Discovery of Pyridyl-Benzothiazol Hybrids as Novel Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase Inhibitors via Scaffold Hopping

In order to discover novel protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors with excellent herbicidal activity, a series of structurally novel 6-(pyridin-2-yl) benzothiazole derivatives were designed based on the scaffold hopping strategy. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that the newly synthesized compounds exhibited noteworthy inhibitory activity against Arabidopsis thaliana PPO (AtPPO), with IC50 values ranging from 0.06 to 1.36 μM. Preliminary postemergence herbicidal activity tests and crop safety studies indicated that some of our compounds exhibited excellent herbicidal activity and crop safety. For instance, compound (rac)-7as exhibited superior herbicidal activities to commercially available flumioxazin (FLU) and saflufenacil (SAF) at all the tested concentrations and showed effective herbicidal activities even at a dosage as low as 18.75 g ai/ha. Meanwhile, compound (rac)-7as showed good crop safety for wheat at a dosage as high as 150 g of ai/ha. Although the absolute configuration of compound 7as has no obvious effect on its herbicidal activity, compound (R)-7as showed a slightly higher crop safety than compound (S)-7as. Molecular simulation studies of Nicotiana tabacum PPO (NtPPO) and our candidate compounds showed that the benzothiazole moiety of compounds (R)-7as or (S)-7as formed multiple π-π stacking interactions with FAD, and the pyridine ring generated π-π stacking with Phe-392. Our finding proved that the pyridyl-benzothiazol hybrids are promising scaffolds for the development of PPO-inhibiting herbicides.

Discovery of Novel Chiral Indole Derivatives Containing the Oxazoline Moiety as Potential Antiviral Agents for Plants

Potato virus Y (PVY) is an important plant virus that has spread worldwide, causing significant economic losses. To search for novel structures as potent antiviral agents, a series of chiral indole derivatives containing oxazoline moieties were designed and synthesized and their anti-PVY activities were evaluated. Biological activity tests demonstrated that many chiral compounds exhibited promising anti-PVY activities and that their absolute configurations exhibited obvious distinctions in antiviral bioactivities. Notably, compound (S)-4v displayed excellent curative and protective efficacy against PVY, with EC50 values of 328.6 and 256.1 μg/mL, respectively, which were superior to those of commercial virucide ningnanmycin (NNM, 437.4 and 397.4 μg/mL, respectively). The preliminary antiviral mechanism was investigated to determine the difference in antiviral activity between the two enantiomers of 4v chiral compounds. Molecular docking indicated a stronger binding affinity between the coating proteins of PVY (PVY-CP) and (S)-4v (-6.5 kcal/mol) compared to (R)-4v (-6.2 kcal/mol). Additionally, compound (S)-4v can increase the chlorophyll content and defense-related enzyme activities more effectively than its enantiomer. Therefore, this study provides an important basis for the development of chiral indole derivatives containing oxazoline moieties as novel agricultural chemicals.

N-Heterocyclic Carbene-Catalyzed Regio- and Enantioselective C7-Alkylation of 4-Aminoindoles with α-Bromoenals

The first carbene-catalyzed regio- and enantioselective indole C7-alkylation reaction between 4-aminoindoles and α-bromoenals is disclosed. The corresponding indole products could be obtained in moderate to good yields with good to excellent enantioselectivities. The evaluation of antibacterial activity against Psa revealed that nine of the C7-functionalized indoles exhibited superior inhibitory activities compared to the positive controls TC and BT. Our approach provides an efficient strategy to introduce a chiral chain into the C7 position of indole compounds, with potential applications evaluated in pesticide development.

Asymmetric Synthesis of Planar Chiral Carbonitriles and Amines via Carbene-Catalyzed Kinetic Resolution

We have developed a catalytic method using chiral N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) as the sole organic catalyst to synthesize planar chiral carbonitriles asymmetrically, resulting in optically pure, multifunctional compounds. The method demonstrates remarkable tolerance toward diverse substituents and substitution patterns through kinetic resolution (KR) or desymmetrization processes. The resulting optically pure planar chiral products hold significant potential for applications in asymmetric synthesis and antibacterial pesticide development.

Direct Formation of Amide-Linked C-Glycosyl Amino Acids and Peptides via Photoredox/Nickel Dual Catalysis

Glycoproteins account for numerous biological processes including those associated with diseases and infections. The advancement of glycopeptides has emerged as a promising strategy for unraveling biological pathways and discovering novel medicines. In this arena, a key challenge arises from the absence of efficient synthetic strategies to access glycopeptides and glycoproteins. Here, we present a highly concise approach to bridging saccharides with amino acids and peptides through an amide linkage. Our amide-linked C-glycosyl amino acids and peptides are synthesized through cooperative Ni-catalyzed and photoredox processes. The catalytic process generates a glycosyl radical and an amide carbonyl radical, which subsequently combine to yield the C-glycosyl products. The saccharide reaction partners encompass mono-, di-, and trisaccharides. All 20 natural amino acids, peptides, and their derivatives can efficiently undergo glycosylations with yields ranging from acceptable to high, demonstrating excellent stereoselectivities. As a substantial expansion of applications, we have shown that simple C-glycosyl amino acids can function as versatile building units for constructing C-glycopeptides with intricate spatial complexities.

Effect of continuous hypertonic saline infusion on clinical outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury

Osmotic therapy has been recognized as an important treatment option for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Nevertheless, the effect of hypertonic saline (HTS) remains unknown, as findings are primarily based on a large database. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of HTS on the clinical outcomes of patients with TBI admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We retrospectively identified patients with moderate-to-severe TBI from two public databases: Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV and eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD). A marginal structural Cox model (MSCM) was used, with time-dependent variates designed to reflect exposure over time during ICU stay. Trajectory modeling based on the intracranial pressure evolution pattern allowed for the identification of subgroups. Overall, 130 (6.65%) of 1955 eligible patients underwent HTS. MSCM indicated that the HTS significantly associated with higher infection complications (e.g., urinary tract infection (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.26-2.81, p = 0.002)) and increased ICU LOS (HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.71-2.40, p < 0.001). A protective effect of HTS on GCS was found in subgroups with medium and low intracranial pressure. Our study revealed no significant difference in mortality between patients who underwent HTS and those who did not. Increased occurrence rates of infection and electrolyte imbalance are inevitable outcomes of continuous HTS infusion. Although the study suggests slight beneficial effects, including better neurological outcomes, these results warrant further validation.

Design, Synthesis, and Herbicidal Activity of Substituted 3-(Pyridin-2-yl)Phenylamino Derivatives

To discover protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitors with robust herbicidal activity and crop safety, three types of substituted 3-(pyridin-2-yl)phenylamino derivatives bearing amide, urea, or thiourea as side chain were designed via structure splicing strategy. Postemergence herbicidal activity assessment of 33 newly prepared compounds revealed that many of our compounds such as 6a, 7b, and 8d exhibited superior herbicidal activities against broadleaf and monocotyledon weeds to commercial acifluorfen. In particular, compound 8d exhibited excellent herbicidal activities and high crop safety at a dosage range of 37.5-150 g ai/ha. PPO inhibitory studies supported our compounds as typical PPO inhibitors. Molecular docking studies revealed that compound 8d provided effective interactions with Nicotiana tabacum PPO (NtPPO) via diverse interaction models, such as π-π stacking and hydrogen bonds. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies and degradation studies were also conducted to gain insight into the inhibitory mechanism. Our study indicates that compound 8d may be a candidate molecule for the development of novel herbicides.

NHC-Catalyzed Chemo- and Enantioselective Reaction between Aldehydes and Enals for Access to Axially Chiral Arylaldehydes

A chiral carbene-catalyzed chemo- and enantioselective reaction with racemic biaryl aldehydes and α-bromoenals is developed for access to axially chiral 2-arylbenzaldehydes through atroposelective dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) processes. This atroposelective DKR strategy can tolerate a broad scope of substrates with diverse functionalities. The axially chiral 2-aryl benzaldehyde products generally afford moderate to good yields and enantioselectivities. The axially chiral molecules afforded from the current approach are variable through simple transformations to afford axially chiral functional molecules with excellent optical purities.

Jianpi Huayu Decoction suppresses cellular senescence in colorectal cancer via p53-p21-Rb pathway: Network pharmacology and in vivo validation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Jianpi Huayu Decoction (JHD) is an herbal prescription in traditional Chinese medicine based on Sijunzi Decoction to treat patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Its effects on the inhibition of CRC cell proliferation and tumor growth are promising; however, its multicomponent nature makes a complete understanding of its mechanism challenging.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To explore the therapeutic targets and underlying molecular pathways of JHD in CRC treatment using network pharmacology techniques and in vivo validation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The active ingredients and targets of JHD were identified, compound-target interactions were mapped, and enrichment analyses were conducted. We identified the hub targets of JHD-induced cellular senescence in CRC. The binding affinities between compounds and targets were evaluated through molecular docking. Subsequently, we conducted bioinformatic analyses to compare the expression of hub targets between colorectal tissue and normal tissue. Finally, in vivo experiments were carried out utilizing a xenograft model to assess the effects of JHD on cellular senescence biomarkers.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology revealed 129 active ingredients in JHD that were associated with 678 targets, leading to the construction of compound-target and target-pathway networks. Enrichment analyses highlighted key pathways including cellular senescence. Based on this, hub targets associated with cellular senescence were determined and validated. Molecular docking indicated favorable interactions between the active components and hub targets. Gene expression and survival analysis in CRC tissue were consistent with the potential roles of hub genes. Animal experiments showed that JHD triggered cellular senescence and suppressed the growth of CRC by regulating the p53-p21-Rb signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

This research adopted network pharmacology, bioinformatics, and animal experiments to unveil that JHD induces cellular senescence in CRC by influencing the p53-p21-Rb pathway and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes, highlighting its potential as a CRC treatment.

Natural hair color and skin cancers: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Previous observational studies have indicated an association between hair color and the risk of melanoma and keratinocyte skin cancer (KSC); however, different hair colors show inconsistent effects on skin cancers. Here, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to evaluate the causal relationship between natural hair color and skin cancers by using 211 single nucleotide polymorphisms as genetic instruments from a genome-wide meta-analysis of 360,270 individuals of European ancestry. Light hair colors (red, blonde, and light brown) were associated with high levels of cutaneous melanoma (CM) and KSC (CM-inverse variance weighted [IVW] odds ratio [OR]-red: 1.034, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.025-1.044, P < 0.001; OR-blonde: 1.008, 95% CI: 1.003-1.014, P = 0.003; OR-light brown: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.002-1.011, P = 0.009; KSC-IVW OR-red: 1.078, 95% CI: 1.053-1.103, P < 0.001; OR-blonde: 1.024, 95% CI: 1.009-1.040, P = 0.002; OR-light brown: 1.018, 95% CI: 1.004-1.033, P = 0.01). However, dark brown hair showed an inverse causal relationship with skin cancers (CM IVW OR: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.984-0.990, P < 0.001; KSC IVW OR: 0.979, 95% CI: 0.970-0.988, P < 0.001). Black hair was associated with a decreased risk of KSC (IVW OR: 0.954, 95% CI: 0.913-0.997, P = 0.036) but showed no causal relationship with CM. The present study provides strong MR evidence of a causal association between hair color and skin cancer. Secondary MR analyses enhances result robustness by replicating findings, exploring gender-specific effects, and providing a more comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between hair color and skin cancers. More large-scale MR studies or randomized controlled trials are required to further investigate the mechanisms of the association between hair color and skin cancers.

Access to Axially Chiral Aryl Aldehydes via Carbene-Catalyzed Nitrile Formation and Desymmetrization Reaction

An approach utilizing N-heterocyclic carbene for nitrile formation and desymmetrization reaction is developed. The process involves kinetic resolution, with the axially chiral aryl monoaldehydes obtained in moderate yields with excellent optical purities. These axially chiral aryl monoaldehydes can be conveniently transformed into functionalized molecules, showing great potential as catalysts in organic chemistry.

Tectorigenin Inhibits Glycolysis-induced Cell Growth and Proliferation by Modulating LncRNA CCAT2/miR-145 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer (CRC) places a heavy burden on global health. Tectorigenin (Tec) is a type of flavonoid-based compound obtained from the Chinese medical herb Leopard Lily Rhizome. It was found to exhibit remarkable anti-tumor properties in previous studies. However, the effect and molecular mechanisms of Tec in colorectal cancer have not been reported.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to explore the action of Tec in proliferation and glycolysis in CRC and the potential mechanism with regard to the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) CCAT2/micro RNA-145(miR-145) pathway in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS

The anti-tumor effect of Tec in CRC was examined in cell and animal studies, applying Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay as well as xenograft model experiments. Assay kits were utilized to detect glucose consumption and lactate production in the supernatant of cells and animal serum. The expression of the glycolysis-related proteins was assessed by Western Blotting, and levels of lncRNA CCAT2 and miR-145 in CRC tissue specimens and cells were assessed by realtime quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

Tec significantly suppressed cell glycolysis and proliferative rate in CRC cells. It could decrease lncRNA CCAT2 in CRC cells but increase the expression of miR-145. LncRNA CCAT2 overexpression or inhibition of miR-145 could abolish the inhibitive effects of Tec on the proliferation and glycolysis of CRC cells. The miR-145 mimic rescued the increased cell viability and glycolysis levels caused by lncRNA CCAT2 overexpression. Tec significantly inhibited the growth and glycolysis of CRC xenograft tumor. The expression of lncRNA CCAT2 decreased while the expression of miR-145 increased after Tec treatment in vivo.

CONCLUSION

Tec can inhibit the proliferation and glycolysis of CRC cells through the lncRNA CCAT2/miR-145 axis. Altogether, the potential targets discovered in this research are of great significance for CRC treatment and new drug development.

Site-Selective C-O Bond Editing of Unprotected Saccharides

Glucose and its polyhydroxy saccharide analogs are complex molecules that serve as essential structural components in biomacromolecules, natural products, medicines, and agrochemicals. Within the expansive realm of saccharides, a significant area of research revolves around chemically transforming naturally abundant saccharide units to intricate or uncommon molecules such as oligosaccharides or rare sugars. However, partly due to the presence of multiple hydroxyl groups with similar reactivities and the structural complexities arising from stereochemistry, the transformation of unprotected sugars to the desired target molecules remains challenging. One such formidable challenge lies in the efficient and selective activation and modification of the C-O bonds in saccharides. In this study, we disclose a modular 2-fold "tagging-editing" strategy that allows for direct and selective editing of C-O bonds of saccharides, enabling rapid preparation of valuable molecules such as rare sugars and drug derivatives. The first step, referred to as "tagging", involves catalytic site-selective installation of a photoredox active carboxylic ester group to a specific hydroxyl unit of an unprotected sugar. The second step, namely, "editing", features a C-O bond cleavage to form a carbon radical intermediate that undergoes further transformations such as C-H and C-C bond formations. Our strategy constitutes the most effective and shortest route in direct transformation and modification of medicines and other molecules bearing unprotected sugars.

Impact of Early Tracheostomy on Clinical Outcomes in Trauma Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Causal Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the indications, timing, and clinical outcomes that result from the early tracheostomy (ET) administration, by causal inference models.

DESIGN

A retrospective observational study.

SETTING

Multiinstitutional intensive care unit in the United States PARTICIPANTS: The study comprised 626 trauma patients.

INTERVENTIONS

An ET versus late tracheostomy (LT).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Trauma patients with tracheostomy were identified from 2 public databases named Medical Information Mart for the Intensive Care-IV and eICU Collaborative Research Database. Tracheostomy was defined as early (≤7 days) or late (>7 days) from intensive care unit admission. A marginal structural Cox model (MSCM) with inverse probability weighting was employed. For comparison, the authors also used time-dependent propensity-score matching (PSM) to account for differences in the probability of receiving an ET or LT. A total of 626 eligible patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 321 (51%) received a ET. The MSCM and time-dependent PSM indicated that the ET group was associated with reduced ventilation-associated pneumonia (VAP) and a shorter mechanical ventilation (MV) duration than the LT group. Yet, mortality did not show any difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors' study observed that ET was not associated with reduced mortality in trauma patients, but it was associated with reduced VAP risk and MV duration. The results warrant further validation in randomized controlled trials.

Machine Learning Prediction Algorithm for In-Hospital Mortality following Body Contouring

BACKGROUND

Body contouring is a common procedure, but it is worth attention because of concern for a variety of complications, and even the potential for death. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the key predictors following body contouring and create models for the risk of mortality using diverse machine learning (ML) models.

METHODS

The National Inpatient Sample database from 2015 to 2017 was queried to identify patients undergoing body contouring. Candidate predictors, such as demographics, comorbidities, personal history, postoperative complications, and operative features, were included. The outcome was in-hospital mortality. Models were compared by area under the curve, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and decision curve analysis.

RESULTS

Overall, 8214 patients undergoing body contouring were identified, among whom 141 (1.72%) died in the hospital. Variable importance plot demonstrated that sepsis was the variable with greatest importance across all ML algorithms, followed by Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, cardiac arrest, and so forth. The naive Bayes model had a higher predictive performance (area under the curve, 0.898; 95% CI, 0.884 to 0.911) among these eight ML models. Similarly, in the decision curve analysis, the naive Bayes model also demonstrated a higher net benefit (ie, the correct classification of in-hospital deaths considering a tradeoff between false-negatives and false-positives) compared with the other seven models across a range of threshold probability values.

CONCLUSION

The ML models, as indicated by this study, can be used to predict in-hospital death for patients at risk who undergo body contouring.

NHC-Catalyzed Reaction of Carboxylic Acids Using Allene Ketones as Substrates and Activating Reagents

We present a new reaction between carboxylic acids and allene ketones mediated by N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) catalysts, which exhibit, in principle, nearly perfect atom economy. In this new approach, allene ketones act as both an activating reagent and a reactant. All atoms in the substrates end up in the product without the need for coupling reagents. The present study aims to encourage further explorations of NHC catalytic reactions with alternative activation strategies and better atom economy.

Facile access to benzofuran derivatives through radical reactions with heteroatom-centered super-electron-donors

The development of suitable electron donors is critical to single-electron-transfer (SET) processes. The use of heteroatom-centered anions as super-electron-donors (SEDs) for direct SET reactions has rarely been studied. Here we show that heteroatom anions can be applied as SEDs to initiate radical reactions for facile synthesis of 3-substituted benzofurans. Phosphines, thiols and anilines bearing different substitution patterns work well in this inter-molecular radical coupling reaction and the 3-functionalized benzofuran products bearing heteroatomic functionalities are given in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction mechanism is elucidated via control experiments and computational methods. The afforded products show promising applications in both organic synthesis and pesticide development.

Herbicidal Activity of Beflubutamid Analogues as PDS Inhibitors and SAR Analysis and Degradation Dynamics in Wheat

In this work, a series of beflubutamid (BF) analogues' postemergent herbicidal activity was evaluated, and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) was discussed. At a dosage of 300 g ai/ha, compounds (Rac)-6h and (Rac)-6q showed excellent herbicidal activity against Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti, and Medicago sativa, with inhibition rates of 90, 100, and 80% and 100, 100, and 100%, respectively, comparable to that of commercial herbicide BF, which showed inhibition rates of 90, 100, and 100%, respectively. Notably, at dosages of 150 and 300 g ai/ha, the chiral compounds (S)-6h and (S)-6q exhibited higher herbicidal activities than their racemates. Molecular docking results indicated that compounds (S)-BF and (S)-6h have stronger binding affinities with Oryza sativa phytoene desaturase (OsPDS), resulting in a higher herbicidal activity. Additionally, the degradation dynamics half-life of (S)-BF in wheat was determined to be 77.02 h. Consequently, compounds (S)-6h and (S)-6q are promising lead candidates for the development of highly effective herbicides.

Morin protects chicks with T-2 toxin poisoning by decreasing heterophil extracellular traps, oxidative stress and inflammatory response

1. Fusarium tritici widely exists in a variety of grain feeds. The T-2 toxin is the main hazardous component produced by Fusarium tritici, making a serious hazard to poultry industry. Morin, belonging to the flavonoid family, can be extracted from mulberry plants and possesses anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, but whether morin protects chicks with T-2 toxin poisoning remains unclear. This experiment firstly established a chick model of T-2 toxin poisoning and then investigated the protective effects and mechanism of morin against T-2 toxin in chicks.2. The function of liver and kidney was measured by corresponding alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre) and uric acid (UA) kits. Histopathological changes were observed by haematoxylin-eosin staining. The status of oxidative stress was measured by MDA, SOD, CAT, GSH and GSH-PX kits. The mRNA levels of TNF-α, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, caspase-1, caspase-3 and caspase-11 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Heterophil extracellular trap (HET) release was analysed by immunofluorescence and fluorescence microplate.3. The model with T-2 toxin poisoning in chicks was successfully established. Morin significantly decreased T-2 toxin-induced ALT, AST, ALP, BUN, Cre and UA, and improved T-2 toxin-induced liver cell rupture, liver cord disorder and kidney interstitial oedema. Oxidative stress analysis showed that morin ameliorated T-2 toxin-induced damage by reducing malondialdehyde (MDA), increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX). The qRT-PCR analysis showed that morin reduced T-2 toxin-induced mRNA expressions of TNF-α, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, caspase-1, caspase-3 and caspase-11. Moreover, morin significantly reduced the release of T-2 toxin-induced HET in vitro and in vivo.4. Morin can protect chicks from T-2 toxin poisoning by decreasing HETs, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, which make it a useful compound against T-2 toxin poisoning in poultry feed.

Jian Yun Qing Hua Decoction inhibits malignant behaviors of gastric carcinoma cells via COL12A1 mediated ferroptosis signal pathway

BACKGROUND

Jian Yun Qing Hua Decoction (JYQHD), a traditional Chinese medicine decoction, which has been applied in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC). We attempt to confirm the anti-gastric cancer effect of JYQHD and explore the mechanism of JYQHD.

METHODS

Acute toxicity test was used to understand the toxicity of JYQHD. We studied the expression and prognostic outcome of COL12A1 within GC tissues through the network databases. Using several web-based databases, we analyzed the major components and targets of JYQHD, as well as known therapeutic targets in gastric cancer. The Venn diagram was utilized to obtain the overlapped genes. Lentiviral vector, shRNAs and plasmids, were used to transfect GC cells. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8), sphere formation, malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), Western-Blot (WB), and immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were employed to investigate the role and mechanism of COL12A1 and JYQHD in GC.

RESULTS

The results showed that JYQHD was non-toxic and safe. JYQHD inhibited growth and sphere formation ability through inducing the ferroptosis of GC cells, and suppressed the GC cells induced subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth. COL12A1 was highly expressed in gastric cancer tissues, indicating poor prognosis. COL12A1 specifically enhanced GC cell progression and stemness via suppressing ferroptosis. JYQHD down-regulated COL12A1 in order to suppress the stemness of GC cells via inducing ferroptosis.

CONCLUSION

COL12A1 inhibited ferroptosis and enhanced stemness in GC cells. JYQHD inhibited the development of GC cells by inhibiting cancer cell stemness via the ferroptosis pathway mediated by COL12A1.

Raddeanin A promotes autophagy-induced apoptosis by inactivating PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in lung adenocarcinoma cells

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cancer in the world. Previous studies have shown that Raddeanin A (RA) exhibited distinct antitumor properties in gastric and colon cancer. This study aimed to investigate the pharmacological actions and intrinsic mechanisms of RA in NSCLC. Through the application of network pharmacology, the potential targets of RA for NSCLC therapy such as SRC, MAPK1, and STAT3 were excavated. Enrichment analyses showed that these targets were concerned with the regulation of cell death, regulation of MAPK cascade, Ras signaling pathway, and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Meanwhile, 13 targets of RA were identified as autophagy-related genes. Our experiment data showed that RA effectively inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in lung cancer cells A549. We also found that RA could induce autophagy simultaneously. Furthermore, the autophagy induced by RA had a synergistic effect with apoptosis and contributed to cell death. Additionally, RA could downregulate the activity of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Generally, our results indicated the antitumor effect and underlying mechanisms of RA on apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells, suggesting that RA could be used as an effective antineoplastic agent.

Development of axially chiral urazole scaffolds for antiplant virus applications against potato virus Y

BACKGROUND

Potato virus Y (PVY) was first discovered by Smith in 1931 and is currently ranked as the fifth most significant plant virus. It can cause severe damage to plants from the family Solanaceae, which results in billions of dollars of economic loss worldwide every year. To discover new antiviral drugs, a class of multifunctional urazole derivatives bearing a stereogenic CN axis were synthesized with excellent optical purities for antiviral evaluations against PVY.

RESULTS

The absolute configurations of the axially chiral compounds exhibited obvious distinctions in antiviral bioactivities, with several of these enantio-enriched axially chiral molecules showing excellent anti-PVY activities. In particular, compound (R)-9f exhibited remarkable curative activities against PVY with a 50% maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀ ) of 224.9 μg mL^-1 , which was better than that of ningnanmycin (NNM), which had an EC₅₀ of 234.0 μg mL^-1 . And the EC₅₀ value of the protective activities of compound (R)-9f was 462.2 μg mL^-1 , which was comparable to that of NNM (442.0 μg mL^-1 ). The mechanisms of two enantiomer of the axially chiral compounds 9f were studied by both molecule docking and defensive enzyme activity tests.

CONCLUSION

Mechanistic studies demonstrated that the axially chiral configurations of the compounds played significant roles in the molecule PVY-CP (PVY Coat Protein) interactions and could enhance the activities of the defense enzymes. The (S)-9f showed only one carbon-hydrogen bond and one π-cation interaction between the chiral molecule and the PVY-CP amino acid sites. In contrast, the (R)-enantiomer of 9f exhibited three hydrogen bonding interactions between the carbonyl groups and the PVY-CP active sites of ARG157 and GLN158. The current study provides significant information on the roles that axial chiralities play in plant protection against viruses, which will facilitate the development of novel green pesticides bearing axial chiralities with excellent optical purities. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Research Advances on the Bioactivity of 1,2,3-Triazolium Salts

1,2,3-Triazolium salts have demonstrated significant potential in the fields of medicine and agriculture, exhibiting exceptional antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and antileishmanial properties. Moreover, these salts can be utilized as additives or components to produce nano- and fiber-based materials with antibacterial properties. In this review, we summarize several synthetic strategies to obtain 1,2,3-triazolium salts and the structures of 1,2,3-triazolium derivatives with biological activities in the domains of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and functional materials. Additionally, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of 1,2,3-triazolium salts with different biological activities has been analyzed. Finally, this review presents the potential applications and prospects of 1,2,3-triazolium salts in the fields of agriculture, medicine, and industrial synthesis.

Carboxylic Acid Derivatives in Herbicide Development

Carboxylic acids and their derivatives are extensively found in natural and non-natural compounds with proven bioactivities. They have made great contributions to the development of herbicides and herbicidal lead structures in the past 70 years. Carboxylic acid-related herbicidal molecules have targeted a diversity of biosynthetic pathways, proteins, enzymes, energetic metabolism systems, and other reaction sites through different mechanisms. It is significant and helpful for us to know the herbicidal targets and mechanisms of the carboxylic acid-related herbicides as well as the basic rules for the design and development of herbicidal lead structures. We therefore summarize here the overall development of carboxyl group-containing herbicides and herbicidal molecules in the past 20 years based on their structural properties and herbicidal mechanisms.

Carbene-Catalyzed Atroposelective Annulation for Quick Access to Axially Chiral Thiazine Derivatives

An N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed atroposelective annulation reaction is disclosed for quick and efficient access to thiazine derivatives. A series of axially chiral thiazine derivatives bearing various substituents and substitution patterns were produced in moderate to high yields with moderate to excellent optical purities. Preliminary studies revealed that some of our products exhibit promising antibacterial activities against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) that causes rice bacterial blight.

Development and validation of a pulmonary complications prediction model based on the Yang's index

Background

Blunt chest trauma patients with pulmonary contusion are susceptible to pulmonary complications, and severe cases may develop respiratory failure. Some studies have suggested the extent of pulmonary contusion to be the main predictor of pulmonary complications. However, no simple and effective method to assess the severity of pulmonary contusion has been available yet. A reliable prognostic prediction model would facilitate the identification of high-risk patients, so that early intervention can be given to reduce pulmonary complications; however, no suitable model based on such an assumption has been available yet.

Methods

In this study, a new method for assessing lung contusion by the product of the three dimensions of the lung window on the computed tomography (CT) image was proposed. We conducted a retrospective study on patients with both thoracic trauma and pulmonary contusion admitted to 8 trauma centers in China from January 2014 to June 2020. Using patients from 2 centers with a large number of patients as the training set and patients from the other 6 centers as the validation set, a prediction model for pulmonary complications was established with Yang's index and rib fractures, etc., being the predictors. The pulmonary complications included pulmonary infection and respiratory failure.

Results

This study included 515 patients, among whom 188 developed pulmonary complications, including 92 with respiratory failure. Risk factors contributing to pulmonary complications were identified, and a scoring system and prediction model were constructed. Using the training set, models for adverse outcomes and severe adverse outcomes were developed, and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.852 and 0.788 were achieved in the validation set. In the model performance for predicting pulmonary complications, the positive predictive value of the model is 0.938, the sensitivity of the model is 0.563 and the specificity of the model is 0.958.

Conclusions

The generated indicator, called Yang's index, was proven to be an easy-to-use method for the evaluation of pulmonary contusion severity. The prediction model based on Yang's index could facilitate early identification of patients at risk of pulmonary complications, yet the effectiveness of the model remains to be validated and its performance remains to be improved in further studies with larger sample sizes.

Temporal trends and outcomes in acute ischaemic stroke patients with a current or historical diagnosis of cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim was to evaluate the temporal trends, characteristics and in-hospital outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) between those with and without current or historical malignancies.

METHODS

Adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of AIS were identified from the National Inpatient Sample database 2007-2017. Logistic regression was used to compare the differences in the utilization of AIS interventions and in-hospital outcomes. For further analysis, subgroup analyses were performed stratified by cancer subtypes.

RESULTS

There were 892,862 hospitalizations due to AIS, of which 108,357 (12.14%) had a concurrent diagnosis of current cancer (3.41%) or historical cancer (8.72%). After adjustment for confounders, patients with current malignancy were more likely to have worse clinical outcomes. The presence of historical cancers was not associated with an increase in poor clinical outcomes. Additionally, AIS patients with current malignancy were less likely to receive intravenous thrombolysis (adjusted odds ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.63-0.71). Amongst the subgroups of AIS patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy, outcomes varied by cancer types. Notably, despite these acute stroke interventions, outcome remains poor in AIS patients with lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Although AIS patients with malignancy generally have worse in-hospital outcomes versus those without, there were considerable variations in these outcomes according to different cancer types and the use of AIS interventions. Finally, treatment of these AIS patients with a current or historical cancer diagnosis should be individualized.

Recent Achievements in Antiviral Agent Development for Plant Protection

Plant virus disease is the second most prevalent plant diseases and can cause extensive loss in global agricultural economy. Extensive work has been carried out on the development of novel antiplant virus agents for preventing and treating plant virus diseases. In this review, we summarize the achievements of the research and development of new antiviral agents in the recent five years and provide our own perspective on the future development in this highly active research field.

Natural products-based: Synthesis and antifungal activity evaluation of novel L-pyroglutamic acid analogues

Botanical pesticides are one of the sources of third-generation pesticides, which have received much attention at home and abroad in recent years due to their degradable and pollution-free advantages in nature. This article explored a concise approach toward synthesizing a series of novel L-pyroglutamic acid analogues from L-hydroxyproline. Furthermore, bioassay studies of these sulfonyl ester derivatives against Pyricularia oryzae, Fusarium graminearum, Alternaria brassicae, Valsa mali, and Alternaria alternariae showed moderate antifungal activity. For instance, C08a and C08l provide potential lead agents for controlling Fusarium graminearum because of their inhibitory activity.

Direct Reaction of Nitroarenes and Thiols via Photodriven Oxygen Atom Transfer for Access to Sulfonamides

Sulfonamide is a common motif in medicines and agrochemicals. Typically, this class of functional groups is prepared by reacting amines with sulfonyl chlorides that are presynthesized from nitro compounds and thiols, respectively. Here, we report a novel strategy that directly couples nitro compounds and thiols to form sulfonamides atom- and redox-economically. Mechanistic studies suggest our reaction proceeds via direct photoexcitation of nitroarenes that eventually transfers the oxygen atoms from the nitro group to the thiol unit.

The effects of hypertension on the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis on the interactions with age and antihypertensive treatment

BACKGROUND

Hypertension and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of COVID-19, but the findings remain controversial. Here, we conducted a systematic review to summarize the current evidence.

METHODS

We retrieved all the studies by MEDLINE via PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase using the MeSH terms until 30 April 2021. A fixed or random effect model was applied to calculate pooled adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Interactive analysis was performed to identify the interaction effect of hypertension and age on in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

In total, 86 articles with 18 775 387 COVID-19 patients from 18 countries were included in this study. The pooled analysis showed that the COVID-19 patients with hypertension had increased risks of in-hospital mortality and other adverse outcomes, compared with those without hypertension, with an AOR (95% CI) of 1.36 (1.28-1.45) and 1.32 (1.24-1.41), respectively. The results were mostly repeated in countries with more than three independent studies. Furthermore, the effect of hypertension on in-hospital mortality is more evident in younger and older COVID-19 patients than in 60-69-year-old patients. ACEI/ARBs did not significantly affect the mortality and adverse outcomes of COVID-19 patients, compared with those receiving other antihypertensive treatments.

CONCLUSION

Hypertension is significantly associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality and adverse outcomes in COVID-19. The effect of hypertension on in-hospital mortality among consecutive age groups followed a U-shaped curve. ACEI/ARB treatments do not increase in-hospital mortality and other poor outcomes of COVID-19 patients with hypertension.

The machine learning model based on trajectory analysis of ribonucleic acid test results predicts the necessity of quarantine in recurrently positive patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection

Background

SARS-CoV-2 patients re-experiencing positive nucleic acid test results after recovery is a concerning phenomenon. Current pandemic prevention strategy demands the quarantine of all recurrently positive patients. This study provided evidence on whether quarantine is required in those patients, and predictive algorithms to detect subjects with infectious possibility.

Methods

This observational study recruited recurrently positive patients who were admitted to our shelter hospital between May 12 and June 10, 2022. The demographic and epidemiologic data was collected, and nucleic acid tests were performed daily. virus isolation was done in randomly selected cases. The group-based trajectory model was developed based on the cycle threshold (Ct) value variations. Machine learning models were validated for prediction accuracy.

Results

Among the 494 subjects, 72.04% were asymptomatic, and 23.08% had a Ct value under 30 at recurrence. Two trajectories were identified with either rapid (92.24%) or delayed (7.76%) recovery of Ct values. The latter had significantly higher incidence of comorbidities; lower Ct value at recurrence; more persistent cough; and more frequently reported close contacts infection compared with those recovered rapidly. However, negative virus isolation was reported in all selected samples. Our predictive model can efficiently discriminate those with delayed Ct value recovery and infectious potentials.

Conclusion

Quarantine seems to be unnecessary for the majority of re-positive patients who may have low transmission risks. Our predictive algorithm can screen out the suspiciously infectious individuals for quarantine. These findings may assist the enaction of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic prevention strategies regarding recurrently positive patients in the future.

A Machine Learning Approach for the Prediction of Severe Acute Kidney Injury Following Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

Acute kidney injury (AKI), a prevalent non-neurological complication following traumatic brain injury (TBI), is a major clinical issue with an unfavorable prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate machine learning models to predict severe AKI (stage 3 or greater) incidence in patients with TBI.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted by using two public databases: the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC)-IV and the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD). Recursive feature elimination was used to select candidate predictors obtained within 24 h of intensive care unit admission. The area under the curve and decision curve analysis curves were used to determine the discriminatory ability. On the other hand, the calibration curve was employed to evaluate the calibrated performance of the newly developed machine learning models.

RESULTS

In the MIMIC-IV database, there were 808 patients diagnosed with moderate and severe TBI (msTBI) (msTBI is defined as Glasgow Coma Score < 12). Of these, 60 (7.43%) patients experienced severe AKI. External validation in the eICU-CRD indicated that the random forest (RF) model had the highest area under the curve of 0.819 (95% confidence interval 0.783-0.851). Furthermore, in the calibration curve, the RF model was well calibrated (P = 0.795).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, the RF model demonstrated better discrimination in predicting severe AKI than other models. An online calculator could facilitate its application, potentially improving the early detection of severe AKI and subsequently improving the clinical outcomes among patients with msTBI.

Retraction Note: Combination therapy with metformin and IL-12 to inhibit the growth of hepatic carcinoma by promoting apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice

The article "Combination therapy with metformin and IL-12 to inhibit the growth of hepatic carcinoma by promoting apoptosis and autophagy in HepG2-bearing mice, by Z. Jin, B.-X. Jia, L.-D. Tan, Q.-M. Chen, Y.-H. Liu, published in Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2020; 24 (23): 12368-12379-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202012_24031-PMID: 33336757" has been retracted by the authors as they cannot ensure the reliability of the manuscript due to inaccuracies in the conclusions and in the experiment (the cell migration and invasion assay along with the cell cycle arrest assay are missing). The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause https://www.europeanreview.org/article/24031.

Trifluoromethylpyridine: An Important Active Fragment for the Discovery of New Pesticides

Trifluoromethylpyridine (TFMP) is a biologically active fragment formed by connecting trifluoromethyl and pyridine ring. As a result of its unique physical and chemical properties and outstanding biological activity, a variety of pesticide compounds with the TFMP fragment have been discovered and marketed and have played important roles in crop protection research. It is therefore a timely and valuable task to summarize the rationality on how to create new molecules containing TFMP fragments based on the structure-activity relationships, design mentality, and potential mechanism. This review gives a brief summary on the pesticides containing TFMP fragments in the past 5 years and introduces the latest progress of our group in this field. The aim is to provide readers with a convenient route to touch this topic and hopefully serve some educational purpose for graduate students as well.

Advances in the green synthesis and agrichemical applications of oxathiapiprolin derivatives

Oxathiapiprolin was developed with high antifungal activity and novel target protein and is used in the oomycetes control for crop protection. The structural modifications of oxathiapiprolin are summarized. The achievements and challenges in the structural modification of oxathiapiprolin are also discussed in this mini review. The outlook in this field is perspected according to our own opinion and understanding on the development of oxysterol binding protein inhibition fungicides.

The effect of prehabilitation on the postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing colorectal surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Study objective

Prehabilitation is analogous to marathon training and includes preoperative preparation for exercise, as well as nutrition and psychology. However, evidence-based recommendations to guide prehabilitation before colorectal surgery are limited. We aimed to evaluate the effect of prehabilitation on the postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Design

This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies reporting the effect of prehabilitation strategies versus standard care or rehabilitation in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. The primary outcomes were overall postoperative complications and length of hospital stay (LOS), and the secondary outcome was functional capacity (measured using the 6-min walk test [6MWT]) at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery.

Main results

Fifteen studies with 1,306 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed no significant reduction in the number of overall postoperative complications (risk ratio = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79–1.31; p = 0.878) or LOS (standardized mean difference = 0.04; 95% CI = −0.11 to 0.20; p = 0.589) in patients who underwent colorectal surgery with or without prehabilitation strategy. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the functional capacity estimated using the 6MWT at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively.

Conclusions

Prehabilitation did not significantly affect the number of postoperative complications, LOS, or functional capacity of patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Whether prehabilitation should be recommended deserves further consideration.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=290108, identifier CRD42021290108

Asymmetric Synthesis of Structurally Sophisticated Spirocyclic Pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole Derivatives Bearing a Chiral Quaternary Carbon Center

A carbene-catalyzed enantio- and diastereoselective [2 + 4] cycloaddition reaction is developed for quick and efficient access to structurally complex multicyclic pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole molecules. The reaction tolerates a broad scope of substrates bearing various substitution patterns, with the multicyclic pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazole products afforded in generally good to excellent yields and optical purities. The chiral molecules obtained from this approach has found promising applications in the development of novel bacteriacides for plant protection.

Temporal trends, predictors of blood transfusion and in-hospital outcomes among patients with severe burn injury in the United States-A national database-based analysis

BACKGROUND

Severe burn can be accompanied by life-threatening bleeding on some occasions, thus, blood transfusion is often required in these patients during their hospitalization. Therefore, we aimed to examine temporal trends, predictors, and in-hospital outcomes of blood transfusion in these patients in the United States.

METHODS

The National Inpatient Sample was used to identify severe burn patients between January 2010 and September 2017 in the United States. Trends in the utilization of blood transfusion were analyzed using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. Moreover, propensity score matching (PSM) was employed, and then in-hospital outcomes were compared between these two groups in the matched cohort. Multivariable logistic regressions were further used to validate the results of PSM.

RESULTS

Among 27,260 severe burn patients identified during the study period, 2120 patients (7.18%) received blood transfusion. Blood transfusion rates decreased significantly from 9.52% in 2010 to 5.02% in 2017 (p for trend <.001). In the propensity-matched cohort (2120 pairs with and without transfusion), patients transfused were at increased risk of in-hospital mortality (13.3% vs 8.77%, p < .001), overall postoperative complications (88.3% vs 72.59%, p < .001), longer hospital stays (defined as > median hospital stays = 5 d) (73.8% vs 50.6%, p < .001) and increased overall cost (defined as > median overall costs = 30,746) (81.6% vs 57.3%, p < .001). This was also the case for the multivariable analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood transfusion following severe burn injury may be associated with worse clinical outcomes. The utility for blood transfusion in burn patients warrants further prospective exploration.

Machine learning approach for the prediction of 30-day mortality in patients with sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Objective

Our study aimed to identify predictors as well as develop machine learning (ML) models to predict the risk of 30-day mortality in patients with sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE).

Materials and methods

ML models were developed and validated based on a public database named Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV. Models were compared by the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and Hosmer–Lemeshow good of fit test.

Results

Of 6994 patients in MIMIC-IV included in the final cohort, a total of 1232 (17.62%) patients died following SAE. Recursive feature elimination (RFE) selected 15 variables, including acute physiology score III (APSIII), Glasgow coma score (GCS), sepsis related organ failure assessment (SOFA), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), red blood cell volume distribution width (RDW), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), age, respiratory rate, PaO₂, temperature, lactate, creatinine (CRE), malignant cancer, metastatic solid tumor, and platelet (PLT). The validation cohort demonstrated all ML approaches had higher discriminative ability compared with the bagged trees (BT) model, although the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, in terms of the calibration performance, the artificial neural network (NNET), logistic regression (LR), and adapting boosting (Ada) models had a good calibration—namely, a high accuracy of prediction, with P-values of 0.831, 0.119, and 0.129, respectively.

Conclusions

The ML models, as demonstrated by our study, can be used to evaluate the prognosis of SAE patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Online calculator could facilitate the sharing of predictive models.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12874-022-01664-z.

Yiqi Jianpi Huayu Jiedu Decoction Inhibits Metastasis of Colon Adenocarcinoma by Reversing Hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-Catenin-Mediated Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Cellular Plasticity

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) accounts for 95% of colon cancer cases, with the 5-year survival rate significantly affected by local or distant metastases. Yiqi Jianpi Huayu Jiedu decoction (YJHJD), based on the theory of “nourish qi, invigorate the spleen, remove blood stasis, and detoxify”, has long been applied and shown to be remarkable in the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. However, the underlying therapeutic mechanisms of YJHJD have not been fully elucidated. Herein, we first confirmed hsa-miR-374a-3p as a tumor suppressor based on its lower expression in the plasma of patients with COAD with liver metastasis and association with more advanced local progression. We also verified WNT3 as a potential target of hsa-miR-374a-3p and observed its increased expression in COAD tissues. Furthermore, we showed that the hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-catenin axis was responsible for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cellular plasticity in COAD, as well as poorer patient prognosis. Our results showed that YJHJD inhibited motility and colony potential in vitro, as well as liver metastasis of COAD in vivo. Moreover, YJHJD induced a reversal of EMT and cellular plasticity-related molecular expression, increased hsa-miR-374a-3p, and decreased Wnt3 and β-catenin levels. In addition, silencing of hsa-miR-374a-3p weakened YJHJD inhibition, whereas the β-catenin inhibitor XAV939 partially repaired it. Taken together, these results demonstrated that YJHJD suppressed the EMT and cellular plasticity of COAD by regulating hsa-miR-374a-3p/Wnt3/β-catenin signaling.

Clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients with rheumatic diseases: a retrospective cohort study and synthesis analysis in Wuhan, China

BACKGROUND

The clinical outcomes of patients with rheumatic diseases infected with COVID-19 were inconsistent characteristics across regions and time periods. We need to revisit and sort out the clinical characteristics of these patients at the beginning of the global COVID-19 epidemic.

METHODS

We collected data from confirmed COVID-19 patients from two military-run field hospitals and classified them into the rheumatic disease group and no rheumatic disease groups, and the latter was further distinguished by ARD and non-ARD. We compared the primary outcome, which we defined as mortality, and the secondary outcome, which we defined as the ICU occupancy rate, the duration of hospitalization and the duration of viral clearance, between the patients with and without rheumatic diseases after PSM. A study-level meta-analysis of four studies was conducted on the mortality of the COVID-19 patients with and without rheumatic diseases.

RESULTS

A total of 4353 COVID-19 patients were included in our cohort study; 91 had rheumatic diseases. The mean age of the entire cohort was 59.37, and 2281 (52.40%) patients were female. The mortalities after PSM were 1.11% and 3.46% in the rheumatic diseases and no rheumatic disease groups, respectively. The ICU occupancy rates after PSM were 2.22% and 4.61% in the rheumatic diseases and no rheumatic disease groups. The duration of hospitalization and viral clearance in the rheumatic disease group were 15.97 and 43.69, respectively; moreover, the same parameters in the no rheumatic diseases after PSM were 15.48 and 45.48. No significant differences were found in either the primary or secondary outcomes. After excluding the gout cases, the results were still similar. However, there was a significant difference between the two groups upon meta-analysis (RR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.35-2.13).

CONCLUSIONS

Rheumatic diseases seemed to aggravate the course of COVID-19 infection. However, the poor outcomes of COVID-19 seemed to be unassociated with rheumatic diseases undergoing an adequate medical intervention.

KEY POINTS

• We compared the outcomes and prognosis of COVID-19 patients in China at the beginning of the outbreak regarding the presence or absence of rheumatic disease patients and made some meaningful conclusions for future outbreaks of similar infectious diseases. • We compared similar recent studies from other countries and explored the changes and differences in patient outcomes associated with COVID-19 as it continued to spread worldwide during the year, providing clinical evidence to further explore the role rheumatic diseases play in COVID-19 patient outcomes. • We provided evidence for the treatment of relevant patients and made rationalized recommendations for treatment strategy.

New Axially Chiral Molecular Scaffolds with Antibacterial Activities against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae for Protection of Rice

A new class of axially chiral thiazine molecules were constructed and showed promising antibacterial activities against the plant pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). The axial chiralities of these compounds (R- or S-atropisomer) showed clear impacts on the in vitro inhibitory activities against Xoo. An optimal molecule of this class with the (S)-axially chiral configuration was identified to exhibit inhibitory activity against Xoo with an EC₅₀ value of 4.18 μg/mL. This inhibition efficiency is superior to that of two commercial antibacterial agrochemicals, thiodiazole-copper and bismerthiazol, as the positive controls. This hit compound also performed better than the controls in our in vivo studies. Preliminary mechanistic studies via scanning electron microscopy images showed that our hit compound at a concentration of 10 μg/mL destroyed the bacterial integrity of Xoo. Label-free quantitative proteomics analysis indicated that a total of 366 differentially expressed proteins of the rice plants were significantly influenced in the presence of our hit molecule.

Group-based trajectory modeling of intracranial pressure in patients with acute brain injury: Results from multi-center ICUs, 2008-2019

Objective

The objective of the study was to characterize the longitudinal, dynamic intracranial pressure (ICP) trajectory in acute brain injury (ABI) patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and explore whether it added sights over traditional thresholds in predicting outcomes.

Methods

ABI patients with ICP monitoring were identified from two public databases named Medical Information Mart for the Intensive Care (MIMIC)‐IV and eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU‐CRD). Group‐based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was employed to identify 4‐h ICP trajectories in days 0–5 post‐ICU admission. Then, logistic regression was used to compare clinical outcomes across distinct groups. To further validate previously reported thresholds, we created the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in our dataset.

Results

A total of 810 eligible patients were ultimately enrolled in the study. GBTM analyses generated 6 distinct ICP trajectories, differing in the initial ICP, evolution pattern, and number/proportion of spikes >20/22 mmHg. Compared with patients in “the highest, declined then rose” trajectory, those belonging to the “lowest, stable,” “low, stable,” and “medium, stable” ICP trajectories were at lower risks of 30‐day mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.04; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01, 0.21), (OR 0.04; 95% CI 0.01, 0.19), (OR 0.08; 95% CI 0.01, 0.42), respectively. ROC analysis demonstrated an unfavorable result, for example, 30‐day mortality in total cohort: an area under the curve (AUC): 0.528, sensitivity: 0.11, and specificity: 0.94.

Conclusions

This study identified three ICP trajectories associated with elevated risk, three with reduced risks for mortality during ICU hospitalization. Notably, a fixed ICP threshold should not be applied to all kinds of patients. GBTM, a granular method for describing ICP evolution and their association with clinical outcomes, may add to the current knowledge in intracranial hypertension treatment.

Carbene and photocatalyst-catalyzed decarboxylative radical coupling of carboxylic acids and acyl imidazoles to form ketones

The carbene and photocatalyst co-catalyzed radical coupling of acyl electrophile and a radical precursor is emerging as attractive method for ketone synthesis. However, previous reports mainly limited to prefunctionalized radical precursors and two-component coupling. Herein, an N-heterocyclic carbene and photocatalyst catalyzed decarboxylative radical coupling of carboxylic acids and acyl imidazoles is disclosed, in which the carboxylic acids are directly used as radical precursors. The acyl imidazoles could also be generated in situ by reaction of a carboxylic acid with CDI thus furnishing a formally decarboxylative coupling of two carboxylic acids. In addition, the reaction is successfully extended to three-component coupling by using alkene as a third coupling partner via a radical relay process. The mild conditions, operational simplicity, and use of carboxylic acids as the reacting partners make our method a powerful strategy for construction of complex ketones from readily available starting materials, and late-stage modification of natural products and medicines.

The combination of carbene- and photocatalysis has enabled unorthodox routes to ketone syntheses, but usually requires engineered or activated substrates. Herein the authors present a carbene- and photocatalytic decarboxylative radical coupling of carboxylic acids and acyl imidazoles, in which the carboxylic acids are directly used as radical precursors.

The Novel lncRNA RP9P Promotes Colorectal Cancer Progression by Modulating miR-133a-3p/FOXQ1 Axis

Background

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) RP9 pseudogene (RP9P) is a pseudogene-derived lncRNA that has never been reported in cancer, and its function underlying tumorigenesis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unknown.

Methods

RP9P and miR-133a-3p were filtered through bioinformatics analysis. The level of RP9P, miR-133a-3p, and FOXQ1 in CRC cell lines was detected by real-time PCR. Cell Counting Kit-8 and flow cytometric analyses were used to detect cell proliferation and apoptosis, respectively. Interactions between RP9P, miR-133a-3p, and FOXQ1 were confirmed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay.

Results

RP9P was overexpressed in CRC compared to normal control tissues and cells. Knockdown of RP9P inhibited CRC cell viability. RP9P directly interacted with miR-133a-3p, and miR-133a-3p downregulation abrogated the tumor-suppressing effect of RP9P knockdown. miR-133a-3p directly targeted FOXQ, which was positively regulated by RP9P. RP9P knockdown decreased FOXQ1 expression levels in CRC cells by directly targeting miR-133a-3p via a sponge mechanism. In addition, in vivo experiments in a xenograft model revealed that downregulated RP9P expression inhibited CRC cell tumorigenesis.

Conclusion

RP9P promotes colorectal cancer progression by regulating the miR-133a-3p/FOXQ1 axis.