Correlation between obesity and early vascular aging in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations. / ä¸­é’å¹´å¥åº·ä½“æ£€äººç¾¤è‚¥èƒ–ä¸Žæ—©å‘è¡€ç®¡è€åŒ–çš„ç›¸å ³æ€§.

OBJECTIVES: The obesity rate among middle-aged and young adults in China is increasing annually, and the incidence of cardiovascular diseases is becoming more prevalent in younger populations. However, it has not yet been reported whether obesity is associated with early vascular aging (EVA). This study aims to explore the correlation between obesity and EVA in middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations, providing a reference for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: A total of 15 464 middle-aged and young adults aged 18-59 who completed brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) test in the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January to December 2020 were included. Among them, 1 965 individuals with normal blood pressure and no cardiovascular risk factors were selected as the healthy population. The baPWV thresholds for determining EVA in each age group for males and females were calculated based on the baPWV values of the healthy population. The number and percentage of individuals meeting the EVA criteria in the middle-aged and young adult health check-up populations were statistically analyzed by age and gender. The differences in obesity indicators [visceral adiposity index (VAI), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)] between the EVA and non-EVA groups for males and females were compared. Using EVA as the dependent variable, VAI, BMI, and WC were included as independent variables in a Logistic model to analyze the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA before and after adjusting for other influencing factors. Furthermore, the correlation between each obesity indicator and EVA in each age group was analyzed. RESULTS: In the health check-up populations, the detection rate of EVA in different age groups was 1.65%-10.92% for males, and 1.16%-10.50% for females, the detection rate of EVA increased with age in both males and females. Except for the 40-<50 age group, the EVA detection rate was higher in males than in females in all other age groups. Regardless of gender, obesity indicators VAI, BMI, and WC were significantly higher in the EVA group than in the non-EVA group (all P<0.01). Before and after adjusting for other influencing factors, VAI and WC were both correlated with EVA (both P<0.05). BMI was a risk factor for EVA before adjusting for other influencing factors (P<0.01), but after adjustment, the correlation between BMI and EVA was not statistically significant (P=0.05). After adjusting for other influencing factors, the correlation between VAI and EVA was statistically significant in the 18-<40 and 50-<60 age groups (both P<0.05), while the correlation between BMI and WC with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05). In the 40-<50 age group, the correlation between VAI and BMI with EVA was not statistically significant (both P>0.05), but the correlation between WC and EVA was statistically significant (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: VAI is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in middle-aged and young adults aged 18-<40 and 50-<60 years, while WC is closely related to the occurrence of EVA in those aged 40-<50 years.

Conditional survival of male breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of male breast cancer has been increasing in recent years; however, the long-term survival outcomes of diagnosed patients remain uncertain. This study was designed to evaluate the conditional survival of male breast cancer patients and to predict the future survival of patients through the conditional nomogram, to provide important suggestions for clinical decision-making. METHODS: Retrospective data from the SEER database included 3600 male breast cancer patients, divided into training and validation groups (7 : 3 ratio). Overall survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conditional survival analysis described survival at specific years. Time-dependent multivariate Cox analysis identified prognostic factors' impact. The conditional survival nomogram model predicted real-time survival rates. RESULTS: Over time, the 5-year real-time survival rate of patients gradually improved, increasing from 70.5 to 74.8, 79.4, 85.8, and 92.9% (respectively, representing 5-year survival rates of 1-4 years after diagnosis). In addition, the improvement in conditional survival rate CS5 showed a nonlinear trend. After 5 years of diagnosis, age, tumor size, and tumor stage had a sustained impact on patient prognosis. Finally, a conditional survival nomogram was constructed to predict the 10-year survival rate in real time. CONCLUSION: Five years after diagnosis, the conditional survival rate of male patients with breast cancer has improved, but it is not nonlinear. In the first 5 years after diagnosis, patients with older age, larger tumor size, poorer tumor stage, and distant metastasis should be actively followed up and treated to improve their long-term survival.

Screening by Q Exactive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry identified Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) as biomarkers for high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has a high death rate and poor prognosis. The main causes of poor prognosis are asymptomatic early disease, no effective screening method at present, and advanced disease. Changes in cellular metabolism are characteristic of cancer, and plasma metabolome analysis can be used to identify biomarkers. In this study, we used Q Exactive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, QE) to compare the differentiation between plasma samples (22 HGSOC samples and 22 normal samples). In total, we detected 124 metabolites, and an orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was useful to distinguish HGSOC patients from healthy controls. Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and sphingomyelin (d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH))/SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) showed significantly differential plasma levels in HGSOC patients under the conditions of variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, p < 0.05 using Student's t-test, and fold change (FC)  ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.667. Metabolic pathway analysis can provide valuable information to enhance the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of HGSOC. In conclusion, the Q Exactive LC/MS/MS method validation-based plasma metabolomics approach may have potential as a convenient screening method for HGSOC and may be a method to monitor tumor recurrence in patients with HGSOC after surgery SIGNIFICANCE: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has a high death rate and poor prognosis. The main causes of poor prognosis are asymptomatic early disease, no effective screening method at present, and advanced disease. Changes in cellular metabolism are characteristic of cancer, and plasma metabolome analysis can be used to identify biomarkers. In this study, we used Q Exactive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, QE) to compare the differentiation between plasma samples (20 HGSOC samples and 20 normal samples). In total, we detected 124 metabolites, and an orthogonal partial least-squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model was useful to distinguish HGSOC patients from healthy controls. Choline, 25-hydroxyvitamin D2, and sphingomyelin (d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH))/SM(d18:0/16:1(9Z) (OH)) showed significantly differential plasma levels in HGSOC patients under the conditions of variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1, p < 0.05 using Student's t-test, and fold change (FC) ≥ 1.5 or ≤ 0.667. Metabolic pathway analysis can provide valuable information to enhance the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of HGSOC. In conclusion, the Q Exactive LC/MS/MS method validation-based plasma metabolomics approach may have potential as a convenient screening method for HGSOC and may be a method to monitor tumor recurrence in patients with HGSOC after surgery.

Online Recognition of Fallen-Off Bond Wires in IGBT Modules.

As a core component of power conversion systems, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules continually suffer from severe thermal damage caused by temperature swings and shear stress, resulting in fatigue failure. Bond wires falling off is one of the failure modes of IGBT modules. Given that the number of fallen-off bond wires is a significant parameter to evaluate the health status of the IGBT modules, this paper proposes an online identification model to recognize the number of fallen-off bond wires during normal operation. Firstly, a database containing datum Vce,on-Tj-IC (collector-emitter on-state voltage Vce,on, chip junction temperature Tj, collector current IC) planes with different fallen-off bond wires is built based on an offline aging test. Secondly, a Foster network model and a special circuit are designed to measure the junction temperature Tj and the collector-emitter on-state voltage Vce,on, respectively. Thirdly, the feature points of the IGBT module represented by Vce,on, Tj, and IC are given to the database to recognize the number of fallen-off bond wires according to the position of the feature points in the datum plane. The experimental results show that the proposed method can determine the fallen-off bond wires under the operation condition.

The Pathophysiological Associations Between Obesity, NAFLD, and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases.

Obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are common and growing public health concerns. Previous epidemiological studies unfolded the robust correlation between obesity, NAFLD, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for NAFLD, and both of them can markedly increase the odds of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, significant weight loss achieved by lifestyle modification, bariatric surgery, or medications, such as semaglutide, can concomitantly improve NAFLD and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, certain pathophysiological links are involved in the development of NAFLD in obesity, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in obesity and NAFLD. Moreover, recent studies indicated that simultaneously targeting several mechanisms by tirzepatide and retatrutide leads to greater weight loss and markedly improves the complications of metabolic syndrome. These findings remind the importance of a mechanistic viewpoint for breaking the association between obesity, NAFLD, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. In this review article, we mainly focus on shared pathophysiological mechanisms, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, GLP1 signaling, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, gut dysbiosis, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) overactivity, and endothelial dysfunction. Most of these pathophysiological alterations are primarily initiated by obesity. The development of NAFLD further exacerbates these molecular and cellular alterations, leading to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease development or progression as the final manifestation of molecular perturbation. A better insight into these mechanisms makes it feasible to develop new multi-target approaches to simultaneously unhinge the deleterious chain of events linking obesity and NAFLD to atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.

Longitudinal relationship between grip strength and cognitive function in a European population older than 50 years: A cross-lagged panel model.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the dynamic longitudinal relationship between grip strength and cognitive function. METHODS: 6175 participants aged ≥50 years were included in the study using three waves of follow-up data from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe in 2015 (T1), 2017 (T2) and 2019 (T3). Cognitive function was assessed using numeracy, verbal fluency, immediate recall, delayed recall and total. The cross-lagged panel model was used for analysis. RESULTS: There was a correlation between grip strength and cognitive function. Standardized path coefficient from numeracy T1 to grip strength T2 was 0.017 (p = 0.003), and from numeracy T2 to grip strength T3 was 0.014 (p = 0.012). Standardized path coefficient from grip strength T1 to numeracy T2 was 0.096 (p < 0.001), and from grip strength T2 to numeracy T3 was 0.113 (p < 0.001). Other indicators of cognitive function had similar relationships with grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: The study found a statistically significant longitudinal and bidirectional relationship between grip strength and cognitive function in a sample of people aged ≥50 years from several European countries.

Active Thermal Control of IGBT Modules Based on Finite-Time Boundedness.

One of the most important causes of the failure of power electronic modules is thermal stress. Proper thermal management plays an important role in more reliable and cost-effective energy conversion. In this paper, we present an advanced active thermal control (ATC) strategy to reduce a power device's thermal stress amplitude during operation, with the aim of improving the reliability and lifetime of the conversion system. A state-space model based on a Foster-type thermal model is developed to achieve junction temperature estimation in real time. A feedback controller based on finite-time boundedness (FTB) is proposed to precisely regulate the temperature in order to reduce the thermal stress according to the temperature profile. The designed controller permits the precise control of the temperature and strongly reduces the thermal stress during fast transients in the power demand. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The image quality and diagnostic performance of CT perfusion-derived CT angiography versus that of conventional CT angiography.

Background: The combination of computed tomography angiography (CTA) and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) evaluation of cerebral perfusion status and vascular conditions can improve the diagnostic accuracy of infarction, ischemia, and vascular occlusion in stroke patients, as well as a comprehensive assessment of cerebral edema, collateral circulation, and blood perfusion in the lesion area. However, the consequent radiation safety and contrast agent nephropathy have aroused increasing concern. The purpose of this study was to assess the image quality and diagnostic accuracy of CTA images derived from CTP data, and to explore the feasibility of replacing conventional CTA. Methods: A total of 31 consecutive patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent head and neck CTA and brain CTP examinations. All the CTP images were transmitted to the ShuKun artificial intelligence system, which reconstructs CTA derived from CTP (CTA-DF-CTP). The images were divided into 2 groups, including CTA-DF-CTP (Group A) and conventional CTA (Group B). The CT attenuation values, subjective image noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), image quality, CT volume dose index (CTDIvol), dose length product (DLP), and effective radiation dose (ED) were compared between the 2 groups. Moreover, the consistency of vascular stenosis and stenosis degree between the 2 groups were measured and evaluated. Results: There were no significant differences in image noise, SNR, or CNR between Groups A and B (P>0.05). The CT attenuation values of the arteries were higher in Group A than in B [internal carotid artery (ICA) =548±112 vs. 454±85 Hounsfield units (HU), middle cerebral artery (MCA) =453±118 vs. 388±70 HU, and basilar artery (BA) =431±99 vs. 360±83 HU] (P<0.01). The image quality of the 2 groups met the requirement of clinical diagnosis (4.97±0.18 vs. 4.94±0.25). No significant difference was found in subjective evaluation (P>0.05). In Group A compared with Group B, the following reductions were observed: CTDIvol (10.7%; 100.8 vs. 112.9 mGy), DLP (23.0%; 1,613±0 vs. 2,093±88 mGy·cm), and ED (23.0%; 5.00±0.00 vs. 6.49±0.27 mSv). Conclusions: CTA-DF-CTP data provide diagnostic accuracy and image quality similar to those of conventional CTA of head and neck CTA.

Dazomet changes microbial communities and improves morel mushroom yield under continuous cropping.

Morels (Morchella spp.) are highly prized and popular edible mushrooms. The outdoor cultivation of morels in China first developed at the beginning of the 21st century. Several species, such as Morchella sextelata, M. eximia, and M. importuna, have been commercially cultivated in greenhouses. However, the detriments and obstacles associated with continuous cropping have become increasingly serious, reducing yields and even leading to a complete lack of fructification. It has been reported that the obstacles encountered with continuous morel cropping may be related to changes in the soil microbial community. To study the effect of dazomet treatment on the cultivation of morel under continuous cropping, soil was fumigated with dazomet before morel sowing. Alpha diversity and beta diversity analysis results showed that dazomet treatment altered the microbial communities in continuous cropping soil, which decreased the relative abundance of soil-borne fungal pathogens, including Paecilomyces, Trichoderma, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Acremonium, increased the relative abundance of beneficial soil bacteria, including Bacillius and Pseudomonas. In addition, the dazomet treatment significantly increased the relative abundance of morel mycelia in the soil and significantly improved morel yield under continuous cropping. These results verified the relationship between the obstacles associated with continuous cropping in morels and the soil microbial community and elucidated the mechanism by which the obstacle is alleviated when using dazomet treatment.

Whole-genome sequencing of diverse wheat accessions uncovers genetic changes during modern breeding in China and the United States.

Breeding has dramatically changed the plant architecture of wheat (Triticum aestivum), resulting in the development of high-yielding varieties adapted to modern farming systems. However, how wheat breeding shaped the genomic architecture of this crop remains poorly understood. Here, we performed a comprehensive comparative analysis of a whole-genome resequencing panel of 355 common wheat accessions (representing diverse landraces and modern cultivars from China and the United States) at the phenotypic and genomic levels. The genetic diversity of modern wheat cultivars was clearly reduced compared to landraces. Consistent with these genetic changes, most phenotypes of cultivars from China and the United States were significantly altered. Of the 21 agronomic traits investigated, 8 showed convergent changes between the 2 countries. Moreover, of the 207 loci associated with these 21 traits, more than half overlapped with genomic regions that showed evidence of selection. The distribution of selected loci between the Chinese and American cultivars suggests that breeding for increased productivity in these 2 regions was accomplished by pyramiding both shared and region-specific variants. This work provides a framework to understand the genetic architecture of the adaptation of wheat to diverse agricultural production environments, as well as guidelines for optimizing breeding strategies to design better wheat varieties.

Toxicity mechanism of peri-implantation pesticide beta-cypermethrin exposure on endometrial remodeling in early pregnant mice.

Beta-cypermethrin (ß-CYP) is a universally used pyrethroid pesticide with adverse effects on human health. ß-CYP may impair endometrial remodeling in mice; however, the mechanism remains largely unknown. Endometrial remodeling plays a vital role in embryonic development and the maintenance of pregnancy. Therefore, we explored the mechanism by which peri-implantation ß-CYP administration reduces uterine remodeling in pregnant mice. The C57BL/6 J pregnant mice were administered a dose of 20 mg/kg.bw. d ß-CYP via oral gavage once daily from day 1 of gestation (GD1) to GD7. Molecular markers of endometrial remodeling, stromal cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway were evaluated in the decidual tissue of the uterus on GD7. An in vivo pseudopregnancy mouse model, a pregnant mouse model treated with an mTOR activator and an mTOR inhibitor and an in vitro decidualization model of mouse endometrial stromal cells were used to confirm ß-CYP-induced defective endometrial remodeling and the key molecules expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. The results showed that ß-CYP decreased the expression of the endometrial remodeling markers MMP9 and LIF in the uterine decidua. Peri-implantation ß-CYP treatment markedly downregulated the expression of endometrial proliferation markers PCNA and Ki67 and decreased decidua thickness. Correspondingly, peri-implantation ß-CYP exposure upregulated the expression of FOXO1, P57 and p-4E-BP1 in the decidua. Further experiments showed ß-CYP significantly inhibited key molecules in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway: PI3K, p-Akt/Akt, p-mTOR, and p-P70S6K in the uterine decidua. Additional experiments showed that aberrant endometrial remodeling induced by ß-CYP was aggravated by rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor) and partially reversed by MHY1485 (an mTOR agonist). In summary, our results indicated that a reduction in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway may enhance defective endometrial remodeling by downregulating the proliferation and differentiation of endometrial stromal cells in early pregnant mice exposed to ß-CYP. Our study elucidates the mechanism of defective endometrial remodeling induced by peri-implantation ß-CYP exposure.

CAR-T Cells in the Treatment of Ovarian Cancer: A Promising Cell Therapy.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is among the most common gynecologic malignancies with a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage (stage III or IV), with 5-year survival rates ranging from 25% to 47% worldwide. Surgical resection and first-line chemotherapy are the main treatment modalities for OC. However, patients usually relapse within a few years of initial treatment due to resistance to chemotherapy. Cell-based therapies, particularly adoptive T-cell therapy and chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, represent an alternative immunotherapy approach with great potential for hematologic malignancies. However, the use of CAR-T-cell therapy for the treatment of OC is still associated with several difficulties. In this review, we comprehensively discuss recent innovations in CAR-T-cell engineering to improve clinical efficacy, as well as strategies to overcome the limitations of CAR-T-cell therapy in OC.

Real-Time Temperature Prediction of Power Devices Using an Improved Thermal Equivalent Circuit Model and Application in Power Electronics.

As a core component of photovoltaic power generation systems, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) modules continually suffer from severe temperature swings due to complex operation conditions and various environmental conditions, resulting in fatigue failure. The junction temperature prediction guarantees that the IGBT module operates within the safety threshold. The thermal equivalent circuit model is a common approach to predicting junction temperature. However, the model parameters are easily affected by the solder aging. An accurate temperature prediction by the model is impossible during service. This paper proposes an improved thermal equivalent circuit model that can remove the effect of solder aging. Firstly, the solder aging process is monitored in real-time based on the case temperatures. Secondly, the model parameters are corrected by the thermal impedance from chip to baseplate based on the linear thermal characteristic. The simulation and experimental results show that the proposed model can reduce the temperature prediction error by more than 90% under the same aging condition. The proposed method only depends on the case temperatures to correct the model parameters, which is more economical. In addition, the experimental and simulation analysis in this work can help students of power electronics courses have an in-depth knowledge of power devices' mechanical structure, heat dissipation principles, temperature distribution, junction temperature monitoring, and so on.

Using Herbal-Cake-Separated Moxibustion for the Treatment of Rats with Chronic Renal Failure.

In the process of moxibustion in clinical practice, subjects need to be in a stable mood and comfortable posture to avoid problems such as moxa ash falling, scalding skin, and poor curative effect. Such problems also exist in the rat moxibustion experiment. To simulate clinical practice, it is necessary to introduce an experimental instrument in animal experiments, that is, a moxibustion device with fixed rats and moxibustion treatment synchronization, which can make experimental rats receive moxibustion treatment quietly and comfortably under non-anesthesia. Our research group designed a rat moxibustion experimental platform. The device was framed by a wooden board with a supporting base plate, multiple fixed components, and partitioned components. The device can achieve the operation mode of moxibustion in rats without binding, avoiding anesthesia and scalding and simultaneously exposing multiple acupoints on the back. This operation can avoid physical and mental injury to rats and operators, which improves the research efficiency and further promotes the development and research of moxibustion animal experiments. The device has a simple structure, is easy to operate and popularize, is comprehensively and innovatively designed, reusable, and is suitable for rat experiments mainly based on moxibustion. This article mainly introduces the structure of the experimental platform device for rat moxibustion, the basic procedure of herbal-cake-separated-moxibustion in experimental rats using the device and describes the establishment of a rat model of chronic renal failure (CRF) and representative experimental results.

MutL homolog 1 germline mutation c.(453+1_454-1)_(545+1_546-1)del identified in lynch syndrome: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Lynch syndrome (LS) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder because of germline mutations in DNA mismatch repair genes, such as MutL homolog 1 (MLH1), PMS1 homolog 2, MutS homolog 2, and MutS homolog 6. Gene mutations could make individuals and their families more susceptible to experiencing various malignant tumors. In Chinese, MLH1 germline mutation c.(453+1_454-1)_(545+1_546-1)del-related LS has been infrequently reported. Therefore, we report a rare LS patient with colorectal and endometrioid adenocarcinoma and describe her pedigree characteristics. CASE SUMMARY: A 57-year-old female patient complained of irregular postmenopausal vaginal bleeding for 6 mo. She was diagnosed with LS, colonic malignancy, endometrioid adenocarcinoma, secondary fallopian tube malignancy, and intermyometrial leiomyomas. Then, she was treated by abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral oviduct oophorectomy, and sentinel lymph node resection. Genetic testing was performed using next-generation sequencing technology to detect the causative genetic mutations. Moreover, all her family members were offered a free genetic test, but no one accepted it. CONCLUSION: No tumor relapse or metastasis was found in the patient during the 30-mo follow-up period. The genetic panel sequencing showed a novel pathogenic germline mutation in MLH1, c.(453+1_454-1)_(545+1_546-1)del, for LS. Moreover, cancer genetic counseling and testing are still in the initial development state in China, and maybe face numerous challenges in the further.

Requirement and functional redundancy of two large ribonucleotide reductase subunit genes for cell cycle, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis in tomato.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), functioning in the de novo synthesis of deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs), is crucial for DNA replication and cell cycle progression. In most plants, the large subunits of RNR have more than one homologous gene. However, the different functions of these homologous genes in plant development remain unknown. In this study, we obtained the mutants of two large subunits of RNR in tomato and studied their functions. METHODS: The mutant ylc1 was obtained by ethyl methyl sulfonate (EMS) treatment. Through map-based cloning, complementation and knock-out experiments, it was confirmed that YLC1 encodes a large subunit of RNR (SlRNRL1). The expression level of the genes related to cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis was assessed by RNA-sequencing. In addition, we knocked out SlRNRL2 (a SlRNRL1 homologue) using CRISPR-Cas9 technology in the tomato genome, and we down-regulated SlRNRL2 expression in the genetic background of slrnrl1-1 using a tobacco rattle virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system. KEY RESULTS: The mutant slrnrl1 exhibited dwarf stature, chlorotic young leaves and smaller fruits. Physiological and transcriptomic analyses indicated that SlRNRL1 plays a crucial role in the regulation of cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis in tomato. The slrnrl2 mutant did not exhibit any visible phenotype. SlRNRL2 has a redundant function with SlRNRL1, and the double mutant slrnrl1slrnrl2 is lethal. CONCLUSIONS: SlRNRL1 is essential for cell cycle progression, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis. In addition, SlRNRL1 and SlRNRL2 possess redundant functions and at least one of these RNRLs is required for tomato survival, growth and development.

Fine mapping of the tiller inhibition gene TIN5 in Triticum urartu.

KEY MESSAGE: A tiller inhibition gene TIN5 was delimited to an approximate 2.1 Mb region on chromosome Tu7 that contains 24 annotated genes. Grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a polygenic trait representing many developmental processes and their interactions with the environments. Among them, tillering capacity is an important agronomic trait for plant architecture and grain yield, but the genetic basis of tiller formation in wheat remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified a tiller inhibition 5 (tin5) mutant from ethyl methane sulfonate treated G1812 (Triticum urartu Thumanjan ex Gandilyan). A mapping population was constructed with tin5/G3146. Based on the sequence differences between G1812 and G3146, large insertions and deletions (≥ 5 bp) were selected and verified, and a skeleton physical map was constructed with genome-wide 168 polymorphic InDel markers. Genetic analysis revealed that the low-tiller phenotype was controlled by a single recessive locus, which we named TIN5. This locus was mapped to a 2.1-Mb region that contained 24 annotated genes on chromosome Tu7. Among these annotated genes, only TuG1812G0700004539 showed a non-synonymous polymorphism between tin5 and the wild type. Our finding will facilitate its map-based cloning and pave the way for an in-depth analysis of the underlying genetic basis of tiller formation and regulation patterns.

Crosstalk Between Iron and Sulfur Homeostasis Networks in Arabidopsis.

The widespread deficiency of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) is becoming a global concern. The underlying mechanisms regulating Fe and S sensing and signaling have not been well understood. We investigated the crosstalk between Fe and S using mutants impaired in Fe homeostasis, sulfate assimilation, and glutathione (GSH) biosynthesis. We showed that chlorosis symptoms induced by Fe deficiency were not directly related to the endogenous GSH levels. We found dynamic crosstalk between Fe and S networks and more interestingly observed that the upregulated expression of IRT1 and FRO2 under S deficiency in Col-0 was missing in the cad2-1 mutant background, which suggests that under S deficiency, the expression of IRT1 and FRO2 was directly or indirectly dependent on GSH. Interestingly, the bottleneck in sulfite reduction led to a constitutively higher IRT1 expression in the sir1-1 mutant. While the high-affinity sulfate transporter (Sultr1;2) was upregulated under Fe deficiency in the roots, the low-affinity sulfate transporters (Sultr2;1, and Sultr2;2) were down-regulated in the shoots of Col-0 seedlings. Moreover, the expression analysis of some of the key players in the Fe-S cluster assembly revealed that the expression of the so-called Fe donor in mitochondria (AtFH) and S mobilizer of group II cysteine desulfurase in plastids (AtNFS2) were upregulated under Fe deficiency in Col-0. Our qPCR data and ChIP-qPCR experiments suggested that the expression of AtFH is likely under the transcriptional regulation of the central transcription factor FIT.

[Retracted] Effects of cyclooxygenase­2 gene silencing on the biological behavior of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells.

Following the publication of the above article, the authors have requested that it be retracted. They alerted the Editorial Office to the fact that the same data, albeit with a different view, had been selected to show the 'CON' and 'NC' experiments for the colony­formation assays featured in Fig. 6. The Editor has agreed to the authors' request that the paper be retracted. All the authors agree to this retraction, and apologize for any inconvenience caused. [the original article was published in Molecular Medicine Reports 11: 59­66, 2015; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2014.2732].

[Retracted] Long non­coding RNA MCM3AP­AS1 drives ovarian cancer progression via the microRNA­143­3p/TAK1 axis.

Following the publication of this article, the authors' attention was drawn to the fact that Table I and Fig. 6 contained some errors: The former contained some incorrect data, whereas the latter contained some inappropriately selected tumor images. Following a further investigation in the Editorial Office, it has come to light that there were other possible anomalies associated with the presentation of the tumor images, and also that parts of the figure may have been published previously. Taking everything into consideration, the Editor has decided that the article should be retracted from the publication due to a lack of confidence in the data presented in this article. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not received any reply. The Editor regrets any inconvenience that the retraction of the paper will cause. [the original article was published in Oncology Reports 44: 1375­1384, 2020; DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7694].