(Z)-3-Hexenol integrates drought and cold stress signaling by activating abscisic acid glucosylation in tea plants

Cold and drought stresses severely limit crop production and can occur simultaneously. Although some transcription factors and hormones have been characterized in plants subjected each stress, the role of metabolites, especially volatiles, in response to cold and drought stress exposure is rarely studied due to lack of suitable models. Here, we established a model for studying the role of volatiles in tea (Camellia sinensis) plants experiencing cold and drought stresses simultaneously. Using this model, we showed that volatiles induced by cold stress promote drought tolerance in tea plants by mediating reactive oxygen species and stomatal conductance. Needle trap microextraction combined with GC-MS identified the volatiles involved in the crosstalk and showed that cold-induced (Z)-3-hexenol improved the drought tolerance of tea plants. In addition, silencing C. sinensis alcohol dehydrogenase 2 (CsADH2) led to reduced (Z)-3-hexenol production and significantly reduced drought tolerance in response to simultaneous cold and drought stress. Transcriptome and metabolite analyses, together with plant hormone comparison and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis pathway inhibition experiments, further confirmed the roles of ABA in (Z)-3-hexenol-induced drought tolerance of tea plants. (Z)-3-Hexenol application and gene silencing results supported the hypothesis that (Z)-3-hexenol plays a role in the integration of cold and drought tolerance by stimulating the dual-function glucosyltransferase UGT85A53, thereby altering ABA homeostasis in tea plants. Overall, we present a model for studying the roles of metabolites in plants under multiple stresses and reveal the roles of volatiles in integrating cold and drought stresses in plants.

Multiple insights into lignin-mediated cadmium detoxification in rice (Oryza sativa)

Cadmium (Cd) is readily absorbed by rice and enters the food chain, posing a health risk to humans. A better understanding of the mechanisms of Cd-induced responses in rice will help in developing solutions to reduce Cd uptake in rice. Therefore, this research attempted to reveal the detoxification mechanisms of rice in response to Cd through physiological, transcriptomic and molecular approaches. The results showed that Cd stress restricted rice growth, led to Cd accumulation and H2O2 production, and resulted cell death. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed glutathione and phenylpropanoid were the major metabolic pathways under Cd stress. Physiological studies showed that antioxidant enzyme activities, glutathione and lignin contents were significantly increased under Cd stress. In response to Cd stress, q-PCR results showed that genes related to lignin and glutathione biosynthesis were upregulated, whereas metal transporter genes were downregulated. Further pot experiment with rice cultivars with increased and decreased lignin content confirmed the causal relationship between increased lignin and reduced Cd in rice. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of lignin-mediated detoxification mechanism in rice under Cd stress and explains the function of lignin in production of low-Cd rice to ensure human health and food safety.

Correlations between class I glucose transporter expression patterns and clinical outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Glucose transporters (GLUTs) are highly expressed in various cancers. However, the implications of these variable expression patterns are unclear. This study aimed to clarify the correlation between class I GLUT expression patterns and clinical outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including their potential role in inflammatory signaling.

METHODS

Biopsy tissues from 132 patients with NSCLC (92 adenocarcinomas [ADC] and 40 squamous cell carcinomas [SQCC]) were analyzed. mRNA expression levels of class I GLUTs (solute carrier 2A [SLC2A]1, SLC2A2, SLC2A3, and SLC2A4) and inflammation-related molecules (toll-like receptors TLR4, RelA/p65, and interleukins IL8 and IL6) were measured. Cellular localization of GLUT3 and GLUT4 was investigated using immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Single, combined, and negative GLUT (SLC2A) expression were observed in 27/92 (29.3%), 27/92 (29.3%), and 38/92 (41.3%, p < 0.001) of ADC and 8/40 (20.0%), 29/40 (72.5%, p < 0.001), and 3/40 (7.5%) of SQCC, respectively. In ADC, the single SLC2A3-expressed group had a significantly poorer prognosis, whereas the single SLC2A4-expressed group had a significantly better prognosis. The combined expression groups showed no significant difference. SLC2A expression was not correlated with SQCC prognosis. SLC2A4 expression correlated with lower IL8 expression. GLUT3 and GLUT4 expressions were localized in the tumor cytoplasm.

CONCLUSIONS

In lung ADC, single SLC2A3 expression correlated with poor prognosis, whereas single SLC2A4 expression correlated with better prognosis and lower IL8 expression. GLUT3 expression, which is increased by IL8 overexpression, may be suppressed by increasing the expression of GLUT4 through decreased IL8 expression.

Repeated Surgery in a Case of Epithelial-Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland that was Difficult to Distinguish from Pleomorphic Adenoma

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) of the parotid gland is a comparatively rare tumor that accounts for less than 1% of all salivary gland tumors. A patient with EMC of the parotid gland that was initially diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma and that recurred locally during the watchful waiting period but was controlled by surgery under local anesthesia is reported. An 80-year-old man had noticed a swelling in the left infra aural region. A left parotid gland tumor was suspected, and he was referred to our department. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fine-needle aspiration cytology findings were suggestive of pleomorphic adenoma of the superficial lobe of the parotid gland, and this was therefore resected under general anesthesia. Postoperative histopathological examination, immunostaining, and genetic tests resulted in a diagnosis of EMC. Postoperative pathological review showed that part of the resection margin was positive. The possibility of recurrence was explained to the patient, and additional treatment was recommended, but since the patient did not desire this, a policy of watchful waiting was adopted. Signs of cutaneous metastasis in the left infra aural region were detected at 13 months postoperatively, and this metastasis was excised under local anesthesia. The resection margin was negative, and the patient's course remains uneventful. EMC is classified as a low-grade malignant tumor, but it requires stringent monitoring because of its frequent local recurrence. Since local control can usually be achieved by surgical treatment alone, and postoperative adjuvant therapy may not necessarily warranted.

Preparation and Characterization of a One-Step Electrospun Poly(Lactic Acid)/Wormwood Oil Antibacterial Nanofiber Membrane

With the continuous improvement of the standard of living, people are increasingly inclined towards natural, green, and environmentally friendly products. Plant-based products that are safe, natural, non-toxic, and beneficial to human health are often more favored. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a polymer obtained through lactate polymerization using renewable plant resources such as corn and has excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. It is widely used in the field of food packaging. Wormwood oil (WO) is an oil extracted from the stems and leaves of Artemisia plants, and it has broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. In this article, through electrospinning technology, wormwood oil was directly incorporated into PLA, giving the PLA nanofiber membrane antioxidant and antibacterial functions. Various parameters such as voltage (11 KV, 13 KV, 15 KV), spinning solution concentration (8%, 10%, 12%), distance (15 cm, 17 cm, 19 cm), and feeding rate (0.4 mL/h, 0.5 mL/h, 0.6 mL/h) were explored, and the resulting spun fibers were characterized. Through SEM characterization, it was found that when the spinning voltage was 13 KV, the spinning solution concentration was 10%, the distance was 17 cm, and the feeding rate was 0.5 mL/h, the nanofiber membrane had a smooth morphology without bead formation, with an average diameter of 260 nm. The nanofiber membrane was characterized using FTIR, TG, and SEM, confirming the successful incorporation of artemisia essential oil into PLA. The prepared antimicrobial nanofilm was subjected to antimicrobial testing, and the results showed that as the concentration of the essential oil increased, the inhibition zones also increased. When wormwood oil concentration was 4%, the diameter of the inhibition zone for Staphylococcus aureus increased from 1.0 mm to 3.5 mm, while the diameter of the inhibition zone for Escherichia coli increased from 2.0 mm to 4.5 mm.

Genomic features of recombinant CHO clones arising from transposon-based and randomized integration

The use of transposase in cell line development (CLD) programs has experienced increased popularity over the past decade. However, few studies have described the mechanism of action and the genomic and phenotypic characteristics of clones derived from transposase. Additionally, how these traits impact long-term bioproduction is unknown. Here, we use chromosome painting, deep sequencing, and ddPCR to characterize the unique fingerprints associated with transposase-derived clones. Transposase reduces the cellular pool of transient vector as early as three days post transfection following transfection and expedites stable pool establishment by up to two weeks. Furthermore, recombinant DNA expression is significantly improved up to ∼3 fold along with a greater balance of antibody heavy and light chain transcripts, resulting in higher titers in transposase generated pools. Transposase derived pools contained an often innumerable number of integration sites, representing a vast increase in integration site diversity over randomly generated pools, which were bottlenecked at 1-3 integration sites per pool. These transposase mediated integrations typically occurred in clean singlets, free of genomic scars such as deletions, inversions, and other modifications associated with legacy transfection methods which exhibited higher copy numbers per integration site. Relative declines in gene expression occur with copy number increase in the randomly generated, but not the transposase derived clones. Furthermore, transposase-derived clones were more likely to exhibit enhanced a long term stability profile, including product quality attributes such as mannose-5. This improved stability may result from circumventing mechanisms associated with the silencing of tandem repeats. Thus, transposase-mediated approaches can provide multifaceted molecular and phenotypic advantages in cell line development when compared to legacy random-integration methods.

USP10 regulates macrophage inflammation responses via stabilizing NEMO in LPS-induced sepsis

BACKGROUND

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome characterized by persistent inflammation and immunosuppression, leading to septic shock and multiple organ dysfunctions. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10), a deubiquitinase enzyme, plays a vital role in cancer and arterial restenosis, but its involvement in sepsis is unknown.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we investigated the significance of USP10 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages and its biological roles in LPS-induced sepsis.

METHODS

Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) were used to establish sepsis models in vivo and in vitro. We use western blot to identify USP10 expression in macrophages. Spautin-1 and USP10-siRNA were utilized for USP10 inhibition. ELISA assays were used to assess for TNF-α and IL-6 in vitro and in vivo. Nuclear and cytoplasmic protein extraction and Confocal microscopy were applied to verify the translocation of NF-κB. Mechanically, co-immunoprecipitation and rescue experiments were used to validate the regulation of USP10 and NEMO.

RESULTS

In macrophages, we found that LPS induced USP10 upregulation. The inhibition or knockdown of USP10 reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 and suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation by regulating the translocation of NF-κB. Furthermore, we found that NEMO, the regulatory subunit NF-κB essential modulator, was essential for the regulation of LPS-induced inflammation by USP10 in macrophages. NEMO protein evidently interacted with USP10, whereby USP10 inhibition accelerated the degradation of NEMO. Suppressing USP10 significantly attenuated inflammatory responses and improved the survival rate in LPS-induced sepsis mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, USP10 was shown to regulate inflammatory responses by stabilizing the NEMO protein, which may be a potential therapeutic target for sepsis-induced lung injury.

[An improved 4-vessel intermittent occlusion method for establishing rat models of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury]

OBJECTIVE

To improve the classical 4-vessel occlusion (4VO) model established by Pulsinelli and Brierley.

METHODS

Thirty-two male SD rats were randomized into sham operation group, I4VO-Con10 group, I4VO-Int10 group and I4VO-Int15 group. The sham surgery group underwent exposure of the bilateral vertebral arteries and carotid arteries without occlusion to block blood flow. The I4VO-Con10 group experienced continuous ischemia by occluding the bilateral vertebral arteries and carotid arteries for 10 minutes followed by reperfusion for 24 hours. The I4VO-Int10 and I4VO-Int15 groups were subjected to intermittent ischemia. The I4VO- Int10 group underwent 5 minutes of ischemia, followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion and another 5 minutes of ischemia, and then reperfusion for 24 hours. The I4VO-Int15 group experienced 5 minutes of ischemia followed by two cycles of 5 minutes of reperfusion and 5 minutes of ischemia, and then reperfusion for 24 hours. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was monitored with laser Doppler scanning, and survival of the rats was observed. HE staining was used to observe hippocampal pathologies to determine the optimal method for modeling. Another 48 rats were randomized into 6 groups, including a sham operation group and 5 model groups established using the optimal method. The 5 I4VO model groups were further divided based on the reperfusion time points (1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days) into I4VO-D1, I4VO-D3, I4VO-D7, I4VO- D14, and I4VO- D28 groups. Body weight changes and survival of the rats were recorded. HE staining was used to observe morphological changes in the hippocampal, retinal and optic tract tissues. The Y-maze test and light/dark box test were used to evaluate cognitive and visual functions of the rats in I4VO-D28 group.

RESULTS

Occlusion for 5 min for 3 times at the interval of 5 min was the optimal method for 4VO modeling. In the latter 48 rats, the body weight was significantly lower than that of the sham-operated rats at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after modeling without significant difference in survival rate among the groups. The rats with intermittent vessel occlusion exhibited progressive deterioration of hippocampal neuronal injury and neuronal loss. Cognitive impairment was observed in the rats in I4VO-D28 group, but no obvious ischemic injury of the retina or the optic tract was detected.

CONCLUSION

The improved 4VO model can successfully mimic the main pathological processes of global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury without causing visual impairment in rats.

Exogenous spraying of IAA improved the efficiency of microspore embryogenesis in Wucai (Brassica campestris L.) by affecting the balance of endogenous hormones, energy metabolism, and cell wall degradation

BACKGROUND

Microspore embryogenesis is an extraordinarily complicated process, comprehensively regulated by a composite network of physiological and molecular factors, among which hormone is one of the most crucial factors. Auxin is required for stress-induced microspore reprogramming, however, the mechanism of its regulation of microspore embryogenesis is still unclear.

RESULTS

In this study, we found exogenously spraying 100 mg·L^- 1 IAA on the buds of Wucai significantly increased the rate of microspore embryogenesis, and moreover accelerated the process of embryogenesis. Physiological and biochemical tests showed that the contents of amino acids, soluble total sugar, soluble protein, and starch were significantly increased after IAA treatment. Furthermore, exogenously spraying 100 mg·L^- 1 IAA significantly enhanced IAA, GA₄, and GA₉ content, increased catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) activity, and reduced abscisic acid (ABA), MDA and soluble protopectin content, H₂O₂ and O₂·^- production rate in the bud with the largest population of late-uninucleate-stage microspores. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on buds respectively treated with 100 mg·L^- 1 IAA and fresh water. A total of 2004 DEGs were identified, of which 79 were involved in micropores development, embryonic development and cell wall formation and modification, most of which were upregulated. KEGG and GO analysis revealed that 9.52% of DEGs were enriched in plant hormone synthesis and signal transduction pathways, pentose and glucuronic acid exchange pathways, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated that exogenous IAA altered the contents of endogenous hormone content, total soluble sugar, amino acid, starch, soluble protein, MDA and protopectin, the activities of CAT and peroxidase (POD), and the production rate of H₂O₂ and O₂·^-. Combined with transcriptome analysis, it was found that most genes related to gibberellin (GA) and Auxin (IAA) synthesis and signal transduction, pectin methylase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PGs) genes and genes related to ATP synthesis and electron transport chain were upregulated, and genes related to ABA synthesis and signal transduction were downregulated. These results indicated that exogenous IAA treatment could change the balance of endogenous hormones, accelerate cell wall degradation, promote ATP synthesis and nutrient accumulation, inhibit ROS accumulation, which ultimately promote microspore embryogenesis.

Influence of 12 weeks of basketball training on college students' heart function

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the influence of 12 weeks of basketball training on college students' heart function.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The subjects were 30 college male basketball players. Carry out 8-week interval training, monitor the training load and interval time of athletes, and strictly control the heart rate during the interval. Before and after training, we used safe and effective experimental instruments - without any damage to the athletes - to detect the relevant indicators of the athletes' physiological functions; hence we compared and analyzed the various indicators before and after training.

RESULTS

The time domain indexes Root Mean Square of Successive Differences (RMSSD), Statistically Determined Spatial Drift (SDSD), percentage of NN50 in the total number of NN intervals (PNN50), and Standard Deviation of all NN intervals for all 5-min segment (SDNN) after training were significantly higher than those before training, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Average (Avag) and Statistically Determined Allocation Weights (SDAW) after training were significantly higher than those before training, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05); Asymmetry (Asym) and Tension index (TI) were significantly lower than those before training, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05), Application Information Index (ApInf) had no significant difference (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in shooting hit rate (p>0.05). The speed of the 8-character dribble in the whole field after training was significantly lower than that before training, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in average jump height, maximum jump height, average time in the air, and best jump time in the air after training (p>0.05). For the test of athletes' explosive power, five vertical jumps in situ were selected for testing, and the jump height and time in the air of each vertical jump were counted to calculate the maximum and average values of five vertical jumps. The results showed that there was no significant change in the explosive force of the athletes' lower limbs after training. The reason may be that strength training needs to follow the principles of heavy load, specialization, exercise sequence and reasonable interval. The intermittent training method used during training is not specialized in strength training, and the reasonable interval of strength training was not considered in the training process.

CONCLUSIONS

Intermittent training can increase the tension of the cardiac vagus nerve of college basketball players, increase the cardiac reserve function and the load that the heart can bear, so that the cardiac function can be improved well. It can improve the cardiopulmonary function and aerobic work ability of college basketball players. It can improve the adjustment ability of the heart, lungs, liver, and other organs of college basketball players. It also can increase the load intensity that the central nerve can bear and improve the function of the central nerve and autonomic nerve. The anti-fatigue ability of athletes can be improved. It can improve the speed quality of college basketball players.

Neotuberostemonine and tuberostemonine ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis through suppressing TGF-β and SDF-1 secreted by macrophages and fibroblasts via the PI3K-dependent AKT and ERK pathways

Activated fibroblasts and M2-polarized macrophages may contribute to the progression of pulmonary fibrosis by forming a positive feedback loop. This study was aimed to investigate whether fibroblasts and macrophages form this loop by secreting SDF-1 and TGF-β and the impacts of neotuberostemonine (NTS) and tuberostemonine (TS). Mice were intratracheally injected with 3 U·kg^-1 bleomycin and orally administered with 30 mg·kg^-1 NTS or TS. Primary pulmonary fibroblasts (PFBs) and MH-S cells (alveolar macrophages) were used in vitro. The animal experiments showed that NTS and TS improved fibrosis related indicators, inhibited fibroblast activation and macrophage M2 polarization, and reduced the levels of TGF-β and SDF-1 in alveolar lavage fluid. Cell experiments showed that TGF-β1 may activated fibroblasts into myofibroblasts secreting SDF-1 by activating the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α and PI3K/PAK/RAF/ERK/HIF-1α pathways. It was also found for the first time that SDF-1 was able to directly polarize macrophages into M2 phenotype secreting TGF-β through the same pathways as mentioned above. Moreover, the results of the cell coculture confirmed that fibroblasts and macrophages actually developed a feedback loop to promote fibrosis, and the secretion of TGF-β and SDF-1 was crucial for maintaining this loop. NTS and TS may disturb this loop through inhibiting both the PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α and PI3K/PAK/RAF/ERK/HIF-1α pathways to improve pulmonary fibrosis. NTS and TS are stereoisomeric alkaloids with pyrrole[1,2-a]azapine skeleton, and their effect on improving pulmonary fibrosis may be largely attributed to their parent nucleus. Moreover, this study found that inhibition of both the AKT and ERK pathways is essential for maximizing the improvement of pulmonary fibrosis.

Synergistic impacts of ferromanganese oxide biochar and optimized water management on reducing Cd accumulation in rice

Ferromanganese oxide biochar composite (FMBC) is an efficient remediation material for cadmium -contaminated soils. However, the effect of FMBC under varied water managements on the remediation of Cd-polluted soil is unclear. In this study, we conducted both incubation and field experiments to investigate the combined effects of corn-stover-derived biochar modified with ferromanganese on the immobilization and uptake of Cd by rice under continuous aerobic (A), aerobic-flooded (AF), and flooded-aerobic (FA) water management regimes. The results showed that loading iron-manganese significantly increased the maximum sorption capacity (Qm) of Cd on FMBC (50.46 mg g^-1) due to increased surface area, as compared to the pristine biochar (BC, 31.36 mg g^-1). The results revealed that soil Eh and pH were significantly affected by FMBC and it's synergistic application with different water regimes, thus causing significant differences in the concentrations of DTPA-extractable Cd under different treatments. The lowest DTPA-extractable Cd content (0.28-0.46 mg^-1) was observed in the treatment with FMBC (2.5 %) combined FA water amendment, which reduced the content of available Cd in soil by 2.63-28.4 %. Moreover, the treatments with FMBC-FA resulted the proportion of residual Cd increased by 22.2 % compared to the control. Variations in the content and fraction of Cd had a significant influence on its accumulation in the rice grains. The FMBC-FA treatments reduced the Cd concentration in roots, shoots and grains by 37.97 %, 33.98 %, and 53.66 %, respectively, when compared with the control. Predominantly because of the reduction in Cd biological toxicity and the improved soil nutrient content, the combined application increased the biomass and yield of rice to some extent. Taken together, the combination of the Fe-Mn modified biochar and flooded-aerobic water management may potentially be applied in Cd-polluted soil to mitigate the impacts of Cd on rice production.

[Genotype-environment interaction on arterial stiffness: A pedigree-based study]

OBJECTIVE

To utilized the baseline data of the Beijing Fangshan Family Cohort Study, and to estimate whether the association between a healthy lifestyle and arterial stiffness might be modified by genetic effects.

METHODS

Probands and their relatives from 9 rural areas in Fangshan district, Beijing were included in this study. We developed a healthy lifestyle score based on five lifestyle behaviors: smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), dietary pattern, and physical activity. The measurements of arterial stiffness were brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI). A variance component model was used to determine the heritability of arterial stiffness. Genotype-environment interaction effects were performed by the maximum likelihood methods. Subsequently, 45 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the glycolipid metabolism pathway were selected, and generalized estimated equations were used to assess the gene-environment interaction effects between particular genetic loci and healthy lifestyles.

RESULTS

A total of 6 302 study subjects across 3 225 pedigrees were enrolled in this study, with a mean age of 56.9 years and 45.1% male. Heritability of baPWV and ABI was 0.360 (95%CI: 0.302-0.418) and 0.243 (95%CI: 0.175-0.311), respectively. Significant genotype-healthy diet interaction on baPWV and genotype-BMI interaction on ABI were observed. Following the findings of genotype-environment interaction analysis, we further identified two SNPs located in ADAMTS9-AS2 and CDH13 might modify the association between healthy dietary pattern and arterial stiffness, indicating that adherence to a healthy dietary pattern might attenuate the genetic risk on arterial stiffness. Three SNPs in CDKAL1, ATP8B2 and SLC30A8 were shown to interact with BMI, implying that maintaining BMI within a healthy range might decrease the genetic risk of arterial stiffness.

CONCLUSION

The current study discovered that genotype-healthy dietary pattern and genotype-BMI interactions might affect the risk of arterial stiffness. Furthermore, we identified five genetic loci that might modify the relationship between healthy dietary pattern and BMI with arterial stiffness. Our findings suggested that a healthy lifestyle may reduce the genetic risk of arterial stiffness. This study has laid the groundwork for future research exploring mechanisms of arterial stiffness.

[Comparison of aspirin treatment strategies for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: A decision-analytic Markov modelling study]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the expected population impact of benefit and risk of aspirin treatment strategies for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases recommended by different guidelines in the Chinese Electronic Health Records Research in Yinzhou (CHERRY) study.

METHODS

A decision-analytic Markov model was used to simulate and compare different strategies of aspirin treatment, including: Strategy ①: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-69 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk, recommended by the 2020 Chinese Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases; Strategy ②: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-59 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk, recommended by the 2022 United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement on Aspirin Use to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease; Strategy ③: Aspirin treatment for Chinese adults aged 40-69 years with a high 10-year cardiovascular risk and blood pressure well-controlled (< 150/90 mmHg), recommended by the 2019 Guideline on the Assessment and Management of Cardio-vascular Risk in China. The high 10-year cardiovascular risk was defined as the 10-year predicted risk over 10% based on the 2019 World Health Organization non-laboratory model. The Markov model simulated different strategies for ten years (cycles) with parameters mainly from the CHERRY study or published literature. Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and the number needed to treat (NNT) for each ischemic event (including myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke) were calculated to assess the effectiveness of the different strategies. The number needed to harm (NNH) for each bleeding event (including hemorrhagic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding) was calculated to assess the safety. The NNT for each net benefit (i.e., the difference of the number of ischemic events could be prevented and the number of bleeding events would be added) was also calculated. One-way sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of the incidence rate of cardiovascular diseases and probabilistic sensitivity analysis on the uncertainty of hazard ratios of interventions were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 212 153 Chinese adults, were included in this study. The number of people who were recommended for aspirin treatment Strategies ①-③ was 34 235, 2 813, and 25 111, respectively. The Strategy ③ could gain the most QALY of 403 [95% uncertainty interval (UI): 222-511] years. Compared with Strategy ①, Strategy ③ had similar efficiency but better safety, with the extra NNT of 4 (95%UI: 3-4) and NNH of 39 (95%UI: 19-132). The NNT per net benefit was 131 (95%UI: 102-239) for Strategy ①, 256 (95%UI: 181-737) for Strategy ②, and 132 (95%UI: 104-232) for Strategy ③, making Strategy ③ the most favorable option with a better QALY and safety, along with similar efficiency in terms of net benefit. The results were consistent in the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION

The aspirin treatment strategies recommended by the updated guidelines on the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases showed a net benefit for high-risk Chinese adults from developed areas. However, to balance effectiveness and safety, aspirin is suggested to be used for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases with consideration for blood pressure control, resulting in better intervention efficiency.

[Application of veno-arterio-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with critical respiratory failure combined with refractory shock]

Objective: To preliminarily analyze the application experience of veno-arterio-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VAV-ECMO).The VAV-ECMO is a rescue strategy for patients with extremely critical respiratory failure combined with refractory shock. Methods: From February 2016 to February 2022, the characteristics and outcomes of patients who were started on either veno-venous or veno-arterial ECMO due to respiratory or hemodynamic failure, and then converted to VAV-ECMO in respiratory intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital were analyzed. Results: A total of 15 patients underwent VAV-ECMO, aged 53 (40, 65) years, and 11 of whom were male. Within the group, VV-ECMO was initially used in 12 patients due to respiratory failure, but then VAV-ECMO was used due to cardiogenic shock (7/12) and septic shock (4/12), while VAV-ECMO was established in two patients due to lung transplantation. One patient was diagnosed with pneumonia complicated by septic shock, which was initially determined to be VA-ECMO, but then switched to VAV-ECMO because it was difficult to maintain oxygenation. The time from the establishment of VV or VA-ECMO to the switch to VAV-ECMO was 3 (1, 5) days and the VAV-ECMO support time was 5 (2, 8) days. ECMO-related complications were bleeding, mostly in the digestive tract (n=4) and airway hemorrhage (n=4), without intracranial hemorrhage, and poor arterial perfusion of the lower limbs (n=2). Among these 15 patients, the overall ICU mortality was 53.3%. The mortality of patients who received VAV-ECMO due to septic shock and cardiogenic shock was 100% (4/4) and 42.8% (3/7), respectively. Two patients who received VAV-ECMO due to lung transplantation all survived. Conclusion: VAV-ECMO may be a safe and effective treatment for carefully selected patients with critical respiratory failure associated with cardiogenic shock or end-stage lung disease lung transplantation transition, however, patients with septic shock may benefit the least.

Ornithine δ-aminotransferase OsOAT is critical for male fertility and cold tolerance during rice plant development

Cold stress is a major factor limiting the production and geographical distribution of rice (Oryza sativa) varieties. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cold tolerance remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that ornithine δ-aminotransferase (OsOAT) contributes to cold tolerance during the vegetative and reproductive development of rice. osoat mutant was identified as a temperature-sensitive male sterile mutant with deformed floral organs and seedlings sensitive to cold stress. Comparative transcriptome analysis showed that OsOAT mutation and cold treatment of the wild-type plant led to similar changes in the global gene expression profiles in anthers. OsOAT genes in indica rice Huanghuazhan (HHZ) and japonica rice Wuyungeng (WYG) are different in gene structure and response to cold. OsOAT is cold-inducible in WYG but cold-irresponsive in HHZ. Further studies showed that indica varieties carry both WYG-type and HHZ-type OsOAT, whereas japonica varieties mostly carry WYG-type OsOAT. Cultivars carrying HHZ-type OsOAT are mainly distributed in low-latitude regions, whereas varieties carrying WYG-type OsOAT are distributed in both low- and high-latitude regions. Moreover, indica varieties carrying WYG-type OsOAT generally have higher seed-setting rates than those carrying HHZ-type OsOAT under cold stress at reproductive stage, highlighting the favorable selection for WYG-type OsOAT during domestication and breeding to cope with low temperatures.

QTL Mapping of Agronomic and Physiological Traits at the Seedling and Maturity Stages under Different Nitrogen Treatments in Barley

Nitrogen (N) stress seriously constrains barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production globally by influencing its growth and development. In this study, we used a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 121 crosses between the variety Baudin and the wild barley accession CN4027 to detect QTL for 27 traits at the seedling stage in hydroponic culture trials and 12 traits at the maturity stage in field trials both under two N treatments, aiming to uncover favorable alleles for N tolerance in wild barley. In total, eight stable QTL and seven QTL clusters were detected. Among them, the stable QTL Qtgw.sau-2H located in a 0.46 cM interval on the chromosome arm 2HL was a novel QTL specific for low N. Notably, Clusters C4 and C7 contained QTL for traits at both the seedling and maturity stages. In addition, four stable QTLs in Cluster C4 were identified. Furthermore, a gene (HORVU2Hr1G080990.1) related to grain protein in the interval of Qtgw.sau-2H was predicted. Correlation analysis and QTL mapping showed that different N treatments significantly affected agronomic and physiological traits at the seedling and maturity stages. These results provide valuable information for understanding N tolerance as well as breeding and utilizing the loci of interest in barley.

The design and evaluation of the outflow structures of an interventional microaxial blood pump

Blood pump design efforts are focused on enhancing hydraulic effectiveness and minimizing shear stress. Unlike conventional blood pumps, interventional microaxial blood pumps have a unique outflow structure due to minimally invasive technology. The outflow structure, composed of the diffuser and cage bridges, is crucial in minimizing the pump size to provide adequate hemodynamic support. This study proposed four outflow structures of an interventional microaxial blood pump depending on whether the diffuser with or without blades and cage bridges were straight or curved. The outflow flow structure's effect on the blood pump's hydraulic performance and shear stress distribution was evaluated by computational fluid dynamics and hydraulic experiments. The results showed that all four outflow structures could achieve the pressure and flow requirements specified at the design point but with significant differences in shear stress distribution. Among them, the outflow structure with curved bridges would make the blood dispersed more evenly when flowing out of the pump, which could effectively reduce the shear stress at the cage bridges. The outflow structure with blades would aggravate the secondary flow at the leading edge of the impeller, increasing the risk of flow stagnation. The combination of curved bridges and the bladeless diffuser had a relatively better shear stress distribution, with the proportion of fluid exposed to low scalar shear stress (<50 Pa) and high scalar shear stress (>150 Pa) in the blood pump being 97.92% and 0.26%, respectively. It could be concluded that the outflow structure with curved bridges and bladeless diffuser exhibited relatively better shear stress distribution and a lower hemolysis index of 0.00648%, which could support continued research on optimizing the microaxial blood pumps.

Do differentially charged nanoplastics affect imidacloprid uptake, translocation, and metabolism in Chinese flowering cabbage?

Micro(nano)plastics are ubiquitous in the environment. Among the microplastics, imidacloprid (IMI) concentration has been increasing in some intensive agricultural regions, thus receiving increased attention. However, only a few studies have investigated the interaction of nanoplastics (polystyrene (PS)) and IMI in vegetable crops. We studied the effects of positively (PS-NH₂) and negatively (PS-COOH) charged nanoplastics on the uptake, translocation, and degradation of IMI in Chinese flowering cabbage grown in Hoagland solution for 28 days. PS-NH₂ co-exposure with IMI inhibited plant growth, resulting in decreased plant weight, height, and root length. Translocation of IMI from the roots to the shoots was significantly lower in the presence of PS-NH₂, whereas PS-COOH accelerated the accumulation and translocation of IMI in plants, thus potentially affecting IMI metabolism in plants. Notably, IMI-NTG and 5-OH-IMI were the two dominant metabolites. PS-NH₂ co-exposure with IMI induced significant oxidation stress and considerably affected the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD), indicating that the antioxidant defense system was the main mechanism for reducing oxidative damage. Notably, both positively and negatively charged nanoplastics can accumulate in Chinese flowering cabbage. Plants in the PS-COOH alone treatment group had the highest concentration of nanoplastics in both roots and shoots. The accumulation of nanoplastics, IMI, and its metabolites in plants raises concerns about their combined potential toxicity because it compromises food safety.

Synergistic effect of constituent drugs of Baibutang on improving Yin-deficiency pulmonary fibrosis in rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Baibutang (BBT) is an ancient prescription for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Previous experiments have shown that BBT had a good therapeutic effect on pulmonary fibrosis. However, there had been no study on the synergy between drugs composed of BBT. Due to the interaction between the constituent drugs, exploring their synergy profile is of great significance for explaining the essence of BBT's efficacy in improving pulmonary fibrosis.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Based on the pharmacodynamic value, this study aimed to explore a method for the evaluation of the synergy profile between constituent drugs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Nine herbs of BBT were divided into Zhikeqingre (ZK), Yangyinyiqi (YY) and Lishijianpi (LS) groups. A rat model of Yin-deficiency pulmonary fibrosis induced by thyroxine-bleomycin was used to evaluate the effects of BBT and the three groups. The pathological changes of lung tissue and the changes of biomarkers associated with fibrosis, Yin-deficiency and water-fluid metabolism were detected. After standardization of pharmacodynamics value (PV), the compatibility coefficient (CC) of the three groups, the relative PV (RPV) and contribution value (CV) of each group on every index were calculated.

RESULTS

The average CC on fibrosis indexes was 0.44, indicating that 44% of the efficacy of BBT came from the synergistic effect of the three groups. ZK group had the highest RPV (0.80) in improving fibrosis indexes such as histopathological changes, α-SMA, collagen-I and renin-angiotensin system. The average CC on Yin-deficiency indexes was 0.25, and YY group had the highest RPV (0.96) in improving deficiency indexes such as body temperature, cAMP/cGMP ratio, and PDEs, PGE2 and COX-2 levels. The average CC on water-fluid metabolism indexes was 0.15, and LS group had the highest RPV (1.52) in improving water-fluid metabolism indexes such as aquaporins, mucins, and surfactant proteins. The results also showed that 29% of the improvement effect of BBT on all indexes came from the synergistic effect of the three groups, and the contribution of ZK, YY and LS groups to the efficacy of BBT were 25%, 25% and 21%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The established semiquantitative method can clearly and simply evaluate the synergy of the three groups in BBT, which will help to promote the research on the synergy of TCM compounds and other multiple-components combinations.

All-Polyhydroxyalkanoate Triblock Copolymers via a Stereoselective-Chemocatalytic Route

Biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) homopolymers and statistical copolymers are ubiquitous in microbially produced PHAs, but the step-growth polycondensation mechanism the biosynthesis operates on presents a challenge to access well-defined block copolymers (BCPs), especially higher-order tri-BCP PHAs. Here we report a stereoselective-chemocatalytic route to produce discrete hard-soft-hard ABA all-PHA tri-BCPs based on the living chain-growth ring-opening polymerization of racemic (rac) 8-membered diolides (rac-8DL^R; R denotes the two substituents on the ring). Depending on the composition of the soft B block, originated from rac-8DL^R (R = Et, ⁿBu), and its ratio to the semicrystalline, high-melting hard A block, derived from rac-8DL^Me, the resulting all-PHA tri-BCPs with high molar mass (M_n up to 238 kg mol^-1) and low dispersity (Đ = 1.07) exhibit tunable mechanical properties characteristic of a strong and tough thermoplastic, elastomer, or a semicrystalline thermoplastic elastomer.

Piezo1 alleviates acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury by activating Nrf2 and reducing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species

Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the most common cause for acute liver failure (ALF) in the developed countries, with limited treatment options. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive cation channel. We found that APAP caused upregulation of Piezo1 in both an APAP-induced acute liver injury (ALI) animal model and a mouse hepatocyte cell line AML12. Activation of Piezo1 by its activator Yoda1 reduced APAP-induced hepatotoxicity and ROS level. Mechanistically, activation of Piezo1 led to accumulation of the antioxidant regulator Nrf2 and upregulation of its target genes Nqo1 and Gsta1, while knockdown of Piezo1 downregulated this pathway. Finally, injection of Yoda1 decreased serum AST and ALT levels, reduced cell death and rescued liver injury in the APAP-induced ALI mouse model. Our findings suggested a previously undiscovered protective role of Piezo1 in APAP-induced ALI, which might shed light on a new therapeutic target for this disease.

[Application of discrete event simulation model in analysis on cost-effectiveness of epidemiology screening]

Discrete event simulation (DES) model is based on individual data, by which discrete events over time are simulated to reflect disease progression. The effects of individual characteristics on disease progression could be considered in the DES model. Moreover, unlike state-transition models, DES model without setting of fixed cycle can contribute to more accurate estimation of event time, especially in the evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of screening strategies for complex diseases in which time dimension needs to be considered. This article introduces the general principles, construction steps, analytic methods and other relevant issues of the DES model. Based on a research case of estimating the cost-effectiveness of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms in women aged 65 years and above in the United Kingdom, key points in applications of the DES model in analysis on effectiveness of complex disease screening are discussed in detail, including model construction and analysis and interpretation of the results. DES model can predict occurring time of discrete events accurately by establishing the distribution function of their occurring time and is increasingly used to evaluate the screening strategies for complex diseases in which time dimension needs to be considered. In the construction of DES model, it is necessary to pay close attention to the clear presentation of model structure and simulation process and follow the relevant reporting specification to conduct cost-effectiveness analysis to ensure the transparency and repeatability of the research.