Promoting Diabetic Wound Healing through a Hydrogel-Based Cascade Regulation Strategy of Fibroblast-Macrophage

The management of diabetic wounds (DWs) continues to pose a significant challenge in the field of medicine. DWs are primarily prevented from healing due to damage to macrophage efferocytosis and fibroblast dysfunction. Consequently, a treatment strategy that involves both immunoregulation and the promotion of extracellular matrix (ECM) formation holds promise for healing DWs. Nevertheless, existing treatment methods necessitate complex interventions and are associated with increased costs, for example, the use of cytokines and cell therapy, both of which have limited effectiveness. In this study, a new type of ruthenium (IV) oxide nanoparticles (RNPs)-laden hybrid hydrogel dressing with a double network of Pluronic F127 and F68 has been developed. Notably, the hybrid hydrogel demonstrates remarkable thermosensitivity, injectability, immunoregulatory characteristics, and healing capability. RNPs in hydrogel effectively regulate both fibroblasts and macrophages in a cascade manner, stimulating fibroblast differentiation while synergistically enhancing the efferocytosis of macrophage. The immunoregulatory character of the hydrogel aids in restoring the intrinsic stability of the immune microenvironment in the wound and facilitates essential remodeling of the ECM. This hydrogel therefore offers a novel approach for treating DWs through intercellular communication.

Stereoselective cardiotoxic effects of metconazole on zebrafish (Danio rerio) based on AGE-RAGE signalling pathway

Metconazole (MEZ) is a novel chiral triazole fungicide that is widely used to prevent and control soil-borne fungal pathogens and other fungal diseases. However, it has a long half-life in aquatic environments and thus poses potential environmental risks. This study evaluates the acute and stereoselective cardiotoxicity of MEZ in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. In addition, transcriptomics, real-time quantitative PCR, enzyme activity determination, and molecular docking are performed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiotoxicity of MEZ in zebrafish. MEZ decreases the heart rate while increasing the pericardial oedema rate; additionally, it induces stereoselective cardiotoxicity. 1S,5S-MEZ exhibits stronger cardiotoxicity than 1R,5R-MEZ. Furthermore, MEZ increases the expression of Ahr-associated genes and the transcription factors il6st, il1b, and AP-1. Heart development-related genes, including fbn2b, rbm24b, and tbx20 are differentially expressed. MEZ administration alters the activities of catalase, peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase in zebrafish larvae. Molecular docking indicates that 1R,5R-MEZ binds more strongly to the inhibitor-binding sites of p38 in the AGE-RAGE signalling pathway than to other MEZ enantiomers. Studies conducted in vivo and in silico have established the enantioselective cardiotoxicity of MEZ and its underlying mechanisms, highlighting the need to evaluate the environmental risk of chiral MEZ in aquatic organisms at the enantiomeric level.

Four-Chlorophenoxyacetic Acid Treatment Induces the Defense Resistance of Rice to White-Backed Planthopper Sogatella furcifera

Chemical elicitors can increase plant defense against herbivorous insects and pathogens. The use of synthetic chemical elicitors is likely to be an alternative to traditional pesticides for crop pest control. However, only a few synthetic chemicals are reported to protect plants by regulating signaling pathways, increasing the levels of defense metabolites and interfering with insect feeding. Here, we found that the exogenous application of a phenoxycarboxylic compound, 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (4-CPA), can induce chemical defenses to protect rice plants from white-backed planthoppers (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera). Four-CPA was rapidly taken up by plant roots and degraded to 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Four-CPA treatment modulated the activity of peroxidase (POD) and directly induced the deposition of lignin-like polymers using hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as the electron acceptor. The polymers, which are thought to prevent the planthopper's stylet from reaching the phloem, were broken down by WBPH nymphs. Meanwhile, 4-CPA increased the levels of flavonoids and phenolamines (PAs). The increased flavonoids and PAs, together with the degradation product of the polymers, avoided nymphal feeding and prolonged the nymphal period for 1 day. These results indicate that 4-CPA has the potential to be used as a chemical elicitor to protect rice from planthoppers. Moreover, these findings also open a pathway for molecule structure design of phenoxycarboxylic compounds as chemical elicitors.

Knocking Out OsRLK7-1 Impairs Rice Growth and Development but Enhances Its Resistance to Planthoppers

Leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are an important subfamily of receptor-like kinases (RLKs) in plants that play key roles in sensing different biotic and abiotic stress. However, the role of LRR-RLKs in herbivore-induced plant defense remains largely elusive. Here, we found that the expression of a rice gene, OsRLK7-1, was induced by mechanical wounding, but was slightly suppressed by the infestation of gravid females of brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) or white-backed planthopper (WBPH, Sogatella furcifera). Through targeted disruption of OsRLK7-1 (resulting in the ko-rlk lines), we observed an augmentation in transcript levels of BPH-induced OsMPK3, OsWRKY30, OsWRKY33, and OsWRKY45, alongside heightened levels of planthopper-induced jasmonic acid, JA-isoleucine, and abscisic acid in plant tissues. These dynamic changes further facilitated the biosynthesis of multiple phenolamides within the rice plants, culminating in an enhanced resistance to planthopper infestations under both lab and field conditions. In addition, knocking out OsRLK7-1 impaired plant growth and reproduction. These results suggest that OsRLK7-1 plays an important role in regulating rice growth, development, and rice-planthopper interactions.

[Stratified endocrine therapy for advanced breast cancer: stratification guided, combination preferred]

The endocrine therapy of hormone receptor (HR)-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer has stepped into an era of targeted combination therapy. Many targeted agents, led by cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i), have provided abundant treatment options for patients with HR-positive HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. To meet the needs of clinical practice in China and standardize the administration of targeted agents, the stratified endocrine strategy for advanced breast cancer has been proposed by Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) Breast Cancer guidelines based on medicine evidence and drug accessibility, offering scientific and organized decision-making guidance for clinical oncologists.

Enantioselective activity and toxicity of chiral acaricide cyflumetofen toward target and non-target organisms

Cyflumetofen (CYF), a novel chiral acaricide, exert enantiomer-specific effects on target organisms by binding to glutathione S-transferase. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the response of non-target organisms to CYF, including enantioselective toxicity. In this study, we investigated the effects of racemic CYF (rac-CYF) and its two enantiomers (+)-CYF and (-)-CYF on MCF-7 cells and non-target (honeybees) and target (bee mites and red spider mites) organisms. The results showed that similar to estradiol, 1 μM (+)-CYF promoted the proliferation and disturbed the redox homeostasis of MCF-7 cells, whereas at high concentrations (≥100 μM) it exerted a negative effect on cell viability that was substantially stronger than that of (-)-CYF or rac-CYF. (-)-CYF and rac-CYF at 1 μM concentration did not significantly affect cell proliferation, but caused cell damage at high concentrations (≥100 μM). Analysis of acute CYF toxicity against non-target and target organisms revealed that for honeybees, all CYF samples had high lethal dose (LD₅₀) values, indicating low toxicity. In contrast, for bee mites and red spider mites, LD₅₀ values were low, whereas those of (+)-CYF were the lowest, suggesting higher toxicity of (+)-CYF than that of the other CYF samples. Proteomics profiling revealed potential CYF-targeted proteins in honeybees related to energy metabolism, stress responses, and protein synthesis. Upregulation of estrogen-induced FAM102A protein analog indicated that CYF might exert estrogenic effects by dysregulating estradiol production and altering estrogen-dependent protein expression in bees. Our findings suggest that CYF functions as an endocrine disruptor in non-target organisms in an enantiomer-specific manner, indicating the necessity for general ecological risk assessment for chiral pesticides.

Antimicrobial activity and comparative metabolomic analysis of Priestia megaterium strains derived from potato and dendrobium

The growth of endophytic bacteria is influenced by the host plants and their secondary metabolites and activities. In this study, P. megaterium P-NA14 and P. megaterium D-HT207 were isolated from potato tuber and dendrobium stem respectively. They were both identified as Priestia megaterium. The antimicrobial activities and metabolites of both strains were explored. For antimicrobial activities, results showed that P. megaterium P-NA14 exhibited a stronger inhibition effect on the pathogen of dendrobium, while P. megaterium D-HT207 exhibited a stronger inhibition effect on the pathogen of potato. The supernatant of P. megaterium P-NA14 showed an inhibition effect only on Staphylococcus aureus, while the sediment of P. megaterium D-HT207 showed an inhibition effect only on Escherichia coli. For metabolomic analysis, the content of L-phenylalanine in P. megaterium P-NA14 was higher than that of P. megaterium D-HT207, and several key downstream metabolites of L-phenylalanine were associated with inhibition of S. aureus including tyrosine, capsaicin, etc. Therefore, we speculated that the different antimicrobial activities between P. megaterium P-NA14 and P. megaterium D-HT207 were possibly related to the content of L-phenylalanine and its metabolites. This study preliminarily explored why the same strains isolated from different hosts exhibit different activities from the perspective of metabolomics.

[Evaluation of the impact of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine included in an expanded immunization program on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province-based on interrupted time series]

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine included in an expanded immunization program on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province. Methods: Information on the reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province from 1987 to 2019 was collected through the National Population Health Science Data Center and the China Disease Prevention and Control Information System. In addition, the trend of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate in Gansu province before and after the inclusion of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the expanded immunization program was analyzed using an interrupted time-series design. Results: The annual reported incidence rate of Japanese encephalitis in Gansu province from 1987 to 2019 was 0.448/per 100 000. However, after the inclusion of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the expanded immunization program in Gansu province in 2008, the amount of change in the level of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate was -2.223/per 100 000 (t=-2.90, P=0.007), the amount of change in the slope of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate was 0.082 (t=2.87, P=0.008) with the slope of Japanese encephalitis reported incidence rate as 0.071 (β₁+β₃=0.071). Conclusions: The Japanese encephalitis vaccine has achieved good prevention and control effects in Gansu province in the short term after its inclusion in the expanded immunization program, but outbreaks of Japanese encephalitis have still occurred. Therefore, in the future, Gansu province should promptly adjust the immunization strategy of the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and strengthen the vaccination of the adult population, especially the rural adult population in the southeastern region of Gansu province, based on the continued focus on the works on Japanese encephalitis vaccination for children and adolescents.

Analysis of Endophytic Bacterial Diversity From Different Dendrobium Stems and Discovery of an Endophyte Produced Dendrobine-Type Sesquiterpenoid Alkaloids

As the unique component of Dendrobium, dendrobine-type sesquiterpenoid alkaloids (DSAs) possess a variety of medicinal properties. It has been well documented that plant endophytes can in vitro synthesize secondary metabolites identical or similar to metabolites produced by their host plants. This study aimed to investigate the composition and distribution of endophytic bacteria of Dendrobium stems by Illumina MiSeq platform sequencing and cultivation-dependent methods and then to assess the potential for endophytic bacteria to produce DSAs. Results indicated that it was necessary to combine both cultivation-dependent and cultivation-independent methods to analyze the community structure of endophytic bacterial in plants comprehensively. The length of the Dendrobium stems influenced the endophytic bacterial community. The diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria in group J10_15cm of stems were the highest, which showed a significant difference from the other stem groups. However, there was no certain connection between the diversity and richness of endophytic bacteria and the content of dendrobine. It was most likely due to the influence of several specific endophytic bacteria genera, such as Sphingomonas and Rhodococcus. Athelia rolfsii, Myrothecium roridum, as pathogenic fungi, and Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. actinidiae, as pathogenic bacteria of Dendrobium, were used to determine the antimicrobial activities. In these assays, six strains belonging to five genera showed antimicrobial activity against at least two phytopathogens. The strain BL-YJ10_15-29 (Paracoccus pueri THG-N2.35, 98.98%) showed the best antimicrobial activity against the three phytopathogens. In addition, 2 DSAs (6-hydroxydendrobine and nobilonine) were identified in the fermentation supernatant of the strain CM-YJ10_15-44 (Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, 99.24%), whereas the whole-genome analysis results further demonstrated that the precursors of the two DSAs [geranyl-PP and (E, E)-famesyl-PP] were synthesized mainly through the methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate pathway in this strain. This study provides new insight into the studies on the biosynthesis of DSAs and provides potential biocontrol bacteria.

[Orexin-A inhibits γ-aminobutyric acid current of neonatal rat spinal cord ventral horn neurons by activating OX1R, OX2R and Ca2+-independent PKC]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of orexin-A on the functionality of ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors in spinal cord ventral horn neurons and its mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE

The spinal cord containing the lumbosacral enlargement was isolated from neonatal SD rats (7-12 days old) and sliced. The slices were digested with papain (in 0.18 g/30 mL artificial cerebrospinal fluid) for 40-60 min, and the ventral horn neurons were separated acutely using fire-polished Pasteur pipettes. After the cells adhered to the bottom of Petri dishes, patch-clamp experiments combined with pharmacological methods were performed to test the effects of orexin-A on GABA currents of the neurons treated with SB334867 (a selective OX₁R antagonist), TCSOX229 (a selective OX₂R antagonist), Bis-Ⅳ (a PKC inhibitor), PMA (a PKC agonist), Rp-cAMP (a PKA inhibitor), or BAPTA (Ca²⁺ chelator).

OBJECTIVE

The isolated neurons maintained good morphologies with diverse shapes of cell body and long protrusions. Treatment with orexin-A significantly inhibited the amplitude of GABA-induced current (P < 0.001, n=49) with an inhibition rate of (67.48±12.50)%. SB334867 and TCSOX229, when applied simultaneously, completely abolished the suppressive effect of orexin-A on the GABA currents (P=0.93, n=6), and their separate use partially relieved the suppressive effect of orexin-A (P=0.001, n=8; P=0.02, n=8). The application of Bis-Ⅳ also abolished the suppressive effect of orexin-A on GABA currents (P=0.31, n=5). PMA mimicked the effect of orexin-A in these neurons and significantly inhibited GABA currents with an inhibition rate of (60.79±10.94)%, and the application of orexin-A did not cause further suppression of GABA currents in PMA-treated neurons (P=0.15, n=6). Orexin-A was still capable of suppressing GABA currents in Rp-cAMP-treated neurons (P=0.001, n=5). The extracellular Ca²⁺-free solution (P=0.004, n=8) or the presence of BAPTA (P=0.04, n=7) did not significantly affect the inhibitory effect of orexin-A on GABA currents.

OBJECTIVE

Orexin-A inhibits GABA currents in the ventral horn neurons of rat spinal cord probably by activating OX₁R, OX₂R and Ca²⁺-independent PKC.

Osteopromotive carbon dots promote bone regeneration through the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway

Bone defects are still an unsolved clinical issue that must be overcome. Carbon dots have shown very promising effects in biological therapy. In the current study, we explored their effects on osteogenesis. Furthermore, we revealed the mechanisms in order to develop novel therapeutic approaches to manage the bone defect. For this study, ascorbic acid carbon dots (CDs) were created by a one-step microwave-assisted method. Results showed that the CDs effectively enhanced matrix mineralization, promoted osteogenic differentiation in vitro, and promoted new bone regeneration in the skull defect model in vivo. Furthermore, our data demonstrated that the ER stress and PERK-eIF2α-ATF4 pathway were activated by the CD-induced increase in intracellular calcium. Taken together, our findings suggest that the PERK pathway plays a critical role in CD-induced osteogenic differentiation, and the CDs created herein have the potential to be used to repair bone defects in clinical practice.

Antimicrobial Activity Against Phytopathogens and Inhibitory Activity on Solanine in Potatoes of the Endophytic Bacteria Isolated From Potato Tubers

As an important global crop, the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) contains the endotoxin solanine that leads to human poisoning and major economic losses. Poisoning symptoms and even acute poisoning may occur when the content of solanine in potatoes exceeds 200 mg/kg. In addition, potatoes are susceptible to some pathogenic bacteria, including Streptomyces scabies and Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica (Van Hall) dye, which can cause potato scab and potato blackleg disease, respectively. In this study, 37 culturable endophytic bacteria strains were obtained from potato tubers based on the culture-dependent method. Results indicated that nine strains showed antimicrobial activity against at least one pathogen by antimicrobial activity screening and 23 strains showed inhibitory activity on solanine in potato tubers. Among them, strain P-NA2-14 (Bacillus megaterium NBRC 15308T, 99.31%) showed not only better antimicrobial activity against both the two indicator pathogens, but also the best inhibitory activity on solanine, which was proved to be a potential biocontrol bacterium. Meanwhile, the relationship between the distribution of the endophytic bacterial community and the content of solanine in potato tubers was studied by Illumina-based analysis, indicating that the distribution of the endophytic bacterial community was obviously influenced by the content of solanine. The results showed a new insight into the relationship between plant secondary metabolites and endophytic bacteria in potato tubers and provided potential new technical support for the biological control of potato storage.

Long non-coding RNA TIRY promotes tumor metastasis by enhancing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in oral cancer

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate a variety of cancerous biological processes, including the promotion of tumorigenicity in tumor parenchymal cells. However, there is a lack of studies assessing the regulation of lncRNAs in cancer-associated fibroblasts. In the present study, a novel lncRNA, TIRY, was found to act as a miRNA sponge and to downregulate miR-14 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay was used to evaluate TIRY expression in OSCC tissues. Survival analysis in a prospective cohort revealed a correlation between high TIRY expression and short progression-free survival. Subsequently, TIRY expression in cancer-associated fibroblasts and primary fibroblasts from adjacent normal (para-carcinoma) tissues was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. TIRY overexpression in cancer-associated fibroblasts isolated from OSCC tissues was induced by overexpressing the TIRY plasmid, and candidate microRNA expressions were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, the expression of proteins related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was determined; the proliferation, metastasis, and invasion of cancer cells co-cultured with TIRY-overexpressing cancer-associated fibroblasts were determined. We found significantly decreased miR-14 expression in cancer-associated fibroblast-derived exosomes and increased expression of EMT markers including transcription factors (Snail and FOXC2) and cellular scaffolding proteins (α-SMA, β-catenin, and FSP1). TIRY overexpression in cancer-associated fibroblasts activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and promoted the invasion and metastasis of OSCC cells through miR-14 sponging based on cancer-associated exosome secretion. Our findings provide a novel molecular mechanism underlying the role of TIRY in cancer-associated fibroblasts in tumor biology; moreover, TIRY is a potential therapeutic target in OSCC.

Impact statement

This study demonstrated the novel lncRNA, TIRY, enhances epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in cancer-associated fibroblasts and promotes the metastasis of tumor via miR-14 sponging in oral squamous cell carcinoma, and thus provide a novel molecular mechanism underlying the role of TIRY in CAFs in tumor biology and a potential target in OSCC. Further, the data showed that TIRY expression was negatively correlated with miR-14 transcription levels and was associated with poor prognosis in OSCC specimens. Therefore, TIRY may be a potential prognostic biomarker of overall survival and progression-free survival in OSCC. Moreover, TIRY adds to the understanding of regulatory mechanisms involved in CAFs and epithelial cancer cells in OSCC and may provide novel insights for further understanding tumor biology.

STIM1 knock-down decreases the affinity of obinutuzumab for CD20 by altering CD20 localization to Triton-soluble membrane

Obinutuzumab is thought to exert its effects through its high antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) via glyco-engineering of the Fc region. In addition, obinutuzumab causes direct binding-induced cell death (DCD) only by specifically binding to its target CD20, a Ca²⁺ channel. However, the specific features of CD20 related to obinutuzumab binding-induction of cell death are not clearly understood. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between the Ca²⁺ channel features of CD20 as a store-operated Ca²⁺ channel (SOC) and obinutuzumab binding-induced cell death. Ca²⁺ channel function and biochemical analysis revealed that CD20 is an Orai1- and stromal interaction molecule (STIM1)-dependent Ca²⁺ pore. However, binding of obinutuzumab on CD20 did not have any effect on Ca²⁺ influx activity of CD20; the direct cell death rate mediated by obinutuzumab binding was almost equivalent with or without the extracellular Ca²⁺ condition. Given the apparent interaction between STIM1 and CD20, we observed Triton-X solubilized obinutuzumab-bound CD20 accompanied by STIM1. Subsequently, obinutuzumab binding and cell death were decreased by STIM1 knock-down in Ramos B cells. Thus, STIM1 directly contributes to cell death by increasing the affinity of cells for obinutuzumab by transferring CD20 to the Triton-soluble membrane region.

[Investigation on social security of pneumoconiosis patients in Chongqing]

Objective: To investigate the living conditions, insurance coverage, and assistance of pneumoconiosis patients diagnosed in Chongqing from May 2006 to May 2018. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in July 2018, and 40 890 pneumoconiosis patients from occupational diseases report management agency were obtained. 34 625 cases meeting the inclusion criteria were investigated, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed on the data. Results: There were 34 625 cases of pneumoconiosis patients alive in Chongqing, and 22730 (65.6%) had participated in work-related injury insurance, 6 308 (18.2%) had participated in basic medical insurance for urban employees which were still effective. 27 056 (78.1%) had participated in cooperative insurance for urban and rural residents which were still effective. 4 393 (12.7%) received assistance for the residents in need in urban and rural areas. 5827 (16.8%) benefited the policy of "Xiangyu Railway". There were 7 961 cases (2.4%) whose work-related injury insurance had expired did not get one-off compensation, and did not receive any assistance. Conclusion: Most of the patients with pneumoconiosis in Chongqing obtained protection in terms of work-related injury insurance, medical insurance, civil assistance and poverty alleviation to a certain extent, but the strength of the guarantee is not enough. Patients with pneumoconiosis might suffer from poverty caused by illness. It is recommended to improve the system of work-related injury insurance benefits, establish special funds for pneumoconiosis patients, strengthen health education and health promotion for pneumoconiosis patients, and strengthen the management of pneumoconiosis patients.

[Epidemiological analysis of new pneumoconiosis among workers in coal industry in Chongqing]

Objective: To analyze the incidence of pneumoconiosis among workers in the coal industry in the past 13 years in Chongqing, understand the different epidemiological characteristics of new pneumoconiosis among workers in the coal industry in the city, provide basic evidence for the prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis. Methods: Collecting new cases of pneumoconiosis diagnosed in the coal industry in Chongqing in January 2006-May 2018, and analyze its epidemiological characteristics. Results: In January 2006-May 2018, 25329 cases of pneumoconiosis were added to workers in the coal industry in Chongqing, and 23, 328 cases were present, all male. Among the existing cases: coal workers' pneumoconiosis accounted for 89.30%, silicosis accounted for 10.70%; age distribution was 50-59 years old. The main, accounting for 45.19%, the average age of onset was 52.21±7.45 years; the actual dusting age was mainly 10-19 years, the average actual working age was 17.52±8.47 years; the distribution of the work was mainly by the main coal mining (53.20%) ; There are more new cases in enterprises, accounting for 88.86%; distributed in 36 districts and counties. Conclusion: There was a large number of new pneumoconiosis diseases in the coal industry in Chongqing. Different measures should be taken according to the characteristics of different enterprises, and relevant enterprises should be urged to take the initiative to carry out occupational health surveillance, effectively protect the health of workers, improve the coordination mechanism, improve medical security, and gradually realize government assistance and Social care is combined.

[Study on clinical classification of Japanese encephalitis by Bayes discriminant analysis]

Objective: To construct Bayes discriminant function for clinical classification of common and severe Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases, and to identify cases accurately with quantitative indicators. Methods: Samples of confirmed common and severe JE cases reported by the epidemic surveillance system of Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2005 to 2017 were collected. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis and Bayes stepwise discriminant analysis were used to screen meaningful clinical indicators, so as to construct and evaluate Bayes discriminant function. Results: There were 256 common JE cases and 257 severe JE cases. There were no significant differences in sex, age and occupation distributions between the two groups (P>0.05) and there was significant difference in case fatality rate (P<0.05). Non-conditional logistic regression analysis and Bayes stepwise discriminant analysis, combined with using related literature, to screen 11 clinical indicators for the construction of Bayes discriminant function. Interactive validation showed that the sensitivity of discriminant function was 71.48% (95%CI: 65.53%-76.93%) and the specificity was 73.93% (95%CI: 68.11%-79.19%). The area under ROC curve was 0.761 (95%CI: 0.720-0.803) and the total accuracy rate was 72.71%. Conclusion: Bayes discriminant function can be used to identify common and severe JE cases more accurately, which is helpful for the reasonable treatment and good prognosis of JE patients.

Pathway crosstalk analysis in prostate cancer based on protein-protein network data

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the major leading cause in men and no effective biomarkers or therapy have been approved for it to date. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms and identify the potential molecular biomarkers of PCa. The microarray profile GSE38241 including 18 prostate cancer metastasis and 21 normal prostate samples was retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by Limma. DEGs functions were investigated by Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis. Moreover, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed, followed by functional analysis of modules. Additionally, pathway crosstalk network was constructed by integrating PPI network and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways. Totally, 334 up - and 703 down-regulated DEGs were identified. The functions of up-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in GO terms of cell cycle phase and cell cycle process. While down-regulated DEGs mainly participated in actin filament-based process. Among these pathways in the pathway crosstalk network, T cell receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathways, endometrial cancer and glioma were found to play critical roles during PC progression. Cell division cycle 45 (CDC45), baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) and cell division cycle associated 5 (CDCA5) may be useful markers for predicting tumor metastasis and therapeutic targets for the treatment of PCa patients. Moreover, the pathway crosstalk network provides the groundwork that targeting multiple pathways might be more effective than targeting one pathway alone.

Citrus sinensis MYB Transcription Factor CsMYB85 Induce Fruit Juice Sac Lignification Through Interaction With Other CsMYB Transcription Factors

Varieties of Citrus are commercially important fruits that are cultivated worldwide and are valued for being highly nutritious and having an appealing flavor. Lignification of citrus fruit juice sacs is a serious physiological disorder that occurs during postharvest storage, for which the underlying transcriptional regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we identified and isolated a candidate MYB transcription factor, CsMYB85, that is involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis in Citrus sinensis, which has homologs in Arabidopsis and other plants. We found that during juice sac lignification, CsMYB85 expression levels increase significantly, and therefore, suspected that this gene may control lignin biosynthesis during the lignification process. Our results indicated that CsMYB85 binds the CsMYB330 promoter, regulates its expression, and interacts with CsMYB308 in transgenic yeast and tobacco. A transient expression assay indicated that Cs4CL1 expression levels and lignin content significantly increased in fruit juice sacs overexpressing CsMYB85. At4CL1 expression levels and lignin content were also significantly increased in Arabidopsis overexpressing CsMYB85. We accordingly present convincing evidence for the participation of the CsMYB85 transcription factor in fruit juice sac lignification, and thereby provide new insights into the transcriptional regulation of this process in citrus fruits.

Citrus sinensis MYB transcription factors CsMYB330 and CsMYB308 regulate fruit juice sac lignification through fine-tuning expression of the Cs4CL1 gene

Lignin is one of the most important components of the plant cell wall, and the expression and transcriptional regulation of lignin biosynthesis-related genes have been studied widely in Arabidopsis and other plants. Citrus fruit juice sacs often undergo lignification, particularly during fruit ripening and storage periods; however, the underlying genetic mechanisms have been little investigated. In this study, we isolated and identified CsMYB330 and CsMYB308 transcription factors, and found that their expression levels are significantly altered during the lignification of citrus fruit juice sacs. We found that CsMYB330 and CsMYB308 can recognize and bind AC elements in the Cs4CL1 promoter and finely regulate expression of the Cs4CL1 gene. In this regulatory process, CsMYB330 was identified as a transcriptional activator, whereas CsMYB308 appears to be a transcriptional repressor. In addition, using a transient assay, we demonstrated that expression of the Cs4CL1 gene is significantly altered in fruit juice sacs overexpressing these two transcription factors. These results indicate that the transcription factors CsMYB330 and CsMYB308 play important roles in the lignification of citrus fruit juice sacs and provide novel insights into the transcriptional regulation associated with fruit juice sac lignification.

Synthesis of cyclic ethers by cyclodehydration of 1,n-diols using heteropoly acids as catalysts

Heteropoly acids were used as catalysts for cyclodehydration of various 1,n-diols. Cyclodehydration of butane-1,4-diol, pentane-1,5-diol and hexane-1,6-diol catalysed by H3PW12O40 gave tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran and oxepane, respectively. Cyclodehydration of diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether and polyethylene glycol 200 catalysed by H3PW12O40 gave 1,4-dioxane. In particular, cyclodehydration of hexane-1,6-diol gave an excellent yield of oxepane (80%). The selectivity exhibited by the H3PW12O40 catalyst was even better than that exhibited by other reported catalyst systems for similar cyclodehydration reactions.

Residue and Dietary Risk Assessment of Chiral Cyflumetofen in Apple

Ultra-performance convergence chromatography is an environmentally-friendly analytical method that uses dramatically reduced amounts of organic solvents. In addition, a robust and highly sensitive chiral separation method was developed for the novel chiral acaricide cyflumetofen by using ultra-performance convergence chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, which shows that stereoisomer recoveries determined for various apple parts ranged from 78.3% to 119.9%, with the relative standard deviations being lower than 14.0%. The half-lives of (−)-cyflumetofen and (+)-cyflumetofen obtained under 5-fold applied dosage equal to 22.13 and 22.23 days, respectively. For 1.5-fold applied dosage, the respective values were determined as 22.42 and 23.64 days, i.e., the degradation of (−)-cyflumetofen was insignificantly favored over that of its enantiomer. Importantly, cyflumetofen was unevenly distributed in apples, with its relative contents in apple peel, peduncle, and pomace equal to 50%, 22%, and 16%, respectively. The proposed method can be used to efficiently separate and quantify chiral pesticide with advantages of a shorter analysis time, greater sensitivity, and better environmental compatibility. Additionally, the consumption of apples with residue of cyflumetofen did not pose a health risk to the population if the cyflumetofen applied under satisfactory agricultural practices after the long-term dietary risk assessment.

Abstract P4-03-09: Chromosomal instability predicts taxane sensitivity in breast cancer

Taxanes remain among the most effective agents for the treatment of breast cancer. However, ˜50% of patients who receive this therapy do not have a clinical response. Previously, we identified the mechanistic effects of taxane therapy by sampling primary human breast tumors 20 hours after infusion (Sci Trans Med 26:229ra43, 2014). We determined that paclitaxel caused cells to transit mitosis on multipolar spindles, resulting in increased chromosome gains and losses. Preclinical models suggest that tumors have enhanced sensitivity if they have baseline chromosome gains/losses, known as chromosome instability (CIN). The aim of this study was to compare CIN against other predictive biomarkers in a retrospective cohort of advanced breast cancer patients who receive single-agent taxane therapy.

Methods: We identified 36 subjects with metastatic breast cancer and measurable disease who received taxane therapy and had available archived tissue. Responses were determined by RECIST 1.1 criteria. We evaluated chromosome number on a cell-by-cell basis using 6 centromeric FISH probes. Additionally we measured rates of proliferation by phospho-histone H3 (p-HH3) and Ki67, previously reported biomarkers, β-tubulin III, P-gp1 and MAD1 by quantitative immunofluorescence. CIN was estimated as the fraction of cells with non-modal chromosome numbers across chromosomes 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, and 17.

Results: Of the 36 subjects, 19 had ER/PR+HER2- disease (53%), 9 had HER2-positive disease (25%), and 8 TNBC (22%). Single-agent chemotherapy was used for all including paclitaxel in 16, nab-paclitaxel in 17, and docetaxel in 3 (HER2+ patients received concurrent trastuzumab). RECIST responses ranged from disease progression (8%, n=3), stable disease (50%, n=18), and partial response (42%, n=15). No complete responses were observed. Time on therapy ranged from 1.4 months to 28 months. No statistically significant correlations were found between tumor type or prior chemotherapy and response to taxanes. Archived metastatic samples were available for 21 subjects. Analysis showed large variations in Ki67, pHH3, β-tubulin III, P-gp1, MAD1, and CIN amongst samples. The strongest correlation was found between tumor response and high levels of CIN, with a Spearman's correlation coefficient of 0.38 (p=0.04). Surprisingly, there was an inverse correlation between Ki67 and taxane response, although this did not reach statistical significance.

Biomarkers correlated with response to taxaneN=21Ki67 (%)pHH3 (H)βtub3 (H)P-gp1 (H)MAD1 (H)CIN (%)min0.850.000.673.002.8324.2max45.14.8915129923165.8Spearman rho-0.3650.242-0.1650.232-0.08960.382p (1-tailed)0.05190.1400.2370.1550.3500.0425H = H-score; CIN is estimated as % of cells with non-modal chromosomes

Conclusions: Chromosomal instability is a promising biomarker for predicting sensitivity to taxane therapies. Additional studies will be necessary to validate CIN as a biomarker and to determine whether 6-chromosome FISH can be supplanted by low-pass single-cell DNA sequencing.

Citation Format: Esbona K, Jin N, Correia-Staudt KL, Lager AM, Heidke T, Laffin J, Weaver BA, Burkard ME. Chromosomal instability predicts taxane sensitivity in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-03-09.

Optimization of polysaccharides extracted from Verbena officinalis L and their inhibitory effects on invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer cells

Purpose: To investigate polysaccharides (PEV) extracted from the aerial part of Verbena officinalis L. and their inhibitory effects on the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.Methods: PEV was extracted by water and the optimization of extraction conditions was performed using a Box-Benhnken design (BBD). The cell viability was evaluated by 4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The effects of PEV on cell adhesion and invasion were evaluated by Transwell invasion, wound healing migration and adhesion assays in vitro. The effects of PEV on the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (C-met), E-cadherin (E-CAD), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and E-prostanoid 2 receptor (EP2) were investigated by western blot.Results: The BBD model was established successfully for the optimization of PEV extraction (p <0.0001). The results indicate that PEV (50, 100 and 200 μg/mL) had significant inhibitory effects on cell invasion and migration of SW480 cells (p < 0.05). PEV also significantly decreased cell adhesion of SW480 cells. By treating with PEV, the expressions of C-met, MMP-9, COX-2 and EP2 were decreased, whereas the expression of E-CAD increased in SW480 cells.Conclusion: RSM is effective for optimizing the extraction conditions of PEV. More importantly, PEV significantly inhibits the invasion and metastasis of SW480 cells by regulating the expression of MMP-9, C-met, E-CAD, COX-2 and EP2. Thus, PEV has the potential to be developed into therapeutic drugs for CRC in the future.Keywords: Polysaccharides, Colorectal cancer, Verbena officinalis, SW480 cell lines, Cell invasion, Metastasis

[Clinical characteristics of 128 hospitalized patients with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretics of different etiologies]

Objective: To summarize and analyze the clinical features and etiologies in hospitalized patients with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretics (SIAD) during the past 25 years. Methods: All data of 128 patients with SIAD admitted to Chinese PLA General Hospital since January 1991 to January 2016 were collected. SIAD was diagnosed based on the 1957 criterion. Results: (1) The most frequent causes of increased inappropriate secretion of vasopressin were malignant tumors, lung diseases (e. g. pneumonia), and central nervous system diseases, in which malignant tumors accounted for 38.28% of the SIAD. (2) During the past 25 years, the proportion of malignant diseases declined from 4/7 to 35.29%, while, the proportion of pulmonary infection increased from 1/7 to 35.29% (P<0.05). (3) The patients with malignant tumors had the lowest serum sodium and serum osmolality among all SIAD patients. (4) CT scan had a high diagnostic value for chest and brain detection. (5) Among three SIAD subjects with unknown reasons at onset, two were diagnosed with small cell lung cancer and one with gastric cancer during follow-up. Conclusion: The etiology of SIAD is complex and it could be attributed to multifarious etiological factors. Malignant tumors account for the largest proportion of all patients, and pulmonary infection was ranked in second place. Cautions on tumors have to be taken when serum sodium of a SIAD patient is below 118.1 mmol/L.

[An analysis of four cases of misdiagnosed primary lymphocytic hypophysitis]

To improve the differential diagnosis of sellar region mass, 4 cases with sellar mass and misdiagnosed as lymphocytic hypophysitis (LYH) were reviewed retrospectively.The 4 patients (2 male and 2 female) aged 20-60 years old were all presented with symptoms of headache, polydipsia and polyuria.Biochemical studies confirmed the diagnoses of central diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism.Head MRI scans showed LYH like image for all the cases, and, thus, high dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy (HDMPT) was applied to the patients.Their symptoms deteriorated and the sellar mass enlarged after a short period of partial improvement.Operations were performed in all the patients.Histology study showed craniopharyngioma with abscess, primary abscess, secondary hypophysitis caused by Wegener's granulomatosis, and germinoma with secondary hypophysitis, respectively.In conclusion, surgery or biopsy is necessary for those who presented with sellar region mass and was suspected to be with LYH, but with poor response or even worse after HDMPT.

Phosphoglycerate mutase 1 promotes cancer cell migration independent of its metabolic activity

Phosphoglycerate mutase 1 (PGAM1) is a glycolytic enzyme that coordinates glycolysis and biosynthesis to promote cancer growth via its metabolic activity. Here, we report the discovery of a non-metabolic function of PGAM1 in promoting cancer metastasis. A proteomic study identified α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) as a PGAM1-associated protein. PGAM1 modulated actin filaments assembly, cell motility and cancer cell migration via directly interacting with ACTA2, which was independent of its metabolic activity. The enzymatically inactive H186R mutant retained its association with ACTA2, whereas 201-210 amino acids deleted PGAM1 mutant lost the interaction with ACTA2 regardless of intact metabolic activity. Importantly, PGAM1 knockdown decreased metastatic potential of breast cancer cells in vivo and PGAM1 and ACTA2 were jointly associated with the prognosis of breast cancer patients. Together, this study provided the first evidence revealing a non-metabolic function of PGAM1 in promoting cell migration, and gained new insights into the role of PGAM1 in cancer progression.

[An evaluation of plasma aldosterone-to-active-renin ratio in different postures in combination with aldosterone concentration in the diagnosis of aldosteronoma]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnostic value of plasma aldosterone-to-active-renin ratio(ARR)in combination with plasma aldosterone concentration(PAC)in the predication of aldosteronoma(APA).

METHODS

A total of 85 APA and 155 essential hypertension(EH)patients from January 2012 to December 2014 in Chinese PLA General Hospital were enrolled. The ROC curve was applied to calculate the optimal cut-off points of ARR for APA.

RESULTS

(1)The optimal cut-off point of supine ARR was 1 707.4(pmol/L)/(μg·L(-1)·h(-1))[61.64(ng/dl)/(μg·L(-1)·h(-1))] with the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 89.41%, 80.65% and 83.75%, respectively. The specificity and accuracy of the diagnostic value for APA increased (89.03% and 87.5% respectively) when supine ARR cut-off point were used in combination with supine PAC over 329.4 pmol/L. (2) The optimal cut-off point of upright ARR was 741.5 (pmol/L)/(μg·L(-1)·h(-1))[26.77(ng/dl)/(μg·L(-1)·h(-1) )]with the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 85.88%, 91.61% and 89.58%, respectively. Similarly, the specificity and accuracy greatly improved (94.84% and 91.67%, respectively) when upright ARR were applied together with upright PAC over 323.1 pmol/L.

CONCLUSIONS

Both spine and upright ARR can be used in screening for APA. Moreover, the specificity and accuracy could be improved when ARR and PAC were used together both in the supine and upright position.

Mesenchymal stromal cells inhibit proliferation of virus-specific CD8(+) T cells

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) possess broad immunomodulatory capacities that are currently investigated for potential clinical application in treating autoimmune disorders. Third-party MSCs suppress alloantigen-induced proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells providing the rationale for clinical use in graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). We confirmed that MSCs strongly inhibited proliferation of CD8(+) T cells in a mixed lymphocyte reaction. However, MSCs also suppressed proliferation of T cells specifically recognizing cytomegalovirus (CMV) and influenza virus. Inhibition was dose dependent, but independent of the culture medium. MSCs inhibited proliferation of specific CD8(+) T cells and the release of IFN-γ by specific CD8(+) T cells for immunodominant HLA-A2- and HLA-B7- restricted antigen epitopes derived from CMV phosphoprotein 65 and influenza matrix protein. This is in contrast to a recently reported scenario where MSCs exert differential effects on alloantigen and virus-specific T cells potentially having an impact on surveillance and prophylaxis of patients treated by MSCs.

Endpoint visual detection of three genetically modified rice events by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Genetically modified (GM) rice KMD1, TT51-1, and KF6 are three of the most well known transgenic Bt rice lines in China. A rapid and sensitive molecular assay for risk assessment of GM rice is needed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), currently the most common method for detecting genetically modified organisms, requires temperature cycling and relatively complex procedures. Here we developed a visual and rapid loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to amplify three GM rice event-specific junction sequences. Target DNA was amplified and visualized by two indicators (SYBR green or hydroxy naphthol blue [HNB]) within 60 min at an isothermal temperature of 63 °C. Different kinds of plants were selected to ensure the specificity of detection and the results of the non-target samples were negative, indicating that the primer sets for the three GM rice varieties had good levels of specificity. The sensitivity of LAMP, with detection limits at low concentration levels (0.01%–0.005% GM), was 10- to 100-fold greater than that of conventional PCR. Additionally, the LAMP assay coupled with an indicator (SYBR green or HNB) facilitated analysis. These findings revealed that the rapid detection method was suitable as a simple field-based test to determine the status of GM crops.

Enantioselective analysis and degradation studies of isocarbophos in soils by chiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

An enantioselective method is presented for the determination of isocarbophos in soil by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The pesticide residues in soil samples were extracted with acetonitrile, and complete enantioseparation was obtained on an amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral column using acetonitrile/2 mM ammonium acetate solution containing 0.1% formic acid (60:40, v/v) as the mobile phase. The absolute configuration of isocarbophos enantiomers was determined by the combination of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. The method was utilized to investigate the degradation of isocarbophos in soils (Changchun, Hangzhou, and Zhengzhou) under sterilized or native conditions. Isocarbophos enantiomers were configurationally stable in the selected soils, and the pesticide degradation was not enantioselective in the sterilized condition. The degradation behavior of rac-isocarbophos was different under native conditions, with no enantioselectivity in the Changchun soil and with the S-(+)-isocarbophos enriched in the Hangzhou and Zhengzhou soils.

Serum cystatin C is associated with renal function recovery in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy

PURPOSE

Serum cystatin C (sCyC) has long been known as a reliable biomarker of renal injury. However, it remains to be tested whether sCyC is a reliable biomarker to predict renal recovery after continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients admitted to a tertiary 18-bed intensive care unit from January 2008 to December 2011 was performed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to test the independent predictors of renal recovery. The diagnostic value of sCyC in predicting renal recovery was assessed using a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).

RESULTS

Older age and higher sCyC were independent risk factors of renal nonrecovery (OR: 1.40 and 4.76, respectively). The area under the ROC of sCyC to predict renal recovery was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.92), with a sensitivity and specificity of 80.5% and 83.5% at the cutoff of 2.98 mg/l.

CONCLUSION

A high sCyC level at the initiation of CRRT is associated with poor renal outcome.