Unraveling resistance mechanisms in anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor-T therapy for B-ALL: a novel in vitro model and insights into target antigen dynamics

BACKGROUND

Cellular immunotherapy, represented by the chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T), has exhibited high response rates, durable remission, and safety in vitro and in clinical trials. Unfortunately, anti-CD19 CAR-T (CART-19) treatment alone is prone to relapse and has a particularly poor prognosis in relapsed/refractory (r/r) B-ALL patients. To date, addressing or reducing relapse remains one of the research priorities to achieve broad clinical application.

METHODS

We manufactured second generation CART-19 cells and validated their efficacy and safety in vitro and in vivo. Through co-culture of Nalm-6 cells with short-term cultured CART-19 cells, CD19-negative Nalm-6 cells were detected by flow cytometry, and further investigation of the relapsed cells and their resistance mechanisms was evaluated in vitro.

RESULTS

In this study, we demonstrated that CART-19 cells had enhanced and specific antileukemic activities, and the survival of B-ALL mouse models after CART-19 treatment was significantly prolonged. We then shortened the culture time and applied the serum-free culture to expand CAR-T cells, followed by co-culturing CART-19 cells with Nalm-6 cells. Surprisingly, we observed the proliferation of CD19-negative Nalm-6 cells around 28 days. Identification of potential resistance mechanisms showed that the relapsed cells express truncated CD19 proteins with decreased levels and, more importantly, CAR expression was detected on the relapsed cell surface, which may ultimately keep them antigen-negative. Furthermore, it was validated that CART-22 and tandem CART-22/19 cells could effectively kill the relapsed cells, but neither could completely eradicate them.

CONCLUSIONS

We successfully generated CART-19 cells and obtained a CD19-negative refractory relapsed B-ALL cell line, providing new insights into the underlying mechanisms of resistance and a new in vitro model for the treatment of r/r B-ALL patients with low antigen density.

Improvement strategy of citrate and biochar assisted nano-palladium/iron composite for effective dechlorination of 2,4-dichlorophenol

Rapid passivation and aggregation of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) seriously limit its performance in the remediation of different contaminants from wastewater. To overcome such issues, in the present study, nano-palladium/iron (nPd/Fe) was simultaneously improved by biochar (BC) prepared from discarded peanut shells and green complexing agent sodium citrate (SC). For this purpose, a composite (SC-nPd/Fe@BC) was successfully synthesized to remove 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) from wastewater. In the SC-nPd/Fe@BC, BC acts as a carrier with dispersed nPd/Fe particles to effectively prevent its agglomeration, and increased the specific surface area of the composite, thereby improving the reactivity and stability of nPd/Fe. Characterization results demonstrated that the SC-nPd/Fe@BC composites were well dispersed, and the agglomeration was weakened. The formation of the passivation layer on the surface of the particles was inhibited, and the mechanism of SC and BC improving the reactivity of nPd/Fe was clarified. Different factors were found to influence the reductive dichlorination of 2,4-DCP, including Pd loading, Fe:C, SC addition, temperature, initial pH, and initial pollutant concentration. The dechlorination results revealed that the synergistic effect of the BC and SC made the removal efficiency and dechlorination rate of 2,4-DCP by SC-nPd/Fe@BC reached to 96.0 and 95.6%, respectively, which was better than that of nPd/Fe (removal: 46.2%, dechlorination: 45.3%). Kinetic studies explained that the dechlorination reaction of 2,4-DCP and the data were better represented by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The reaction rate constants followed the order of SC-nPd/Fe@BC (0.0264 min-1) > nPd/Fe@BC (0.0089 min-1) > SC-nPd/Fe (0.0081 min-1) > nPd/Fe (0.0043 min-1). Thus, SC-nPd/Fe@BC was capable of efficiently reducing 2,4-DCP and the dechlorination efficiency of BC and SC synergistically assisted composite on 2,4-DCP was much better than that of SC-nPd/Fe, nPd/Fe@BC and nPd/Fe. Findings suggested that SC-nPd/Fe@BC can be promising for efficient treatment of chlorinated pollutants.

Zinc oxide application alleviates arsenic-mediated oxidative stress via physio-biochemical mechanism in rice

Arsenic (As) pollution in cultivated soils poses a significant risk to the sustainable growth of agriculture and jeopardizes food security. However, the mechanisms underlying how zinc (Zn) regulates the toxic effects induced by As in plants remain poorly understood. Hence, this study aimed to explore the potential of ZnO as an effective and environmentally friendly amendment to alleviate As toxicity in rice, thereby addressing the significant risk posed by As pollution in cultivated soils. Through a hydroponic experiment, the study assessed the mitigating effects of different ZnO dosages (Zn5, 5 mg L-1; Zn15, 15 mg L-1; Zn30, 30 mg L-1) on rice seedlings exposed to varying levels of As stress (As0, 0 µM L-1; As25, 25 µM L-1). The findings of the study demonstrate significant improvements in plant height and biomass (shoot and root), with a notable increase of 16-40% observed in the Zn15 treatment, and an even more substantial enhancement of 29-53% observed in the Zn30 treatment under As stress, compared to respective control treatment. Furthermore, in the Zn30 treatment, the shoot and root As contents substantially reduced by 47% and 63%, respectively, relative to the control treatment. The elevated Zn contents in shoots and roots enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities (POD, SOD, and CAT), and decreased MDA contents (13-25%) and H2O2 contents (11-27%), indicating the mitigation of oxidative stress. Moreover, the expression of antioxidant-related genes, OsSOD-Cu/Zn, OsCATA, OsCATB, and OsAPX1 was reduced when rice seedlings were exposed to As stress and significantly enhanced after Zn addition. Overall, the research suggests that ZnO application could effectively mitigate As uptake and toxicity in rice plants cultivated in As-contaminated soils, offering potential solutions for sustainable agriculture and food security.

Alveolar bone retention following treatment of dilacerated labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisors-a retrospective study

The root of late-dental-age labial inversely impacted maxillary central incisors (LIIMCIs) typically develops to severe dilacerated morphology. Therefore, reliable posttreatment periodontal estimates of orthodontic treatment prognosis would be critical to the treatment value of impacted incisors. This study aims to analyze further changes in dimensions of the alveolar bone following the closed-eruption treatment of late-dental-age dilacerated LIIMCIs. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning data of 16 patients with unilateral dilacerated late-dental-age LIIMCIs were collected, including the pretreatment (T1) and at the 2.23 ± 0.78 years follow-up stage (T2) respectively. Patients underwent closed-eruption treatments to bring the impacted incisor into the dental arch. Dolphin imaging software was used to measure alveolar bone height labially, palatally, and proximally to the site at T1 and T2, as well as alveolar bone thicknesses at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 mm below the initial measurement plane (IMP). The alveolar bone heights on the impacted and contralateral sides increased from T1 to T2 (p < 0.05). Alveolar bone growth on both sides had no significant difference. In T2, the mean values of labial and distal alveolar heights on the contralateral sides were greater than on the impacted sides (p < 0.05). The mean values of total alveolar bone thicknesses on the impacted sides in T1 were significantly smaller than those on the contralateral sides in IMP-0, 2, 4, 6, 8 (p < 0.05). The total thicknesses on the impacted sides in T2 increased and were significantly greater than on the contralateral sides (p < 0.05), except for the thickness in IMP-0. The closed-eruption treatment of dilacerated late-dental-age LIIMCIs results in no significant changes to alveolar bone height, except on the labial and distal sides, with increased alveolar bone thickness, suggesting that this approach may be viable first choice therapy for non-extraction orthodontic cases.

Downregulation of SMAD4 protects HaCaT cells against UVB-induced damage and oxidative stress through the activation of EMT

As a member of the SMAD family, SMAD4 plays a crucial role in several cellular biological processes. However, its function in UVB radiation-induced keratinocyte damage is not yet clarified. Our study aims to provide mechanistic insight for the development of future UVB protective therapies and therapeutics involving SMAD4. HaCaT cells were treated with UVB, and the dose dependence and time dependence of UVB were measured. The cell function of UVB-treated HaCaT cells and the activity of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) after overexpression or silencing of SMAD4 was observed by flow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western Blots (WB). We found that a significant decrease in SMAD4 was observed in HaCaT cells induced by UVB. Our data confirm SMAD4 as a direct downstream target of miR-664. The down-regulation of SMAD4 preserved the viability of the UVB-treated HaCaT cells by inhibiting autophagy or apoptosis. Furthermore, the silencing of SMAD4 activated the EMT process in UVB-treated HaCaT cells. Down-regulation of SMAD4 plays a protective role in UVB-treated HaCaT cells via the activation of EMT.

Combined cardiac, lung, and diaphragm ultrasound for predicting weaning failure during spontaneous breathing trial

BACKGROUND

Weaning from invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) is a complex and challenging process that involves multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. A combined ultrasound evaluation of the heart, lungs, and diaphragm during the weaning phase can help to identify risk factors and underlying mechanisms for weaning failure. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of lung ultrasound (LUS), transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and diaphragm ultrasound for predicting weaning failure in critically ill patients.

METHODS

Patients undergoing invasive MV for > 48 h and who were readied for their first spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) were studied. Patients were scheduled for a 2-h SBT using low-level pressure support ventilation. LUS and TTE were performed prospectively before and 30 min after starting the SBT, and diaphragm ultrasound was only performed 30 min after starting the SBT. Weaning failure was defined as failure of SBT, re-intubation, or non-invasive ventilation within 48 h.

RESULTS

Fifty-one patients were included, of whom 15 experienced weaning failure. During the SBT, the global, anterior, and antero-lateral LUS scores were higher in the failed group than in the successful group. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the areas under the curves for diaphragm thickening fraction (DTF) and global and antero-lateral LUS scores during the SBT to predict weaning failure were 0.678, 0.719, and 0.721, respectively. There was no correlation between the LUS scores and the average E/e' ratio during the SBT. Multivariate analysis identified antero-lateral LUS score > 7 and DTF < 31% during the SBT as independent predictors of weaning failure.

CONCLUSION

LUS and diaphragm ultrasound can help to predict weaning failure in patients undergoing an SBT with low-level pressure support. An antero-lateral LUS score > 7 and DTF < 31% during the SBT were associated with weaning failure.

Continuous flow biocatalysis: synthesis of purine nucleoside esters catalyzed by lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus

Purine nucleoside ester is one of the derivatives of purine nucleoside, which has antiviral and anticancer activities. In this work, a continuous flow synthesis of purine nucleoside esters catalyzed by lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus was successfully achieved. Various parameters including solvent, reaction temperature, reaction time/flow rate and substrate ratio were investigated. The best yields were obtained with a continuous flow microreactor for 35 min at 50 °C with the substrate ratio of 1 : 5 (nucleosides to vinyl esters) in the solvent of tert-amyl alcohol. 12 products were efficiently synthesized with yields of 78-93%. Here we reported for the first time the use of lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus in the synthesis of purine nucleoside esters. The significant advantages of this methodology are a green solvent and mild conditions, a simple work-up procedure and the highly reusable biocatalyst. This research provides a new technique for rapid synthesis of anticancer and antiviral nucleoside drugs and is helpful for further screening of drug activity.

The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 promotes neutrophil extracellular trap network release to regulate hepatocellular carcinoma progression

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, it has a poor prognosis due to its highly invasive and metastatic nature. Consequently, identifying effective prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets has been extensively investigated. METTL5, an 18S rRNA methyltransferase, is abnormally high in HCC. But its biological function and prognostic significance in HCC remain largely unelucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of METTL5 in HCC progression, and elucidate its possible molecular mechanisms in HCC via transcriptome sequencing, providing new insights for identifying new HCC prognostic markers and therapeutic targets.

METHODS

The METTL5 expression in HCC and paracancerous tissues was analyzed using HCC immunohistochemical microarrays and bioinformatic retrieval methods to correlate METTL5 with clinicopathological features and survival prognosis. We constructed a METTL5 knockdown hepatocellular carcinoma cell line model and an animal model to determine the effect of METTL5 on hepatocellular carcinoma progression. Subsequently, RNA sequencing was performed to analyze the molecular mechanism of METTL5 in HCC based on the sequencing results, and relevant experiments were performed to verify it.

RESULTS

We found that METTL5 expression was elevated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and correlated with poor patient prognosis, and in the analysis of clinicopathological features showed a correlation with TNM staging. In hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines with knockdown of METTL5, the malignant biological behavior was significantly reduced both in vitro and in vivo. Based on the sequencing results as well as the results of GO functional enrichment analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, we found that METTL5 could promote the generation and release of neutrophil extracellular capture network (NETs) and might further accelerate the progression of HCC.

CONCLUSION

The m6A methyltransferase METTL5 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and correlates with poor prognosis. METTL5 accelerates malignant progression of HCC by promoting generation and release of the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) network, providing new insights for clinical biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets in HCC prognosis.

A novel ATP13A2 variant causing complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia

BACKGROUND

ATP13A2 is a monogenic causative gene of Parkinson's disease, whose biallelic mutations can result in Kufor-Rakeb syndrome. Biallelic mutations in ATP13A2 have also been reported in pure or complicated hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP). Here, we report clinical, neuroimaging, and genetic findings from a patient with a novel homozygous mutation in ATP13A2 presenting with HSP plus parkinsonism.

METHODS

Whole genome sequencing was performed on the patient, a 46-year-old Chinese woman from a consanguineous family, to identify the genetic cause. Furthermore, functional studies of the identified ATP13A2 mutation were conducted.

RESULTS

The patient initially presented with abnormal gait because of lower-limb spasticity and recurrent seizures. Parkinsonism (presenting as bradykinesia and rigidity) and peripheral neuropathy in lower limbs further evolved and resulted in her eventual use of a wheelchair. Symmetrically decreased dopamine transporter density was detected within the bilateral putamen and caudate nucleus in dopamine transporter-positron emission tomography. Genetic analysis revealed a novel homozygous missense mutation in ATP13A2 (c.2780 T > C, p.Leu927Pro), which was heterozygous in the patient's parents and son. Functional studies suggested that this mutation results in the reduced expression and altered subcellular localization of ATP13A2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our report broadens the genetic and phenotypic spectrum of ATP13A2-related HSP. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanism linking ATP13A2 variants to HSP.

Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (Sanyeqing) root extracts evoke S phase arrest while inhibiting the migration and invasion of human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells

BACKGROUND

Ethyl acetate extracts from Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (Sanyeqing) (EFT), a member of the Vitaceae plant family, have been shown to exhibit efficacy against a variety of cancers. In this light, our current study seeks to examine the mechanism of efficacy between EFT extracts and human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells.

METHODS

The chemical components of EFT were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity of EFT on PANC-1 cells was measured using an MTT assay. In order to investigate EFT induction of cell cycle arrest, changes in cell-cycle distribution were monitored by flow cytometry. Wound healing and transwell assays were employed to investigate whether migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells were inhibited by EFT. Relative protein expression was detected using Western blot.

RESULTS

GC-MS analysis of the chemical composition of EFT revealed that the majority of constituents were organic acids and their corresponding esters. EFT exhibits measurable cytotoxicity and inhibition of PANC-1 invasion. Growth inhibition was primarily attributed to downregulation of CDK2 which induces cell cycle arrest in the S-phase. Inhibition of metastasis is achieved through downregulation of mesenchymal-associated genes/activators, including ZEB1, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Fibronectin. Meanwhile, the expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased by EFT treatment. Furthermore, downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were observed.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of PANC-1 with EFT demonstrated measurable cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, EFT evoked S phase arrest while inhibiting the migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells. Additionally, EFT inhibited the epithelial to mesenchymal transition and MMPs expression in PANC-1 cells. This study serves to confirm the strong therapeutic potential of EFT while identifying the mechanisms of action.

In situ Nafion-nanofilm oriented (002) Zn electrodeposition for long-term zinc-ion batteries

Dendrite growth and parasitic reactions of a Zn metal anode in aqueous media hinder the development of up-and-coming Zn-ion batteries. Optimizing the crystal growth after Zn nucleation is promising to enable stable cyclic performance of the anode, but directly regulating specific crystal plane growth for homogenized Zn electrodeposition remains highly challenging. Herein, a perfluoropolymer (Nafion) is introduced into an aqueous electrolyte to activate a thermodynamically ultrastable Zn/electrolyte interface for long-term Zn-ion batteries. The low adsorption energy (-2.09 eV) of Nafion molecules on Zn metal ensures the in situ formation of a Nafion-nanofilm during the first charge process. This ultrathin artificial solid electrolyte interface with zincophilic -SO3- groups guides the directional Zn2+ electrodeposition along the (002) crystal surface even at high current density, yielding a dendrite-free Zn anode. The synergic Zn/electrolyte interphase electrochemistry contributes an average coulombic efficiency of 99.71% after 4500 cycles for Zn‖Cu cells, and Zn‖Zn cells achieve an ultralong lifespan of over 7000 h at 5 mA cm-2. Besides, Zn‖MnO2 cells operate well over 3000 cycles. Even at -40 °C, Zn‖Zn cells achieve stable Zn2+ plating/stripping for 1200 h.

Mediator subunit MED8 interacts with heat shock transcription factor HSF3 to promote fucoxanthin synthesis in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Fucoxanthin, a natural carotenoid that has substantial pharmaceutical value due to its anticancer, antioxidant, antiobesity, and antidiabetic properties, is biosynthesized from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P) via a series of enzymatic reactions. However, our understanding of the transcriptional mechanisms involved in fucoxanthin biosynthesis remains limited. Using reverse genetics, the med8 mutant was identified based on its phenotype of reduced fucoxanthin content, and the biological functions of MED8 in fucoxanthin synthesis were characterized using approaches such as gene expression, protein subcellular localization, protein-protein interaction and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Gene-editing mutants of MED8 exhibited decreased fucoxanthin content as well as reduced expression levels of six key genes involved in fucoxanthin synthesis, namely DXS, PSY1, ZDS-like, CRTISO5, ZEP1, and ZEP3, when compared to the wild-type (WT) strain. Furthermore, we showed that MED8 interacts with HSF3, and genetic analysis revealed their shared involvement in the genetic pathway governing fucoxanthin synthesis. Additionally, HSF3 was required for MED8 association with the promoters of the six fucoxanthin synthesis genes. In conclusion, MED8 and HSF3 are involved in fucoxanthin synthesis by modulating the expression of the fucoxanthin synthesis genes. Our results increase the understanding of the molecular regulation mechanisms underlying fucoxanthin synthesis in the diatom P. tricornutum.

Differential responses of Brassica napus cultivars to dual effects of magnesium oxide nanoparticles

Magnesium oxide nanoparticles (MgO NPs) have great potential to enhance the crop productivity and sustainability of agriculture. Still, a thorough understanding is lacking about its essentiality or toxicity and precise dose for the safe cultivation of oilseed crops. Thus, we assessed the dual effects of MgO NPs (control, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 200 mg/L) on the seed germination, growth performance, photosynthesis, total soluble protein, total carbohydrates, oxidative stress markers (hydrogen peroxide as H2O2 and superoxide anion as O2•‒), lipid peroxidation as MDA, and antioxidant defence machinery (SOD, CAT, APX, and GR activities, and GSH levels) of seven different oilseeds (Brassica napus L.) cultivars (ZY 758, ZD 649, ZD 635, ZD 619, GY 605, ZD 622, and ZD 630). Our findings revealed that low doses of MgO NPs (mainly at 10 mg/L) markedly boosted the seed germination, plant growth (shoot and root lengths) (15‒22%), and biomass (fresh and dry) (11‒19%) by improving the levels of photosynthetic pigments (14‒27%), net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), total soluble protein and total carbohydrates (16‒36%), antioxidant defence, and reducing the oxidative stress in B. napus tissues. Among all B. napus cultivars, these beneficial effects of MgO NPs were pronounced in ZD 635. ile, elevated levels of MgO NPs (particularly at 200 mg/L) induced oxidative stress, impaired antioxidant scavenging potential, photosynthetic inhibition, protein oxidation, and carbohydrate degradation and lead to inhibit the plant growth attributes. These inhibitory effects were more pronounced in ZD 622. Collectively, low-dose MgO NPs reinforced the Mg contents, protected the plant growth, photosynthesis, total soluble carbohydrates, enzyme activities, and minimized the oxidative stress. While, the excessive MgO NP levels impaired the above-reported traits. Overall, ZD 622 was highly susceptible to MgO NP toxicity and ZD 635 was found most tolerant to MgO NP toxicity.

Clinicopathological characteristics of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms: A comprehensive analysis

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic implications of gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NENs).

METHODS

A retrospective enrollment of 142 patients diagnosed with g-NENs was conducted at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2021. The study compared essential clinicopathological features and survival rates. Additionally, the prognosis of gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas/mixed neuroendocrine-non-neuroendocrine neoplasms (g-NEC/MiNEN) were contrasted with those of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) and signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC).

RESULTS

The study comprised a total of 142 g-NENs cases, with a male-to-female ratio of approximately 2:1. The 5-year survival rates for g-NEC and g-MiNEN were 26.7% and 35.2%, respectively. Corresponding 5-year survival rates for G1 and G2 were observed at 100% and 80.0%, respectively. g-NEC/MiNEN showed a significantly worse prognosis compared to g-NET (p < 0.001). g-NEC/MiNEN exhibited a poor prognosis compared to GAC (p < 0.001), and within poorly differentiated GAC, g-NEC/MiNEN demonstrated a worse prognosis (p = 0.007). Additionally, patients receiving postoperative adjuvant therapy exhibited notably prolonged overall survival (OS) in the case of g-NEC/MiNEN (p = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

In short, the prognosis of g-NEC/MiNEN was worse than that of g-NET, GAC and poorly differentiated GAC, but this group benefit from postoperative adjuvant therapy.

YGL3 Encoding an IPP and DMAPP Synthase Interacts with OsPIL11 to Regulate Chloroplast Development in Rice

As the source of isoprenoid precursors, the plastidial methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway plays an essential role in plant development. Here, we report a novel rice (Oryza sativa L.) mutant ygl3 (yellow-green leaf3) that exhibits yellow-green leaves and lower photosynthetic efficiency compared to the wild type due to abnormal chloroplast ultrastructure and reduced chlorophyll content. Map-based cloning showed that YGL3, one of the major genes involved in the MEP pathway, encodes 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase, which is localized in the thylakoid membrane. A single base substitution in ygl3 plants resulted in lower 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-enyl diphosphate reductase activity and lower contents of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) compared to the wild type. The transcript levels of genes involved in the syntheses of chlorophyll and thylakoid membrane proteins were significantly reduced in the ygl3 mutant compared to the wild type. The phytochrome interacting factor-like gene OsPIL11 regulated chlorophyll synthesis during the de-etiolation process by directly binding to the promoter of YGL3 to activate its expression. The findings provides a theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which the MEP pathway regulate chloroplast development in rice.

Magnetic circuit design for the performance experiment of shear yield stress enhanced by compression of magnetorheological fluids

The shear yield stress is an important parameter for the industrial application of magnetorheological (MR) fluids. A test equipment was designed and built to perform investigations on the behaviours of compression and shear after squeeze of MR fluids. Mathematical expression of magnetic flux density was further established. Furthermore, the magnetic field distribution of the test device based on two-coil mode and single-coil mode was simulated and compared using finite element analysis(ANSYS/Multiphysics). An experimental test system was fabricated and modified based on the final conditions and simulation results. The compression and shear after squeeze performances of MR fluids were tested. The results showed that a smaller initial gap distance or a larger compressive strain corresponds to a larger compressive stress under the same external magnetic field strength. The shear yield stress after the squeeze of MR fluids increases quickly with the increasing compression stress and the increasing magnetic flux density. This test equipment was thought to be suitable for studying the compression and shear after squeeze performances of MR fluids.

HvBGlu3, a GH1 β-glucosidase enzyme gene, negatively influences β-glucan content in barley grains

KEY MESSAGE

HvBGlu3, a β-glucosidase enzyme gene, negatively influences β-glucan content in barley grains by mediating starch and sucrose metabolism in developing grains. Barley grains are rich in β-glucan, an important factor affecting end-use quality. Previously, we identified several stable marker-trait associations (MTAs) and novel candidate genes associated with β-glucan content in barley grains using GWAS (Genome Wide Association Study) analysis. The gene HORVU3Hr1G096910, encoding β-glucosidase 3, named HvBGlu3, is found to be associated with β-glucan content in barley grains. In this study, conserved domain analysis suggested that HvBGlu3 belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1). Gene knockout assay revealed that HvBGlu3 negatively influenced β-glucan content in barley grains. Transcriptome analysis of developing grains of hvbglu3 mutant and the wild type indicated that the knockout of the gene led to the increased expression level of genes involved in starch and sucrose metabolism. Glucose metabolism analysis showed that the contents of many sugars in developing grains were significantly changed in hvbglu3 mutants. In conclusion, HvBGlu3 modulates β-glucan content in barley grains by mediating starch and sucrose metabolism in developing grains. The obtained results may be useful for breeders to breed elite barley cultivars for food use by screening barley lines with loss of function of HvBGlu3 in barley breeding.

Research Progress in the Clinical Treatment of Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant inheritable disease with severe disorders of lipid metabolism. It is mainly marked by increasing levels of plasma total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), xanthoma, corneal arch, and early-onset coronary heart disease (CHD). The prevalence of FH is high, and it is dangerous and clinically underdiagnosed. The clinical treatment for FH includes both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment, of which non-pharmacological treatment mainly includes therapeutic lifestyle change and dietary therapy, LDL apheresis, liver transplantation and gene therapy. In recent years, many novel drugs have been developed to treat FH more effectively. In addition, the continuous maturity of non-pharmacological treatment techniques has also brought more hope for the treatment of FH. This paper analyzes the pathogenic mechanism and the progress in clinical treatment of FH. Furthermore, it also summarizes the mechanism and structure-activity relationship of FH therapeutic drugs that have been marketed. In a word, this article provides a reference value for the research and development of FH therapeutic drugs.

Research Status, Synthesis and Clinical Application of Antiepileptic Drugs

According to the 2017 ILAE's official definition, epilepsy is a slow brain disease state characterized by recurrent episodes. Due to information released by ILAE in 2017, it can be divided into four types, including focal epilepsy, generalized epilepsy, combined generalized, and focal epilepsy, and unknown epilepsy. Since 1989, 24 new antiepileptic drugs have been approved to treat different types of epilepsy. Besides, there are a variety of antiepileptic medications under clinical monitoring. These novel antiepileptic drugs have plenty of advantages. Over the past 33 years, there have been many antiepileptic drugs on the mearket, but no one has been found that can completely cure epilepsy. In this paper, the mentioned drugs were classified according to their targets, and the essential information, and clinical studies of each drug were described. The structure-activity relationship of different chemical structures was summarized. This paper provides help for the follow-up research on epilepsy drugs.

Prediction of postoperative liver metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma based on multiparametric magnetic resonance radiomics combined with serological markers: a cohort study of machine learning

OBJECTIVE

To construct and validate a multi-dimensional model based on multiple machine leaning algorithms to predict PCLM using multi-parameter magnetic resonance (MRI) sequences with clinical and imaging parameters.

METHODS

A total of 148 PDAC retrospectively examined patients were classified as metastatic or non-metastatic based on results at 3 months after surgery. The radiomics features of the primary tumor were extracted from T2WI images, followed by dimension reduction. Then, multiple machine learning methods were used to construct models. Independent predictors were also screened using multifactor logistic regression and a nomogram was constructed in combination with the radiomics model. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the accuracy and reliability of the nomogram.

RESULTS

The diagnostic efficacy of the radiomics model in the training and test set was 0.822 and 0.803, sensitivity was 0.742 and 0.692, and specificity was 0.792 and 0.875, respectively. The diagnostic efficacy of the nomogram in the training and test set was 0.866 and 0.832.

CONCLUSION

A radiomics nomogram based on machine learning improved the accuracy of predicting PCLM and may be useful for early preoperative diagnosis.

A Novel SiC Trench MOSFET with Self-Aligned N-Type Ion Implantation Technique

We propose a novel silicon carbide (SiC) self-aligned N-type ion implanted trench MOSFET (NITMOS) device. The maximum electric field in the gate oxide could be effectively reduced to below 3 MV/cm with the introduction of the P-epi layer below the trench. The P-epi layer is partially counter-doped by a self-aligned N-type ion implantation process, resulting in a relatively low specific on-resistance (Ron,sp). The lateral spacing between the trench sidewall and N-implanted region (Wsp) plays a crucial role in determining the performance of the SiC NITMOS device, which is comprehensively studied through the numerical simulation. With the Wsp increasing, the SiC NITMOS device demonstrates a better short-circuit capability owing to the reduced saturation current. The gate-to-drain capacitance (Cgd) and gate-to-drain charge (Qgd) are also investigated. It is observed that both Cgd and Qgd decrease as the Wsp increases, owing to the enhanced screen effect. Compared to the SiC double-trench MOSFET device, the optimal SiC NITMOS device exhibits a 79% reduction in Cgd, a 38% decrease in Qgd, and a 41% reduction in Qgd × Ron,sp. A higher switching speed and a lower switching loss can be achieved using the proposed structure.

Diagnostic Value of MRI Features in Dual-phenotype Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study

This study aimed to explore the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of dual-phenotype hepatocellular carcinoma (DPHCC) and their diagnostic value.The data of 208 patients with primary liver cancer were retrospectively analysed between January 2016 and June 2021. Based on the pathological diagnostic criteria, 27 patients were classified into the DPHCC group, 113 patients into the noncholangiocyte-phenotype hepatocellular carcinoma (NCPHCC) group, and 68 patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) were classified into the ICC group. Two abdominal radiologists reviewed the preoperative MRI features by a double-blind method. The MRI features and key laboratory and clinical indicators were compared between the groups. The potentially valuable MRI features and key laboratory and clinical characteristics for predicting DPHCC were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses, and the odds ratios (ORs) were recorded. In multivariate analysis, tumour without capsule (P = 0.046, OR = 9.777), dynamic persistent enhancement (P = 0.006, OR = 46.941), and targetoid appearance on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) (P = 0.021, OR = 30.566) were independently significant factors in the detection of DPHCC compared to NCPHCC. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) > 20 µg/L (P = 0.036, OR = 67.097) and prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (P = 0.020, OR = 153.633) were independent significant factors in predicting DPHCC compared to ICC. The differences in other tumour marker levels and imaging features between the groups were not significant. In MR enhanced and diffusion imaging, tumour without capsule, persistent enhancement and DWI targetoid findings, combined with AFP > 20 µg/L and HBV infection-positive laboratory results, can help to diagnose DPHCC and differentiate it from NCPHCC and ICC. These results suggest that clinical, laboratory and MRI features should be integrated to construct an AI diagnostic model for DPHCC.

LncRNA TDRKH-AS1 promotes breast cancer progression via the miR-134-5p/CREB1 axis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent malignancy with complex etiology and varied clinical behavior. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as key regulators in cancer progression, including BC. Among these, lncRNA TDRKH-AS1 has been implicated in several cancers, but its role in BC remains unclear.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive investigation to elucidate the role of TDRKH-AS1 in BC. Clinical samples were collected from BC patients, and BC cell lines were cultured. Bioinformatics analysis using the starBase database was carried out to assess TDRKH-AS1 expression levels in BC tissue samples. Functional experiments, including knockdown, colony formation, CCK-8, Transwell, and wound-healing assays, were conducted to determine the role of TDRKH-AS1 in BC cell proliferation and invasion. Luciferase reporter and RIP assays were used to examine the interactions between TDRKH-AS1 and miR-134-5p. In addition, the downstream target gene of miR-134-5p, cAMP response element-binding protein 1 (CREB1), was identified and studied using various methods, including RT-qPCR, immunoprecipitation, and rescue experiments. In vivo experiments using mouse tumor xenograft models were conducted to examine the role of TDRKH-AS1 in BC tumorigenesis.

RESULTS

TDRKH-AS1 was found to be significantly upregulated in BC tissues and cell lines. High TDRKH-AS1 expression correlated with advanced BC stages and worse patient outcomes. Knockdown of TDRKH-AS1 led to decreased BC cell proliferation and invasion. Mechanistically, TDRKH-AS1 acted as a sponge for miR-134-5p, thereby reducing the inhibitory effects of miR-134-5p on CREB1 expression. Overexpression of CREB1 partially rescued the effects of TDRKH-AS1 knockdown in BC cells. In vivo studies further confirmed the tumor-promoting role of TDRKH-AS1 in BC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study unveiled a novel regulatory axis involving TDRKH-AS1, miR-134-5p, and CREB1 in BC progression. TDRKH-AS1 functioned as an oncogenic lncRNA by promoting BC cell proliferation and invasion through modulation of the miR-134-5p/CREB1 axis. These findings highlighted TDRKH-AS1 as a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BC treatment.

Risk factors and prognosis of interstitial lung disease for primary Sjögren syndrome patients: A retrospective case‒control study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence, clinical features, risk factors, and prognosis of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS).

METHODS

Data from 274 pSS patients from August 2013 to August 2022 were reviewed. The clinical features of pSS with ILD were revealed. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for ILD in pSS patients. Survival analysis and Cox regression were used to analyse the prognosis and prognostic factors of pSS patients.

RESULTS

In pSS patients, the prevalence of ILD was 22.3% (61/274). The pSS patients with ILD were characterized by a late onset and long disease course, with a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern as the predominant high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) finding. Logistic regression results indicated that an age over 50 years old (OR 4.786, 95% CI 1.602-14.299; P = 0.005), purpuric rash (OR 4.695, 95% CI 1.537-14.339; P = 0.007), AMA-M2 antibody positivity (OR 2.582, 95% CI 1.166-5.722; P = 0.019), and diabetes (OR 2.514, 95% CI 1.025-6.167; P = 0.044) were risk factors for ILD in pSS patients. Cox regression results showed that advanced age (HR 1.240, 95% CI 1.088-1.413; P = 0.001) and cancer history (HR 8.411, 95% CI 1.771-39.934; P = 0.007) were risk factors for pSS patient survival.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that pSS patients with ILD tended to have a late onset and long course of pSS. An age over 50 years, purpuric rash, AMA-M2 antibody positivity, and diabetes were risk factors for ILD in pSS patients. Advanced age and cancer history were prognostic factors in pSS patients. Key Points • This study showed that pSS patients with ILD tended to have a late-onset and lengthy course of pSS, with the NSIP pattern as the predominant lung image. • The risk factors for ILD in pSS patients determined in this study were an age over 50 years, purpuric rash, AMA-M2 antibody positivity, and diabetes. • The prognostic risk factors for pSS patients were advanced age and cancer history.

Construction of Negative Electrostatic Pore Environments in a Scalable, Stable and Low-Cost Metal-organic Framework for One-Step Ethylene Purification from Ternary Mixtures

One-step separation of C2 H4 from ternary C2 mixtures by physisorbents remains a challenge to combine excellent separation performance with high stability, low cost, and easy scalability for industrial applications. Herein, we report a strategy of constructing negative electrostatic pore environments in a stable, low-cost, and easily scaled-up aluminum MOF (MOF-303) for efficient one-step C2 H2 /C2 H6 /C2 H4 separation. This material exhibits not only record high C2 H2 and C2 H6 uptakes, but also top-tier C2 H2 /C2 H4 and C2 H6 /C2 H4 selectivities at ambient conditions. Theoretical calculations combined with in situ infrared spectroscopy indicate that multiple N/O sites on pore channels can build a negative electro-environment to provide stronger interactions with C2 H2 and C2 H6 over C2 H4 . Breakthrough experiments confirm its exceptional separation performance for ternary mixtures, affording one of the highest C2 H4 productivity of 1.35 mmol g-1 . This material is highly stable and can be easily synthesized at kilogram-scale from cheap raw materials using a water-based green synthesis. The benchmark combination of excellent separation properties with high stability and low cost in scalable MOF-303 has unlocked its great potential in this challenging industrial separation.

A high activity mesoporous Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite for selective hydrogenation of halogenated nitroarenes in a continuous-flow microreactor

In this study, we designed a Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite prepared by impregnating platinum nanoparticles on the nanopores of the KIT-6 mesoporous material. This Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite was used as a catalyst in a micro fixed bed reactor (MFBR) for the continuous-flow hydrogenation of halogenated nitroarenes, which demonstrates three advantages. First, the Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite has a stable mesoporous nanostructure, which effectively enhances the active site and hydrogen adsorption capacity. The uniformly distributed pore structure and large specific surface area were confirmed by electron microscopy and N2 physisorption, respectively. In addition, the aggregation of the loaded metal was avoided, which facilitated the maintenance of high activity and selectivity. The conversion and selectivity reached 99% within 5.0 minutes at room temperature (20 °C). Furthermore, the continuous-flow microreactor allows precise control and timely transfer of the reaction system, reducing the impact of haloid acids. The activity and selectivity of the Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite showed virtually no degradation after 24 hours of continuous operation of the entire continuous-flow system. Overall, the Pt@KIT-6 nanocomposite showed good catalysis for the hydrogenation of halogenated nitroarenes in the continuous-flow microreactor. This work provides insights into the rational design of a highly active and selective catalyst for selective hydrogenation systems.

Genome-wide identification of GH9 gene family and the assessment of its role during fruit abscission zone formation in Vaccinium ashei

KEY MESSAGE

The genomic location and stage-specific expression pattern of GH9 genes reveal their critical roles during fruit abscission zone formation in Vaccinium ashei. Glycosyl hydrolase family 9 (GH9) cellulases play a crucial role in both cellulose synthesis and hydrolysis during plant growth and development. Despite this importance, there is currently no study on the involvement of GH9-encoding genes, specifically VaGH9s, in abscission zone formation of rabbiteye blueberries (Vaccinium ashei). In this study, we identified a total of 61 VaGH9s in the genome, which can be classified into 3 subclasses based on conserved motifs and domains, gene structures, and phylogenetic analyses. Our synteny analysis revealed that VaGH9s are more closely related to the GH9s of Populus L. than to those of Arabidopsis, Vitis vinifera, and Citrus sinensis. In silico structural analysis predicted that most of VaGH9s are hydrophilic, and localized in cell membrane and/or cell wall, and the variable sets of cis-acting regulatory elements and functional diversity with four categories of stress response, hormone regulation, growth and development, and transcription factor-related elements are present in the promoter sequence of VaGH9s genes. Transcriptomic analysis showed that there were 22 differentially expressed VaGH9s in fruit abscission zone tissue at the veraison stage, and the expression of VaGH9B2 and VaGH9C10 was continuously increased during fruit maturation, which were in parallel with the increasing levels of cellulase activity and oxidative stress indicators, suggesting that they are involved in the separation stage of fruit abscission in Vaccinium ashei. Our work identified 22 VaGH9s potentially involved in different stages of fruit abscission and would aid further investigation into the molecular regulation of abscission in rabbiteye blueberries fruit.

Comparation of robotic-assisted surgery and laparoscopic‑assisted surgery in children with Hirschsprung's disease: a single-centered retrospective study

BACKGROUND

There are few studies comparing robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) and laparoscopic-assisted surgery (LAS) in Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR). This study aimed to compare intraoperative and postoperative outcomes between RAS and LAS performed during the same period.

METHODS

All consecutive 75 patients with pathologically diagnosed as HSCR who underwent Swenson pull-through surgery from April 2020 to Nov 2022, were included. Patients were divided into RAS group and LAS group and a retrospective analysis was performed based on clinical indexes and prognosis.

RESULTS

A total of 75 patients were included, among which, 31 patients received RAS and 44 received LAS. The RAS and LAS groups had similar ages, sex, weight, postoperative hospital stays, and fasting times. Compared with LAS, blood loss (p = 0.002) and the incidence of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (p = 0.046) were significantly lower in the RAS group. The first onset of Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis in patients younger than 3 months occurred significantly earlier (p = 0.043). Two patients experienced anastomotic leakage in the LAS group and one patient experienced incisional hernia in the RAS group. The cost of RAS was significantly higher than that of LAS (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

RAS is a safe and effective alternative for HSCR children, and a delaying primary surgery until later in infancy (> 3 months) may improve outcomes.

Stem cell antigen-1+cell-derived fibroblasts are crucial for cardiac fibrosis during heart failure

AIMS

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) present in the heart cannot differentiate into cardiomyocytes, but may play a role in pathological conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to scrutinise the role and mechanism of MSC differentiation in vivo during heart failure.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed single-cell RNA sequencing of total non-cardiomyocytes from murine and adult human hearts. By analysing the transcriptomes of single cells, we illustrated the dynamics of the cell landscape during the progression of heart hypertrophy, including those of stem cell antigen-1 (Sca1)+ stem/progenitor cells and fibroblasts. By combining genetic lineage tracing and bone marrow transplantation models, we demonstrated that non-bone marrow-derived Sca1+ cells give rise to fibroblasts. Interestingly, partial depletion of Sca1+ cells alleviated the severity of myocardial fibrosis and led to a significant improvement in cardiac function in Sca1-CreERT2;Rosa26-eGFP-DTA mice. Similar non-cardiomyocyte cell composition and heterogeneity were observed in human patients with heart failure. Mechanistically, our study revealed that Sca1+ cells can transform into fibroblasts and affect the severity of fibrosis through the Wnt4-Pdgfra pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study describes the cellular landscape of hypertrophic hearts and reveals that fibroblasts derived from Sca1+ cells with a non-bone marrow source largely account for cardiac fibrosis. These findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis and have potential therapeutic implications for heart failure. Non-bone marrow-derived Sca1+ cells differentiate into fibroblasts involved in cardiac fibrosis via Wnt4-PDGFRα pathway.

Polydopamine (PDA) coatings with endothelial vascular growth factor (VEGF) immobilization inhibiting neointimal formation post zinc (zn) wire implantation in rat aortas

BACKGROUND

Bioresorbable stents are designed to provide temporary mechanical support to the coronary arteries and then slowly degrade in vivo to avoid chronic inflammation. Zinc (Zn) is a promising material for bioresorbable stents; However, it can cause inflammation and neointimal formation after being implanted into blood vessels.

METHODS

To improve biocompatibility of Zn, we first coated it with polydopamine (PDA), followed by immobilization of endothelial vascular growth factor (VEGF) onto the PDA coatings. Adhesion, proliferation, and phenotype maintenance of endothelial cells (ECs) on the coated Zn were evaluated in vitro. Then, a wire aortic implantation model in rats mimicking endovascular stent implantation in humans was used to assess vascular responses to the coated Zn wires in vivo. Thrombosis in aortas post Zn wire implantation, degradation of Zn wires in vivo, neointimal formation surrounding Zn wires, and macrophage infiltration and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling in the neointimas were examined.

RESULTS

In vitro data showed that the PDA-coated Zn encouraged EC adhesion, spreading, proliferation, and phenotype maintenance on its surfaces. VEGF functionalization on PDA coatings further enhanced the biocompatibility of Zn to ECs. Implantation of PDA-coated Zn wires into rat aortas didn't cause thrombosis and showed a faster blood flow than pure Zn or the Zn wires coated with VEGF alone. In addition, the PDA coating didn't affect the degradation of Zn wires in vivo. Besides, the PDA-coated Zn wires reduced neointimal formation, increased EC coverage, decreased macrophage infiltration, and declined aggrecan accumulation in ECM. VEGF immobilization onto PDA coatings didn't cause thrombosis and affect Zn degradation in vivo as well, and further increased the endothelization percentage as compared to PDA coating alone, thus resulting in thinner neointimas.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that PDA coatings with VEGF immobilization would be a promising approach to functionalize Zn surfaces to increase biocompatibility, reduce inflammation, and inhibit neointimal formation after Zn implantation in vivo.

Analysis of WAK Genes in Nine Cruciferous Species with a Focus on Brassica napus L

The wall-associated kinase family contributes to plant cell elongation and pathogen recognition. Nine Cruciferous species were studied for identification and molecular evolution of the WAK gene family. Firstly, 178 WAK genes were identified. A phylogenetic tree was constructed of the Cruciferous WAK proteins into four categories, of which the Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea and Brassica napus genes in the U's triangle were more closely related. The WAK gene family was unevenly distributed in B. napus chromosomal imaging, with the largest number of BnWAK genes located on chromosome C08. In the expression analysis, the expression patterns of the WAK gene family varied under different stress treatments, and some members of BnWAKs were significantly different under stress treatments. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the functional mechanisms of the WAK gene family in Brassica napus.

Pathogen resistance in soils associated with bacteriome network reconstruction through reductive soil disinfestation

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective bioremediation technique to restructure the soil microbial community and eliminate soilborne phytopathogens. Yet we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the keystone taxa involved and their roles in ecosystem functioning in degraded soils treated by RSD. In this study, the bacteriome network structure in RSD-treated soil and the subsequent cultivation process were explored. As a result, bacterial communities in RSD-treated soil developed more complex topologies and stable co-occurrence patterns. The richness and diversity of keystone taxa were higher in the RSD group (module hub: 0.57%; connector: 23.98%) than in the Control group (module hub: 0.16%; connector: 19.34%). The restoration of keystone taxa in RSD-treated soil was significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with soil pH, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen. Moreover, a strong negative correlation (r =  -0.712; P < 0.01) was found between keystone taxa richness and Fusarium abundance. Our results suggest that keystone taxa involved in the RSD network structure are capable of maintaining a flexible generalist mode of metabolism, namely with respect to nitrogen fixation, methylotrophy, and methanotrophy. Furthermore, distinct network modules composed by numerous anti-pathogen agents were formed in RSD-treated soil; i.e., the genera Hydrogenispora, Azotobacter, Sphingomonas, and Clostridium_8 under the soil treatment stage, and the genera Anaerolinea and Pseudarthrobacter under the plant cultivation stage. The study provides novel insights into the association between fungistasis and keystone or sensitive taxa in RSD-treated soil, with significant implications for comprehending the mechanisms of RSD. KEY POINTS: • RSD enhanced bacteriome network stability and restored keystone taxa. • Keystone taxa richness was negatively correlated with Fusarium abundance. • Distinct sensitive OTUs and modules were formed in RSD soil.

Data mining from process monitoring of typical polluting enterprise

With the increasing volume of environmental monitoring data, extracting valuable insights from multivariate time series sensor data can facilitate comprehensive information utilization and support informed decision-making in environmental management. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive research on multivariate data analysis for process monitoring in typical polluting enterprises. In this study, an artificial neural network model based on back-propagation algorithm (BP-ANN) was developed to predict the wastewater and exhaust gas emissions using IoT data obtained from process monitoring of a typical polluting enterprise located in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, China. The results indicate that the model constructed has a high predictive coefficient of determination (R2) with values of 0.8510, 0.9565, 0.9561, 0.9677, and 0.9061 for chemical oxygen demand (COD), potential of hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), flue gas emission (FGE), and non-methane hydrocarbon concentration (NMHC) respectively. For the first time, the variable importance measure (VIM)-assisted BP-ANN was employed to investigate the internal and external correlations between wastewater and exhaust gas treatment, thereby enhancing the interpretability of mapping features in the BP-ANN model. The predicted errors for pH and FGE have been demonstrated to fall within the range of - 0.62 ~ 0.30 and - 0.21 ~ 0.15 m3/s, respectively, with average relative errors of 1.05% and 9.60%, which is advantageous in detecting anomalous data and forecasting pollution indicator values. Our approach successfully addresses the challenge of segregating data analysis for wastewater disposal and exhaust gas disposal in the process monitoring of polluting enterprises, while also unearthing potential variables that significantly contribute to the BP-ANN model, thereby facilitating the selection and extraction of characteristic variables.

Removal of methylene blue by porous biochar obtained by KOH activation from bamboo biochar

A series of activated biochar (KBBC-700, KBBC-800 and KBBC-900) which were modified by KOH and pyrolysis at various temperatures from ball-milling bamboo powder were obtained. The physicochemical properties and pore structures of activated biochar were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectoscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and N2 adsorption/desorption. The adsorption performance for the removal of methylene blue (MB) was deeply studied. The results showed that KBBC-900 obtained at activation temperature of 900 °C exhibited a great surface area which reached 562 m2/g with 0.460 cm3/g of total pore volume. The enhancement of adsorption capacity could be ascribed to the increase of surface oxygen-containing functional groups, aromatization and mesoporous channels. The adsorption capacity was up to 67.46 mg/g under the optimum adsorption parameters with 2 g/L of adsorbent dose, 11 of initial solution pH and 298 K of the reactive temperature. The adsorption capacity was 70.63% of the first time after the material was recycled for three cycles. The kinetics indicated that the adsorption equilibrium time for MB on KBBC-900 was of about 20 min with the data fitted better to the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. The adsorption process was mainly dominated by chemical adsorption. Meanwhile, the adsorption isotherm showed that the Langmuir model fitted the best, and thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption reaction was the endothermic nature and the spontaneous process. Adsorption of MB mainly attributed to electrostatic interactions, cation-π electron interaction and redox reaction. This study suggested that the activated biochar obtained by KOH activation from bamboo biochar has great potentials in the practical application to remove MB from wastewater.

Distinct resting-state functional connectivity patterns of Anterior Insula affected by smoking in mild cognitive impairment

Smoking is a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The insula plays a vital role in both smoking and cognition. However, the smoking effects on insula-related networks in cognitively normal controls (CN) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients remain unknown. We identified 129 CN (85 non-smokers and 44 smokers) and 83 MCI (54 non-smokers and 29 smokers). Each underwent neuropsychological assessment and MRI (structural and resting-state functional). Seed-based functional analyses in the anterior and posterior insula were performed to calculate the functional connectivity (FC) with voxels in the whole brain. Mixed-effect analyses were performed to explore the interactive effects on smoking and cognitive status. Associations between FC and neuropsychological scales were assessed. Mixed-effect analyses revealed the FC differences between the right anterior insula (RAI) with the left middle temporal gyrus (LMTG) and that with the right inferior parietal lobule (RIPL) (p < 0.01, cluster level < 0.05, two-tailed, gaussian random field correction). The FC of RAI in both LMTG and RIPL sees a significant decrease in MCI smokers (p < 0.01). Smoking affects insula FC differently between MCI and CN, and could decrease the insula FC in MCI patients. Our study provides evidence of neural mechanisms between smoking and AD.

Biomedical application of 2D nanomaterials in neuroscience

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, such as graphene, black phosphorus and transition metal dichalcogenides, have attracted increasing attention in biology and biomedicine. Their high mechanical stiffness, excellent electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and biocompatibility have led to rapid advances. Neuroscience is a complex field with many challenges, such as nervous system is difficult to repair and regenerate, as well as the early diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases are also challenged. This review mainly focuses on the application of 2D nanomaterials in neuroscience. Firstly, we introduced various types of 2D nanomaterials. Secondly, due to the repairment and regeneration of nerve is an important problem in the field of neuroscience, we summarized the studies of 2D nanomaterials applied in neural repairment and regeneration based on their unique physicochemical properties and excellent biocompatibility. We also discussed the potential of 2D nanomaterial-based synaptic devices to mimic connections among neurons in the human brain due to their low-power switching capabilities and high mobility of charge carriers. In addition, we also reviewed the potential clinical application of various 2D nanomaterials in diagnosing and treating neurodegenerative diseases, neurological system disorders, as well as glioma. Finally, we discussed the challenge and future directions of 2D nanomaterials in neuroscience.

Neuron-specific enolase in hypertension patients with acute ischemic stroke and its value forecasting long-term functional outcomes

BACKGROUND

Neuron Specific Enolase (NSE), a neuro-biochemical protein marker, may correlate with the prognosis of stroke patients. Moreover, hypertension is the most common comorbidities in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and the relationship between NSE levels and long-term functional outcomes in such an increasingly large population is unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships mentioned above and optimize the prediction models.

METHODS

From 2018 to 2020, 1086 admissions for AIS were grouped as hypertension and non-hypertension, while hypertension group was randomly divided into development and validation cohorts for internal validation. The severity of the stroke was staged by National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Stroke prognosis after 1 year of follow up was documented by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed the following findings:(i) Serum NSE levels increased greatly in hypertension subjects with poor functional outcomes(p = 0.046). However, there was no association in non-hypertension individuals(p = 0.386). (ii) In addition to the conventional factors (age and NIHSS score), NSE (OR:1.241, 95% CI: 1.025-1.502) and prothrombin time were significantly related to the incidence of unfavorable outcomes. (iii)Based on the above four indicators, a novel nomogram was established to predict the prognosis of stoke in hypertension patients with the c-index values of 0.8851.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, high baseline NSE is associated with poor 1-year AIS outcomes in hypertension patients, suggesting NSE may be a potential prognostic and therapeutic target for stroke in hypertension patients.

A Method to Replace NaCl as a Flotation Solution for Extracting MPs in Soil: A Case Study of the Jiaxing Agricultural Soil from China

Microplastics (MPs) have become an important global issue in recent years. However, MPs in the soil have received far less attention than water. Effective and nondestructive extraction of MPs is important for studying MPs in agricultural soils. This study uses different floatation solutions as experiments and uses MgCl₂ as the floatation solution of the density extraction method. Five types of standard MPs (PE, PP, PS, PVC, and PET) are used as the objects of this experiment. The recovery of the two particle sizes was between 90.82% and 109.69%. The extracted standard MPs were then subjected to IR and Raman spectroscopic analysis, and the results showed that Raman spectroscopy was more suitable for the identification of the extracted MPs. Finally, this method collected and verified a vast number of soil samples and further analyzed the abundance and characteristics of the collected MPs.

Long non-coding RNAs in breast cancer stem cells

Breast cancer, one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide, is a heterogeneous disease with high rates of recurrence and metastasis that contribute to its high mortality rate. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) are a small but significant subset of heterogeneous breast cancer cells that possess stem cell characteristics such as self-renewal and differentiation abilities that may drive metastasis and recurrence. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of RNAs that are longer than 200 nucleotides in length and do not possess protein-coding properties. An increasing number of studies have shown that some lncRNAs are abnormally expressed in BCSCs, and have great biological significance in the occurrence, progression, invasion, and metastasis of various cancers. However, the importance of lncRNAs, as well as the molecular mechanisms that regulate and promote the stemness of BCSCs, are still poorly understood. In the current review, we aim to summarize recent studies that highlight the role of lncRNAs in tumor occurrence and progression through BCSCs. In addition, the utility of lncRNAs as biomarkers of breast cancer progression, and their potential use as therapeutic targets for treatment of breast cancer, will be discussed.

The Effects of Shaking Duration on the Abundance and the Community of Aerobic Denitrifying Bacteria in Shrimp Pond Water and Sediment Samples

With the rapid development of intensive aquaculture, the considerable release of nitrogenous organic compounds has become a serious threat to aquatic organisms. Currently, isolating autochthonous aerobic denitrifying bacteria (ADB) from aquaculture environments is essential for the biological elimination of nitrogenous pollutants. In this study, the enrichment of ADB from shrimp pond water and sediment samples was conducted under different shaking durations. The absolute abundance of total bacteria, nosZ-type, and the napA-type ADB was measured using qPCR. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA, nosZ, and napA genes was performed to reveal the community structure of bacteria and ADB, respectively. Our data revealed that absolute abundance and the community structure of the total bacteria, nosZ-type and napA-type ADB, were significantly altered under different shaking durations. Specifically, the order Pseudomonadales, possessing both nosZ and napA genes, was significantly enriched in water and sediment samples under both 12/12 and 24/0 shaking/static cycles. However, in water samples, compared to the 24/0 shaking/static cycles, the 12/12 shaking/static cycles could lead to a higher enrichment rate of aerobic denitrification bacteria indicated by the higher absolute abundance of bacteria and the higher accounting percentage of orders Oceanospirillales and Vibrionales. Moreover, although the order Pseudomonadales notably increased under the 12/12 of shake/static cycle compared to the 24/0 shaking/static cycle, considering the relative higher abundance of ADB in 24/0 shaking/static cycle, the enrichment of ADB in sediment may be efficient with the 24/0 shaking/static cycle.

Brain microstructural changes in essential tremor patients and correlations with clinical characteristics: a diffusion kurtosis imaging study

OBJECTIVE

Essential tremor (ET) is the second most common movement disorder; however, the pathophysiological mechanism of ET is unclear. We aimed to investigate the microstructural degeneration of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) and their correlations with cognition and tremor in patients with ET.

METHODS

The participants were 63 patients with ET and 63 matched healthy controls (HCs) who underwent 3D-T1 weighted and diffusion kurtosis images (DKI). Microstructural degeneration was measured using high-level diffusion parameters derived from DKI. A voxel-wise analysis of the means of the GM-based spatial statistics and tract-based spatial statistics were conducted to assess differences in diffusion parameters between the ET and HC groups. The volume differences between the two groups were also assessed, and tremor severity and multi-domain cognitive performance were evaluated. Finally, the relationship between microstructural degeneration and clinical characteristics were assessed.

RESULTS

The ET group had significantly lower mean kurtosis of the temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes and the cerebellum and lower radial kurtosis in several tracts. These microstructural changes in GM and WM were correlated with tremor and cognitive scores. However, no significant difference in volume was found between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that ET entails extensive GM and WM microstructural alterations, which support the neurodegenerative hypothesis of ET. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying tremor and cognitive impairment in ET.

A mucosal recovery software tool for endoscopic submucosal dissection in early gastric cancer

Background

Due to the limited diagnostic ability, the low detection rate of early gastric cancer (EGC) is a serious health threat. The establishment of the mapping between endoscopic images and pathological images can rapidly improve the diagnostic ability to detect EGC. To expedite the learning process of EGC diagnosis, a mucosal recovery map for the mapping between ESD mucosa specimen and pathological images should be performed in collaboration with endoscopists and pathologists, which is a time-consuming and laborious work.

Methods

20 patients at the Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, Affiliated People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College from March 2020 to July 2020 were enrolled in this study. We proposed the improved U-Net to obtain WSI-level segmentation results, and the WSI-level results can be mapped to the macroscopic image of the specimen. For the convenient use, a software pipeline named as "Pathology Helper" for integration the workflow of the construction of mucosal recovery maps was developed.

Results

The MIoU and Dice of our model can achieve 0.955 ± 0.0936 and 0.961 ± 0.0874 for WSI-level segmentation, respectively. With the help of "Pathology Helper", we can construct the high-quality mucosal recovery maps to reduce the workload of endoscopists and pathologists.

Conclusion

"Pathology Helper" will accelerate the learning of endoscopists and pathologists, and rapidly improve their abilities to detect EGC. Our work can also improve the detection rate of early gastric cancer, so that more patients with gastric cancer will be treated in a timely manner.

Effects of nicosulfuron on plant growth and sugar metabolism in sweet maize (Zea mays L.)

The sulfonylurea herbicide nicosulfuron is efficient, harmless and selective at low doses and has been widely used in maize cultivation. In this study, a pair of corn sister lines, HK301 (nicosulfuron-tolerence, NT) and HK320 (nicosulfuron-sensitive, NS), was chosen to study the effect of nicosulfuron on plant growth and sugar metabolism in sweet maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings. All the experimental samples were subjected to treatment with water or 80 mg kg^–1 of nicosulfuron when the sweet maize seedlings grew to the four-leaf stage. Nicosulfuron significantly inhibited the growth of NS line. The content of sucrose and the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase in the two inbred lines increased differentially under nicosulfuron stress compared with the respective control treatment. After nicosulfuron treatment, the activities of hexokinase and 6-phosphofructokinase and the contents of pyruvic acid and citric acid in NS line decreased significantly compared with those of NT line, while the content of sucrose and activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase increased significantly. The disruption of sugar metabolism in NS line led to a lower supply of energy for growth. This study showed that the glycolysis pathway and the tricarboxylic acid cycle were enhanced in nicosulfuron-tolerant line under nicosulfuron stress in enhancing the adaptability of sweet maize.

Probiotic effects of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 1155 and Limosilactobacillus fermentum 2644 on hyperuricemic rats

Hyperuricemia is the main cause of gout and involved in the occurrence of multiple diseases, such as hypertension, metabolic disorders and chronic kidney disease. Emerging evidence suggests that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have shown the beneficial effects on the prevention or treatment of hyperuricemia. In this study, the urate-lowering effect of two LAB strains, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus 1155 (LR1155) and Limosilactobacillus fermentum 2644 (LF2644) on hyperuricemic rats were investigated. A hyperuricemic rat model was induced by the intragastric treatment of potassium oxonate, combined with a high purine diet. The oral administration of LR1155, LF2644, or a combination of LR1155 and LF2644 for 4 weeks significantly prevented the rise of the serum uric acid (UA) induced by hyperuricemia. LR1155 and LF2644 significantly elevated the fecal UA levels, increased the UA content and up-regulated gene expression of UA transporter, ATP-binding cassette subfamily G-2 (ABCG2), in colon and jejunum tissues, suggesting the accelerated UA excretion from the intestine. Besides, LR1155 significantly inhibited the activity of xanthine oxidase (XOD) in liver and serum, benefited the reduce of UA production. In addition, LF2644 strengthened the gut barrier functions through an up-regulation of the gene expressions for occluding and mucin2, accompanied with the reduced inflammatory indicators of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in hyperuricemic rat. Moreover, using 16s rDNA high-throughput sequencing of feces, LR1155 was shown to improve the hyperuricemia induced gut microbial dysbiosis. The genera Roseburia, Butyricicoccus, Prevotella, Oscillibacter, and Bifidobacterium may associate with the effect of LR1155 on microbiota in hyperuricemic rats. Collectively, the results indicated that LR1155 and LF2644 exhibit urate-lowering effects and could be used alone or in combination as a new adjuvant treatment for hyperuricemia.

Decoding the formation of diverse petal colors of Lagerstroemia indica by integrating the data from transcriptome and metabolome

Lagerstroemia indica has great economic value due to its ecological, medicinal, and ornamental properties. Because its bloom color is one of the most essential characteristics, research into its color development is a hot topic. In this study, five representative colored cultivars were chosen, each representing a different color, such as white, red, pink, violet, and purple. Fully bloomed flowers were used to detect flavonoids in the petals. Anthocyanin is the main factor for the color formation of L. indica. 14 anthocyanins were discovered among the 299 flavonoids. Among 14 anthocyanins, malvidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside varied greatly among four colored samples and is the main contributor to color diversity. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that compared to white flowers, Anthocyanin pathway genes appear to be more active in colored samples. Analyzing the correlation network between metabolites and differential expressed genes, 53 key structural genes, and 24 TFs were detected that may play an essential role in the formation of color in L. indica flowers. Among these, the differential expression of F3'5'H and F3'H between all samples are contributors to color diversity. These findings lay the foundation for discovering the molecular mechanism of L. indica flower color diversity.

Transcriptome analysis of tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves in response to ammonium starvation and recovery

The tea plant is a kind of ammonium-preferring crop, but the mechanism whereby ammonium (NH₄ ⁺) regulate its growth is not well understood. The current study focused on the effects of NH₄ ⁺ on tea plants. Transcriptomic analysis was performed to investigate the early- and late-stage NH₄ ⁺ deprivation and resupply in tea plants shoots. Through short- and long-term NH₄ ⁺ deficiency, the dynamic response to NH₄ ⁺ stress was investigated. The most significant effects of NH₄ ⁺ deficiency were found to be on photosynthesis and gene ontology (GO) enrichment varied with the length of NH₄ ⁺ deprivation. Enriched KEGG pathways were also different when NH₄ ⁺ was resupplied at different concentrations which may indicate reasons for tolerance of high NH₄ ⁺ concentration. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), modules related to significant tea components, tea polyphenols and free amino acids, were identified. Hence, NH₄ ⁺ could be regarded as a signaling molecule with the response of catechins shown to be higher than that of amino acids. The current work represents a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of plant responses to NH₄ ⁺ and reveals many potential genes regulated by NH₄ ⁺ in tea plants. Such findings may lead to improvements in nitrogen efficiency of tea plants.

Emergently Alteration of Procedural Strategy During Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement to Prevent Coronary Occlusion: A Case Report

Background

Coronary occlusion is an uncommon but fatal complication of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with a poor prognosis.

Case Presentation

A patient with symptomatic severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis was admitted to a high-volume center specializing in transfemoral TAVR with self-expanding valves. No anatomical risk factors of coronary occlusion were identified on pre-procedural computed tomography analysis. The patient was scheduled for a transfemoral TAVR with a self-expanding valve. Balloon pre-dilatation prior to prosthesis implantation was routinely used for assessing the supra-annular structure and assessing the risk of coronary occlusion. Immediately after the tubular balloon inflation, fluoroscopy revealed that the right coronary artery was not visible, and the flow in the left coronary artery was reduced. The patient would be at high-risk of coronary occlusion if a long stent self-expanding valve was implanted. Therefore, our heart team decided to suspend the ongoing procedure. A transapical TAVR with a 23 mm J-valve was performed 3 days later. The prosthesis was deployed at a proper position without blocking the coronary ostia and the final fluoroscopy showed normal flow in bilateral coronary arteries with the same filling as preoperatively.

Discussion

Our successful case highlights the importance of a comprehensive assessment of coronary risk and a thorough understanding of the TAVR procedure for the heart team. A short-stent prosthesis is feasible for patients at high risk of coronary occlusion. Most importantly TAVR should be called off even if the catheter has been introduced when an extremely high risk of coronary obstruction is identified during the procedure and no solution can be found.

Transcriptome Approach Reveals the Response Mechanism of Heimia myrtifolia (Lythraceae, Myrtales) to Drought Stress

Drought is a major environmental condition that inhibits the development and cultivation of Heimia myrtifolia. The molecular processes of drought resistance in H. myrtifolia remain unknown, which has limited its application. In our study, transcriptome analyzes were compared across three treatment groups (CK, T1, and T2), to investigate the molecular mechanism of drought resistance. Plant leaves wilted and drooped as the duration of drought stress increased. The relative water content of the leaves declined dramatically, and relative electrolyte leakage rose progressively. Using an RNA-Seq approach, a total of 62,015 unigenes with an average length of 1730 bp were found, with 86.61% of them annotated to seven databases, and 14,272 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in drought stress. GO and KEGG enrichment analyzes of the DEGs revealed significantly enriched KEGG pathways, including photosynthesis, photosynthetic antenna proteins, plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism. Abscisic acid signal transduction was the most prevalent in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway, and other plant hormone signal transductions were also involved in the drought stress response. The transcription factors (including MYB, NAC, WRKY, and bHLH) and related differential genes on significantly enriched pathways all played important roles in the drought process, such as photosynthesis-related genes and antioxidant enzyme genes. In conclusion, this study will provide several genetic resources for further investigation of the molecular processes that will be beneficial to H. myrtifolia cultivation and breeding.

TCP Transcription Factors Involved in Shoot Development of Ma Bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro)

Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) is the most widely cultivated clumping bamboo in Southern China and is valuable for both consumption and wood production. The development of bamboo shoots involving the occurrence of lateral buds is unique, and it affects both shoot yield and the resulting timber. Plant-specific TCP transcription factors are involved in plant growth and development, particularly in lateral bud outgrowth and morphogenesis. However, the comprehensive information of the TCP genes in Ma bamboo remains poorly understood. In this study, 66 TCP transcription factors were identified in Ma bamboo at the genome-wide level. Members of the same subfamily had conservative gene structures and conserved motifs. The collinear analysis demonstrated that segmental duplication occurred widely in the TCP transcription factors of Ma bamboo, which mainly led to the expansion of a gene family. Cis-acting elements related to growth and development and stress response were found in the promoter regions of DlTCPs. Expression patterns revealed that DlTCPs have tissue expression specificity, which is usually highly expressed in shoots and leaves. Subcellular localization and transcriptional self-activation experiments demonstrated that the five candidate TCP proteins were typical self-activating nuclear-localized transcription factors. Additionally, the transcriptome analysis of the bamboo shoot buds at different developmental stages helped to clarify the underlying functions of the TCP members during the growth of bamboo shoots. DlTCP12-C, significantly downregulated as the bamboo shoots developed, was selected to further verify its molecular function in Arabidopsis. The DlTCP12-C overexpressing lines exhibited a marked reduction in the number of rosettes and branches compared with the wild type in Arabidopsis, suggesting that DlTCP12-C conservatively inhibits lateral bud outgrowth and branching in plants. This study provides useful insights into the evolutionary patterns and molecular functions of the TCP transcription factors in Ma bamboo and provides a valuable reference for further research on the regulatory mechanism of bamboo shoot development and lateral bud growth.