Within-laboratory reproducibility of Ames test results: Are repeat tests necessary?

The Ames test is required by regulatory agencies worldwide for assessing the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of chemical compounds. This test uses several strains of bacteria to evaluate mutation induction: positive results in the assay are predictive of rodent carcinogenicity. As an initial step to understanding how well the assay may detect mutagens present as constituents of complex mixtures such as botanical extracts, a cross-sector working group examined the within-laboratory reproducibility of the Ames test using the extensive, publicly available National Toxicology Program (NTP) Ames test database comprising more than 3000 distinct test articles, most of which are individual chemicals. This study focused primarily on NTP tests conducted using the standard Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Test Guideline 471 preincubation test protocol with 10% rat liver S9 for metabolic activation, although 30% rat S9 and 10 and 30% hamster liver S9 were also evaluated. The reproducibility of initial negative responses in all strains with and without 10% S9, was quite high, ranging from 95% to 99% with few exceptions. The within-laboratory reproducibility of initial positive responses for strains TA98 and TA100 with and without 10% rat liver S9 was ≥90%. Similar results were seen with hamster S9. As expected, the reproducibility of initial equivocal responses was lower, <50%. These results will provide context for determining the optimal design of recommended test protocols for use in screening both individual chemicals and complex mixtures, including botanicals.

Engineering RuBisCO-based shunt for improved cadaverine production in Escherichia coli

The process of biological fermentation is often accompanied by the release of CO2, resulting in low yield and environmental pollution. Refixing CO2 to the product synthesis pathway is an attractive approach to improve the product yield. Cadaverine is an important diamine used for the synthesis of bio-based polyurethane or polyamide. Here, aiming to increase its final production, a RuBisCO-based shunt consisting of the ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) and phosphoribulate kinase (PRK) was expressed in cadaverine-producing E. coli. This shunt was calculated capable of increasing the maximum theoretical cadaverine yield based on flux model analysis. When a functional RuBisCO-based shunt was established and optimized in E. coli, the cadaverine production and yield of the final engineered strain reached the highest level, which were 84.1 g/L and 0.37 g/g Glucose, respectively. Thus, the design of in situ CO2 fixation provides a green and efficient industrial production process.

Helicobacter pylori causes gastric dysbacteriosis in chronic gastritis patients

Gastric mucosal samples were procured and underwent the sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) via Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology to explore the impact of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on the composition of gastric flora in chronic gastritis (CG) patients. In the results, the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis revealed an overlap of 5706 OTUs shared between the two groups. The top 5 abundance ranking (TOP5) phyla comprised Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Epsilonbacteraeota, while the TOP5 genus was Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Helicobacter, Bacteroides, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas. In the metabolic pathways at the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)_L3 level, conspicuous variations across seven functions were observed between the H. pylori-positive (HP_Pos) and H. pylori-negative (HP_Neg) groups. Subsequently, functional gene enrichment in KEGG pathways was further validated through animal experimentation. In contrast to the mice in the HP_Neg group, those infected with H. pylori manifested an infiltration of inflammatory cells, an augmentation in gastric acid secretion, and conspicuously elevated scores regarding gastric activity, along with heightened levels of malondialdehyde. In conclusion, CG patients infected with H. pylori displayed a disorder in gastric flora, furnishing a theoretical basis for the prophylaxis of H. pylori infection and its associated pathogenic ramifications.

PRMT1 acts as a suppressor of MHC-I and anti-tumor immunity

Cancer immunotherapies have demonstrated remarkable success; however, the majority of patients do not respond or develop resistance. Here, we conduct epigenetic gene-targeted CRISPR-Cas9 screens to identify epigenomic factors that limit CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity. We identify that PRMT1 suppresses interferon gamma (Ifnγ)-induced MHC-I expression, thus dampening CD8+ T cell-mediated killing. Indeed, PRMT1 knockout or pharmacological targeting of type I PRMT with the clinical inhibitor GSK3368715 enhances Ifnγ-induced MHC-I expression through elevated STAT1 expression and activation, while re-introduction of PRMT1 in PRMT1-deficient cells reverses this effect. Importantly, loss of PRMT1 enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, and The Cancer Genome Atlas analysis reveals that PRMT1 expression in human melanoma is inversely correlated with expression of human leukocyte antigen molecules, infiltration of CD8+ T cells, and overall survival. Taken together, we identify PRMT1 as a negative regulator of anti-tumor immunity, unveiling clinical type I PRMT inhibitors as immunotherapeutic agents or as adjuncts to existing immunotherapies.

Two regulatory T cell populations in the visceral adipose tissue shape systemic metabolism

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is an energy store and endocrine organ critical for metabolic homeostasis. Regulatory T (Treg) cells restrain inflammation to preserve VAT homeostasis and glucose tolerance. Here, we show that the VAT harbors two distinct Treg cell populations: prototypical serum stimulation 2-positive (ST2+) Treg cells that are enriched in males and a previously uncharacterized population of C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3-positive (CXCR3+) Treg cells that are enriched in females. We show that the transcription factors GATA-binding protein 3 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, together with the cytokine interleukin-33, promote the differentiation of ST2+ VAT Treg cells but repress CXCR3+ Treg cells. Conversely, the differentiation of CXCR3+ Treg cells is mediated by the cytokine interferon-γ and the transcription factor T-bet, which also antagonize ST2+ Treg cells. Finally, we demonstrate that ST2+ Treg cells preserve glucose homeostasis, whereas CXCR3+ Treg cells restrain inflammation in lean VAT and prevent glucose intolerance under high-fat diet conditions. Overall, this study defines two molecularly and developmentally distinct VAT Treg cell types with unique context- and sex-specific functions.

The efficacy and safety of venetoclax combined with demethylating agents in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comprehensive literature search identified related studies from PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Overall complete remission (CR) and overall response rate (ORR) were applied to evaluate the efficacy of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia, and incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events were used to evaluate the safety.

RESULTS

10 studies, including a total of 930 patients, were identified in our study and analyzed using the random-effects model. Meta-analysis showed the pooled overall CR rate of 70% (95% CI: 63-77%), the pooled ORR rate of 53% (95% CI: 39-67%), and the median overall survival ranged from 7.7 to 16.9 months. A total of 6 studies reported related adverse events, mainly including thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, and pneumonia. The pooled incidence of overall adverse events was 30% (95% CI: 22-38%), and all adverse events were tolerable and resolved with treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of venetoclax and demethylating drugs has a good therapeutic effect on elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia, but it also induces some adverse events. Although this therapy has a small impact on the quality of life, further attention is still needed to reduce the occurrence of such adverse events.

Key factors capturing the willingness to use automated vehicles for travel in China

With the continuous advancement of technology, automated vehicle technology is progressively maturing. It is crucial to comprehend the factors influencing individuals' intention to utilize automated vehicles. This study examined user willingness to adopt automated vehicles. By incorporating age and educational background as random parameters, an ordered Probit model with random parameters was constructed to analyze the influential factors affecting respondents' adoption of automated vehicles. We devised and conducted an online questionnaire survey, yielding 2105 valid questionnaires. The findings reveal significant positive correlations between positive social trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, low levels of perceived risk, and the acceptance of automated vehicles. Additionally, our study identifies extraversion and openness as strong mediators in shaping individuals' intentions to use automated vehicles. Furthermore, prior experience with assisted driving negatively impacts people's inclination toward embracing automated vehicles. Our research also provides insights for promoting the adoption of automated vehicles: favorable media coverage and a reasonable division of responsibilities can enhance individuals' intentions to adopt this technology.

Dividing out quantification uncertainty allows efficient assessment of differential transcript expression with edgeR

Differential expression analysis of RNA-seq is one of the most commonly performed bioinformatics analyses. Transcript-level quantifications are inherently more uncertain than gene-level read counts because of ambiguous assignment of sequence reads to transcripts. While sequence reads can usually be assigned unambiguously to a gene, reads are very often compatible with multiple transcripts for that gene, particularly for genes with many isoforms. Software tools designed for gene-level differential expression do not perform optimally on transcript counts because the read-to-transcript ambiguity (RTA) disrupts the mean-variance relationship normally observed for gene level RNA-seq data and interferes with the efficiency of the empirical Bayes dispersion estimation procedures. The pseudoaligners kallisto and Salmon provide bootstrap samples from which quantification uncertainty can be assessed. We show that the overdispersion arising from RTA can be elegantly estimated by fitting a quasi-Poisson model to the bootstrap counts for each transcript. The technical overdispersion arising from RTA can then be divided out of the transcript counts, leading to scaled counts that can be input for analysis by established gene-level software tools with full statistical efficiency. Comprehensive simulations and test data show that an edgeR analysis of the scaled counts is more powerful and efficient than previous differential transcript expression pipelines while providing correct control of the false discovery rate. Simulations explore a wide range of scenarios including the effects of paired vs single-end reads, different read lengths and different numbers of replicates.

MoDAFold: a strategy for predicting the structure of missense mutant protein based on AlphaFold2 and molecular dynamics

Protein structure prediction is a longstanding issue crucial for identifying new drug targets and providing a mechanistic understanding of protein functions. To enhance the progress in this field, a spectrum of computational methodologies has been cultivated. AlphaFold2 has exhibited exceptional precision in predicting wild-type protein structures, with performance exceeding that of other methods. However, predicting the structures of missense mutant proteins using AlphaFold2 remains challenging due to the intricate and substantial structural alterations caused by minor sequence variations in the mutant proteins. Molecular dynamics (MD) has been validated for precisely capturing changes in amino acid interactions attributed to protein mutations. Therefore, for the first time, a strategy entitled 'MoDAFold' was proposed to improve the accuracy and reliability of missense mutant protein structure prediction by combining AlphaFold2 with MD. Multiple case studies have confirmed the superior performance of MoDAFold compared to other methods, particularly AlphaFold2.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and faecal microbiota transplantation can improve colitis in mice by affecting gut microbiota and metabolomics

Gut microbiota may have therapeutic effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Regulating intestinal microbiota through Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) and faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a novel approach to treating IBD. This study aimed to explore the effect of L. plantarum and FMT pretreatment in alleviating colitis in mice. Five groups of mice (n = 6 per group) were included: CON group, DSS group (dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis mice), LP-DSS pretreatment group (colitis mice were given strain L. plantarum and 5% DSS), DSS-FMT group (mice pretreated with faecal microbiota transplantation were given 5% DSS), and LP-FMT pretreatment group (mice pretreated with faecal microbiota transplantation and L. plantarum were given 5% DSS). Serum metabolites and intestinal microbiota were analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results demonstrated that L. plantarum and FMT improved gut microbiota in mice by increasing Firmicutes and decreasing the Bacteroidetes. In the serum metabolomics analysis, there were 11 differential metabolites in the DSS-FMT and LP-FMT pretreatment groups, and these differential metabolites were mainly glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids. It is worth noting that Lachnospira and Lactobacillus were positively associated with 8 differential metabolites. These results suggest that L. plantarum and FMT can regulate intestinal microorganisms and serum metabolomics to alleviate inflammation.

Advance of tolerance engineering on microbes for industrial production

Industrial microbes have become the core of biological manufacturing, which utilized as the cell factory for production of plenty of chemicals, fuels and medicine. However, the challenge that the extreme stress conditions exist in production is unavoidable for cell factory. Consequently, to enhance robustness of the chassis cell lays the foundation for development of bio-manufacturing. Currently, the researches on cell tolerance covered various aspects, involving reshaping regulatory network, cell membrane modification and other stress response. In fact, the strategies employed to improve cell robustness could be summarized into two directions, irrational engineering and rational engineering. In this review, the metabolic engineering technologies on enhancement of microbe tolerance to industrial conditions are summarized. Meanwhile, the novel thoughts emerged with the development of biological instruments and synthetic biology are discussed.

Water-Resistant Subwavelength Perovskite Lasing from Transparent Silica-Based Nanocavity

Great research efforts are devoted to exploring the miniaturization of chip-scale coherent light sources possessing excellent lasing performance. Despite the indispensable role in Si photonics, SiO2 is generally considered not contributing to the starting up and operation of integrated lasers. Here, this work demonstrates an extraordinary-performance subwavelength-scale perovskite vertical cavity laser with all-transparent SiO2 cavity, whose cavity is ultra-simple and composed of only two parallel SiO2 plates. By introducing a ligand-assisted thermally co-evaporation strategy, highly luminescent perovskite film with high reproducibility and excellent optical gain is grown directly on SiO2 . Benefitting from their high-refractive-index contrast, low-threshold, high-quality factor, and single-mode lasing is achieved in subwavelength range of ≈120 nm, and verified by long-range coherence distance (115.6 µm) and high linear polarization degree (82%). More importantly, the subwavelength perovskite laser device could operate in water for 20 days without any observable degradation, exhibiting ultra-stable water-resistant performance. These findings would provide a simple but robust and reliable strategy for the miniaturized on-chip lasers compatible with Si photonics.

Antibiotic intervention exacerbated oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in SD rats under hypobaric hypoxia exposure

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in maintaining host nutrition, metabolism, and immune homeostasis, particularly in extreme environmental conditions. However, the regulatory mechanisms of the gut microbiota in animal organisms hypobaric hypoxia exposure require further study. We conducted a research by comparing SD rats treated with an antibiotic (ABX) cocktail and untreated SD rats that were housed in a low-pressure oxygen chamber (simulating low pressure and hypoxic environment at 6000 m altitude) for 30 days. After the experiment, blood, feces, and lung tissues from SD rats were collected for analysis of blood, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, and non-targeted metabolomics. The results demonstrated that the antibiotic cocktail-treated SD rats exhibited elevated counts of neutrophil (Neu) and monocyte (Mon) cells, an enrichment of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SBC), reduced levels of glutathione, and accumulated phospholipid compounds. Notably, the accumulation of phospholipid compounds, particularly lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), along with the aforementioned changes, contributed to heightened oxidative stress and inflammation in the organism. In addition, we explored the resistance mechanisms of SD rats in low-oxygen and low-pressure environments and found that increasing the quantity of the Prevotellaceae and related beneficial bacteria (especially Lactobacillus) could reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. These findings offer valuable insights into enhancing the adaptability of low-altitude animals under hypobaric hypoxia exposure.

TCF-1 limits intraepithelial lymphocyte antitumor immunity in colorectal carcinoma

Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs), including αβ and γδ T cells (T-IELs), constantly survey and play a critical role in maintaining the gastrointestinal epithelium. We show that cytotoxic molecules important for defense against cancer were highly expressed by T-IELs in the small intestine. In contrast, abundance of colonic T-IELs was dependent on the microbiome and displayed higher expression of TCF-1/TCF7 and a reduced effector and cytotoxic profile, including low expression of granzymes. Targeted deletion of TCF-1 in γδ T-IELs induced a distinct effector profile and reduced colon tumor formation in mice. In addition, TCF-1 expression was significantly reduced in γδ T-IELs present in human colorectal cancers (CRCs) compared with normal healthy colon, which strongly correlated with an enhanced γδ T-IEL effector phenotype and improved patient survival. Our work identifies TCF-1 as a colon-specific T-IEL transcriptional regulator that could inform new immunotherapy strategies to treat CRC.

CALHM2 V136G polymorphism reduces astrocytic ATP release and is associated with depressive symptoms and Alzheimer's disease risk

INTRODUCTION

Depression is considered a prodromal state of Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet the underlying mechanism(s) by which depression increases the risk of AD are not known.

METHODS

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was used to determine the CALHM2 variants in AD patients. Cellular and molecular experiments were conducted to investigate the function of CALHM2 V136G mutation. We generated a new genetically engineered Calhm2 V136G mouse model and performed behavioral tests with these mice.

RESULTS

CALHM2 V136G mutation (rs232660) is significantly associated with AD. V136G mutation resulted in loss of the CALHM2 ATP-release function in astrocytes and impaired synaptic plasticity. Mice homozygous for the Calhm2 V136G allele displayed depressive-like behaviors that were rescued by administration of exogenous ATP. Moreover, Calhm2 V136G mutation predisposed mice to cognitive decline in old age.

DISCUSSION

CALHM2 dysfunction is a biologically relevant mechanism that may contribute to the observed clinical correlation between depression and AD.

Sequential transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and portal vein embolization before hepatectomy for the management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

R0 resection is the gold standard for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. However, residual liver deficiency remains a major obstacle to hepatectomy. This article aims to explore the short-term and long-term efficacy of preoperative sequential transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and portal vein embolization (PVE) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Multiple electronic literature databases up to February 2022 were searched. Furthermore, clinical studies comparing sequential TACE + PVE with portal vein embolization (PVE) were included. The outcomes included hepatectomy rate, overall survival, disease-free survival, overall morbidity, mortality, posthepatectomy liver failure, the percentage increase in FLR. Five studies included 242 patients who received sequential TACE + PVE and 169 patients received PVE. The sequential TACE + PVE group demonstrated more favorable results in terms of hepatectomy rate (OR = 2.37; 95% CI 1.09-5.11; P = 0.03), overall survival (HR 0.55; 95% CI 0.38 to - 0.79; P = 0.001), disease-free survival (HR 0.61; 95% CI 0.44-0.83; P = 0.002), and percentage increase in FLR (MD = 4.16%; 95% CI 1.13-7.19; P = 0.007). The pooled results did not demonstrate significant differences in overall morbidity, mortality, and posthepatectomy liver failure between the sequential TACE + PVE and PVE groups. Preoperative sequential TACE + PVE has been shown to be a safe and feasible treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma to improve resectability, and it has been shown to provide better long-term oncological outcomes than PVE.

[Application and practice of multidimensional teaching method in "Cell Engineering"]

In order to improve the teaching quality of engineering courses, we introduced a multi-dimensional teaching method into the teaching reform of biology majors in colleges based on the portfolio assessment in the curriculum of Cell Engineering. We reformed the knowledge system, teaching form and implementation scheme of this course. By combining the reform of online teaching, interactive teaching, case teaching and other teaching modes, the students mastered the relevant professional knowledge and the scientific and technological frontier of Cell Engineering. Moreover, their learning interest and enthusiasm, ability of analyzing and solving professional problems related to Cell Engineering also improved. The implementation of teaching reform of this course provides a reference for other similar professional courses in colleges.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia arising from malignant tumors]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, cytogenetics, molecular biology, treatment, and prognosis of patients with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia (t-MDS/AML) secondary to malignancies. Methods: The clinical data of 86 patients with t-MDS/AML in West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2010 and April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical characteristics, primary tumor types, and tumor-related therapies were analyzed. Results: The study enrolled a total of 86 patients with t-MDS/AML, including 67 patients with t-AML, including 1 patient with M(0), 6 with M(1), 27 with M(2), 9 with M(3), 12 with M(4), 10 with M(5), 1 with M(6), and 1 with M(7). Sixty-two patients could be genetically stratified, with a median overall survival (OS) of 36 (95% CI 22-52) months for 20 (29.9%) patients in the low-risk group and 6 (95% CI 3-9) months for 10 (14.9%) in the intermediate-risk group. The median OS time was 8 (95% CI 1-15) months in 32 (47.8%) patients in the high-risk group. For patients with non-acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and AML, the median OS of the low-risk group was 27 (95% CI 18-36) months, which was significantly longer than that of the non-low-risk group (χ(2)=5.534, P=0.019). All 9 APL cases were treated according to the initial treatment, and the median OS was not reached, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were 100.0%, (75.0±6.2) %, and (75.0±6.2) % respectively. Of the 58 patients with non-APL t-AML (89.7%), 52 received chemotherapy, and 16 achieved complete remission (30.8%) after the first induction chemotherapy. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates of the non-APL t-AML group were (42.0 ± 6.6) %, (22.9±5.7) %, and (13.4±4.7) %, respectively. The median OS of patients who achieved remission was 24 (95% CI 18-30) months, and the median OS of those who did not achieve remission was 6 (95% CI 3-9) months (χ(2)=10.170, P=0.001). Bone marrow CR was achieved in 7 (53.8%) of 13 patients treated with vineclar-containing chemotherapy, with a median OS of 12 (95% CI 9-15) months, which was not significantly different from that of vineclar-containing chemotherapy (χ(2)=0.600, P=0.437). In 19 patients with t-MDS, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS rates were (46.8±11.6) %, (17.5±9.1) %, and (11.7±9.1) % with a median OS of 12 (95% CI 7-17) months, which was not significantly different from that in t-AML (χ(2)=0.232, P=0.630) . Conclusions: Breast cancer, bowel cancer, and other primary tumors are common in patients with t-MDS/AML, which have a higher risk of adverse genetics. Patients with APL had a high induction remission rate and a good long-term prognosis, whereas patients without APL had a low remission rate and a poor long-term prognosis.

[Design and practice of the course of "Biochemical Engineering Experiment" under the context of "Emerging Engineering Education"]

"Biochemical Engineering Experiment" is a compulsory curriculum for the concentrated practical teaching of biotechnology majors in Hunan University of Science and Engineering. It is also an experimental curriculum for improving the overall quality of bioengineering students under the context of "Emerging Engineering Education". The course includes comprehensive experiments and designable experiments, and the contents of which are designed by combining the local characteristic resources of Yongzhou, the research platform and the characteristics of the talents with engineering background. In the teaching practice, methods such as heuristic teaching, research cases-embedded teaching and interactive teaching are comprehensively used to boost students' interest in learning and stimulate their innovative thinking and application capability. Through curriculum examination and post-class investigation, it was found that the students' abilities of knowledge transfer and application were significantly improved, and they achieved excellent performances in discipline competitions and approved project proposals. The practice and continuous improvement of this course may facilitate fostering high-level innovative and application-oriented talents of biotechnology majors.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine for menopausal mood disorder: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) on mood disorder symptoms for menopausal women.

METHODS

A total of 95 qualified Chinese participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: 31 in the acupuncture combined with CHM group (combined group), 32 in the acupuncture combined with CHM placebo group (acupuncture group) and 32 in the CHM combined with sham acupuncture group (CHM group). The patients were treated for 8 weeks and followed up for 4 weeks. The data were collected using the Greene Climacteric Scale (GCS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and safety index.

RESULTS

The three groups each showed significant decreases in the GCS, SDS and SAS after treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the effect on the GCS total score and the anxiety domain lasted until the follow-up period in the combined group (p < 0.05). Within the three groups, there was no difference in GCS and SAS between the three groups after treatment (p > 0.05). However, the combined group showed significant improvement in the SDS, compared with both the acupuncture group and the CHM group at 8 weeks and 12 weeks (p < 0.05). No obvious abnormal cases were found in any of the safety indexes.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that either acupuncture, or CHM or combined therapy offer safe improvement of mood disorder symptoms for menopausal women. However, the combination therapy was associated with more stable effects in the follow-up period and a superior effect on improving depression symptoms.

cellCounts: an R function for quantifying 10x Chromium single-cell RNA sequencing data

SUMMARY

The 10x Genomics Chromium single-cell RNA sequencing technology is a powerful gene expression profiling platform, which is capable of profiling expression of thousands of genes in tens of thousands of cells simultaneously. This platform can produce hundreds of million reads in a single experiment, making it a very challenging task to quantify expression of genes in individual cells due to the massive data volume. Here, we present cellCounts, a new tool for efficient and accurate quantification of Chromium data. cellCounts employs the seed-and-vote strategy to align reads to a reference genome, collapses reads to Unique Molecular Identifiers (UMIs) and then assigns UMIs to genes based on the featureCounts program. Using both simulation and real datasets for evaluation, cellCounts was found to compare favourably to cellRanger and STARsolo. cellCounts is implemented in R, making it easily integrated with other R programs for analysing Chromium data.

AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION

cellCounts was implemented as a function in R package Rsubread that can be downloaded from http://bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/Rsubread.html. Data and analysis code used in this study can be freely accessed via La Trobe University's Institutional Repository at https://doi.org/10.26181/21588276.

Inflammatory bowel disease and prostate cancer risk: a two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis

Background

Previous epidemiological observational studies have reported an association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and prostate cancer (PCa), but the causality is inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the causality of IBD on PCa using the mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

We performed a two-sample MR analysis with public genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data. Eligible instrumental variables (IVs) were selected according to the three assumptions of MR analysis. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was the main method. Complementary methods included the MR-Egger regression, the Weighted Median, the Simple Mode, the Weighted Mode and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) methods.

Results

Genetically determined IBD did not have a causal effect on PCa (IVW P > 0.05). Additionally, there was no causal effect of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) on PCa in the MR analysis (IVW P > 0.05). Results of complementary methods were consistent with those of the IVW method.

Conclusions

This study does not support a causal association of IBD on PCa, which is in contrast to most observational studies.

B-Cell-Activating Factor Contributes to Elevation of the Content of Regulatory B Cells in Neonatal Sepsis

We studied the role of B cell-activating factor (BAFF) in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in promoting proliferation and maintaining survival of regulatory B lymphocytes (Breg) in newborns with sepsis. The peripheral blood samples were collected from preterm neonates (n=40) diagnosed with sepsis on the day of diagnosis and on days 7, 14, and 21 after diagnosis, as well as from the matched preterm neonates without sepsis (n=40; control group). The peripheral blood mononuclear cells and B cells were isolated, cultured, and stimulated with LPS and immunostimulant CpG-oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG-ODN). Proliferation and differentiation of B-cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells and the role of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in these processes were studied by flow cytometry, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), and Western blotting. BAFF levels in the peripheral blood of neonates with sepsis were significantly increased at one week after diagnosis in parallel with increasing trend of expression of BAFF receptor. When applied with LPS and CpG-ODN, BAFF promoted differentiation of B cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells. Phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 factor and 70S6K kinase located downstream in PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was significantly up-regulated when stimulated with BAFF in combination with LPS and CpG-ODN. Thus, increased level of BAFF activates PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and induces in vitro differentiation of peripheral blood B cells into CD19⁺CD24^hiCD38^hi Breg cells.

miR-19a mediates the mechanism by which SPHK2 regulates hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma progression through the PI3K/AKT axis

This study explored the expression of sphingosine kinase 2 (SPHK2) and microRNA miR-19a-3p (miR-19a-3p) in patients with Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) together with pathways affecting HSCC invasion and metastasis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting (WB) were performed to assess the differential expression of SPHK2 and miR-19a-3p in patients with HSCC lymph node metastasis (LNM). Immunohistochemical (IHC) results were analyzed together with clinical information to evaluate their clinical significance. Subsequently, the functional effects of SPHK2 overexpression and knockdown on FaDu cells were evaluated in in vitro experiments. We performed in vivo experiments using nude mouse to assess the effects of SPHK2 knockdown on tumor formation, growth and LNM. Finally, we explored upstream and downstream signaling pathways associated with SPHK2 in HSCC. SPHK2 was significantly elevated in HSCC patients with LNM and survival was lower in patients with enhanced SPHK2 expression (P < 0.05). We also demonstrated that SPHK2 overexpression accelerated the proliferation, migration, and invasion. Using animal models, we further verified that SPHK2 deletion abrogated tumor growth and LNM. In terms of mechanism, we found that miR-19a-3p was significantly reduced in HSCC patients with LNM and was negatively associated with SPHK2. MiR-19a-3p and SPHK2 could regulate tumor proliferation and invasion through the PI3K/AKT axis. SPHK2 was found to contribute significantly to both LNM and HSCC patient prognosis and was shown to be an independent risk factor for LNM and staging in HSCC patients. The miR-19a-3p/SPHK2/PI3K/AKT axis was found to contribute to the development and outcome of HSCC.

[Effect of Wenyang Zhenshuai Granules on autophagy and apoptosis of myocardial cells in septic rats via regulating miR-132-3p/UCP2 expression]

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Wenyang Zhenshuai Granules(WYZSG) on autophagy and apoptosis of myocardial cells in rats with sepsis via regulating the expression of microRNA-132-3p(miR-132-3p)/uncoupling protein 2(UCP2). Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into modeling group(n=50) and sham operation group(n=10). The sepsis rat model was constructed by cecal ligation and perforation in the modeling group. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into WYZSG low-, medium-and high-dose groups, model group and positive control group. Rats in the sham operation group underwent opening and cecum division but without perforation and ligation. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes of rat myocardial tissue. Myocardial cell apoptosis was detected by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL) assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) was performed to detect the expression of miR-132-3p and the mRNA expressions of UCP2, microtubule-associated protein light chain 3(LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ), Beclin-1 and caspase-3 in rat myocardial tissue. The protein expressions of UCP2, LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, Beclin-1 and caspase-3 in myocardial tissue were detected by Western blot. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the regulatory relationship between miR-132-3p and UCP2. The myocardial fibers of sepsis model rats were disordered, and there were obvious inflammatory cell infiltration as well as myocardial cell edema and necrosis. With the increase of the WYZSG dose, the histopathological changes of myocardium were improved to varying degrees. Compared with the conditions in the sham operation group, the survival rate and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) of rats in the model group, positive control group and WYZSG low-, medium-and high-dose groups were decreased, and the myocardial injury score and apoptosis rate were increased. Compared with the model group, the positive control group and WYZSG low-, medium-and high-dose groups had elevated survival rate and LVEF, and lowered myocardial injury score and apoptosis rate. The expression of miR-132-3p and the mRNA and protein expressions of UCP2 in myocardial tissue in the model group, positive control group and WYZSG low-, medium-and high-dose groups were lower, while the mRNA and protein expressions of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, Beclin-1 and caspase-3 were higher than those in the sham operation group. Compared with model group, the positive control group and the WYZSG low-, medium-and high-dose groups had an up-regulation in the expression of miR-132-3p and the mRNA and protein expressions of UCP2, while a down-regulation in the mRNA and protein expressions of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ, Beclin-1 and caspase-3. WYZSG inhibited excessive autophagy and apoptosis of myocardial cells in septic rats and improved myocardial injury, possibly by regulating the expression of miR-132-3p/UCP2.

[Synchronization isolation method for multiple types of cells from mouse liver]

Objective: To explore a simple and feasible method for the isolation and purification of hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells (HSC), and lymphocytes from mice. Methods: The cell suspension was obtained from male C57bl/6 mice by hepatic perfusion through the portal vein digestion method and then isolated and purified by discontinuous Percoll gradient centrifugation. Trypan blue exclusion was used to determine cell viability. Glycogen staining, cytokeratin 18, and transmission electron microscopy were used to identify hepatic cells. Immunofluorescence was used to detect α-smooth muscle actin combined with desmin in HSCs. Flow cytometry was used to analyze lymphocyte subsets in the liver. Results: After isolation and purification, about 2.7×10(7) hepatocytes, 5.7×10(5) HSCS, and 4.6×106 hepatic mononuclear cells were obtained from the liver of mice with a body weight of about 22g. The cell survival rate in each group was > 95%. Hepatocytes were apparent in glycogen deposited purple-red granules and cytokeratin 18. Electron microscopy showed that there were abundant organelles in hepatocytes and tight junctions between cells. HSC had expressed α-smooth muscle actin and desmin. Flow cytometry showed hepatic mononuclear cells, including lymphocyte subsets such as CD4, CD8, NKs, and NKTs. Conclusion: The hepatic perfusion through the portal vein digestion method can isolate multiple primary cells from the liver of mice at once and has the features of simplicity and efficiency.

Chromosome-level genome and high nitrogen stress response of the widespread and ecologically important wetland plant Typha angustifolia

Typha angustifolia L., known as narrowleaf cattail, is widely distributed in Eurasia but has been introduced to North America. Typha angustifolia is a semi-aquatic, wetland obligate plant that is widely distributed in Eurasia and North America. It is ecologically important for nutrient cycling in wetlands where it occurs and is used in phytoremediation and traditional medicine. In order to construct a high-quality genome for Typha angustifolia and investigate genes in response to high nitrogen stress, we carried out complete genome sequencing and high-nitrogen-stress experiments. We generated a chromosomal-level genome of T. angustifolia, which had 15 pseudochromosomes, a size of 207 Mb, and a contig N50 length of 13.57 Mb. Genome duplication analyses detected no recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) event for T. angustifolia. An analysis of gene family expansion and contraction showed that T. angustifolia gained 1,310 genes and lost 1,426 genes. High-nitrogen-stress experiments showed that a high nitrogen level had a significant inhibitory effect on root growth and differential gene expression analyses using 24 samples found 128 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the nitrogen-treated and control groups. DEGs in the roots and leaves were enriched in alanines, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, photosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-pathogen interaction, and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, among others. This study provides genomic data for a medicinal and ecologically important herb and lays a theoretical foundation for plant-assisted water pollution remediation.

RGN as a prognostic biomarker with immune infiltration and ceRNA in lung squamous cell carcinoma

Regucalcin (RGN) is a potent inhibitory protein of calcium signaling and expresses in various tissues. However, the role of RGN in the tumor immunological microenvironment in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) remains unclear. This study identified the expression of RGN from public databases and immunohistochemistry with clinical specimen. The association between RGN and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) was investigated in LUSC by ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT algorithms. Similarly, the Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) database was used to identify the correlation between RGN and immune cells. The ceRNA network was established based on the data obtained from public databases. Finally, prediction of drug response to chemotherapy and immunotherapy was performed to evaluate clinical significance. This study found that RGN expression was significantly downregulated in tumor tissues and closely related to clinical factors and prognosis of LUSC patients. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) grouped by the expression of RGN were mostly involved in immunobiological processes such as humoral immune response and leukocyte mediated immunity. RGN and its related miRNA (has-miR-203a-3p) and lncRNAs (ZNF876P and PSMG3-AS1) constructed the novel prognosis-related ceRNA network. Plasma cells, T cells CD4 memory resting, Macrophages M0, Macrophages M1, Mast cells resting, Mast cells activated and Neutrophils showed significantly different levels of infiltration between high and low RGN expression groups. The TIMER database showed that RGN expression was positively correlated with certain immune infiltrating cells. High RGN expression group showed a higher TIDE score, a higher dysfunction score and a lower MSI score, presenting a possible lower efficacy after accepting the immunotherapy than low RGN expression group. RGN expression was closely associated with prognosis of LUSC patients and played an important role in tumor microenvironment. This suggests that RGN could be a promising biomarker for assessing immunotherapy efficacy and prognosis.

Induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress is associated with the anti-tumor activity of monepantel across cancer types

BACKGROUND

Monepantel is an anti-helminthic drug that also has anti-cancer properties. Despite several studies over the years, the molecular target of monepantel in mammalian cells is still unknown, and its mechanism-of-action is not fully understood, though effects on cell cycle, mTOR signalling and autophagy have been implicated.

METHODS

Viability assays were performed on >20 solid cancer cell cells, and apoptosis assays were performed on a subset of these, including 3D cultures. Genetic deletion of BAX/BAK and ATG were used to establish roles of apoptosis and autophagy in killing activity. RNA-sequencing was performed on four cell lines after monepantel treatment, and differentially regulated genes were confirmed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

We showed that monepantel has anti-proliferative activity on a broad range of cancer cell lines. In some, this was associated with induction of apoptosis which was confirmed using a BAX/BAK-deficient cell line. However, proliferation is still inhibited in these cells following monepantel treatment, indicating cell-cycle disruption as the major anti-cancer effect. Previous studies have also indicated autophagic cell death occurs following monepantel treatment. We showed autophagy induction in multiple cell lines; however, deletion of a key autophagy regulator ATG7 had minimal impact on monepantel's anti-proliferative activity, suggesting autophagy is associated with, but not required for its anti-tumour effects. Transcriptomic analysis of four cell lines treated with monepantel revealed downregulation of many genes involved in the cell cycle, and upregulation of genes linked to ATF4-mediated ER stress responses, especially those involved in amino-acid metabolism and protein synthesis.

CONCLUSIONS

As these outcomes are all associated with mTOR signalling, cell cycle and autophagy, we now provide a likely triggering mechanism for the anti-cancer activity of monepantel.

Liver sinusoidal endothelial S1pr2 regulates experimental liver fibrosis through YAP/TGF-β signaling pathway

The hepatic vascular niche plays an important role in the pathological process of liver fibrosis. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) predominantly compose hepatic vascular niches. Endothelial cell (EC)-expressing sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1pr2) plays an essential role in the regulation of vascular functions. Nevertheless, it remains unknown whether liver LSEC-S1pr2 might modulate pathological liver fibrosis. In this study, liver fibrosis was induced by hepatotoxin carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ ). The expression of S1pr2 is significantly downregulated in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells after CCl₄ treatment. The loss of S1pr2 in LSECs significantly alleviated liver fibrosis after chronic insult, whereas the overexpression of S1pr2 in LSECs accentuated liver fibrogenesis. In vivo experiments further revealed that the deficiency of S1pr2 in LSECs dampened hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation, while overexpression of S1pr2 in LSECs enhanced HSC activation with more extracellular matrix component production. Mechanistically, LSEC-S1pr2 activates the YAP signaling pathway to potentiate the transactivation of TGF-β, which acts on HSCs in a paracrine manner, and thus aggravated liver fibrosis. Taken together, our results uncover a novel pathological mechanism of liver fibrosis in which LSEC-S1pr2 plays an important role in modulating the development of liver fibrosis, providing a future novel therapy target against liver fibrogenesis.

Integrated systems immunology approach identifies impaired effector T cell memory responses as a feature of progression to severe dengue fever

BACKGROUND

Typical symptoms of uncomplicated dengue fever (DF) include headache, muscle pains, rash, cough, and vomiting. A proportion of cases progress to severe dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), associated with increased vascular permeability, thrombocytopenia, and hemorrhages. Progression to severe dengue is difficult to diagnose at the onset of fever, which complicates patient triage, posing a socio-economic burden on health systems.

METHODS

To identify parameters associated with protection and susceptibility to DHF, we pursued a systems immunology approach integrating plasma chemokine profiling, high-dimensional mass cytometry and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) transcriptomic analysis at the onset of fever in a prospective study conducted in Indonesia.

RESULTS

After a secondary infection, progression to uncomplicated dengue featured transcriptional profiles associated with increased cell proliferation and metabolism, and an expansion of ICOS⁺CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ effector memory T cells. These responses were virtually absent in cases progressing to severe DHF, that instead mounted an innate-like response, characterised by inflammatory transcriptional profiles, high circulating levels of inflammatory chemokines and with high frequencies of CD4^low non-classical monocytes predicting increased odds of severe disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggests that effector memory T cell activation might play an important role ameliorating severe disease symptoms during a secondary dengue infection, and in the absence of that response, a strong innate inflammatory response is required to control viral replication. Our research also identified discrete cell populations predicting increased odds of severe disease, with potential diagnostic value.

Regulation of denitrification performance and microbial topology by lights: Insight into wavelength effects towards microbiota

The low efficiency of conventional complete denitrification, as well as the unstable nitrite supply for partial-denitrification coupled anammox (PD/A) restrict the efficient removal of nitrogen from industrial wastewaters. Herein, we proposed an optical strategy to bidirectionally regulate denitrification by introducing lights at different wavelengths, and the underlying mechanisms were elucidated accordingly. It turned out that yellow light at wavelength of 590 nm accelerated denitrification by 35.4%, while blue light delayed denitrification with stable nitrite accumulation above 86.9% and high nitrate removal (99.8%). Microbial physiology and viability further supported the positive effects of yellow light on microbial activity. Additionally, despite the sluggish denitrification aroused by blue light, negligible cellular damage was observed. Antioxidant capability divergence, microbial community shifting and metabolic flux redirection contributed to the wavelength-dependent effects. Halomonas and Pseudomonas were identified as high-credit taxonomic biomarkers of yellow and blue light. As revealed by metabolomics, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glutamate metabolism and alkaloid biosynthesis presented high impact values. Co-analysis of metabolomics and metagenomics based on microbial topology further distinguished pivotal metabolic pathways and genes. Oxidative phosphorylation contributed to the divergent denitrification performance through electron transfer chains, whereas glutamate and glutathione metabolism contributed to oxidative stress alleviation and mediated the metabolic flux between peroxisome and nitrogen metabolism. This study shed a light on the application of optical strategy to regulate denitrification performance and achieve either complete denitrification or PD/A.

Emission characteristics of dioxin during solid waste co-processing in the Chinese cement industry

Development of co-processing technology in the cement industry in China is important for environmentally sound disposal and recycling of waste, and contributes to sustainable development of the cement industry. However, dioxin pollution could negatively affect promotion of this technology. Therefore, it is necessary to study the emission characteristics of dioxins in cement kilns. In this study, the emission characteristics of dioxins and factors influencing their generation during co-processing solid wastes were studied in 14 new dry cement kilns. The dioxin concentrations were very similar regardless of whether solid wastes were fed into the kiln. In blank runs without co-processing, the average dioxin concentration was 0.0097 ng international toxic equivalents (I-TEQ)/Nm³. By comparison, that for co-processing solid wastes was 0.012 ng I-TEQ/Nm³. These values meet the relevant emission standards. The type of co-processed solid wastes had almost no effect on the dioxin concentration. At larger production scales, the concentration of dioxin emitted in the flue gas decreased. The dioxin concentrations in kiln dust were obviously higher than those in clinker and raw materials. The average emission factor of dioxin per ton of cement was 30 ng I-TEQ/t, which is equivalent to that in cement kilns in other countries.

Whey protein hydrolysates as prebiotic and protective agent regulate growth and survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CICC22152 during spray/freeze-drying, storage and gastrointestinal digestion

BACKGROUND

Probiotic products are receiving increasing attention because of their tremendous beneficial health effects. However, it is still a great challenge to preserve probiotic viability during processing, storage and gastrointestinal digestion. Encapsulation is a widely known technology for enhancing bacterial viability and product stability. Hence highly hydrolyzed whey protein hydrolysate (HWPH) and moderately hydrolyzed whey protein hydrolysate (MWPH) used as a one-step culture medium and wall material for Lactobacillus rhamnosus were investigated.

RESULTS

H/MWPH-substitutive medium for the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus presented double the biomass production compared to other media. The H/MWPH-substitutive medium in combination with freeze drying also led to the highest survival ratio (97.13 ± 9.16%) and cell viability (10.62 log CFU g^-1 ). The highest survival rate of spray-dried cells was 85.56 ± 7.4%. In addition, the cell viability of spray-dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus with MWPH as culture and dry medium was 0.79 log CFU g^-1 higher than that of HWPH. Images confirmed that spray-dried Lactobacillus rhamnosus in MWPH provided better protection and it showed greater sustained viability after gastrointestinal digestion.

CONCLUSION

Overall, WPH just as carrier provides better thermal protection and MWPH is a preferable two-in-one medium for probiotics. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Increasing lysine level improved methanol assimilation toward butyric acid production in Butyribacterium methylotrophicum

BACKGROUND

Methanol, a promising non-food fermentation substrate, has gained increasing interest as an alternative feedstock to sugars for the bio-based production of value-added chemicals. Butyribacterium methylotrophicum, one of methylotrophic-acetogenic bacterium, is a promising host to assimilate methanol coupled with CO₂ fixation for the production of organic acids, such as butyric acid. Although the methanol utilization pathway has been identified in B. methylotrophicum, little knowledge was currently known about its regulatory targets, limiting the rational engineering to improve methanol utilization.

RESULTS

In this study, we found that methanol assimilation of B. methylotrophicum could be significantly improved when using corn steep liquor (CSL) as the co-substrate. The further investigation revealed that high level of lysine was responsible for enhanced methanol utilization. Through the transcriptome analysis, we proposed a potential mechanism by which lysine confers improved methylotrophy via modulating NikABCDE and FhuBCD transporters, both of which are involved in the uptake of cofactors essential for enzymes of methanol assimilation. The improved methylotrophy was also confirmed by overexpressing NikABCDE or FhuBCD operon. Finally, the de novo synthetic pathway of lysine was further engineered and the methanol utilization and butyric acid production of B. methylotrophicum were improved by 63.2% and 79.7%, respectively. After an optimization of cultivation medium, 3.69 g/L of butyric acid was finally achieved from methanol with a yield of 76.3%, the highest level reported to date.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed a novel mechanism to regulate methanol assimilation by lysine in B. methylotrophicum and engineered it to improve methanol bioconversion to butyric acid, culminating in the synthesis of the highest butyric acid titer reported so far in B. methylotrophicum. What's more, our work represents a further advancement in the engineering of methylotrophic-acetogenic bacterium to improve C1-compound utilization.

How are patterned movements stored in working memory?

Introduction

In this study, the change detection paradigm was used to study the working memory of patterned movements and the relationship of this type of memory with the visuospatial sketchpad in three experiments.

Methods

Experiment 1 measured participants' working memory capacity for patterned movements and explored the influence of stimulus type with indicators such as response time and accuracy rate. Experiments 2 and 3 explored the relationship between patterned movements and the visual and spatial subsystems, respectively.

Results

The results of Experiment 1 indicated that individuals can store 3-4 patterned movements in working memory; however, a change in stimulus format or an increase in memory load may decrease the speed and efficiency of working memory processing. The results of Experiment 2 showed that working memory and visual working memory are independent when processing patterned movements. The results of Experiment 3 showed that the working memory of patterned movements was affected by spatial working memory.

Discussion

Changes in stimulus type and memory load exerted different effects on the working memory capacity of participants. These results provide behavioral evidence that the storage of patterned movement information is independent of the visual subsystem but requires the spatial subsystem of the visuospatial sketchpad.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of NAC family genes in Ginkgo biloba L

NAC (NAM, ATAF, CUC2) transcription factors constitute one of the largest families of plant-specific transcription factors with important roles in plant growth and development and in biotic and abiotic stresses. The physicochemical properties, gene structure, cis-acting elements and expression patterns of NAC transcription factors in Ginkgo biloba were analysed using bioinformatics, and expression of this gene family was analysed via quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The family of G. biloba NAC transcription factors had 50 members, distributed on 12 chromosomes and divided into 11 groups. Members in the same group share a similar gene structure and motif distribution. Transcriptome data analysis of G. biloba showed that 35 genes were expressed in eight tissues. Correlation analysis suggested that GbNAC007 and GNAC008 might be involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. Expression levels of 12 GbNACs under cold, het, and salt stresses were analysed. Results indicate that NAC transcription factors play an important role in response to abiotic stresses. This study provides a reference for the functional analysis of the G. biloba family of NAC transcription factors, as well as a resource for studies on the involvement of this family in responses to abiotic stresses and flavonoid biosynthesis.

Effects of audiovisual interactions on working memory: Use of the combined N-back + Go/NoGo paradigm

Background

Approximately 94% of sensory information acquired by humans originates from the visual and auditory channels. Such information can be temporarily stored and processed in working memory, but this system has limited capacity. Working memory plays an important role in higher cognitive functions and is controlled by central executive function. Therefore, elucidating the influence of the central executive function on information processing in working memory, such as in audiovisual integration, is of great scientific and practical importance.

Purpose

This study used a paradigm that combined N-back and Go/NoGo tasks, using simple Arabic numerals as stimuli, to investigate the effects of cognitive load (modulated by varying the magnitude of N) and audiovisual integration on the central executive function of working memory as well as their interaction.

Methods

Sixty college students aged 17-21 years were enrolled and performed both unimodal and bimodal tasks to evaluate the central executive function of working memory. The order of the three cognitive tasks was pseudorandomized, and a Latin square design was used to account for order effects. Finally, working memory performance, i.e., reaction time and accuracy, was compared between unimodal and bimodal tasks with repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results

As cognitive load increased, the presence of auditory stimuli interfered with visual working memory by a moderate to large extent; similarly, as cognitive load increased, the presence of visual stimuli interfered with auditory working memory by a moderate to large effect size.

Conclusion

Our study supports the theory of competing resources, i.e., that visual and auditory information interfere with each other and that the magnitude of this interference is primarily related to cognitive load.

Fabricating Air Pressure Sensors in Hollow-Core Fiber Using Femtosecond Laser Pulse

In this paper, a hollow core fiber was spliced with standard single-mode fibers to form a fiber optic gas pressure sensor, and its sensing characteristics with single hole or multi-holes punched on the hollow core fiber with femtosecond laser pulses were investigated. The experiments demonstrate that the air pressure sensitivity of the single hole sensor was -3.548 nm/MPa, with a linearity of 99.45%, while its response times for air pressure's rise and fall were 4.25 s and 2.52 s, respectively. The air pressure sensitivity of the ten-hole sensor was up to -3.786 nm/MPa, with a linearity of 99.47%, while its response times for air pressure's rise and fall were 2.17 s and 1.30 s, respectively. Theoretical analysis and experimental results indicate that the pressure sensitivity of the sensor with an anti-resonant reflecting guidance mechanism mainly comes from the refractive index change of the air inside the hollow core fiber. The proposed device with multi-holes drilled by a femtosecond laser has the advantages of fabrication simplicity, low cost, fast response time, good structural robustness, high repeatability, high sensitivity to air pressure, and insensitivity to temperature (only 10.3 pm/°C), which makes it attractive for high pressure sensing applications in harsh environments.

Impaired sustained attention in groups at high risk for antisocial personality disorder: A contingent negative variation and standardized low-resolution tomographic analysis study

Objective

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of contingent negative variation (CNV) in groups at high risk for antisocial personality disorder.

Materials and methods

A classic CNV paradigm was used to compare the characteristics of attention maintenance among a group of individuals with conduct disorder (CD group; n = 27), a group of individuals with antisocial personality traits (AP; n = 29), a group of individuals with conduct disorder and antisocial personality traits (CD + AP group; n = 25), and a group of healthy controls (CG group; n = 30), to examine the characteristics of the amplitude and latency of CNV in different processing stages.

Results

Results of the event-related potential analysis were as follows: The mean amplitude analysis between 500 and 1,000 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitudes in the CD + AP group (-1.388 ± 0.449 μV, P < 0.001) were significantly lower than that in the CG group (-4.937 ± 0.409 μV). The mean amplitude analysis between 1,000 and 1,500 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitude in the CD + AP group (-0.931 ± 0.646 μV) was significantly lower than that in the CG group (4.809 ± 0.589 μV, P < 0.001). The mean amplitude analysis between 1,500 and 2,000 ms revealed that the mean CNV amplitude in the CG group (3.121 ± 0.725 μV) was significantly higher than that in the CD + AP group (-0.277 ± 0.795 μV, P = 0.012), whereas the mean CNV amplitude in the CD + AP group was not significantly different in the AP group (P = 0.168) and CD group (P > 0.05). Source localization results indicated altered activity in frontal-temporal regions.

Conclusion

The CNV amplitude characteristics in the CD + AP group and AP group were more consistent and fluctuated around the baseline, indicating the absence of attention maintenance resulted in impairments in attention allocation and motor preparation in the CD + AP group and AP group.

[Efficacy and safety of daratumumab in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of daratumumab in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients. Methods: Fifty-two RRMM patients treated with daratumumab from September 2019 to November 2021 in West China Hospital were retrospectively enrolled, including 31 males and 21 females. The mean age of these patients at the first diagnosis of multiple myeloma was (58±10) years. According to the dosage of daratumumab, patients were divided into low dosage group (n=10) and high dosage group (n=42). Overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse event rates were investigated. Univariate and multivariate analysis of potential factors were conducted. Results: Of the 52 patients, 8 received daratumumab monotherapy, 27 received daratumumab plus immuno-modulatory drug (IMiD) treatment, 4 received daratumumab plus proteosome inhibitor (PI) treatment, and 11 received daratumumab plus dexamethasone treatment. The diagnosis age of high dosage group patients was (57±9) years, which was significantly younger than that of low dosage group [(66±10) years] (P=0.009). The baseline creatinine level of high dosage group patients [M (Q₁, Q₃)] was 91 (68, 196) μmol/L, which was significantly higher than that of low dosage group [66 (51, 76) μmol/L] (P=0.021). There was no significant difference in other baseline clinical characteristics, previous treatment regimens, previous lines of treatment, and regimen and cycles of daratumumab between the high dosage group and low dosage group (all P>0.05). The ORR for the 52 patients was 71.2% (37/52). The ORR for daratumumab plus IMiD group was 81.5% (22/27), which was significantly higher than that in monotherapy or dexamethasone group [ORR: 52.6% (10/19), P=0.036). With a median follow-up [M (Q₁, Q₃)] of 7 (5, 26) months, the median PFS for overall cohort was 17 (95%CI: 9.6-24.4) months. The median PFS for daratumumab plus IMiD group was 26 (95%CI: 6.0-46.0) months, which was significantly better than that in monotherapy or dexamethasone group [12 (95%CI: 3.5-20.5) months] (HR=0.231, 95%CI: 0.075-0.715, P=0.011). Higher diagnosis age was the risk factor of progression (HR=1.085, 95%CI: 1.016-1.158, P=0.014), while more cycles of daratumumab treatment was the protective factor of progression (HR=0.669, 95%CI: 0.495-0.904, P=0.009). There was no significant influence of daratumumab dosage on progression (high dosage vs low dosage, HR=1.016, 95%CI: 0.221-4.668, P=0.984). The median OS for overall cohort was 26 (95%CI: 13.1-38.9) months. Higher serum calcium was the independent risk factor of death (HR=12.190, 95%CI: 1.170-127.048, P=0.037). There was no significant influence of daratumumab dosage on death (high dosage vs low dosage, HR=0.818, 95%CI: 0.171-3.917, P=0.802). Adverse events included infections (43.2%, 16/37), infusion-associated reactions (29.7%, 11/37), and thrombocytopenia (27.0%, 10/37). Conclusions: Daratumumab is effective to treat RRMM. The dosage of daratumumab has no significant influence on prognosis when used in combined treatment. The incidence of adverse events is relatively low, with a favorable safety profile.

Intermittent fasting protects against Alzheimer's disease in mice by altering metabolism through remodeling of the gut microbiota

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia without effective clinical treatment. Here, we show that intermittent fasting (IF) improves cognitive functions and AD-like pathology in a transgenic AD mouse model (5XFAD). IF alters gut microbial composition with a significant enrichment in probiotics such as Lactobacillus. The changes in the composition of the gut microbiota affect metabolic activities and metabolite production. Metabolomic profiling analysis of cecal contents revealed IF leads to a decreased carbohydrate metabolism (for example, glucose) and an increased abundance in amino acids (for example, sarcosine and dimethylglycine). Interestingly, we found that the administration of IF-elevated sarcosine or dimethylglycine mimics the protective effects of IF in 5XFAD mice, including the amelioration of cognitive decline, amyloid-β (Aβ) burden and glial overactivation. Our findings thus demonstrate an IF regimen is a potential approach to prevent AD progression, at least through the gut-microbiota-metabolites-brain axis, and constitutes an innovative AD therapeutic avenue.

CD137L and CD4 T cells limit BCL6-expressing pre-germinal center B cell expansion and BCL6-driven B cell malignancy

Aberrant expression of the proto-oncogene BCL6 is a driver of tumorigenesis in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Mice overexpressing BCL6 from the B cell-specific immunoglobulin heavy chain μ intron promoter (Iμ-Bcl6^Tg/+ ) develop B cell lymphomas with features typical of human DLBCL. While the development of B cell lymphoma in these mice is tightly controlled by T cells, the mechanisms of this immune surveillance are poorly understood. Here we show that CD4 T cells contribute to the control of lymphoproliferative disease in lymphoma-prone Iμ-Bcl6^Tg/+ mice. We reveal that this CD4 T cell immuno-surveillance requires signaling by the co-stimulatory molecule CD137 ligand (CD137L; also known as 4-1BBL), which may promote the transition of pre-malignant B cells with an activated phenotype into the germinal center stage via reverse signaling, preventing their hazardous accumulation. Thus, CD137L-mediated CD4 T cell immuno-surveillance adds another layer of protection against B cell malignancy to that provided by CD8 T cell cytotoxicity.

Advances in physiological mechanisms of selenium to improve heavy metal stress tolerance in plants

Selenium (Se) is a metalloid mineral nutrient for human and animal health. Plants are the main foodstuff source of the Se intake of humans. For plants, the addition of an appropriate amount of Se could promotes growth and development, and improves the tolerance to environmental stress, especially stress from some of heavy metals (HM) stress, such as cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg). This paper mainly reviews and summarizes the physiological mechanism of Se in enhancing HM stress tolerance in plants. The antagonistic effect of Se on HM is a comprehensive effect that includes many physiological mechanisms. Se can promote the removal of excessive reactive oxygen species and reduce the oxidative damage of plant cells under HM elements stress. Se participates in the regulation of the transportation and distribution of HM ions in plants, and alleviates the damage caused by of HM stress. Moreover, Se combine with HM elements to form Se-HM complexes and promote the production of phytochelatins (PCs), thereby reducing the accumulation of HM ions in plants. Overall, Se plays an important role in plant response to HM stress, but current studies mainly focus on physiological mechanism, and further in-depth study on the molecular mechanism is essential to confirm the participation of Se in plant response to environmental stress. This review helps to comprehensively understand the physiological mechanism of Se in plant tolerance against to HM stress of plants, and provides important theoretical support for the practical application of Se in environmental remediation and agricultural development.

Conducive target range of breast cancer: Hypoxic tumor microenvironment

Breast cancer is a kind of malignant tumor disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Its biological characteristics of rapid proliferation and delayed angiogenesis, lead to intratumoral hypoxia as a common finding in breast cancer. HIF as a transcription factor, mediate a series of reactions in the hypoxic microenvironment, including metabolic reprogramming, tumor angiogenesis, tumor cell proliferation and metastasis and other important physiological and pathological processes, as well as gene instability under hypoxia. In addition, in the immune microenvironment of hypoxia, both innate and acquired immunity of tumor cells undergo subtle changes to support tumor and inhibit immune activity. Thus, the elucidation of tumor microenvironment hypoxia provides a promising target for the resistance and limited efficacy of current breast cancer therapies. We also summarize the hypoxic mechanisms of breast cancer treatment related drug resistance, as well as the current status and prospects of latest related drugs targeted HIF inhibitors.