Granulomatous lobular mastitis treated by a combined internal and external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) is a rare benign inflammatory disease of the breast and is classified under comedo mastitis in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The etiology of this disease is unknown, and it mainly occurs in women of childbearing age. The diagnosis depends on histopathological biopsy. At present, there is no systematic and standardized treatment plan for GLM. In the absence of evidence supporting an infectious etiology, affected patients might continue to receive multiple courses of antibiotics and unnecessary surgery. CASE SUMMARY: A 37-year-old Chinese woman with a history of coronavirus disease 2019 infection presented with swelling and pain in the left breast. She also had erythema, nodules in the lower extremities, arthritis in both knees, cough, and headache. In the early stage of GLM, the mass was not significantly reduced by conservative treatment with internal application of TCM; hence, surgical treatment was carried out. The aim of postoperative treatment was to drain the pus, eliminate the necrosed tissue, and expand the muscles; fumigation and washing using TCM was applied. CONCLUSION: Combined internal and external treatment with TCM, following the principle of "Prioritize internal treatment before ulceration and emphasize external treatment after ulceration" was effective in our patient with GLM. The prognosis was good. We believe that TCM offered valuable therapeutic benefits in this disease.

Effector MoSDT1 enhances Magnaporthe oryzae virulence and plays a dual role in regulating rice defense.

C2H2 zinc effectors are a class of pathogen proteins that play a dual role in plant-pathogen interactions, promoting pathogenicity and enhancing plant defense. In our previous research, we identified Magnaporthe oryzae Systemic Defense Trigger 1 (MoSDT1) as a C2H2 zinc effector that activates rice (Oryza sativa) defense when overexpressed in rice. However, its regulatory roles in pathogenicity and defense require further investigation. In this study, we generated an MoSDT1 overexpressing strain and 2 knockout strains of M. oryzae to assess the impact of MoSDT1 on pathogenicity, rice defense, and phenotypic characteristics. Our analyses revealed that MoSDT1 substantially influenced vegetative growth, conidia size, and conidiation, and was crucial for the virulence of M. oryzae while suppressing rice defense. MoSDT1 localized to the nucleus and cytoplasm of rice, either dependent or independent of M. oryzae delivery. Through RNA-seq, scRNA-seq, and ChIP-seq, we identified that MoSDT1 modulates rice defense by regulating the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of various rice signaling proteins, including transcription factors, transcription repressors, kinases, phosphatases, and the ubiquitin system. These findings provide valuable insights into the regulatory mechanisms of C2H2 zinc finger effector proteins and offer important foundational information for utilizing their target genes in disease resistance breeding and the design of targets for disease management.

Health literacy and self-management among middle-aged and young hypertensive patients: a parallel mediation effect of illness perception and self-efficacy.

Background: Hypertension is increasingly prevalent among young and middle-aged populations in rural China, accompanied by suboptimal self-management. Given that this population forms the backbone of the labor force, enhancing their self-management capabilities is crucial for improving overall population health. Studies indicate that individuals with good health literacy are more likely to effectively manage their health. Methods: Grounded in the health literacy skills framework, a model was constructed in this study to examine the impact of health literacy on self-management among young and middle-aged hypertensive patients in rural China. Meanwhile, the mediating roles of illness perception and self-efficacy were also verified. Using a multi-stage stratified random sampling method, 338 patients were recruited to participate in the study. Structural equation modeling was utilized to establish the relationship model, and bootstrap tests were carried out to examine the mediating effects. Results: The average self-management score was 70.45 ± 11.36. Health literacy exhibited a positive correlation with self-management (standardized ß = 0.372, p < 0.001). The mediating effects through illness perception and self-efficacy were 0.040 and 0.236, constituting 6.68 and 39.31% of the total effect, respectively. Conclusion: Illness perception and self-efficacy serve as parallel mediators amid the association between health literacy and self-management. Implementing psychological counseling and health education is imperative for augmenting self-management competence and cultivating an adaptive coping mentality.

A high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of Ficus hirta.

Ficus species (Moraceae) play pivotal roles in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. Thriving across diverse habitats, from rainforests to deserts, they harbor a multitude of mutualistic and antagonistic interactions with insects, nematodes, and pathogens. Despite their ecological significance, knowledge about the genomic background of Ficus remains limited. In this study, we report a chromosome-level reference genome of F. hirta, with a total size of 297.27 Mb, containing 28,625 protein-coding genes and 44.67% repeat sequences. These findings illuminate the genetic basis of Ficus responses to environmental challenges, offering valuable genomic resources for understanding genome size, adaptive evolution, and co-evolution with natural enemies and mutualists within the genus.

Angiopterisnodosipetiolata (Marattiaceae), a new fern species from Yunnan, China.

Angiopterisnodosipetiolata Ting Wang tris, H.F.Chen & Y.H.Yan, a new fern of Marattiaceae, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, A.nodosipetiolata is similar to A.chingii with more than one naked pulvinus on the stipe and numerous jointed hairs on the undersides of the mature pinnae. However, the pinnae of A.nodosipetiolata are lanceolate and can reach up to 4-6 pairs, whereas they are elliptic and occur in 2-3 pairs in A.chingii. Phylogenetic and genetic distance analysis, based on the plastid genomes, also indicates that A.nodosipetiolata is not closely related to A.chingii. Currently, there are ca. 500 mature individuals in Gulinqing Nature Reserve and we suggest A.nodosipetiolata should be categorised as an Endangered (EN) species according to the criteria of IUCN.

Carexqingyuanensis (Cyperaceae), a new species from Guangdong, China.

Carexqingyuanensis, a new species of Cyperaceae from Guangdong Province, China, is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Carexpeliosanthifolia F. T. Wang & Tang ex P. C. Li, but it can be distinguished by the racemose inflorescence branches appearing single (rarely binate or ternate) (vs. binate or ternate), one (rarely two or three) (vs. 1-3) spiked, male part of linear-cylindrical spikes much longer than the female part (vs. just male part short-cylindrical and slightly longer than female part), style base thickened (vs. not thickened) and perigynium horizontally patent with a short (vs. long and excurved) beak. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the two nuclear DNA regions (ETS 1f and ITS) and three chloroplast DNA regions (matK, ndhF and rps16), suggests that the new species belongs to sect. Siderostictaes.s. of subg. Siderosticta and shows a closer phylogenetic relationship to Carexscaposa C. B. Clarke.

Modeling of phosphate speciation on goethite surface: Effects of humic acid.

Iron (hydr)oxides and humic acid (HA) are important active components in soils and usually coexist in the environment. The effects of HA on the adsorption and subsequent immobilization of phosphate on iron (hydr)oxide surface are of great importance in studies of soil fertility and eutrophication. In this study, two types of goethite with different particle sizes were prepared to investigate the phosphate adsorption behaviors and complexation mechanisms in the absence or presence of HA by combining multiple characterization and modeling studies. The adsorption capacity of micro- (M-Goe) and nano-sized goethite (N-Goe) for phosphate was 2.02 and 2.04 µmol/m2, which decreased by ∼25% and ∼45% in the presence of 100 and 200 mg/L HA, respectively. Moreover, an increase in equilibrium phosphate concentration significantly decreased the adsorption amount of goethite for HA. Charge distribution-multisite surface complexation (CD-MUSIC) and natural organic matter-charge distribution (NOM-CD) modeling identified five phosphate complexes and their corresponding affinity constants (logKP). Among these phosphate complexes, FeOPO2OH, (FeO)2PO2, and (FeO)2POOH species were predominant complexes on the surface of both M-Goe and N-Goe across a wide range of pH and initial phosphate concentrations. The presence of HA had little effect on the coordination mode and logKP of phosphate on goethite surface. These results and the obtained model parameters shed new lights on the interfacial reactivity of phosphate at the goethite-water interface in the presence of HA, and may facilitate further prediction of the environmental fate of phosphate in soils and sediments.

Longistylin A from Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. disturbs glycerophospholipid metabolism and cytokinin biosynthesis of Nocardia seriolae.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Nocardiosis is an uncommon infectious disease that bears certain similarities to tuberculosis, with a continuous increase in its incidence and a poor prognosis. In traditional Chinese medicine, the leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. are employed to treat wounds, malaria, coughs, and abdominal pain. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of longistylin A (LGA), a natural stilbene isolated from C. cajan, as a potential antibiotic against nocardiosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LGA was isolated from the leaves of C. cajan and assessed using a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) determination against Nocardia seriolae. Multi-omics analysis encompassing genes, proteins, and metabolites was conducted to investigate the impact of LGA treatment on N. seriolae. Additionally, quantitative analysis of 40 cytokinins in N. seriolae mycelium was performed to assess the specific effects of LGA treatment on cytokinin levels. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy was utilized to examine morphological changes induced by LGA treatment, particularly in the presence of exogenous trans-zeatin-O-glucoside (tZOG). The therapeutic effect of LGA was investigated by feeding N. seriolae-infected largemouth bass. RESULTS: LGA exhibited significant efficacy against N. seriolae, with MBC value of 2.56 µg/mL. Multi-omics analysis revealed that LGA disrupted glycerophospholipid metabolism and hormone biosynthesis by notably reducing the expression of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and calmodulin-like protein. Treatment with LGA markedly disrupted 12 distinct cytokinins in N. seriolae mycelium. Additionally, the addition of exogenous tZOG counteracted the inhibitory effects of LGA on filamentous growth, resulting in mycelial elongation and branching. Furthermore, LGA treatment improved the survival rate of largemouth bass infected with N. seriolae. CONCLUSIONS: We found for the first time that LGA from C. cajan exhibited significant efficacy against N. seriolae by interfering with glycerophospholipid metabolism and cytokinin biosynthesis.

Characterization of Firmiana danxiaensis plastomes and comparative analysis of Firmiana: insight into its phylogeny and evolution.

BACKGROUND: Firmiana danxiaensis is a critically endangered and ecologically important tree currently only found in four locations in Danxia or Karst habitats in northern Guangdong Province, China. The specialized habitat preference makes it an ideal model species for study of adaptive evolution. Meanwhile, the phylogenetic relationships of F. danxiaensis in four locations under two landforms are unclear. Therefore, we sequenced its complete chloroplast (cp.) genomes and conducted comprehensive interspecific and intrageneric plastome studies. RESULTS: The F. danxiaensis plastomes in four locations showed a typical quadripartite and circular structure that ranged from 160,832 to 161,206 bp in size, with 112 unique genes encoded. Comparative genomics showed that the plastomes of F. danxiaensis were relatively conserved with high similarity of genome organization, gene number, GC content and SSRs. While the genomes revealed higher biased codon preferences in Karst habitat than those in Danxia habitats. Eighteen and 11 divergent hotpots were identified at interspecific and intrageneric levels for species identification and further phylogenetic studies. Seven genes (clpP, accD, ccsA, ndhH, rpl20, rpoC2, and rps4) were under positive selection and may be related to adaptation. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that F. danxiaensis is sister to F. major and F. simplex. However, the interspecific relationships are not consistent with the habitat types. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics and interspecific relationship of F. danxiaensis plastomes provide new insights into further integration of geographical factors, environmental factors, and genetic variations on the genomic study of F. danxiaensis. Together, our study will contribute to the study of species identification, population genetics, and conservation biology of F. danxiaensis.

Comparative Analysis of Intramedullary Nail versus Plate Fixation for Fibula Fracture in Supination External Rotation Type IV Ankle Injury.

BACKGROUND Lateral malleolus fractures, typically from trauma, sports, or accidents, are common, with supination external rotation (SER) injuries being most prevalent. SER injuries involve complex joint mechanics and often necessitate surgical intervention for instability. This study compares intramedullary nail and plate fixation for fibula fractures in SER type IV ankle injuries, considering their biomechanical properties and influence on fracture healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS A prospective, randomized study was conducted between January 2021 and December 2021. A total of 81 patients with SER injuries were included in the study. Surgical procedures were performed using either intramedullary nails or plates. The following parameters were recorded and analyzed: postoperative complications, operation times, bone healing times, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain, and ankle range of motion. RESULTS Out of the 81 cases, 42 were treated with intramedullary nails, while 39 received plate fixation. Statistical analysis revealed a significantly lower rate of postoperative complications in the intramedullary nail group than in the the plate fixation group (9.52% vs 30.77%, P<0.0164). However, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of operation time, bone healing time, AOFAS scores, VAS scores, and functional evaluations (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Plate fixation and intramedullary nail fixation are effective techniques for treating fibula fractures in SER type IV injuries. However, intramedullary nail fixation demonstrates a lower rate of complications. Therefore, intramedullary nails may be preferable to plate fixation for the management of fibula fractures in SER type IV ankle injuries.

Face-dependent phosphate speciation on goethite: CD-MUSIC modeling and ATR-FTIR/2D-COS study.

Understanding the face-dependent phosphate adsorption mechanisms and their variations with environmental conditions is of great significance for revealing phosphate adsorption mechanisms on various goethites and predicting phosphorus speciation in iron-rich soils. In this study, micro- (MicroGoe) and nano-sized goethite (NanoGoe) were synthesized and used to investigate the face-dependent adsorption behaviors of proton and phosphate on goethite by combining the charge distribution-multisite surface complexation (CD-MUSIC) model and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR). The results demonstrated that MicroGoe had a higher charge density and phosphate adsorption capacity than NanoGoe, which could be attributed to the higher site density of ≡FeOH-0.5 and inner-layer capacitance arising from a higher proportion of capping face and rougher surface of MicroGoe. The logKH of ≡FeOH-0.5 on the main and capping face was 8.2 and 8.9, respectively. Three types of monodentate mononuclear phosphate complexes in different protonated states were identified, along with the non-protonated bidentate complex. Protonated monodentate complexes were formed at relatively low pH and high surface loadings, whereas non-protonated complexes were the predominant species at intermediate to high pH. MicroGoe had a higher percentage of monodentate complexes than NanoGoe, and both goethites had considerably lower phosphate adsorption on the capping face than on the main face. The results provide valuable insights into the interfacial reactivity of goethite prepared with various methods and facilitate further prediction of phosphorus speciation and availability in iron-rich soils.

Biomaterial-Based Gene Delivery: Advanced Tools for Enhanced Cartilage Regeneration.

Gene therapy has emerged as a promising and innovative approach in cartilage regeneration. Integrating biomaterials into gene therapy offers a unique opportunity to enhance gene delivery efficiency, optimize gene expression dynamics, modulate immune responses, and promote tissue regeneration. Despite the rapid progress in biomaterial-based gene delivery, there remains a deficiency of comprehensive discussions on recent advances and their specific application in cartilage regeneration. Therefore, this review aims to provide a thorough overview of various categories of biomaterials employed in gene delivery, including both viral and non-viral vectors, with discussing their distinct advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the diverse strategies employed in gene therapy are discussed and summarized, such as the utilization of growth factors, anti-inflammatory cytokines, and chondrogenic genes. Additionally, we highlights the significant challenges that hinder biomaterial-based gene delivery in cartilage regeneration, including immune response modulation, gene delivery efficiency, and the sustainability of long-term gene expression. By elucidating the functional properties of biomaterials-based gene therapy and their pivotal roles in cartilage regeneration, this review aims to enhance further advances in the design of sophisticated gene delivery systems for improved cartilage regeneration outcomes.

Systematic identification of reference genes for qRT-PCR of Ardisia kteniophylla A. DC under different experimental conditions and for anthocyanin-related genes studies.

Ardisia kteniophylla A. DC, widely known as folk medicinal herb and ornamental plant, has been extensively investigated due to its unique leaf color, anti-cancer and other pharmacological activities. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was an excellent tool for the analysis of gene expression with its high sensitivity and quantitative properties. Normalizing gene expression with stable reference genes was essential for qRT-PCR accuracy. In addition, no studies have yet been performed on the selection, verification and stability of internal reference genes suitable for A. kteniophylla, which has greatly hindered the biomolecular researches of this species. In this study, 29 candidate genes were successfully screened according to stable expression patterns of large-scale RNA seq data that from a variety of tissues and the roots of different growth stages in A. kteniophylla. The candidates were then further determined via qRT-PCR in various experimental samples, including MeJA, ABA, SA, NaCl, CuSO4, AgNO3, MnSO4, CoCl2, drought, low temperature, heat, waterlogging, wounding and oxidative stress. To assess the stability of the candidates, five commonly used strategies were employed: delta-CT, geNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder, and the comprehensive tool RefFinder. In summary, UBC2 and UBA1 were found to be effective in accurately normalizing target gene expression in A. kteniophella regardless of experimental conditions, while PP2A-2 had the lowest stability. Additionally, to verify the reliability of the recommended reference genes under different colored leaf samples, we examined the expression patterns of six genes associated with anthocyanin synthesis and regulation. Our findings suggested that PAP1 and ANS3 may be involved in leaf color change in A. kteniphella. This study successfully identified the ideal reference gene for qRT-PCR analysis in A. kteniphella, providing a foundation for future research on gene function, particularly in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins.

Differences and significance of peripheral blood interleukin-6 expression between patients with granulomatous lobular mastitis and those with benign breast tumors.

Objective: It is unclear whether the mechanism of the interleukin (IL)-6 signaling pathway is similar between granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM) and benign breast tumors. This study aimed to explore the differences and significance of peripheral blood IL-6 and related cytokines, routine blood test results, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels between patients with GLM and benign breast tumors. Methods: Seventy-three inpatients with GLM who underwent surgery and 60 patients with benign breast tumors diagnosed based on pathological findings between November 2022 and May 2023 were included. The white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil (NEU) counts were determined using an automatic blood cell analyzer, the CRP level was determined by an immunoturbidimetric assay, and serum IL-6 and related cytokine levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The WBC, NEU, and CRP values in patients with GLM were significantly higher than those in patients with benign breast tumors (P < 0.01). Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with GLM than in those with benign breast tumors (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the serum concentrations of IL-1ß, IL-7, and interferon (IFN)-γ between patients with GLM and those with benign breast tumors (P > 0.05), but the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α level was higher in patients with GLM than in those with benign breast tumors (P < 0.01). In patients with GLM, the Pearson correlation analysis showed that the IL-6 level was positively correlated with NEU, NEU%, CRP, IL-17, and TNF-α values (P < 0.01). Additionally, the IL-6 level was weakly positively correlated with WBC and IFN-γ values. Conversely, in patients with benign breast tumors, the IL-6 level was not significantly correlated with the aforementioned indicators in routine blood tests but was positively correlated with IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α values (P < 0.01). Conclusions: IL-6, NEU, NEU%, and CRP values were significantly elevated in patients with GLM compared to those with benign breast tumors, indicating that IL-6 plays an important role in the development and onset of GLM. The correlation between these cytokines and the development and progression of benign breast tumors needs to be further explored, as cytokines such as IL-6 may provide effective markers for the treatment of GLM.

Damage by typhoon Hato compared among three different plant communities in Macau, China.

Tropical cyclones are among the major climatic disasters threatening human survival and development. They are also responsible in part for forest taxonomic composition and dynamics and may lead to catastrophic succession between ecosystems. In this study, we aimed to investigate the extensiveness and severity of the effect caused by Typhoon Hato among the three primary plant communities in Macau, China, including Guia Hill, Taipa Grande, and Ka Ho. The plants' damage was classified into seven categories, ranging from Degree 6, which represents the most severe damage, to Degree 0, which represents almost no damage. The impact of Typhoon Hato was evaluated at different levels, including sample plots, species, DBH, and community structure. Our results show that the sub-climax community of Guia Hill was most disturbed, with the highest damage index (DI) of 55.28%. Similarly, the Ka Ho shoreline shrub community was also considerably influenced, with a DI of 48.14%. By contrast, the managed secondary forest around Taipa Grande was the least affected, with a DI of 32.66%. Additionally, from the tree layer perspective, the tall trees at Guia Hill canopy layer were directly affected by wind, while the dense understory layer suffered from severe secondary damage due to the fallen trees and branches. For Taipa Grande, the dominant species in the canopy layer were shorter and had less direct damage; the secondary damage was also small as a consequence. Ka Ho had more dwarfed and multibranched species surviving from the sea breeze since Ka Ho was close to the sea. The dense plant structure in Ka Ho protected plants from being easily broken by typhoons, but some twigs and leaves were lost. Some less damaged local species and easily recovered species found in this study could inform the selection of wind-resistant species for the typhoon-affected communities.

Molecular mechanism of Ruxian Shuhou prescription in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology.

We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism of Ruxian Shuhou prescription in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by using network pharmacology. The active components and targets of the prescription were obtained by Traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database. Gencards database, online mendelian inheritance in man database, therapeutic target database, and DRUGBANK database were used to search for the TNBC-related targets. The potential targets of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for TNBC were screened out by the intersection of effective ingredient action targets and disease targets. A herb-active ingredient-target network was constructed and analyzed for key ingredients. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed for studying key targets. Furthermore, gene ontology analysis and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. Finally, the relationship between key ingredients and key genes was evaluated by molecular docking. The key ingredients of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for the treatment of TNBC may be Quercetin, Luteolin and Kaempferol, while the key therapeutic targets may be protein kinase B, interleukin-6, cellular tumor antigen p53, and vascular endothelial growth factor A. The related signaling pathways were mainly involved in tumor, apoptosis and virus infection, among which the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway was the most closely related to TNBC. Molecular docking showed that the key ingredients had high binding activity with the key targets. The molecular mechanisms of Ruxian Shuhou prescription for TNBC are likely to involve multi-ingredient, multi-target and multi-pathway.

Adsorption behavior of soil fulvic acid on crystal faces of kaolinite and goethite: Described by CD-MUSIC model.

The interaction between organic matter (OM) and minerals has significant impacts on the mineralization process and rate of OM, and can protect part of organic carbon in soils. In this study, the complex species of fulvic acid (FA) on the surface of minerals (kaolinite and goethite) and the corresponding thermodynamic characteristics were investigated with the CD-MUSIC model and isothermal titration calorimetry. With increasing pH, the adsorption of kaolinite for FA increased at pH < 5.5 and decreased at pH > 5.5, which might be due to the binding of carboxyl groups of FA onto the positively charged sites of O-face and edge-face. However, that of goethite consistently decreased with increasing pH from 3.5 to 9.0 due to an increase in electrostatic repulsion. The fraction of FA was mainly adsorbed on the edge-face and O-face to form inner sphere complexes on kaolinite and outer sphere complexes on goethite. Molar adsorption enthalpies indicated that FA was adsorbed through two site types on kaolinite, while that was one site type on goethite. In addition, the molar enthalpy was more closely associated with inner sphere complexation for kaolinite, while with outer sphere complexation for goethite. The findings shed new light on the adsorption behavior and complexation mechanism of OM on the crystal faces of mineral-water interface.

Exogenous Jasmonic Acid Alleviates Blast Resistance Reduction Caused by LOX3 Knockout in Rice.

Lipoxygenase 3 (LOX3) is a lipid peroxidase found in rice embryos that is known to affect seed quality. Interestingly, deletion of the LOX3 gene has been shown to improve rice seed quality but decrease resistance to rice blast disease and drought. To investigate these opposing effects, we generated a LOX3 knockout construct (ΔLox3) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants. Blast resistance and transcription levels of rice genes in ΔLox3 rice plants and the effects of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) on resistance and transcriptional levels of rice genes in Magnaporthe oryzae-infected ΔLox3 rice plants were further elucidated. The results showed that the ΔLox3 plants exhibited normal phenotypes, with high levels of methyl-linolenate and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the genes involved in three Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways contributed to rice seed quality. M. oryzae-infected ΔLox3 plants exhibited serious blast symptoms with a reduced defense response but increased ROS-mediated cell death, and the genes involved in seven KEGG pathways contributed to rice seed quality. Exogenous JA treatment alleviated blast symptoms in infected ΔLox3 plants by hindering hyphal expansion, inhibiting ROS-mediated cell death, and increasing the defense response, and genes involved in 12 KEGG pathways contributed to rice seed quality. These findings demonstrate that LOX3 plays an important role in rice growth and defense, and its knockout improves rice quality at the expense of disease resistance. Exogenous JA provides a means to compensate for the reduction in defense responses of LOX3 knockout rice lines, suggesting potential applications in agricultural production.

Construction and validation of a risk prediction model for aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss.

Purpose: To establish a high-risk prediction model for aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss (AIBL) in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Methods: The study included breast cancer patients who received aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. Univariate analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with AIBL. The dataset was randomly divided into a training set (70%) and a test set (30%). The identified risk factors were used to construct a prediction model using the eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) machine learning method. Logistic regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression methods were used for comparison. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the performance of the model in the test dataset. Results: A total of 113 subjects were included in the study. Duration of breast cancer, duration of aromatase inhibitor therapy, hip fracture index, major osteoporotic fracture index, prolactin (PRL), and osteocalcin (OC) were found to be independent risk factors for AIBL (p < 0.05). The XGBoost model had a higher AUC compared to the logistic model and LASSO model (0.761 vs. 0.716, 0.691). Conclusion: The XGBoost model outperformed the logistic and LASSO models in predicting the occurrence of AIBL in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer receiving aromatase inhibitors.