The small GTPase Ypt7 of Penicillium expansum is required for growth, patulin biosynthesis and virulence

Ypt GTPases are the largest subfamily of small GTPases involved in membrane transport. Here, a PeYpt7 gene deletion mutant of P. expansum was constructed. The ΔPeYpt7 mutant showed reduced colony growth with abnormal mycelial growth, reduced conidiation, and insufficient spore development. The mutation rendered the pathogen susceptible to osmotic stress and cell wall stressors. In addition, the absence of PeYpt7 reduced patulin production in P. expansum and significantly limited gene expression (PatG, PatH, PatI, PatD, PatF, and PatL). In addition, the mutant showed attenuated virulence in infected fruit and reduced expression of pathogenic factors was (PMG, PG, PL, and GH1). Thus, PeYpt7 modulates the growth, morphology, patulin accumulation, and pathogenicity of P. expansum by limiting the expression of related genes.

Effects of different stocking densities on the development of reproductive and immune functions in young breeder pigeons during the rearing period

1. Stocking density (SD) is closely related to animal performance. This experiment was designed to evaluate the development of reproductive and immune functions of young pigeons under different SDs.2. A total of 288 (half male and half female) 40-day-old pigeons (body weight 400 ± 15 g) were allocated into four groups: High stocking density (HSD; 0.308 m3/bird), standard stocking density (SD; 0.616 m3/bird), and low stocking density (LSD; 1.232 m3/bird) and a caged (control; 0.04125 m3/bird). Every group had six replicates of the same sex.3. The results showed that caged male pigeons had the highest testis index, testosterone content, and gene expression of the androgen receptor gene. LSD treatment induced the highest concentrations of oestradiol, progesterone and mRNA levels of reproductive hormone receptor genes in female pigeons. In male pigeons, the spleen index (organ weight calculated as a percentage of total body weight) showed a peak level (0.09 ± 0.020) in the LSD group, and the thymus index peaked (0.23 ± 0.039) in SD group. However, the index for ovary, spleen, thymus and bursa of Fabricius in female pigeons showed no significant changes among different groups.4. The IL-1β, IL-8, IFN-γ, TGF-β and toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) mRNA levels reached their maximum values in both male and female pigeon spleens in the LSD group.5. Young male pigeons housed in cages showed increased testicular development while low stocking density increased the development of reproductive function in young female pigeons. A larger activity space could help enhance the immune function of both male and female pigeons.

Markers of intestinal barrier damage in patients with chronic insomnia disorder

Objective

Insomnia disorder stands out as one of the prevalent clinical sleep and psychiatric disorders. Prior research has unequivocally demonstrated variations in the diversity and abundance of gut microbiota among individuals with insomnia disorder. These alterations may play a direct or indirect role in the onset and progression of insomnia disorder by compromising the integrity of the intestinal barrier. This study aims to evaluate the impairment of the intestinal barrier in individuals with insomnia disorder by scrutinizing the serum functionality of this barrier.

Materials and methods

45 patients with chronic insomnia disorder and 30 matched healthy volunteers were meticulously selected based on inclusion criteria. ELISA technology was employed to measure serum levels of diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactic acid (D-LA), intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP), and endothelin (ET). Spearman correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between intestinal mucosal markers and clinical characteristics. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0.

Results

Compared to the healthy control group, the insomnia disorder group exhibited significantly elevated scores on subjective mood and sleep scales (GAD-7, PHQ-9, HAMA, HAMD, PSQI, and ISI) (P < 0.05). Overnight PSG indicated a notable increase in bed time, total wake time, sleep onset latency, and wake after sleep onset in individuals with insomnia disorder. Additionally, there was a decrease in sleep efficiency and alterations in sleep structure (increased proportion of N1 and N3 stages, prolonged N1 stage) (P < 0.05). The chronic insomnia disorder group displayed significantly reduced concentrations of serum DAO, D-LA, I-FABP, and ET (P < 0.05). Furthermore, significant positive correlations were identified between intestinal epithelial barrier markers and sleep efficiency, while negative correlations were found with wake after sleep onset, total wake time, PSQI, HAMA, and HAMD. Additionally, D-LA levels were significantly positively correlated with ET concentrations.

Conclusion

Individuals with chronic insomnia disorder manifest disruptions in sleep structure, heightened susceptibility to anxiety and depressive moods, and impaired intestinal barrier function. These findings suggest that the occurrence and development of insomnia disorder may be linked to the impairment of the intestinal barrier.

Causes and management strategies for elevated intraocular pressure after implantable collamer lens implantation

With the widespread application of Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) implantation surgery in the field of myopia correction, a comprehensive understanding of its potential complications, especially those related to intraocular pressure (IOP), becomes crucial. This article systematically reviews various complications that may lead to IOP elevation after ICL surgery. Firstly, common complications after ICL surgery, including residual viscoelastic, steroid response, and excessive vault of the ICL, are detailed, emphasizing their potential impact on intraocular pressure. Regarding residual viscoelastic, we delve into its direct relationship with postoperative elevated IOP and possible preventive measures. For steroid response, we stress the importance of timely adjustment of steroid therapy and monitoring intraocular pressure. Additionally, excessive vault of the ICL is considered a significant potential issue, and we elaborate on its mechanism and possible management methods. In further discussion, we focus on relatively rare complications such as Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS), Urrets-Zavalia Syndrome (UZS), Pigment Dispersion Syndrome (PDS), and malignant glaucoma. For these relatively rare complications, this review thoroughly explores their potential mechanisms, emphasizes the importance of prevention, and provides guidance for early diagnosis and treatment. This is a comprehensible review that aims to offer eye care professionals a comprehensive understanding and effective management guidance for complications of elevated IOP after ICL surgery, ultimately providing optimal care for patients' visual health.

Thyroid hormone-responsive protein mediates the response of chicken liver to fasting mainly through the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway

1. The objective of this study was to explore the mediating role of thyroid hormone-responsive protein (THRSP) in the response of chicken liver to fasting.2. A batch of 7-d-old chicks with similar body weights were randomly divided into the control group and the fasting group (n = 10). The control group was fed ad libitum, while the test group fasted for 24 h. The liver and pectoral muscle tissues were collected. Chicken primary hepatocytes or myocytes were treated with different concentrations of thyroxine, glucose, insulin, oleic acid and palmitic acid, separately. Chicken primary hepatocytes were transfected with THRSP overexpression vector vs. empty vector, and the cells were used for transcriptome analysis. The mRNA expression of THRSP and other genes was determined by quantitative PCR.3. The expression of THRSP in chicken liver and pectoral muscle tissues was significantly inhibited by fasting (P < 0.05). In chicken primary hepatocytes, the expression of THRSP was significantly induced by thyroxine (0.25, 0.5, 1 mmol/l), glucose (50, 100 mmol/l), and insulin (20 nmol/l), and was significantly inhibited by palmitic acid (0.125, 0.25 mmol/l). In the myocytes, expression of THRSP was significantly induced by thyroxine (0.25, 0.5, 1 mmol/l), glucose (50 mmol/l) and oleic acid (0.125, 0.25 mmol/l), was significantly inhibited by insulin (5 nmol/l) and was not significantly affected by palmitic acid.4. Transcriptome analysis showed that overexpression of THRSP significantly affected the expression of 1411 DEGs, of which 1007 were up-regulated and 404 were down-regulated. The GO term and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses showed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the interaction between cytokine and cytokine receptor and its regulation and signal transduction, cell growth and apoptosis and its regulation, immune response and retinol metabolism.5. In conclusion, the THRSP gene mediates biological effects of fasting by influencing the expressional regulation of the genes related to biological processes such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell growth and apoptosis, immune response, retinol metabolism, including TGM2, HSD17B2, RUNX3, IRF1, ANKRD6, UPP2, IKBKE, and PYCR1 genes, in chicken liver.

From normal population to prediabetes and diabetes: study of influencing factors and prediction models

Objective

The purpose of this study is to investigate the independent influencing factors of the transition from normal population to prediabetes, and from prediabetes to diabetes, and to further construct clinical prediction models to provide a basis for the prevention and management of prediabetes and diabetes.

Materials and methods

The data for this study were based on clinical information of participants from the Health Management Center of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital. Participants were classified into normal group, prediabetes group, and diabetes group according to their functional status of glucose metabolism. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for the variables, and a matrix diagram was plotted. Further, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted to explore the independent influencing factors. The independent influencing factors were used as predictors to construct the full-variable prediction model (Full.model) and simplified prediction model (Simplified.model).

Results

This study included a total of 5310 subjects and 22 variables, among which there were 1593(30%) in the normal group, 3150(59.3%) in the prediabetes group, and 567(10.7%) in the diabetes group. The results of the multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that there were significant differences in 9 variables between the normal group and the prediabetes group, including age(Age), body mass index(BMI), systolic blood pressure(SBP), urinary glucose(U.GLU), urinary protein(PRO), total protein(TP), globulin(GLB), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C). There were significant differences in 7 variables between the prediabetes group and the diabetes group, including Age, BMI, SBP, U.GLU, PRO, triglycerides(TG), and HDL.C. The Full.model and Simplified.model constructed based on the above influencing factors had moderate discriminative power in both the training set and the test set.

Conclusion

Age, BMI, SBP, U.GLU, PRO, TP, and ALT are independent risk factors, while GLB and HDL.C are independent protective factors for the development of prediabetes in the normal population. Age, BMI, SBP, U.GLU, PRO, and TG are independent risk factors, while HDL.C is an independent protective factor for the progression from prediabetes to diabetes. The Full.model and Simplified.model developed based on these influencing factors have moderate discriminative power.

Development and evaluation of a risk prediction model for diabetes mellitus type 2 patients with vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy

Objective

This study aims to develop and evaluate a non-imaging clinical data-based nomogram for predicting the risk of vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) in diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) patients.

Methods

Based on the baseline data of the Guangdong Shaoguan Diabetes Cohort Study conducted by the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (ZOC) in 2019, 2294 complete data of T2DM patients were randomly divided into a training set (n=1605) and a testing set (n=689). Independent risk factors were selected through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis on the training dataset, and a nomogram was constructed for predicting the risk of VTDR in T2DM patients. The model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC) in the training and testing datasets to assess discrimination, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curves to assess calibration.

Results

The results of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Age (OR = 0.954, 95% CI: 0.940-0.969, p = 0.000), BMI (OR = 0.942, 95% CI: 0.902-0.984, p = 0.007), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (OR =1.014, 95% CI: 1.007-1.022, p = 0.000), diabetes duration (10-15y: OR =3.126, 95% CI: 2.087-4.682, p = 0.000; >15y: OR =3.750, 95% CI: 2.362-5.954, p = 0.000), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) (OR = 1.325, 95% CI: 1.221-1.438, p = 0.000) were independent risk factors for T2DM patients with VTDR. A nomogram was constructed using these variables. The model discrimination results showed an AUC of 0.7193 for the training set and 0.6897 for the testing set. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results showed a high consistency between the predicted and observed probabilities for both the training set (Chi-square=2.2029, P=0.9742) and the testing set (Chi-square=7.6628, P=0.4671).

Conclusion

The introduction of Age, BMI, SBP, Duration, and HbA1C as variables helps to stratify the risk of T2DM patients with VTDR.

Aneuploidy Formation in the Filamentous Fungus Aspergillus flavus in Response to Azole Stress

Aspergillus flavus is a mycotoxigenic fungus that contaminates many important agricultural crops with aflatoxin B1, the most toxic and carcinogenic natural compound. This fungus is also the second leading cause of human invasive aspergillosis, after Aspergillus fumigatus, a disease that is particularly prevalent in immunocompromised individuals. Azole drugs are considered the most effective compounds in controlling Aspergillus infections both in clinical and agricultural settings. Emergence of azole resistance in Aspergillus spp. is typically associated with point mutations in cyp51 orthologs that encode lanosterol 14α-demethylase, a component of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway that is also the target of azoles. We hypothesized that alternative molecular mechanisms are also responsible for acquisition of azole resistance in filamentous fungi. We found that an aflatoxin-producing A. flavus strain adapted to voriconazole exposure at levels above the MIC through whole or segmental aneuploidy of specific chromosomes. We confirm a complete duplication of chromosome 8 in two sequentially isolated clones and a segmental duplication of chromosome 3 in another clone, emphasizing the potential diversity of aneuploidy-mediated resistance mechanisms. The plasticity of aneuploidy-mediated resistance was evidenced by the ability of voriconazole-resistant clones to revert to their original level of azole susceptibility following repeated transfers on drug-free media. This study provides new insights into mechanisms of azole resistance in a filamentous fungus. IMPORTANCE Fungal pathogens cause human disease and threaten global food security by contaminating crops with toxins (mycotoxins). Aspergillus flavus is an opportunistic mycotoxigenic fungus that causes invasive and noninvasive aspergillosis, diseases with high rates of mortality in immunocompromised individuals. Additionally, this fungus contaminates most major crops with the notorious carcinogen, aflatoxin. Voriconazole is the drug of choice to treat infections caused by Aspergillus spp. Although azole resistance mechanisms have been well characterized in clinical isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus, the molecular basis of azole resistance in A. flavus remains unclear. Whole-genome sequencing of eight voriconazole-resistant isolates revealed that, among other factors, A. flavus adapts to high concentrations of voriconazole by duplication of specific chromosomes (i.e., aneuploidy). Our discovery of aneuploidy-mediated resistance in a filamentous fungus represents a paradigm shift, as this type of resistance was previously thought to occur only in yeasts. This observation provides the first experimental evidence of aneuploidy-mediated azole resistance in the filamentous fungus A. flavus.

Protective effects of yeast extract against alcohol-induced liver injury in rats

Oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and gut-liver axis dysbiosis have been suggested as the primarily involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury. Previous research established that yeast extract (YE) has antioxidant, immune-boosting or microbiota-regulating properties. However, there is currently lack of information regarding the efficacy of YE on alcoholic liver injury. This study seeks to obtain data that will help to address this research gap using a Wistar male rat experimental model. Histologic and biochemical analysis results showed that the groups treated with both low-dose yeast extract (YEL) and high-dose yeast extract (YEH) had lower degrees of alcohol-induced liver injury. The abundance of Peptococcus and Ruminococcus reduced in the low-dose yeast extract (YEL) group, while that of Peptococcus, Romboutsia, Parasutterella, and Faecalibaculum reduced in the high-dose (YEH) group. Furthermore, Spearman analysis showed that the gut microbes were significantly associated with several liver-related indicators. For the analysis of differential metabolites and enriched pathways in the YEL group, the abundance of lysophosphatidylcholine (16:0/0:0) significantly increased, and then the levels of histamine, adenosine and 5' -adenine nucleotide were remarkedly elevated in the YEH group. These findings suggest that both high and low doses of YE can have different protective effects on liver injury in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) rats, in addition to improving gut microbiota disorder. Besides, high-dose YE has been found to be more effective than low-dose YE in metabolic regulation, as well as in dealing with oxidative stress and inflammatory responses.

Case report: A de novo NSD2 truncating variant in a child with Rauch-Steindl syndrome

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a heterozygous deletion on chromosome 4p16.3, which is called the WHS critical region (WHSC). The major features of this disorder, including "Greek warrior helmet" facies, delayed growth, intellectual disability, seizures, and skeletal abnormalities, are caused by the combined haploinsufficiency of multiple genes. The WHS candidate 1 (WHSC1) gene, also known as NSD2, is located in the WHSC and has been reported to associate with Rauch-Steindl syndrome (RSS,OMIM 619695). RSS is a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by mild developmental delay, prenatal-onset growth restriction, low body mass index, and characteristic facial features distinct from WHS. In this report, using whole exome sequencing (WES), we identified a novel de novo heterozygous NSD2 truncating variant in a 7-year-old Chinese girl with Rauch-Steindl syndrome, including failure to thrive, facial dysmorphisms, developmental delay, intellectual disability, and hypotonia. These findings further support that haploinsufficiency of NSD2 is necessary for WHS, and molecular genetic testing is more accurate to diagnose these patients. The novel variant uncovered in this study further expands the mutation spectrum of NSD2.

BTH-induced joint regulation of wound healing at the wounds of apple fruit by JA and its downstream transcription factors

Jasmonic acids (JAs) are important injury signaling molecules, which participate in the process of wound healing in plants. However, how JA and its downstream transcription factors involve in wound healing in apple fruit mediated by BTH has not been reported yet. In the present study, BTH treatment up-regulated gene expression of MdLOX3.1, MdAOS1, MdAOC, and MdOPR3, promoting JA synthesis at fruit wounds. Moreover, BTH up-regulated the gene expression of MdMYC2, MdGAIPB, and MdMYB108 transcription factors and increased MdPAL1, Md4CL2, MdCOMT1, and MdCAD6 expression. In addition, BTH facilitated the synthesis of phenylpropanoid metabolism products and accelerated suberin polyphenolics deposition at the wounds, which effectively reduced fruit weight loss and lesion diameter of apple fruit inoculated with Penicillium expansum during healing. It is suggested that BTH induced wound healing in apple fruit by the stimulating JA and its downstream transcription factors, and phenylpropanoid metabolism.

The Nutrients and Volatile Compounds in Stropharia rugoso-annulata by Three Drying Treatments

This study aimed to examine the differences in the nutrients and volatile compounds of Stropharia rugoso-annulata after undergoing three different drying treatments. The fresh mushrooms were dried using hot air drying (HAD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), and natural air drying (NAD), respectively. After that, the nutrients, volatile components, and sensory evaluation of the treated mushrooms were comparably analyzed. Nutrients analysis included proximate compositions, free amino acids, fatty acids, mineral elements, bioactive compositions, and antioxidant activity. Volatile components were identified by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) and analyzed with principal component analysis (PCA). Finally, sensory evaluation was conducted by ten volunteers for five sensory properties. The results showed that the HAD group had the highest vitamin D₂ content (4.00 μg/g) and antioxidant activity. Compared with other treatments, the VFD group had higher overall nutrient contents, as well as being more preferred by consumers. Additionally, there were 79 volatile compounds identified by HS-SPME-GC-MS, while the NAD group showed the highest contents of volatile compounds (1931.75 μg/g) and volatile flavor compounds (1307.21 μg/g). PCA analysis suggested the volatile flavor compositions were different among the three groups. In summary, it is recommended that one uses VFD for obtaining higher overall nutritional values, while NAD treatment increased the production of volatile flavor components of the mushroom.

Erg4 Is Involved in Ergosterol Biosynthesis, Conidiation and Stress Response in Penicillium expansum

erg4 is a key gene for ergosterol biosynthesis in filamentous fungi, but its function in Penicillium expansum remains unknown. Our results showed that P. expansum contains three erg4 genes, including erg4A, erg4B and erg4C. The expression levels of the three genes showed differences in the wild-type (WT) strain, and the expression level of erg4B was the highest, followed by erg4C. Deletion of erg4A, erg4B or erg4C in the WT strain revealed functional redundancy between them. Compared to the WT strain, erg4A, erg4B or erg4C knockout mutants reduced ergosterol levels, with erg4B deletion having the greatest effect. Furthermore, deletion of the three genes reduced sporulation of the strain, and Δerg4B and Δerg4C mutants showed defective spore morphology. In addition, Δerg4B and Δerg4C mutants were found to be more sensitive to cell wall integrity and oxidative stress. However, deletion of erg4A, erg4B or erg4C had no significant effect on colony diameter, spore germination rate, conidiophore structure of P. expansum or pathogenicity to apple fruit. Taken together, erg4A, erg4B and erg4C have redundant functions and are all involved in ergosterol synthesis and sporulation in P. expansum. In addition, erg4B and erg4C contribute to spore morphogenesis, cell wall integrity and response to oxidative stress in P. expansum.

Chitosan and chitooligosaccharide regulated reactive oxygen species homeostasis at wounds of pear fruit during healing

Both chitosan (CTS) and chitooligosaccharide (COS) can promote fruit healing. However, whether the two chemicals regulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis during wound healing of pear fruit remains unknown. In this study, the wounded pear fruit (Pyrus bretschneideri cv. Dongguo) was treated with a 1 g L^-1 CTS and COS. We found CTS and COS treatments increased NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and promoted O₂^.- and H₂O₂ production at wounds. CTS and COS also enhanced the activities of catalase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, and glutathione reductase, and elevated the levels of ascorbic acid and glutathione. In addition, the two chemicals improved antioxidant capacity in vitro and maintained cell membrane integrity at fruit wounds during healing. Taken together, CTS and COS can regulate ROS homeostasis at wounds of pear fruit during healing by scavenging excessive H₂O₂ and improving antioxidant capacity. Overall, the COS demonstrated superior performance over the CTS.

ZNF32 prevents the activation of cancer-associated fibroblasts through negative regulation of TGFB1 transcription in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are one of the fundamental cellular components of the tumor microenvironment and play a critical role in the initiation, progression, and therapy resistance of breast cancer. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of CAFs activation from normal fibroblasts (NFs) are still not well understood. In the present study, we reported that ZNF32 expression in breast cancer cells was negatively correlated with CAF-related markers (FSP1, α-SMA, and FAP) in stromal fibroblasts, and loss of ZNF32 promoted the activation of CAFs, as evidenced by the enhanced proliferation and contractility of CAFs. ZNF32 deficiency-mediated fibroblast activation promoted the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that ZNF32 inhibited TGFB1 transcription by directly binding to the -1968/-1962 region of the TGFB1 promoter, leading to the prevention of fibroblast activation. Altogether, our findings reveal an important mechanism by which ZNF32 suppression increases the transcription of the TGFB1 gene in breast cancer cells, and subsequently, elevated levels of secretory TGF-β stimulate NFs transformation into CAFs, which in turn facilitates the malignant progression of breast cancer. Our data implicated ZNF32 as a potential therapeutic strategy against breast cancer.

Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Nitric Oxide Application on Heavy Metal Stress Tolerance in Plants

Substantial single-species studies have reported the facility of nitric oxide (NO) in alleviating heavy metal-induced stress in plants. Understanding the mechanisms of NO-involved stress alleviation is progressing; however, a quantitative description of the alleviative capacity of NO against heavy metal stress is still lacking. We combined the results of 86 studies using meta-analysis to statistically assess the responses of heavy metal-stressed plants to NO supply across several metal stresses and plant families. The results showed that plant biomass was consistently improved following NO supply to metal-stressed plants. NO played an important role in mitigating oxidative damage caused by heavy metal stress by significantly stimulating the activities of antioxidant enzymes. Moreover, NO supply consistently increased the Ca, Fe, and Mg contents in both leaves and roots. Plant tissues accumulated less heavy metals when exposed to heavy metal stress after NO addition. Additionally, the best concentration of SNP (an NO donor) for hydroponic culture is in the range of 75-150 μM. We further confirmed that NO application can generally alleviate plant heavy metal stress and its action pathway. The results presented here can help guide future applications of NO as a plant growth regulator in agriculture and breeding plants for heavy metal stress tolerance.

Construction of a combined hypoxia-related genes model for Hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis

BACKGROUND

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver malignancy where tumorigenesis and metastasis are believed to be tied to the hallmarks of hypoxia and tumor microenvironment (TME).

METHODS

In this study, to investigate the relationships among hypoxia, TME, and HCC prognosis, we collected two independent datasets from a public database (TCGA-LIHC for identification, GSE14520 for validation) and identified the hypoxia-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the TCGA data, and the univariable Cox regression and lasso regression analyses were performed to construct the prognosis model. An HCC prognosis model with 4 hypoxia-related DEGs ("NDRG1", "ENO1", "SERPINE1", "ANXA2") was constructed, and high- and low-risk groups of HCC were established by the median of the model risk score.

RESULTS

The survival analysis revealed significant differences between the two groups in both datasets, with the results of the AUC of the ROC curve of 1, 3, and 5 years in two datasets indicating the robustness of the prognosis model. Meanwhile, for the TCGA-LIHC data, the immune characteristics between the two groups revealed that the low-risk group presented higher levels of activated NK cells, monocytes, and M2 macrophages, and 7 immune checkpoint genes were found upregulated in the high-risk group. Additionally, the two groups have no difference in molecular characteristics (tumor mutational burden, TMB). The proportion of recurrence was higher in the high-risk group, and the correlation between the recurrence month and risk score was negative, indicating high-risk correlates with a short recurrence month.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this study shows the association among hypoxic signals, TME, and HCC prognosis and may help reveal potential regulatory mechanisms between hypoxia, tumorigenesis, and metastasis in HCC. The hypoxia-related model demonstrated the potential to be a predictor and drug target of prognosis.

Chitooligosaccharide Maintained Cell Membrane Integrity by Regulating Reactive Oxygen Species Homeostasis at Wounds of Potato Tubers during Healing

Chitooligosaccharide (COS) is a degradation product of chitosan. Although COS increased fruit resistance by regulating the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS), few reports are available on whether COS regulates ROS homeostasis at wounds of potato tubers during healing. In this study, COS increased gene expression and activities of NADPH oxidase and superoxide dismutase, and promoted the generation of O₂^●- and H₂O₂. Moreover, COS increased gene expression and activities of catalase, peroxidase, and AsA-GSH cycle-related enzymes, as well as the levels of ascorbic acid and glutathione levels. In addition, COS elevated the scavenging ability of DPPH, ABTS⁺, and FRAP, and reduced cell membrane permeability and malondialdehyde content. Taken together, COS could maintain cell membrane integrity by eliminating excessive H₂O₂ and improving the antioxidant capacity in vitro, which contributes to the maintainance of cell membrane integrity at wounds of potato tubers during healing.

Preharvest multiple sprays with chitosan promotes the synthesis and deposition of lignin at wounds of harvested muskmelons

As an important elicitor, chitosan could activate the synthesis of lignin in many plants. However, no report is available on whether preharvest chitosan sprays affects the synthesis and deposition of lignin at wounds of harvested muskmelons. In the present study, the plants and fruit of muskmelons were multiple sprayed with 0.1% chitosan during fruit development. Here, we found that chitosan sprays increased the activities of 4-coumaric acid-coenzyme A ligase, cinnamyl-CoA reductase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, and elevated the levels of p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol and lignin at wounds. Chitosan sprays enhanced H₂O₂ level and peroxidase activity, and accelerated the deposition of lignin at wounds. Moreover, chitosan sprays resulted in a higher hardness and lower resilience, springiness and cohesiveness of the healing tissues. Taken together, preharvest chitosan sprays accelerated the deposition of lignin at wounds of muskmelons by activating lignin metabolism, and increasing H₂O₂ content and peroxidase activity.

The pH signalling transcription factor PacC modulate growth, development, stress response and pathogenicity of Trichothecium roseum

pH is one of the important environmental factors that affect the growth, development and pathogenicity of postharvest pathogen. The transcription factor PacC dominates the pH signal pathway. PacC in Trichothecium roseum showed three typical conserved zinc finger domains and closest homology to Fusarium graminearum. T. roseum increased the environmental pH both in vitro and in vivo. Expression patterns of TrpacC under different pH showed that at increasing pH from 3 to 5, the wild-type (WT) strain induced the expression of TrPacC in parallel to increased fungal growth; however, TrPacC expression decline at higer pH than 5, while fungal growth continued to increase. Development of a ΔTrPacC mutant down-regulated the expression of TrbrlA, TrabaA and TrwetA, reduced sporulation and delayed spore germination, resulting in smaller spores and sparse hyphae. ΔTrPacC mutant was sensitive to ionic stress, oxidative stress and cell wall integrity stress compared to the WT strain, especially the ionic stress. In addition, ∆TrPacC mutant showed reduced pathogenicity to muskmelon and tomato fruits. Taken together, T. roseum is an alkalinizing fungus, and the acidic environment could induce TrPacC expression. TrPacC positively regulates fungal growth and development as well as pathogenicity showing effect on fungal response to different stresses.

Both chitosan and chitooligosaccharide treatments accelerate wound healing of pear fruit by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism

This study aimed to compare the effects of chitosan (CTS) and chitooligosaccharide (COS) treatments on wound healing of pear fruits and to investigate the related mechanisms during postharvest storage under ambient conditions. The results revealed that CTS and COS treatments reduced the weight loss and disease index of the wounded pears (Pyrus bretschneideri cv. Dongguo), and accelerated suberin polyphenolic and lignin deposition at wounds during 7 d of investigation. Furthermore, CTS and COS elevated the level of the genes expression and activities of key enzymes and increased product contents of phenylpropanoid metabolism. Collectively, these treatments at a concentration of 1 g/L could promote wound healing in pears by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism. Comparatively, COS treatment presented better effects to CTS and could be useful as a preservative method to enhance storability of fresh produce.

Upregulated expression of DDX5 predicts recurrence and poor prognosis in breast cancer

DEAD-box helicase 5 (DDX5) has been shown to promote tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, the relationship between DDX5 and recurrence in breast cancer (BC) patients remains unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the correlation of DDX5 with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in patients with BC. The expression of DDX5 was examined by immunohistochemical analysis. RFS was calculated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Univariate and multivariable associations were assessed by Cox proportional hazards models. In the present study, a total of 868 BC patients were analysed, and we found that DDX5 protein was significantly overexpressed in BC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Elevated DDX5 was associated with an aggressive phenotype in BC patients. Moreover, DDX5 protein was upregulated in recurrent patients compared with nonrecurrent patients, and DDX5 protein levels were positively associated with worse RFS and BCSS in BC patients. High DDX5 expressing BC patients with age more than 50 year, advanced clinical stage or histological grade had a significantly increased risk of recurrence and shorter survival. Our findings highlight the significance of DDX5 in the recurrence and clinical outcome of BC patients and suggest that DDX5 may be a potential predictive biomarker for patients with BC.

Shape-programmable magneto-active elastomer composites for curve and biomimetic behavior imitation

A programming methodology, which can be applied to soft-magnetic-material-based magneto-active elastomers (MAEs), to catch the predefined specific objective curves is proposed in this study. The objective curves have been equally separated into a couple of segments, which will be filled by the designed MAE elements. Furthermore, the designed MAE segments with different chain angles, in which the deformation orientation of each element under applied homogeneous magnetic fields has been investigated based on the designed experimental setup, are arrayed based on the proposed programming methodology to constitute the MAE composite to catch the orientation of the objective curve. The experimental results show that based on the proposed programming methodology, the MAE composites can describe different curves, which include harmonic, tangential and arc tangential functions under applied homogeneous magnetic fields with good agreement. Furthermore, on the basis of the proposed programming methodology, the MAE composites are utilized to mimic the typical biomimetic behavior (the peeking-up behavior of snakes and the flapping behavior of birds) with smooth curvature properties, in which the dynamic procedures present continuous curves.

Thrombin and factor Xa promote premature senescence and remodeling in areas at risk of the left appendage and in atrial endothelial cells: potential modulation by SGLT1 and/or SGLT2 inhibition

Introduction

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, promotes prothrombotic responses particularly in the distal part of the left atrial appendage (LAA) characterized by reduced flow and low shear stress. AF occurrence and duration are closely associated with endothelial dysfunction and left atrium remodeling.

The contribution of coagulation factors thrombin and factor Xa (FXa) to LA remodeling remains poorly studied. This study investigated whether thrombin and FXa promote endothelial dysfunction and profibrotic and prothrombotic responses in the distal and proximal parts of the LAA. Since SGLT2 inhibitors have shown pronounced cardiac protection, the contribution of SGLT2 was examined.

Methods

LAAs were harvested from porcine hearts. Proximal (low stasis, high shear) and distal (high stasis, low shear) parts were cut and incubated with a coagulation factor (thrombin or FXa). Left atrial endothelial cells (AECs) were collected enzymatically, cultured and used at passage 1. The level of oxidative stress was assessed using the redox-sensitive probe dihydroethidium (DHE), fibrosis by Sirius red histological staining, senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity using X-gal staining in tissues and the fluorogenic substrate C12FDG and flow cytometry in cells. The expression of target proteins was detected by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot analysis.

Results

The distal part of LAA displayed higher levels of oxidative stress in the endothelium and the atrial wall than the proximal part. SA-β-gal activity, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and MMP-9 staining was more pronounced in the endothelium of the distal part compared to the proximal part whereas eNOS staining was decreased. The distal LAA wall showed higher levels of fibrosis. Western blot analysis showed higher expression levels of tissue factor (TF), VCAM-1, MCP-1, MMP-9, TGF-β and SGLT-2 in the distal part compared to the proximal one. Both thrombin and FXa increased these signals to a greater extent in the distal part of the LAA whereas the eNOS expression level was decreased. Exposure of AECs to either thrombin or FXa induced a pro-oxidant response and increased the expression level of ICAM-1, TGF-β, MMP-2, MMP-9, SGLT1 and SGLT-2. Thrombin promoted SA-β-gal activity in AECs. The selective SGLT-2 inhibitor empagliflozin and the dual SGLT1/2 inhibitor sotagliflozin prevented the pro-oxidant response and SA-β-gal activity in response to thrombin.

Conclusion

Thus, the distal part of the LAA is prematurely affected by endothelial dysfunction and senescence associated with a pro-oxidant, pro-remodeling and pro-inflammatory response that is further increased by thrombin and FXa. Hence, the coagulation cascade appears to prematurely promote atrial endothelium and wall dysfunction predominantly in areas at risk that may pave the way to thrombus formation. The findings also suggest a potential protective effect of SGLT1 and/or SGLT2 inhibition on atrial dysfunction.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Unrestricted research grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach, Germany

Protective effects of dapagliflozin on vascular remodeling in the carotid artery following balloon injury – potential role of angiotensin and purinergic signaling

Introduction

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events independently of glycemic control. The possibility that SGLT2 inhibitors improve endothelial regeneration and vascular restenosis is unknown.

Purpose

To examine whether dapagliflozin, a selective SGLT2 inhibitor, could prevent neointima thickening induced by balloon injury and, if so, to determine the underlying mechanisms. The effect of dapagliflozin was compared to that of losartan, an angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist.

Methods

Saline, dapagliflozin (1.5 mg/kg/day), or losartan (30 mg/kg/day) were administered orally for 5 weeks to male Wistar rats. Balloon injury of the left carotid artery was performed 1 week after starting the treatment and sacrificed 4 weeks later. Vascular reactivity was assessed on left (injured) and right (healthy) carotid artery rings. The extent of neointima was assessed by histomorphometric analysis, changes of target factors by immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR and histochemistry.

Results

Dapagliflozin and losartan treatments reduced neointima thickening by 32% and 27%, respectively. Blunted contractile responses to phenylephrine and relaxations to acetylcholine and down-regulation of eNOS were observed in the injured artery. These effects were not modified by the dapagliflozin or the losartan treatments. RT-qPCR investigations indicated an increased in gene expression of inflammatory (IL-1beta, ITGAM, VCAM-1), oxidative (p47phox, p22phox) and fibrotic (TGF-beta1) markers and a decreased of eNOS in the injured carotid. However, these changes were not affected by the pharmacological treatments. By contrast, significant increased levels of AT1R angiotensin receptor and NTPDase1 (CD39) ectonucleotidase were observed in the restenotic carotid artery of the dapagliflozin group. Histochemical analysis evidenced important NTPDase1 activity in the neointima.

Conclusions

Dapagliflozin effectively reduced neointimal thickening. As the contribution of AT1R and P2Y2 ATP receptor in smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointima formation has been reported in the literature, the present data suggest that dapagliflozin prevents restenosis through interfering with angiotensin and/or extracellular nucleotides signaling. SGLT2 transporter represent potential new target for limiting vascular restenosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by AstraZeneca

NADPH Oxidase Regulates the Growth and Pathogenicity of Penicillium expansum

The occurrence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the colonization of necrotrophic pathogens attacking fruit is critical during the attack, but its importance in Penicillium expansum remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the regulatory effects of NADPH oxidase (Nox) genes on the growth and pathogenicity of P. expansum in apple fruits. Deletion mutants of ΔPeNoxA, ΔPeNoxR, and ΔPeRacA genes were constructed to determine the contribution to the colonization process. The ΔPeRacA strain had a significant effect on the reduction of growth and pathogenicity, the ΔPeNoxA strain negatively regulated the growth and development of P. expansum and did not show any significant effect on the pathogenicity, and the ΔPeNoxR strain showed no effect on the growth or pathogenicity of P. expansum in the apple fruits. However, analysis of the content of O₂ ^- and H₂O₂ in the mycelium of all the Nox mutants showed a significant reduction, confirming the functionality of Nox mutations. Growth under stress conditions in the presence of Congo red, sodium lauryl sulfate, and H₂O₂ showed a negative effect on the radial growth of ΔPeNoxA, but a positive effect on radial growth reduction by ΔPeNoxR and ΔPeRacA mutants was shown. Interestingly, the host antioxidant activity levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) andcatalase (CAT) in the fruits after inoculation with ΔPeNoxA, ΔPeNoxR, and ΔPeRacA mutants declined, suggesting reduced ROS accumulation in the colonized region. These results suggest that PeNoxA, PeNoxR, and PeRacA differentially regulate the growth and pathogenicity of P. expansum by producing ROS, and that PeRacA showed the strongest regulatory effect.

Magnetoactive Soft Drivers with Radial-Chain Iron Microparticles

Magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs), one kind of typical novel magnetoactive driver applied in the soft robotic area, have become one of the research hotspots as they can provide biologically friendly driving methods with safe, preprogrammed, and easy-to-implement properties. In this study, novel MAEs embedding soft magnetic iron microparticles with radial chains, which can be molded in one piece, achieve 3D deformation, and co-work between multiple MAEs under single homogeneous stimuli, are proposed. Then, two kinds of novel magnetoactive drivers are established based on the proposed MAEs, which can achieve the synchronous pumping behavior of heart and the extension behavior of muscle under applied homogeneous magnetic fields. The experimental data show that (1) for the pumping behavior, the maximum instantaneous flow rate and total pumping volume can reach 200.1 and 52.3 mL/min, respectively, under 120 BPM applied harmonic magnetic field with 0-300 mT amplitude; (2) the muscle extension behavior can achieve a strain of 0.925 without a loading mass and carry a load of 40 times its own weight with a pronounced dynamic movement. It should be emphasized that the behavior of the proposed magnetoactive drivers can be excited by remote homogeneous magnetic fields, and it has great application potential in biomimetic or bioinspired soft driving systems.

Deep learning-based detection and stage grading for optimising diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy

AIMS

To establish an automated method for identifying referable diabetic retinopathy (DR), defined as moderate nonproliferative DR and above, using deep learning-based lesion detection and stage grading.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A set of 12,252 eligible fundus images of diabetic patients were manually annotated by 45 licenced ophthalmologists and were randomly split into training, validation, and internal test sets (ratio of 7:1:2). Another set of 565 eligible consecutive clinical fundus images was established as an external test set. For automated referable DR identification, four deep learning models were programmed based on whether two factors were included: DR-related lesions and DR stages. Sensitivity, specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were reported for referable DR identification, while precision and recall were reported for lesion detection.

RESULTS

Adding lesion information to the five-stage grading model improved the AUC (0.943 vs. 0.938), sensitivity (90.6% vs. 90.5%) and specificity (80.7% vs. 78.5%) of the model for identifying referable DR in the internal test set. Adding stage information to the lesion-based model increased the AUC (0.943 vs. 0.936) and sensitivity (90.6% vs. 76.7%) of the model for identifying referable DR in the internal test set. Similar trends were also seen in the external test set. DR lesion types with high precision results were preretinal haemorrhage, hard exudate, vitreous haemorrhage, neovascularisation, cotton wool spots and fibrous proliferation.

CONCLUSIONS

The herein described automated model employed DR lesions and stage information to identify referable DR and displayed better diagnostic value than models built without this information.

Pandemic and bank lending: Evidence from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic

This paper empirically analyzes the impact of pandemic on the contracting of bank loans. Using data on syndicated loans during the season of H1N1 Swine Flu, we find that more flu is associated with higher loan spreads and smaller loan size. The adverse impact of pandemic was alleviated by the approval of vaccines.

Totally endoscopic sublay (TES) repair for lateral abdominal wall hernias: technique and first results

BACKGROUND

The optimal surgical treatment for lateral hernias of the abdominal wall remains unclear. The presented prospective study assesses for the first time in detail the clinical value of a totally endoscopic sublay (TES) technique for the repair of these hernias.

METHODS

Twenty-four consecutive patients with a lateral abdominal wall hernia underwent TES repair. This technique is naturally combined with a transversus abdominis release maneuver to create a sufficient retromuscular/preperitoneal space that can accommodate, if necessary, a giant prosthetic mesh.

RESULTS

The operations were successful in all but one patient who required open conversion because of dense intestinal adhesion. The mean defect width was 6.7 ± 3.9 cm. The mean defect area was 78.0 ± 102.4 cm² (range 4-500 cm²). The mean mesh size used was 330.2 ± 165.4 cm² (range 108-900 cm²). The mean operative time was 170.2 ± 73.8 min (range, 60-360 min). The mean visual analog scale score for pain at rest on the first day was 2.5 (range 1-4). The average postoperative stay was 3.4 days (range 2-7 days). No serious complications (Dindo-Clavien Grade 2-4) were seen within a mean follow-up period of 13.3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

A totally endoscopic technique (TES) for the treatment of lateral hernias is described. The technique revealed to be reliable, safe and cost-effective. The first results are promising, but larger studies with longer follow-up periods are recommended to determine the real clinical value.

Retroperitoneal totally endoscopic prosthetic repair of primary lumbar hernia

PURPOSE

A primary lumbar hernia is a rare entity that requires surgical management, but the preferred technique has not been established. We herein describe a standardized and reproducible retroperitoneal totally endoscopic prosthetic (TEP) repair technique for primary lumbar hernias.

METHODS

Ten adult patients with primary lumbar hernias underwent retroperitoneal TEP repair from February 2019 to July 2020. A sufficient retroperitoneal space was established to accommodate a non-coated polypropylene mesh to reinforce the weakened flank area, and hernia content reduction and defect closure were then performed. The patients' clinical data were prospectively collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

Nine patients had a primary superior lumbar hernia and one patient had a primary diffuse lumbar hernia. All operations were successfully performed without serious intraoperative complications. The mean defect area was 6.4 ± 2.8 cm² (range 4-12 cm²), and the mean mesh area was 144.6 cm² (range 130-180 cm²). The average operative time (skin to skin) was 49.0 ± 5.7 min (range 40-60 min), and intraoperative bleeding was minimal. The mean visual analog pain scale score at rest on the first postoperative day was 2.2 (range 2-3). The average length of postoperative stay was 1.5 days (range 1-2 days). No serious postoperative complications occurred. No recurrence, chronic pain, or mesh infection occurred during a mean follow-up period of 7.5 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The retroperitoneal TEP repair for primary lumbar hernias is safe, efficient, and reproducible. Anti-adhesive coated meshes and fixation tackers are not required, making this a cost-effective procedure that is worthy of recommendation.

Linoleic acid promotes testosterone production by activating Leydig cell GPR120/ ERK pathway and restores BPA-impaired testicular toxicity

Bisphenol A (BPA) [2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane] has attracted increasing attention over the past few decades as an endocrine-disrupting chemicals that causes low testosterone levels. Linoleic acid (LA) is an essential fatty acid and GPR120 agonist. Herein, we are the first to report that LA induces the expression of GPR120 in mouse Leydig cells to directly promote testosterone production. In addition, we demonstrated that the activated GPR120 / ERK signaling pathway was involved in upregulating the expression of 3β-HSD and StAR for testosterone production by stimulation of LA. Interestingly, although BPA failed to affect GPR120 expression, LA restored the testosterone levels decreased by BPA in Leydig cells in vitro. Furthermore, the in vivo restoration of testosterone levels and testicular structure was also observed in BPA-impaired mice fed LA. As a result, the sperm functions of BPA-impaired mice returned to normal levels. At the same time, the damaged blood-testis barrier and infertility were also resolved by LA. Our study indicates a novel and safe strategy that utilizes LA to repair reproductive damage caused by low testosterone levels through activating the GPR120/ERK pathway in Leydig cells.

Combined application of silicon and nitric oxide jointly alleviated cadmium accumulation and toxicity in maize

Cadmium (Cd) contamination is a serious threat to plants and humans. Application of silicon (Si) or nitric oxide (NO) could alleviate Cd accumulation and toxicity in plants, but whether they have joint effects on alleviating of Cd accumulation and toxicity are not known. Therefore, the combined effect of Si and NO application on maize growth, Cd uptake, Cd transports and Cd accumulation were investigated in a pot experiment. Here, we reported that Cd stress decreased growth, caused Cd accumulation in plants. The combined application of Si and NO triggered a significant response in maize, increasing plant growth and reducing Cd uptake, accumulation, translocation and bioaccumulation factors under Cd stress. The grain Cd concentration was decreased by 66 % in the Si and NO combined treatment than Cd treatment. Moreover, the combined application of Si and NO reduced Cd health risk index in maize more effectively than either treatment alone. This study provided new evidence that Si and NO have a strong joint effect on alleviating the adverse effects of Cd toxicity by decreasing Cd uptake and accumulation. We advocate for supplement of Cd-contaminated soil with Si fertilizers and treatment of crops with NO as a practical approach to alleviating Cd toxicity.

Ephedrine causes retinal damage in SD rats associating with JAK2/STAT3 pathway

PURPOSE

Ephedrine has various side effects in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. However, the cellular mechanism of toxicity remains unknown, specifically on the retina. This study was to investigate effects of ephedrine on the retina and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

Sprague Dawley rats were treated with ephedrine (n = 10) or saline (n = 10) by oral gavage for seven days. The retinal morphology was evaluated by Toluidine blue staining. Apoptosis-related markers were detected in the retinal lysate. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure neurotransmitters and oxidative stress markers. Real-time PCR and western blot were used to measure gene and protein expression, respectively.

RESULTS

Our results demonstrated that ephedrine induced apoptosis in the retina, increased dopamine level as well as oxidative stress, and down-regulated the Jak2/Stat3 gene expression as well as protein expression of p-JAK2/p-STAT3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicated that ephedrine treatment caused retinal damage in SD rats, which may be associated with the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

ACLY: A biomarker of recurrence in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

ACLY is a cytoplasmic metabolic enzyme involved in lipid synthesis. It also affects proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer. However, the correlation of ACLY expression with breast cancer recurrence is unclear.

METHODS

The Oncomine and TCGA databases were used to investigate the mRNA expression of ACLY in breast cancer. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to evaluate ACLY expression level in tumor tissues and normal tissues from 127 breast cancer patients. Next, the prognostic role of ACLY was explored by analyzing the clinicopathological features and prognosis during follow-up. The role of ACLY in breast cancer cells drug resistance was further detected by CCK-8 assays and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

RESULTS

ACLY mRNA and protein expression was significantly increased in the breast cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Clinically, high ACLY levels were associated with ER status, PR status, tumor size, TNM stage, and lymph node invasion. Upregulated ACLY predicted worse tumor relapse-free survival (RFS) of breast cancer patients in univariate analyses and in multivariate models. In subgroup analysis, patients with high ACLY expression showed worse RFS in the TNM III or ER positive subgroups. Moreover, ACLY over-expression induced the resistance of breast cancer cells to docetaxel and promoted the expression of multi-drug resistant protein ABCB1/ABCG2.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study highlights the possibility of ACLY as a potential and independent biomarker for the recurrence prediction in breast cancer patients. It may be related to ACLY promoting drug resistance in breast cancer cells.

Single-site laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (SLPEC) of hernia sac high ligation using an ordinary taper needle: a novel technique for pediatric inguinal hernia

PURPOSE

Laparoscopic high ligation of the internal inguinal ring is an alternative procedure for treatment of pediatric inguinal hernia (PIH), with a major trend toward increasing use of extracorporeal knotting and decreasing use of working ports. We have utilized this laparoscopic technique to treat the entire spectrum of PIH (including incarcerated cases) for more than 17 years, and the technique continues to evolve and improve. We herein report our latest modification of this minimally invasive technique, namely single-site laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure (SLPEC) of hernia sac high ligation using an ordinary taper needle, and evaluate its safety and efficacy.

METHODS

From July 2016 to July 2019, 790 children with indirect PIH were treated by laparoscopic surgery. All patients underwent high ligation surgery with a modified single-site laparoscopic technique mainly performed by extracorporeal suturing with an ordinary closed-eye taper needle (1/2 arc 11 × 34). The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

All surgeries were successful without serious complications. A contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV) was found intraoperatively and subsequently repaired in 190 patients (25.4%). The mean operative time was 15 min (8-25 min) for 557 unilateral hernias and 21 min (14-36 min) for 233 bilateral hernias. The mean postoperative stay was 20 h. Minor complications occurred in five patients (0.63%) and were managed properly, with no major impact on the final outcomes. No recurrence was noted in the patients who were followed up for 6-42 months. No obvious scar was present postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Modified SLPEC of hernia sac high ligation using an ordinary taper needle for repair of indirect PIH is a safe, reliable, and minimally invasive procedure with satisfactory outcome, with no special device being needed. It is easy to learn and perform and is worthy of popularization in the clinical setting.

Berberine Ameliorates Spatial Learning Memory Impairment and Modulates Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway in Diabetic Rats

Background: Cognitive impairment caused by diabetes has been recognized. Berberine is well known for its resistance to peripheral lesions, but it is rarely used for the treatment of spatial learning and memory caused by diabetes. This study explored the mechanism of berberine to alleviate cognitive impairment via the cholinergic anti-inflammatory and insulin signaling pathways.

Methods: Morris water maze was used to appraise spatial learning and memory. Positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging was adopted to detect the transport of glucose, and blood/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose was checked using commercial blood glucose meter. Insulin level was measured by ELISA kit and β-Amyloid (Aβ) formation was observed by Congo red staining. Western-blot was performed to appraise protein expression.

Results: We found that berberine rectified some aberrant changes in signal molecules concerning inflammation, and cholinergic and insulin signaling pathways in the hippocampus. Furthermore, CSF/blood glucose, inflammatory response or acetyl cholinesterase enzyme (AChE) activity were reduced by berberine. Additionally, acetylcholine levels were enhanced after berberine treatment in diabetic rats. Finally, Aβ formation in diabetic hippocampus was inhibited and spatial learning memory was ameliorated by berberine.

Discussion: In conclusion, berberine clears Aβ deposit and consequently ameliorates spatial learning memory impairment via the activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory and insulin signaling pathways in diabetic rats.

Effects of neuromuscular training on pain intensity and self-reported functionality for patellofemoral pain syndrome in runners: study protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is common and affects approximately 15% of individuals at different ages and activity levels. As a non-surgical intervention, physiotherapy is widely used to treat PFPS. Neuromuscular training exercise is one of the most effective methods for decreasing musculoskeletal pain and improving knee function. However, the effectiveness of neuromuscular training exercise for treating PFPS is not without argument. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of neuromuscular training exercise on patellofemoral pain and whether the neuromuscular training exercise have more advantage effects than taping and health education.

METHODS

We will operate a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial of 60 patients with patellofemoral pain. Individuals will be indiscriminately assigned to two intervention groups and a health education group. The neuromuscular training exercise which includes the muscle strength training, balance training and knee joint proprioception training, and taping group will use "Y" and "I" type taping on the participants three times a week for three months. The health education group will be given education lectures once each week and which last for three months. The primary outcome measures include the adverse events, visual analog scale for pain, and Anterior Knee Pain Scale Index, which is a knee function self-report questionnaire to evaluate the function of the knee especially for PFPS patients. The secondary outcome measures are the muscle strength and endurance of knee joint flexion and extensor muscles, knee joint proprioception, muscle thickness of the quadriceps femoris, knee function ability, and quality of life. We will manage the intention-to-treat analysis for individuals who will withdraw from this study.

DISCUSSION

According to previous studies, neuromuscular training exercise and the taping method are effective treatment for PFPS patients. In this study, we will perform a neuromuscular training exercise for patients with PFPS. We believe that this study may prove the effectiveness of neuromuscular training exercise in treating PFPS.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1800014995 . Registered on 27 February 2018.

[Optical coherence tomography angiography of acute Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease]

Objective: To measure vascular density in retinal and choroidal capillary layers by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to explore their potential clinical values in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH). Methods: This is a cross-sectional case-control study. Twenty-one acute VKH cases presented to Peking Union Medical College Hospital between April 2015 and July 2015 and 49 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. OCTA was performed with a split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography-optical coherence tomography (SSADA-OCT) system borrowed from Optovue Inc. Vascular densities of the capillary layers were analyzed by the built-in software. Bilateral independent sample t-test was used to compare retinal and choroidal vascular density of eyes in acute phase VKH with healthy controls. Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation between the vascular density of retina and choroid in acute phase VKH and LogMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results: Mean vascular density of superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and choriocapillaris (CC) in eyes of the acute VKH group were statistically lower than those of healthy control group (51.56%±2.88%, 56.51%±2.31%, 58.14%±2.10% vs. 53.55%±2.51%, 58.14%±2.10%, 58.14%±2.10%, t=-3.890, 3.910,-6.554, all 3 P values were<0.01). In VKH patients, eyes with retinal detachment (RD) had statistically lower mean vascular density in the CC layer than those without (NRD) (63.46%±2.19% vs. 65.85%±1.79%, t=3.890, P<0.01), while no statistically significant differences were found in vascular densities of SCP and DCP layers between RD and NRD eyes. Spearman's correlation test revealed a negative correlation between vascular density of the CC layer and logMAR BCVA(r=-0.437, P<0.01), while no statistically significant associations were found between logMAR BCVA and vascular densities of SCP and DCP. Conclusions: OCTA can be used for quantitative detection of vascular density of retina and choroidal capillary in acute VKH. There is circulatory disturbance in SCP, DCP and CC of acute VKH. Vascular density of CC is associated with visual acuity and retinal detachment. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 735-739).

Both Penicillium expansum and Trichothecim roseum Infections Promote the Ripening of Apples and Release Specific Volatile Compounds

Blue mold and core rot caused by Penicillium expansum and Trichothecium roseum are major diseases of apple fruit in China; however, their differential aggressiveness in apples and effect on fruit postharvest physiology are unclear. The effects of colonization of apples cv. Red Delicious by both pathogens were compared to physiological parameters of ripening and release of volatile compounds (VOCs). P. expansum colonization showed increased aggressiveness compared to T. roesum colonization of apple fruits. P. expansum enhanced colonization occurred with differential higher ethylene production and respiratory rate evolution, lower membrane integrity and fruit firmness in correspondence with the colonization pattern of inoculated apples. Moreover, P. expansum caused lower contents of total soluble solid and titratable acid, and higher malondialdehyde compared with T. roesum colonization. While both pathogen infections enhanced VOCs release, compared with T. roseum inoculated apples, P. expansum inoculated apple showed a higher total VOCs production including alcohols, aldehydes and esters, being the C6 alcohols, aldehydes and esters amount. PLS-DA analysis indicated that hexanoic acid was the most important factor to distinguish the inoculated fruits from the controls. Interestingly, propyl acetate and hexyl benzoate, and undecylenic acid and hexadecane were only identified in the P. expansum and T. roseum inoculated fruits, respectively. Taken together, our findings indicate that both fungi inoculations promote apple fruit ripening and release specific VOCs; moreover, apple fruits are more susceptible to P. expansum colonization than T. roesum.

Zinc finger protein 32 promotes breast cancer stem cell-like properties through directly promoting GPER transcription

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women. Due to the existence of a small fraction of stem cell-like subpopulations, some breast cancer subtypes exhibit very high malignancy and resistance to multiple therapies. The underlying mechanisms of how these subtypes acquire stem cell-like properties and progress more aggressively remain largely unknown. Zinc finger protein 32 (ZNF32), a newly discovered transcription factor, has been reported to be associated with breast cancer progression. However, many questions remain about its target genes and its exact mechanisms in regulating stem cell-like properties and drug resistance. In the present study, we examined the relationship between ZNF32 and GPER, a membrane-associated estrogen receptor, and we addressed their roles in stemness regulation in human breast cancer cell lines. Our results showed that ZNF32 could induce expansion of stem cell-like subpopulations and increase drug resistance by upregulating GPER expression, in which ERK activation was also implicated. We also illustrated that ZNF32 induced GPER expression via a ZNF32 binding sequence located within the GPER promoter region. A correlation between ZNF32/GPER expression and increased tumor incidence and burden was observed in xenograft mouse models. We conclude that ZNF32 can engage GPER/ERK signalling and confer breast cancer stem cell-like properties, which may indicate poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. ZNF32 and GPER targeted therapies might provide new solutions for breast cancer treatment.

[Progress on Determination and Analysis of Zopiclone in Biological Samples]

As a new hypnotic, zopiclone is widely used in clinical treatment. There are many methods for determination of zopiclone, including spectrophotometry, chromatography and chromatography mass spectrum, etc. Present paper reviews different kinds of biological samples associated with zopiclone, extraction and purification methods, and determination and analysis methods, which aims to provide references for the relevant research and practice.

Depurative capacity of molecular adsorbent recycling system (MARS): A focus on bilirubin removal

The molecular adsorbent recycling system (MARS) is now widely used in the treatment of patients with hepatic failure (HF). A great deal of interest has been directed toward its effect on clinical outcome, whereas its depurative capacity also needs attention. Bilirubin, a tightly albumin-bound toxin accumulating in patients with HF, is regarded as a surrogate to evaluate the depurative capacity of albumin-bound toxins by blood purification modalities. The removal of bilirubin by MARS is difficult to predict, because both the clearance of bilirubin and the reduction ratio of bilirubin after a single session differ between patients and sessions. A reduction of depurative capacity over the course of a treatment is observed. Furthermore, the later sessions are likely less efficient than previous ones. It cannot be taken for granted that the reduction of depurative capacity is due to the saturation and reduced efficiency of the adsorbent columns used in MARS. The answer lies in the property of bilirubin/albumin binding. The removal of bilirubin by MARS is a diffusion process, dependent on the free bilirubin concentration. Bilirubin binds to albumin in 3 ways with different affinity. High-affinity binding bilirubin is difficult to dissociate from albumin and is accompanied by a smaller free fraction, which means it is also difficult for MARS to remove. The factors affecting the free fraction of bilirubin will impact on bilirubin removal by MARS. Among them, the molar ratio of bilirubin to albumin is the most important one. Other factors include the interaction of other agents with bilirubin/albumin binding, the albumin concentration, plasma ion strength, and pH.

Significant Decrease in Dialysate Albumin Concentration during Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (M.A.R.S.) Therapy

Aim

The molecular adsorbent recirculating system (M.A.R.S.) is widely used as liver support therapy in patients with hepatic dysfunction. The goal of this study was to measure changes in dialysate albumin and bilirubin concentrations during clinical MARS treatments.

Methods

Eight patients with acute liver dysfunction and hyperbilirubinemia were enrolled in this study. Five of them received a total of 10 treatments with MARS, in which 600 mL of 20% human albumin was used as dialysate, continuously regenerated by two adsorbent columns in the circuit. Three patients received 4 treatments of a modified MARS, in which the two adsorbent columns were bypassed in the first course for 4 h, and then connected to the circuit in the second course for another 4 h. The total, conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin (TB, CB, UCB) and albumin concentrations in serum and albumin dialysate were dynamically measured, and the adsorbent column inlet pressures were recorded during each session. In one session, dialysate albumin levels were measured during the priming process, at the time points prior to the priming process, immediately after priming, and at the end of the treatment.

Results

During MARS therapies, the reduction ratio of serum TB, CB and UCB was 26.6±9.0%, 29.5±9.6% and 14.8±12.3%, respectively. The molar ratio of TB/albumin in serum was approximately 20-fold higher than dialysate at all time points. A significant albumin concentration decrease from baseline in the dialysate was found (mean±SD, 34.6±16.6%). For the first four hours of modified treatments, in which only albumin dialysis without albumin regeneration by adsorbent columns was performed, the dialysate albumin decrease was substantially smaller (mean, 8.3±1.5%). After switching to standard MARS, there was a further decrease in the dialysate albumin concentration of 35.1±14.5%. In one session, dialysate albumin concentrations were measured during the priming process, and levels decreased from 196.9 g/L to 144.4 g/L. Adsorber inlet pressure increased from 40±10mmHg at the start of priming to 150±50mmHg at the end of priming, and further increased to 340±100mmHg at the end of treatment.

Conclusion

There is a significant reduction in dialysate albumin concentration during MARS therapy. Binding of albumin to the adsorbent columns used for albumin regeneration is largely responsible for this decrease.

Improvement of Monocyte Secretion Function in a Porcine Pancreatitis Model by Continuous Dose-Dependent Veno-Venous Hemofiltration

Objective

Monocyte and its secreted cytokines play a crucial role in the process of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). It has been known that continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) can partially attenuate the inflammatory process by removal of cytokines, but the effect of CVVH on monocyte secretion function remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of different doses of CVVH on monocyte secretion function as well as the plasma cytokine profile in a SAP porcine model.

Methods

After successful induction of SAP by pressure-controlled (100 mmHg), intraductal injection of sodium taurocholate (4%, 1 ml/kg) and trypsin (2 U/kg), 24 swine were randomly assigned to 3 groups. Swine in group I (n=8) serving as SAP controls received only standard medical therapy (SMT). Besides SMT, swine in two other groups received zero-balanced CVVH, one hour after the induction of SAP, with low volume fluid exchange (group II, n=8, ultrafiltration rate (UFR) 20 ml/kg/h, LV-CVVH) or high volume (group III, n=8, UFR 100 ml/kg/h, HV-CVVH). Using heparin as anticoagulant, the filter (AN69, Hospal, Lyon, France) was changed every 24 hours. Monocytes were isolated from porcine blood at various timepoints for detection of cytokine secretion (interleukin-6, IL-6; interleukin-10, IL-10; tumor necrosis-α, TNF-α) after LPS stimulus; plasma cytokines were measured simultaneously.

Results

CVVH showed a dose-dependent beneficial effect on the animals’ survival time. In control animals, plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels exhibited a double-phase fluctuation after SAP induction: IL-6 and TNF-α rapidly increased to a peak level within 6–12 hours, then dropped to very low level in the late stage. Unlike pro-inflammatory cytokines, the plasma level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 reached a plateau within 6–12 hours but dropped little. In CVVH-treated animals, the peak-nadir patterns of 3 cytokines were all flattened, most prominently in the HV-CVVH group. Similarly to plasma cytokine patterns, the monocyte ex vivo response to LPS stimulus showed an over-production of cytokines within 6–12 hours, but low production in the late stage. Although unable to totally prevent the abnormality of the monocyte secretion function, CVVH showed a dose-dependent ameliorative effect on it.

Conclusions

Monocytes are over-reactive to stimulus in the early stage of SAP, accompanied by a high level of plasma cytokines, and hypo-reactive to stimulus in the late stage of SAP, accompanied with a low level of plasma cytokines. CVVH treatment has a dose-dependent improvement effect on monocyte responsiveness.