Characterization of the Nucleus Pulposus Progenitor Cells via Spatial Transcriptomics

Loss of refreshment in nucleus pulposus (NP) cellularity leads to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. Nevertheless, the cellular sequence of NP cell differentiation remains unclear, although an increasing body of literature has identified markers of NP progenitor cells (NPPCs). Notably, due to their fragility, the physical enrichment of NP-derived cells has limited conventional transcriptomic approaches in multiple studies. To overcome this limitation, a spatially resolved transcriptional atlas of the mouse IVD is generated via the 10x Genomics Visium platform dividing NP spots into two clusters. Based on this, most reported NPPC-markers, including Cathepsin K (Ctsk), are rare and predominantly located within the NP-outer subset. Cell lineage tracing further evidence that a small number of Ctsk-expressing cells generate the entire adult NP tissue. In contrast, Tie2, which has long suggested labeling NPPCs, is actually neither expressed in NP subsets nor labels NPPCs and their descendants in mouse models; consistent with this, an in situ sequencing (ISS) analysis validated the absence of Tie2 in NP tissue. Similarly, no Tie2-cre-mediated labeling of NPPCs is observed in an IVD degenerative mouse model. Altogether, in this study, the first spatial transcriptomic map of the IVD is established, thereby providing a public resource for bone biology.

Overexpression of GmPAL Genes Enhances Soybean Resistance Against Heterodera glycines

Soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines, soybean cyst nematode [SCN]) disease adversely affects the yield of soybean and leads to billions of dollars in losses every year. To control the disease, it is necessary to study the resistance genes of the plant and their mechanisms. Isoflavonoids are secondary metabolites of the phenylalanine pathway, and they are synthesized in soybean. They are essential in plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we reported that phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) genes GmPALs involved in isoflavonoid biosynthesis, can positively regulate soybean resistance to SCN. Our previous study demonstrated that the expression of GmPAL genes in the resistant cultivar Huipizhi (HPZ) heidou are strongly induced by SCN. PAL is the rate-limiting enzyme that catalyzes the first step of phenylpropanoid metabolism, and it responds to biotic or abiotic stresses. Here, we demonstrate that the resistance of soybeans against SCN is suppressed by PAL inhibitor l-α-(aminooxy)-β-phenylpropionic acid (L-AOPP) treatment. Overexpression of eight GmPAL genes caused diapause of nematodes in transgenic roots. In a petiole-feeding bioassay, we identified that two isoflavones, daidzein and genistein, could enhance resistance against SCN and suppress nematode development. This study thus reveals GmPAL-mediated resistance against SCN, information that has good application potential. The role of isoflavones in soybean resistance provides new information for the control of SCN. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

[The therapeutic effect and prognostic value of oligoclonal bands after autologous stem cell transplant in patients with multiple myeloma]

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect and prognostic value of oligoclonal bands (OB) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients after autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Methods: The data of 156 patients with MM who underwent ASCT after inductive treatment in the Department of Hematology, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital from December 2013 to February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed, including 91 males and 65 females. The median age was 56 (26, 71) years. Patients were divided into two groups according to OB formation after ASCT treatment, including OB group (n=60) and non-OB group (n=96). The last follow-up date was August 31, 2023, and the follow-up period was 42 (18, 117) months. The clinical baseline characteristics and efficacy of the two groups were compared. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the two groups by Kaplan-Meier method. Cox risk regression modal was used to analyze the risk factors associated with prognosis. Results: There were no significant differences in age, type, stage, risk stratification, extramedullary disease (EMD), proportion of circulating plasma cells and induction therapy regimen between OB and non-OB groups (all P>0.05). The proportion of patients in OB group who achieved complete response (CR) or above after ASCT treatment was 93.3% (56/60), which was higher than that in non-OB group (80.2%, 77/96) (P=0.024). The negative rate of minimal residual disease (MRD) in OB group was 66.7% (40/60), which was higher than that in non-OB group (34.4%, 33/96) (P=0.001). The median PFS and OS in the OB group were not reached, and the median PFS and OS in the non-OB group were 28 (2, 80) months and 86 (2, 100) months, respectively. The PFS (P<0.001) and OS (P=0.017) of patients with OB were considerably longer. In the Cox multivariate analysis, OB was an independent prognostic factor for PFS in MM patients (HR=0.314, 95%CI: 0.153-0.644, P=0.002). Subgroup analysis showed that among high-risk patients with mSMART, the OS of patients in OB group was not reached, which was significantly better than that of non-OB group [71 (2, 90) months, P=0.046]. However, no significant difference was observed in the OS of patients with OB and those with non-OB in standard risk group (not reached vs not reached, P=0.103). In those with EMD at diagnosis, patients with OB had significantly better OS than those with non-OB [not reached vs 47 (6, 74) months, P=0.037]. However, no significant difference was observed in the OS of patients with OB and those with non-OB in those without EMD at diagnosis [not reached vs 86 (2, 100) months, P=0.130]. Conclusions: OB formation after ASCT treatment in MM patients is related to the efficacy and prognosis. OB formation can increase the negative MRD rate, prolong the OS and improve the prognosis, especially for newly diagnosed patients with extramedullary disease or patients with high-risk genetic characteristics.

[The characteristics and impact on prognosis of cytopenia after anti-BCMA-CAR-T therapy in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma]

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of cytopenia and its impact on prognosis in patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) after B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy therapy. Methods: Clinical data of 36 RRMM patients received BCMA CAR-T therapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from April 2017 to March 2023 were retrospectively collected. Among them, there were 17 males and 19 females, with an age [M (Q1, Q3)] of 62 (53, 67) years. The follow-up deadline was August 31, 2023, and the follow-up time [M (Q1, Q3)] was 33 (10, 30) months. The characteristics of cytopenia at different time points before lymphodepleting chemotherapy and after CAR-T cell infusion in all patients were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with different clinical characteristics. Single-cell sequencing analysis was used to analyze the changes in hematopoietic stem cells in three patients after CAR-T cell therapy. Results: The incidence of cytopenia after BCMA CAR-T cell therapy in 36 RRMM patients reached 100%. The incidence of neutropenia peaked on the 7th and 28th day after cell infusion with a biphasic pattern of change.Patients with all grade neutropenia reached 61.1% (22/36) and grade 3 or higher reached 33.3% (12/36) on the 7th day, while patients with all grade neutropenia reached 67.9% (19/28) and grade 3 or higher reached 28.6% (8/28) on the 28th day (P<0.001),respectively. The occurrence rate of lymphopenia reached a peak on the day of CAR-T cell infusion [97.2% (35/36) patients showed lymphopenia, while 80.6% (29/36) patients showed grade 3 or higher lymphopenia] (P<0.001).The incidence of all grade of thrombocytopenia and severe thrombocytopenia (grade 3 or higher) peaked on the 14th day after cell infusion, with the rates of 69.4% (25/36) and 30.6% (11/36) respectively, which had a prolonged duration(P<0.001). Even after 12 months, 40% (8/20) of patients still experienced thrombocytopenia.The incidence of anemia peaked on the 7th and 14th day after cell infusion, with a rate of 100% (36/36) (P<0.001). 50% (10/20) of patients still had anemia even 12 months after cell infusion. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with thrombocytopenia < grade 3 had undefined OS, while patients with thrombocytopenia ≥grade 3 had shorter OS [17 (95%CI: 2-32) months, χ2=4.154, P=0.042], indicating a poorer prognosis. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the relationship between other cytopenia and survival (all P>0.05). Single-cell sequencing analysis of bone marrow cells revealed decreased proliferation, increased apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest of hematopoietic stem cells after CAR-T cell infusion. Conclusions: All patients experienced varying degrees of cytopenia after receiving BCMA CAR-T cell infusion, and patients with thrombocytopenia ≥grade 3 had shorter OS and poorer prognosis.

Extraction Methods Determine the Quality of Soil Microbiota Acquisition

The soil microbiome plays a key role in plant health. Native soil microbiome inoculation, metagenomic profiling, and high-throughput cultivation require efficient microbe extraction. Sonication and oscillation are the most common methods used to extract soil microbiomes. However, the extraction efficiency of these methods has not been investigated in full. In this study, we compared the culturable microbe numbers, community structures, and alpha diversities among the different methods, including sonication, oscillation, and centrifugation, and their processing times. The study results showed that sonication significantly increases the culturable colony number compared with oscillation and centrifugation. Furthermore, the sonication strategy was found to be the main factor influencing extraction efficiency, but increased sonication time can aid in recovery from this impact. Finally, the extraction processing times were found to have a significant negative relationship with α-diversity among the extracted microbiota. In conclusion, sonication is the main factor for enriching in situ microbiota, and increased extraction time significantly decreases the α-diversity of the extracted microbiota. The results of this study provide insights into the isolation and utilization of different microorganism sources.

Generating detailed intercellular communication patterns in psoriasis at the single-cell level using social networking, pattern recognition, and manifold learning methods to optimize treatment strategies

Psoriasis, a complex and recurrent chronic inflammatory skin disease involving various inflammatory cell types, requires effective cell communication to maintain the homeostatic balance of inflammation. However, patterns of communication at the single-cell level have not been systematically investigated. In this study, we employed social network analysis tools, pattern recognition, and manifold learning to compare molecular communication features between psoriasis cells and normal skin cells. Utilizing a process that facilitates the discovery of cell type-specific regulons, we analyzed internal regulatory networks among different cells in psoriasis. Advanced techniques for the quantitative detection of non-targeted proteins in pathological tissue sections were employed to demonstrate protein expression. Our findings revealed a synergistic interplay among the communication signals of immune cells in psoriasis. B-cells were activated, while Langerhans cells shifted into the primary signaling output mode to fulfill antigen presentation, mediating T-cell immunity. In contrast to normal skin cells, psoriasis cells shut down numerous signaling pathways, influencing the balance of skin cell renewal and differentiation. Additionally, we identified a significant number of active cell type-specific regulons of resident immune cells around the hair follicle. This study unveiled the molecular communication features of the hair follicle cell-psoriasis axis, showcasing its potential for therapeutic targeting at the single-cell level. By elucidating the pattern of immune cell communication in psoriasis and identifying new molecular features of the hair follicle cell-psoriasis axis, our findings present innovative strategies for drug targeting to enhance psoriasis treatment.

Amplifying "eat me signal" by immunogenic cell death for potentiating cancer immunotherapy

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a unique mode of cell death, which can release immunogenic damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and tumor-associated antigens to trigger long-term protective antitumor immune responses. Thus, amplifying "eat me signal" during tumor ICD cascade is critical for cancer immunotherapy. Some therapies (radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), etc.) and inducers (chemotherapeutic agents, etc.) have enabled to initiate and/or facilitate ICD and activate antitumor immune responses. Recently, nanostructure-based drug delivery systems have been synthesized for inducing ICD through combining treatment of chemotherapeutic agents, photosensitizers for PDT, photothermal transformation agents for PTT, radiosensitizers for radiotherapy, etc., which can release loaded agents at an appropriate dosage in the designated place at the appropriate time, contributing to higher efficiency and lower toxicity. Also, immunotherapeutic agents in combination with nanostructure-based drug delivery systems can produce synergetic antitumor effects, thus potentiating immunotherapy. Overall, our review outlines the emerging ICD inducers, and nanostructure drug delivery systems loading diverse agents to evoke ICD through chemoradiotherapy, PDT, and PTT or combining immunotherapeutic agents. Moreover, we discuss the prospects and challenges of harnessing ICD induction-based immunotherapy, and highlight the significance of multidisciplinary and interprofessional collaboration to promote the optimal translation of this treatment strategy.

[Clinical characteristics and prognosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with FGFR3 gene mutations]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the influence of FGFR3 gene mutations on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) . Methods: A total of 198 patients with NDMM admitted to the Department of Hematology in Jiangsu Province Hospital between January 2016 and February 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Next-generation sequencing and cytoplasmic light chain immunofluorescence with fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed for all patients. The prognostic significance of FGFR3 mutation and clinical features were analyzed using the Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: Among 198 patients, 28 carried the FGFR3 gene mutation. These patients had significantly lower serum albumin levels, higher β(2)-microglobulin levels, advanced Revised International Staging System stages, more frequent occurrence of t (4;14) , and shorter median progression-free survival (PFS) time (28 months vs 33 months, P=0.024) and overall survival (OS) time (54 months vs undefined, P=0.028) than patients without FGFR3 mutation. Additionally, patients carrying either FGFR3 mutation or t (4;14) had lower PFS (30 months vs 38 months, P=0.012) and OS (54 months vs undefined, P=0.017) than those without. The Cox proportional hazards model identified FGFR3 mutation as an independent risk factor for PFS and OS. Conclusion: FGFR3 gene mutation was an unfavorable independent prognostic predictor for NDMM.

Women with preeclampsia may have reduced risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of cohort studies with 7.8 million participants

This review pooled data from the literature to examine the association between preeclampsia (PE) and subsequent risk of breast cancer in women. Cohort studies published in the databases of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science up to 18 July 2023 were searched. Adjusted data were pooled to obtain the risk ratio (RR). Eleven studies with 15 cohorts and a cumulative sample size of 7,838,693 women were included. Meta-analysis of all studies demonstrated a reduced risk of breast cancer in women with PE as compared to those without PE (RR: 0.89 95% CI: 0.83, 0.95 p < 0.001 I2 = 50%). Follow-up ranged from 8 to 29.2 years. Results did not change during sensitivity analysis. Outcomes varied on subgroup analysis based on location, study type, data extraction method, incidence of breast cancer, and follow-up. To conclude, women with PE may have a reduced risk of breast cancer later in life. However, the risk reduction is minimal and may not have much clinical significance. The evidence is also limited by high inter-study heterogeneity and lack of adjustment of all possible confounders.

Transcriptome Analysis of GmPUB20A Overexpressing and RNA-Interferencing Transgenic Hairy Roots Reveals Underlying Negative Role in Soybean Resistance to Cyst Nematode

Ubiquitination genes are key components of plant responses to biotic stress. GmPUB20A, a ubiquitination gene, plays a negative role in soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN). In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing to investigate transcriptional changes in GmPUB20A overexpressing and RNA-interfering transgenic hairy roots. Totally, 7661 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in disease resistance and signal transduction pathways. In addition, silencing Glyma.15G021600 and Glyma.09G284700 by siRNA, the total number of nematodes was decreased by 33.48% and 27.47% than control plants, respectively. Further, GUS activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) assays revealed that GmPUB20A, Glyma.15G021600, and Glyma.09G284700 respond to SCN parasitism and interfere with the accumulation of ROS in plant roots, respectively. Collectively, our study provides insights into the molecular mechanism of GmPUB20A in soybean resistance to SCN.

Exosome-mediated metabolic reprogramming: Implications in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment remodeling

Esophageal carcinoma is among the most fatal malignancies with increasing incidence globally. Tumor onset and progression can be driven by metabolic reprogramming, especially during esophageal carcinoma development. Exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, display an average size of ∼100 nanometers, containing multifarious components (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, etc.). An increasing number of studies have shown that exosomes are capable of transferring molecules with biological functions into recipient cells, which play crucial roles in esophageal carcinoma progression and tumor microenvironment that is a highly heterogeneous ecosystem through rewriting the metabolic processes in tumor cells and environmental stromal cells. The review introduces the reprogramming of glucose, lipid, amino acid, mitochondrial metabolism in esophageal carcinoma, and summarize current pharmaceutical agents targeting such aberrant metabolism rewiring. We also comprehensively overview the biogenesis and release of exosomes, and recent advances of exosomal cargoes and functions in esophageal carcinoma and their promising clinical application. Moreover, we discuss how exosomes trigger tumor growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunosuppression as well as tumor microenvironment remodeling through focusing on their capacity to transfer materials between cells or between cells and tissues and modulate metabolic reprogramming, thus providing a theoretical reference for the design potential pharmaceutical agents targeting these mechanisms. Altogether, our review attempts to fully understand the significance of exosome-based metabolic rewriting in esophageal carcinoma progression and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment, bringing novel insights into the prevention and treatment of esophageal carcinoma in the future.

Long-term effect of acute ischemic injury on the kidney underwent clamped partial nephrectomy

GFR reaches a new baseline, primarily correlating with nephron-mass preservation, 1-12 months after partial nephrectomy (PN). However, does the ipsilateral GFR experience subsequent decline, and does acute ischemic injury has long-term effect on the operated kidney? 319 patients with two kidneys and unilateral clamped PN were analyzed. All had preoperative, new-baseline, and latest follow-up imaging/serum creatinine levels. Annual ipsilateral GFR decline rate (AIGDR) was defined as new-baseline GFR minus latest follow-up GFR normalized by new-baseline GFR, per year. Spectrum score was used to reflect the degree of acute ischemic injury in the operated kidney. 100 subjects searching for health screening served as controls. Predictive factors for AIGDR were assessed. The median AIGDR was 2.25%, significantly higher than controls (0.88%, p = 0.036). With some contralateral hypertrophy, the global annual GFR decline was similar to that of controls (0.81% vs. 0.88%, p = 0.7). Spectrum score correlated significantly with AIGDR (p = 0.037). These results support that acute ischemic injury has long-term effect on the operated kidney.

[Validation of the prognostic value of the Mayo MASS and R2-ISS staging systems in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma: A single-center study]

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic value of Mayo MASS and R2-ISS staging systems in patients newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) . Methods: A total of 371 patients newly diagnosed with MM in Jiangsu Province Hospital were included in the study. Cytoplasmic light chain immunofluorescence with fluorescence in situ hybridization (cIg-FISH) was performed to detect cytogenetic abnormality. Clinical characteristics were combined to analyze the disease stage and evaluate the prognosis. Results: There were 37 (10.0%), 264 (71.0%), and 70 (18.8%) patients in R-ISS stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 37, 25, and 14 months (P<0.001). The median overall survival (OS) times were not reached (NR), 66, and 30 months (P<0.001). There were 71 (19.1%), 140 (37.7%), and 160 (43.2%) patients in Mayo MASS stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ, and the median PFS times periods were 43, 27, and 19 months (P<0.001), and the median OS times were NR, NR, 35 months, respectively (P<0.001). There were, 23 (6.2%), 69 (18.6%), 222 (59.8%), and 57 (15.4%) patients in R2-ISS stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ, respectively. The median PFS times were 47, 31, 25, and 15 months (P=0.001), and the median OS times were NR, NR, 49, and 55 months, respectively (P<0.001) . Conclusion: Based on the R-ISS staging system, Mayo MASS, and R2-ISS prognostic staging system incorporated 1q21+, which allows a better stratification. However, the proportion of stage Ⅲ patients in Mayo MASS and R2-ISS staging systems is relatively high, which is considered related to the high incidence of 1q21+ and ISS Ⅲ in the Chinese population.

Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score for predicting outcomes of breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To assess prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score could predict overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with breast cancer.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, CENTRAL, and Google Scholar were searched from 1st January 2000 to 10th October 2021 for studies assessing the association between PNI or CONUT and outcomes of breast cancer by following the PRISMA guidelines. Keywords used were "Prognostic nutritional index", "Controlling nutritional status", "CONUT", and "Breast cancer".

Results

Nine studies were included. On pooled analysis, we noted a statistically significant improved OS in patients with high PNI as compared to low PNI. Meta-analysis revealed no significant difference in DFS between patients with high PNI and low PNI. However, on the exclusion of one study, we noted that high PNI was associated with significantly improved DFS as compared to low PNI. On pooled analysis, we also noted that a high CONUT score was associated with significantly reduced OS in breast cancer patients.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that PNI is an important prognostic factor for patients with breast cancer. Pre-treatment low PNI is associated with worse OS and DFS. Scarce data also indicates that a high CONUT score is predictive of poor OS in breast cancer.

Biosynthesis of Lacto-N-biose I from starch and N-acetylglucosamine via an in vitro synthetic enzymatic biosystem

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are very distinctive components in human milk and are beneficial for infant health. Lacto-N-biose I (LNB) is the core structural unit of HMOs, which could be used for the synthesis of other HMOs. In this study, an ATP-free in vitro synthetic enzymatic biosystem contained four thermostable enzymes (alpha-glucan phosphorylase from Thermococcus kodakarensis, UDP-glucose-hexose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase from Thermotoga maritima, UDP-glucose 4-epimerase from T. maritima, lacto-N-biose phosphorylase from Clostridium thermobutyricum) were constructed for the biosynthesis of LNB from starch and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Under the optimal conditions, 0.75 g/L and 2.23 g/L LNB was produced from 1.1 g/L and 4.4 g/L GlcNAc and excess starch, with the molar yield of 39% and 29% based on the GlcNAc concentration, respectively, confirming the feasibility of this in vitro synthetic enzymatic biosystem for LNB synthesis and shedding light on the biosynthesis of other HMOs using LNB as the core structural unit from low cost polysaccharides.

A Sensitive Method for Detecting Beauveria bassiana, an Insecticidal Biocontrol Agent, Population Dynamics, and Stability in Different Substrates

Beauveria bassiana is a well-known insecticidal biocontrol agent. Despite its broad field applications, its survival, colonization, and stability under field conditions remained unclear, mainly due to the lack of a quick and reliable detection method. In this study, we developed a quantitative real-time PCR technology to monitor the stability and population dynamics of B. bassiana in different substrates (water, soil, and on the cotton leaves surface), different spores of B. bassiana applied on Chinese cabbage leaves surface, and the lethality of Pieris rapae spraying with different spores of B. bassiana. Our results showed a decreased concentration of B. bassiana DNA in all three substrates from the 1st day till 9th day of post inoculation (dpi) period, possibly due to the death of B. bassiana. After this decrease, a quick and significant rebound of B. bassiana DNA concentration was observed, starting from the 11th dpi in all three substrates. The B. bassiana DNA concentration reached the plateau at about 13th dpi in water and 17th dpi in the soil. On cotton leaves surface, the B. bassiana DNA concentration reached the highest level at the 17th dpi followed by a small decline and then stabilized. This increase of DNA concentration suggested recovery of B. bassiana growth in all three substrates. We found that the most suitable killing effectiveness of P. rapae was the 1.0 × 107 spores/mL of B. bassiana. In summary, we have established a detection technology that allows a fast and reliable monitoring for the concentration and stability of B. bassiana under different conditions. This technology can benefit and help us in the development of proper management strategies for the application of this biocontrol agent in the field.

Quorum Sensing Is Required for the Colony Establishment of a Plant Phyllosphere Bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris Strain GJ-22

The phyllosphere presents a hostile environment for many biocontrol agents; however, it is as significant as is the rhizosphere for plant health. Deploying biocontrol bacteria into the phyllosphere can efficiently suppress diseases; however, the lack of knowledge on the phyllosphere adaptive traits of biocontrol bacteria poses challenges. In this study, we demonstrated that Rhodopseudomonas palustris GJ-22 colonizes the phyllosphere by forming cell aggregates. The formation of cell aggregates required the production of exopolysaccharides (EPS), which depended on the function of the rpaI-rpaR quorum sensing (QS) mechanism, mediated by the signaling molecule p-coumaroyl-HSL (pC-HSL). The mutation of the EPS biosynthesis gene Exop1 or the signaling molecule biosynthesis gene rpaI compromised the ability of GJ-22 to tolerate reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs), such as H₂O₂, in vitro and to form cell aggregates in vivo. Collectively, the results revealed that QS mediates EPS production and consequently leads to bacterial cell aggregation. IMPORTANCE Quorum sensing is used by various bacteria for coordinating the multiplication of bacterial cells in a group and for modulating the behaviors of surrounding microbial species. Host plants can benefit from this interspecies modulation, as it can disrupt the QS circuits of pathogenic bacteria. Some N-acyl homoserine lactone- (AHL-) producing bacteria that were introduced into the phyllosphere as biocontrol agents may establish AHL-based crosstalk with indigenous microbes to steer the nutritional and microecological conditions toward their own and the host plant's benefit. Here, we showed that biocontrol bacteria introduced into the phyllosphere require a functioning QS circuit to establish colonies and suppress pathogens. Furthermore, our findings provoked a broader investigation into the role of the QS circuit in beneficial microorganism-plant interactions.

Virulent and attenuated strains of Trichoderma citrinoviride mediated resistance and biological control mechanism in tomato

Introduction

Root-knot nematode disease is one of the world's most serious vegetable crop diseases. In recent years, Trichoderma spp. has been widely used in root-knot nematode disease control as a biological control agent.

Methods

Virulent and attenuated strains of Trichoderma citrinoviride mediated resistance and biological control mechanism in tomato were determined.

Results

Preliminary experiments found differences in nematicidal virulence among Trichoderma citrinoviride. The 24-hour corrected mortality rate of the virulent strainT1910 was as high as 92.37%, with an LC50 of 0.5585 against the second juveniles (J2s) of Meloidogyne incognita. And the attenuated strain TC9 was 23.01%, the LC50 was 2.0615, so the virulent strain T1910 had a more substantial effect on the J2s than the attenuated strain. We found that the strong virulent strain T1910 have a good control effect on M. incognita by the pot experiment of tomato than that of the attenuated virulent strain TC9,especially the J2 and J4 numbers were inhibited inside the root knots of tomato. Theinhibition rates of virulent strains reached 85.22% and 76.91%, followed by attenuatedstrain TC9, which were 63.16% and 59.17%, respectively. To reveal the differences intomato defense pathways induced by different virulent strains, qRT-PCR was further usedto detect changes in the expression of inducement-related genes. The results showed thatthe TC9 was significantly upregulated at 5dpi, LOX1, PR1, and PDF1.2. The PR5 gene ofthe virulent strain T1910 was highly upregulated, and the JA pathway was activated laterbut weaker than the attenuated strain. The results of this study revealed that thebiocontrol mechanism of T. citrinoviride as poison killing through the virulent strain T1910 and induced resistance to M. incognita through attenuated strain, although virulence degradation also has an induced resistance effect. Moreover, the attenuated strain TC9 stimulated tomato immune response earlier than the virulent strain by nematode-associated molecular pattern-triggered (NAMP).

Discussion

Therefore, the research elucidated the mechanism of multiple control of Trichoderma spp. against M. incognita.

The effects of exercise on the quality of life of patients with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis based on the QLQ-C30 quality of life scale

Background

Studies have reported that exercise can effectively improve the quality of life of breast cancer (BC) patients. However, considering the differences in exercise form and intensity, it is difficult to quantify and unify the improved outcomes, and there are contradictions in the conclusions. This meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively evaluate the effects of exercise on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with BC based on the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30 (QLQ-C30) scale, to provide optimization suggestions for the treatment plan of BC survivors.

Methods

The literature were extracted from the databases of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The main outcomes were extracted from the final included literature and chi square tests and I² statistics were used to evaluate the heterogeneity among the included studies. Statistical analysis was performed by Stata/SE 16.0 software and Review Manager 5.4 software. The funnel plot was used to test for evaluation publication bias.

Results

All 8 included articles were original studies. The risk bias evaluation showed that 2 articles had low risk of bias and 6 articles had uncertain risk of bias. The results of meta-analysis revealed the following: (I) exercise significantly improved the overall health status of BC patients [mean difference (Hedges's g) =0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.27, 1.34]; (II) exercise significantly improved the physiological function of patients (Hedges's g =0.78, 95% CI: 0.34, 1.22), daily life function (Hedges's g =0.45, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.77), emotional function (Hedges's g =0.52, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.84); (III) exercise significantly reduced the fatigue symptoms (Hedges's g =-0.51, 95% CI: -0.84, -0.19), nausea and vomiting symptoms (Hedges's g =-0.35, 95% CI: -0.60, -0.10), insomnia symptoms (Hedges's g =-0.59, 95% CI: -0.91, -0.26), and economic difficulties (Hedges's g =-0.48, 95% CI: -0.78, -0.18) of patients.

Conclusions

Exercise can significantly improve the overall physical health and body functions of BC survivors. Exercise can also significantly reduce the symptoms of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia in BC patients. Different levels of exercise have significant effects on improving the quality of life of BC survivors, which is worth being widely advocated.

[Clinical study of induction chemotherapy followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of FLT3-ITD(+) acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype]

Objective: To assess the efficacy of induction chemotherapy followed by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in the treatment of FLT3-ITD(+) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with normal karyotype. Methods: The clinical data of FLT3-ITD(+) AML patients with normal karyotype in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from Jan 2018 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The study included 49 patients with FLT3-ITD(+)AML, 31 males, and 18 females, with a median age of 46 (16-59) years old. All patients received induction chemotherapy, and 24 patients received sequential allo-HSCT (transplantation group) . The median follow-up time was 465 days, the one-year overall survival (OS) from diagnosis was (70.0 ± 7.4) %, and one-year disease-free survival (DFS) was (70.3±7.4) %. The one-year OS was significantly different between the transplantation group and the non-transplantation group [ (85.2 ± 7.9) % vs (52.6 ± 12.3) %, P=0.049]. but one-year DFS [ (84.7 ± 8.1) % vs (55.2 ± 11.9) %, P=0.061] was not. No significance was found in one-year OS between patients with low-frequency and high-frequency FLT3-ITD(+) (P>0.05) . There were 12 patients with high-frequency FLT3-ITD(+) in the transplantation and the non-transplantation groups, respectively. The one-year OS [ (68.8 ± 15.7) % in the transplantation group vs (26.2 ± 15.3) % in the non-transplantation group, P=0.027] and one-year DFS [ (45.5 ± 21.3) % in the transplantation group vs (27.8±15.8) % in the non-transplantation group, P=0.032] were significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: Induction chemotherapy followed by allo-HSCT can enhance the prognosis of FLT3-ITD(+) patients, particularly those with FLT3-ITD high-frequency mutation.

[The impact of low T3 syndrome on the prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma]

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between low T3 syndrome (LT3S) and the prognosis of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients. Methods: A retrospective examination of 211 NDMM patients treated at the Department of Hematology, Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital from July 2009 to December 2020 was performed, and all patients received thyroid function testing to determine if they had LT3S. We investigated the relationship between LT3S and clinical features, as well as its impact on MM prognosis. Results: Of the 211 patients, 119 were males, and 92 were females, with a median age of 60 (33-86) years. Patients with LT3S had significantly higher levels of β(2)-microglobulin, C-reactive protein, and blood creatinine compared to those with normal T3 levels. They also had lower levels of hemoglobin, platelets, and serum albumin, as well as more advanced ISS stages (P<0.001) . Patients with LT3S had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) (16 months vs 30 months, P=0.003) and overall survival (OS) (57 months vs 75 months, P=0.004) than patients without LT3S. LT3S was found to be a standalone unfavorable factor in multivariate analysis, LT3S was an independent unfavorable factor in predicting both PFS (HR=2.114, 95% CI 1.271-3.516, P=0.004) and OS (HR=2.231, 95% CI 1.088-4.577, P=0.029) . Conclusions: Low T3 syndrome was an independent unfavorable prognostic predictor for NDMM.

The timely diagnosis of 49, XXXXY with the combined detection of MLPA, karyotype, and QF-PCR in a newborn with multiple congenital malformations: a case report

BACKGROUND

49, XXXXY is a rare sex chromosomal aneuploidy syndrome. The patients usually are diagnosed several months or years after birth. Herein a neonate with respiratory distress and multiple malformations was diagnosed with 49, XXXXY syndrome by an economical method of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) followed karyotype analysis.

CASE DESCRIPTION

An infant was born via spontaneous vaginal delivery at 41⁺³ weeks' gestation and hospitalized due to neonatal asphyxia. He was the first child to a 24-year-old gravida1, para1 (G1P1) mother. The newborn was characterized low birth weight (2.4 Kg, below the 3^rd percentile), and an Apgar score of 6 at 1 minute, 8 at 5 minutes, and 9 at 10 minutes. The physical examinations of the patient revealed ocular hypertelorism, epicanthal folds, low nasal bridge, high-arched palate, cleft palate, micrognathia, low-set ears, microcephaly, hypotonia, and micropenis. Echocardiography revealed atrial septal defects (ASD). The brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) reflected auditory function impairment. Genetic testing methods, including MLPA, karyotyping, and quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR), were performed for definitive diagnosis, which confirmed 49, XXXXY syndrome.

CONCLUSIONS

The presentation of the 49, XXXXY newborn was atypical, they may only include low birth weight, multiple malformations and a characteristic facial appearance which were consistent with the characteristics of autosomal and sex chromosome aneuploidies. At this time, the economical and rapid method of MLPA to screen the number of chromosome, and then choose the appropriate means to make the final diagnosis and improve the quality of life of patients with timely therapy.

AtSWEET1 negatively regulates plant susceptibility to root-knot nematode disease

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is a pathogenic pest that causes severe economic loss to agricultural production by forming a parasitic relationship with its hosts. During the development of M. incognita in the host plant roots, giant cells are formed as a nutrient sink. However, the roles of sugar transporters during the giant cells gain sugar from the plant cells are needed to improve. Meanwhile, the eventual function of sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) in nematode-plant interactions remains unclear. In this study, the expression patterns of Arabidopsis thaliana SWEETs were examined by inoculation with M. incognita at 3 days post inoculation (dpi) (penetration stage) and 18 dpi (developing stage). We found that few AtSWEETs responded sensitively to M. incognita inoculation, with the highest induction of AtSWEET1 (AT1G21460), a glucose transporter gene. Histological analyses indicated that the β-glucuronidase (GUS) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) signals were observed specifically in the galls of AtSWEET1-GUS and AtSWEET1-GFP transgenic plant roots, suggesting that AtSWEET1 was induced specifically in the galls. Genetic studies have shown that parasitism of M. incognita was significantly affected in atsweet1 compared to wild-type and complementation plants. In addition, parasitism of M. incognita was significantly affected in atsweet10 but not in atsweet13 and atsweet14, expression of which was induced by inoculation with M. incognita. Taken together, these data prove that SWEETs play important roles in plant and nematode interactions.

Crosstalk between 5-methylcytosine and N6-methyladenosine machinery defines disease progression, therapeutic response and pharmacogenomic landscape in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Accumulated evidence highlights the significance of the crosstalk between epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms, notably 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A). Herein, we conducted a widespread analysis regarding the crosstalk between 5mC and m⁶A regulators in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

Pan-cancer genomic analysis of the crosstalk between 5mC and m⁶A regulators was presented at transcriptomic, genomic, epigenetic, and other multi-omics levels. Hub 5mC and m⁶A regulators were summarized to define an epigenetic and epitranscriptomic module eigengene (EME), which reflected both the pre- and post-transcriptional modifications.

RESULTS

5mC and m⁶A regulators interacted with one another at the multi-omic levels across pan-cancer, including HCC. The EME scoring system enabled to greatly optimize risk stratification and accurately predict HCC patients' clinical outcomes and progression. Additionally, the EME accurately predicted the responses to mainstream therapies (TACE and sorafenib) and immunotherapy as well as hyper-progression. In vitro, 5mC and m⁶A regulators cooperatively weakened apoptosis and facilitated proliferation, DNA damage repair, G2/M arrest, migration, invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC cells. The EME scoring system was remarkably linked to potential extrinsic and intrinsic immune escape mechanisms, and the high EME might contribute to a reduced copy number gain/loss frequency. Finally, we determined potential therapeutic compounds and druggable targets (TUBB1 and P2RY4) for HCC patients with high EME.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that HCC may result from a unique synergistic combination of 5mC-epigenetic mechanism mixed with m⁶A-epitranscriptomic mechanism, and their crosstalk defines therapeutic response and pharmacogenomic landscape.

Working memory function in patients with major depression disorder: A narrative review

Working memory (WM) deficits are recognized as serious cognitive impairment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This review aims to clarify the effects of impaired WM function in patients with MDD and explore non-invasive and effective treatments that can be adopted in clinical practice. This review (1) synthesizes extant literature examining brain function and brain areas in terms of WM in individuals with depression, (2) utilizes the outcomes of the studies presented in this review to discuss the effects of impaired WM function on cognitive processing in individuals with depression, (3) integrates the treatments explored in current studies and (4) provides some suggestions for future research. We found that (1) central executive (CE) components affect the processing of WM, and this might be one of the factors influencing cognitive biases, as it is implicated in repetitive negative thinking and rumination; (2) the left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the regions of the default mode network (DMN) play a vital role in CE functioning; and (3) psychotherapy, cognitive training, exercise and physical therapy can be used as complementary treatments for MDD.

Application of nanomaterials in diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma

Diagnosing and treating glioblastoma patients is currently hindered by several obstacles, such as tumor heterogeneity, the blood-brain barrier, tumor complexity, drug efflux pumps, and tumor immune escape mechanisms. Combining multiple methods can increase benefits against these challenges. For example, nanomaterials can improve the curative effect of glioblastoma treatments, and the synergistic combination of different drugs can markedly reduce their side effects. In this review, we discuss the progression and main issues regarding glioblastoma diagnosis and treatment, the classification of nanomaterials, and the delivery mechanisms of nanomedicines. We also examine tumor targeting and promising nano-diagnosis or treatment principles based on nanomedicine. We also summarize the progress made on the advanced application of combined nanomaterial-based diagnosis and treatment tools and discuss their clinical prospects. This review aims to provide a better understanding of nano-drug combinations, nano-diagnosis, and treatment options for glioblastoma, as well as insights for developing new tools.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection versus esophagectomy for t1 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been a preferred treatment option for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC).

OBJECTIVES

To compare the outcomes of ESD and esophagectomy in the treatment of SESCC, especially for lesions invading muscularis mucosa or submucosa (pT1a-MM/T1b).

DESIGN

We retrospectively analyzed data from patients with SESCC who underwent ESD or esophagectomy between 2015 and 2021.

METHODS

After propensity score matching, overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and treatment-related events were compared between the ESD and esophagectomy groups. Furthermore, we performed a Cox regression analysis to identify factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

OS and DSS were significantly higher in the ESD group (n = 508) than that in the esophagectomy group (n = 466). After matching, 404 patients (202 per group) were included in the study. No significant differences were found between the ESD and esophagectomy groups in OS (p = 0.566), RFS (p = 0.586), and DSS (p = 0.912). The ESD group showed less blood loss, shorter procedure duration and hospital stay, lower hospital cost, and fewer adverse events. However, a lower R0 resection rate was observed in the ESD group compared to the esophagectomy group. Subgroup analysis showed comparable survival outcomes between the two groups. In Cox regression analysis, age was the independent factor associated with OS.

CONCLUSION

In the treatment of SESCC, ESD showed sufficient safety and advantages. Even for pT1a-MM/pT1b SESCC, ESD may be an alternative treatment to esophagectomy.

Gma-miR408 Enhances Soybean Cyst Nematode Susceptibility by Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species Accumulation

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycine) is a serious damaging disease in soybean worldwide, thus resulting in severe yield losses. MicroRNA408 (miR408) is an ancient and highly conserved miRNA involved in regulating plant growth, development, biotic and abiotic stress response. Here, we analyzed the evolution of miR408 in plants and verified four miR408 members in Glycine max. In the current research, highly upregulated gma-miR408 expressing was detected during nematode migration and syncytium formation response to soybean cyst nematode infection. Overexpressing and silencing miR408 vectors were transformed to soybean to confirm its potential role in plant and nematode interaction. Significant variations were observed in the MAPK signaling pathway with low OXI1, PR1, and wounding of the overexpressing lines. Overexpressing miR408 could negatively regulate soybean resistance to SCN by suppressing reactive oxygen species accumulation. Conversely, silencing miR408 positively regulates soybean resistance to SCN. Overall, gma-miR408 enhances soybean cyst nematode susceptibility by suppressing reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Identification and Functional Analysis of Tomato MicroRNAs in the Biocontrol Bacterium Pseudomonas putida Induced Plant Resistance to Meloidogyne incognita

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs, Meloidogyne spp.) seriously damage tomato production worldwide, and biocontrol bacteria can induce tomato immunity to RKNs. Our previous studies have revealed that Pseudomonas putida strain Sneb821 can trigger tomato immunity against M. incognita and that several long noncoding RNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in this process. However, the molecular functions of the miRNAs in tomato immune responses remain unclear. In this study, deep small RNA sequencing identified 78 differentially expressed miRNAs in tomato plants inoculated with Sneb821 and M. incognita relative to plants inoculated with M. incognita alone; 38 miRNAs were upregulated, and 40 miRNAs were downregulated. The expression levels of six known miRNAs and five novel miRNAs were validated using RT-qPCR assays. These included Sly-miR482d-3p, Sly-miR156e-5p, Sly-miR319a, novel_miR_116, novel_miR_121, and novel_miR_221, which were downregulated, and Sly-miR390a-3p, Sly-miR394-3p, Sly-miR396a-3p, novel_miR_215, and novel_miR_83, which were upregulated in plants treated with Sneb821 and M. incognita. In addition, Sly-miR482d was functionally characterized through gene silencing and overexpression of its target gene NBS-LRR (Solyc05g009750.1) in tomato and by challenging the plants with M. incognita inoculation. The number of second-stage juveniles (J2) inside roots and induced galls were significantly decreased in both Sly-miR482d-silenced plants and Solyc05g009750.1 overexpressing plants, whereas the activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and hydrogen peroxide content were significantly increased. The results suggest that Sneb821 could inhibit Sly-miR482d expression and thus regulate tomato immune responses against M. incognita infestation. This study provides novel insights into the biocontrol bacteria-mediated tomato immunity to M. incognita that engages with plant miRNAs.

Polycatechols with Robust Efficiency in Cytosolic Peptide Delivery via Catechol-Boronate Chemistry

Cytosolic delivery of peptides remains a challenging task because of the limited binding sites on peptides and the existence of multiple intracellular barriers. Here, we proposed the use of polycatechols with a high cell permeability to deliver peptides of different physicochemical properties using the catechol-boronate chemistry. Peptides were decorated with boronate moieties via three strategies, and the introduced boronate groups greatly increased the binding affinity of cargo peptides with polycatechols. The loading peptides could be released under the endolysosomal acidity. When the cargo peptide was modified with boronate moiety via a p-hydroxybenzylcarbamate self-immolative spacer, it could be loaded by polycatechols and released in a traceless manner triggered by reactive oxygen species. The proposed strategies greatly promote the cytosolic delivery efficiency of different peptides into various cell lines and restored their biofunctions after intracellular delivery and release. This study provides a general and robust platform for the intracellular delivery of membrane-impermeable peptides.

Genome-wide identification of small interfering RNAs from sRNA libraries constructed from soybean cyst nematode resistant and susceptible cultivars

Plant small-RNAs regulate various biological processes by manipulating the expression of target genes at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. However, little is known about the response and the functional roles of sRNAs, particularly small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs), in the soybean-soybean cyst nematode interaction. In this study, siRNA data from 24 sRNA libraries constructed from SCN-infected and non-SCN-infected resistant and susceptible soybean roots were analysed in silico. A total of 26 novel siRNAs including 17 phasiRNAs and 9 nat-siRNAs, as well as two phasiRNAs that were differentially expressed (DE) in three comparisons, were identified. Then, using qRT-PCR, the expression of majority of siRNAs was found to be downregulated after SCN infection, and the expression patterns of DE siRNAs were confirmed. Further functional annotation analyses revealed that the target genes of these siRNA were highly related to disease resistance, which included the genes coding for the NB-ARC domain, leucine-rich repeats, and Hs1pro-1 homologous proteins. Overall, the present research identified novel siRNAs and annotated their target genes, thereby laying the foundation for deciphering the roles of siRNAs in the soybean-SCN interaction.

[A study on longitudinal changes in white matter microstructure of parents who have lost their only child based on diffusion tensor imaging and its relationship with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder]

Objective: To investigate the longitudinal changes of white matter microstructural based on diffusion tensor imaging in parents who lost their only child without psychiatric disorders and its relationship with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: Parents who had who lost their only child and without psychiatric disorders in Jiangsu Province, from September 2016 to March 2017, were retrospectively collected (TENP group, 32). MRI scans were performed at baseline and at the end of 5-year follow-up, and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scales (CAPS) were used for assessing the severity of symptoms. Additionally, sex, age and education level matched healthy subjects were recruited as healthy controls (control group, 27) and underwent MRI scanning using the same protocol. The differences of fractional anisotropy (FA) values between TENP group and control group at baseline were analyzed by using Tract-based spatial statistics method, and the brain areas of lateral differences were used as the regions of interest for longitudinal follow-up analysis of TENP group. Partial correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between FA values changes in longitudinal differences in brain regions and CAPS scores. Results: Compared with the control group, FA values of the right cingulate gyrus, Uncinate fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corticospinal tract, Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, Inferior longitudinal fasciculus and forceps major in TENP group were decreased at baseline ((0.613±0.032) vs (0.631±0.034), (0.539±0.048) vs (0.563±0.045), (0.534±0.033) vs (0.558±0.039), (0.560±0.038) vs (0.580±0.030), (0.519±0.023) vs(0.549±0.024), (0.489±0.038) vs (0.518±0.027), (0.499±0.027) vs (0.533±0.032); all P<0.05). From baseline to follow-up, scores of trauma reexperience symptoms and avoidance/numbness symptoms were decreased ((5.2±2.8) vs (8.1±4.9), (4.0±3.2) vs (6.6±5.4); all P<0.05); FA values of the right corticospinal tract, Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, Inferior longitudinal fasciculus and forceps major were decreased ((0.523±0.049) vs (0.537±0.049), (0.568±0.052) vs (0.590±0.050), (0.540±0.063) vs (0.559±0.059), (0.520±0.059) vs (0.547±0.059); all P<0.05); The decrease of FA values of the right Inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and right Inferior longitudinal fasciculus was negatively correlated with the decrease of avoidance/numbness symptoms scores (r=-0.458, -0.374, respectively, all P<0.05). Conclusions: The trauma of parents who lost their only child can result in impaired microstructural integrity of white matter. As the post-traumatic time goes by, parents who have lost their only child do not develop to PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, and the clinical symptoms are alleviated, the damage of the white matter microstructure continued to progress.

Transcriptome Sequence Analysis of the Defense Responses of Resistant and Susceptible Cucumber Strains to Podosphaera xanthii

Powdery mildew (PM) caused by Podosphaera xanthii poses a continuous threat to the performance and yield of the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Control in the initial stages of infection is particularly important. Here, we studied the differential physiological and transcriptomic changes between PM-resistant strain B21-a-2-1-2 and PM-susceptible strain B21-a-2-2-2 at the early stage of P. xanthii attack. When challenged with P. xanthii, the tolerant line can postpone the formation of the pathogen primary germ. Comparative transcriptomic analysis suggested that DEGs related to the cell wall and to pathogen and hormone responses were similar enriched in both cucumber lines under P. xanthii infection. Notably, the number of DEGs triggered by P. xanthii in B21-a-2-1-2 was quintuple that in B21-a-2-2-2, revealing that the success of defense of resistant cucumber is due to rapidly mobilizing multiple responses. The unique responses detected were genes related to SA signaling, MAPK signaling, and Dof and WRKY transcription factors. Furthermore, 5 P. xanthii -inducible hub genes were identified, including GLPK, ILK1, EIN2, BCDHβ1, and RGGA, which are considered to be key candidate genes for disease control. This study combined multiple analytical approaches to capture potential molecular players and will provide key resources for developing cucumber cultivars resistant to pathogen stress.

Association between Mutation in SMARCAD1 and Basan Syndrome with Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background

Basan syndrome is a rare autosomal-dominant ectodermal dysplasia with certain clinic-pathological features caused by mutations in the SMARCAD1 gene. Currently, no skin malignancy related to Basan syndrome has been reported. This study was aimed at identifying related gene mutations in a new Chinese pedigree with Basan syndrome and discovering the possible association between Basan syndrome and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).

Methods

We report a case of Basan syndrome from China with family history of cSCC. The pedigree contains 28 individuals. Among them, 12 members had Basan syndrome, while 4 affected members were diagnosed with cSCC in the 1st and 2nd generations. Whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were performed for 7 available individuals. The specific gene mutation on pre-mRNA splicing was also analyzed using in vitro Minigene assay. In addition, sequencing data was analyzed with bioinformatics workflow, aiming to discover the gene associated with cSCC.

Results

Gene sequencing results showed a heterozygous mutation, c.378+5G>A, in the SMARCAD1 gene in all tested individuals with Basan syndrome. Minigene result implicated the specific mutation may cause splicing variations by exon skipping occurring in the targeted exons.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reported Basan syndrome with family history of cSCC. Despite in this study we cannot draw any conclusion about the association between Basan syndrome and cSCC at the genetic level, this study encourages future works to substantiate this potential but important issue.

Characterization of Interplay Between Autophagy and Ferroptosis and Their Synergistical Roles on Manipulating Immunological Tumor Microenvironment in Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Objective

Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) with shared etiology, histological characteristics, and certain risk factors represent the most common solid cancers. This study reports the crosstalk between autophagy and ferroptosis at the molecular level in SCCs, and their roles on the immunological tumor microenvironment (TME) of SCCs.

Methods

In this study, the connections between autophagy and ferroptosis were characterized in SCCs by analyzing the associations between autophagy- and ferroptosis-related genes in mRNA expression and prognosis, protein-protein interactions and shared signaling pathways. Autophagy potential index (API) and ferroptosis potential index (FPI) of each tumor were quantified for reflecting autophagy and ferroptosis levels via principal-component analysis algorithm. Their synergistical roles on TME, immunity, drug resistance and survival were systematically analyzed in SCCs.

Results

There were close connections between autophagy and ferroptosis at the mRNA and protein levels and prognosis. Both shared cancer-related pathways. The API and FPI were separately developed based on prognostic autophagy- and ferroptosis-related genes. A high correlation between API and FPI was found in SCCs. Their interplay was distinctly associated with favorable prognosis, enhanced sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs (Sunitinib, Gefitinib, Vinblastine and Vorinostat), an inflamed TME and higher likelihood of response to immunotherapy in SCCs.

Conclusion

This study is the first to provide a comprehensive analysis of the interplay between autophagy and ferroptosis and their synergistical roles on manipulating the immunological TME in SCCs. These findings indicated that the induction of autophagy and ferroptosis combined with immunotherapy might produce synergistically enhanced anti-SCCs activity.

A Joint Technology Combining the Advantages of Capillary Microsampling with Mass Spectrometry Applied to the Trans-Resveratrol Pharmacokinetic Study in Mice

Mice are the most frequently used animals in pharmacokinetic studies; however, collecting series of blood samples from mice is difficult because of their small sizes and tiny vessels. In addition, due to the small sample size, it is problematic to perform high required quantification. Thus, present work aims to find an effective strategy for overcoming these challenges using trans-resveratrol as a tool drug. Based on the idea of a joint technology, the capillary microsampling (CMS) was chosen for blood sample collection from mice after delivery of trans-resveratrol (150 mg/kg) by gavage, and a high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method was developed for the determination of trans-resveratrol and its main metabolites. All the mouse blood samples were exactly collected by CMS without obvious deviation. This provided credible samples for subsequent quantitative analysis. The HPLC-MS/MS method was found to be sensitive, accurate, and repeatable, and the pharmacokinetic parameters for all analytes were comparable with those reported in previous studies. However, the present joint technology offers the advantages of less animal damage, easy for sample preparation, and improved reliability. It has overcome some of the major limitations revealed in previous pharmacokinetic studies in mice and therefore provides a more effective option for future studies.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid 5-Hydroxymethylation in Cell-Free Deoxyribonucleic Acid, a Novel Cancer Biomarker in the Era of Precision Medicine

Aberrant methylation has been regarded as a hallmark of cancer. 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is recently identified as the ten-eleven translocase (ten-eleven translocase)-mediated oxidized form of 5-methylcytosine, which plays a substantial role in DNA demethylation. Cell-free DNA has been introduced as a promising tool in the liquid biopsy of cancer. There are increasing evidence indicating that 5hmC in cell-free DNA play an active role during carcinogenesis. However, it remains unclear whether 5hmC could surpass classical markers in cancer detection, treatment, and prognosis. Here, we systematically reviewed the recent advances in the clinic and basic research of DNA 5-hydroxymethylation in cancer, especially in cell-free DNA. We further discuss the mechanisms underlying aberrant 5hmC patterns and carcinogenesis. Synergistically, 5-hydroxymethylation may act as a promising biomarker, unleashing great potential in early cancer detection, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies in precision oncology.

Fluorescent Soybean Hairy Root Construction and Its Application in the Soybean-Nematode Interaction: An Investigation

Simple Summary

The soybean cyst nematode is a pathogen that is parasitic on soybean roots and causes high yield losses. To control it, it is necessary to study resistance genes and their mechanisms. The existing means take half a year but our new method can accelerate the process. We built new tools and integrated the advantages of current technologies to develop an FHR-SCN system. This method shortens the experimental period from half a year to six weeks. Researchers can differentiate between the roots that are transgenic and those that are not with a blue light flashlight and filter. Using this method, we verified a gene that could provide an additional contribution to resistance against the nematode. In addition, we used a transgenic soybean to verify and further indicate that this resistance was caused by an increase of jasmonic acid. The FHR-SCN pathosystem will accelerate the study of the soybean resistant gene.

Abstract

Background: The yield of soybean is limited by the soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines). Soybean transformation plays a key role in gene function research but the stable genetic transformation of soybean usually takes half a year. Methods: Here, we constructed a vector, pNI-GmUbi, in an Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated soybean hypocotyl transformation to induce fluorescent hairy roots (FHRs). Results: We describe the operation of FHR-SCN, a fast, efficient and visual operation pathosystem to study the gene functions in the soybean-SCN interaction. With this method, FHRs were detected after 25 days in 4 cultivars (Williams 82, Zhonghuang 13, Huipizhiheidou and Peking) and at least 66.67% of the composite plants could be used to inoculate SCNs. The demographics of the SCN could be started 12 days post-SCN inoculation. Further, GmHS1^pro-1 was overexpressed in the FHRs and GmHS1^pro-1 provided an additional resistance in Williams 82. In addition, we found that jasmonic acid and JA-Ile increased in the transgenic soybean, implying that the resistance was mainly caused by affecting the content of JA and JA-Ile. Conclusions: In this study, we established a pathosystem, FHR-SCN, to verify the functional genes in soybeans and the SCN interaction. We also verified that GmHS1^pro-1 provides additional resistance in both FHRs and transgenic soybeans, and the resistance may be caused by an increase in JA and JA-Ile contents.

Soybean miR159-GmMYB33 Regulatory Network Involved in Gibberellin-Modulated Resistance to Heterodera glycines

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines) is an obligate sedentary biotroph that poses major threats to soybean production globally. Recently, multiple miRNAome studies revealed that miRNAs participate in complicated soybean-SCN interactions by regulating their target genes. However, the functional roles of miRNA and target genes regulatory network are still poorly understood. In present study, we firstly investigated the expression patterns of miR159 and targeted GmMYB33 genes. The results showed miR159-3p downregulation during SCN infection; conversely, GmMYB33 genes upregulated. Furthermore, miR159 overexpressing and silencing soybean hairy roots exhibited strong resistance and susceptibility to H. glycines, respectively. In particular, miR159-GAMYB genes are reported to be involve in GA signaling and metabolism. Therefore, we then investigated the effects of GA application on the expression of miR159-GAMYB module and the development of H. glycines. We found that GA directly controls the miR159-GAMYB module, and exogenous GA application enhanced endogenous biologically active GA1 and GA3, the abundance of miR159, lowered the expression of GmMYB33 genes and delayed the development of H. glycines. Moreover, SCN infection also results in endogenous GA content decreased in soybean roots. In summary, the soybean miR159-GmMYB33 module was directly involved in the GA-modulated soybean resistance to H. glycines.

The comparison of ZFNs, TALENs, and SpCas9 by GUIDE-seq in HPV-targeted gene therapy

Zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like endonucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR-associated Cas9 endonucleases are three major generations of genome editing tools. However, no parallel comparison about the efficiencies and off-target activity of the three nucleases has been reported, which is critical for the final clinical decision. We for the first time developed the genome-wide unbiased identification of double-stranded breaks enabled by sequencing (GUIDE-seq) method in ZFNs and TALENs with novel bioinformatics algorithms to evaluate the off-targets. By targeting human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16), we compared the performance of ZFNs, TALENs, and SpCas9 in vivo. Our data showed that ZFNs with similar targets could generate distinct massive off-targets (287–1,856), and the specificity could be reversely correlated with the counts of middle “G” in zinc finger proteins (ZFPs). We also compared the TALENs with different N-terminal domains (wild-type [WT]/αN/βN) and G recognition modules (NN/NH) and found the design (αN or NN) to improve the efficiency of TALEN inevitably increased off-targets. Finally, our results showed that SpCas9 was more efficient and specific than ZFNs and TALENs. Specifically, SpCas9 had fewer off-target counts in URR (SpCas9, n = 0; TALEN, n = 1; ZFN, n = 287), E6 (SpCas9, n = 0; TALEN, n = 7), and E7 (SpCas9, n = 4; TALEN, n = 36). Taken together, we suggest that for HPV gene therapies, SpCas9 is a more efficient and safer genome editing tool. Our off-target data could be used to improve the design of ZFNs and TALENs, and the universal in vivo off-target detection pipeline for three generations of artificial nucleases provided useful tools for genome engineering-based gene therapy.

[Scoping review on prevention of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection in burn patients]

Objective: To investigate the research trend and scope of prevention of central venous catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in burn patients. Methods: The scoping review method was adopted. Pre-retrieval was carried out with search terms of ", , " and "central venous catheter, infection, catheter-related bloodstream infection, burn". On the basis of pre-retrieval, different retrieval formulas were formulated to retrieve researches related to central venous CRBSI in burn patients in China National Knowledge Internet, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library from the establishment of each database to August 2020. Data were extracted from the included literature, including the first author, research publication time, research country, research type, diagnosis basis and intervention measures of central venous CRBSI, research sample selection, incidence related to infection, and research conclusion. Results: A total of 20 randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, case-control studies, cohort studies, and implementation researches published in 1990-2020 were included in this study with the first authors from China, the United States of America, or Argentina. The diagnostic bases for central venous CRBSI in burn patients were not uniform in the included literature, including adopting the Guidelines of American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Diagnostic Criteria for Nosocomial Infection, and other diagnostic criteria without specifying the source. The intervention measures included the use of new materials such as antibiotics coated catheter and ethanol impregnated port protectors, multidisciplinary cooperation, and comprehensive preventive measures. The sample size in the included literature was small, and the sample selection was different, including the number of patients and the the number of placement of central venous catheter. The outcome indicators for infection in the included literature were diversified. The incidence per 1 000 days of central venous CRBSI was 20.41‰-29.1‰ of patients in control group in China, the incidence per 1 000 days of central venous CRBSI was mostly <16.6‰ in control group in foreign countries, and the incidence of central venous CRBSI was decreased to varying degrees after implementing the corresponding intervention measures. Related research conclusions showed that new materials, multidisciplinary cooperation, and comprehensive preventive measures had good effects on prevention of central venous CRBSI in burn patients. Conclusions: The researches on prevention of central venous CRBSI in burn patients in China start early and the research types are diversified. The diagnostic criteria of central venous CRBSI in burn patients are not uniform, intervention measures have shifted from standardizing relevant operational measures to exploring the prevention effects of new materials, multidisciplinary cooperation, and multiple measures, and the latter has good effects on preventing central venous CRBSI in burn patients.