14-3-3 proteins contribute to autophagy by modulating SINAT-mediated degradation of ATG13.

In multicellular eukaryotes, autophagy is a conserved process that delivers cellular components to the vacuole or lysosome for recycling during development and stress responses. Induction of autophagy activates AUTOPHAGY-RELATED PROTEIN 1 (ATG1) and ATG13 to form a protein kinase complex that initiates autophagosome formation. However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of this protein complex in plants remains unclear. Here, we determined that in Arabidopsis thaliana, the regulatory proteins 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ redundantly modulate autophagy dynamics by facilitating SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA (SINAT)-mediated proteolysis of ATG13a and ATG13b. 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ directly interacted with SINATs and ATG13a/b in vitro and in vivo. Compared to wild-type (WT), the 14-3-3λ 14-3-3κ double mutant showed increased tolerance to nutrient starvation, delayed leaf senescence, and enhanced starvation-induced autophagic vesicles. Moreover, 14-3-3s were required for SINAT1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of ATG13a. Consistent with their roles in ATG degradation, the 14-3-3λ 14-3-3κ double mutant accumulated higher levels of ATG1a/b/c and ATG13a/b than the WT upon nutrient deprivation. Furthermore, the specific association of 14-3-3s with phosphorylated ATG13a was crucial for ATG13a stability and formation of the ATG1-ATG13 complex. Thus, our findings demonstrate that 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ function as molecular adaptors to regulate autophagy by modulating the homeostasis of phosphorylated ATG13.

Computer-directed rational design enhanced the thermostability of carbonyl reductase LsCR for the synthesis of ticagrelor precursor.

Carbonyl reductases are useful for producing optically active alcohols from their corresponding prochiral ketones. Herein, we applied a computer-assisted strategy to increase the thermostability of a previously constructed carbonyl reductase, LsCRM4 (N101D/A117G/F147L/E145A), which showed an outstanding activity in the synthesis of the ticagrelor precursor (1S)-2-chloro-1-(3,4-difluorophenyl)ethanol. The stability changes introduced by mutations at the flexible sites were predicted using the computational tools FoldX, I-Mutant 3.0, and DeepDDG, which demonstrated that 12 virtually screened mutants could be thermally stable; 11 of these mutants exhibited increased thermostability. Then a superior mutant LsCRM4-V99L/D150F was screened out from the library that was constructed by iteratively combining the beneficial sites, which showed a 78% increase in activity and a 17.4°C increase in melting temperature compared to LsCRM4. Our computer-assisted design and combinatorial strategy dramatically increased the efficiency of thermostable enzyme production.

MYB30 integrates light signals with antioxidant biosynthesis to regulate plant responses during postsubmergence recovery.

Submergence is an abiotic stress that limits agricultural production world-wide. Plants sense oxygen levels during submergence and postsubmergence reoxygenation and modulate their responses. Increasing evidence suggests that completely submerged plants are often exposed to low-light stress, owing to the depth and turbidity of the surrounding water; however, how light availability affects submergence tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 (MYB30) is an important transcription factor that integrates light signaling and postsubmergence stress responses. MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 protein abundance decreased upon submergence and accumulated during reoxygenation. Under submergence conditions, CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), a central regulator of light signaling, caused the ubiquitination and degradation of MYB30. In response to desubmergence, however, light-induced MYB30 interacted with MYC2, a master transcription factor involved in jasmonate signaling, and activated the expression of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE1 (VTC1) and GLUTATHIONE SYNTHETASE1 (GSH1) gene families to enhance antioxidant biosynthesis. Consistent with this, the myb30 knockout mutant showed increased sensitivity to submergence, which was partially rescued by overexpression of VTC1 or GSH1. Thus, our findings uncover the mechanism by which the COP1-MYB30 module integrates light signals with cellular oxidative homeostasis to coordinate plant responses to postsubmergence stress.

Plasma-Membrane-Localized Transporter NREET1 is Responsible for Rare Earth Element Uptake in Hyperaccumulator Dicranopteris linearis.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for numerous modern technologies, and demand is increasing globally; however, production steps are resource-intensive and environmentally damaging. Some plant species are able to hyperaccumulate REEs, and understanding the biology behind this phenomenon could play a pivotal role in developing more environmentally friendly REE recovery technologies. Here, we identified a REE transporter NRAMP REE Transporter 1 (NREET1) from the REE hyperaccumulator fern Dicranopteris linearis. Although NREET1 belongs to the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (NRAMP) family, it shares a low similarity with other NRAMP members. When expressed in yeast, NREET1 exhibited REE transport capacity, but it could not transport divalent metals, such as zinc, nickel, manganese, or iron. NREET1 is mainly expressed in D. linearis roots and predominantly localized in the plasma membrane. Expression studies in Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that NREET1 functions as a transporter mediating REE uptake and transfer from root cell walls into the cytoplasm. Moreover, NREET1 has a higher affinity for transporting light REEs compared to heavy REEs, which is consistent to the preferential enrichment of light REEs in field-grown D. linearis. We therefore conclude that NREET1 may play an important role in the uptake and consequently hyperaccumulation of REEs in D. linearis. These findings lay the foundation for the use of synthetic biology techniques to design and produce sustainable, plant-based REE recovery systems.

Targeting HLA-DR loss in hematologic malignancies with an inhibitory chimeric antigen receptor.

Chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cells have remarkable cytotoxicity against hematologic malignancies; however, they may also attack normal cells sharing the target antigen. Since human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) is reportedly lost or downregulated in a substantial proportion of hematologic malignancies, presumably a mechanism to escape immune surveillance, we hypothesize that the anti-cancer specificity of CAR-NK cells can be enhanced by activating them against cancer antigens while inhibiting them against HLA-DR. Here, we report the development of an anti-HLA-DR inhibitory CAR (iCAR) that can effectively suppress NK cell activation against HLA-DR-expressing cells. We show that dual CAR-NK cells, which co-express the anti-CD19 or CD33 activating CAR and the anti-HLA-DR iCAR, can preferentially target HLA-DR-negative cells over HLA-DR-positive cells in vitro. We find that the HLA-DR-mediated inhibition is positively correlated with both iCAR and HLA-DR densities. We also find that HLA-DR-expressing surrounding cells do not affect the target selectivity of dual CAR-NK cells. Finally, we confirm that HLA-DR-positive cells are resistant to dual CAR-NK cell-mediated killing in a xenograft mouse model. Our approach holds great promise for enhancing CAR-NK and CAR-T cell specificity against malignancies with HLA-DR loss.

Evidence-based Practice of Preparing the Best Evidence for Intestinal Tract in Elderly Patients Before Colonoscopy.

Context: Adequate intestinal preparation is the key to colonoscopies. The population of older adults in China is developing rapidly, and their incidence of intestinal lesions is relatively high. The failure rate of intestinal preparation of these older adults is high. Objective: The study intended to develop and implement an evidence-based practice program, based on the best evidence available and combined with information about an endoscopy center's clinical situation, to improve the qualified rate and quality of the intestinal preparation of older patients and to reduce the waste of medical resources. Design: Using the method of evidence-based nursing, the research team performed a literature search for the relevant guidelines for intestinal preparation for colonoscopies, developed a program using evidence-based practices, and conducted a prospective study using the indicators developed. Setting: The study took place at the Center for Digestive Endoscopy at Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, a Grade-3A hospital, in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province, China. Participants: Participants were 120 older adults who underwent a colonoscopy between July and September 2021 and 60 older patients who did so between October and December 2021. The patients from July through September became the baseline group, and the patients from October through October became the postintervention group. Outcome Measures: Set up an evidence-based practice group that included an evidence-based expert group and a review team, with members from the Center for Digestive Endoscopy. The practice group: (1) performed a literature review and developed the review's content; (2) conducted a baseline review of the endoscopy center's nursing procedures; (3) analyzed the promoting and hindering factors based on the review's results; (3) conducted a study with older adult patients that compared the changes between baseline and postintervention in the qualified rate of intestinal-preparation cleanliness, dietary restrictions during intestinal preparation, and the compliance rate for medications and exercise; and (4) measured patients' incidence of adverse reactions and the nurses' implementation rate of intestinal-preparation education. Results: The postintervention group's qualified rate of intestinal cleanliness, at 48 participants (80%), was significantly higher than that of the baseline group, at 35 participants (58.3%), with P = .010. For the intestinal preparation, the postintervention group's compliance with dietary restrictions, use of medications, and performance of exercise was significantly higher than that of the baseline group (all P < .001). The postintervention group's incidence of adverse reactions, such as abdominal distension, was significantly lower (P < .05), while the incidence of abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, and other adverse reactions were significantly different between the groups (P > .05). At baseline, the implementation rate by nursing staff in the endoscopic center for the baseline group was less than 50% for four indicators, but the implementation rate for the postintervention group for those indicators was significantly higher (P < .05). Conclusions: The best evidence for methods of intestinal preparation effectively reduced the adverse reactions of older patients and improved their compliance and the cleanliness of the intestinal preparation. The management of intestinal preparation using an evidence-based nursing practice can effectively standardize the process of intestinal preparation before colonoscopies and improve the cleanliness of and patients' compliance with intestinal preparation.

CircZDBF2 up-regulates RNF145 by ceRNA model and recruits CEBPB to accelerate oral squamous cell carcinoma progression via NFκB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), as one of the commonest malignancies showing poor prognosis, has been increasingly suggested to be modulated by circular RNAs (circRNAs). Through GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database, a circRNA derived from ZDBF2 (circZDBF2) was uncovered to be with high expression in OSCC tissues, while how it may function in OSCC remains unclear. METHODS: CircZDBF2 expression was firstly verified in OSCC cells via qRT-PCR. CCK-8, along with colony formation, wound healing, transwell and western blot assays was performed to assess the malignant cell behaviors in OSCC cells. Further, RNA pull down assay, RIP assay, as well as luciferase reporter assay was performed to testify the interaction between circZDBF2 and RNAs. RESULTS: CircZDBF2 expressed at a high level in OSCC cells and it accelerated OSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion as well as EMT (epithelial-mesenchymal transition) process. Further, circZDBF2 sponged miR-362-5p and miR-500b-5p in OSCC cells to release their target ring finger protein 145 (RNF145). RNF145 expressed at a high level in OSCC cells and circZDBF2 facilitated RNF145 transcription by recruiting the transcription factor CCAAT enhancer binding protein beta (CEBPB). Moreover, RNF145 activated NFκB (nuclear factor kappa B) signaling pathway and regulated IL-8 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8) transcription. CONCLUSION: CircZDBF2 up-regulated RNF145 expression by sponging miR-362-5p and miR-500b-5p and recruiting CEBPB, thereby promoting OSCC progression via NFκB signaling pathway. The findings recommend circZDBF2 as a probable therapeutic target for OSCC.

Different clinicopathologic features predispose to different patterns of distant metastasis with heterogeneous short-term prognosis in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies have focused on the associated clinicopathologic features and short-term prognostic impacts of metastatic patterns at initial diagnosis in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). METHODS: Overall, 530 individuals with distant DTC diagnosed between 2010 and 2014 were identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the clinicopathologic factors influencing the pattern of distant metastasis. Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression were used to estimate the short-term effects of metastatic patterns on overall (OS) and thyroid cancer-specific survival (TCSS). RESULTS: Fifty, 111, 263, 59 and 47 patients presented with distant lymph node (LN)-only, bone-only, lung-only, bone plus lung, and liver and/or brain metastases (Mets), respectively. Regional lymph node metastasis (LNM) and follicular histotype were the only confirmed risk factors for distant LN-only Mets and bone-only Mets, respectively. Larger tumour size, extrathyroidal extension (ETE) and papillary histotype were associated with lung-only Mets. Synchronous bone and lung Mets were more likely to occur in older patients. In addition, patients with distant LN-only Mets had hardly any negative effect on OS and TCSS, whereas those with synchronous bone and lung or liver/brain Mets predicted unfavourable short-term outcomes, regardless of whether they received total thyroidectomy and radioisotopes. CONCLUSIONS: Different clinicopathologic factors predispose to different patterns of metastases with profound short-term survival differences among DTC patients. Our findings may help to determine effective pretreatment screening for aggressive metastatic patterns at initial diagnosis, and thus to provide additional treatment or access of clinical trials for these patients.

Methylene blue prevents osteoarthritis progression and relieves pain in rats via upregulation of Nrf2/PRDX1.

Oxidative stress-related cartilage degeneration, synovitis, and joint pain play vital roles in the progress of osteoarthritis (OA). Anti-oxidative stress agents not only prevent structural damage progression but also relieve OA-related pain. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effect of methylene blue (MB), a classical and important anti-oxidant with strong neural affinity. Experimental OA was established in rats by radial transection of medial collateral ligament and medial meniscus (MCLT + MMT) of the right knee joint. The OA rats received intra-articular injection of MB (1 mg/kg) every week starting one week after surgery. We showed that MB administration exerted significant cartilage protection, synovitis inhibition as well as pain relief in OA rats. In human chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes, MB significantly attenuated tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress. We demonstrated that these effects of MB resulted from dual targets of important antioxidant enzymes, Nrf2 and PRDX1, which also mutually reinforcing and participated in an interaction. Furthermore, we found that calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a neural inflammatory mediator, was accumulated around the vessel in synovium and subchondral bone in OA rats and in TBHP-treated primary cortical neurons; MB administration significantly inhibited CGRP expression through upregulation of Nrf2 and PRDX1. Taken together, these results suggest that MB ameliorates oxidative stress via Nrf2/PRDX1 regulation to prevent progression and relieve pain of OA.

LIM Mineralization Protein-1 Enhances the Committed Differentiation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells through the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK Pathways and BMP Signaling.

Tissue regeneration is the preferred treatment for dentin and bone tissue defects. Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) have been extensively studied for their use in tissue regeneration, including the regeneration of dentin and bone tissue. LIM mineralization protein-1 (LMP-1) is an intracellular non-secretory protein that plays a positive regulatory role in the mineralization process. In this study, an LMP-1-induced DPSCs model was used to explore the effect of LMP-1 on the proliferation and odonto/osteogenic differentiation of DPSCs, as well as the underlying mechanisms. As indicated by the cell counting kit-8 assay, the results showed that LMP-1 did not affect the proliferation of DPSCs. Overexpression of LMP-1 significantly promoted the committed differentiation of DPSCs and vice versa, as shown by alkaline phosphatase activity assay, alizarin red staining, western blot assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, and in vivo mineralized tissue formation assay. Furthermore, inhibiting the activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways using specific pathway inhibitors showed that the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways attenuated the differentiation of DPSCs. Besides, the expression of BMP signaling pathway components were also determined, which suggested that LMP-1 could activate BMP-2/Smad1/5 signaling pathway. Our results not only indicated the underlying mechanism of LMP-1 treated DPSCs but also provided valuable insight into therapeutic strategies in regenerative medicine.

Pyrite-activated persulfate oxidation and biological denitrification for effluent of biological landfill leachate treatment system.

The feasibility of pyrite as catalysts in the persulfate oxidation and electron donor for subsequent bacterial denitrification was investigated. The results demonstrated that pyrite-activated persulfate oxidation could efficiently degrade the organic matter in the effluent of biological landfill leachate treatment system, and COD removal efficiency of about 45% was achieved at the optimum parameters: pH = 6, pyrite dosage = 9.28 mM, dimensionless oxidant dose = 0.25. Among the dissolved organic matter, hydrophobic dissolved organic carbon (HO DOC), humic acids and building blocks were the main components. After the pyrite-activated persulfate oxidation, humic acids and HO DOC were primarily degraded, followed by building blocks, while low molecular weight neutrals were probably the degradation products. In the subsequent biological process, nitrate reduction was satisfactorily accomplished with autotrophic denitrification as the main pathway. When the influent nitrate concentration was about 180 mg L-1, the effluent nitrate concentration was stable below 20 mg L-1 with the nitrogen removal rate of about 108 mg L-1 d-1. To sum up, the pyrite-activated persulfate oxidation and the following biological denitrification was a feasible application in the effluent of biological landfill leachate treatment system.

Characterization of Neodymium Speciation in the Presence of Fulvic Acid by Ion Exchange Technique and Single Particle ICP-MS.

It has been well known that the free ion concentration of metals plays a vital role in metal bioavailability. However, measurement of this fraction is still not easy over years of development. Nowadays, rare earth elements (REEs) are drawing more attentions as an emerging contaminant due to their wide applications in our daily life. To analyze the free ion concentration of neodymium (Nd), we adopted ion-exchange technique (IET) to investigate the changes on Nd free ion concentration in the presence of fulvic acid (FA). With the dynamic mode of IET analysis, the concentrations of Nd free ion were in the range of 0.85-36.8 × 10-8 M at the total Nd concentration of 5 × 10-7 M when FA varied from 0.4 to 10 M. However, these concentrations were 3-58 times higher than the one calculated by WHAM 7.0, which may be due to the particulate Nd spontaneously formed in solution. With single particle ICP-MS analysis, we found 0.25%-2.36% of Nd was in the form of colloids when the total Nd concentrations varied from 8.5 × 10-9 to 4.7 × 10-7 M, with the average particle sizes in the range of 26.5-39.2 nm. The presence of FA significantly decreased the number of Nd colloids, but increased the average particle size. Under the TEM, we found that Nd colloids were amorphous, with the size less than 200 nm. The present study provided a relatively new perspective on REE speciation in water. The natural organic matters not only affect the free ion concentration of Nd, but also influenced the size and numbers of Nd colloids in solution.

Rare earth elements, aluminium and silicon distribution in the fern Dicranopteris linearis revealed by µPIXE Maia analysis.

BACKGROUND: The fern Dicranopteris linearis is a hyperaccumulator of rare earth elements (REEs), aluminium (Al) and silicon (Si). However, the physiological mechanisms of tissue-level tolerance of high concentrations of REE and Al, and possible interactions with Si, are currently incompletely known. METHODS: A particle-induced X-ray emission (µPIXE) microprobe with the Maia detector, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy and chemical speciation modelling were used to decipher the localization and biochemistry of REEs, Al and Si in D. linearis during uptake, translocation and sequestration processes. RESULTS: In the roots >80 % of REEs and Al were in apoplastic fractions, among which the REEs were most significantly co-localized with Si and phosphorus (P) in the epidermis. In the xylem sap, REEs were nearly 100 % present as REEH3SiO42+, without significant differences between the REEs, while 24-45 % of Al was present as Al-citrate and only 1.7-16 % Al was present as AlH3SiO42+. In the pinnules, REEs were mainly concentrated in necrotic lesions and in the epidermis, and REEs and Al were possibly co-deposited within phytoliths (SiO2). Different REEs had similar spatial localizations in the epidermis and exodermis of roots, the necrosis, veins and epidermis of pinnae of D. linearis. CONCLUSIONS: We posit that Si plays a critical role in REE and Al tolerance within the root apoplast, transport within the vascular bundle and sequestration within the blade of D. linearis.

A systematic review of cross-cultural adaptation of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index.

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) was developed to accurately assess the pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life related to chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). This study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural adaptations of the NIH-CPSI. METHOD: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and SciELO databases were searched from their established year to September 2020. Cross-cultural adaptations and the quality control of measurement properties of adaptations were conducted by two reviewers independently according to the Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and the Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire. RESULTS: Area total of 21 papers with 16 adaptations, and six studies of the original version of the NIH-CPSI were enrolled in the systematic review. Back translation was the weakest process for the quality assessment of the cross-cultural adaptations of the NIH-CPSI. Internal consistency was analyzed for most of the adaptations, but none of them met the standard. Only 11 adaptations reported test reliability, then only the Arabic-Egyptian, Chinese-Mainland, Danish, Italian, Persian, and Turkish adaptations met the criterion. Most adaptations reported the interpretability, but only the Danish adaptation reported the agreement. The other measurement properties, including responsiveness, and floor as well as ceiling effects were not reported in any of the adaptations. CONCLUSIONS: The overall quality of the NIH-CPSI cross-cultural adaptations was not organized as expected. Only the Portuguese-Brazilian, Italian, and Spanish adaptations reached over half the process for the cross-cultural adaptation. Only the Turkish adaptations finished half of the measurement properties of cross-cultural adaptations.

Oral manifestations related to malaria: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To generalize the oral manifestations related to malaria and discuss their clinical significance for health professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bibliographic databases of Public MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus were employed to retrieve publications online from January 1781 to August 2019. Original research articles, clinical trials, and case reports published in English were included. RESULTS: A small number of studies reported oral manifestations of malaria (n = 29), including gingival bleeding, glossitis, oral ulcer, abnormal oral pigmentation, pericoronitis, herpes labialis, herpes gingivostomatitis, bitter taste, sore throat, Burkitt lymphoma of the jaw, alveolar bone resorption, and enamel hypoplasia. CONCLUSION: Oral manifestations may be important indicators for identification of malaria. Dental and general professionals should pay more attention to oral manifestations in malaria cases, and guide them for specialized examination, diagnosis, and management.

The Histone Chaperone NRP1 Interacts with WEREWOLF to Activate GLABRA2 in Arabidopsis Root Hair Development.

NUCLEOSOME ASSEMBLY PROTEIN1 (NAP1) defines an evolutionarily conserved family of histone chaperones and loss of function of the Arabidopsis thaliana NAP1 family genes NAP1-RELATED PROTEIN1 (NRP1) and NRP2 causes abnormal root hair formation. Yet, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that NRP1 interacts with the transcription factor WEREWOLF (WER) in vitro and in vivo and enriches at the GLABRA2 (GL2) promoter in a WER-dependent manner. Crystallographic analysis indicates that NRP1 forms a dimer via its N-terminal α-helix. Mutants of NRP1 that either disrupt the α-helix dimerization or remove the C-terminal acidic tail, impair its binding to histones and WER and concomitantly lead to failure to activate GL2 transcription and to rescue the nrp1-1 nrp2-1 mutant phenotype. Our results further demonstrate that WER-dependent enrichment of NRP1 at the GL2 promoter is involved in local histone eviction and nucleosome loss in vivo. Biochemical competition assays imply that the association between NRP1 and histones may counteract the inhibitory effect of histones on the WER-DNA interaction. Collectively, our study provides important insight into the molecular mechanisms by which histone chaperones are recruited to target chromatin via interaction with a gene-specific transcription factor to moderate chromatin structure for proper root hair development.

Diagnostic value of circulating microRNA-19b in heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: For differentiating heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) from HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is less accurate. Decreased expression of microRNA-19b (miR-19b) is associated with increased cardiac-fibrosis. We aim to evaluate the value of miR-19b in diagnosing HFrEF patients. METHOD: We included 200 HF patients and 100 healthy controls. Intergroup comparisons of miR-19b were made and correlation between miR-19b and NT-proBNP was analysed. Diagnostic values of NT-proBNP and miR-19b for HF patients versus controls and HFrEF versus HFpEF were obtained by ROC analysis and described by area under curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity. RESULTS: HFrEF patients (0.87, 95% CI 0.37-1.45) had significantly lower miR-19b level than HFpEF group (1.32, 95% CI 0.63-2.51) and the controls (1.82, 95% CI 0.37-1.45) (both P < .001). There was a remarkable negative correlation between miR-19b and NT-proBNP (P < .001). The additional use of miR-19b did not improve the accuracy of NT-proBNP alone in diagnosing HF patients from the controls (both AUC = 0.98, 95%CI 0.97-0.99). However, as for distinguishing the HFpEF from HFrEF, miR-19b and NT-proBNP yielded a significantly higher AUC than NT-proBNP alone (0.85, 95% CI 0.80-0.90 vs. 0.66, 95% CI 0.58-0.74) (P < .001), and the sensitivity for diagnosing HFrEF was raised from 58% to 77% and the specificity from 75% to 79%. CONCLUSIONS: On top of NT-proBNP, miR-19b added the value in diagnosing HFrEF. But in view of satisfactory accuracy of NT-proBNP in predicting HF from the healthy volunteers, miR-19b did not provide incremental value.

Unique 5'-P recognition and basis for dG:dGTP misincorporation of ASFV DNA polymerase X.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) can cause highly lethal disease in pigs and is becoming a global threat. ASFV DNA Polymerase X (AsfvPolX) is the most distinctive DNA polymerase identified to date; it lacks two DNA-binding domains (the thumb domain and 8-KD domain) conserved in the homologous proteins. AsfvPolX catalyzes the gap-filling reaction during the DNA repair process of the ASFV virus genome; it is highly error prone and plays an important role during the strategic mutagenesis of the viral genome. The structural basis underlying the natural substrate binding and the most frequent dG:dGTP misincorporation of AsfvPolX remain poorly understood. Here, we report eight AsfvPolX complex structures; our structures demonstrate that AsfvPolX has one unique 5'-phosphate (5'-P) binding pocket, which can favor the productive catalytic complex assembly and enhance the dGTP misincorporation efficiency. In combination with mutagenesis and in vitro catalytic assays, our study also reveals the functional roles of the platform His115-Arg127 and the hydrophobic residues Val120 and Leu123 in dG:dGTP misincorporation and can provide information for rational drug design to help combat ASFV in the future.

Germline Missense Mutation of Deleted in Malignant Brain Tumor 1 (DMBT1) in Familial Mediastinal Neuroendocrine Cancer and in vitro Effects in Thyroid Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) rarely occur in the mediastinum and their etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study assessed inherited or de novo mutations in familial mediastinal NETs. METHOD: DNA samples from 4 patients were subjected to the whole-exome sequencing, and Sanger sequencing was used to identify Deleted in malignant brain tumor 1 (DMBT1) mutations in all 45 family members. RESULTS: All patients showed a germline DMBT1 mutation at 4971C. Sanger sequencing data showed that 4 NETs and 2 carriers in the first patient's family and 2 NETs and 4 carriers in the second patient's family, respectively, had this DMBT1 mutation. The in vitro data showed that the ectopic expression of DMBT1 reduced tumor cell viability and migration by arresting the G1/S phase of the cell cycle. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a germline missense mutation in DMBT1D1657E as a susceptibility gene for familial mediastinal NETs.

Spatially Resolved Localization of Lanthanum and Cerium in the Rare Earth Element Hyperaccumulator Fern Dicranopteris linearis from China.

The fern Dicranopteris linearis (Gleicheniaceae) from China is a hyperaccumulator of rare earth element (REE), but little is known about the ecophysiology of REE in this species. This study aimed to clarify tissue-level and organ-level distribution of REEs via synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM). The results show that REEs (La + Ce) are mainly colocalized with Mn in the pinnae and pinnules, with the highest concentrations in necrotic lesions and lower concentrations in veins. In the cross sections of the pinnules, midveins, rachis, and stolons, La + Ce and Mn are enriched in the epidermis, vascular bundles, and pericycle (midvein). In these tissues, Mn is localized mainly in the cortex and mesophyll. We hypothesize that the movement of REEs in the transpiration flow in the veins is initially restricted in the veins by the pericycle between vascular bundle and cortex, while excess REEs are transported by evaporation and cocompartmentalized with Mn in the necrotic lesions and epidermis in an immobile form, possibly a Si-coprecipitate. The results presented here provide insights on how D. linearis regulates high concentrations of REEs in vivo, and this knowledge is useful for developing phytotechnological applications (such as REE agromining) using this fern in REE-contaminated sites in China.