[Clinical application of a novel separated magnetic controlled forceps assisted single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy]

Objective: To explore the application value of a novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps in transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC). Methods: This is a prospective case series study. Data from patients who underwent SILC at the Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from March to August 2023 were prospectively collected, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients underwent cholecystectomy assisted by a novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, the need for additional incisions during surgery, and the length of hospital stay were recorded to assess surgical difficulty and effectiveness. Postoperative pain scores and complications were documented to evaluate the safety of the procedure. The collaboration experience of the surgeon and assistant was evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale to assess the feasibility of this surgical approach. Informed consent was obtained from all patients in accordance with medical ethical regulations. Patients were followed up through outpatient visits or telephone calls, with follow-up at 7 days and 1 month after surgery, and evaluation of incisional scar healing and completion of satisfaction questionnaires. Follow-up was conducted until September 30, 2023. Results: A total of 45 patients were included in the study,including 19 males and 26 females,aged (42.7±4.2)years(range:32 to 61 years). The difficulty of the operation was evaluated as grade 1 or 2 in 38 cases(84.4%) and grade 3 in 7 cases(15.6%). Operation time was (37.3±5.3) minutes(range: 25 to 80 minutes),and intraoperative blood loss(M(IQR)) was 17.8(35.0) ml (range:10 to 60 ml). All surgical procedures proceeded smoothly without intraoperative incidents, and the overall satisfaction of the surgeon and assistants was high. All patients underwent successful day surgery management and were discharged within 48 hours of hospitalization. The postoperative pain scores at 1, 7, and 30 days were 3 (4), 1 (3), and 0 (2), respectively. The follow-up time was 5.0(2.2) weeks (range: 3 to 7 weeks), with no occurrence of grade 3 to 4 adverse reactions, and the patients were satisfied with the cosmetic effect of the umbilical incision. Conclusions: The novel separated magnetic-controlled forceps can be applied in transumbilical SILC. It has the advantages of convenient operation, and patients are satisfied with the surgical results.

Functional divergences of natural variations of TaNAM-A1 in controlling leaf senescence during wheat grain filling

Leaf senescence is an essential physiological process related to grain yield potential and nutritional quality. Green leaf duration (GLD) after anthesis directly reflects the leaf senescence process and exhibits large genotypic differences in common wheat; however, the underlying gene regulatory mechanism is still lacking. Here, we identified TaNAM-A1 as the causal gene of the major loci qGLD-6A for GLD during grain filling by map-based cloning. Transgenic assays and TILLING mutant analyses demonstrated that TaNAM-A1 played a critical role in regulating leaf senescence, and also affected spike length and grain size. Furthermore, the functional divergences among the three haplotypes of TaNAM-A1 were systematically evaluated. Wheat varieties with TaNAM-A1d (containing two mutations in the coding DNA sequence of TaNAM-A1) exhibited a longer GLD and superior yield-related traits compared to those with the wild type TaNAM-A1a. All three haplotypes were functional in activating the expression of genes involved in macromolecule degradation and mineral nutrient remobilization, with TaNAM-A1a showing the strongest activity and TaNAM-A1d the weakest. TaNAM-A1 also modulated the expression of the senescence-related transcription factors TaNAC-S-7A and TaNAC016-3A. TaNAC016-3A enhanced the transcriptional activation ability of TaNAM-A1a by protein-protein interaction, thereby promoting the senescence process. Our study offers new insights into the fine-tuning of the leaf functional period and grain yield formation for wheat breeding under various geographical climatic conditions.

TaLBD41 interacts with TaNAC2 to regulate nitrogen uptake and metabolism in response to nitrate availability

Nitrate is the main source of nitrogen (N) available to plants and also is a signal that triggers complex regulation of transcriptional networks to modulate a wide variety of physiological and developmental responses in plants. How plants adapt to soil nitrate fluctuations is a complex process involving a fine-tuned response to nitrate provision and N starvation, the molecular mechanisms of which remain largely uncharted. Here, we report that the wheat transcription factor TaLBD41 interacts with the nitrate-inducible transcription factor TaNAC2 and is repressed by nitrate provision. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and dual-luciferase system show that the TaLBD41-NAC2 interaction confers homeostatic coordination of nitrate uptake, reduction, and assimilation by competitively binding to TaNRT2.1, TaNR1.2, and TaNADH-GOGAT. Knockdown of TaLBD41 expression enhances N uptake and assimilation, increases spike number, grain yield, and nitrogen harvest index under different N supply conditions. We also identified an elite haplotype of TaLBD41-2B associated with increased spike number and grain yield. Our study uncovers a novel mechanism underlying the interaction between two transcription factors in mediating wheat adaptation to nitrate availability by antagonistically regulating nitrate uptake and assimilation, providing a potential target for designing varieties with efficient N use in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

Global burden and inequality of maternal and neonatal disorders: based on data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study

BACKGROUND

Maternal and neonatal disorders account for substantial health loss across the lifespan from early childhood. These problems may be related to health inequality.

AIM

To provide evidence for improvement in health policies regarding maternal and neonatal disorder inequity.

DESIGN

This was a population-based cross-sectional study based on 2019 Global Burden of Disease data.

METHODS

Annual cases and age-standardized rates (ASRs) of incidence, prevalence, death, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in maternal and neonatal disorders between 1990 and 2019 were collected from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study. Concentration curves and concentration indices were used to summarize the degree of socioeconomic-related inequality.

RESULTS

For maternal disorders, the global ASRs of incidence, prevalence, death and DALYs were 2889.4 (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 2562.9-3251.9), 502.9 (95% UI 418.7-598.0), 5.0 (95% UI 4.4-5.8) and 324.9 (95% UI 284.0-369.1) per 100 000 women in 2019, respectively. The ASRs of maternal disorders were all obviously reduced and remained pro-poor from 1990 to 2019. In neonatal disorders, the global ASRs of incidence, prevalence, death and DALYs were 363.3 (95% UI 334.6-396.8), 1239.8 (95% UI 1142.1-1356.7), 29.1 (95% UI 24.8-34.5) and 2828.3 (95% UI 2441.6-3329.6) per 100 000 people in 2019, respectively. The global ASRs of incidence, death and DALYs in neonatal disorders have remained pro-poor. However, the socioeconomic-related fairness in the ASR of neonatal disorder prevalence is being levelled.

CONCLUSIONS

The global burden of maternal and neonatal disorders has remained high, and socioeconomic-related inequality (pro-poor) tended not to change between 1990 and 2019.

Optimal computed tomography-based biomarkers for prediction of incisional hernia formation

PURPOSE

Unstructured data are an untapped source for surgical prediction. Modern image analysis and machine learning (ML) can harness unstructured data in medical imaging. Incisional hernia (IH) is a pervasive surgical disease, well-suited for prediction using image analysis. Our objective was to identify optimal biomarkers (OBMs) from preoperative abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) imaging which are most predictive of IH development.

METHODS

Two hundred and twelve rigorously matched colorectal surgery patients at our institution were included. Preoperative abdominopelvic CT scans were segmented to derive linear, volumetric, intensity-based, and textural features. These features were analyzed to find a small subset of OBMs, which are maximally predictive of IH. Three ML classifiers (Ensemble Boosting, Random Forest, SVM) trained on these OBMs were used for prediction of IH.

RESULTS

Altogether, 279 features were extracted from each CT scan. The most predictive OBMs found were: (1) abdominopelvic visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume, normalized for height; (2) abdominopelvic skeletal muscle tissue volume, normalized for height; and (3) pelvic VAT volume to pelvic outer aspect of body wall skeletal musculature (OAM) volume ratio. Among ML prediction models, Ensemble Boosting produced the best performance with an AUC of 0.85, accuracy of 0.83, sensitivity of 0.86, and specificity of 0.81.

CONCLUSION

These OBMs suggest increased intra-abdominopelvic volume/pressure as the salient pathophysiologic driver and likely mechanism for IH formation. ML models using these OBMs are highly predictive for IH development. The next generation of surgical prediction will maximize the utility of unstructured data using advanced image analysis and ML.

Input-output relation of midbrain connectomics in a rodent model of depression

BACKGROUND

The symptoms associated with depression are believed to arise from disruptions in information processing across brain networks. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) influences reward-based behavior, motivation, addiction, and psychiatric disorders, including depression. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB), is an emerging therapy for treatment-resistant depression. Understanding the depression associated anatomical networks crucial for comprehending its antidepressant effects.

METHODS

Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL), a rodent model of depression and Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 10 each) were used in this study. We used monosynaptic tracing to map inputs of VTA efferent neurons: VTA-to-NAc nucleus accumbens (NAc) (both core and shell) and VTA-to-prefrontal cortex (PFC). Quantitative analysis explored afferent diversity and strengths.

RESULTS

VTA efferent neurons receive a variety of afferents with varying input weights and predominant neuromodulatory representation. Notably, NAc-core projecting VTA neurons showed stronger afferents from dorsal raphe, while NAc shell-projecting VTA neurons displayed lower input strengths from cortex, thalamus, zona incerta and pretectal area in FSL rats. NAc shell-projecting VTA neurons showed the most difference in connectivity across the experimental groups.

LIMITATIONS

Lack of functional properties of the anatomical connections is the major limitation of this study. Incomplete labeling and the cytotoxicity of the rabies virus should be made aware of.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings provide the first characterization of inputs to different VTA ascending projection neurons, shedding light on critical differences in the connectome of the midbrain-forebrain system. Moreover, these differences support potential network effects of these circuits in the context of MFB DBS neuromodulation for depression.

Epigenetic modifications regulate cultivar-specific root development and metabolic adaptation to nitrogen availability in wheat

The breeding of crops with improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is crucial for sustainable agriculture, but the involvement of epigenetic modifications remains unexplored. Here, we analyze the chromatin landscapes of two wheat cultivars (KN9204 and J411) that differ in NUE under varied nitrogen conditions. The expression of nitrogen metabolism genes is closely linked to variation in histone modification instead of differences in DNA sequence. Epigenetic modifications exhibit clear cultivar-specificity, which likely contributes to distinct agronomic traits. Additionally, low nitrogen (LN) induces H3K27ac and H3K27me3 to significantly enhance root growth in KN9204, while remarkably inducing NRT2 in J411. Evidence from histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment and transgenic plants with loss function of H3K27me3 methyltransferase shows that changes in epigenetic modifications could alter the strategy preference for root development or nitrogen uptake in response to LN. Here, we show the importance of epigenetic regulation in mediating cultivar-specific adaptation to LN in wheat.

[Spatial distribution characteristics of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the spatial distribution characteristics of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody, and to examine the correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, so as to provide insights into advanced schistosomiais control in the province.

METHODS

The epidemiological data of schistosomiasis in Hunan Province in 2020 were collected, including number of permanent residents in survey villages, number of advanced schistosomiasis patients, number of residents receiving serological tests and number of residents seropositive for anti-Schistosoma antibody, and the prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were descriptively analyzed. Village-based spatial distribution characteristics of prevalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody were identified in Hunan Province in 2020, and the correlation between the revalence advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was examined using Spearman correlation analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis was 0 to 2.72% and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody was 0 to 20.25% in 1 153 schistosomiasis-endemic villages in Hunan Province in 2020. Spatial clusters were identified in both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis (global Moran's I = 0.416, P < 0.01) and the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (global Moran's I = 0.711, P < 0.01) in Hunan Province. Local spatial autocorrelation analysis identified 98 schistosomiasis-endemic villages with high-high clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis, 134 endemic villages with high-high clusters of the seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody and 36 endemic villages with high-high clusters of both the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province. In addition, spearman correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody (rs = 0.235, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

There were spatial clusters of the prevalence of advanced schistosomiasis and seroprevalence of anti-Schistosoma antibody in Hunan Province in 2020, which were predominantly located in areas neighboring the Dongting Lake. These clusters should be given a high priority in the schistosomiasis control programs.

LHP1-mediated epigenetic buffering of subgenome diversity and defense responses confers genome plasticity and adaptability in allopolyploid wheat

Polyploidization is a major driver of genome diversification and environmental adaptation. However, the merger of different genomes may result in genomic conflicts, raising a major question regarding how genetic diversity is interpreted and regulated to enable environmental plasticity. By analyzing the genome-wide binding of 191 trans-factors in allopolyploid wheat, we identified like heterochromatin protein 1 (LHP1) as a master regulator of subgenome-diversified genes. Transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses of LHP1 mutants reveal its role in buffering the expression of subgenome-diversified defense genes by controlling H3K27me3 homeostasis. Stripe rust infection releases latent subgenomic variations by eliminating H3K27me3-related repression. The simultaneous inactivation of LHP1 homoeologs by CRISPR-Cas9 confers robust stripe rust resistance in wheat seedlings. The conditional repression of subgenome-diversified defenses ensures developmental plasticity to external changes, while also promoting neutral-to-non-neutral selection transitions and adaptive evolution. These findings establish an LHP1-mediated buffering system at the intersection of genotypes, environments, and phenotypes in polyploid wheat. Manipulating the epigenetic buffering capacity offers a tool to harness cryptic subgenomic variations for crop improvement.

Transposable element-initiated enhancer-like elements generate the subgenome-biased spike specificity of polyploid wheat

Transposable elements (TEs) comprise ~85% of the common wheat genome, which are highly diverse among subgenomes, possibly contribute to polyploid plasticity, but the causality is only assumed. Here, by integrating data from gene expression cap analysis and epigenome profiling via hidden Markov model in common wheat, we detect a large proportion of enhancer-like elements (ELEs) derived from TEs producing nascent noncoding transcripts, namely ELE-RNAs, which are well indicative of the regulatory activity of ELEs. Quantifying ELE-RNA transcriptome across typical developmental stages reveals that TE-initiated ELE-RNAs are mainly from RLG_famc7.3 specifically expanded in subgenome A. Acquisition of spike-specific transcription factor binding likely confers spike-specific expression of RLG_famc7.3-initiated ELE-RNAs. Knockdown of RLG_famc7.3-initiated ELE-RNAs resulted in global downregulation of spike-specific genes and abnormal spike development. These findings link TE expansion to regulatory specificity and polyploid developmental plasticity, highlighting the functional impact of TE-driven regulatory innovation on polyploid evolution.

A Hybrid Intelligence (HI) System for Segmenting Rectoprostatic Spacer Gel and Key OARs on CT Images for Prostate Cancer Radiation Therapy Planning

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Our hybrid intelligence (HI) system, combining natural and artificial intelligence, is effective for auto-contouring H&N and thorax organs at risk (OARs) for radiation therapy (RT) planning with FDA 510(k) clearance. The purpose of this study is to test the HI system to segment a commercially available retroprostatic hyaluronic acid spacer gel (RSG) and pelvic OARs in planning CT images for prostate cancer RT.

HYPOTHESIS

HI can achieve clinically acceptable auto segmentation for tissue-equivalent RSG in this domain.

MATERIALS/METHODS

RSG is injected in the peri-rectal space in men with prostate cancer prior to RT to minimize rectal toxicity. 190 patients with prostate cancer were included in this post-hoc image analysis from a multi-center, prospective, randomized trial, with 136 in the spacer arm. The HI system has 3 steps: rough recognition from fuzzy model (FM) based automatic anatomy recognition (AAR-R), deep learning-based recognition (DL-R) refinement, and deep learning-based delineation (DL-D) to contour objects guided by the recognition results. FM encodes high level 3D anatomy knowledge of object shape and its relationship with other OARs; DL-R and DL-D focus on pixel-level details. The 190 studies are divided into disjoint training (100) and testing (90) subsets. 100 samples are used in DL-R and DL-D training, with 45 to build the FM for AAR-R. RSG and 4 other OARs (pelvic skin, prostate, bladder, rectum) are contoured. Location error (LE) is used to evaluate recognition; Dice coefficient (DC) and Hausdorff distance (HD) are employed to evaluate delineation. Acceptability scores (AS) (range 1-5, 1 for poor quality, 5 for best quality) from an observer study are recorded for HI-output and ground truth masks of RSG for assessing segmentation quality.

RESULTS

The HI system achieves highest DC (0.94±0.07) and lowest HD (1.96±1.61 mm) for bladder, for rectum and prostate similar DC (0.82±0.08) and HD (2.62±1.65mm), for RSG, the most challenging object, a good DC close to 0.7 (0.67±0.10) and excellent HD (2.66±1.44mm). AS for auto-segmentations (3.86±0.85) were significantly better than those for ground truth segmentations (3.45±1.00) (p = 0.02, paired t-test). Table 1 summarizes results.

CONCLUSION

The HI system achieves clinically acceptable segmentations for pelvic OARs and significantly better acceptability of segmentation of RSG compared to clinically performed ground truth segmentations. This has implications in improving efficiency and accuracy of CT-based RT planning in patients with prostate cancer.

Profile of and risk factors for early unplanned readmissions in patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION

Acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) complicates up to 15% of acute pancreatitis cases. ANP has historically been associated with a significant risk for readmission, but there are currently no studies exploring factors that associate with risk for unplanned, early (<30-day) readmissions in this patient population.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of all consecutive patients presenting to hospitals in the Indiana University (IU) Health system with pancreatic necrosis between December 2016 and June 2020. Patients younger than 18 years of age, without confirmed pancreatic necrosis and those that suffered in-hospital mortality were excluded. Logistic regression was performed to identify potential predictors of early readmission in this group of patients.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-two patients met study criteria. 27.7% of the cohort was readmitted within 30-days of index discharge. The median time to readmission was 10 days (IQR 5-17 days). The most frequent reason for readmission was abdominal pain (75.6%), followed by nausea and vomiting in (35.6%). Discharge to home was associated with 93% lower odds of readmission. We found no additional clinical factors that predicted early readmission.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ANP have a significant risk for early (<30 days) readmission. Direct discharge to home, rather than short or long-term rehabilitation facilities, is associated with lower odds of early readmission. Analysis was otherwise negative for independent, clinical predictors of early unplanned readmissions in ANP.

[Optimization of the medium and fermentation condition for the Penicillium aurantiocandidum Z12 strain with molluscicidal actions against Oncomelania hupensis]

OBJECTIVE

To optimize the culture and fermentation conditions of the Penicillium aurantiocandidum Z12 strain, a fungal strain with molluscicidal actions against Oncomelania hupensis, so as to provide the basis for the research and development of molluscicidal active substances from the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain and its fermentation broth and large-scale fermentation.

METHODS

The carbon source, nitrogen source and mineral salts were identified in the optimal culture medium for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain with a single-factor experiment to determine the best fermentation condition for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain. Factors that significantly affected the growth of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain were identified using the Plackett-Burman design, and the best range of each factor was determined using the steepest climb test. Response surface analyses of temperature, pH value, seeding amount and liquid-filling quantity were performed using the Box-Behnken design to create a regression model for fermentation of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain to identify the optimal culture medium.

RESULTS

Single-factor experiment preliminarily identified the best culture medium and conditions for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain as follows: sucrose as the carbon source at approximately 20 g/L, tryptone as the nitrogen source at approximately 5 g/L, K₂HPO₄ as the mineral salt at approximately 5 g/L, initial pH at approximately 8, temperature at approximately 28 °C, seeding amount at approximately 6%, and liquid-filling quantity at approximately 50 mL/100 mL. Plackett-Burman design showed that factors that significantly affected the growth of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain included temperature (t = -5.28, P < 0.05), seeding amount (t = 5.22, P < 0.05), pH (t = -4.30, P < 0.05) and liquid-filling quantity (t = -4.39, P < 0.05). Steepest climb test showed the highest mycelial growth at pH of 7.5, seeding amount of 8%, and liquid-filling quantity of 40 mL/100 mL, and this condition was selected as the central point of response surface analysis for the subsequent optimization of fermentation conditions. Response surface analyses using the Box-Behnken design showed that the optimal conditions for fermentation of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain included sucrose at 15 g/L, tryptone at 5 g/L, K₂HPO₄ at 5 g/L, temperature at 28.2 °C, pH at 7.5, seeding amount at 10%, and liquid-filling quantity at 35.8 mL/100.0 mL, resulting in 0.132 g yield of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal culture condition for the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain has been identified, and the optimized culture medium and fermentation condition may effectively improve the fermentation yield of the P. aurantiocandidum Z12 strain.

Identification of major QTLs for yield-related traits with improved genetic map in wheat

INTRODUCTION

Identification of stable major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield-related traits is important for yield potential improvement in wheat breeding.

METHODS

In the present study, we genotyped a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population using the Wheat 660K SNP array and constructed a high-density genetic map. The genetic map showed high collinearity with the wheat genome assembly. Fourteen yield-related traits were evaluated in six environments for QTL analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A total of 12 environmentally stable QTLs were identified in at least three environments, explaining up to 34.7% of the phenotypic variation. Of these, QTkw-1B.2 for thousand kernel weight (TKW), QPh-2D.1 (QSl-2D.2/QScn-2D.1) for plant height (PH), spike length (SL) and spikelet compactness (SCN), QPh-4B.1 for PH, and QTss-7A.3 for total spikelet number per spike (TSS) were detected in at least five environments. A set of Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers were converted based on the above QTLs and used to genotype a diversity panel comprising of 190 wheat accessions across four growing seasons. QPh-2D.1 (QSl-2D.2/QScn-2D.1), QPh-4B.1 and QTss-7A.3 were successfully validated. Compared with previous studies, QTkw-1B.2 and QPh-4B.1 should be novel QTLs. These results provided a solid foundation for further positional cloning and marker-assisted selection of the targeted QTLs in wheat breeding programs.

The East Africa Consortium for human papillomavirus and cervical cancer in women living with HIV/AIDS

The East Africa Consortium was formed to study the epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer and the influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on HPV and cervical cancer, and to encourage collaborations between researchers in North America and East African countries. To date, studies have led to a better understanding of the influence of HIV infection on the detection and persistence of oncogenic HPV, the effects of dietary aflatoxin on the persistence of HPV, the benefits of antiretroviral therapy on HPV persistence, and the differences in HPV detections among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women undergoing treatment for cervical dysplasia by either cryotherapy or LEEP. It will now be determined how HPV testing fits into cervical cancer screening programs in Kenya and Uganda, how aflatoxin influences immunological control of HIV, how HPV alters certain genes involved in the growth of tumours in HIV-infected women. Although there have been challenges in performing this research, with time, this work should help to reduce the burden of cervical cancer and other cancers related to HIV infection in people living in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as optimized processes to better facilitate research as well as patient autonomy and safety. KEY MESSAGESThe East Africa Consortium was formed to study the epidemiology of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cancer and the influence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on HPV and cervical cancer.Collaborations have been established between researchers in North America and East African countries for these studies.Studies have led to a better understanding of the influence of HIV infection on the detection and persistence of oncogenic HPV, the effects of dietary aflatoxin on HPV detection, the benefits of antiretroviral therapy on HPV persistence, and the differences in HPV detections among HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected women undergoing treatment for cervical dysplasia by either cryotherapy or LEEP.

Low-affinity SPL binding sites contribute to subgenome expression divergence in allohexaploid wheat

Expression divergence caused by genetic variation and crosstalks among subgenomes of the allohexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum. L., BBAADD) is hypothesized to increase its adaptability and/or plasticity. However, the molecular basis of expression divergence remains unclear. Squamosa promoter-binding protein-like (SPL) transcription factors are critical for a wide array of biological processes. In this study, we constructed expression regulatory networks by combining DAP-seq for 40 SPLs, ATAC-seq, and RNA-seq. Our findings indicate that a group of low-affinity SPL binding regions (SBRs) were targeted by diverse SPLs and caused different sequence preferences around the core GTAC motif. The SBRs including the low-affinity ones are evolutionarily conserved, enriched GWAS signals related to important agricultural traits. However, those SBRs are highly diversified among the cis-regulatory regions (CREs) of syntenic genes, with less than 8% SBRs coexisting in triad genes, suggesting that CRE variations are critical for subgenome differentiations. Knocking out of TaSPL7A/B/D and TaSPL15A/B/D subfamily further proved that both high- and low-affinity SBRs played critical roles in the differential expression of genes regulating tiller number and spike sizes. Our results have provided baseline data for downstream networks of SPLs and wheat improvements and revealed that CRE variations are critical sources for subgenome divergence in the allohexaploid wheat.

Transposable elements orchestrate subgenome-convergent and -divergent transcription in common wheat

The success of common wheat as a global staple crop was largely attributed to its genomic diversity and redundancy due to the merge of different genomes, giving rise to the major question how subgenome-divergent and -convergent transcription is mediated and harmonized in a single cell. Here, we create a catalog of genome-wide transcription factor-binding sites (TFBSs) to assemble a common wheat regulatory network on an unprecedented scale. A significant proportion of subgenome-divergent TFBSs are derived from differential expansions of particular transposable elements (TEs) in diploid progenitors, which contribute to subgenome-divergent transcription. Whereas subgenome-convergent transcription is associated with balanced TF binding at loci derived from TE expansions before diploid divergence. These TFBSs have retained in parallel during evolution of each diploid, despite extensive unbalanced turnover of the flanking TEs. Thus, the differential evolutionary selection of paleo- and neo-TEs contribute to subgenome-convergent and -divergent regulation in common wheat, highlighting the influence of TE repertory plasticity on transcriptional plasticity in polyploid.

A combined experimental and computational study of the effect of electron irradiation on the transport properties of aromatic and aliphatic molecular self-assemblies

Intermolecular cross-linking through electron irradiation is proven to be an effective tool to improve the mechanical and electronic properties of molecular self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), which is known to be a key player for material nanoarchitectonics. Here we study the effect of electron irradiation on the electronic transport properties of aromatic 5,5'-bis(mercaptomethyl)-2,2'-bipyridine (BPD; HS-CH2-(C5H3N)2-CH2-SH) and electron saturated 1-dodecanethiol (C12; CH3-(CH2)11-SH) molecules self-assembled on an Au (111) surface. We could not create any successful junctions for transport measurements for the electron irradiated C12 SAMs due the deterioration of such molecules with electron saturated nature. For the aromatic molecules, the electron bombardment results in significant reduction of the current despite the electron irradiation-induced intermolecular cross-linking, which should create extra transport channels for charge carriers. The current rectification also reduces after the electron bombardment. In order to interpret the experimental results and give right diagnostics behind the decrease of the current through the junction after electron irradiation, we supplement the experiment with quantum transport calculations using Green's functional formalism in combination with density functional theory. The simulation results show that the reduced current after electron irradiation can be related to the detachment of the molecules from the gold substrate and reattachment to other molecules. The formation of diamond-like structures due to intermolecular-cross linking can also be the reason for the reduced current obtained in the experiments. We have also considered the case when the BPD molecules get broken-conjugated due to the attachment of extra hydrogen atoms to the carbon backbone of the molecule. This structural modification also results in a significant decrease of the current. These findings can be useful in understanding the processes during the electron irradiation of molecular SAMs.

Utility of Triti-Map for bulk-segregated mapping of causal genes and regulatory elements in Triticeae

Triticeae species, including wheat, barley, and rye, are critical for global food security. Mapping agronomically important genes is crucial for elucidating molecular mechanisms and improving crops. However, Triticeae includes many wild relatives with desirable agronomic traits, and frequent introgressions occurred during Triticeae evolution and domestication. Thus, Triticeae genomes are generally large and complex, making the localization of genes or functional elements that control agronomic traits challenging. Here, we developed Triti-Map, which contains a suite of user-friendly computational packages specifically designed and optimized to overcome the obstacles of gene mapping in Triticeae, as well as a web interface integrating multi-omics data from Triticeae for the efficient mining of genes or functional elements that control particular traits. The Triti-Map pipeline accepts both DNA and RNA bulk-segregated sequencing data as well as traditional QTL data as inputs for locating genes and elucidating their functions. We illustrate the usage of Triti-Map with a combination of bulk-segregated ChIP-seq data to detect a wheat disease-resistance gene with its promoter sequence that is absent from the reference genome and clarify its evolutionary process. We hope that Triti-Map will facilitate gene isolation and accelerate Triticeae breeding.

[Progress in the study of antiviral activity of cepharanthine against SARS-CoV-2]

As a member of the dibenzyl isoquinoline alkaloid family, cepharathine is an alkaloid from the traditional Chinese medicine cepharathine, which is mainly used for treatment of leukopenia and other diseases. Recent studies of the inhibitory effect of cepharathine against SARS-CoV-2 have attracted widespread attention and aroused heated discussion. As the original discoverer of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of cepharanthine, here we briefly summarize the discovery of cepharanthine and review important progress in relevant studies concerning the discovery and validation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of cepharathine, its antiviral mechanisms and clinical trials of its applications in COVID-19 therapy.

[Survival and disease burden trend analysis of occupational pneumoconiosis from 1963 to 2020 in Shizuishan City]

Objective: To understand the survival status and its influencing factors of occupational pneumoconiosis patients in Shizuishan City, and to analyze the disease burden of occupational pneumoconiosis and its trend, so as to provide scientific basis for formulating comprehensive prevention and treatment measures of occupational pneumoconiosis. Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted during July to December 2020 to explore the survival status of occupational pneumoconiosis patients who had been reported from 1963 to 2020 in Shizuishan City. The Kaplan-Meier method and Life-table method were used for survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of survival time. The disability adjusted life years (DALY) was applied to analyze the disease burden of occupational pneumoconiosis and its temporal trend. Results: From 1963 to 2020, a total of 3263 cases of occupational pneumoconiosis were reported in Shizuishan City, of which 1467 died, so that the fatality rate was 44.96%. The median survival time was 26.71 years, average age of death was (70.55±10.92) years old. There were significant differences in the survival rates of occupational pneumoconiosis patients among different types, diagnosis age, exposure time, industry, initial diagnosis stage and whether upgraded (P<0.05) . As the survival time increased, the survival rate of patients decreased gradually. When the survival time was ≥50 years, the cumulative survival rate of patients was 4.20%. Cox regression analysis suggested that the type of pneumoconiosis, industry, diagnosis age, exposure time, initial diagnosis stage and whether upgraded were the influencing factors for the survival time of patients with occupational pneumoconiosis (P<0.05) . The total DALY attributable to occupational pneumoconiosis from 1963 to 2020 in Shizuishan City was 48026.65 person years, of which the years of life lost (YLL) was 15155.39 person years, and the average YLL was 10.33 years/person, and the years lost due to disability (YLD) was 32871.26 person years, and the average YLD was 10.07 years/person. The DALY attributed to coal worker's pneumoconiosis and silicosis were 39408.51 person years and 6565.02 person years, respectively, and they accounted for 82.06% and 13.67% of the total disease burden in Shizuishan City, respectively. The DALY caused by occupational pneumoconiosis in the age group of 40-49 years old and the first diagnosis of stage I occupational pneumoconiosis were higher, which were 20899.71 and 36231.97 person years, respectively. The average YLL and average YLD showed a volatility downtrend over time. Conclusion: The disease burden of occupational pneumoconiosis cannot be ignored in Shizuishan City, and timely targeted measures should be taken for key populations and key industries. It is recommended that life-cycle health management and hierarchical medical should be taken to improve the life quality of patients and prolong their lifes.

Genetic Control of Efficient Nitrogen Use for High Yield and Grain Protein Concentration in Wheat: A Review

The increasing global population and the negative effects of nitrogen (N) fertilizers on the environment challenge wheat breeding to maximize yield potential and grain protein concentration (GPC) in an economically and environmentally friendly manner. Understanding the molecular mechanisms for the response of yield components to N availability and assimilates allocation to grains provides the opportunity to increase wheat yield and GPC simultaneously. This review summarized quantitative trait loci/genes which can increase spikes and grain number by enhancing N uptake and assimilation at relative early growth stage, and 1000-grain weight and GPC by increasing post-anthesis N uptake and N allocation to grains.

Evolutionary rewiring of the wheat transcriptional regulatory network by lineage-specific transposable elements

More than 80% of the wheat genome consists of transposable elements (TEs), which act as major drivers of wheat genome evolution. However, their contributions to the regulatory evolution of wheat adaptations remain largely unclear. Here, we created genome-binding maps for 53 transcription factors (TFs) underlying environmental responses by leveraging DAP-seq in Triticum urartu, together with epigenomic profiles. Most TF binding sites (TFBSs) located distally from genes are embedded in TEs, whose functional relevance is supported by purifying selection and active epigenomic features. About 24% of the non-TE TFBSs share significantly high sequence similarity with TE-embedded TFBSs. These non-TE TFBSs have almost no homologous sequences in non-Triticeae species and are potentially derived from Triticeae-specific TEs. The expansion of TE-derived TFBS linked to wheat-specific gene responses, suggesting TEs are an important driving force for regulatory innovations. Altogether, TEs have been significantly and continuously shaping regulatory networks related to wheat genome evolution and adaptation.

Influence of periodontal repair on the quality of prosthodontics and postoperative adverse events

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influence of periodontal repair on the oral cavity and postoperative adverse events.

METHODS

From June 2017 to June 2019, 96 patients with prosthodontics were selected as the research participants. According to the intervention scheme, the patients were grouped into the observation group (OG, 51 cases with periodontal repair combined with prosthodontics) and the control group (CG, 45 cases with prosthodontics). The curative effect, repair quality, masticatory function, language function, adverse reactions, quality of life (QOL) and treatment satisfaction of the two groups were evaluated and compared.

RESULTS

The curative effect, repair quality, recovery of masticatory function and language function of patients in the OG were significantly better than those in the CG (P<0.05), and the incidence of adverse reactions in the OG was significantly lower than that in the CG (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Prosthodontics before periodontal repair can effectively improve the curative effect of prosthodontics, reduce the incidence of adverse reactions, improve patients' QOL, and improve patients' satisfaction, so it is worth popularizing in clinic.

An atlas of wheat epigenetic regulatory elements reveals subgenome divergence in the regulation of development and stress responses

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a large allohexaploid genome. Subgenome-divergent regulation contributed to genome plasticity and the domestication of polyploid wheat. However, the specificity encoded in the wheat genome determining subgenome-divergent spatio-temporal regulation has been largely unexplored. The considerable size and complexity of the genome are major obstacles to dissecting the regulatory specificity. Here, we compared the epigenomes and transcriptomes from a large set of samples under diverse developmental and environmental conditions. Thousands of distal epigenetic regulatory elements (distal-epiREs) were specifically linked to their target promoters with coordinated epigenomic changes. We revealed that subgenome-divergent activity of homologous regulatory elements is affected by specific epigenetic signatures. Subgenome-divergent epiRE regulation of tissue specificity is associated with dynamic modulation of H3K27me3 mediated by Polycomb complex and demethylases. Furthermore, quantitative epigenomic approaches detected key stress responsive cis- and trans-acting factors validated by DNA Affinity Purification and sequencing, and demonstrated the coordinated interplay between epiRE sequence contexts, epigenetic factors, and transcription factors in regulating subgenome divergent transcriptional responses to external changes. Together, this study provides a wealth of resources for elucidating the epiRE regulomics and subgenome-divergent regulation in hexaploid wheat, and gives new clues for interpreting genetic and epigenetic interplay in regulating the benefits of polyploid wheat.

The effects of wheel-running using the upper limbs following immobilization after inducing arthritis in the knees of rats

This study investigated the effects of wheel-running using the upper limbs following immobilization after inducing arthritis in the knees of rats. Forty male Wistar rats (aged 8 weeks) divided into four groups randomly: arthritis (AR), immobilization after arthritis (Im), wheel-running exercise with the upper limbs following immobilization after arthritis induction (Im+Ex) and sham arthritis induction (Con). The knee joints of the Im and Im+Ex groups were immobilized with a cast for 4 weeks. In the Im+Ex group, wheel-running exercise was administered for 60 min/day (5 times/week). The swelling and the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the knee joint were evaluated for observing the condition of inflammatory symptoms in affected area, and the paw withdraw response (PWR) was evaluated for observing the condition of secondary hyperalgesia in distant area. Especially, in order to evaluate histological inflammation in the knee joint, the number of macrophage (CD68-positive cells) in the synovium was examined. The expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the spinal dorsal horn (L2-3 and L4-5) was examined to evaluate central sensitization. The Im+Ex group showed a significantly better recovery than the Im group in the swelling, PPTs, and PWRs. Additionally, CGRP expression of the spinal dorsal horn (L2-3 and L4-5) in the Im+Ex group was significantly decreased compared with the Im group. According to the results, upper limb exercise can decrease pain in the affected area, reduce hyperalgesia in distant areas, and suppress the central sensitization in the spinal dorsal horn by triggering exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH).

TaLAMP1 Plays Key Roles in Plant Architecture and Yield Response to Nitrogen Fertilizer in Wheat

Understanding the molecular mechanisms in wheat response to nitrogen (N) fertilizer will help us to breed wheat varieties with improved yield and N use efficiency. Here, we cloned TaLAMP1-3A, -3B, and -3D, which were upregulated in roots and shoots of wheat by low N availability. In a hydroponic culture, lateral root length and N uptake were decreased in both overexpression and knockdown of TaLAMP1 at the seedling stage. In the field experiment with normal N supply, the grain yield of overexpression of TaLAMP1-3B is significantly reduced (14.5%), and the knockdown of TaLAMP1 was significantly reduced (15.5%). The grain number per spike of overexpression of TaLAMP1-3B was significantly increased (7.2%), but the spike number was significantly reduced (19.2%) compared with wild type (WT), although the grain number per spike of knockdown of TaLAMP1 was significantly decreased (15.3%), with no difference in the spike number compared with WT. Combined with the agronomic data from the field experiment of normal N and low N, both overexpression and knockdown of TaLAMP1 inhibited yield response to N fertilizer. Overexpressing TaLAMP1-3B greatly increased grain N concentration with no significant detrimental effect on grain yield under low N conditions; TaLAMP1-3 B is therefore valuable in engineering wheat for low input agriculture. These results suggested that TaLAMP1 is critical for wheat adaptation to N availability and in shaping plant architecture by regulating spike number per plant and grain number per spike. Optimizing TaLAMP1 expression may facilitate wheat breeding with improved yield, grain N concentration, and yield responses to N fertilizer.

[The development history and prospect of neuro-ophthalmology in China]

Neuro-ophthalmology is an interdisciplinary subspecialty that occupies an important position in ophthalmology. We review the development history and subspecialty construction of the neuro-ophthalmology in China, showing the achievements, providing reference for the clinical and scientific research of neuro-ophthalmology in the future, commemorating the predecessors and inspiring the contemporary neuro-ophthalmology profession to forge ahead. Congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the publication of the Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology.(Chin J Ophthalmol, 2020, 56:891-894).

[Clinical study of 34 patients with cytomegalovirus pneumonia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features and prognosis of cytomegalovirus pneumonia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo-HSCT). Methods: We reviewed the clinical features and laboratory data of cytomegalovirus pneumonia patients after allogeneic peripheral blood HSCT from March 1, 2016 to June 30, 2019 at the hematology department of the Shanghai general hospital and analyze the prognostic factors. Results: Of the 411 allo-HSCT patients, 34(8.3%)developed CMV pneumonia after transplantation, including 18 men and 16 women, with a median age of 32(8-62)y. Total 14 patients had acute myeloid leukemia, 10 had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 5 had myelodysplastic syndrome, 3 had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and 2 had aplastic anemia. The median onset time for CMV pneumonia was 53(36-506)d after transplantation. The main symptoms were cough(26 cases, 76.5%), fever(23 cases, 67.6%), and shortness of breath(14 cases, 41.2%). Only 17.6%(6/34)patients had expectoration, and 2 cases(5.9%)had no obvious symptoms in the early stage, but were diagnosed on routine chest CT examination. Twenty-eight(82.4%)patients showed signs of typical interstitial pneumonia, such as lobular central nodule and diffuse ground glass opacity; 6(17.6%)patients showed atypical imaging changes of patch, nodule, and consolidation. Further, 26 patients(76.5%)were positive for CMV-DNA, and the copy number was lower than that of BALF[1.70×10(7)(5.44×10(5)-4.45×10(9))copies/L vs 1.45×10(8)(1.10×10(7)-1.10×10(11))copies/L, P=0.004]. Thirteen(38.24%)patients with CMV pneumonia had mixed infection with other lower respiratory tract pathogens(10 strains of fungi, 6 strains of bacteria, and 1 of adenoviruses). The median follow-up duration was 12.8(0.4-46.5)months. The OS rate was 58.82%. Age ≥ 40 y and high flow ventilation were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in CMV pneumonia patients(P=0.049, P=0.009). Conclusion: Bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage fluid detection helps in improving the accuracy of the etiological diagnosis of CMV pneumonia after allo-HSCT. Age ≥ 40 y and high flow ventilation were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in patients with CMV pneumonia.

[Interpretation for the group standards in guidelines for personal protection against coronavirus disease 2019 for diseases control person]

As an emerging infectious disease, the COVID-19 threatened the safety of personnel in the prevention and control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beijing Association of Preventive Medicine organizes the Beijing CDC and other organizations drafted the group standard entitled "Guidelines for personal protection against coronavirus disease 2019 for diseases control person (T/BPMA 0002-2020)" , according to years of scientific research on personal protection. Based on the principles of emphasizing the scientific, normative and safe nature, the standard was drafted to put forward the reasonable selection and correct use of personal protective equipment for disease control personnel, as well as the procedures for personal protective equipment. The standard provided a standardized basis for ensuring the safety of disease control personnel in contacting and handling of the new coronary pneumonia outbreaks with high risks.

Function of IL-33 in Wound Age Estimation of Skin Wounds in Mice

Abstract

Objective To explore the application value of interleukin-33 （IL-33） in wound age estimation in forensic practice by observing the sequential changes of IL-33 after skin wound. Methods Skin wound models were generated on the back of mice with a round file of 5 mm in diameter. Skin samples of the same size were taken from the same parts of mice in control group and injury group 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 1 d, 3 d, 5 d, 7 d and 10 d after skin wound. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining method was applied to observe the morphological changes in the recovering process after skin wound. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry staining and double immunofluorescence staining methods were applied to detect the expression changes of IL-33 in the skin wound samples. Results The results of Western blotting showed that the expression of IL-33 protein decreased slightly at 3 h after skin wound, increased gradually at 6 h after skin wound, and reached the peak value at 3 d, then decreased gradually. Immunohistochemistry staining results showed that faint positive expression of IL-33 was observed in epidermis, hair follicles, sebaceous glands and dermal resident cells of the control group skin. The positive cell rate of IL-33 increased at 3 h after skin wound and reached the peak value at 3 d, then decreased gradually. The results of double immunofluorescence staining showed that the majority of IL-33 positive cells from 1 d to 3 d after wound were macrophages, while the majority of IL-33 positive cells from 5 d to 7 d after wound were myofibroblasts. In addition, the results of HE staining showed that the wound healing process of the skin wound model was consistent with the pathological development law of inflammation. Conclusion IL-33 could become a reference index for wound age estimation of skin wound in forensic practice.

OP0016 GUT MICROBIOTA DYSBIOSIS IN THE HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUAL FOR RA TRIGGERS THE MUCOSAL IMMUNITY PERTURBATION AND PROMOTES RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DEVELOPMENT

Background:

The early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with better outcomes. In recent years, studies in our understanding of the preclinical events in RA help to define the “at-risk” populations who might go on to develop RA. Emerging evidence indicate that initiating events may occur at mucosal surfaces including oral cavity, lung and gut influenced by the local microbiome. Therefore, identifying the microbiome characteristics in prospective cohorts of at-risk individuals enables risk prediction or prevention of RA.

Objectives:

Here, we undertook this study to clarify the intestinal microbiota changes in individuals at high risk for RA. Meanwhile, we performed fecal transplantation study to investigate whereby the intestinal dysbiosis in the pre-RA population contributes to RA initiation and development, and provide a new prevention strategy for the treatment of this disease.

Methods:

42 high-risk for RA individuals (Pre-RA), who were defined as having a positive serum antibody for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP), 31 RA patients and 38 healthy individuals (HC) were recruited in this study. The V3-V4 region of 16S ribosomal RNA of fecal samples from these individuals were sequenced. We evaluated the gut permeability and the gut barrier dysfuction using HE staining and RT-PCR in mice receiving fecal transplantation (FMT). Flow cytometry was applied to measure the proportions of T cell subsets in immune organs. The disease severity of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was also evaluated after the mice receiving FMT.

Results:

Alpha diversity analysis showed a comparable community richness and a lower community diversity of the intestinal microbiota in Pre-RA compared to HC (Fig 1A). At the family level, the abundance ofBacteroidaceaegradually decreased from HC to Pre-RA individuals and to RA patients (Fig 1B). On the contrary, the enriched abundances ofStreptococcaceae, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Weissellaandunclassified_o_Lactobacillaleswere observed in RA patients (Fig 1B). There was different intestinal microbiota construction between groups based on principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). The intestinal microbiota communities dynamically shifted from HC to Pre-RA and to RA patients (Fig.1C). Fecal transplantation study showed that gut microbiota from Pre-RA group (P) significantly increased the fluorescence intensity (Fig 2A), accompanied with a significantly decreased ZO-1 gene expression (Fig 2B), and injured epithelial microvilli of the small intestine (Fig 2C). Moreover, the percentages of Th17 cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes (mLN) and peyer patches (PP) were also significantly increased in P and R groups (Fig 2D, E). Importantly, in CIA models, the joints redness and swelling in the mice receiving Pre-RA faeces occurred earlier and were more severe compared to HC-transplanted mice (Fig 2F, G and H).

Figure 1.Figure 2.

Conclusion:

The intestinal microbiota changed gradually during disease progression of human rheumatoid arthritis. The gut microbiota from Pre-RA individuals can trigger the gut barrier dysfunction and intestinal mucosal immunity imbalance, which may further contribute to the arthritis initiation and development.

References:

[1]Brusca, S. B., Abramson, S. B. & Scher, J. U. Microbiome and mucosal inflammation as extra-articular triggers for rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmunity.Curr Opin Rheumatol26, 101-107, doi:10.1097/bor.0000000000000008 (2014).

[2]Rogers, G. B. Germs and joints: the contribution of the human microbiome to rheumatoid arthritis.Nat. Med.21, 839-841, doi:10.1038/nm.3916 (2015).

[3]Holers, V. M.et al.Rheumatoid arthritis and the mucosal origins hypothesis: protection turns to destruction.Nature reviews. Rheumatology, doi:10.1038/s41584-018-0070-0 (2018).

Acknowledgments:

The work of the authors is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number: 81770101, 81403041) and Outstanding interdisciplinary project of West China Hospital, Sichuan University (Grant Number: ZYJC18024).

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Local structure of Ni80X20 (X: Cr, Mn, Pd) solid-solution alloys and its response to ion irradiation

The local structure of Ni₈₀X₂₀ (X: Cr, Mn, Pd) solid-solution alloys was investigated with x-ray absorption and total scattering x-ray diffraction methods. Atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis indicated that the local lattice distortion is strongly relevant to the atomic size mismatch, and the local lattice distortion in Ni₈₀Pd₂₀ alloy is obviously larger than that in other solid-solution alloys. The bond length of different atomic pairs was derived from the fitting of extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectra. Quantitative analysis of the local bonding environment in Ni₈₀Cr₂₀ during Ni ion irradiation suggested that Cr atoms tend to form clusters in Ni₈₀Cr₂₀ with the increase of ion dose.

A wheat transcription factor positively sets seed vigour by regulating the grain nitrate signal

Seed vigour and early establishment are important factors determining the yield of crops. A wheat nitrate-inducible NAC transcription factor, TaNAC2, plays a critical role in promoting crop growth and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and now its role in seed vigour is revealed. A TaNAC2 regulated gene was identified that is a NRT2-type nitrate transporter TaNRT2.5 with a key role in seed vigour. Overexpressing TaNAC2-5A increases grain nitrate concentration and seed vigour by directly binding to the promoter of TaNRT2.5-3B and positively regulating its expression. TaNRT2.5 is expressed in developing grain, particularly the embryo and husk. In Xenopus oocyte assays TaNRT2.5 requires a partner protein TaNAR2.1 to give nitrate transport activity, and the transporter locates to the tonoplast in a tobacco leaf transient expression system. Furthermore, in the root TaNRT2.5 and TaNRT2.1 function in post-anthesis acquisition of soil nitrate. Overexpression of TaNRT2.5-3B increases seed vigour, grain nitrate concentration and yield, whereas RNA interference of TaNRT2.5 has the opposite effects. The TaNAC2-NRT2.5 module has a key role in regulating grain nitrate accumulation and seed vigour. Both genes can potentially be used to improve grain yield and NUE in wheat.

Research on the diagnostic effect of PCT level in serum on patients with sepsis due to different pathogenic causes

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnostic effect of procalcitonin level in serum for patients with sepsis due to different pathogenic causes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The clinical data of 132 sepsis patients were analyzed. Those patients were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University from January 2014 to January 2017. According to the blood culture results before antimicrobial therapy, patients were divided into two groups: Gram-negative bacteria group (G- group) and Gram-positive bacteria group (G+ group). The indexes, such as SOFA score, APACHE II score, length of stay in hospital and mortality rate, were used to evaluate disease severity of the two groups. The procalcitonin, WBC, hs-CRP and NEU% were detected and compared between the two groups of patients.

RESULTS

A total of 132 pathogenic bacteria were detected in 132 patients, of which 44 patients were infected with G- bacteria and 88 patients were infected with G+ bacteria. Patients in G- group were mainly infected with Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, while patients in G+ group were mainly infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. The SOFA score, APACHE II score and mortality rate in G- group were higher than those in G+ group. The PCT levels in G- group and G+ group were (54.89±21.64) ng/mL and (21.13±1.30) ng/mL, respectively. The PCT level in G- group was higher than that in G+ group, and the difference was statistically significant between them (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in length of stay in hospital between the two groups (p>0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in WBC, hs-CRP and NEU% between the two groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The procalcitonin level in serum of sepsis patients at early stage of bloodstream infection is significantly elevated and has diagnostic value for different pathogenic bacteria groups. It can also reflect the disease severity and predict the prognosis of sepsis patients.

[Comparison of the permeability between the rabbit cornea and sclera ex vivo]

Objective: Comparison of the permeability between the rabbit cornea and sclera ex vivo by determining the concentration of gatifloxacin using LC-MS/MS method, which may provide the basis for a new route of drug administration. Methods: Experimental study. The permeability of the cornea and sclera in healthy male New Zealand rabbits was evaluated by using Franz diffusion pool. We chose both gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution and gel as the test drugs, and calculated the cumulative permeation amounts (Qn), apparent permeability coefficient(P(app)). Results: The linear range of gatifloxacin was 5-1 000 ng/ml. The intra-day and inter-day precision was 1.7% -2.8% and 1.0% - 2.3%. Q(n) and P(app) of gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution in cornea and sclera ex vivo were 177.57, 517.52 μg/cm(2) and 4.34, 12.51 cm/s respectively, whereas that of gatifloxacin ophthalmic gel were 151.87, 411.05 μg/cm(2) and 3.66, 9.21 cm/s. Conclusion: This validated method could be applied to determine the gatifloxacin. The cumulative permeation amounts and apparent permeability coefficient of sclera are significantly higher than that of cornea for both ophthalmic solution and gel, suggesting that the development of a new route of drug administration based on sclera may have potential advantage. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55: 928-932).

Reducing expression of a nitrate-responsive bZIP transcription factor increases grain yield and N use in wheat

Nitrogen (N) plays critical role in plant growth; manipulating N assimilation could be a target to increase grain yield and N use. Here, we show that ABRE-binding factor (ABF)-like leucine zipper transcription factor TabZIP60 mediates N use and growth in wheat. The expression of TabZIP60 is repressed when the N-deprived wheat plants is exposed to nitrate. Knock down of TabZIP60 through RNA interference (RNAi) increases NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT) activity, lateral root branching, N uptake and spike number, and improves grain yield more than 25% under field conditions, while overexpression of TabZIP60-6D had the opposite effects. Further investigation shows TabZIP60 binds to ABRE-containing fragment in the promoter of TaNADH-GOGAT-3B and negatively regulates its expression. Genetic analysis reveals that TaNADH-GOGAT-3B overexpression overcomes the spike number and yield reduction caused by overexpressing TabZIP60-6D. As such, TabZIP60-mediated wheat growth and N use is associated with its negative regulation on TaNADH-GOGAT expression. These findings indicate that TabZIP60 and TaNADH-GOGAT interaction plays important roles in mediating N use and wheat growth, and provides valuable information for engineering N use efficiency and yield in wheat.

CGT-seq: epigenome-guided de novo assembly of the core genome for divergent populations with large genome

Genetic diversity in plants is remarkably high. Recent whole genome sequencing (WGS) of 67 rice accessions recovered 10,872 novel genes. Comparison of the genetic architecture among divergent populations or between crops and wild relatives is essential for obtaining functional components determining crucial traits. However, many major crops have gigabase-scale genomes, which are not well-suited to WGS. Existing cost-effective sequencing approaches including re-sequencing, exome-sequencing and restriction enzyme-based methods all have difficulty in obtaining long novel genomic sequences from highly divergent population with large genome size. The present study presented a reference-independent core genome targeted sequencing approach, CGT-seq, which employed epigenomic information from both active and repressive epigenetic marks to guide the assembly of the core genome mainly composed of promoter and intragenic regions. This method was relatively easily implemented, and displayed high sensitivity and specificity for capturing the core genome of bread wheat. 95% intragenic and 89% promoter region from wheat were covered by CGT-seq read. We further demonstrated in rice that CGT-seq captured hundreds of novel genes and regulatory sequences from a previously unsequenced ecotype. Together, with specific enrichment and sequencing of regions within and nearby genes, CGT-seq is a time- and resource-effective approach to profiling functionally relevant regions in sequenced and non-sequenced populations with large genomes.

The bread wheat epigenomic map reveals distinct chromatin architectural and evolutionary features of functional genetic elements

BACKGROUND

Bread wheat is an allohexaploid species with a 16-Gb genome that has large intergenic regions, which presents a big challenge for pinpointing regulatory elements and further revealing the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. Chromatin profiling to characterize the combinatorial patterns of chromatin signatures is a powerful means to detect functional elements and clarify regulatory activities in human studies.

RESULTS

In the present study, through comprehensive analyses of the open chromatin, DNA methylome, seven major chromatin marks, and transcriptomic data generated for seedlings of allohexaploid wheat, we detected distinct chromatin architectural features surrounding various functional elements, including genes, promoters, enhancer-like elements, and transposons. Thousands of new genic regions and cis-regulatory elements are identified based on the combinatorial pattern of chromatin features. Roughly 1.5% of the genome encodes a subset of active regulatory elements, including promoters and enhancer-like elements, which are characterized by a high degree of chromatin openness and histone acetylation, an abundance of CpG islands, and low DNA methylation levels. A comparison across sub-genomes reveals that evolutionary selection on gene regulation is targeted at the sequence and chromatin feature levels. The divergent enrichment of cis-elements between enhancer-like sequences and promoters implies these functional elements are targeted by different transcription factors.

CONCLUSIONS

We herein present a systematic epigenomic map for the annotation of cis-regulatory elements in the bread wheat genome, which provides new insights into the connections between chromatin modifications and cis-regulatory activities in allohexaploid wheat.