Silicon and selenium alleviate cadmium toxicity in Artemisia selengensis Turcz by regulating the plant-rhizosphere

Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution has emerged as a pressing concern due to its deleterious impacts on both plant physiology and human well-being. Silicon (Si) is renowned for its ability to mitigate excessive Cd accumulation within plant cells and reduce the mobility of Cd in soil, whereas Selenium (Se) augments plant antioxidant capabilities and promotes rhizosphere microbial activity. However, research focusing on the simultaneous utilization of Si and Se to ameliorate plant Cd toxicity through multiple mechanisms within the plant-rhizosphere remains comparatively limited. This study combined hydroponic and pot experiments to investigate the effects of the combined application of Si and Se on Cd absorption and accumulation, as well as the growth and rhizosphere of A. selengensis Turcz under Cd stress. The results revealed that a strong synergistic effect was observed between both Si and Se. The combination of Si and Se significantly increased the activity and content of enzymes and non-enzyme antioxidants within A. selengensis Turcz, reduced Cd accumulation and inhibiting its translocation from roots to shoots. Moreover, Si and Se application improved the levels of reducing sugar, soluble protein, and vitamin C, while reducing nitrite content and Cd bioavailability. Furthermore, the experimental results showed that the combination of Si and Se not only increased the abundance of core rhizosphere microorganisms, but also stimulated the activity of soil enzymes, which effectively limited the migration of Cd in the soil. These findings provided valuable insights into the effective mitigation of soil Cd toxicity to plants and also the potential applications in improving plant quality and safety.

Isoliquiritigenin reduces experimental autoimmune prostatitis by facilitating Nrf2 activation and suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway

BACKGROUND

Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) lead to severe irritation and impaired sperm quality in males. However, current therapeutic options often fail to achieve satisfactory effects. Consequently, the investigation of novel treatment strategies or remedies holds substantial clinical importance. As a flavonoid monomer, isoliquiritigenin (ISL) has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity, especially in several chronic nonspecific-inflammatory conditions. Thus, an exploration of the possible anti-inflammatory effects of ISL on CP/CPPS, a chronic aseptic inflammation of the prostate, has significant potential.

METHODS

An experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) model was used for the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of ISL. It was found that ISL treatment could reduce the secretion and invasion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in prostate tissue. In EAP mice, ISL treatment also reduced oxidative stress (OS) and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In vitro, ISL upregulated the expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation in RAW264.7 macrophages exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

RESULTS

Treatment with ISL treatment relieved prostate inflammation and pelvic pain in EAP mice. Both in vivo and in vitro, ISL treatment activated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, which in turn inhibited oxidative stress and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Blockade of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling abolished the inhibitory effects of ISL on oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

CONCLUSIONS

Isoliquiritigenin reduced experimental autoimmune prostatitis by facilitating Nrf2 activation and suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway.

Selenium and Bacillus proteolyticus SES increased Cu-Cd-Cr uptake by ryegrass: highlighting the significance of key taxa and soil enzyme activity

Many studies have focused their attention on strategies to improve soil phytoremediation efficiency. In this study, a pot experiment was carried out to investigate whether Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES promote Cu-Cd-Cr uptake by ryegrass. To explore the effect mechanism of Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES, rhizosphere soil physiochemical properties and rhizosphere soil bacterial properties were determined further. The findings showed that Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES reduced 23.04% Cu, 36.85% Cd, and 9.85% Cr from the rhizosphere soil of ryegrass. Further analysis revealed that soil pH, organic matter, soil enzyme activities, and soil microbial properties were changed with Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES application. Notably, rhizosphere key taxa (Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Patescibacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi, etc.) were significantly enriched in rhizosphere soil of ryegrass, and those taxa abundance were positively correlated with soil heavy metal contents (P < 0.01). Our study also demonstrated that in terms of explaining variations of soil Cu-Cd-Cr content under Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES treatment, soil enzyme activities (catalase and acid phosphatase) and soil microbe properties showed 42.5% and 12.2% contributions value, respectively. Overall, our study provided solid evidence again that Se and Bacillus proteolyticus SES facilitated phytoextraction of soil Cu-Cd-Cr, and elucidated the effect of soil key microorganism and chemical factor.

Measurements of All-Particle Energy Spectrum and Mean Logarithmic Mass of Cosmic Rays from 0.3 to 30 PeV with LHAASO-KM2A

We present the measurements of all-particle energy spectrum and mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays in the energy range of 0.3-30 PeV using data collected from LHAASO-KM2A between September 2021 and December 2022, which is based on a nearly composition-independent energy reconstruction method, achieving unprecedented accuracy. Our analysis reveals the position of the knee at 3.67±0.05±0.15  PeV. Below the knee, the spectral index is found to be -2.7413±0.0004±0.0050, while above the knee, it is -3.128±0.005±0.027, with the sharpness of the transition measured with a statistical error of 2%. The mean logarithmic mass of cosmic rays is almost heavier than helium in the whole measured energy range. It decreases from 1.7 at 0.3 PeV to 1.3 at 3 PeV, representing a 24% decline following a power law with an index of -0.1200±0.0003±0.0341. This is equivalent to an increase in abundance of light components. Above the knee, the mean logarithmic mass exhibits a power law trend towards heavier components, which is reversal to the behavior observed in the all-particle energy spectrum. Additionally, the knee position and the change in power-law index are approximately the same. These findings suggest that the knee observed in the all-particle spectrum corresponds to the knee of the light component, rather than the medium-heavy components.

[Mid-term analysis of prospective cohort study of rivaroxaban in preventing CRT in breast cancer]

Objective: To explore the efficacy and safety of Rivaroxaban in preventing catheter related thrombosis (CRT) in patients with breast cancer who are undergoing central venous catheter chemotherapy, and provide basis for making standardized prevention and treatment strategies. Methods: In this research, a prospective cohort study was adopted, and breast cancer patients who received central venous catheter chemotherapy in Sanhuan Cancer Hospital during September 2020 to March 2022 were selected as a treatment group to take the rivaroxaban anticoagulation therapy with 10 mg.po.qd for one month. The control group got no preventive anticoagulation therapy. Vascular ultrasound examination was taken to confirm the occurrence of CRT, and a chi-square test was done for comparison the disparity between the groups. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the univariate and multivariate factors for the formation of CRT. Results: In the research, a total of 235 patients were selected, and there were a total of 19 035 days of catheterization with 81 days of catheterization on average. While in the control group, the incidence of CRT was 28.0% (33/118), the incidence of CRT in the treatment group was 20.5% (24/117), the difference was no significant (P=0.183). Subgroup analysis results showed that the peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) was performed in 165 cases with the CRT incidence of 18.2% (30/165) and thrombosis was mostly seen around axillary vein, accounting for 63.3%. Subclavian vein catheterization was performed in 63 cases with the CRT incidence of 39.7% (25/63), and thrombosis was mostly seen around subclavian vein, accounting for 88.0% (22/25). Implantable venous access port was implanted in 7 cases around subclavian vein and internal jugular vein with the CRT incidence of 28.6% (2/7). The patients who developed CRT within 30 days after catheterization accounted for 54.4% (31/57), 22.8% (13/57) in a period during 30 days and 60 days) and 22.8% (13/57) in a period during 60 days and 180 days). The diagnosed CRT patients had been treated with rivaroxaban 15 mg.bid.po for 3 months. During the 3 months, 100.0% of the thrombosis waned, 71.9% (41/57) of the thrombosis waned within 30 days, 19.3% (11/57) in a period during 30 and 60days and 8.8% (5/57) in a period during 60 days and 90 days. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that the risk of CRT in subclavian vein catheterization was higher than that in PICC, respectively (OR=2.898, 95% CI:1.386-6.056 P=0.005), and the type of catheterization was an independent factor for the formation of thrombosis. Safety analysis result showed that in the prevention of CRT, rivaroxaban treatment did not induce drug-related bleeding, liver function damage, bone marrow suppression or any other side effects. While CRT diagnosed patients were treated with anticoagulation, they kept the central venous catheter, and the infusion was smooth. These patients all finished the anti-tumor treatment as planned, and no abnormalities like new thrombosis or pulmonary embolism were observed. Conclusions: In the mid-term analysis, the proportion of Rivaroxaban in preventing anticoagulant CRT decreases, but it don't reach statistical significance. The sample size should be further increased for observation. Rivaroxaban is proved effective and very safe in the treatment of CRT, and does not affect the concurrent chemotherapy. Medical personnel should carry out the policy of "early prevention, early detection and early treatment" for CRT so as to improve the patients' quality of life.

Association between insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and its components and lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A growing body of evidence points to the association between insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components and lung cancer incidence, but remains controversial and unknown.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and Wanfang databases for the corresponding studies. Each study reported the risk estimate and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for lung cancer, and a fixed effects model or random effects model was used for outcome.

RESULTS

We included 31 publications involving 6,589,383 people with 62,246 cases of lung cancer. Diabetes mellitus (DM) (RR = 1.11, 95% CI  1.06-1.16, P = 0.000) and IR (RR = 2.35, 95% CI  1.55-3.58, P = 0.000) showed a positive association with lung cancer risk. BMI (RR = 0.66, 95% CI  0.54-0.81, P = 0.000) and HDL-C (RR = 0.88, 95% CI  0.79-0.97, P = 0.010) were negatively correlated with lung cancer. MetS(RR = 0.99, 95% CI  0.90-1.09, P = 0.801), TC (RR = 0.93, 95% CI  0.81-1.06, P = 0.274), TG (RR = 0.99, 95% CI  0.88-1.12,P = 0.884), LDL-C (RR = 1.01, 95% CI  0.87-1.16, P = 0.928), hypertension (RR = 1.01, 95% CI  0.88-1.15, P = 0.928), FBG (RR = 1.02, 95% CI  0.92-1.13, P = 0.677) and obesity (RR = 1.11, 95% CI  0.92-1.35, P = 0.280) were not associated with lung cancer.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that the risk of lung cancer is correlated with DM, IR, BMI, and HDL-C. Timely control of these metabolic disorders may have a positive effect on preventing lung cancer. Trial registration Our study has been registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), ID: CRD42023390710.

Selenium Improves the Control Efficacy of Phytophthora nicotianae by Damaging the Cell Membrane System and Promoting Plant Energy Metabolism

Tobacco black shank (TBS), caused by Phytophthora nicotianae, poses a significant threat to tobacco plants. Selenium (Se), recognized as a beneficial trace element for plant growth, exhibited inhibitory effects on P. nicotianae proliferation, disrupting the cell membrane integrity. This action reduced the energy supply and hindered hyphal transport through membrane proteins, ultimately inducing hyphal apoptosis. Application of 8 mg/L Se through leaf spraying resulted in a notable decrease in TBS incidence. Moreover, Se treatment preserved chloroplast structure, elevated chitinase activities, β-1,3-GA, polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, and increased hormonal content. Furthermore, Se enhanced flavonoid and sugar alcohol metabolite levels while diminishing amino acid and organic acid content. This shift promoted amino acid degradation and flavonoid synthesis. These findings underscore the potential efficacy of Se in safeguarding tobacco and potentially other plants against P. nicotianae.

4-Octyl itaconate alleviates experimental autoimmune prostatitis by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis through activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway

BACKGROUND

Chronic prostatitis demonstrates a prevalence rate of nearly 5%-10% among young and middle-aged individuals, significantly affecting their daily lives. Researchers have obtained significant outcomes investigating the anti-inflammatory properties of itaconic acid (IA) and its derivative, 4-Octyl itaconate (4-OI), against diverse chronic inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis and airway inflammation. Nevertheless, whether IA can also exert anti-inflammatory effects in chronic prostatitis requires extensive research and validation.

METHODS

Human prostate tissues obtained through transurethral prostate resection (TURP) from individuals were divided into three groups based on different levels of inflammation using hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E). Subsequently, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was employed to detect the expression of immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG-1) in these different groups. The animal experiment of this study induced experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) in nonobese diabetic mice through intradermal prostate antigen injection and complete Freund's adjuvant. Then, the experimental group received intraperitoneal injections of different doses of 4-OI, while the control group received injections of saline. Western blot (WB), H&E staining, and TUNEL staining helped analyze the prostate tissues, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) helped evaluate serum inflammatory factors. Reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assessed for oxidative stress across experimental groups.

RESULTS

IHC analysis of human prostate tissue depicts that IRG-1 expression enhances as prostate inflammation worsens, highlighting the critical role of IA in human prostatitis. The application of 4-OI increased Nrf2/HO-1 expression while inhibited NLRP3 expression following the WB results, and its application resulted in a decrease in cell pyroptosis in prostate tissue, demonstrated by the results of TUNEL staining. Administering a Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 1 h before intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg 4-OI reversed the previous conclusion, further confirming the above conclusion from another perspective. Meanwhile, the ELISA results of serum inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), as well as the measurements of oxidative stress markers MDA and SOD, further confirmed the specific anti-inflammatory effects of 4-OI in EAP.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study indicates that 4-OI can alleviates EAP by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis through activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, which may facilitate a novel approach toward prostatitis treatment.

Elevated plasma neurofilament light was associated with multi-modal neuroimaging features in Alzheimer's Disease signature regions and predicted future tau deposition

Background

Neurofilament Light (NfL) is a biomarker for early neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aims to examine the association between plasma NfL and multi-modal neuroimaging features across the AD spectrum and whether NfL predicts future tau deposition.

Methods

The present study recruited 517 participants comprising Aβ negative cognitively normal (CN-) participants (n = 135), CN + participants (n = 64), individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 212), and those diagnosed with AD dementia (n = 106). All the participants underwent multi-modal neuroimaging examinations. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between plasma NfL and multi-modal neuro-imaging features were evaluated using partial correlation analysis and linear mixed effects models. We also used linear regression analysis to investigate the association of baseline plasma NfL with future PET tau load. Mediation analysis was used to explore whether the effect of NfL on cognition was mediated by these MRI markers.

Results

The results showed that baseline NfL levels and the rate of change were associated with Aβ deposition, brain atrophy, brain connectome, glucose metabolism, and brain perfusion in AD signature regions. In both Aβ positive CN and MCI participants, baseline NfL showed a significant predictive value of elevating tau burden in the left medial orbitofrontal cortex and para-hippocampus. Lastly, the multi-modal neuroimaging features mediated the association between plasma NfL and cognitive performance.

Conclusions

The study supports the association between plasma NfL and multi-modal neuroimaging features in AD-vulnerable regions and its predictive value for future tau deposition.

Removal and emission characteristics of hazardous trace elements in total and graded particulate matters: A case study of a typical ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant

Particulate matters (PMs) and hazardous trace elements (HTEs) emitted from coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) have raised serious environmental and human issues. Herein, total PMs and graded PMs including PM<1, PM1-2.5 and PM2.5-10 at the inlet/outlet of air pollution control devices (APCDs) were collected from a representative ultra-low emission (ULE) CFPP in China. The removal efficiencies of total PMs by selective catalytic reduction (SCR), electrostatic precipitator (ESP), wet flue gas desulfurization (WFGD) and wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) were 0.40 %, 99.9 %, 38.1 % and 85.3 %, respectively. PM2.5-10 was robustly removed by WFGD, while PM<1 and PM1-2.5 were readily removed by WESP. The removal efficiencies of As, Cd, Cr and Pb in total PMs by APCDs followed an order: ESP > WESP > WFGD > SCR. SCR significantly decreased Se concentration by 42.8 %, contrasting to the removal of As, Cd, Cr and Pb (10.8-20.8 %). As, Cd, Cr, Pb and Se concentrations in graded PMs at the outlets of ESP, WFGD and WESP decreased with particle size increasing. All As, Cd, Cr, and Pb contents in PM<1, PM1-2.5 and PM2.5-10 at WFGD outlet increased, surpassing their analogues at ESP and WESP outlets. However, the concentration of Se declined in PM<1 at WFGD outlet. The atmospheric emission factors (EFs) of As, Cd, Cr, Pb and Se in the studied ULE CFPP were respectively 7.32, 1.27, 6.05, 122.5 and 6.42 mg/t, in line with Monte Carlo simulations. This study would not only provide a basis for emission control of PMs and HTEs in CFPPs, but also promote the improvement of respective environmental policy.

A rat model established by simulating genetic-environmental interactions recapitulates human Alzheimer's disease pathology

BACKGROUND

In humans, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is typically sporadic in nature, and its pathology is usually influenced by extensive factors. The study established a rat model based on the genetic-environmental interaction.

METHODS

A rat model was established by transduction of an adeno-associated virus combined with acrolein treatment. Rats were assigned to the normal control (NC), acrolein group, AAV (-) group, AAV-APP group, and AAV-APP/acrolein group. The success of model construction was verified in multiple ways, including by assessing cognitive function, examining microstructural changes in the brain in vivo, and performing immunohistochemistry. The contribution of genetic (APP mutation) and environmental (acrolein) factors to AD-like phenotypes in the model was explored by factorial analysis.

RESULTS

1) The AAV-APP/acrolein group showed a decline in cognitive function, as indicated by a reduced gray matter volume in key cognition-related brain areas, lower FA values in the hippocampus and internal olfactory cortex, and Aβ deposition in the cortex and hippocampus. 2) The AAV-APP group also showed a decline in cognitive function, although the group exhibited atypical brain atrophy in the gray matter and insignificant Aβ deposition. 3) The acrolein group did not show any significant changes in Aβ levels, gray matter volume, or cognitive function. 4) The genetic factor (APP mutation) explained 39.74% of the AD-like phenotypes in the model factors, and the environmental factor (acrolein exposure) explained 33.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

The genetic-environmental interaction rat model exhibited a phenotype that resembled the features of human AD and will be useful for research on AD.

[Analysis of distribution characteristics and influencing factors of chord μ in young myopia]

Objective: To explore and analyze the distribution characteristics of chord μ related parameters, as well as the pupil center's relative position to the coaxial corneal light reflex on the corneal surface, and the influencing factors in young myopia. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 761 myopic patients (761 eyes) were collected from March 2021 to December 2021 in the Refractive Surgery Center of Tianjin Eye Hospital, including 388 males and 373 females, with an average age of (24±6) years. The relationship between age, sex, diopter, anterior and posterior corneal surface parameters, and chord μ related parameters was analyzed, including the x and y absolute values of the pupil center, chord μ length, and angle. The normality of the data was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and the influencing factors of chord μ were analyzed through Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The equivalent spherical degree and chord μ length were (-5.47±1.66) D and (0.178±0.095) mm, respectively. The chord μ length followed an approximately normal distribution. The chord μ length of 266 eyes (35%) was distributed in the range of 0.120 to 0.200 mm, while the chord μ length of 479 eyes (63%) was<0.200 mm, and the chord μ length of 620 eyes (81%) was<0.260 mm. The chord μ angle distribution accounted for the largest proportion in the superior nasal quadrant (45.6%), followed by the superior temporal quadrant (34.3%), the inferior temporal quadrant (10.1%), and the inferior nasal quadrant (10.0%). High myopia (r=0.11, P=0.002) and high astigmatism (r=0.08, P=0.023) were associated with an increase in chord μ length. The higher the degree of myopia, the smaller the chord μ angle (r=-0.09, P=0.019). The larger the ISV (r=0.09, P=0.017), IVA (r=0.08, P=0.025), and IHD (r=0.08, P=0.039) on the anterior surface of the cornea, the longer the chord μ length. The higher the astigmatism of the posterior corneal surface, the greater the absolute value of the Y coordinate of the pupil center (r=0.07, P=0.044), and the longer the chord μ length (r=0.08, P=0.035), and the smaller the chord μ angle (r=-0.08, P=0.032). Conclusions: The chord μ length of young myopic individuals in China followed an approximately normal distribution, with the majority located in the superior nasal and superior temporal quadrants. High myopia, high astigmatism, and irregular corneal shape are the main factors related to an increase in chord μ length.

Study on the relation of the solar coronal rotation with magnetic field structures

Daily solar spectral irradiances (SSIs) at the spectral intervals 1-40, 116-264 and 950-1600 nm and four categories of solar small-scale magnetic elements ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) are used to study the temporal variation of coronal rotation and investigate the relation of the coronal rotation with magnetic field structures through continuous wavelet transform and Pearson correlation analysis. The results reveal the contributions of different magnetic structures to the temporal variation of the rotation for the coronal atmosphere during different phases of the solar cycle. During the solar maximum, the temporal variation of rotation for the coronal plasma atmosphere is mainly dominated by the small-scale magnetic elements of [Formula: see text]; whereas during the epochs of the relatively weak solar activity, it is controlled by the joint effect of the small-scale magnetic elements of both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The weaker the solar activity, the stronger the effect of [Formula: see text] would be. Furthermore, this study presents an explanation for the inconsistent results for the coronal rotation issue among the previous studies, and also reveals the reason why the coronal atmosphere rotates faster than the lower photosphere.

Photoswitchable and long-lived seven-membered cyclic singlet diradicals for the bioorthogonal photoclick reaction

Annularly 1,3-localized singlet diradicals are energetic and homolytic intermediates, but commonly too short-lived for widespread utilization. Herein, we describe a direct observation of a long-lived and seven-membered singlet diradical, oxepine-3,6-dione-2,7-diyl (OXPID), via spectroscopic experiments and also theoretical evidence from computational studies, which is generated via photo-induced ring-expansion of 2,3-diaryl-1,4-naphthoquinone epoxide (DNQO). The photo-generated OXPID reverts to the thermally stable σ-bonded DNQO with t1/2 in the μs level, thus constituting a novel class of T-type molecular photoswitches with high light-energy conversion efficiency (η = 7.8-33%). Meanwhile, the OXPID is equilibrated to a seven-membered cyclic 1,3-dipole as an electronic tautomer that can be captured by ring-strained dipolarophiles with an ultrafast cycloaddition rate (k2CA up to 109 M-1 s-1). The T-type photoswitchable DNQO is then exploited to be a highly selective and recyclable photoclick reagent, enabling spatiotemporal-resolved bioorthogonal ligation on living cell membranes via a tailored DNQO-Cy3 probe.

Selenium-induced rhizosphere microorganisms endow salt-sensitive soybeans with salt tolerance

Soil salinization is a prevalent abiotic stress that adversely affects soybean production. Rhizosphere microorganisms have been shown to modulate the rhizosphere microenvironment of plants, leading to improved stress resistance. Selenium is known to optimize the rhizosphere microbial community, however, it remains uncertain whether selenium-induced rhizosphere microorganisms can enhance plant salt tolerance. In this study, we selected two soybean varieties, including salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive, and conducted pot experiments to explore the impact of selenium application on the structure and composition of the rhizosphere microbial community of soybean plants under salt stress. Four salt-tolerant bacteria from salt-tolerant soybean rhizosphere soil fertilized with selenium under salt stress were isolated, and their effects on improving salt tolerance in salt-sensitive soybean were also investigated. Our results showed that selenium application enhanced soybean salt tolerance by optimizing the structure of the plant rhizosphere microbial community and improving soil enzyme activities in both salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive varieties. Moreover, compared with salt-only treatment, inoculation of the four bacteria led to a significant increase in the plant height (7.2%-19.8%), aboveground fresh weight (57.3%-73.5%), SPAD value (8.4%-30.3%), and K+ content (4.5%-12.1%) of salt-sensitive soybean, while reducing the content of proline (84.5%-94%), MDA (26.5%-49.3%), and Na+ (7.1%-21.3%). High-throughput sequencing of the 16 S ribosomal RNA gene indicated that the four bacteria played a crucial role in changing the community structure of salt-sensitive soybean and mitigating the effects of salt stress. This study highlighted the importance of selenium combined with beneficial microorganisms in the plant rhizosphere in alleviating salinity stress.

Description length guided nonlinear unified Granger causality analysis

Most Granger causality analysis (GCA) methods still remain a two-stage scheme guided by different mathematical theories; both can actually be viewed as the same generalized model selection issues. Adhering to Occam's razor, we present a unified GCA (uGCA) based on the minimum description length principle. In this research, considering the common existence of nonlinearity in functional brain networks, we incorporated the nonlinear modeling procedure into the proposed uGCA method, in which an approximate representation of Taylor's expansion was adopted. Through synthetic data experiments, we revealed that nonlinear uGCA was obviously superior to its linear representation and the conventional GCA. Meanwhile, the nonlinear characteristics of high-order terms and cross-terms would be successively drowned out as noise levels increased. Then, in real fMRI data involving mental arithmetic tasks, we further illustrated that these nonlinear characteristics in fMRI data may indeed be drowned out at a high noise level, and hence a linear causal analysis procedure may be sufficient. Next, involving autism spectrum disorder patients data, compared with conventional GCA, the network property of causal connections obtained by uGCA methods appeared to be more consistent with clinical symptoms.

Se Ameliorates Cd Toxicity in Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) Seedlings by Inhibiting Cd Transporter Genes and Maintaining root Plasma Membrane Integrity

Se (Selenium) has been reported to be an important protective agent to decreases Cd (Cadmium) induced toxic in plants. However, it remains unclear how Se mitigates the uptake of Cd and increased the resistance to Cd toxicity. Hydroponic experiments were arranged to investigate the changes of physiological properties, root cell membrane integrity and Cd-related transporter genes in rape seedlings. Comparison of the biomass between the addition of Se and the absence of Se under Cd exposure showed that the Cd-induced growth inhibition of rape seedlings was alleviated by Se. Cd decreased the photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs) and photosynthetic pigment content including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid. However, all these parameters were all significantly improved by Se addition. Moreover, exposure to Se resulted in a decrease in Cd concentration in both shoot and root, ranging from 4.28 to 27.2%. Notably, the application of Se at a concentration of 1 µmol L- 1 exhibited the best performance. Furthermore, Se enhanced cell membrane integrity and reduced superoxide anion levels, thereby contributing to the alleviation of cadmium toxicity in plants. More critically, Se decreased the expression levels of root Cd-related transporter genes BnIRT1, BnHMA2 and BnHMA4 under Cd stress, which are responsible for Cd transport and translocation. These results are important to increase crop growth and reduce Cd load in the food chain from metal toxicity management and agronomical point of view.

A genetically encodable and fluorogenic photo-crosslinker via photo-induced defluorination acyl fluoride exchange

We report a genetically encodable m-trifluoromethylaniline modified L-lysine (m-TFMAK) which defluorinates upon light activation and covalently conjugates to native residues via acyl fluoride exchange. The encoded m-TFMAK photo-crosslinks with temporal controllability, residue selectivity, and fluorogenic tracking features, making it suitable for identifying protein interactions in living systems.

Does invasive acupuncture improve postoperative ileus after colorectal cancer surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Postoperative ileus (POI) is one of the main complications after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, and there is still a lack of effective treatment. At present, the evidence for improvement of POI by invasive acupuncture (manual acupuncture and electroacupuncture, IA) is limited. This meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aims to systematically review and evaluate the effect of IA in improving POI after CRC surgery.

Methods

This meta-analysis was reported according to PRISMA statement and AMSTAR guidelines. The retrieval time was from the inception to February 2023. The RCTs were screened by searching the databases (PubMed, Ovid, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Sinomed Database, and WANFANG). Two independent investigators screened and extracted the data, assessed the risk of bias, and performed statistical analysis. The statistical analysis was carried out by RevMan5.3. The PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews received this research for registration (CRD42023387700).

Results

Thirteen studies with 795 patients were included. In the primary outcome indicators: the IA group had shorter time to the first flauts [stand mean difference (SMD), -0.57; 95% CI, -0.73 to -0.41, p < 0.00001], shorter time to the first defecation [mean difference (MD), -4.92 h, 95% CI -8.10 to -1.74 h, p = 0.002] than the blank/sham stimulation (B/S) group. In the secondary outcome indicators: the IA group had shorter time to the first bowel motion (MD, -6.62 h, 95% CI -8.73 to -4.50 h, p < 0.00001), shorter length of hospital (SMD, -0.40, 95% CI -0.60 to -0.21, p < 0.0001) than the B/S group. In terms of the subgroup analysis: IA associated with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) group had shorter time to the first flauts (MD, -6.41 h, 95% CI -9.34 to -3.49 h, p < 0.0001), shorter time to the first defacation (MD, -6.02 h, 95% CI -9.28 to -2.77 h, p = 0.0003) than ERAS group.

Conclusion

Invasive acupuncture (IA) after CRC surgery, acupuncture or electricacupuncture with a fixed number of times and duration at therapeutic acupoints, can promote the recovery of POI. IA combined with ERAS is better than simple ERAS in improving POI.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=387700, identifier CRD42023387700.

Resolvin D1 Attenuates Inflammation and Pelvic Pain Associated with EAP by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation via the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway

Background

Resolvin D1 (RvD1), a member of the specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators family, has a potent anti-inflammatory effect and alleviates tissue damage. The purpose of the current research was to study the effect of RvD1 on CP/CPPS and the underlying mechanisms using a mouse model of experimental autoimmune prostatitis (EAP) mice.

Materials and Methods

The EAP mouse model was successfully established, and was used to test the therapeutic effect of RvD1. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and dihydroethidium staining were used to evaluate the histological changes and oxidative stress levels of prostate tissues. Chronic pelvic pain was assessed by applying von Frey filaments to the lower abdomen. The superoxide dismutase enzyme and malondialdehyde levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of inflammation-related cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were detected by ELISA.

Results

RvD1 treatment ameliorated prostatic inflammation and the pelvic pain of EAP mice. RvD1 treatment could inhibit activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and oxidative stress. RvD1 treatment could activate Nrf2/HO-1 signaling in mice with EAP. Blockade of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling abolished the RvD1-mediated inhibition of oxidative stress, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and the anti-inflammatory effect of RvD1 in EAP.

Conclusion

RvD1 treatment can reduce inflammatory cell infiltration in prostate tissue and attenuate pelvic pain associated with EAP by inhibiting oxidative stress and NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. These results provide new insights that RvD1 has the potential as an effective agent in the treatment of EAP.

New advances in clinical application of neostigmine: no longer focusing solely on increasing skeletal muscle strength

Neostigmine is a clinical cholinesterase inhibitor, that is, commonly used to enhance the function of the cholinergic neuromuscular junction. Recent studies have shown that neostigmine regulates the immune-inflammatory response through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, affecting perioperative neurocognitive function. This article reviews the relevant research evidence over the past 20 years, intending to provide new perspectives and strategies for the clinical application of neostigmine.

A Lightweight Monocular 3D Face Reconstruction Method Based on Improved 3D Morphing Models

In the past few years, 3D Morphing Model (3DMM)-based methods have achieved remarkable results in single-image 3D face reconstruction. However, high-fidelity 3D face texture generation has been successfully achieved with this method, which mostly uses the power of deep convolutional neural networks during the parameter fitting process, which leads to an increase in the number of network layers and computational burden of the network model and reduces the computational speed. Currently, existing methods increase computational speed by using lightweight networks for parameter fitting, but at the expense of reconstruction accuracy. In order to solve the above problems, we improved the 3D deformation model and proposed an efficient and lightweight network model: Mobile-FaceRNet. First, we combine depthwise separable convolution and multi-scale representation methods to fit the parameters of a 3D deformable model (3DMM); then, we introduce a residual attention module during network training to enhance the network's attention to important features, guaranteeing high-fidelity facial texture reconstruction quality; and, finally, a new perceptual loss function is designed to better address smoothness and image similarity for the smoothing constraints. Experimental results show that the method proposed in this paper can not only achieve high-precision reconstruction under the premise of lightweight, but it is also more robust to influences such as attitude and occlusion.

[Relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque characteristics in magnetic resonance imaging and perioperative hemodynamic instability]

Objective: To analyze the relationship between carotid atherosclerotic plaque characteristics in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and perioperative hemodynamic instability in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis undergoing carotid artery stenting (CAS). Methods: A total of 89 patients with carotid artery stenosis who underwent CAS treatment at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital affiliated to Tsinghua University from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2021, were prospectively included. Among them, 74 were male and 15 were female, with an age range of 43 to 87 years (mean age: 67.8±8.2 years). Preoperative examinations included carotid artery MRI vessel wall imaging to analyze the existence of large lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC), intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and fibrous cap rupture in carotid artery plaques. Plaques without the above-mentioned risk factors were defined as stable plaque group (34 cases), while those with such risk factors were defined as vulnerable plaque group (55 cases). The number of risk factors present in each plaque was also calculated. Intraoperative changes in blood pressure and heart rate were recorded, and the use of dopamine postoperatively was noted. Using the risk factors that the plaque has as independent variables and the clinical outcomes as dependent variables, the RR values were calculated, and the differences in clinical outcomes of patients with different risk factors were compared. Results: The incidence rates of hypotension and bradycardia were higher in patients with vulnerable plaques than those with stable plaques (60.0% (33/55) vs 14.7%(5/34) and 38.2%(21/55) vs 14.7%(5/34), respectively; both P<0.05). Based on MRI imaging features, the large LRNC was present in 45 cases, with RR values for hypotension and bradycardia of 3.15 (1.69-5.87) and 2.20 (1.07-4.53), respectively; IPH was present in 37 cases, with RR values for hypotension and bradycardia of 2.70 (1.61-4.55) and 2.25 (1.15-4.39), respectively; and fibrous cap rupture was present in 29 cases, with RR values for hypotension and bradycardia of 1.50 (0.94-2.40) and 1.29 (0.67-2.49), respectively. The higher the number of risk factors in vulnerable plaques, the higher the incidence of intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate decrease: when the number of risk factors ranged from 0 to 3, the incidence of blood pressure decrease was 14.7% (5/34), 9/18, 11/18, and 13/19, respectively (P<0.001), and the incidence of heart rate decrease was 14.7% (5/34), 6/18, 7/18, and 8/19, respectively (P=0.022). There was no significant difference in the number of cases of dopamine use between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Patients with a higher number of risk factors for vulnerable carotid plaques, as indicated by carotid artery MRI vessel wall imaging, are at a higher risk of experiencing blood pressure and heart rate decrease during CAS surgery.

Selenium-mediated Cr(VI) reduction and SeNPs synthesis accelerated Bacillus cereus SES to remediate Cr contamination

Microbial biotransformation of Cr(VI) is a sustainable approach to reduce Cr(VI) toxicity and remediate Cr(VI) contamination. In this study, Bacillus cereus SES with the capability of reducing both Cr(VI) and Se(IV) was isolated, and the effect of Se supplementation on Cr(VI) reduction by Bacillus cereus SES was investigated. Se(IV) addition enabled 2.6-fold faster Cr(VI) reduction, while B. cereus SES reduced 96.96% Se(IV) and produced more selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in the presence of Cr(VI). Co-reduction products of B. cereus SES on Cr(VI) and Se(IV) were SeNPs adsorbed with Cr(III). The relevant mechanisms were further revealed by proteomics. Se(IV) supplementation mediated the synthesis of Cr(VI) reductants and stress-resistant substances, thus enhancing Cr(VI) resistance and promoting Cr(VI) reduction. Meanwhile, high Se(IV) reduction rate was associated with Cr(VI)-induced electron transport processes, and Cr(VI) mediated the up-regulation of flagellar assembly, protein export and ABC transporters pathways to synthesis and export more SeNPs. Furthermore, Se combined with B. cereus SES had the potential to reduce the toxicity of Cr(VI) via reducing the bioavailability of Cr and improving the bioavailability of Se in soil. Results suggested that Se could be an efficient strategy to enhance the remediation of B. cereus SES on Cr contamination.

Chromium in Chinese coals: geochemistry and environmental impacts associated with coal-fired power plants

Chromium (Cr), one of the prime hazardous trace elements in coals, may engender adverse effects on eco-environment and threaten human health during utilization of coal. Based on the samples obtained in our laboratory and published literature, the abundance and modes of occurrence of Cr in Chinese coals, and the environmental impacts associated with coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) were elucidated in this study. With a total of 1397 sets of data, the mean concentration of Cr in Chinese coals was calculated as 21.33 μg/g by the "reserve-concentration" weighted calculation method. Spatially, the average Cr contents increased gradually from North China to South China. Temporally, coals from T₃, E-N and P₂ were relatively enriched in Cr compared to the other geological time. The Cr concentration in coal varied with different coal ranks. The geological factors accounted for Cr enrichment in coals could be divided into the primary, secondary and epigenetic processes. Higher percentages of organically Cr occurred in low-rank coals, while inorganically associated Cr was mainly found in clay minerals. After coal combustion, most of Cr was enriched in solid wastes (e.g., fly ash and bottom ash). The leaching of Cr from solid wastes in the rainy season (especially acid rain) needs to be a concern for CFPPs. It was estimated that the atmospheric emission of Cr from CFPPs increased annually from 2015 to 2019 and reached approximately 159 tons in 2019.

Feasibility and safety of bipolar-plasmakinetic transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate in day surgery mode

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility and safety of bipolar-plasmakinetic transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate (B-TUERP) in day surgery.

METHODS

From January 2021 to August 2022, 34 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) underwent B-TUERP in day surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. Patients completed the screening and anesthesia evaluation before admission and received the standard surgery which implements "anatomical enucleation of the prostate" and "absolute bleeding control" on the same day of admission, and by the same doctor. Bladder irrigation was stopped, catheter was removed and the discharge evaluation was performed on the first day after operation. The baseline data, perioperative conditions, time of recovery, treatment outcomes, hospitalization costs, and postoperative complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

All operations were successfully conducted. The average age of the patients was (62.2±7.8) years, average prostate volume was (50.2±29.3) mL. The average operation time was (36.5±19.1) min, the average hemoglobin and blood sodium were decreased by (16.2±7.1) g/L and (2.2±2.0) mmol/L, respectively. The average postoperative length of hospital stay, and total length of hospital stay were (17.7±2.2) and (20.8±2.1) h, respectively, and the average hospitalization cost was (13 558±2320) CNY. All patients were discharged on the day after surgery except for one patient who was transferred to a general ward. Three patients received indwelling catheterization after catheter removal. The 3-month follow-up results showed a substantial improvement in the International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life score and maximum urinary flow rate (all P<0.01). Three patients experienced temporary urinary incontinence, 1 patient experienced urinary tract infection, 4 patients were diagnosed with urethral stricture and 2 patients experienced bladder neck contracture. No complications above Clavien grade Ⅱ occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The preliminary results showed that B-TUERP ambulatory surgery is a safe, feasible, economical and effective treatment for appropriately selected patients with BPH.

Selenium and Bacillus proteolyticus SES synergistically enhanced ryegrass to remediate Cu-Cd-Cr contaminated soil

Heavy metal compound contaminated soil is an ecological threat, and soil containing copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) simultaneously is widely distributed. The application of phytoremediation in heavy metal combined contamination is still limited. In this study, to explore whether and how exogenous selenium (Se) and Bacillus proteolyticus SES enhance the remediation of combined Cu-Cd-Cr contaminated soil by ryegrass, pot experiments were carried out. Se alone or in combination with B. proteolyticus SES treatment increased the removal rates of heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil by 17.38%-157.25% relative to the control, while Se + B. proteolyticus SES treatment played a greater role in improving the heavy metals tolerance of ryegrass and increasing the activity of soil acid phosphatase. Moreover, Se and B. proteolyticus SES favored the preferential recruitment of specific taxa with the capacity of plant growth promotion and heavy metals resistance to the rhizosphere. The rhizosphere soil of Se treatment was specifically enriched with Lysobacter, Rhodanobacter, Micrococcales, Paenarthrobacter, and Adhaeribacter, while from class Bacilli to genus Bacillus enriched extensively and specifically in the rhizosphere of B. proteolyticus SES + Se treatment. Furthermore, five functional beneficial rhizosphere microbes including: Microbacterium sp., Pseudomonas extremaustralis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Priestia megaterium, and Bacillus subtilis were isolated from the two treatments with the best remediation effect and synthetic communities (SynComs) were constructed. SynComs inoculation experiment further demonstrated the role of specific beneficial microbes in regulating the bioavailability of heavy metals. Results revealed that Se supplementation efficiently facilitated the phytoextraction of combined Cu-Cd-Cr contaminated soil, and B. proteolyticus SES inoculation showed the synergistical enhancement effect in the presence of Se.

Photo-induced defluorination acyl fluoride exchange as a fluorogenic photo-click reaction for photo-affinity labeling

Photo-click chemistry has emerged as a powerful tool for revolutionizing bioconjugation technologies in pharmacological and various biomimetic applications. However, enriching the photo-click reactions to expand the bioconjugation toolkit remains challenging, especially when focusing on spatiotemporal control endowed by light activation. Herein, we describe a photo-induced defluorination acyl fluoride exchange (photo-DAFEx) as a novel type of photo-click reaction that is mediated through acyl fluorides produced by the photo-defluorination of m-trifluoromethylaniline to covalently conjugate with primary/secondary amines and thiols in an aqueous environment. (TD)-DFT calculations, together with experimental discovery, indicate that the m-NH2PhF2C(sp3)-F bond in the excited triplet state is cleaved by water molecules, which is key to inducing defluorination. Intriguingly, the benzoyl amide linkages built by this photo-click reaction exhibited a satisfactory fluorogenic performance, which allowed visualization of its formation in situ. Accordingly, this photo-controlled covalent strategy was exploited not only for the decoration of small molecules, peptide cyclization and functionalization of proteins in vitro, but also for designing photo-affinity probes targeting endogenous carbonic anhydrase II (hCA-II) in living cells.

Photoswitchable Oxidopyrylium Ylide for Photoclick Reaction with High Spatiotemporal Precision: A Dynamic Switching Strategy to Compensate for Molecular Diffusion

We describe a novel type of photoclick reaction between 2,3-diaryl indenone epoxide (DIO) and ring-strained dipolarophiles, in which DIO serves as a P-type photoswitch to produce mesoionic oxidopyrylium ylide (PY) to initiate an ultra-fast [5+2] cycloaddition (k_2hν =1.9×10⁵  M^-1  s^-1 ). The photoisomerization between DIO and PY can be tightly controlled by either 365 or 520 nm photo-stimulation, which allows reversion or regeneration of the reactive PY dipole on demand. Thus, this reversible photoactivation was exploited to increase the chemoselectivity of the [5+2] cycloaddition in complex environments via temporal dual-λ stimulation sequences and to recycle the DIO reagent for batch-wise protein conjugation. A dynamic photoswitching strategy is also proposed to compensate for molecular diffusion of PY in aqueous solution, enhancing the spatial resolution of lithographic surface decoration and bioorthogonal labeling on living cells via a spatiotemporal dual-λ photo-modulation.

Shorter TR combined with finer atlas positively modulate topological organization of brain network: A resting state fMRI study

BACKGROUND

The use of shorter TR and finer atlases in rs-fMRI can provide greater detail on brain function and anatomy. However, there is limited understanding of the effect of this combination on brain network properties.

METHODS

A study was conducted with 20 healthy young volunteers who underwent rs-fMRI scans with both shorter (0.5s) and long (2s) TR. Two atlases with different degrees of granularity (90 vs 200 regions) were used to extract rs-fMRI signals. Several network metrics, including small-worldness, Cp, Lp, Eloc, and Eg, were calculated. Two-factor ANOVA and two-sample t-tests were conducted for both the single spectrum and five sub-frequency bands.

RESULTS

The network constructed using the combination of shorter TR and finer atlas showed significant enhancements in Cp, Eloc, and Eg, as well as reductions in Lp and γ in both the single spectrum and subspectrum (p < 0.05, Bonferroni correction). Network properties in the 0.082-0.1 Hz frequency range were weaker than those in the 0.01-0.082 Hz range.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that the use of shorter TR and finer atlas can positively affect the topological characteristics of brain networks. These insights can inform the development of brain network construction methods.

A facile and light-controllable drug combination for enhanced photopharmacology

We investigated the feasibility of creating cyclic azobenzene/azobenzene-based photo-switchable drugs that can fine-tune antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) with light dependence. Furthermore, a "light-controlled drug combination" of these obtained drugs could be reversibly controlled to efficiently improve the antibiotic effect so as to reduce the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) with different wavelength light illumination. Importantly, their antimicrobial activity could be easily manipulated by using light in bacterial patterning studies with high spatiotemporal precision, which might allow for localized activation of drugs and provide an alternative solution for practical clinical application in photopharmacology.

Photo-regulated genetic encoding of dibenzo[c,g][1,2]diazocine on proteins via configuration switching

We report two evolved Methanosarcina mazei pyrrolysine tRNA synthetases to genetically incorporate the isomers of dibenzo[c,g][1,2]diazocine-alanine (DBDAA) into proteins either in the dark or under regulation of 405 nm photo-stimulation. The genetic-encoded DBDAA realizes photo-tuning of enzymatic activity via the host-guest recognition of cucurbit[7]uril.

[The expression and significance of protease activated receptor 2 in ovarian epithelial carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the expression and significance of protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) in ovarian epithelial carcinoma. Methods: PAR2 mRNA expression levels in 410 cases of epithelial ovarian carcinoma and 88 cases of human normal ovary were analyzed from cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and tissue genotypic expression database (GTEx). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of PAR2 protein was performed in 149 patients with ovarian cancer who underwent primary surgical treatment at Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Then the relationship between mRNA/protein expression of PAR2 and clinicopathological features and prognosis was analyzed. Gene functions and related signaling pathways involved in PAR2 were studied by enrichment analysis. Results: The mRNA expression of PAR2 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma was significantly higher than that in normal ovarian tissue (3.05±0.72 vs. 0.33±0.16, P=0.004). There were 77 cases showing positive and 19 showing strong positive of PAR2 IHC staining among the 149 patients, accounting for 64.4% in total. PAR2 mRNA/protein expression was closely correlated with tumor reduction effect and initial therapeutic effect (P<0.05). Survival analysis showed that the progression free survival time (P=0.033) and overall survival time (P=0.011) in the group with high PAR2 mRNA expression was significantly lower than that in the low PAR2 mRNA group. Multivariate analysis showed tumor reduction effect, initial therapeutic effect were independent prognostic factors on both progression-free survival and overall survival (P<0.05). The progression-free survival (P=0.016) and overall survival (P=0.038) of the PAR2 protein high expression group was significantly lower than that of the low group. Multivariate analysis showed PAR2 expression, initial treatment effect and chemotherapy resistance were independent prognostic factors on both progression-free survival and overall survival (P<0.05). Based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), PAR2 target genes were mainly enriched in function related to intercellular connection, accounting for 40%. Gene enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (P=0.023), the MAPK signaling pathway (P=0.029) and glycolysis related pathway (P=0.018) were enriched in ovarian cancer patients with high PAR2 mRNA expression. Conclusions: PAR2 expression is closely related to tumor reduction effect, initial treatment effect and survival of ovarian cancer patients. PAR2 may be involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and intercellular connection promoting ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis.

Five genes as diagnostic biomarkers of dermatomyositis and their correlation with immune cell infiltration

Background

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by severe muscle dysfunction, and the immune response of the muscles plays an important role in the development of DM. Currently, the diagnosis of DM relies on symptoms, physical examination, and biopsy techniques. Therefore, we used machine learning algorithm to screen key genes, and constructed and verified a diagnostic model composed of 5 key genes. In terms of immunity, The relationship between 5 genes and immune cell infiltration in muscle samples was analyzed. These diagnostic and immune-cell-related genes may contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of DM.

Methods

GSE5370 and GSE128470 datasets were utilised from the Gene Expression Omnibus database as DM test sets. And we also used R software to merge two datasets and to analyze the results of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and functional correlation analysis. Then, we could detect diagnostic genes adopting least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression and support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) analyses. The validity of putative biomarkers was assessed using the GSE1551 dataset, and we confirmed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values. Finally, CIBERSORT was used to evaluate immune cell infiltration in DM muscles and the correlations between disease-related biomarkers and immune cells.

Results

In this study, a total of 414 DEGs were screened. ISG15, TNFRSF1A, GUSBP11, SERPINB1 and PTMA were identified as potential DM diagnostic biomarkers(AUC > 0.85),and the expressions of 5 genes in DM group were higher than that in healthy group (p < 0.05). Immune cell infiltration analyses indicated that identified DM diagnostic biomarkers may be associated with M1 macrophages, activated NK cells, Tfh cells, resting NK cells and Treg cells.

Conclusion

The study identified that ISG15, TNFRSF1A, GUSBP11, SERPINB1 and PTMA as potential diagnostic biomarkers of DM and these genes were closely correlated with immune cell infiltration.This will contribute to future studies in diagnosis and treatment of DM.

Rapid Construction of Bicyclic Triazoline Skeletons with Dual-State Emission via Cycloaddition Reaction of 4-Phenyl-1,2,4-Triazoline-3,5-Dione with Vinyl Azides

Herein, a novel metal-free strategy for construction deep-blue emissive bicyclic triazoline has been developed via cycloaddition reaction (up to 134 M-1s-1) of 4-Phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (PTAD) with vinyl azides. Bicyclic triazoline frameworks...

Speciation, bioaccessibility and human health risk assessment of chromium in solid wastes from an ultra-low emission coal-fired power plant, China

Chromium (Cr) in solid wastes from ultra-low emission (ULE) coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) could engender adverse effects on environment and human health. Hence, solid waste samples containing bottom ash, fly ash, gypsum and sludge were collected from a typical ULE CFPP in China to study the distribution, speciation, bioaccessibility and human health risk of Cr. The results showed that Cr was depleted in gypsum, whereas significantly enriched in bottom ash, fly ash and sludge comparing with feed coal. The ratios of Cr(VI) to total Cr in solid wastes were relatively low, but the increase of flow fractions in Cr chemical binding forms implied the deterioration of environmental stability. Based on the in vitro simulated digestion methods of solubility bioavailability research consortium (SBRC) and physiologically based extraction test (PBET), the bioaccessibility of Cr in the gastric and intestinal phases reached the highest values in either gypsum or sludge. After incorporating bioaccessibility in human health risk assessment, the carcinogenic risk (CR) within acceptable limits of Cr in solid wastes to adults and children was concluded, with the non-carcinogenic hazard quotient (HQ) was all within the safety threshold. The Monte Carlo model was applied to evaluate the uncertainty analysis of human health risk assessment at 5% and 95% confidence interval, and the fitting results were consistent with the calculation results of the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk for adults and children. This study is expected to provide insights for the integration of bioaccessibility into the health risk assessment of Cr in solid wastes from ULE CFPPs, thus is conducive to the disposal of solid wastes and human health protection.

Method for demodulating the overlapping absorption spectra of CO and CH4

When measuring the concentrations of individual gases in gas mixtures via laser absorption spectroscopy, the widening of adjacent absorption spectral lines can cause them to overlap, which hinders the calculation of the gas concentrations. In this study, the causes of this hindrance are analyzed. By using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) algorithm, the relative error in the measured CO concentration for a mixture of CO and CH₄ gases was less than 10% even when the volume ratio V_CH4/CO (The ratio of CH₄ gas concentration to CO gas concentration) reached 100. These results show that the PLS algorithm is able to determine accurate concentrations even with significant broadening and interference of spectral lines in mixed gases.

Selenium Improved Phenylacetic Acid Content in Oilseed Rape and Thus Enhanced the Prevention of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by Dimethachlon

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a broad-spectrum necrotrophic phytopathogen that can infect many plant species worldwide. The application of fungicides is a common measure for controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Due to the risk of developing resistance to fungicides, it is imperative to find ways to be environmentally friendly and even effective. Using bioactive compounds in plants to reduce the amounts of fungicides has become a clean and sustainable strategy of controlling Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Our study found that selenium in soil mediated the phenylacetic acid-related metabolic pathway in oilseed rape and reduced the incidence rate of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The growth-inhibition rates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were observed at 25.82%, 19.67%, and 52.61% for treatments of 0.8 mg·L-1 dimethachlon, 0.1 mg·mL-1 phenylacetic acid, and dimethachlon (0.8 mg·L-1) + phenylacetic acid (0.1 mg·mL-1), respectively. Phenylacetic acid reduced the application amount of dimethachlon and enhanced the inhibition effect for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Results also suggested that phenylacetic acid severely damaged the morphological structure, changed the electrical conductivity, and reduced the capacity of acid production and oxalic acid secretion of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum mycelium. Further studies revealed that phenylacetic acid increased the gene-expression level of Ssodc1, Ssodc2, CWDE2 and CWDE10 in mycelium while decreasing the expression level of SsGgt1, and phenylacetic acid + dimethachlon reduced the relative expression level of SsBil. These findings verified that phenylacetic acid could partially replace the amount of dimethachlon, as well as enhance the prevention of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum by dimethachlon, which provides evidence for developing an environment-friendly method for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum control.

Fruit Characteristics of Citrus Trees Grown under Different Soil Cu Levels

The effects of the increased soil copper (Cu) on fruit quality due to the overuse of Cu agents have been a hot social issue. Seven representative citrus orchards in Guangxi province, China, were investigated to explore the fruit quality characteristics under different soil Cu levels and the relationship between soil-tree Cu and fruit quality. These results showed that pericarp color a value, titratable acid (TA), and vitamin C (Vc) were higher by 90.0, 166.6, and 22.4% in high Cu orchards and by 50.5, 204.2, and 55.3% in excess Cu orchards, compared with optimum Cu orchards. However, the ratio of total soluble solids (TSS)/TA was lower by 68.7% in high Cu orchards and by 61.6% in excess Cu orchards. With the increase of soil Cu concentrations, pericarp color a value and Vc were improved, TA with a trend of rising first then falling, and TSS/TA with a trend of falling first then rising were recorded. As fruit Cu increased, pericarp color a value and TSS reduced and as leaf Cu increased, TSS/TA decreased while Vc was improved. Moreover, a rise in soil Cu enhanced leaf Cu accumulation, and a rise in leaf Cu improved fruit Cu accumulation. Fruit Cu accumulation reduced fruit quality by direct effects, leaf Cu improved fruit quality by direct and indirect effects. Soil Cu affected fruit quality by indirect effects by regulating leaf Cu and fruit Cu. Therefore, reasonable regulation and control of soil Cu concentrations can effectively increase pericarp color, sugar, and acid accumulation in citrus fruit.

Identification and picking point positioning of tender tea shoots based on MR3P-TS model

Tea is one of the most common beverages in the world. In order to reduce the cost of artificial tea picking and improve the competitiveness of tea production, this paper proposes a new model, termed the Mask R-CNN Positioning of Picking Point for Tea Shoots (MR3P-TS) model, for the identification of the contour of each tea shoot and the location of picking points. In this study, a dataset of tender tea shoot images taken in a real, complex scene was constructed. Subsequently, an improved Mask R-CNN model (the MR3P-TS model) was built that extended the mask branch in the network design. By calculating the area of multiple connected domains of the mask, the main part of the shoot was identified. Then, the minimum circumscribed rectangle of the main part is calculated to determine the tea shoot axis, and to finally obtain the position coordinates of the picking point. The MR3P-TS model proposed in this paper achieved an mAP of 0.449 and an F2 value of 0.313 in shoot identification, and achieved a precision of 0.949 and a recall of 0.910 in the localization of the picking points. Compared with the mainstream object detection algorithms YOLOv3 and Faster R-CNN, the MR3P-TS algorithm had a good recognition effect on the overlapping shoots in an unstructured environment, which was stronger in both versatility and robustness. The proposed method can accurately detect and segment tea bud regions in real complex scenes at the pixel level, and provide precise location coordinates of suggested picking points, which should support the further development of automated tea picking machines.

[Comparison of application effects of colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical test and a novel risk-adapted screening approach in colorectal cancer screening in Xuzhou population]

Objective: To compare the application effect of the colonoscopy, fecal immunochemical test (FIT) and novel risk-adapted screening approach in colorectal cancer screening in Xuzhou population. Methods: From May 2018 to April 2019, 4 280 subjects aged 50-74 were recruited from Gulou district, Yunlong district and Quanshan district of Xuzhou. They were randomly assigned to the colonoscopy group (n=863), FIT group (n=1 723) and novel risk-adapted screening approach group (n=1 694) according to the ratio of 1∶2∶2. For the novel risk-adapted screening approach group, after the risk assessment, high-risk subjects were invited to undergo colonoscopy and low-risk subjects were invited to undergo FIT examination. All FIT positive subjects were invited to undergo colonoscopy. Colonoscopy participation rate [(the number of colonoscopies completed/the number of colonoscopies invited to participate)×100%], detection rate of colorectal lesions [(the number of diagnosed patients/the number of colonoscopies completed)×100%], colonoscopy resource load (the number of colonoscopies completed/the number of diagnosed advanced tumors) and FIT resource load in each group were calculated and compared. Results: The age of all subjects was (61±6) years old, including 1 816 males (42.43%). There was no statistically significant difference in the socio-demographic characteristics of the subjects in different screening groups. The colonoscopy participation rate was 22.60% (195/863) in the colonoscopy group, 57.04% (77/135) in the FIT group, and 33.94% (149/439) in the novel risk-adapted screening approach group, respectively. The colonoscopy participation rate was higher in the FIT group than in the colonoscopy group and the novel risk-adapted screening approach group (P<0.001). The colonoscopy participation rate of novel risk-adapted screening group was significantly higher than the colonoscopy group (P<0.001). The detection rates of advanced tumors were 6.67% (13/195), 9.09% (7/77) and 8.72% (13/149), respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The colonoscopy resource load (95%CI) was 15 (13-17) in the colonoscopy group, 11 (9-14) in the FIT group and 11 (10-13) in the novel risk-adapted screening approach group, respectively. Among them, the colonoscopy resource load of high-risk individuals in the novel risk-adapted screening approach group was 12 (9-15). FIT resource loads (95%CI) were 207 (196-218) and 88 (83-94) in the FIT group and the novel risk-adapted screening approach group. Conclusion: The combined application of risk-adapted screening approach and FIT may have a good application effect in colorectal cancer screening.

Selenium Combined with Methyl Jasmonate to Control Tomato Gray Mold by Optimizing Microbial Community Structure in Plants

Tomato cultivation is seriously affected by infection from Botrytis cinerea. The safe and effective control of tomato gray mold remains elusive. Plant-related microbial communities regulate not only plant metabolism but also plant immune systems. In this study, we observed that Selenium application in soil combined with foliar spraying of methyl jasmonate could reduce Botrytis cinerea infection in tomato fruits and leaves and improve tomato fruit quality. The infection rate of leaves decreased from 42.19% to 25.00%, and the vitamin C content increased by 22.14%. The bacterial community structure of the tomato was studied by using amplicon sequencing technology. The leaf bacterial alpha diversity of tomatoes treated with Se plus methyl jasmonate was significantly higher than that of the control. Then we isolated five strains antagonistic to Botrytis cinerea in vitro from tomato leaves in the treatment of Se plus methyl jasmonate. The antagonistic strains were identified as Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus velezensis. Spraying mixed antagonistic strain suspension significantly inhibited the diameter of Botrytis cinerea with an inhibition rate of 40.99%. This study revealed the key role of plant-beneficial bacteria recruited by Se combined with methyl jasmonate in improving tomato plant disease resistance. These findings may benefit our understanding of the new regulation of microorganisms on Botrytis cinerea.