liver damage and bile excretion experiments. Results: The protection of DEX pre-treatment was directed toward cholangiocytes rather than hepatocytes. Rats remedially treated with DEX 3 h after ANIT were not resistant to ANIT toxicity. Notably, remedial treatment with DEX 12 h after ANIT enhanced ANIT toxicity. However, GL and MT attenuated both bile duct and hepatocyte damage induced by ANIT in the initial phase of impairment. Conclusion: The nature products (GL and MT) exhibited better protection against ANIT-induced AVBDS than DEX. In the initial phase of impairment of AVBDS, the protection of GL and MT may be due partially to modifying the metabolism and excretion of ANIT and to their anti-inflammatory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial variability of soil properties has always been a significant research field in geoscience. The types of soil properties cover a wide range, but most studies have focused on the spatial variability of soil physicochemical properties over the past decades. Studies on soil hydraulic characteristics are limited, and most of them are limited to the farmland scale. However, the spatial variability of regional soil properties (soil texture and hydraulic properties) is valuable for the study of sedimentation processes and soil water transport. Therefore, here, the spatial variation of six soil properties (sand, silt, clay content, bulk density, saturated water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity) in the typical alluvial plain area of the lower Yellow River is quantitatively studied, by using classical statistics, geostatistics and single fractal and multifractal methods. This study mainly quantitatively analysed the spatial variability of different soil properties and compared four research methods. Although the coefficient of variation, nugget coefficient, single fractal dimension and multifractal spectral width can reflect spatial variability, diverse conclusions are drawn (on variability) if different methods are used, and the different soil properties show large disparities. These four methods show a different variation order of soil properties, but there are some common conclusions based on analysis and judgment. In general, the silt content in the study area is stable, mainly originating from loess transported by Yellow River erosion, which is also reflected in the Kriging interpolation maps under the geostatistical models. The variation in bulk density and saturated water content is weak, and the spatial variability of sand and clay content is moderate. In addition, the saturated hydraulic conductivity fluctuates violently. This may be related to the differences in local topography, human activity and the content of sand and clay, each of which significantly affects the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Classical statistics has a limitation because it fails to corelate with spatial location. Due to the small sample capacity and calculation error of lag distance, the accuracy of geostatistics and single fractal dimensions needs to be improved. Multifractal spectral analysis does not need to consider the normality of data and can quantitatively represent local characteristics; therefore, its results have high reliability.

Fumonisins (Fums) are types of mycotoxin that widely contaminante feed material crops, and can trigger potential biological toxicities to humans and various animals. However, the toxicity of Fums on porcine blood vessels has not been fully explored. Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is the main component of Fums. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of FB1 on the oxidative stress and tight junctions of the pig iliac endothelial cells (PIECs) in vitro. The results showed that FB1 reduced the viability of PIECs, increased the contents of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA), decreased the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), and decreased the level of glutathione (GSH). In addition, the barrier functions were destroyed, along with the down-regulations on Claudin 1, Occludin and ZO-1 and the increase of paracellular permeability. Thus, this research indicates that FB1 facilitates oxidative stress and breaks barrier functions to damage pig iliac endothelium cells.

Weanling stress and toxicosis, which are harmful to the health of pigs’ intestines, are associated with oxidative stress. Quercetin (Que) is a polyphenolic compound that shows good anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation effects. This study aimed to elaborate whether or not Que promotes IPEC-J2 (intestinal porcine enterocyte cells) proliferation and protects IPEC-J2 from oxidative damage. Thus, we examined the effects of Que on proliferation and H2O2-induced apoptosis in IPEC-J2. The results showed that Que increased IPEC-J2 viabililty, propelled cells from G1 phase into S phase and down-regulated gene levels of P27 and P21, respectively. Besides, H2O2-induced cell damage was alleviated by Que after different exposure times, and Que depressed apoptosis rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and percentage of G1 phase cells and elevated the percentage of cells in G2 phase and S phase and mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) after IPEC-J2 exposure to H2O2. Meanwhile, Que reduced the value of Bax/Bcl-2 in H2O2 exposed cells. In low-degree oxidative damage cells, lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were increased. In turn, Que could reverse the change of MDA content and SOD activity in low-degree damage cells. Nevertheless, catalase (CAT) activity was not changed in IPEC-J2 incubated with Que under low-degree damage conditions. Interestingly, relative expressive levels of the proteins claudin-1 and occludin were not altered under low-degree damage conditions, but Que could improve claudin-1 and occludin levels, slightly. This research indicates that Que can be greatly beneficial for intestinal porcine enterocyte cell proliferation and it protects intestinal porcine enterocyte cells from oxidation-induced apoptosis, and could be used as a potential feed additive for porcine intestinal health against pathogenic factor-induced oxidative damages and apoptosis.