Research Progress on Plant Responses to Stress Combinations in the Context of Climate Change

In the context of climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are increasing, environmental pollution and global warming are exacerbated by anthropogenic activities, and plants will experience a more complex and variable environment of stress combinations. Research on plant responses to stress combinations is crucial for the development and utilization of climate-adaptive plants. Recently, the concept of stress combinations has been expanded from simple to multifactorial stress combinations (MFSCs). Researchers have realized the complexity and necessity of stress combination research and have extensively employed composite gradient methods, multi-omics techniques, and interdisciplinary approaches to integrate laboratory and field experiments. Researchers have studied the response mechanisms of plant reactive oxygen species (ROS), phytohormones, transcription factors (TFs), and other response mechanisms under stress combinations and reached some generalized conclusions. In this article, we focus on the research progress and methodological dynamics of plant responses to stress combinations and propose key scientific questions that are crucial to address, in the context of plant responses to stress assemblages, conserving biodiversity, and ensuring food security. We can enhance the search for universal pathways, identify targets for stress combinations, explore adaptive genetic responses, and leverage high-technology research. This is in pursuit of cultivating plants with greater tolerance to stress combinations and enabling their adaptation to and mitigation of the impacts of climate change.

Circular RNA 0000157 depletion protects human bronchial epithelioid cells from cigarette smoke extract-induced human bronchial epithelioid cell injury through the microRNA-149-5p/bromodomain containing 4 pathway

BACKGROUND

Circular RNA (circRNA) has been reported to regulate respiratory diseases. In the study, we aimed to elucidate the role of circ_0000157 in smoke-related chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the inner mechanism.

METHODS

COPD-like cell injury was induced by treating human bronchial epithelioid cells (16HBE) with cigarette smoke extract (CSE). The expression of circ_0000157, miR-149-5p, bromodomain containing 4 (BRD4), BCL2-associated x protein (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or Western blotting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. Malondialdehyde (MDA) production was detected by a lipid peroxidation MDA assay kit. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was analyzed by a SOD activity assay kit.

RESULTS

Circ_0000157 and BRD4 expression were upregulated, while miR-149-5p expression was downregulated in the blood of smokers with COPD and CSE-induced 16HBE cells compared with control groups. CSE treatment inhibited 16HBE cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress; however, these effects were remitted when circ_0000157 expression was decreased. In addition, circ_0000157 acted as a miR-149-5p sponge and regulated CSE-caused 16HBE cell damage by targeting miR-149-5p. The overexpression of BRD4, a target gene of miR-149-5p, attenuated the inhibitory effects of miR-149-5p introduction on CSE-induced cell damage. Further, circ_0000157 modulated BRD4 expression by associating with miR-149-5p in CSE-treated 16HBE cells.

CONCLUSION

Circ_0000157 knockdown ameliorated CSE-caused 16HBE cell damage by targeting the miR-149-5p/BRD4 pathway, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for clinic intervention in COPD.

P4671A well-defined subgroup of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension patients are positive for antiphospholipid antibodies

Introduction

Recurrent thromboembolism is a major risk factor for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a recognized risk factor for recurrent thromboembolism, however, their contribution to the development of CTEPH is currently unknown.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antiphospholipid autoantibodies in a large cohort of consecutive patients with CTEPH.

Methods

Starting May 2013 to December 2018, 297 CTEPHpatients were consecutively enrolled. Diagnosis was confirmed with standardized right heart catheterization, 2D or/and 3D pulmonary angiography in all patients.All patients were also screened for thrombophilia including lupus anticoagulant IgG/IgM anticardiolipin antibodies and IgG/IgM aβ2GPI antibodies. Clinical and demographic characteristics, laboratory profile and hemodynamic data were compared between patients with aPL positive and aPL negative laboratory profiles.

Results

Overall, 297 consecutive patients with CTEPH were assessed for aPLs. Of these, 23 patients (7.7%) resulted positive for laboratory tests exploring aPL. Among patients with positive aPL, profile 17 (74%) were positive for all three test exploring aPL (LA+, aCL+, aB2GPI+). When compared to CTEPH patients without aPL test positivity, those positive for aPL were significantly younger (30.0 vs 55.6 years, p<0.0001), had a positive history of pulmonary embolism (95.6% vs 65.7%, p=0.003), deep venous thrombosis (78.3% vs 41.9%, p=0.0008) and were more frequently affected by other autoimmune diseases (43.5% vs 2.9%, p<0.0001). Moreover, positive aPL patients showed better hemodynamics on right heart catheterization, had more proximal lesions, and had more frequently level I and II surgical classification (82.6% vs 40.5%, p=0.0002) on pulmonary angiography.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that young patients with pulmonary embolism should be assessed for aPLs to guide anticoagulation therapy and prevent recurrences. Additionally, younger age, more proximal lesions and less severe hemodynamic profiles make majority patients with APS good candidates for PEA surgery.

Indoor particle dynamics in a school office: determination of particle concentrations, deposition rates and penetration factors under naturally ventilated conditions

Recently, the problem of indoor particulate matter pollution has received much attention. An increasing number of epidemiological studies show that the concentration of atmospheric particulate matter has a significant effect on human health, even at very low concentrations. Most of these investigations have relied upon outdoor particle concentrations as surrogates of human exposures. However, considering that the concentration distribution of the indoor particulate matter is largely dependent on the extent to which these particles penetrate the building and on the degree of suspension in the indoor air, human exposures to particles of outdoor origin may not be equal to outdoor particle concentration levels. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between the particle concentrations found outdoors and those found in indoor micro-environments. In this study, experiments were conducted using a naturally ventilated office located in Qingdao, China. The indoor and outdoor particle concentrations were measured at the same time using an optical counter with four size ranges. The particle size distribution ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 μm, and the experimental period was from April to September, 2016. Based on the experimental data, the dynamic and mass balance model based on time was used to estimate the penetration rate and deposition rate at air exchange rates of 0.03-0.25 h^-1. The values of the penetration rate and deposition velocity of indoor particles were determined to range from 0.45 to 0.82 h^-1 and 1.71 to 2.82 m/h, respectively. In addition, the particulate pollution exposure in the indoor environment was analyzed to estimate the exposure hazard from indoor particulate matter pollution, which is important for human exposure to particles and associated health effects. The conclusions from this study can serve to provide a better understanding the dynamics and behaviors of airborne particle entering into buildings. And they will also highlight effective methods to reduce exposure to particles in office buildings.

The effects of a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor on diabetic nephropathy and serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of an SGLT-2 inhibitor on diabetic nephropathy and serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) levels.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We randomly divided 126 patients with diabetic nephropathy into the treatment group and control group. The 63 patients in the treatment group received an SGLT-2 inhibitor in addition to routine insulin therapy, while the control group received only insulin to control blood glucose. All laboratory indexes were recorded before and after treatment with the SGLT-2 inhibitor. The prognosis of patients was followed-up. Simultaneously, 63 healthy and BMI-matched in-patients were selected as the healthy control group. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all groups, and the levels of ROS were measured by ELISA.

RESULTS

Renal function indexes such as urinary protein, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were significantly higher with SGLT-2 inhibitor treatment compared with the control group (p<0.05). The fasting blood glucose level was not significantly increased before or after treatment (p>0.05). The levels of ROS in peripheral blood were significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group (p<0.05). Observation at the 1-year follow-up showed that the average GFR was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. Furthermore, the proportion of patients with stage 1-3 chronic kidney disease was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The SGLT-2 inhibitor had a good therapeutic effect on renal function in patients with diabetic nephropathy, without having effects on fasting blood glucose. Additionally, it significantly delayed the progression of nephropathy. It is therefore worth clinical promotion.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement with balloon-expandable valve : Analysis of initial experience in China

Background

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is widely applied for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis (AS) in developed countries; however, in China, it is still in the early stage of utilization. On the basis of previous studies, this work explored the feasibility of TAVR in patients with severe AS in China and analyzed the cause of death in four cases.

Methods

This retrospective study included 20 patients who had severe AS and underwent TAVR with a balloon-expandable system (Edwards SAPIEN XT) in our hospital from January 2011 to June 2016. The valve and heart functions of 16 survivors before and after the TAVR procedure were compared. TAVR endpoints, device success, and adverse events were assessed according to the definitions of the Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2).

Results

There were 13 male and seven female patients aged 65–81 years (average, 73.15) who underwent TAVR. The TAVR approach was transfemoral in 19 patients and transapical in one patient. Four patients died (two of coronary artery occlusion and two of aortic annulus rupture) during the TAVR procedure or shortly after; six patients had mild paravalvular leakage, and the rest of the patients showed a significant improvement in cardiac function. During the follow-up period (2–62 months), one patient died of lung cancer 13 months after the TAVR procedure.

Conclusion

TAVR with a balloon-expandable system is safe and effective and can be used for patients with severe AS in China. It requires careful patient selection and preoperative assessment so as to reduce the 30-day postoperative mortality rate.

Molecular epidemiological characterization of Brucella isolates from sheep and yaks in northwest China

Animal brucellosis is a re-emerging disease in China with high prevalence in the northwest region. A total of 66 isolates of Brucella were recovered from sheep and yaks in the Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Gansu provinces of northwest China in 2015 and 2016. Using classical biotyping and the Brucella AMOS PCR assay, all isolates were identified as Brucella melitensis biovar 3 (n = 58), B. melitensis biovar 1 (n = 1), Brucella abortus (n = 5), or Brucella suis biovar 3 (n = 2), and B. melitensis biovar 3 was found to be mainly responsible for sheep brucellosis in northwest China. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) was used to identify the epidemiological relationships among the isolates and to assess their genetic diversity. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis-16 identified 46 genotypes in these populations, including 37 unique and nine shared genotypes. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis-11 showed that 71% of the isolates (47 of 66) were genotype 116 (1-5-3-13-2-2-3-2-4-41-8), a characteristic subgroup of the East Mediterranean group, showing that isolates from different geographical areas exhibit similar epidemiological characteristics in different regions and may be epidemiologically linked. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis-11 also revealed that an isolate from Inner Mongolia had a novel genotype, 369 (1-5-3-13-2-2-3-2-7-41-8). Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis-16 genotyping of northwest China Brucella isolates allows a better understanding of the epidemiology of animal brucellosis in this region. This study is the first analysis of B. melitensis in Gansu province, and the results confirmed that in this province, isolates of this species are disorderly and unsystematic.

A G3P[13] porcine group A rotavirus emerging in China is a reassortant and a natural recombinant in the VP4 gene

Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are a major cause of serious intestinal disease in piglets. In this study, a novel pig strain was identified in a stool sample from China. The strain was designated RVA/Pig/China/LNCY/2016/G3P[13] and had a G3-P[13]-I5-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T1-E1-H1 genome. The viral protein 7 (VP7) and non-structural protein 4 (NSP4) genes of RVA/Pig/China/LNCY/2016/G3P[13] were closely related to cogent genes of human RVAs, suggesting that a reassortment between pig and human strains had occurred. Recombination analysis showed that RVA/Pig/China/LNCY/2016/G3P[13] is a natural recombinant strain between the P[23] and P[7] RVA strains, and crossover points for recombination were found at nucleotides (nt) 456 and 804 of the VP4 gene. Elucidating the biological characteristics of porcine rotavirus (PoRV) will be helpful for further analyses of the epidemic characteristics of this virus. The results of this study provide valuable information for RVA recombination and evolution and will facilitate future investigations into the molecular pathogenesis of RVAs.

Nodular melanoma in trophic ulceration of a leprosy patient: a case study

Non-healing chronic trophic ulceration is very common in leprosy patients. Marjolin's ulcer consists of the malignant transformation of a chronic ulcerative lesion. Nodular melanoma developing from Marjolin's ulcer, caused by a trophic ulceration of a leprosy patient, is very rare with only a few cases reported in the literature. Due to the disguised presentation of these malignancies within trophic ulceration lesions in leprosy, neoplastic transformation is frequently overlooked, leading to misdiagnosed and delayed treatment. This paper reports a case of an 83-year-old man with lepromatous leprosy and chronic ulceration on the foot for 22 years. Over a period of 2 months, the ulcer enlarged, turned black, and became more painful. The patient underwent regional excision and immunotherapy after the diagnosis of malignant nodular melanoma. After 9 months follow-up, no metastasis was found.

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

The imaging features of meningeal Ewing sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumours (pPNETs)

OBJECTIVE

To explore the imaging features of meningeal Ewing sarcoma/peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumours (pPNETs).

METHODS

The imaging features and pathological characteristics of eight cases of surgically and pathologically confirmed Ewing sarcoma/pPNET were analysed retrospectively in light of recent literature on the disease.

RESULTS

The peak age was between 10 and 20 years. The lesions tended to be spindle shaped and dural based, usually widely so. CT showed that the lesions had slightly uneven high density in five cases and iso-low mixed density in three cases; marked heterogeneous enhancement was seen in all cases after contrast injection. MRI of the lesions showed varying proportions of isointense and hypointense signal in all cases on unenhanced T1 weighted imaging and varying proportions of isointense and hyperintense signal on T2 weighted imaging. After contrast injection, marked heterogeneous enhancement was seen in all cases; three cases showed a short and nodular dural tail and five cases showed adjacent skull erosion and osteolysis. Pathological results included high cell density, haemorrhage and necrosis. The cells resembled lymphocytes and spindle cells with transparent cytoplasm. CD99 and vimentin were expressed by all tumour cells.

CONCLUSION

Features of meningeal Ewing sarcoma/pPNETs include peak incidence at 10-20 years of age, a broad connection to the meninges, a thick dural tail involved with tumour, skull and scalp erosion and early metastasis. Necrosis and cystic changes are the common histological findings.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE

The imaging features of meningeal Ewing sarcoma/pPNETs have not been reported. The study helps to identify meningeal Ewing sarcoma/pPNETs and meningioma.