Network pharmacology and molecular docking reveal the mechanisms of curcumin activity against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Curcumin (CUR), an effective traditional Chinese medicinal extract, displays good anti-cancer activity against various cancers. Nevertheless, the impacts and fundamental mechanisms of CUR to treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) yet to be comprehensively clarified. This study examined the suppressive impacts of CUR on ESCC. Methods: For a comprehensive understanding of the effect of CUR in ESCC. The CUR targets and ESCC-related genes were identified respectively, and the intersection targets between CUR and ESCC were acquired. Then, we examined the intersection targets and discovered genes that were expressed differently in ESCC. Using DAVID, enrichment analyses were conducted on the targets of CUR-ESCC. The STRING database and Cytoscape v.3.9.1 were utilized to build networks for protein-protein interaction (PPI) and drug-target-pathway. Furthermore, the interactions between CUR and its core targets were confirmed by molecular docking studies. To confirm the effects of CUR on ESCC cells, in vitro experiments were finally conducted. Results: Overall, 47 potential CUR targets for ESCC treatment were identified. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified 61 signaling pathways, primarily associated with the FoxO signaling, the cell cycle, cellular senescence, the IL-17 signaling pathway which play important roles in ESCC progression. In the PPI network and the docking results identified CHEK1 and CDK6 as the core targets that positively associated with ESCC survival. CUR arrested ESCC cells at the G2/M and S phases, as shown by flow cytometry. Colony formation and CCK8 assays showed that CUR can inhibit the proliferative ability of ESCC cells. The Transwell invasion results validated that CUR can significantly inhibit the invasion rates of ESCC cells. Conclusion: Collectively, these findings indicate that CUR exhibits pharmacological effects on multiple targets and pathways in ESCC.

Teriflunomide Promotes Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity by Upregulating Claudin-1 via the Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway in Multiple Sclerosis

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) and tight junction (TJ) proteins maintain the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). The dysfunction of BBB allows peripheral T cells infiltration into CNS and contributes to the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis (MS). Teriflunomide is an approved drug for the treatment of MS by suppressing lymphocytes proliferation. However, whether teriflunomide has a protective effect on BBB in MS is not understood. We found that teriflunomide restored the injured BBB in the EAE model. Furthermore, teriflunomide treatment over 6 months improved BBB permeability and reduced peripheral leakage of CNS proteins in MS patients. Teriflunomide increased human brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) viability and promoted BBB integrity in an in vitro cell model. The TJ protein claudin-1 was upregulated by teriflunomide and responsible for the protective effect on BBB. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed that the Wnt signaling pathway was affected by teriflunomide. The activation of Wnt signaling pathway increased claudin-1 expression and reduced BBB damage in cell model and EAE rats. Our study demonstrated that teriflunomide upregulated the expression of the tight junction protein claudin-1 in endothelial cells and promoted the integrity of BBB through Wnt signaling pathway.

Identification and validation of a novel anoikis-related prognostic model for prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Anoikis resistance is a hallmark characteristic of oncogenic transformation, which is crucial for tumor progression and metastasis. The aim of this study was to identify and validate a novel anoikis-related prognostic model for prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODS

We collected a gene expression profile, single nucleotide polymorphism mutation and copy number variation (CNV) data of 495 PCa patients from the TCGA database and 140 PCa samples from the MSKCC dataset. We extracted 434 anoikis-related genes and unsupervised consensus cluster analysis was used to identify molecular subtypes. The immune infiltration, molecular function, and genome alteration of subtypes were evaluated. A risk signature was developed using Cox regression analysis and validated with the MSKCC dataset. We also identify potential drugs for high-risk group patients.

RESULTS

Two subtypes were identified. C1 exhibited a higher level of CNV amplification, immune score, stromal score, aneuploidy score, homologous recombination deficiency, intratumor heterogeneity, single-nucleotide variant neoantigens, and tumor mutational burden compared to C2. C2 showed a better survival outcome and had a high level of gamma delta T cell and activated B cell infiltration. The risk signature consisting of four genes (HELLS, ZWINT, ABCC5, and TPSB2) was developed (area under the curve = 0.780) and was found to be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in PCa patients. Four CTRP-derived and four PRISM-derived compounds were identified for high-risk patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The anoikis-related prognostic model developed in this study could be a useful tool for clinical decision-making. This study may provide a new perspective for the treatment of anoikis-related PCa.

Infusion of GMSCs relieves autoimmune arthritis by suppressing the externalization of neutrophil extracellular traps via PGE2-PKA-ERK axis

INTRODUCTION

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease with limited treatment success, characterized by chronic inflammation and progressive cartilage and bone destruction. Accumulating evidence has shown that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) released by activated neutrophils are important for initiating and perpetuating synovial inflammation and thereby could be a promising therapeutic target for RA. K/B × N serum transfer-induced arthritis (STIA) is a rapidly developed joint inflammatory model that somehow mimics the inflammatory response in patients with RA. Human gingival-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) have been previously shown to possess immunosuppressive effects in arthritis and humanized animal models. However, it is unknown whether GMSCs can manage neutrophils in autoimmune arthritis.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether infusion of GMSCs can alleviate RA by regulating neutrophils and NETs formation. If this is so, we will explore the underlying mechanism(s) in an animal model of inflammatory arthritis.

METHODS

The effects of GMSCs on RA were assessed by comparing the symptoms of the K/B × N serum transfer-induced arthritis (STIA) model administered either with GMSCs or with control cells. Phenotypes examined included clinical scores, rear ankle thickness, paw swelling, inflammation, synovial cell proliferation, and immune cell frequency. The regulation of GMSCs on NETs was examined through immunofluorescence and immunoblotting in GMSCs-infused STIA mice and in an in vitro co-culture system of neutrophils with GMSCs. The molecular mechanism(s) by which GMSCs regulate NETs was explored both in vitro and in vivo by silencing experiments.

RESULTS

We found in this study that adoptive transfer of GMSCs into STIA mice significantly ameliorated experimental arthritis and reduced neutrophil infiltration and NET formation. In vitro studies also showed that GMSCs inhibited the generation of NETs in neutrophils. Subsequent investigations revealed that GMSCs secreted prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to activate protein kinase A (PKA), which ultimately inhibited the downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway that is essential for NET formation.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that infusion of GMSCs can ameliorate inflammatory arthritis mainly by suppressing NET formation via the PGE2-PKA-ERK signaling pathway. These findings further support the notion that the manipulation of GMSCs is a promising stem cell-based therapy for patients with RA and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

The kainate receptor GluK2 mediates cold sensing in mice

Thermosensors expressed in peripheral somatosensory neurons sense a wide range of environmental temperatures. While thermosensors detecting cool, warm and hot temperatures have all been extensively characterized, little is known about those sensing cold temperatures. Though several candidate cold sensors have been proposed, none has been demonstrated to mediate cold sensing in somatosensory neurons in vivo, leaving a knowledge gap in thermosensation. Here we characterized mice lacking the kainate-type glutamate receptor GluK2, a mammalian homolog of the Caenorhabditis elegans cold sensor GLR-3. While GluK2 knockout mice respond normally to heat and mechanical stimuli, they exhibit a specific deficit in sensing cold but not cool temperatures. Further analysis supports a key role for GluK2 in sensing cold temperatures in somatosensory DRG neurons in the periphery. Our results reveal that GluK2-a glutamate-sensing chemoreceptor mediating synaptic transmission in the central nervous system-is co-opted as a cold-sensing thermoreceptor in the periphery.

Edible traditional Chinese medicines improve type 2 diabetes by modulating gut microbiotal metabolites

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder with intricate pathogenic mechanisms. Despite the availability of various oral medications for controlling the condition, reports of poor glycemic control in type 2 diabetes persist, possibly involving unknown pathogenic mechanisms. In recent years, the gut microbiota have emerged as a highly promising target for T2DM treatment, with the metabolites produced by gut microbiota serving as crucial intermediaries connecting gut microbiota and strongly related to T2DM. Increasingly, traditional Chinese medicine is being considered to target the gut microbiota for T2DM treatment, and many of them are edible. In studies conducted on animal models, edible traditional Chinese medicine have been shown to primarily alter three significant gut microbiotal metabolites: short-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and branched-chain amino acids. These metabolites play crucial roles in alleviating T2DM by improving glucose metabolism and reducing inflammation. This review primarily summarizes twelve edible traditional Chinese medicines that improve T2DM by modulating the aforementioned three gut microbiotal metabolites, along with potential underlying molecular mechanisms, and also incorporation of edible traditional Chinese medicines into the diets of T2DM patients and combined use with probiotics for treating T2DM are discussed.

Prognostic prediction using a gene signature developed based on exhausted T cells for liver cancer patients

Background

Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is a solid primary malignancy with poor prognosis. This study discovered key prognostic genes based on T cell exhaustion and used them to develop a prognostic prediction model for LIHC.

Methods

SingleR's annotations combined with Seurat was used to automatically annotate the single-cell clustering results of the LIHC dataset GSE166635 downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and to identify clusters related to exhausted T cells. Patients were classified using ConsensusClusterPlus package. Next, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) package was employed to distinguish key gene module, based on which least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) and multi/univariate cox analysis were performed to construct a RiskScore system. Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were employed to evaluate the efficacy of the model. To further optimize the risk model, a nomogram capable of predicting immune infiltration and immunotherapy sensitivity in different risk groups was developed. Expressions of genes were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and immunofluorescence and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) were performed for analyzing cell functions.

Results

We obtained 18,413 cells and clustered them into 7 immune and non-immune cell subpopulations. Based on highly variable genes among T cell exhaustion clusters, 3 molecular subtypes (C1, C2 and C3) of LIHC were defined, with C3 subtype showing the highest score of exhausted T cells and a poor prognosis. The Lasso and multivariate cox analysis selected 7 risk genes from the green module, which were closely associated with the C3 subtype. All the patients were divided into low- and high-risk groups based on the medium value of RiskScore, and we found that high-risk patients had higher immune infiltration and immune escape and poorer prognosis. The nomogram exhibited a strong performance for predicting long-term LIHC prognosis. In vitro experiments revealed that the 7 risk genes all had a higher expression in HCC cells, and that both liver HCC cell numbers and cell viability were reduced by knocking down MMP-9.

Conclusion

We developed a RiskScore model for predicting LIHC prognosis based on the scRNA-seq and RNA-seq data. The RiskScore as an independent prognostic factor could improve the clinical treatment for LIHC patients.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children with refractory diarrhoea and hypoalbuminaemia as the initial presentation: two case reports and a literature review

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) involving the gastrointestinal tract is a rare condition for which clinical experience is limited. We describe the cases of two patients who initially presented with chronic diarrhoea, hypoproteinaemia, and intermittent fever. These findings suggest that in cases of refractory diarrhoea accompanied by recurrent hypoalbuminaemia, especially with abdominal rash, LCH should be considered. Gastrointestinal endoscopy, biopsy, and imaging studies are essential for obtaining a definitive diagnosis. This approach might be helpful for the early recognition of gastrointestinal tract involvement in LCH.

Immunogenicity and lot-to-lot consistency of booster shot with Sabin inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine in Chinese children aged 18-24 Months: A phase Ⅳ clinical trial

BACKGROUND

There has been no data on the immunogenicity and safety of the 4th booster dose of the sIPV immunization in 18-24 months old children in post-marketing studies of large cohort providing with robust results.

METHOD

In a phase Ⅳ randomized, double-blinded clinical trial, 1200 participants aged 2 months were immunized with three consecutive doses of sIPV at 2, 3, and 4 months old to complete primary immunization. Out of the 1200 participants, 1129 received the 4th dose of sIPV as booster immunization. Immunogenicity was evaluated in 1100 participants.

RESULTS

Seropositive rates of the anti-poliovirus type 1, 2, and 3 neutralizing antibodies were 99.9 %, 98.0 %, 98.2 %, respectively, with GMTs of 557.0, 146.1, 362.0 one year after primary vaccination. After booster vaccination between 18 and 24 months old, the seropositive rates for 3 types all reached 100.0 %, with GMTs of 8343.6, 5039.6, 5492.0, respectively. Particularly for the anti-poliovirus type 2 antibody, the GMT was 230.4 after primary immunization, maintained to 146.1 one year after primary immunization, and increased to as high as 5039.6 after booster vaccination. The GMT ratios between each batch groups after booster immunization were between 0.67 and 1.50, meeting the immunological equivalence criteria. The incidence rate of adverse reaction was 23.0 %, which was comparable to those in the phase Ⅲ trial but had a lower incidence. Furthermore, no SUSAR was reported in this study.

INTERPRETATION

In conclusion, as the anti-poliovirus antibodies gradually waned one year post sIPV primary vaccination, especially the type 2 antibody waned to a very low level, suggesting the importance of the booster immunization for children at the age of 18-24 months old. The booster shot can greatly enhance the antibody level and protect children from the potential risk of infection with WPV and VDPV by supplementing the anti-poliovirus type 2 immunity gap in the current real world. Clinic Trial Registration. NCT04224519.

An Electro-Optical Kerr Device Based on 2D Boron Nitride Liquid Crystals for Solar-Blind Communications

Achieving light modulation in the spectral range of 200-280 nm is a prerequisite for solar-blind ultraviolet communication, where current technologies are mainly based on the electro-luminescent self-modulation of the ultraviolet source. External light modulation through the electro-birefringence control of liquid crystal (LC) devices has shown success in the visible-to-infrared regions. However, the poor stability of conventional LCs against ultraviolet irradiation and their weak electro-optical response make it challenging to modulate ultraviolet light. Here, an external ultraviolet light modulator is demonstrated using two-dimensional boron nitride LC. It exhibits robust ultraviolet stability and a record-high specific electro-optical Kerr coefficient of 5.1 × 10⁻2 m V-2, being three orders of magnitude higher than those of other known electro-optical media that are transparent (or potentially transparent) in the ultraviolent spectral range. The sensitive response enables fabricating transmissive and stable ultraviolet-C electro-optical Kerr modulators for solar-blind ultraviolet light. An M-ary coding array with high transmission density is also demonstrated for solar-blind ultraviolet communication.

Farnesoid X receptor agonist tropifexor detoxifies ammonia by regulating the glutamine metabolism and urea cycles in cholestatic livers

Hyperammonemia refers to elevated levels of ammonia in the blood, which is an important pathological feature of liver cirrhosis and hepatic failure. Preclinical studies suggest tropifexor (TXR), a novel non-bile acid agonist of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), has shown promising effects on reducing hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. This study evaluates the impact of TXR on hyperammonemia in a piglet model of cholestasis. We here observed blood ammonia significantly elevated in patients with biliary atresia (BA) and was positively correlated with liver injury. Targeted metabolomics and immunblotting showed glutamine metabolism and urea cycles were impaired in BA patients. Next, we observed that TXR potently suppresses bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced injuries in liver and brain with improving the glutamine metabolism and urea cycles. Within the liver, TXR enhances glutamine metabolism and urea cycles by up-regulation of key regulatory enzymes, including glutamine synthetase (GS), carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS1), argininosuccinate synthetase (ASS1), argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), and arginase 1 (ARG1). In primary mice hepatocytes, TXR detoxified ammonia via increasing ureagenesis. Mechanically, TXR activating FXR to increase express enzymes that regulating ureagenesis and glutamine synthesis through a transcriptional approach. Together, these results suggest that TXR may have therapeutic implications for hyperammonemic conditions in cholestatic livers.

Atypical age distribution and high disease severity in children with RSV infections during two irregular epidemic seasons throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Germany, 2021 to 2023

BackgroundNon-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the COVID-19 pandemic affected respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulation worldwide.AimTo describe, for children aged < 5 years, the 2021 and 2022/23 RSV seasons in Germany.MethodsThrough data and 16,754 specimens from outpatient sentinel surveillance, we investigated RSV seasonality, circulating lineages, and affected children's age distributions in 2021 and 2022/23. Available information about disease severity from hospital surveillance was analysed for patients with RSV-specific diagnosis codes (n = 13,104). Differences between RSV seasons were assessed by chi-squared test and age distributions trends by Mann-Kendall test.ResultsRSV seasonality was irregular in 2021 (weeks 35-50) and 2022/23 (weeks 41-3) compared to pre-COVID-19 2011/12-2019/20 seasons (median weeks 51-12). RSV positivity rates (RSV-PR) were higher in 2021 (40% (522/1,291); p < 0.001) and 2022/23 (30% (299/990); p = 0.005) than in prior seasons (26% (1,430/5,511)). Known globally circulating RSV-A (lineages GA2.3.5 and GA2.3.6b) and RSV-B (lineage GB5.0.5a) strains, respectively, dominated in 2021 and 2022/23. In 2021, RSV-PRs were similar in 1 - < 2, 2 - < 3, 3 - < 4, and 4 - < 5-year-olds. RSV hospitalisation incidence in 2021 (1,114/100,000, p < 0.001) and in 2022/23 (1,034/100,000, p < 0.001) was approximately double that of previous seasons' average (2014/15-2019/20: 584/100,000). In 2022/23, proportions of RSV patients admitted to intensive care units rose (8.5% (206/2,413)) relative to pre-COVID-19 seasons (6.8% (551/8,114); p = 0.004), as did those needing ventilator support (6.1% (146/2,413) vs 3.8% (310/8,114); p < 0.001).ConclusionsHigh RSV-infection risk in 2-4-year-olds in 2021 and increased disease severity in 2022/23 possibly result from lower baseline population immunity, after NPIs diminished exposure to RSV.

Artificial Intelligence in Liver Diseases: Recent Advances

Liver diseases cause a significant burden on public health worldwide. In spite of great advances during recent years, there are still many challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases. During recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has been widely used for the diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognostic prediction of various diseases based on clinical datasets and medical images. Accumulative studies have shown its performance for diagnosing patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis and assessing their severity, and for predicting treatment response and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma, outcomes of liver transplantation recipients, and risk of drug-induced liver injury. Herein, we aim to comprehensively summarize the current evidence regarding diagnostic, prognostic, and/or therapeutic role of AI in these common liver diseases.

ERBB3 deficiency causes a multisystemic syndrome in human patient and zebrafish

The Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (ERBB3) gene was first identified as a cause of lethal congenital contracture syndrome (OMIM 607598), while a recent study reported six additional patients carrying ERBB3 variants which exhibited distinct clinical features with evident intestinal dysmotility (OMIM 243180). The potential connection between these phenotypes remains unknown, and the ERBB3-related phenotype spectrum needs to be better characterized. Here, we described a patient presenting with a multisystemic syndrome including skip segment Hirschsprung disease, bilateral clubfoot deformity, and cardiac defect. Trio-whole exome sequencing revealed a novel compound heterozygous variant (c.1914-7C>G; c.2942_2945del) in the patient's ERBB3 gene. RT-PCR and in vitro minigene analysis demonstrated that variant c.1914-7C>G caused aberrant mRNA splicing. Both variants resulted in premature termination codon and complete loss of ERBB3 function. erbb3b knockdown in zebrafish simultaneously caused a reduction in enteric neurons in the distal intestine, craniofacial cartilage defects, and micrognathia, which phenotypically mimics ERBB3-related intestinal dysmotility and some features of lethal congenital contracture syndrome in human patients. These findings provide further patient and animal evidence supporting that ERBB3 deficiency causes a complex syndrome involving multiple systems with phenotypic variability among distinct individuals.

Deciphering solute transport, microbiota assembly patterns and metabolic functions in the hyporheic zone of an effluent-dominated river

We lack a clear understanding of how anthropogenic pressures, exemplified by effluent discharge from wastewater treatment plants, destabilize microbial communities in the hyporheic zone (HZ) of receiving rivers. In this study, the spatiotemporal characteristics of hydrological parameters, and the physicochemical properties of surface and subsurface water in a representative effluent-dominated river were monitored. Sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons and metagenomes revealed the microbial community structure in the HZ of both effluent discharge area and downstream region. The keystone taxa (taxa vital in determining the composition of each microbial cluster) and the keystone functions they controlled were subsequently identified. Effluent discharge amplified the depth of the oxic/suboxic zone and the hyporheic exchange fluxes in the effluent discharge area, which was 50-120% and 40-300% higher than in the downstream region, respectively. Microbial community structure pattern analysis demonstrated an enhancement in the rate of dispersal, an increase in microbial diversity, and an improved community network complexity in the effluent discharge area. By contrast, the number of keystone taxa in the effluent discharge area was 50-70% lower than that of the downstream region, resulting in reduced community network stability and functionality. The keystone taxa controlling metabolic functions in the networks categorized to effluent discharge area were comprised of more genera related to nitrogen and sulfur cycling, e.g., Dechloromonas, Desulfobacter, Flavobacterium, Nitrosomonas, etc., highlighting a research need in monitoring species associated with nutrient element cycling in the HZ of receiving waterbodies. The results showed that the keystone taxa could contribute positively to network stability, which was negatively correlated to hyporheic exchange fluxes and redox gradients. This study provides valuable insights that will improve our understanding of how river ecosystems respond to changes in anthropogenic pressures.

Histopathological characteristics analysis of giant melanocytic naevi in children

BACKGROUND

The major diagnostic criterion for the giant congenital melanocytic nevus (GCMN) is a size larger than 20 cm in diameter. However, the histopathological origin, pathogenesis, and GCMN progression are not yet completely clear. Unlike other medium or small superficial lesions, histomorphological evaluation is significant for GCMN pathological classification, malignant transformation assessment, and early detection of prognosis.

AIMS

This study aimed to investigate the pathological features of GCMN, including its satellite lesions.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Twenty-three giant naevi and seventeen "satellite lesions" were collected from children aged 1 to 10 in Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital from 2018 to 2020. A histological study was conducted to evaluate their histological appearance. All the data observed and recorded data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

In 23 cases of GCMN primary nevus, nevus cells were mainly distributed in the dermal region, with melanocyte proliferation and the presence of nevus nests at the dermal-epidermal junction. However, in satellite nevus, a junctional growth pattern was noted. Additionally, other histopathologic features, including epidermal contour, cell morphology, and architecture disorder also showed significant differences between primary nevus and satellite nevus.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated that the congenital pattern of the main nevus is more obvious than one of the satellite nevus, suggesting that the satellite nevus and the main nevus may occur slightly later than the main nevus. "Satellite nevus" happens as a result of a separate genetic event.

The visualization of the spatial distribution of Cocculus orbiculatus based on air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging

Cocculus orbiculatus (C. orbiculatus), the root of plants belonging to the Menispermaceae family, has been extensively used to treat various diseases, including malaria and rheumatism. The main chemicals in these plants are alkaloids; however, the spatial distribution of these compounds within the plant roots remains undefined. This study aimed to visualize the spatial distribution of C. orbiculatus using air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AFADESI-MSI). In total, the spatial distribution of four aporphine alkaloids, five benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, six bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, and one morphinane alkaloid in the cork layer, xylem, and ray of the root of C. orbiculatus was observed; the distribution characteristics of the different compounds in C. orbiculatus were significantly different. This study provides a visualized spatial distribution analysis method for the characterization of metabolites in the root tissue of C. orbiculatus and also provides valuable information for the specificity of the root of C. orbiculatus, which is beneficial for understanding its chemical separation, biosynthesis, and pharmacological activities.

Immune persistence after different polio sequential immunization schedules in Chinese infants

Trivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (tOPV) has been withdrawn and instead an inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) and bivalent type 1 and type 3 OPV (bOPV) sequential immunization schedule has been implemented since 2016, but no immune persistence data are available for this polio vaccination strategy. This study aimed to assess immune persistence following different polio sequential immunization schedules. Venous blood was collected at 24, 36, and 48 months of age from participants who had completed sequential schedules of combined IPV and OPV in phase III clinical trials. The serum neutralizing antibody titers against poliovirus were determined, and the poliovirus-specific antibody-positive rates were evaluated. A total of 1104 participants were enrolled in this study. The positive rates of poliovirus type 1- and type 3-specific antibodies among the sequential immunization groups showed no significant difference at 24, 36, or 48 months of age. The positive rates of poliovirus type 2-specific antibody in the IPV-IPV-tOPV group at all time points were nearly 100%, which was significantly higher than the corresponding rates in other immunization groups (IPV-bOPV-bOPV and IPV-IPV-bOPV). Immunization schedules involving one or two doses of IPV followed by bOPV failed to maintain a high positive rate for poliovirus type 2-specific antibody.

Involvement of brassinosteroids and abscisic acid in spikelet degeneration in rice under soil drying during meiosis

Spikelet degeneration in rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a serious physiological defect, and can be regulated by soil moisture status and phytohormones. This study investigated the possibility that brassinosteroids (BRs) in collaboration with abscisic acid (ABA) are involved in mediating the effect of soil drying during meiosis on spikelet degeneration in rice. Three rice cultivars were field grown and three irrigation regimes including well watered (WW), moderate soil drying (MD), and severe soil drying (SD) were imposed during meiosis. MD significantly decreased spikelet degeneration in comparison with WW, due mainly to the alleviation in oxidative damage via enhancing ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle activity in young panicles, and SD exhibited the opposite effects. Enhanced AsA-GSH cycle strength, decreased oxidative stress, and spikelet degeneration rate were closely associated with the synergistically elevated BR and ABA levels in young panicles in MD. In contrast, low BR and excessive ABA levels led to an increase in spikelet degeneration in SD. The three cultivars exhibited the same tendencies. The intrinsic link among AsA-GSH cycle, oxidative stress, spikelet degeneration rate, and BR and ABA levels was further verified by using transgenic rice lines and chemical regulators. BRs or ABA play a unique role in regulating spikelet degeneration. Synergistically increased BR and ABA levels in MD could work together to strengthen AsA-GSH cycle activity, leading to a reduction in oxidative damage and spikelet degeneration. On the other hand, a severe imbalance between low BR and excessive ABA levels may have contributed to the opposite effects in SD.

Quantitative Analysis of the Instant and Persistent Inhibition Effects of Maternal Poliovirus Antibodies on the Immune Response in a Phase IV Trial of a Sabin Strain-Based Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine

BACKGROUND

An inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine made from Sabin strains (sIPVs) has widely been used in China since 2015. However, the quantitative data on the instant and persistent inhibition effects of maternal poliovirus antibodies on the immune response to sIPV priming and booster vaccination have not been available yet.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aim to explore and quantify the instant and persistent inhibition effect of maternal poliovirus antibodies on the immune response elicited by sIPV primary and booster vaccination.

METHODS

The immunogenicity data consisting of the days 0 and 30 after the prime and booster vaccination of the sIPV in a phase IV trial were pooled for a quantitative analysis of the inhibition effect of maternal poliovirus antibody. The geometric mean ratio (GMR) was calculated using linear regression models, representing that every 2-fold higher maternal poliovirus antibody titer may result in a (1-GMR) lower postimmunization antibody titer.

RESULTS

The GMRs for poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 were 0.79 (0.77-0.82), 0.85 (0.81-0.89), and 0.87 (0.83-0.91) at 30 days after the priming series, 0.86 (0.83-0.89), 0.81 (0.76-0.85), and 0.86 (0.80-0.93) at one year after the priming series, and 0.96 (0.94-0.99), 0.89 (0.86-0.93), and 0.98 (0.93-1.03) at 30 days after the booster dose. The inhibition effect continued to exist until the booster dose 1 year later, and such a persistent inhibition effect was almost attenuated for poliovirus types 1 and 3, and partly reduced for type 2 at 30 days after the booster dose.

CONCLUSION

A wider interval between the four sIPV doses might be a consideration for reducing the effect of maternal antibodies and subsequently eliciting and maintaining higher antibody levels to protect against poliovirus transmission and infection at the final stage of polio eradication in the global world. This study's clinical trial registry number is NCT04224519.

The loss of plant functional groups increased arthropod diversity in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau

Plant species loss, driven by global changes and human activities, can have cascading effects on other trophic levels, such as arthropods, and alter the multitrophic structure of ecosystems. While the relationship between plant diversity and arthropod communities has been well-documented, few studies have explored the effects of species composition variation or plant functional groups. In this study, we conducted a long-term plant removal experiment to investigate the impact of plant functional group loss (specifically targeting tall grasses and sedges, as well as tall or short forbs) on arthropod diversity and their functional groups. Our findings revealed that the removal of plant functional groups resulted in increased arthropod richness, abundance and the exponential of Shannon entropy, contrary to the commonly observed positive correlation between plant diversity and consumer diversity. Furthermore, the removal of different plant groups had varying impacts on arthropod trophic levels. The removal of forbs had a more pronounced impact on herbivores compared to graminoids, but this impact did not consistently cascade to higher-trophic arthropods. Notably, the removal of short forbs had a more significant impact on predators, as evidenced by the increased richness, abundance, the exponential of Shannon entropy, inverse Simpson index and inverse Berger-Parker index of carnivores and abundance of omnivores, likely attributable to distinct underlying mechanisms. Our results highlight the importance of plant species identity in shaping arthropod communities in alpine grasslands. This study emphasizes the crucial role of high plant species diversity in controlling arthropods in natural grasslands, particularly in the context of plant diversity loss caused by global changes and human activities.

Influence of rapid vertical mixing on bacterial community assembly in stratified water columns

Water column mixing homogenizes thermal and chemical gradients which are known to define distribution of microbial communities and influence the prevailing biogeochemical processes. Little is however known about the effects of rapid water column mixing on the vertical distribution of microbial communities in stratified reservoirs. To address this knowledge gap, physicochemical properties and microbial community composition from 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing were analyzed before and after mixing of vertically stratified water-column bioreactors. Our results showed that α-diversity of bacterial communities decreased from bottom to surface during periods of thermal stratification. After an experimental mixing event, bacterial community diversity experienced a significant decrease throughout the water column and network connectivity was disrupted, followed by slow recovery. Significant differences in composition were seen for both total (DNA) and active (RNA) bacterial communities when comparing surface and bottom layer during periods of stratification, and when comparing samples collected before mixing and after re-stratification. The dominant predicted community assembly processes for stratified conditions were deterministic while such processes were less important during recovery from episodic mixing. Water quality characteristics of stratified water were significantly correlated with bacterial community diversity and structure. Furthermore, structural equation modeling analyses showed that changes in sulfur may have the greatest direct effect on bacterial community composition. Our results imply that rapid vertical mixing caused by episodic weather extremes and hydrological operations may have a long-term effect on microbial communities and biogeochemical processes.

A novel polycaprolactone/polypyrrole/β-cyclodextrin electrochemical flexible sensor for dinotefuran pesticide detection

The monitoring and the rapid quantification of pesticides and their residues are becoming increasingly important in the field of food safety. Herein, the polycaprolactone/polypyrrole/β-cyclodextrin (PCL/PPy/β-CD) flexible sensor was developed for the electrochemical determination of new neonicotinoid insecticide Dinotefuran (DNF). The morphology, structure, and hydrophilicity of PCL/PPy/β-CD sensor probes were characterized by SEM, FTIR spectroscopy and static contact angle test. Under optimum conditions, the fabricated PCL/PPy/β-CD sensor exhibited excellent electrochemical sensing performance for DNF with a low detection limit of 0.05 μM in the linear concentration range from 0.2 μM to 50 μM and high sensitivity 14.07 μA·μM-1·cm-2, which attributed to the two-stage porous structure, good electron transfer rate and the adsorption effect. The PCL/PPy/β-CD sensor also showed reproducibility (RSD = 4.76%), stability, and high selectivity towards DNF. In addition, a real samples investigation in rice with recoveries of 96.67 % ∼ 103.65 % implied the good application potential of PCL/PPy/β-CD in DNF monitoring.

Spatiotemporal dynamics and modeling of thiacloprid in paddy multimedia systems with the effect of wetting-drying cycles

The widespread presence of thiacloprid (THI), a neonicotinoid, raises concerns for human health and the aquatic environment due to its persistence, toxicity, and bioaccumulation. The fate of THI in paddy multimedia systems is mainly governed by irrigation practices, but the potential impacts remain poorly documented. This study investigated the effects of water management practices on THI spatiotemporal dynamics in paddy multimedia systems by combining soil column experiments and a non-steady-state multimedia model. The results indicated the wetting-drying cycle (WDC) irrigation reduced THI occurrences in environmental phases (i.e., soil, interstitial water, and overlying water) and accelerated the THI loss through the THI aerobic degradation process. THI occurrences in the soil and water phases decreased from 18.8% for conventional flooding (CF) treatment to 9.2% for severe wetting-drying cycle (SW) treatment after 29 days, while the half-lives shortened from 11.1 days to 7.3 days, respectively. Meanwhile, the WDC decreased THI outflow from leakage water, which reduced the THI risk of leaching. There was no significant difference in THI plant uptake and volatilization between CF and WDC treatments. The mean proportions of THI fate in paddy multimedia systems followed the order: THI degradation (57.7%), outflow from leakage water (25.5%), occurrence in soil (12.4%), plant uptake (3.4%), occurrence in interstitial water (0.7%), occurrence in overlying water (0.3%), volatilization (<0.1%) after 29 days. The sensitivity analysis identified the soil organic carbon partition coefficient (KOC) as the most sensitive parameter affecting THI's fate. In addition, the topsoil layers of 0-4 cm were the main sink of THI, holding 67% of THI occurrence in the soil phase. The THI occurrence in interstitial water was distributed evenly throughout the soil profile. These findings made beneficial theoretical supplements and provided valuable empirical evidence for water management practices to reduce the THI ecological risk.

Neuroprotection of low dose carbon monoxide in Parkinson's disease models commensurate with the reduced risk of Parkinson's among smokers

Paradoxically, cigarette smoking is associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). This led us to hypothesize that carbon monoxide (CO) levels, which are constitutively but modestly elevated in smokers, might contribute to neuroprotection. Using rodent models of PD based on α-synuclein (αSyn) accumulation and oxidative stress, we show that low-dose CO mitigates neurodegeneration and reduces αSyn pathology. Oral CO administration activated signaling cascades mediated by heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which have been implicated in limiting oxidative stress, and in promoting αSyn degradation, thereby conferring neuroprotection. Consistent with a neuroprotective effect of smoking, HO-1 levels in cerebrospinal fluid were higher in human smokers compared to nonsmokers. Moreover, in PD brain samples, HO-1 levels were higher in neurons without αSyn pathology. Thus, CO in rodent PD models reduces pathology and increases oxidative stress responses, phenocopying possible protective effects of smoking evident in PD patients. These data highlight the potential for low-dose CO modulated pathways to slow symptom onset and limit pathology in PD patients.