Search

In order to exploit new botanic fungicide, the antifungal activities of the ethanol extracts of stem-leaf and rhizoid of P. commune were studied by the mycelia growth rate method and the spore germination method based on the determination of their mycelia growth inhibition rates, spore germination inhibition rates and median inhibition concentration values (EC50) on B. cinerea, F. solani f. sp. batatas, F. solani and A. brassicicola. The results showed that the antifungal activities of the ethanol extracts of P. commune against the four plant pathogenic fungi were extremely significant (P

Abstract Although asymmetric molecular design has been widely demonstrated effective for organic photovoltaics (OPVs), the correlation between asymmetric molecular geometry and their optoelectronic properties is still unclear. To access this issue, we have designed and synthesized several symmetric-asymmetric non-fullerene acceptors (NFAs) pairs with identical physical and optoelectronic properties. Interestingly, we found that the asymmetric NFAs universally exhibited increased open-circuit voltage compared to their symmetric counterparts, due to the reduced non-radiative charge recombination. From our molecular-dynamic simulations, the asymmetric NFA naturally exhibits more diverse molecular interaction patterns at the donor (D):acceptor (A) interface as compared to the symmetric ones, as well as higher D:A interfacial charge-transfer state energy. Moreover, it is observed that the asymmetric structure can effectively suppress triplet state formation. These advantages enable a best efficiency of 18.80%, which is one of the champion results among binary OPVs. Therefore, this work unambiguously demonstrates the unique advantage of asymmetric molecular geometry, unveils the underlying mechanism, and highlights the manipulation of D:A interface as an important consideration for future molecular design.

Abstract Ribose-5-phosphate (R5P) is a precursor for nucleic acid biogenesis; however, the importance and homeostasis of R5P in the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii remain enigmatic. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase (SBPase) is dispensable. Still, its co-deletion with transaldolase (TAL) impairs the double mutant’s growth and increases 13C-glucose-derived flux into pentose sugars via the transketolase (TKT) enzyme. Deletion of the latter protein affects the parasite’s fitness but is not lethal and is correlated with an increased carbon flux via the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. Further, loss of TKT leads to a decline in 13C incorporation into glycolysis and the TCA cycle, resulting in a decrease in ATP levels and the inability of phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate synthetase (PRPS) to convert R5P into 5′-phosphoribosyl-pyrophosphate and thereby contribute to the production of AMP and IMP. Likewise, PRPS is essential for the lytic cycle. Not least, we show that RuPE-mediated metabolic compensation is imperative for the survival of the ΔsbpaseΔtal strain. In conclusion, we demonstrate that multiple routes can flexibly supply R5P to enable parasite growth and identify catalysis by TKT and PRPS as critical enzymatic steps. Our work provides novel biological and therapeutic insights into the network design principles of intracellular parasitism in a clinically-relevant pathogen.

IntroductionA multitude of variables influence the healing of tooth extraction wounds, and delayed or non-healing extraction wounds might complicate later prosthodontic therapy. In this research, we analyzed the effects of systemic clopidogrel and aspirin alone or in combination on the healing of tooth extraction wounds in mice in order to provide experimental evidence for the healing of extraction wounds in patients who are clinically treated with the two medicines.Methods7-week-old ICR mice were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CON), clopidogrel group (CLOP), aspirin group (ASP), and clopidogrel combined with aspirin group (CLOP + ASP); left upper first molar was extracted, after which mice in 1 week of adaptive feeding, CLOP/ASP/CLOP + ASP groups were respectively administered with clopidogrel (10 mg/kg/d), aspirin (15 mg/kg/d), clopidogrel (10 mg/kg/d)+aspirin (15 mg/kg/d), and the control group was given an equal amount of 0.9% saline by gavage. Mice in each group were euthanized at 14 and 28 days postoperatively, and the maxilla was extracted. The tissues in the extraction sockets were examined using MicroCT and sectioned for HE staining, Masson staining, and TRAP staining, and immunohistochemistry staining (for TRAP, RANKL and osteoprotegerin).ResultsMicroCT analysis showed that at day 14, BS/BV was significantly lower in CLOP and CLOP + ASP groups compared to control and ASP groups, while BV/TV, Tb.Th was significantly higher. At day 28, BV/TV was significantly higher in the CLOP + ASP group compared to the CLOP group, with p < 0.05 for all results. HE staining and Masson trichrome staining findings revealed that at day 28, the mesenchyme in the bone was further decreased compared to that at day 14, accompanied with tightly arranged and interconnected bone trabeculae. In the quantitative analysis of Masson, the fraction of newly formed collagen was significantly higher in the CLOP group in comparison with that in the CON group (p < 0.05). At day 14, the ASP group had substantially more TRAP-positive cells than the CLOP and CLOP + ASP groups (p < 0.05). In immunohistochemical staining, RANKL expression was found to be significantly higher in the ASP group than those in the other three groups at day 28 (p < 0.05); OPG expression was significantly higher in the CLOP group and the CLOP + ASP group compared with that at day 14, and was higher than that in the ASP group at day 14 and day 28. OPG/RANKL was significantly higher in the CLOP and the CLOP + ASP groups than in the ASP group (p < 0.05).ConclusionClopidogrel alone promotes osteogenesis in the extraction wound, whereas aspirin alone inhibits alveolar bone healing. When the two drugs were combined, the healing effect of the extraction wound was more similar to that of the clopidogrel alone group. These results indicated that clopidogrel could promote the healing of the tooth extraction wound, and neutralize the adverse effect of ASP on osteogenesis when the two drugs were used in combination.

Plant-derived natural compounds are significant resources for the discovery of potential anticancer drugs. While research in the plant-based anticancer field has surged in recent years, systematic bibliometric analyses covering a longer period and containing up-to-date publications remain scarce. Here, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of literature on the anticancer properties of plant natural compounds over the past three decades, leveraging the bibliometric framework and open-access platform, KNIME. Our findings showed that the number of plant anticancer-related publications underwent an accelerating growth from 1992 to 2023. The country and institution analyses revealed that countries with traditional medical systems contributed a large portion of publications in the plant anticancer field, such as India, China, and South Korea. This study also highlighted the top ten eminent researchers and publications, assisting researchers in identifying pivotal literature. The primary publications were domains of chemistry and biology-related fields, such as Pharmacology & Pharmacy, Plant Sciences, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. Additionally, we noted that flavonoids have been focal plant compounds in anticancer, with strong anticancer potential. Our study provides new insights into the progress and trends in the plant anticancer field and will assist researchers in grasping the future research direction.

ObjectiveThe circulating tumor cells (CTCs) could be captured by the peptide functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Pep@MNP) detection system in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). CTCs and the CXCR4 expression were detected to explore their clinical significance. The CXCR4+ CTCs, this is highly metastatic-prone stem cell-like subsets of CTCs (HM-CTCs), were found to be associated with the early recurrence and metastasis of PDAC.MethodsCTCs were captured by Pep@MNP. CTCs were identified via immunofluorescence with CD45, cytokeratin antibodies, and the CXCR4 positive CTCs were assigned to be HM-CTCs.ResultsThe over-expression of CXCR4 could promote the migration of pancreatic cancer cell in vitro and in vivo. In peripheral blood (PB), CTCs were detected positive in 79.0% of all patients (49/62, 9 (0–71)/2mL), among which 63.3% patients (31/49, 3 (0–23)/2mL) were HM-CTCs positive. In portal vein blood (PVB), CTCs were positive in 77.5% of patients (31/40, 10 (0–40)/2mL), and 67.7% of which (21/31, 4 (0–15)/2mL) were HM-CTCs positive CTCs enumeration could be used as diagnostic biomarker of pancreatic cancer (AUC = 0.862), and the combination of CTCs positive and CA19–9 increase shows improved diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.963). in addition, PVB HM-CTCs were more accurate to predict the early recurrence and liver metastasis than PB HM-CTCs (AUC 0.825 vs. 0.787 and 0.827 vs. 0.809, respectively).ConclusionsThe CTCs identified by Pep@MNP detection system could be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of PDAC patients. We identified and defined the CXCR4 over-expressed CTC subpopulation as highly metastatic-prone CTCs, which was proved to identify patients who were prone to suffering from early recurrence and metastasis.

IntroductionPlumbagin is an important phytochemical and has been reported to exhibit potent larvicidal activity against several insect pests, However, the insecticidal mechanism of plumbagin against pests is still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the insecticidal activities of plumbagin and the underlying molecular mechanisms against a devastating agricultural pest, the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda.MethodsThe effects of plumbagin on S. frugiperda larval development and the activities of two detoxification enzymes were initially examined. Next, transcriptomic changes in S. frugiperda after plumbagin treatment were investigated. Furthermore, RNA-seq results were validated by qPCR.ResultsPlumbagin exhibited a high larvicidal activity against the second and third instar larvae of S. frugiperda with 72 h LC50 of 0.573 and 2.676 mg/g, respectively. The activities of the two detoxification enzymes carboxylesterase and P450 were significantly increased after 1.5 mg/g plumbagin treatment. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis provided a comprehensive overview of complex transcriptomic changes in S. frugiperda larvae in response to 1.5 mg/g plumbagin exposure, and revealed that plumbagin treatment led to aberrant expression of a large number of genes related to nutrient and energy metabolism, humoral immune response, insect cuticle protein, chitin-binding proteins, chitin synthesis and degradation, insect hormone, and xenobiotic detoxification. The qPCR results further validated the reproducibility and reliability of the transcriptomic data.DiscussionOur findings provide a valuable insight into understanding the insecticidal mechanism of the phytochemical plumbagin.

Summary: Embryos, originating from fertilized eggs, undergo continuous cell division and differentiation, accompanied by dramatic changes in transcription, translation, and metabolism. Chromatin regulators, including transcription factors (TFs), play indispensable roles in regulating these processes. Recently, the trophoblast regulator TFAP2C was identified as crucial in initiating early cell fate decisions. However, Tfap2c transcripts persist in both the inner cell mass and trophectoderm of blastocysts, prompting inquiry into Tfap2c’s function in post-lineage establishment. In this study, we delineate the dynamics of TFAP2C during the mouse peri-implantation stage and elucidate its collaboration with the key lineage regulators CDX2 and NANOG. Importantly, we propose that de novo formation of H3K9me3 in the extraembryonic ectoderm during implantation antagonizes TFAP2C binding to crucial developmental genes, thereby maintaining its lineage identity. Together, these results highlight the plasticity of the chromatin environment in designating the genomic binding of highly adaptable lineage-specific TFs and regulating embryonic cell fates.

Summary: Ferroptosis and ferritinophagy play critical roles in various disease contexts. Herein, we observed that ferroptosis and ferritinophagy were induced both in the brains of mice with diabetes mellitus (DM) and neuronal cells after high glucose (HG) treatment, as evidenced by decreases in GPX4, SLC7A11, and ferritin levels, but increases in NCOA4 levels. Interestingly, melatonin administration ameliorated neuronal damage by inhibiting ferroptosis and ferritinophagy both in vivo and in vitro. At the molecular level, we found that not only the ferroptosis inducer p53 but also the ferritinophagy mediator NCOA4 was the potential target of miR-214-3p, which was downregulated by DM status or HG insult, but was increased after melatonin treatment. However, the inhibitory effects of melatonin on ferroptosis and ferritinophagy were blocked by miR-214-3p downregulation. These findings suggest that melatonin is a potential drug for improving diabetic brain damage by inhibiting p53-mediated ferroptosis and NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy through regulating miR-214-3p in neurons.

Abstract Background Mitochondrial genomes are essential for deciphering the unique evolutionary history of seed plants. However, the rules of their extreme variation in genomic size, multi-chromosomal structure, and foreign sequences remain unresolved in most plant lineages, which further hindered the application of mitogenomes in phylogenetic analyses. Results Here, we took Dendrobium (Orchidaceae) which shows the great divergence of morphology and difficulty in species taxonomy as the study focus. We first de novo assembled two complete mitogenomes of Dendrobium wilsonii and Dendrobium henanense that were 763,005 bp and 807,551 bp long with multichromosomal structures. To understand the evolution of Dendrobium mitogenomes, we compared them with those of four other orchid species. The results showed great variations of repetitive and chloroplast-derived sequences in Dendrobium mitogenomes. Moreover, the intergenic content of Dendrobium mitogenomes has undergone expansion during evolution. We also newly sequenced mitogenomes of 26 Dendrobium species and reconstructed phylogenetic relationships of Dendrobium based on genomic mitochondrial and plastid data. The results indicated that the existence of chloroplast-derived sequences made the mitochondrial phylogeny display partial characteristics of the plastid phylogeny. Additionally, the mitochondrial phylogeny provided new insights into the phylogenetic relationships of Dendrobium species. Conclusions Our study revealed the evolution of Dendrobium mitogenomes and the potential of mitogenomes in deciphering phylogenetic relationships at low taxonomic levels.

Terpene synthases (TPSs), key gatekeepers in the biosynthesis of herbivore-induced terpenes, are pivotal in the diversity of terpene chemotypes across and within plant species. Here, we constructed a gene-based pangenome of the Gossypium genus by integrating the genomes of 17 diploid and 10 tetraploid species. Within this pangenome, 208 TPS syntelog groups (SGs) were identified, comprising 2 core SGs (TPS5 and TPS42) present in all 27 analyzed genomes, 6 softcore SGs (TPS11, TPS12, TPS13, TPS35, TPS37, and TPS47) found in 25 to 26 genomes, 131 dispensable SGs identified in 2 to 24 genomes, and 69 private SGs exclusive to a single genome. The mutational load analysis of these identified TPS genes across 216 cotton accessions revealed a great number of splicing variants and complex splicing patterns. The nonsynonymous/synonymous Ka/Ks value for all 52 analyzed TPS SGs was less than one, indicating that these genes were subject to purifying selection. Of 208 TPS SGs encompassing 1795 genes, 362 genes derived from 102 SGs were identified as atypical and truncated. The structural analysis of TPS genes revealed that gene truncation is a major mechanism contributing to the formation of atypical genes. An integrated analysis of three RNA-seq datasets from cotton plants subjected to herbivore infestation highlighted nine upregulated TPSs, which included six previously characterized TPSs in G. hirsutum (AD1_TPS10, AD1_TPS12, AD1_TPS40, AD1_TPS42, AD1_TPS89, and AD1_TPS104), two private TPSs (AD1_TPS100 and AD2_TPS125), and one atypical TPS (AD2_TPS41). Also, a TPS-associated coexpression module of eight genes involved in the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway was identified in the transcriptomic data of herbivore-infested G. hirsutum. These findings will help us understand the contributions of TPS family members to interspecific terpene chemotypes within Gossypium and offer valuable resources for breeding insect-resistant cotton cultivars.

This study aims to investigate the effect of berberine on necroptosis in cervical H8 cells. CCK-8 assay was used to assess cell proliferation activity. The expression levels of necroptosis key markers Receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), MLKL, p-MLKL, and apoptosis-related caspase-8, caspase-3 were analyzed through qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. Mechanistic studies were conducted using the RIPK1 kinase inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1). The results showed that berberine could inhibit H8 cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner (p

Background: The hypoglycemic effects of Chinese bayberry leaves proanthocyanidins (BLPs) have been demonstrated. It is unclear, nevertheless, whether BLPs reduced postprandial blood glucose levels by regulating glucose uptake and glucose transport.Method: This study investigated the effect of BLPs (25, 50, and 100 μg/mL) on glucose uptake and glucose transport in human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2 cells). The uptake of 2-Deoxy-2-[(7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl) amino]-D-glucose (2-NBDG) and disaccharidases activity in Caco-2 cells were measured. The glucose transport ability across the cell membrane was determined using the established Caco-2 monolayer model. The transcript and protein levels of key glucose transporters were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting, respectively.Results: The results showed that BLPs significantly decreased glucose uptake and disaccharidases activity (p < 0.05). Otherwise, BLPs treatment obviously inhibited glucose transport across the Caco-2 monolayer in both simulated-fast (5 mM glucose) and simulated-fed (25 mM glucose) conditions. It was attributed to the suppression of glucose transporter2 (GLUT2) and sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) by BLPs. BLPs were found to significantly downregulated the transcript level and protein expression of glucose transporters (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of phospholipase C (PLC) and protein kinase C (PKC) involved in the signaling pathway associated with glucose transport were decreased by BLPs.Conclusion: These results suggested that BLPs inhibited intestinal glucose transport via inhibiting the expression of glucose transporters. It indicated that BLPs could be potentially used as a functional food in the diet to modulate postprandial hyperglycemia.

Under the background of building a "maritime power" and developing Hainan Free Trade Zone (Port), the marine fishery in Hainan Province has developed rapidly. But at the same time, there have been a series of problems such as the destruction of ecological environment and excessive consumption of resources. Thus, to study the ecological efficiency of marine fishery in Hainan Province is of great significance to the sustainable development of Hainan Province. Based on the total sewage discharge of mariculture is taken as the undesired output, the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of marine fishery eco-efficiency in Hainan Province from 1998 to 2019 were analyzed by using SBM model, standard deviation and coefficient of variation, and classifying the level of ecological efficiency in the coastal cities and countries of Hainan Province. The results showed that during the study period, the average value of marine fishery eco-efficiency in Hainan, which had taken into account the undesired output, was at a moderate level and fluctuating downward. While the regional differences showed a trend of fluctuating and expansion. The marine fishery eco-efficiency level in Hainan was divided into three categories: high-efficiency, medium-efficiency and low-efficiency. The efficiency categories of cities and counties are different during the same period, such as Haikou belongs to high-efficiency in the "ninth Five-Year" and "eleventh Five-Year" period, but in the "twelfth Five-Year" belongs to medium-efficiency, in the "thirteenth Five-Year" belongs to low-efficiency. It was mainly affected by the diminishing marginal benefit and the lag of ecological restoration. According to the different types of ecological efficiency in Hainan, the differentiated development strategy of the marine fishery was put forward to realize the high-quality development of the marine fishery ecological and economic system.

In the intelligent manufacturing environment, modern industry is developing at a faster pace, and there is an urgent need for reasonable production scheduling to ensure an organized production order and a dependable production guarantee for enterprises. Additionally, production cooperation between enterprises and different branches of enterprises is increasingly common, and distributed manufacturing has become a prevalent production model. In light of these developments, this paper presents the research background and current state of distributed shop scheduling. It summarizes relevant research on issues that align with the new manufacturing model, explores hot topics and concerns and focuses on the classification of distributed parallel machine scheduling, distributed flow shop scheduling, distributed job shop scheduling and distributed assembly shop scheduling. The paper investigates these scheduling problems in terms of single-objective and multi-objective optimization, as well as processing constraints. It also summarizes the relevant optimization algorithms and their limitations. It also provides an overview of research methods and objects, highlighting the development of solution methods and research trends for new problems. Finally, the paper analyzes future research directions in this field.

Abstract Super-enhancers (SEs) consist of multiple typical enhancers enriched at high density with transcription factors, histone-modifying enzymes and cofactors. Oncogenic SEs promote tumorigenesis and malignancy by altering protein-coding gene expression and noncoding regulatory element function. Therefore, they play central roles in the treatment of cancer. Here, we review the structural characteristics, organization, identification, and functions of SEs and the underlying molecular mechanism by which SEs drive oncogenic transcription in tumor cells. We then summarize abnormal SE complexes, SE-driven coding genes, and noncoding RNAs involved in tumor development. In summary, we believe that SEs show great potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

Highlights A solid additive-assisted layer-by-layer (SAA-LBL) processing was developed to facilitate the inter-diffusion between polymer donor and acceptor and optimize the morphology of quasi-planar heterojunction for high-performance organic solar cells (OSCs). The pre-phase separation between fatty acid and polymer donor, easily tuned via controlling the cohesive energy, is critical to form the desired vertical phase-separation morphology. The SAA-LBL is generally applicable to various OSC systems, and enables the record efficiency of 19.02% among the binary OSCs.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT–qPCR) assays are the gold standard molecular test for detection of RNA viruses. The aim of this study was to construct an RNA-positive control based on MS2 phage-like particles (MS2 VLPs) to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA. pCDFDuet-1 was used as a one-plasmid double-expression system to construct MS2 VLPs containing ssRNA of SARS-CoV-2. The sequence encoding one copy of maturase, His-tag and coat protein dimer was cloned and inserted into MCS1 of the plasmid; the fragment encoding protein N and ORF1ab from SARS-CoV-2 was cloned and inserted into MCS2. The prepared plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL2 (DE3), and expression of the construct was induced by 1 mM isopropyl-L-thio-D-galactopyranoside (IPTG) at 30°C for 12 hours. MS2 VLPs were purified and collected with Ni-NTA affinity chromatography columns. The size and shape of the MS2 VLPs were verified by transmission electron microscopy, and the stability of MS2 VLP packaged RNA was evaluated by treatment with RNase A. Effects of storage temperature and buffer on MS2 VLP stability were also investigated. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 MS2 VLPs could be successfully produced by this one-plasmid double-expression system. MS2 VLPs showed high stability and may be used as a positive control in molecular diagnosis of COVID-19.

As a typical chlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) is highly toxic and difficult to degrade. Here, we prepared a novel material (Cu/HAP@sBC) by combining copper-based hydroxyapatite with biochar, which removes 2,4,6-TCP via activated persulfate (PS). Cu/HAP@sBC was tested using various characterization methods. In addition, the removal of 2,4,6-TCP was up to 100% after 60 min, and the Cu/HAP@sBC/PS system had a broad pH application range (3−10). Based on the results, SO4−•, •OH, •O2−, and 1O2 were the main reactive species. Finally, the possible degradation pathways of 2,4,6-TCP were explored based on the intermediates identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Abstract Background To assess the accuracy of contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in detecting dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) at an early stage in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients and to examine potential factors that may be linked to early visual impairments in these individuals. Methods A total of 81 TAO patients (50 non-DON and 31 DON), and 24 control subjects participated in the study. CSF was measured with the quick CSF (qCSF) method. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) images of the ganglion cell complex layer (GCCL), superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses (SRCP and DRCP) in a 3 mm diameter area around the macula were evaluated. Results Compared with the controls, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) and SRCP density were significantly reduced in non-DON and DON patients (all P

Abstract Malnutrition is a common complication in the dialysis population, both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD). We report our exploratory study on the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and nutritional status in PD patients. The nutritional status of our PD patients were evaluated, and their feces were collected for 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions amplification and high-throughput sequencing. The characteristics and differences of microbiota between the well-nourished (W) and malnourished (M) groups were compared. We studied the genera and the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the genus of our patients, initially comparing the malnourished and the well- nourished groups and later on reanalyzing the whole group using these OTUs. At the OTU level, 6 bacteria were significantly correlated with the serum albumin level. The abundances of 2 OTUs (OTU208 Lachnospiraceae_incertae_sedi and OTU4 Bacteroides) were more in W group. Meanwhile, 4 OTUs (OTU225 Akkermansia, OTU87 Megasphaera, OTU31 Peptostreptococcaceae_incertae_sedi and OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu) displayed higher abundance among individuals in M group. Notably, the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_stricto was the only bacteria that significantly correlated with serum albumin (r = − 0.356, P = 0.05), pre-albumin (r = − 0.399, P = 0.02), and SGA (r = 0.458, P = 0.01). The higher the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu, the lower serum albumin and pre-albumin and a higher score of SGA signifying a worse nutritional status. Our preliminary findings suggested a relationship between the nutrition status and microbiota in PD patients. Our results provide a basis for further exploration of the interactions between malnutrition and intestinal flora in PD patients with potential interventions using probiotics and prebiotics.

Abstract Autophagy dysfunction is one of the common causes of tumor formation and plays an important role in uveal melanoma (UM). However, little is known about the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy in UM. Here, we show that PTK6 can promote the proliferation, migration, and invasion of UM cells by inhibiting autophagy. SOCS3 can inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of UM cells. Overexpression of SOCS3 can partially rescue the PTK6-induced promotion of UM cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Mechanistically, PTK6 can bind to SOCS3, and SOCS3 can downregulate the expression of PTK6. Furthermore, PTK6 can upregulate the phosphorylation of mTOR to inhibit autophagy. Taken together, our findings demonstrate the functions of PTK6 and SOCS3 in UM cells and targeting the SOCS3-PTK6 signaling axis might be a novel and promising therapeutic strategy for patients with UM.

Previous studies have demonstrated that L. delbrueckii plays beneficial roles in modulating the gut microbiota, enhancing the intestinal barrier, and promoting animal growth. Postbiotics have a similar or even superior effect in protecting intestinal health compared to probiotics due to their excellent stability, extended shelf life, and safety. However, the protective effects and underlying mechanism of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii in intestinal inflammation remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the beneficial impact of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii on intestinal health by establishing a S. Typhimurium-induced intestinal inflammation model in mice, which included inactivated bacteria and supernatant. The results revealed that the probiotics and postbiotics from L. delbrueckii increased the survival rate and body weight of S. Typhimurium-induced mice, increased the level of IL-10, and decreased the levels of TNF-α and IL-6, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation. Meanwhile, treatment with postbiotics decreased the levels of D-LA, DAO, and LPS and promoted the expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in the serum and jejunum, suggesting an improvement in intestinal barrier function by postbiotics. Additionally, the postbiotics modulated gut microbial diversity, increased the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and restored the abundance of Muribaculaceae, Lachnospiraceae_NK4a136_groups, and Alloprevotella in S. Typhimurium-infected mice. Moreover, postbiotics from L. delbrueckii promoted the expansion of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and increased the numbers of Paneth and Goblet cells. Taken together, these data revealed the beneficial role of postbiotics from L. delbrueckii in protecting against intestinal inflammation by promoting the expansion of ISCs.

Dendrobium brymerianum Rchb. f. is a species of orchid with pharmacological interest for its potential to inhibit the growth of human lung cancer cells. The identification of the Dendrobium species is a notable problem due to morphological similarities and the limitations of universal DNA barcodes. To overcome these difficulties, this study employed complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences as useful resources for the identification of D. brymerianum. Based on Illumina sequencing, the complete cp genomes of five D. brymerianum individuals were assembled. These genomes were in the quadripartite structure, diverse in length between 151,832 and 152,189 bp, and comprised 126 genes. Moreover, significant differences were found in the Small Single-Copy (SSC) and Large Single-Copy (LSC) regions in comparison to the Inverted Repeat (IR) regions. This study recognized hotspot regions and simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, providing valuable insights into genetic markers. The phylogenetic relationship of Dendrobium species was discovered, highlighting the need for more precise differentiation practices. To address this, ARMS-specific primers, mainly AAob1/AAob2, confirmed strong specificity, permitting the accurate identification of D. brymerianum from other species through ARMS-qPCR. Overall, this study of D. brymerianum chloroplast genomes has generated valuable data about sequence variations, phylogenetics, and mutation dynamics. These perceptions will be valuable in future research on population genetics, taxonomy, and species identification within the Dendrobium genus.

This review provides an overview of the solid oxide fuel cell/gas turbine (SOFC/GT) hybrid system, highlighting its potential as a highly efficient and low-emission power generation technology. The operating principles and components of the SOFC/GT system, as well as the various configurations and integration strategies, are discussed. This review also examines the performance, advantages, and challenges of the SOFC/GT system, and discusses the research and development efforts aimed at improving its efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. This work provides an overview of the research conducted in the area of SOFC-based hybrid systems, which is expected to be beneficial for researchers who are interested in this area.

IntroductionHeavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant proteins (HIPPs) play vital roles in metal absorption, transport and accumulation in plants. However, so far, only several plant HIPPs have been functionally analyzed. In this study, a novel HIPP member OsHIPP17, which was involved in the tolerance to copper (Cu) was functionally characterized.MethodsIn this study, qRT-PCR, Yeast transgenic technology, Plant transgenic technology, ICP-MS and so on were used for research.ResultsOsHIPP17 protein was targeted to the nucleus. The Cu concentration reached 0.45 mg/g dry weight due to the overexpression of OsHIPP17 in yeast cells. Meanwhile, the overexpression of OsHIPP17 resulted in the compromised growth of Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) under Cu stress. The root length of Oshipp17 mutant lines was also significantly reduced by 16.74- 24.36% under 25 mM Cu stress. The roots of Oshipp17 rice mutant showed increased Cu concentration by 7.25%-23.32%. Meanwhile, knockout of OsHIPP17 decreased the expression levels of OsATX1, OsZIP1, OsCOPT5 or OsHMA5, and increased the expression levels of OsCOPT1 or OsHMA4. Antioxidant enzyme activity was also reduced in rice due to the knockout of OsHIPP17. Moreover, the expression levels of cytokinin-related genes in plants under Cu stress were also affected by overexpression or knockout of OsHIPP17.DiscussionThese results implied that OsHIPP17 might play a role in plant Cu toxic response by affecting the expression of Cu transport genes or cytokinin-related genes. Simultaneously, our work may shed light on the underlying mechanism of how heavy metals affect the plant growth and provide a novel rice genetic source for phytoremediation of heavy metal-contaminated soil.

Abstract Background The widespread use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of many drug-resistant strains; thus, the development of new antibacterial drugs is essential with antimicrobial peptides becoming the focus of research. This study assessed the antibacterial effect of a novel antimicrobial peptide, named LL-1 on Escherichia coli (E.coli) by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the antibacterial curve. The interaction between LL-1 and E. coli DNA was then detected by nucleic acid gel electrophoresis. The effect of LL-1 on the E. coli cell membrane was assessed by detecting the leakage of β-galactosidase, nucleic acid and protein. The influence of LL-1 on the intracellular ATP of E. coli was analysed by determining the concentration of intracellular ATP. Finally, the bacteria and colonies of E. coli treated with LL-1 were observed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Results The results suggested that the MIC value was 3.125 µg/ml, and the antibacterial effect was dose-dependent. LL-1 dose-dependently combined with E. coli DNA. LL-1 resulted in the leakage of intracellular β-galactosidase, nucleic acid and protein, and decreased intracellular ATP concentrations of E. coli. Two MIC of LL-1 caused E. coli to shrink, resulting in a rough surface, plasmolysis, and bacterial adhesion. Conclusion This study indicated that LL-1 had a good bactericidal effect on E. coli by mainly increasing the permeability of the cell membrane, leading to leakage of the intracellular content. This will lay the foundation for an in-depth study on the antibacterial mechanism of LL-1 against E. coli and its clinical application.

Liver fibrosis, a critical pathological feature of chronic liver diseases, arises from a multitude of pathogenic factors. Consequently, establishing an appropriate animal model to simulate liver fibrosis holds immense significance for comprehending its underlying pathogenesis. Despite the numerous methodologies available for generating liver fibrosis models, they often deviate substantially from the spontaneous age-related liver fibrosis process. In this study, compared with young (12 weeks) and middle-aged NOD/SCID mice (32 weeks), there were a large number of fibrous septum and collagen in the liver tissue of old NOD/SCID mice (43 weeks, 43 W). Immunohistochemical analysis unequivocally indicated heightened α-SMA content within the liver tissue of the 43 W mice, thereby underscoring aging’s role in triggering the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. In addition, SA-β-gal staining as well as P21 expression were increased, and SIRT1 and SIRT3 expression were decreased in 43 W mice. A comprehensive evaluation encompassing transmission electron microscopy and fluorescence quantitative analysis elucidated compromised mitochondrial function and reduced antioxidant capacity in hepatocytes of the 43 W mice. Furthermore, the aging process activated the pro-fibrotic TGF-β-SMAD pathway, concurrently inducing hepatocellular inflammation. The results of the present study not only validate the successful construction of a spontaneous liver fibrosis mouse model through natural aging induction but also provide initial insights into the mechanisms underpinning age-induced liver fibrosis.

Abstract Background Because chloroplast (cp) genome has more conserved structures than nuclear genome and mitochondrial genome, it is a useful tool in estimating the phylogenetic relationships of plants. With a series of researches for cp genomes, there have been comprehensive understandings about the cp genome features. The genus Bulbophyllum widely distributed in Asia, South America, Australia and other places. Therefore, it is an excellent type genus for studying the effects of geographic isolation. Results In this study, the cp genomes of nine Bulbophyllum orchids were newly sequenced and assembled using the next-generation sequencing technology. Based on 19 Asian (AN) and eight South American (SA) Bulbophyllum orchids, the cp genome features of AN clade and SA clade were compared. Comparative analysis showed that there were considerable differences in overall cp genome features between two clades in three aspects, including basic cp genome features, SSC/IRB junctions (JSBs) and mutational hotspots. The phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation results showed that the AN clade has diverged from the SA clade in the late Oligocene (21.50–30.12 mya). After estimating the occurrence rates of the insertions and deletions (InDels), we found that the change trends of cp genome structures between two clades were different under geographic isolation. Finally, we compared selective pressures on cp genes and found that long-term geographic isolation made AN and SA Bulbophyllum cp genes evolved variably. Conclusion The results revealed that the overall structural characteristics of Bulbophyllum cp genomes diverged during the long-term geographic isolation, and the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) pathway may play an important role in the Bulbophyllum species evolution.

Abstract Background Bone fibrous dysplasia is a benign disease of bone tissue dysplasia. Vision impairment is the commonest neurological complication of craniofacial fibrous dysplasia. Most of the vision loss caused by craniofacial fibrous dysplasia is usually a gradual process. Very few present with acute visual impairment as described in our case. Case presentation We report a patient with fibrous dysplasia presenting rapidly progressive visual loss in the left eye secondary to bone cyst formation. Transnasal endoscopic surgery guided by navigation with drainage and curettage of this bone cyst and orbital decompression resulted in progressive improvement in visual acuity that returned to normal 1 month post-operatively. Conclusions In cases with acute visual loss due to fibrous dysplasia, emergency surgical treatment should be considered to preserve vision. In the surgical approach, navigation-guided nasal endoscopic surgery may be preferred because of its advantages.

Abstract Background Ferula persica is one of the most important traditional medicinal plants that is used to treat various diseases such as diabetes, backache and rheumatism. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the anti‐inflammatory and wound healing potential of F. persica using stereological and molecular methods in experimental models. Methods In the present study, two wound models (circular excision and linear incision) were used. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 16), including control, vehicle treated, treated with F. persica extract ointment (5% w/w) and treated with the reference drug (Madecassol). All the animals were treated topically once a day. The circular and linear wounds were treated for 9 and 17 days, respectively. At the end of the study, samples from wounds area were harvested for histology, stereology, immunohistochemistry and molecular assessments to determine the in vivo healing potential and anti‐inflammatory activity. Results We observed significant recovery in macroscopic evaluation of wound healing in the F. persica extract treated group compared with the control and vehicle treated groups (p 0.05, p

The Group ACYW135 meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine (MPV-ACYW135) is a classical common vaccine used to prevent Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, C, Y, and W135, but studies on the vaccine at the transcriptional level are still limited. In the present study, mRNAs and lncRNAs related to immunity were screened from the spleens of mice inoculated with MPV-ACYW135 and compared with the control group to identify differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs in the immune response. The result revealed 34375 lncRNAs and 41321 mRNAs, including 405 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 52 DE mRNAs between the MPV group and the control group. Results of GO and KEGG enrichment analysis turned out that the main pathways related to the immunity of target genes of those DE mRNAs and DE lncRNAs were largely associated with positive regulation of T cell activation, CD8-positive immunoglobulin production in mucosal tissue, alpha-beta T cell proliferation, negative regulation of CD4-positive, and negative regulation of interleukin-17 production, suggesting that the antigens of MPV-ACYW135 capsular polysaccharide might activate T cell related immune reaction in the vaccine inoculation. In addition, it was noted that Bach2 (BTB and CNC homolog 2), the target gene of lncRNA MSTRG.17645, was involved in the regulation of immune response in MPV-ACYW135 vaccination. This study provided a preliminary catalog of both mRNAs and lncRNAs associated with the proliferation and differentiation of body immune cells, which was worthy of further research to enhance the understanding of the biological immune process regulated by MPV-ACYW135.

During the traumatic brain injury (TBI), improved expression of circulatory miR-21 serves as a diagnostic feature. Low levels of exosome-miR-21 in the brain can effectively improve neuroinflammation and blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability, reduce nerve apoptosis, restore neural function and ameliorate TBI. We evaluated the role of macrophage derived exosomes-miR-21 (M-Exos-miR-21) in disrupting BBB, deteriorating TBI, and Rg1 interventions. IL-1β-induced macrophages (IIM)-Exos-miR-21 can activate NF-κB signaling pathway and induce the expressions of MMP-1, -3 and -9 and downregulate the levels of tight junction proteins (TJPs) deteriorating the BBB. Rg1 reduced miR-21-5p content in IIM-Exos (RIIM-Exos). The interaction of NMIIA–HSP90 controlled the release of Exos-miR-21, this interaction was restricted by Rg1. Rg1 could inhibit the Exos-miR-21 release in peripheral blood flow to brain, enhancing TIMP3 protein expression, MMPs proteolysis, and restricting TJPs degradation thus protected the BBB integrity. Conclusively, Rg1 can improve the cerebrovascular endothelial injury and hold the therapeutic potential against TBI disease.

ObjectiveTo study the dynamic changes of local metrics in patients with toothache (TA, Toothache) in the resting state, in order to further understand the changes of central neural mechanism in patients with dental pain and its effect on cognition and emotion.MethodsThirty patients with TA and thirty matched healthy (HC) control volunteers were recruited, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance (rs-MRI) scans were performed on all subjects, and data were analyzed to compare group differences in three dynamic local indices: dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHO), dynamic low-frequency fluctuation amplitude (dALFF) and dynamic fractional low-frequency fluctuation amplitude (dfALFF). In addition, the association between dynamic local metrics in different brain regions of TA patients and scores on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was investigated by Pearson correlation analysis.ResultsIn this study, we found that The local metrics of TA patients changed with time Compared with the HC group, TA patients showed increased dReHo values in the left superior temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, precuneus, angular gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus and middle frontal gyrus, increased dALFF values in the right superior frontal gyrus, and increased dfALFF values in the right middle temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus and right superior occipital gyrus (p < 0.01, cluster level P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that dReHo values of left precuneus and left angular gyrus were positively correlated with VAS scores in TA group. dReHo value of right posterior central gyrus was positively correlated with HADS score (P < 0.05).ConclusionThere are differences in the patterns of neural activity changes in resting-state brain areas of TA patients, and the brain areas that undergo abnormal changes are mainly pain processing brain areas, emotion processing brain areas and pain cognitive modulation brain areas, which help to reveal their underlying neuropathological mechanisms. In the hope of further understanding its effects on cognition and emotion.

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) leaves proanthocyanidins (BLPs) were natural bioactive compounds in the treatment of obesity and diabetes with a unique structural characteristic. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BLPs on hepatic glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells and elucidate the underlying mechanism. With the supplementation of BLPs, the glucose consumption and glucose uptake in IR-HepG2 cells were increased. BLPs promoted glycogen synthesis via up-regulating p-GSK3β and GYS2 expression, and attenuated gluconeogenesis by down-regulating PEPCK and G6Pase expression. It was attributed to the activation of PI3K/AKT signal pathway by BLPs, which was confirmed using the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Moreover, BLPs remarkably reduced the expression of miR-29a, miR-423 and miR-122, which involved in hepatic glucose metabolism. Our results provide an insight of the hypoglycemic potential of BLPs on the hepatic glucose metabolism, suggesting that BLPs can be further used as a novel ingredient in functional food.

(E)-β-ocimene, a ubiquitous monoterpene volatile in plants, is emitted from flowers to attract pollinators and/or from vegetative tissues as part of inducible defenses mediated by complex signaling networks when plants are attacked by insect herbivores. Wild pear species Pyrus betuleafolia used worldwide as rootstock generally displays valuable pest-resistant traits and is a promising genetic resource for pear breeding. In the current study, transcriptional changes in this wild pear species infested with a polyphagous herbivore Spodoptera litura and the underlying molecular mechanisms were fully investigated. A total of 3,118 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in damaged pear leaf samples. Spodoptera litura larvae infestation activated complex phytohormonal signaling networks in which jasmonic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroids, cytokinin, gibberellic acid and auxin pathways were induced, whereas salicylic acid and abscisic acid pathways were suppressed. All DEGs associated with growth-related photosynthesis were significantly downregulated, whereas most DEGs involved in defense-related early signaling events, transcription factors, green leaf volatiles and volatile terpenes were significantly upregulated. The PbeOCS (GWHGAAYT028729), a putative (E)-β-ocimene synthase gene, was newly identified in P. betuleafolia transcriptome. The upregulation of PbeOCS in S. litura-infested pear leaves supports a potential role for PbeOCS in herbivore-induced plant defenses. In enzyme-catalyzed reaction, recombinant PbeOCS utilized only geranyl pyrophosphate but not neryl diphosphate, farnesyl pyrophosphate or geranylgeranyl diphosphate as a substrate, producing (E)-β-ocimene as the major product and a trace amount of (Z)-β-ocimene. Moreover, as a catalytic product of PbeOCS, (E)-β-ocimene showed repellent effects on larvae of S. litura in dual-choice bioassays. What is more, (E)-β-ocimene increased mortalities of larvae in no-choice bioassays. These findings provide an overview of transcriptomic changes in wild pears in response to chewing herbivores and insights into (E)-β-ocimene biosynthesis in pear plants, which will help elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying pear-insect interactions.

Dendrobium officinale, an important medicinal plant of the genus Dendrobium in Orchidaceae family, has been used as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for nearly thousands of years. Here, we report the first chromosome-level reference genome of D. officinale, based on PacBio long-reads, Illumina short-reads and Hi-C data. The high-quality assembled genome is 1.23 Gb long, with contig N50 of 1.44 Mb. A total of 93.53% genome sequences were assembled into 19 pseudochromosomes with a super scaffold N50 of 63.07 Mb. Through comparative genomic analysis, we explored the expanded gene families of D. officinale, and also their impact on environmental adaptation and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. We further performed detailed transcriptional analysis of D. officinale, and identified the candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of three main active ingredients, including polysaccharides, alkaloids and flavonoids. In addition, the MODIFYING WALL LIGNIN-1 (MWL1) gene, which inferred from Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) based on the resequencing date from D. officinale and five related species and their morphologic features, may contribute to the plant production (yield of stems) of D. officinale. Therefore, the high-quality reference genome reported in this study could benefits functional genomics research and molecular breeding of D. officinale.

PurposeTo quantify the retinal vessel density in thyroid-associated ophthalmology (TAO) patients with visual field (VF) defect and examine its associations with mechanical and system vascular risk factors for underlying pathogenesis of VF defect in TAO.MethodsThe cohort was composed of 62 TAO eyes (39 with VF defect and 23 without VF defect). The pulse pressure (PP), intraocular pressure (IOP), ophthalmic rectus muscular index (MI), superficial retinal capillary plexus (SRCP), radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) density, and other related parameters were measured. The associations among these factors and VF mean deviation (MD) were analyzed.ResultsIn TAO patients with VF defect, reduced RPC density, higher PP, and larger horizontal and vertical MI were found (all P < 0.03) when compared to TAO patients without VF defect. The RPC density was correlated with VF MD value (r = 0.242, P = 0.029), while SRCP density was not (P = 0.419). In univariable general estimating equation (GEE) analysis with RPC density as the outcome, PP and its fluctuation showed a significant association (both P < 0.04). In the final RPC model with multivariable GEE analysis, only PP (β = -0.082, P = 0.029) showed significance while PP fluctuation (P = 0.080) did not.ConclusionsThe elevated PP was correlated with reduced retinal peripapillary perfusion in TAO resulting in VF defect. These data suggested that the system vascular factor may be important in the pathogenesis of reduced retinal perfusion resulting in visual impairment in TAO.

PurposeWe explored whether thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients without clinical signs of dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON) would have a selective deficit mediated by S-cone.MethodsThirty-two TAO patients without clinical signs of DON (non-DON, 42.03 ± 9.59 years old) and 27 healthy controls (41.46 ± 6.72 years old) participated in this prospective, cross-sectional study. All observers were tested psychophysically after passing color screening tests and a comprehensive ocular examination. Isolated L-, M-, and S-cone contrast thresholds were measured at 0.5 cyc/deg using Gabor patches. We calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to quantify the ability of chromatic contrast sensitivity to detect the early visual function changes in non-DON patients.ResultsS-cone contrast sensitivity in non-DON patients was found to be lower than that of healthy controls (P < 0.001), whereas the sensitivities to L- and M-cone Gabor patches were similar between these two groups (P = 0.297, 0.666, respectively). Our analysis of the ROC curve revealed that the sensitivity to S-cone had the highest index to discriminate non-DON patients from healthy controls (AUC = 0.846, P < 0.001). The deficit of S-cone was significantly correlated with muscle index in non-DON patients (R = 0.576, P = 0.001).ConclusionThere is a selective S-cone deficit in the early stage of TAO. S-cone contrast sensitivity could serve as a sensitive measure of visual impairments associated with early DON in patients with TAO.

Efficacy of anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) treatment is impacted by tissue-based evaluation bias due to tumor heterogeneity and dynamic changes of HER2 in breast cancer. Circulating tumor cell (CTC)-based HER2 phenotyping provides integral and real-time assessment, benefiting accurate HER2 diagnosis. This study developed a semi-quantitative fluorescent evaluation system of HER2 immunostaining on CTCs by peptide-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (Pep@MNPs) and immunocytochemistry (ICC). 52 newly-diagnosed advanced breast cancer patients were enrolled for blood samples before and/or after first-line treatment, including 24 patients who were diagnosed with HER2+ tumors and treated with anti-HER2 drugs. We enumerated CTCs and assessed levels of HER2 expression on CTCs in 2.0 ml whole blood. Enumerating CTCs at baseline could distinguish cancer patients (sensitivity, 69.2%; specificity, 100%). 80.8% (42/52) of patients had at least one CTCs before therapy. Patients with

Bayberry leaves proanthocyanidins (BLPs) were distributed in natural plant food, considered to have the potential for metabolic syndrome. In this study, we raised Drosophila melanogaster on high sugar diet (HSD) from the egg stage to induce hyperglycemia, and the ameliorative effect of BLPs was assessed based on this model. Phenotypical, biochemical, and molecular analyses related to diabetes mellitus pathogenesis were measured. Flies exposed to BLPs were found to suppress the HSD-induced high glucose and high triglycerides levels. Moreover, BLPs showed an inhibitory effect on carbohydrate digestive enzymes (α-amylase and α-glucosidase) activity and mRNA expression, exhibiting the potential for carbohydrate digestion retardation. Transcriptional levels of key genes associated with glycolipid metabolism were further evaluated, including dilp, InR, and downstream dAKT-dFOXO-PEPCK, together with E78, SREBP, FAS, and LSD genes, were all downregulated after BLPs-exposure, suggesting the ameliorative effect of BLPs on dysbiosis associated with the insulin signaling pathway. This study provided a new functional compound, which is beneficial to further antidiabetic therapy studies.

ObjectiveCervical cancer (CC) is one of the main causes of death among gynecological malignancies. Patients with CC with lymph node metastasis (LNM) have poor prognoses. We investigated the risk factors and prognosis of LNM in patients with CC patients using data from the SEER database.MethodsWe collected the information of cervical cancer patients registered in SEER database from 2010 to 2015. The dataset was divided into a training set and a validation set at a 7:3 ratio. LASSO regression analysis was used to evaluate risk factors for LNM in patients with CC. Using the results, we established a nomogram prediction model. C-index, ROC curves, calibration curves, decision curve analysis, and clinical impact curves were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the model.ResultsWe included 14,356 patients with CC in the analysis. Among these, 3997 patients were diagnosed with LNM. A training set (10,050 cases) and a validation set (4306 cases) were used for the following analysis. We established nomogram LNM prediction models for the patients with T1-2-stage CC. The C-indices for the internal and external validations of the prediction models were 0.758 and 0.744, respectively. In addition, we established a prognostic nomogram for all CC patients with LNM, and the internal and external validation C-indices were 0.763 and 0.737.ConclusionWe constructed a quantitative and visual predictive nomogram that predicted prognosis of patients with LNM in CC to provide clinicians with a reference for diagnosis and treatment.

Posterior capsular opacification (PCO), the highest incidence complication after cataract surgery, is mainly due to the attachment, proliferation, and migration of the residual lens epithelial cells (LECs). Although the drug-eluting IOLs have been proved to be an effective way to prevent PCO incidence, its preparations are time consuming and require tedious preparation steps. Herein, the thermoreversible agarose is adopted to prepare drug-eluting IOL. Such functional coating can be obtained easily by simple immersion in the antiproliferative drug containing hot agarose and taken out for cooling, which not only does not affect the optical property but also can effectively decrease the PCO incidence after intraocular implantation. As a result, the proposed agarose coating provides a rapid and economical alternative of drug-eluting IOL fabrication for PCO prevention.

Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra Sieb. et Zucc.) pomace wine (CPW) is fruity and rich in bioactive compounds, with high nutritional value and antioxidant activities. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of CPW on the oxidative damage induced by hydrogen peroxide in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and CPW’s possible underlying mechanism. The fluorescence assay results revealed that CPW pre-treatment inhibited intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in H2O2-induced HepG2 cells and cell membrane injury. Meanwhile, CPW remarkably enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), and the content of glutathione (GSH). Moreover, CPW pretreatment significantly regulated the expression of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway-associated genes (Keap1, Nrf2, NADPH quinone oxidoreductase I (NQO1), and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)) and its downstream antioxidant genes (SOD, CAT, GSH, and the glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) subunit) in HepG2 cells. These data demonstrated that CPW prevented H2O2-induced oxidative stress by regulating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

The saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils is a critical concept employed in basic calculation in the geotechnical engineering field. The Kozeny–Carman equation, as a well-known relationship between hydraulic conductivity and the properties of soils, is considered to apply to sands but not to clays. To solve this problem, a new formula was established based on Hagen–Poiseuille's law. To explain the influence on the seepage channel surface caused by the interaction of soil particles and partially viscous fluid, the surface area ratio was introduced. A modified framework for determining the hydraulic radius was also proposed. Next, the relationship between the effective void ratio and the total void ratio was established for deriving the correlation of hydraulic conductivity and total void ratio. The improved equation was validated using abundant experimental results from clays, silts, and sands. According to the results, the accuracies of the proposed model with two fitted multipliers for clays, silts, and sands are 94.6, 96.6, and 100%, respectively, but with only one fitted parameter, the accuracies are 97.1, 91.5, and 100%, respectively. The proposed model can be considered to have a satisfactory capability to predict hydraulic conductivity for a wide variety of soils, ranging from clays to sands. HIGHLIGHTS An improved model of the soil particle-water system was proposed.; The surface area ratio δ is introduced.; We establish an improved method for estimating the effective void ratio.; The relationship between LL and As for clay was established.; The correlation between the parameters C and the specific surface area of soils was established.;

As a microbial tryptophan metabolite, indole-3-carboxaldehyde (ICA) has been suggested to confer benefits to host, such as regulation of intestinal barrier function. This study aimed to elucidate the role of ICA in modulating intestinal homeostasis via using a weaned pig model. Twenty-four weaned piglets were randomly allocated into three groups: the control group (a basal diet), ICA100 group (the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg ICA), and ICA200 group (the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg ICA). The experiment lasted 14 d, and pigs from the control and ICA100 groups were slaughtered. The results showed no significant differences in the average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) among the three groups (P > 0.05). However, the ICA100 group had a lower feed to gain ratio (F:G) (P < 0.05). Dietary ICA supplementation did not alter the villus height, crypt depth, and villus height/crypt depth ratio in the small intestine, and did not change the intestinal permeability and antioxidant parameters (P > 0.05). Intriguingly, ICA treatment significantly increased the jejunal, ileal and colonic indexes in piglets (P < 0.05). Besides, the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the intestine was up-regulated by ICA treatment. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that 15 μM ICA significantly accelerated the proliferation activity of IPEC-J2 cells, and increased the expression of the ICA receptor aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and the proliferation markers PCNA and Cyclin D1 (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary ICA supplementation modulated the intestinal flora, increasing the richness estimators and diversity index, decreasing the abundances of phylum Fibrobacterota and genera Alloprevotella, Prevotella, and Parabacteroides, and enriching the abundance of genera Butyrivibrio. These data reveal a beneficial role for the microbial metabolite ICA on intestinal epithelial proliferation, rather than intestinal barrier function, in weaned piglets.

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) catalyzes the final step in triglyceride synthesis and plays an important role in the synthesis of fat, but the effects of its expression on intramuscular fat (IMF) content and muscle development are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the expression of the DGAT2 gene and its associations with IMF content and breast muscle fiber characteristics in pigeons. The spatiotemporal expression profile of the pigeon DGAT2 gene in breast muscle showed that the mRNA expression level of DGAT2 gene in subcutaneous fat was the highest (p < 0.01) among eight tissues from 0 to 4 weeks of age, and showed an upward trend week by week, followed by liver (p < 0.05). Moreover, both mRNA and protein levels of the DGAT2 gene in breast muscle showed an upward trend from 0 to 4 weeks (p < 0.05), accompanied by the upregulation of MYOD1 and MSTN. In addition, the paraffin section analysis results revealed that the diameter and cross-sectional area of pectoralis muscle fiber significantly increased with age (p < 0.05), and a significant positive correlation was shown between the DGAT2 gene expression level and muscle fiber diameter (p < 0.05). Furthermore, correlation analysis suggested that the mRNA expression level of the pigeon DGAT2 gene was significantly (p < 0.01) correlated with IMF content in breast muscle. These results imply that the DGAT2 gene has a close relationship with IMF content and breast muscle fiber characteristics in pigeons, indicating that the DGAT2 gene might be used as a candidate gene marker-assisted breeding in pigeons.