The role of mTORC1/TFEB axis mediated lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy impairment in fluoride neurotoxicity and the intervention effects of resveratrol

Elevated exposures to fluoride have been linked to neurological diseases. Identifying mechanisms of fluoride neurotoxicity and finding ways for prevention and treatment of epidemic fluorosis are important issues of public health. In this study, fluoride inhibited TFEB nuclear translocation by activating p-mTORC1/p-p70S6K, thus inhibiting lysosomal biogenesis, leading to dysfunctional lysosome accumulation, which further negatively affected autophagosome and lysosome fusion, thus impairing autophagy degradation, evidenced by the blocked conversion of LC3II to LC3I, and the increased p62 levels. Interestingly, RSV alleviated rats' cognition by improving fluoride-induced nerve damage and promoted lysosomal biogenesis demonstrated by the increased nucleus translocation of TFEB via inhibiting p-mTORC1 and p-p70S6K, the decreased expression of LC3II and p62. Collectively, we clarified the correlation between fluoride neurotoxicity and mTORC1/TFEB-mediated lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy. Meanwhile, RSV appeared to be a promising drug for the prevention and treatment of epidemic fluorosis.

Spin-degree manipulation for one-dimensional room-temperature ferromagnetism in a haldane system

The intricate correlation between lattice geometry, topological behavior and charge degrees of freedom plays a key role in determining the physical and chemical properties of a quantum-magnetic system. Herein, we investigate the introduction of the unusual oxidation state as an alternative pathway to modulate the magnetic ground state in the well-known S = 1 Haldane system nickelate Y2BaNiO5 (YBNO). YBNO is topologically reduced to incorporate d9-Ni+ (S = 1/2) in the one-dimensional Haldane chain system. The random distribution of Ni+ for the first time results in the emergence of a one-dimensional ferromagnetic phase with a transition temperature far above room temperature. Theoretical calculations reveal that the antiferromagnetic interplay can evolve into ferromagnetic interactions with the presence of oxygen vacancies, which promotes the formation of ferromagnetic order within one-dimensional nickel chains. The unusual electronic instabilities in the nickel-based Haldane system may offer new possibilities towards unconventional physical and chemical properties from quantum interactions.

The role of glycosylation in non-productive adsorption of cellulase to lignin isolated from pretreated corn stover

Glycosylation, a general post-translational modification for fungal cellulase, has been shown to affect cellulase binding to its substrate. However, the exact impact of glycosylation on cellulase-lignin interaction remain unclear. Here, we demonstrated that the lignin isolated from tetrahydrofuran-pretreated corn stover exhibits strong adsorption capability to cellulase due to its negatively charged and porous structure. For the cellulases with varying glycosylation levels, the less-glycosylated protein showed high adsorption capability to lignin, and that trend was observed for the main cellulase components secreted by Penicillium oxilicum, including endoglucanase PoCel5B, cellobiohydrolase PoCel7A-2, and β-glucosidase PoBgl1. Additionally, N-glycan sites and motifs were examined using mass spectrometry, and protein structures with N-glycans were constructed, where PoBgl1 and PoCel7A-2 contained 13 and 1 glycosylated sites respectively. The results of molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the N-glycans impacted on the solvent-accessible surface area and secondary structure of protein, and the binding conformation of lignin fragment on cellulase, resulting in a decrease in binding energy (14 kcal/mol for PoBgl1 and 13 kcal/mol for PoCel7A-2), particularly for van der Waals and electrostatic interaction. Those findings suggested that glycosylation negatively impacted the lignin-cellulase interaction, providing a theoretical basis for the rational engineering of enzymes to reduce lignin-enzyme interaction.

A flavonoid metabolon: cytochrome b5 enhances B-ring trihydroxylated flavan-3-ols synthesis in tea plants

Flavan-3-ols are prominent phenolic compounds found abundantly in the young leaves of tea plants. The enzymes involved in flavan-3-ol biosynthesis in tea plants have been extensively investigated. However, the localization and associations of these numerous functional enzymes within cells have been largely neglected. In this study, we aimed to investigate the synthesis of flavan-3-ols in tea plants, particularly focusing on epigallocatechin gallate. Our analysis involving the DESI-MSI method to reveal a distinct distribution pattern of B-ring trihydroxylated flavonoids, primarily concentrated in the outer layer of buds. Subcellular localization showed that CsC4H, CsF3'H, and CsF3'5'H localizes endoplasmic reticulum. Protein-protein interaction studies demonstrated direct associations between CsC4H, CsF3'H, and cytoplasmic enzymes (CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, FLS, and ANR), highlighting their interactions within the biosynthetic pathway. Notably, CsF3'5'H, the enzyme for B-ring trihydroxylation, did not directly interact with other enzymes. We identified cytochrome b5 isoform C serving as an essential redox partner, ensuring the proper functioning of CsF3'5'H. Our findings suggest the existence of distinct modules governing the synthesis of different B-ring hydroxylation compounds. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying flavonoid diversity and efficient synthesis and enhances our understanding of the substantial accumulation of B-ring trihydroxylated flavan-3-ols in tea plants.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) with heterologous poly-γ-glutamic acid has skin moisturizing, whitening and anti-wrinkle effects

Three genes involved in poly-γ-glutamic acid(γ-PGA)synthesis cloned from Bacillus licheniformis were transformed into cucumber for the first time. Compared with control, its water content increased by 6-14 % and water loss rate decreased by 11-12 %. In zebrafish and human skin experiments, the moisturizing effect of transgenic cucumber was significantly higher than that of CK, γ-PGA and hyaluronic acid group. Transgenic cucumber reduced facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58 % and 24.97 %, reduced skin melanin content by 5.27 %, increased skin topological angle and L-value by 5.89 % and 2.49 %, and increased the R2 and Q1 values of facial elasticity by 7.67 % and 5.64 %, respectively. The expressions of aqp3, Tyr, silv and OCA2 were down-regulated, eln1, eln2, col1a1a and col1a1b were up-regulated in zebrafish after treated with transgenic cucumber. This study provides an important reference for the endogenous synthesis of important skin care functional molecules in plants.

Neoadjuvant radioimmunotherapy in pancreatic cancer enhances effector T cell infiltration and shortens their distances to tumor cells

Radiotherapy is hypothesized to have an immune-modulating effect on the tumor microenvironment (TME) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) to sensitize it to anti-PD-1 antibody (a-PD-1) treatment. We collected paired pre- and posttreatment specimens from a clinical trial evaluating combination treatment with GVAX vaccine, a-PD-1, and stereotactic body radiation (SBRT) following chemotherapy for locally advanced PDACs (LAPC). With resected PDACs following different neoadjuvant therapies as comparisons, effector cells in PDACs were found to skew toward a more exhausted status in LAPCs following chemotherapy. The combination of GVAX/a-PD-1/SBRT drives TME to favor antitumor immune response including increased densities of GZMB+CD8+ T cells, TH1, and TH17, which are associated with longer survival, however increases immunosuppressive M2-like tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Adding SBRT to GVAX/a-PD-1 shortens the distances from PD-1+CD8+ T cells to tumor cells and to PD-L1+ myeloid cells, which portends prolonged survival. These findings have guided the design of next radioimmunotherapy studies by targeting M2-like TAM in PDACs.

Healthy plant-based diet might be inversely associated with gastric precancerous lesions: new evidence from a case-control study based on dietary pattern and fecal metabolic profiling

Preventing the progression of gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs) can reduce the morbidity and mortality of gastric cancer (GC). The preventive effect of a plant-based diet on cancers has been widely recognised. In this case-control study, 1,130 subjects were included using 1:1 propensity score matching for age and sex. Dietary habits, anthropometry and sample collection were conducted using standard and effective methods. Plant-based diet indices (PDIs) were calculated using a previously reported method. Faecal samples were analysed by untargeted metabolomics. Our study found that adherence to a healthy plant-based diet was inversely associated with the occurrence of GPLs. Metabolomic analysis identified six different metabolites correlated with GPLs, among which luteolin-related metabolites may be used as biomarkers of the association between PDIs and GPLs. In addition, the difference in N-acyl amides found in PDIs needs further verification. Our findings suggest that a healthy plant-based diet may have a protective effect against GPLs.

Deep learning and targeted metabolomics-based monitoring of chewing insects in tea plants and screening defense compounds

Tea is an important cash crop that is often consumed by chewing pests, resulting in reduced yields and economic losses. It is important to establish a method to quickly identify the degree of damage to tea plants caused by leaf-eating insects and screen green control compounds. This study was performed through the combination of deep learning and targeted metabolomics, in vitro feeding experiment, enzymic analysis and transient genetic transformation. A small target damage detection model based on YOLOv5 with Transformer Prediction Head (TPH-YOLOv5) algorithm for the tea canopy level was established. Orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) was used to analyze the correlation between the degree of damage and the phenolic metabolites. A potential defensive compound, (-)-epicatechin-3-O-caffeoate (EC-CA), was screened. In vitro feeding experiments showed that compared with EC and epicatechin gallate, Ectropis grisescens exhibited more significant antifeeding against EC-CA. In vitro enzymatic experiments showed that the hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (CsHCTs) recombinant protein has substrate promiscuity and can catalyze the synthesis of EC-CA. Transient overexpression of CsHCTs in tea leaves effectively reduced the degree of damage to tea leaves. This study provides important reference values and application prospects for the effective monitoring of pests in tea gardens and screening of green chemical control substances.

Overexpression of ZmSUS1 increased drought resistance of maize (Zea mays L.) by regulating sucrose metabolism and soluble sugar content

MAIN CONCLUSION

ZmSUS1 improved drought tolerance of maize by regulating sucrose metabolism and increasing soluble sugar content, and endowing transgenic maize with higher relative water content and photosynthesis levels. Sucrose synthase (SUS), a key enzyme of sugar metabolism, plays an important role in the regulation of carbon partitioning in plant, and affects important agronomic traits and abiotic responses to adversity. However, the function of ZmSUS1 in plant drought tolerance is still unknown. In this study, the expression patterns of ZmSUS1 in different tissues and under drought stress were analyzed in maize (Zea mays L.). It was found that ZmSUS1 was highly expressed during kernel development but also in leaves and roots of maize, and ZmSUS1 was induced by drought stress. Homozygous transgenic maize lines overexpressing ZmSUS1 increased the content and activity of SUS under drought stress and exhibited higher relative water content, proline and abscisic acid content in leaves. Specifically, the net photosynthetic rate and the soluble sugar contents including sucrose, glucose, fructose and SUS decomposition products including UDP-glucose (UDP-G) and ADP-glucose (ADP-G) in transgenic plants were significantly improved after drought stress. RNA-seq analysis showed that overexpressing of ZmSUS1 mainly affected the expression level of carbon metabolism-related genes. Especially the expression level of sucrose metabolism-related genes including sucrose phosphatase gene (SPP), sucrose phosphate synthase gene (SPS) and invertase gene (INV) were significantly up-regulated in transgenic maize. Overall, these results suggested that ZmSUS1 improved drought tolerance by regulating sucrose metabolism and increasing the soluble sugar content, and endowing transgenic maize with higher relative water content and photosynthesis levels, which can serve as a new gene candidate for cultivating drought-resistant maize varieties.

Glycosylation of Secondary Metabolites: A Multifunctional UDP-Glycosyltransferase, CsUGT74Y1, Promotes the Growth of Plants

Camellia sinensis contains numerous glycosylated secondary metabolites that provide various benefits to plants and humans. However, the genes that catalyze the glycosylation of multitype metabolites in tea plants remain unclear. Here, 180 uridine diphosphate-dependent glycosyltransferases that may be involved in the biosynthesis of glycosylated secondary metabolites were identified from the National Center for Biotechnology Information public databases. Subsequently, CsUGT74Y1 was screened through phylogenetic analysis and gene expression profiling. Compositional and induced expression analyses revealed that CsUGT74Y1 was highly expressed in tea tender shoots and was induced under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. In vitro enzymatic assays revealed that rCsUGT74Y1 encoded a multifunctional UGT that catalyzed the glycosylation of flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignins, and auxins. Furthermore, CsUGT74Y1-overexpressing Arabidopsis thaliana exhibited enhanced growth and accumulation of flavonol and auxin glucosides. Our findings provide insights into identifying specific UGTs and demonstrate that CsUGT74Y1 is a multifunctional UGT that promotes plant development.

Alternative splicing of chitin deacetylase 2 regulates chitin and fatty acid metabolism in Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri

Chitin plays an important role in the development and molting of insects. The key genes involved in chitin metabolism were considered promising targets for pest control. In this study, two splice variants of chitin deacetylase 2 (CDA2) from Diaphorina citri were identified, including DcCDA2a and DcCDA2b. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that DcCDA2a and DcCDA2b encoded 550 and 544 amino acid residues with a signal peptide, respectively. Spatio-temporal expression patterns analysis showed that DcCDA2a and DcCDA2b were highly expressed in D. citri wing and nymph stages. Moreover, DcCDA2a and DcCDA2b expression levels were induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). Silencing DcCDA2a by RNA interference (RNAi) significantly disrupted the D. citri molting and increased D. citri mortality and malformation rate, whereas inhibition of DcCDA2b resulted in a semimolting phenotype. Furthermore, silencing DcCDA2a and DcCDA2b significantly suppressed D. citri chitin and fatty acid metabolism. Our results indicated that DcCDA2 might play crucial roles in regulating D. citri chitin and fatty acid metabolism, and it could be used as a potential target for controlling D. citri.

SIRT1, a target of miR-708-3p, alleviates fluoride-induced neuronal damage via remodeling mitochondrial network dynamics

INTRODUCTION

Neurological dysfunction induced by fluoride contamination is still one of major concern worldwide. Recently, neuroprotective roles of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) focusing on mitochondrial function have been highlighted. However, what roles SIRT1 exerts and the underlying regulative mechanisms, remain largely uncharacterized in such neurotoxic process of fluoride.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed at evaluating the regulatory roles of SIRT1 in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and Sprague-Dawley rats with fluoride treatment, and to further identify potential miRNA directly targeting SIRT1.

METHODS

Pharmacological suppression of SIRT1 by nicotinamide (NIC) and promotion of SIRT1 by adenovirus (Ad-SIRT1) or resveratrol (RSV) were employed to assess the effects of SIRT1 in mitochondrial dysfunction induced by fluoride. Also, miRNAs profiling and bioinformatic prediction were used to screen the miRNAs which can regulate SIRT1 directly. Further, chemical mimic or inhibitor of chosen miRNA was applied to validate the modulation of chosen miRNA.

RESULTS

NIC exacerbated defects in mitochondrial network dynamics and cytochrome c (Cyto C) release-driven apoptosis, contributing to fluoride-induced neuronal death. In contrast, the ameliorative effects were observed when overexpressing SIRT1 by Ad-SIRT1 in vitro or RSV in vivo. More importantly, miR-708-3p targeting SIRT1 directly was identified. And interestingly, moreover, treatment with chemically modified miR-708-3p mimic aggravated, while miR-708-3p inhibitor suppressed fluoride-caused neuronal death. Further confirmedly, overexpressing SIRT1 effectively neutralized miR-708-3p mimic-worsened fluoride neuronal death via correcting mitochondrial network dynamics. On contrary, inhibiting SIRT1 counteracted the promotive effects of miR-708-3p inhibitor against neurotoxic response by fluoride through aggravating abnormal mitochondrial network dynamics.

CONCLUSION

These data underscore the functional importance of SIRT1 to mitochondrial network dynamics in neurotoxic process of fluoride and further screen a novel unreported neuronal function of miR-708-3p as an upstream regulator of targeting SIRT1, which has important theoretical implications for a potential therapeutic and preventative target for treatment of neurotoxic progression by fluoride.

Item-specific neural representations during human sleep support long-term memory

Understanding how individual memories are reactivated during sleep is essential in theorizing memory consolidation. Here, we employed the targeted memory reactivation (TMR) paradigm to unobtrusively replaying auditory memory cues during human participants' slow-wave sleep (SWS). Using representational similarity analysis (RSA) on cue-elicited electroencephalogram (EEG), we found temporally segregated and functionally distinct item-specific neural representations: the early post-cue EEG activity (within 0 to 2,000 ms) contained comparable item-specific representations for memory cues and control cues, signifying effective processing of auditory cues. Critically, the later EEG activity (2,500 to 2,960 ms) showed greater item-specific representations for post-sleep remembered items than for forgotten and control cues, indicating memory reprocessing. Moreover, these later item-specific neural representations were supported by concurrently increased spindles, particularly for items that had not been tested prior to sleep. These findings elucidated how external memory cues triggered item-specific neural representations during SWS and how such representations were linked to successful long-term memory. These results will benefit future research aiming to perturb specific memory episodes during sleep.

Co-exposure to iron, copper, zinc, selenium and titanium is associated with the prevention of gastric precancerous lesions

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death, and gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs) are an important stage in the transformation of normal gastric mucosa to gastric cancer. Matched for age and sex, a total of 316 subjects were eventually included from our prospective observation population (including 1007 patients with GPLs and 762 normal controls), and a questionnaire survey was conducted. In total, 10 plasma elements (iron, copper, zinc, selenium, rubidium, strontium, titanium, aluminum, vanadium and arsenic) were measured by applying inductively coupled plasma‒mass spectrometry (ICP‒MS). A multivariate conditional logistic regression model and Bayesian kernel logistic regression model (BKMR) were used to analyze the association between plasma element concentrations and GPLs. In the multimetal model, plasma titanium concentrations were significantly and positively associated with the prevalence of GPLs, with a fourth-quartile OR of 11.56 ([95% CI]: [2.78-48.13]). Plasma selenium and copper were negatively correlated with GPLs, with the highest quartiles of selenium and copper having an OR of 0.03 ([95% CI]: [0.01-0.15]; P < 0.001) and 0.24 ([95% CI]: [0.07-0.82]), respectively. In the BKMR model, there was a significant negative combined correlation of five metals on GPLs: iron, copper, zinc, selenium, and titanium. The results of this study showed that plasma concentrations of selenium and copper were negatively correlated with GPLs, while plasma concentrations of titanium were positively correlated with GPLs, and the combined action of the five elements was negatively correlated with GPLs.

Thermosensitive black phosphorus hydrogel loaded with silver sulfadiazine promotes skin wound healing

Wounds can lead to skin and soft tissue damage and their improper management may lead to the growth of pathogenic bacteria at the site of injury. Identifying better ways to promote wound healing is a major unmet need and biomedical materials with the ability to promote wound healing are urgently needed. Here, we report a thermosensitive black phosphorus hydrogel composed of black phosphorus nano-loaded drug silver sulfadiazine (SSD) and chitosan thermosensitive hydrogel for wound healing. The hydrogel has temperature-sensitive properties and enables the continuous release of SSD under near-infrared irradiation to achieve synergistic photothermal and antibacterial treatment. Additionally, it exerts antibacterial effects on Staphylococcus aureus. In a rat skin injury model, it promotes collagen deposition, boosts neovascularization, and suppresses inflammatory markers. In summary, the excellent thermosensitivity, biocompatibility, and wound-healing-promoting qualities of the reported thermosensitive hydrogel make it suitable as an ideal wound dressing in the clinic.

Natural Coumarin Shows Toxicity to Spodoptera litura by Inhibiting Detoxification Enzymes and Glycometabolism

Coumarin and its derivatives are plant-derived compounds that exhibit potent insecticidal properties. In this study, we found that natural coumarin significantly inhibited the growth and development of Spodoptera litura larvae through toxicological assay. By transcriptomic sequencing, 80 and 45 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to detoxification were identified from 0 to 24 h and 24 to 48 h in S. litura after coumarin treatment, respectively. Enzyme activity analysis showed that CYP450 and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities significantly decreased at 48 h after coumarin treatment, while glutathione S-transferases (GST) activity increased at 24 h. Silencing of SlCYP324A16 gene by RNA interference significantly increased S. litura larval mortality and decreased individual weight after treatment with coumarin. Additionally, the expression levels of DEGs involved in glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were inhibited at 24 h after coumarin treatment, while their expression levels were upregulated at 48 h. Furthermore, metabonomics analysis identified 391 differential metabolites involved in purine metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and TCA cycle from 0 to 24 h after treated with coumarin and 352 differential metabolites associated with ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and amino acid metabolism. These results provide an in-depth understanding of the toxicological mechanism of coumarin on S. litura.

Functional diversity of subgroup 5 R2R3-MYBs promoting proanthocyanidin biosynthesis and their key residues and motifs in tea plant

The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is rich in polyphenolic compounds. Particularly, flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins (PAs) are essential for the flavor and disease-resistance property of tea leaves. The fifth subgroup of R2R3-MYB transcription factors comprises the primary activators of PA biosynthesis. This study showed that subgroup 5 R2R3-MYBs in tea plants contained at least nine genes belonging to the TT2, MYB5, and MYBPA types. Tannin-rich plants showed an expansion in the number of subgroup 5 R2R3-MYB genes compared with other dicotyledonous and monocot plants. The MYBPA-type genes of tea plant were slightly expanded. qRT-PCR analysis and GUS staining analysis of promoter activity under a series of treatments revealed the differential responses of CsMYB5s to biotic and abiotic stresses. In particular, CsMYB5a, CsMYB5b, and CsMYB5e responded to high-intensity light, high temperature, MeJA, and mechanical wounding, whereas CsMYB5f and CsMYB5g were only induced by wounding. Three genetic transformation systems (C. sinensis, Nicotiana tabacum, and Arabidopsis thaliana) were used to verify the biological function of CsMYB5s. The results show that CsMYB5a, CsMYB5b, and CsMYB5e could promote the gene expression of CsLAR and CsANR. However, CsMYB5f and CsMYB5g could only upregulate the gene expression of CsLAR but not CsANR. A series of site-directed mutation and domain-swapping experiments were used to verify functional domains and key amino acids of CsMYB5s responsible for the regulation of PA biosynthesis. This study aimed to provide insight into the induced expression and functional diversity model of PA biosynthesis regulation in tea plants.

Reoperation for heterochronic intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas after bile duct neoplasm resection: A case report

BACKGROUND

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) of the pancreas have similar pathological manifestations. However, they often develop separately and it is rare for both to occur together. Patients presenting with heterochronic IPMN after IPNB are prone to be misdiagnosed with tumor recurrence.

CASE SUMMARY

A 67-year-old male patient was admitted 8.5 years after IPNB carcinoma and 4 years after the discovery of a pancreatic tumor. A left hepatic bile duct tumor with distal bile duct dilatation was found 8.5 years ago by the computed tomography; therefore, a left hepatectomy was performed. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was malignant IPNB with negative cutting edge and pathological stage T1N0M0. Magnetic resonance imaging 4 years ago showed cystic lesions in the pancreatic head with pancreatic duct dilatation, and carcinoembryonic antigen continued to increase. Positron emission tomography showed a maximum standard uptake value of 11.8 in the soft tissue mass in the pancreatic head, and a malignant tumor was considered. Radical pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. Postoperative pathological diagnosis was pancreatic head IPMN with negative cutting edge, pancreaticobiliary type, stage T3N0M0. He was discharged 15 d after the operation. Follow-up for 6 mo showed no tumor recurrence, and quality of life was good.

CONCLUSION

IPNB and IPMN are precancerous lesions with similar pathological characteristics and require active surgery and long-term follow-up.

Factors predicting recurrence after left‑sided pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Recurrence after resection is the main factor for poor survival. The relationship between clinicopathological factors and recurrence after curative distal pancreatectomy for PDAC has rarely been reported separately.

METHODS

Patients with PDAC after left‑sided pancreatectomy between May 2015 and August 2021 were retrospectively identified.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-one patients were included. Recurrence was observed in 97 patients (68.8%), while 44 (31.2%) patients had no recurrence. The median RFS was 8.8 months. The median OS was 24.9 months. Local recurrence was the predominant first detected recurrence site (n = 36, 37.1%), closely followed by liver recurrence (n = 35, 36.1%). Multiple recurrences occurred in 16 (16.5%) patients, peritoneal recurrence in 6 (6.2%) patients, and lung recurrence in 4 (4.1%) patients. High CA19-9 value after surgery, poor differentiation grade, and positive lymph nodes were found to be independently associated with recurrence. The patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had a decreased likelihood of recurrence. In the high CA19-9 value cohort, the median PFS and OS of the patients with or without chemotherapy were 8.0 VS. 5.7 months and 15.6 VS. 13.8 months, respectively. In the normal CA19-9 value cohort, there was no significant difference in PFS with or without chemotherapy (11.7 VS. 10.0 months, P = 0.147). However, OS was significantly longer in the patients with chemotherapy (26.4 VS. 13.8 months, P = 0.019).

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor biologic characteristics, such as T stage, tumor differentiation and positive lymph nodes, affecting CA19-9 value after surgery are associated with patterns and timing of recurrence. Adjuvant chemotherapy significantly reduced recurrence and improved survival. Chemotherapy is strongly recommended in patients with high CA199 after surgery.

Al-induced CsUGT84J2 enhances flavonol and auxin accumulation to promote root growth in tea plants

Although Al is not necessary or even toxic to most plants, it is beneficial for the growth of tea plants. However, the mechanism through which Al promotes root growth in tea plants remains unclear. In the present study, we found that flavonol glycoside levels in tea roots increased following Al treatment, and the Al-induced UDP glycosyltransferase CsUGT84J2 was involved in this mechanism. Enzyme activity assays revealed that rCsUGT84J2 exhibited catalytic activity on multiple types of substrates, including phenolic acids, flavonols, and auxins in vitro. Furthermore, metabolic analysis with UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS revealed significantly increased flavonol and auxin glycoside accumulation in CsUGT84J2-overexpressing Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition, the expression of genes involved in the flavonol pathway as well as in the auxin metabolism, transport, and signaling pathways was remarkably enhanced. Additionally, lateral root growth and exogenous Al stress tolerance were significantly improved in transgenic A. thaliana. Moreover, gene expression and metabolic accumulation related to phenolic acids, flavonols, and auxin were upregulated in CsUGT84J2-overexpressing tea plants but downregulated in CsUGT84J2-silenced tea plants. In conclusion, Al treatment induced CsUGT84J2 expression, mediated flavonol and auxin glycosylation, and regulated endogenous auxin homeostasis in tea roots, thereby promoting the growth of tea plants. Our findings lay the foundation for studying the precise mechanisms through which Al promotes the growth of tea plants.

Facile solvent-free radical polymerization to prepare itaconate-functionalized hydrochar for efficient sorption of methylene blue and Pb(II)

An itaconate-functionalized hydrochar (IFHC) was prepared from one-step solvent-free radical copolymerization of bamboo hydrochar, itaconic acid, ammonium persulphate and sodium hydroxide in solvent-free environment, and was employed to absorb methylene blue (MB) and Pb(II) from wastewater. Characterizations show IFHC has rich carboxylate and tends to adsorb cationic contaminants. The largest adsorbed quantities of MB and Pb(II) by IFHC are up to 1036 and 291.8 mg·g^-1 at 298 K respectively as per the Langmuir isotherm. Sorption of MB and Pb(II) onto IFHC can be expressed well by Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-2nd-order kinetics equations. The high sorption performance depends on the rich carboxylate, which can adsorb MB/Pb(II) through an electrostatic interaction/inner-surface complexation mechanism. The sorptive capacity of regenerated IFHC decreased below 10% after 5 desorption-resorption cycles. Thus, the solvent-free free radical copolymerization is an environmentally-friendly strategy to synthesize novel efficient sorbents that can clean cationic contaminants from wastewater.

Using dynamic data reconciliation to improve the performance of PID feedback control systems with Gaussian/non-Gaussian distributed disturbance and measurement noise

For a stochastic PID feedback control system, the uncertainty of the working environment often leads to the unsatisfied performance of the system, which does not meet the profit requirements. The working environment generally includes external disturbance and measurement noise, etc. Gaussian distributed measurement noise and disturbances are widely considered while non-Gaussian distributed measurement noise and disturbances are rarely considered. In this paper, the performance degradation of Gaussian/non-Gaussian disturbances and measurement noise on a stochastic PID feedback system is considered and analyzed. An efficient method, dynamic data reconciliation (DDR) is developed to filter measurement noise and disturbances and improve the performance of the stochastic PID feedback control system. By utilizing model-based and measured information, DDR avoids time delays in output estimation. With the detailed theoretical analysis and simulation verification, the effectiveness of the proposed DDR technology on the stochastic PID feedback control system is verified. Compared with conventional exponential filters, DDR can achieve better control performance. The proposed DDR is also used for the control system of the DC-AC​ converter. The improved effect of DDR on the output quality is demonstrated by the results.

BsEXLX of engineered Trichoderma reesei strain as dual-active expansin to boost cellulases secretion for synergistic enhancement of biomass enzymatic saccharification in corn and Miscanthus straws

In this study, bacterial BsEXLE1 gene was overexpressed into T. reesei (Rut-C30) to generate a desirable engineered TrEXLX10 strain. While incubated with alkali-pretreated Miscanthus straw as carbon source, the TrEXLX10 secreted the β-glucosidases, cellobiohydrolases and xylanses with activities raised by 34%, 82% and 159% compared to the Rut-C30. Supplying EXLX10-secreted crude enzymes and commercial mixed-cellulases for two-step lignocellulose hydrolyses of corn and Miscanthus straws after mild alkali pretreatments, this work measured consistently higher hexoses yields released by the EXLX10-secreted enzymes for synergistic enhancements of biomass saccharification in all parallel experiments examined. Meanwhile, this study detected that the expansin, purified from EXLX10-secreted solution, was of exceptionally high binding activities with wall polymers, and further determined its independent enhancement for cellulose hydrolysis. Therefore, this study raised a mechanism model to highlight EXLX/expansin dual-activation roles for both secretion of stable biomass-degradation enzymes at high activity and biomass enzymatic saccharification in bioenergy crops.

The drifting and spreading mechanism of floating Ulva mass in the waterways of Subei shoal, the Yellow Sea of China - Application for abating the world's largest green tides

The large-scale green tides have been prevailing in the Yellow Sea over a decade. Prevention and control techniques in the source region (Subei Shoal) are urgently needed to minimize its adverse ecological and social impacts. Drifting and spreading mechanism of Ulva mass was investigated in the Subei Shoal in order to develop the early containment measures. The multidisciplinary surveys suggested twelve major waterways transporting the initial Ulva mass which was closely related to the basin topology and water circulation in the shoal. The epiphytic algal mass from the northern and eastern raft regions contributed 82.7 % of the initial floating biomass, and moved out in 4-6 days with an average drifting velocity of 0.28 m s^-1. Accordingly, two series of algae-blocking lines were proposed to remove floating mass from the shoal. And the primary field trial in 2018 confirmed the feasibility of this strategy to abate the green tides.

Fluoride impairs mitochondrial translation by targeting miR-221-3p/c-Fos/RMND1 axis contributing to neurodevelopment defects

Evidence suggests that fluoride-induced neurodevelopment damage is linked to mitochondrial disorder, yet the detailed mechanism remains unclear. A cohort of Sprague-Dawley rats developmentally exposed to sodium fluoride (NaF) was established to simulate actual exposure of human beings. Using high-input proteomics and small RNA sequencing technology in rat hippocampus, we found mitochondrial translation as the most striking enriched biological process after NaF treatment, which involves the differentially expressed Required Meiotic Nuclear Division 1 homolog (RMND1) and neural-specific miR-221-3p. Further experiments in vivo and in vitro neuroendocrine pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells demonstrated that NaF impaired mitochondrial translation and function, as shown by declined mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibited expression of mitochondrial translation factors, mitochondrial translation products, and OXPHOS complexes, which was concomitant with decreased RMND1 and transcription factor c-Fos in mRNA and proteins as well as elevated miR-221-3p. Notably, RMND1 overexpression alleviated the NaF-elicited mitochondrial translation impairment by up-regulating translation factors, but not vice versa. Interestingly, ChIP-qPCR confirmed that c-Fos specifically controls the RMND1 transcription through direct binding with Rmnd1 promotor. Interference of gene expression verified c-Fos as an upstream positive regulator of RMND1, implicating in fluoride-caused mitochondrial translation impairment. Furthermore, dual-luciferase reporter assay evidenced that miR-221-3p targets c-Fos by binding its 3' untranslated region. By modulating the miR-221-3p expression, we identified miR-221-3p as a critical negative regulator of c-Fos. More importantly, we proved that miR-221-3p inhibitor improved mitochondrial translation and mitochondrial function to combat NaF neurotoxicity via activating the c-Fos/RMND1 axis, whereas miR-221-3p mimic tended towards opposite effects. Collectively, our data suggest fluoride impairs mitochondrial translation by dysregulating the miR-221-3p/c-Fos/RMND1 axis to trigger mitochondrial dysfunction, leading to neuronal death and neurodevelopment defects.

Overexpression of the ZmSUS1 gene alters the content and composition of endosperm starch in maize (Zea mays L.)

ZmSUS1 increases the amylose content of maize by regulating the expression of Shrunken2 (Sh2) and Brittle2 (Bt2) which encode the size subunits of endosperm ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, and Granule bound starchsynthase1 (GBSS1) and Starch synthase1 (SS1). Cereal crops accumulate starch in seeds as an energy reserve. Sucrose Synthase (SuSy) plays an important role in grain starch synthesis. In this study, ZmSUS1 was transformed into maize inbred line KN5585, and transgenic plants were obtained. Compared with the non-transgenic negative control, the content and activity of SuSy were significantly increased, the amylose content in mature seeds of transgenic maize increased by 41.1-69.2%, the total starch content increased by 5.0-13.5%, the 100-grain weight increased by 19.0-26.2% and the average diameter of starch granules increased by 10.8-17.2%. These results indicated that overexpression of ZmSUS1 can significantly improve the traits of maize seeds and obtain new lines with high amylose content. It was also found that the overexpression of ZmSUS1 may increase the amylose content by altering the expression of endosperm ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) subunits Shrunken2 (Sh2) and Brittle2 (Bt2). Moreover, the ectopic expression of ZmSUS1 also affected the expression of Granule bound starch synthase1 (GBSS1) and Starch synthase1 (SS1) which encode starch synthase. This study proved the important role of ZmSUS1 in maize starch synthesis and provided a new technology strategy for improving maize starch content and yield.

Melatonin protects against developmental PBDE-47 neurotoxicity by targeting the AMPK/mitophagy axis

The neurotoxicity of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) is closely linked to mitochondrial abnormalities while mitophagy is vital for mitochondrial homeostasis. However, whether PBDE-47 disrupts mitophagy contributing to impaired neurodevelopment remain elusive. Here, this study showed that neonatal PBDE-47 exposure caused learning and memory deficits in adult rats, accompanied with striatal mitochondrial abnormalities, neuronal apoptosis and the resultant neuronal loss. Mechanistically, PBDE-47 suppressed PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy induction and degradation, inducing mitophagosome accumulation and mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, stimulation of mitophagy by adenovirus-mediated Parkin or Autophagy-related protein 7 (Atg7) overexpression aggravated PBDE-47-induced mitophagosome accumulation, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuronal apoptosis and death. Conversely, suppression of mitophagy by the siRNA knockdown of Atg7 rescued PBDE-47-induced detrimental consequences. Importantly, melatonin, a hormone secreted rhythmically by the pineal, improved PBDE-47-caused neurotoxicity via preventing neuronal apoptosis and loss by restoring mitophagic activity and mitochondrial function. These neuroprotective effects of melatonin depended on activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1 (ULK1) signaling. Collectively, these data indicate that PBDE-47 impairs mitophagy to perturb mitochondrial homeostasis, thus triggering apoptosis, leading to neuronal loss and consequent neurobehavioral deficits. Manipulation of the AMPK-mitophagy axis via melatonin could be a novel therapeutic strategy against developmental PBDE-47 neurotoxicity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Effect of discharge opioid on persistent postoperative opioid use: a retrospective cohort study comparing tapentadol with oxycodone

Opioid harm can vary by opioid type. This observational study examined the effect of opioid type (oxycodone vs. tapentadol) on rates of persistent postoperative opioid use ('persistence'). We linked hospital and community pharmacy data for surgical patients who were dispensed discharge opioids between 1 January 2016 and 30 September 2021. Patients were grouped by opioid experience ('opioid-naive' having received no opioids in the 3 months before discharge) and formulation of discharge opioid (immediate release only or modified release ± immediate release). Mixed-effects logistic regression models predicted persistence (continued use of any opioid at 90 days after discharge), controlling for key persistence risk factors. Of the 122,836 patients, 2.31% opioid-naive and 27.24% opioid-experienced patients met the criteria for persistence. For opioid-naive patients receiving immediate release opioids, there was no significant effect of opioid type. Tapentadol modified release was associated with significantly lower odds of persistence compared with oxycodone modified release, OR (95%CI) 0.81 (0.69-0.94) for opioid-naive patients and 0.81 (0.71-0.93) for opioid-experienced patients. Among patients who underwent orthopaedic surgery (n = 19,832), regardless of opioid experience or opioid formulation, the odds of persistence were significantly lower for those who received tapentadol compared with oxycodone. This was one of the largest and most extensive studies of persistent postoperative opioid use, and the first that specifically examined persistence with tapentadol. There appeared to be lower odds of persistence for tapentadol compared with oxycodone among key subgroups, including patients prescribed modified release opioids and those undergoing orthopaedic surgery.

The Protective Effect of the Asystasia Chelonoides Extracts on Hypertensive Nephropathy Rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Hypertensive nephropathy (HN) is one kind of kidney disorder caused by long-term uncontrolled hypertension, usually resulting in severe kidney damage, including inflammation and oxidative stress, no matter in cells or tissues, from patients with nephropathy. In recent years, nephropathy accompanied by hypertension is becoming one of the main causes for kidney replacement therapy, but few effective treatments have been reported for HN treatment. Asystasia chelonoides (AC) is a kind of plant with the effects of anti-inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and anti-oxidative stress. Still, the therapeutic effect of AC in HN rats is not clear.

METHODS

To establish HN model by feeding high sugar and high fat diet spontaneously hypertensive rats. Blood measurement, HE staining, PAS staining and biochemical analysis and were used to assess the therapeutic effects of AC extracts and western blotting analyzed the underlying mechanisms of AC extracts treatment in the HN rat model.

RESULTS

AC extracts could significantly lower systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean blood pressure (MBP) in HN rats; and reduce the expression of total protein (TP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), microalbuminuria (MALB), creatinine (Cr), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations, and also could down-regulate expression of IL-6, MDA and AGEs, up-regulate the expression of SOD in HN rats; HE staining and PAS staining demonstrated that AC extracts could alleviate the histopathological changes in HN rats; western blotting demonstrated that AC extracts could up-regulate the expression of PPARγ and down-regulate the expression of TGFβ1 and NF-кB in HN rats.

CONCLUSION

The finding of the article demonstrated that AC extracts had the better therapeutic effect for HN, and provided the pharmacological evidences for AC extracts treatment for HN.

Transcriptional Analysis of Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis) in Response to Salicylic Acid Treatment

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important plant hormone and signal required for establishing resistance to diverse pathogens and plant diseases. The abundant polyphenols in tea plants also defend plants from biotic and abiotic stresses. However, whether exogenous SA would increase the resistance of tea plants to adversity and the relationship between SA and polyphenols are still poorly understood. Here, we carried out SA treatment on tea seedlings and performed transcriptome sequencing. SA treatment inhibited the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolic pathways but promoted the lignin metabolic pathways. The increased accumulation of lignin in tea leaves after treating with SA indicated that lignin might coordinate SA, enhance, and improve plant defense and disease resistance. Simultaneously, an SA-inducible flavonoid glucosyltransferase (CsUGT0554) specifically involved in 7-OH site glycosylation was characterized in vitro. These results provided valuable information about the effects of SA on tea seedlings and the molecular basis for SA-mediated immune responses.

Design of fractional order PID controller based on minimum variance control and application of dynamic data reconciliation for improving control performance

Fractional order PID (FOPID) has received much attention in recent years and has been applied in different fields. However, the parameter tuning of FOPID is a tough problem. In order to design an optimal FOPID controller, a parameter tuning method based on minimum variance control (MVC) rule is proposed in both SISO and MIMO control systems Considering the influence of measurement noise with Gaussian and non-Gaussian distribution, which is generally ignored in the controller design based on MVC rule, this paper applies dynamic data reconciliation (DDR) technology to suppress its influence and improve the control performance of the designed FOPID. In the case of considering Gaussian and non-Gaussian distributed measurement noise, SISO and MIMO control systems are employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed FOPID parameter tuning and DDR method. The results show that the designed FOPID improves the performance of the control system, and the DDR technology suppresses the negative effect of measurement noise and improves the control performance of the designed FOPID.

New insights into the function of plant tannase with promiscuous acyltransferase activity

Plant tannases (TAs) or tannin acyl hydrolases, a class of recently reported carboxylesterases in tannin-rich plants, are involved in the degalloylation of two important groups of secondary metabolites: flavan-3-ol gallates and hydrolyzable tannins. In this paper, we have made new progress in studying the function of tea (Camellia sinensis) (Cs) TA-it is a hydrolase with promiscuous acyltransferase activity in vitro and in vivo and promotes the synthesis of simple galloyl glucoses and flavan-3-ol gallates in plants. We studied the functions of CsTA through enzyme analysis, protein mass spectrometry, and metabolic analysis of genetically modified plants. Firstly, CsTA was found to be not only a hydrolase but also an acyltransferase. In the two-step catalytic reaction where CsTA hydrolyzes the galloylated compounds epigallocatechin-3-gallate or 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose into their degalloylated forms, a long-lived covalently bound Ser159-linked galloyl-enzyme intermediate is also formed. Under nucleophilic attack, the galloyl group on the intermediate is transferred to the nucleophilic acyl acceptor (such as water, methanol, flavan-3-ols, and simple galloyl glucoses). Then, metabolic analysis suggested that transient overexpression of TAs in young strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits, young leaves of tea plants, and young leaves of Chinese bayberry (Myrica rubra) actually increased the total contents of simple galloyl glucoses and flavan-3-ol gallates. Overall, these findings provide new insights into the promiscuous acyltransferase activity of plant TA.

PBDE-47 induces impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis and subsequent neurotoxicity through miR-128-3p/PGC-1α axis

The potential adverse effects of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (PBDE-47) on neurons are extensively studied, and mitochondria are identified as critical targets. This study aimed to investigate whether PBDE-47 impairs mitochondrial biogenesis via the miR-128-3p/PGC-1α axis to trigger mitochondrial dysfunction-related neuronal damage. In vitro neuroendocrine pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells and in vivo Sprague Dawley rat model were adopted. In this study, biochemical methods were used to examine mitochondrial ATP content, cell viability, and expressions of key mitochondrial biogenesis regulators, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM). Mimics and inhibitors of miR-128-3p were employed to explore its role in PBDE-47-induced neurotoxicity. Both in vivo and in vitro evidences suggested that PBDE-47 suppressed PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM signaling pathways and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encoding proteins synthesis. PBDE-47 also suppressed the relative mtDNA content, mRNA levels of mtDNA-encoded subunits, and mitochondrial ATP levels in vitro. Specifically, 2-(4-tert-butylphenyl) benzimidazole (ZLN005) alleviated PBDE-47-induced neuronal death through the improvement of mitochondrial function by activating PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM signaling pathways. Mechanistically, PBDE-47 dramatically upregulated miR-128-3p expression. Furthermore, miR-128-3p inhibition enhanced PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM signaling and abolished PBDE-47-induced impairment of mitochondrial biogenesis. In summary, this study provides in vitro evidence to reveal the role of mitochondrial biogenesis in PBDE-47-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and related neurotoxicity and suggests that miR-128-3p/PGC-1α axis may be a therapeutic target for PBDE-47 neurotoxicity.

Updating memories of unwanted emotions during human sleep

Post-learning sleep contributes to memory consolidation. Yet it remains contentious whether sleep affords opportunities to modify or update emotional memories, particularly when people would prefer to forget those memories. Here, we attempted to update memories during sleep, using spoken positive words paired with cues to recent memories of aversive events. Affective updating using positive words during human non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, compared with using neutral words instead, reduced negative affective judgments in post-sleep tests, suggesting that the recalled events were perceived as less aversive. Electroencephalogram (EEG) analyses showed that positive words modulated theta and spindle/sigma activity; specifically, to the extent that theta power was larger for the positive words than for the memory cues that followed, participants judged the memory cues less negatively. Moreover, to the extent that sigma power was larger for the positive words than for the memory cues that followed, participants forgot more episodic details about aversive events. Notably, when the onset of individual positive words coincided with the up-phase of slow oscillations (a state characterized by increased cortical excitability during NREM sleep), affective updating was more successful. In sum, we altered the affective content of memories via the strategic pairing of positive words and memory cues during sleep, linked with EEG theta power increases and the slow oscillation up-phase. These findings suggest novel possibilities for modifying unwanted memories during sleep, which would not require people to consciously confront memories that they prefer to avoid.

Flavan-3-ol Galloylation-Related Functional Gene Cluster and the Functional Diversification of SCPL Paralogs in Camellia sp

The high accumulation of galloylated flavan-3-ols in Camellia sp. is a noteworthy phenomenon. We identified a flavan-3-ol galloylation-related functional gene cluster in tannin-rich plant Camellia sp., which included UGT84A22 and SCPL-AT gene clusters. We investigated the possible correlation between the accumulation of metabolites and the expression of SCPL-ATs and UGT84A22. The results revealed that C. sinensis, C. ptilophylla, and C. oleifera accumulated galloylated cis-flavan-3-ols (EGCG), galloylated trans-flavan-3-ols (GCG), and hydrolyzed tannins, respectively; however, C. nitidissima did not accumulate any galloylated compounds. C. nitidissima exhibited no expression of SCPL-AT or UGT84A22, whereas the other three species of Camellia exhibited various expression patterns. This indicated that the functions of the paralogs of SCPL-AT vary. Enzymatic analysis revealed that SCPL5 was neofunctionalized as a noncatalytic chaperone paralog, a type of chaerone-like protein, associating with flavan-3-ol galloylation; moreover, CsSCPL4 was subfunctionalized in association with the galloylation of cis- and trans-flavan-3-ols. In C. nitidissima, an SCPL4 homolog was noted with mutations in two cysteine residues forming a disulfide bond, which suggested that this homolog was defunctionalized. The findings of this study improve our understanding of the functional diversification of SCPL paralogs in Camellia sp.

Targeted memory reactivation during sleep influences social bias as a function of slow-oscillation phase and delta power

To understand how memories are reactivated and consolidated during sleep, experimenters have employed the unobtrusive re-presentation of memory cues from a variety of pre-sleep learning tasks. Using this procedure, known as targeted memory reactivation (TMR), we previously found that reactivation of counter-social-bias training during post-training sleep could selectively enhance training effects in reducing unintentional social biases. Here, we describe re-analyses of electroencephalographic (EEG) data from this previous study to characterize neurophysiological correlates of TMR-induced bias reduction. We found that TMR benefits in bias reduction were associated with (a) the timing of memory-related cue presentation relative to the 0.1-1.5 Hz slow-oscillation phase and (b) cue-elicited EEG power within the 1-4 Hz delta range. Although cue delivery was at a fixed rate in this study and not contingent on the slow-oscillation phase, cues were found to be clustered in slow-oscillation upstates for those participants with stronger TMR benefits. Similarly, higher cue-elicited delta power 250-1000 ms after cue onset was also linked with larger TMR benefits. These electrophysiological results substantiate the claim that memory reactivation altered social bias in the original study, while also informing neural explanations of these benefits. Future research should consider these sleep physiology parameters in relation to TMR applications and to memory reactivation in general.

The combined application of γ-PGA-producing bacteria and biochar reduced the content of heavy metals and improved the quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Plant growth-promoting bacteria and biochar have been widely used as immobilizers to remediate heavy metal contaminated soil. However, few studies have unraveled the effect and synergistic mechanism of combined application of plant growth-promoting bacteria and biochar on in situ heavy metal contaminated soil remediation and plant yield and quality improvement under heavy metal pollution stress. In this study, the effects of biochar, γ-PGA-producing bacteria (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain W25) and their combined application on Cd and Pb immobilization, γ-PGA production in soil filtrate, the bacterial community in rhizosphere soil, physicochemical properties of soil, heavy metal uptake, and quality and yield of tomato in heavy metal-contaminated soil were investigated. The application of W25, biochar, and their combinations significantly reduced Cd content in mature tomato fruits by 22-60%, increased the single fruit weight and lycopene content by 7-21% and 23-48%, respectively, and the combination of biochar and W25 had the best effect. All the treatments significantly reduced DTPA-Cd and DTPA-Pb contents in rhizosphere soil (42-53% and 6.5-35%), increased the pH value and the activities of urease-alkaline phosphatase of soil, but did not affect the expression of heavy metal transporter gene LeNRAMP1 in tomato roots. Biochar + W25 increased the relative abundance of plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Bacillus and Streptomyces. Biochar-enhanced plant growth-promoting bacteria to settle and colonize in soil significantly improved the ability of strain W25 to produce γ-PGA, and immobilized Cd in soil filtrate. The combination of biochar and plant growth-promoting bacteria ensures safe crop production in heavy metal-contaminated soil.

Multi-omic analyses of changes in the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma following neoadjuvant treatment with anti-PD-1 therapy

Successful pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) immunotherapy necessitates optimization and maintenance of activated effector T cells (Teff). We prospectively collected and applied multi-omic analyses to paired pre- and post-treatment PDAC specimens collected in a platform neoadjuvant study of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor-secreting allogeneic PDAC vaccine (GVAX) vaccine ± nivolumab (anti-programmed cell death protein 1 [PD-1]) to uncover sensitivity and resistance mechanisms. We show that GVAX-induced tertiary lymphoid aggregates become immune-regulatory sites in response to GVAX + nivolumab. Higher densities of tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) following GVAX + nivolumab portend poorer overall survival (OS). Increased T cells expressing CD137 associated with cytotoxic Teff signatures and correlated with increased OS. Bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing found that nivolumab alters CD4+ T cell chemotaxis signaling in association with CD11b+ neutrophil degranulation, and CD8+ T cell expression of CD137 was required for optimal T cell activation. These findings provide insights into PD-1-regulated immune pathways in PDAC that should inform more effective therapeutic combinations that include TAN regulators and T cell activators.

Poly-γ-glutamic acid promoted maize root development by affecting auxin signaling pathway and the abundance and diversity of rhizosphere microbial community

BACKGROUND

The root systems of higher plants play an important role in plant growth and development. In our present study, it was found that poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), an environmentally friendly biomacromolecule, significantly improved root development in maize.

RESULTS

After treatment with γ-PGA for 7 days, the fresh weight of maize roots was significantly increased and the differences between γ-PGA treated group and control group were mainly caused by the number (higher by 71.87% compared to the control) and length of lateral roots. RNAseq and RT-PCR analyses showed that γ-PGA treatment upregulated the expression of genes related to the synthesis of auxins and auxin signal in maize roots. In addition, γ-PGA promoted the accumulation of plant growth-promoting bacteria, such as Azospirillum, Azohydromonas, Ramlibacter, and Sphingobium (Proteobacteria), Streptomyces (Actinobacteria), Parasegetibacter (Bacteroidetes), and Gemmatimonas (Gemmatimonadetes) in rhizosphere soil and the secretion of auxins. The results of this study deepened our understanding of the effects and mechanism of γ-PGA on maize root development, and as well as highlighted the possibility of using γ-PGA to improve crop growth and soil environment.

CONCLUSIONS

γ-PGA promotes early growth and development of maize roots by inducing the secretion and accumulation of auxin in roots and in rhizosphere soil, and increasing the abundance of plant growth promoting bacteria.

Flavonol-Aluminum Complex Formation: Enhancing Aluminum Accumulation in Tea Plants

Polyphenol-rich tea plants are aluminum (Al) accumulators. Whether an association exists between polyphenols and Al accumulation in tea plants remains unclear. This study revealed that the accumulation of the total Al and bound Al contents were both higher in tea samples with high flavonol content than in low, and Al accumulation in tea plants was significantly and positively correlated with their flavonol content. Furthermore, the capability of flavonols combined with Al was higher than that of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and root proanthocyanidins (PAs) under identical conditions. Flavonol-Al complexes signals (94 ppm) were detected in the tender roots and old leaves of tea plants through solid-state ²⁷Al nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging, and the strength of the signals in the high flavonol content tea samples was considerably stronger than that in the low flavonol content tea samples. This study provides a new perspective for studying Al accumulation in different tea varieties.

A High-Precision Method of Stiffness Axes Identification for Axisymmetric Resonator Gyroscopes

Axisymmetric resonators are key elements of Coriolis vibratory gyroscopes (CVGs). The performance of a CVG is closely related to the stiffness and damping symmetry of its resonator. The stiffness symmetry of a resonator can be effectively improved by electrostatic tuning or mechanical trimming, both of which need an accurate knowledge of the azimuth angles of the two stiffness axes of the resonator. Considering that the motion of a non-ideal axisymmetric resonator can be decomposed as two principal oscillations with two different natural frequencies along two orthogonal stiffness axes, this paper introduces a novel high-precision method of stiffness axes identification. The method is based on measurements of the phase difference between the signals detected at two orthogonal sensing electrodes when an axisymmetric resonator is released from all the control forces of the force-to-rebalance mode and from different initial pattern angles. Except for simplicity, our method works with the eight-electrodes configuration, in no need of additional electrodes or detectors. Furthermore, the method is insensitive to the variation of natural frequencies and operates properly in the cases of either large or small frequency splits. The introduced method is tested on a resonator gyroscope, and two stiffness axes azimuth angles are obtained with a resolution better than 0.1°. A comparison of the experimental results and theoretical model simulations confirmed the validity of our method.

The protective effect of Bajijiasu on treatment of hypertensive nephropathy in rats

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Hypertensive nephropathy (HN) is a kind of renal diseases caused by essential hypertension, eventually worsens into end-stage renal disease (ESRD). HN could damage the renal tubules, induce kidney damage, renal failure, and increase the risk of stroke, heart disease or death, but there are few ideal drugs for HN treatment.

METHODS

In this study, we explored the therapeutic effect of bajijiasu (a compound from Morinda officinalis how and a common traditional Chinese medicine for tonifying the kidney) on the HN rat model. Biochemical analysis, HE staining, and PAS staining were used to assess the effects of bajijiasu on HN rat model, western blotting was used to analyze the potential mechanisms.

RESULTS

The results of HE staining and PAS staining showed that bajijiasu could alleviate the pathological changes in HN rat models; biochemical analysis found that the concentration of Malondialdehyde (MDA), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), microalbuminuria (MALB), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were significantly decreased compared with model group after bajijiasu treatment; and bajijiasu could regulate the expression of TNF-α, IL-6, MDA, SOD1 and AGEs in HN rats; the result of western blotting demonstrated that bajijiasu could down-regulate the expression of TGFβ1, NOX4, JNK, p-JNK and up-regulate the expression PPARγ and SOD 1 in HN rats.

CONCLUSION

Those results demonstrated that bajijiasu could alleviate the pathological changes, physiological and biochemical symptoms of HN rat models by regulating the expression of TGFβ1, PPARγ, JNK, p-JNK, NOX4 and SOD1, but could not lower the blood pressure of HN rats. Those evidences may provide a new therapeutic method for HN treatment.

MOF-Derived Co3O4 Nanoparticles Catalyzing Hydrothermal Deoxygenation of Fatty Acids for Alkane Production

Designing economical and nonprecious catalysts with a catalytic performance as good as that of noble metals is of great importance in future renewable bioenergy production. In this study, the metal-organic framework (MOF) was applied as a precursor template to synthesize Co₃O₄ nanoparticles with a carbon matrix shell (denoted as M-Co₃O₄). To select the synthesized optimal catalyst, stearic acid was chosen as the model reactant. The effects of catalyst dosage, methanol dosage, water dosage, temperature, and reaction time on catalytic efficiency were examined. Under the designed condition, M-Co₃O₄ exhibited high catalytic performance and the catalyst showed higher conversion of stearic acid (98.7%) and selectivity toward C8-C18 alkanes (92.2%) in comparison with Pt/C (95.8% conversion and 93.2% selectivity toward C8-C18). Furthermore, a series of characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen adsorption isotherms (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was applied to investigate the physicochemical properties of the catalysts. Finally, we proposed that decarbonization (deCO) could be the presumably mechanistic pathway for the production of C8-C18 alkanes from the decomposition of stearic acid.

High temperature increased lignin contents of poplar (Populus spp) stem via inducing the synthesis caffeate and coniferaldehyde

Lignin contributes to plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses and is dominantly regulated by enzymes which catalyze the generation of metabolites intermediates in lignin synthesis. However, the response of lignin and its key regulatory factors to high temperature stress are poorly understood. Here, this finding revealed that the content of lignin in poplar (Populus spp) stem increased after 3 days of high temperature stress treatment. In fourteen metabolic intermediates of lignin biosynthetic pathway with targeted metabolomics analysis, caffeate and coniferaldehyde increased evidently upon heat stress. C3’H (p-Coumaroylshikimate 3-hydroxylase) and CCR (Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase) are recognized to catalyze the formation of caffeate and coniferaldehyde, respectively. Transcriptome data and RT-qPCR (reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) analysis uncovered the high transcriptional level of PtrMYBs (PtrMYB021, PtrMYB074, PtrMYB85, PtrMYB46), PtrC3’H1 (Potri.006G033300) and PtrCCR2 (Potri.003G181400), suggesting that they played the vital role in the increase of lignin and its metabolic intermediates were induced by high temperature. The discovery of key regulators and metabolic intermediates in lignin pathway that respond to high temperature provides a theoretical basis for quality improvement of lignin and the application of forest resources.

[Autophagy promotes recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma via inducing the formation of dormant polyploid giant cancer cells]

Objective: To explore the effect of dormant polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCC) on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) recurrence and to clarify the role of inhibition of autophagy in inhibiting NPC-PGCC formation and preventing NPC recurrence. Methods: NPC cells-derived PGCC (NPC-PGCC) were induced by paclitaxel (PTX), and the morphology, polyploid characteristics and cell activity of PGCC were identified by light microscopy, immunofluorescence and Live/Dead cell double staining assays. RNA-seq was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes between NPC-PGCC and diploid nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells CNE2. Functional enrichment and pathway annotation analysis of differentially expressed genes were performed using Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). The level of autophagy in NPC-PGCC cells was assessed by Western Blot and transmission electron microscopy analysis. The role of autophagy in the formation of NPC-PGCC and the effect of NPC-PGCC on the recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied using a highly clinically relevant mouse nasopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence model. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 6 and P-values<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: NPC-PGCC induced by paclitaxel had the characteristics of burst-like division after dormancy. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses identified the significant biological processes and pathways mainly concentrated in autophagy and related pathways involving the differentially expressed genes between NPC-PGCC and diploid nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells CNE2. The autophagy level was significantly enhanced in NPC-PGCC cells. In a highly clinically relevant mouse nasopharyngeal carcinoma recurrence model, the number of PGCC in the primary tumor of the nude mice treated with cisplatin were higher than those of the other groups. In nude mice pretreated with autophagy inhibitor and then co-treatment with autophagy inhibitor and cisplatin, the number of PGCC in primary tumors was less and the recurrence rate was significantly lower than in other groups. Conclusions: The mechanism of dormant polyploid giant cancer cells formation is related to autophagy. Inhibition of autophagy can inhibit the formation of PGCC and thus prevent the recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Clinical outcome comparison of laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy vs. laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy for left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma surgical resection

Background

Laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (LRAMPS) is a validated surgical treatment for patients with left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In addition, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDPS) has purported benefits. However, there is a limited analysis comparing the results between LRAMPS and LDPS. Thus, this study aims to compare the short-term and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent LRAMPS and LDPS for PDAC treatment.

Methods

Patients with left-sided PDAC that underwent LRAMPS or LDPS from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively identified. Demographic and clinic pathologic data were collected. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) probabilities were obtained.

Results

The number of lymph nodes retrieved was significantly greater in the LRAMPS group than in the LDPS group. Several clinicopathological factors, including CA19-9 levels greater than 37 U/ml, positive lymph nodes, moderate to poor tumor differentiation, and peripancreas fat invasion, were associated with DFS. Moderate with poor tumor differentiation was associated with poor DFS (HR 0.568; 95% CI 0.373–0.921; P = 0.021). Levels of CA19-9 greater than 37 U/ml, CEA levels greater than 5 μg/ml, larger tumor size, positive lymph nodes, moderate with poor tumor differentiation, peripancreas fat invasion, and adjuvant chemotherapy were all associated with OS. LRAMPS nearly improved OS but did not reach statistical significance. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels greater than 5 ug/ml (HR 1.693; 95% CI 1.200–1.132; P = 0.001), and positive lymph nodes (HR 2.410; 95% CI 1.453–3.995; P = 0.001) were independently associated with poor OS. Treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved OS (HR 0.491; 95% CI 0.248–0.708; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

The LRAMPS procedure achieved comparable results to standard LDPS in terms of postoperative outcomes. Treatment with chemotherapy is important for the prognosis of patients with left-sided pancreatic cancer.