Pattern dynamics of networked epidemic model with higher-order infections.

Current research on pattern formations in networked reaction-diffusion (RD) systems predominantly focuses on the impacts of diffusion heterogeneity between nodes, often overlooking the contact heterogeneity between individuals within nodes in the reaction terms. In this paper, we establish a networked RD model incorporating infection through higher-order interaction in simplicial complexes in the reaction terms. Through theoretical and numerical analysis, we find that these higher-order interactions may induce Turing instability in the system. Notably, the relationship between the size of the Turing instability range and the average 2-simplices degree within nodes can be approximated by a quadratic function. Additionally, as the average 2-simplices degree increases, the amplitude of the patterns exhibits three distinct trends: increasing, decreasing, and initially increasing then decreasing, while the average infection density increases consistently. We then provide a possible explanation for these observations. Our findings offer new insights into the effects of contact heterogeneity within nodes on networked pattern formations, thereby informing the development of epidemic prevention and control measures.

Characterization and function of promoters of silicon transporter genes PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 from moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis).

KEY MESSAGE: Promoters of moso bamboo silicon transporter genes PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 contain elements in response to hormone, silicon, and abiotic stresses, and can drive the expression of PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 in transgene Arabidopsis. Low silicon 1 (Lsi1) transporters from different species have been shown to play an important role in influxing silicon from soil. In previous study, we cloned PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 from Phyllostachys edulis and verified that PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 have silicon uptake ability. Furthermore, in this study, the promoters of PeLsi1-1(1910 bp) and PeLsi1-2(1922 bp) were cloned. Deletion analysis identified the key regions of the PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 promoters in response to hormone, silicon, and abiotic stresses. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 were regulated by hormones, salt stress and osmotic stress. In addition, we found that the driving activity of the PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 promoters was regulated by 2 mM K2SiO3 and PeLsi1-1-P3 ~ P4 and PeLsi1-2-P4 ~ 5 were the regions regulated by silicon. Overexpression of PeLsi1-1 or PeLsi1-2 driven by 35S promoter in Arabidopsis resulted in a threefold increase of Si accumulation, whereas transgenic plants showed deleterious symptoms and dwarf seedlings and shorter roots under 2 mM Si treatment. When the 35S promoter was replaced by PeLsi1-1 or PeLsi1-2 promoter, a similar Si absorption was achieved and the transgene plants grew normally. This study, therefore, demonstrates that the promoters of PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 are indeed effective in driving the expression of moso bamboo Lsi1 genes and leading to silicon uptake.

Oral exposure to phenanthrene during gestation disorders endocrine and spermatogenesis in F1 adult male mice.

Phenanthrene (Phe), a typical low-molecular-weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) of three benzene rings, is one of the most abundant PAHs detected in daily diets. Pregnant women and infants are at great risk of Phe exposure. In the present study, Phe was administered to pregnant mice at a dose of 0, 60, or 600 µg/kg body weight six times, and the F1 male mice showed significant reproductive disorders: the testicular weight and testis somatic index were significantly reduced; the levels of serum testosterone, GnRH and SHBG were increased, while the FSH levels were reduced; histological analysis showed that the amount of Sertoli cells and primary spermatocytes in seminiferous tubules was increased, while the amount of secondary spermatocytes and spermatids were decreased in Phe groups. The protein levels of PCNA and androgen receptor were reduced. Differently expressed genes in the testis screened by RNA sequence were enriched in antioxidant capacity, reproduction et al.. Further biochemical tests confirmed that the antioxidant capacity in the F1 testis was significantly inhibited by treatment with Phe during pregnancy. Those results suggested that gestational Phe exposure disordered hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) hormones on the one hand, and on the other hand reduced testicular antioxidant capacity and further arrested cell cycle in F1 adult male mice, which co-caused the inhibition of spermatogenesis.

Seizure Outcome After Intraoperative Electrocorticography-Tailored Epilepsy Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tailoring epilepsy surgery using intraoperative electrocorticography (ioECoG) has been debated, and modest number of epilepsy surgery centers apply this diagnostic method. We assessed the current evidence to use ioECoG-tailored epilepsy surgery for improving postsurgical outcome. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were searched for original studies reporting on ≥10 cases who underwent ioECoG-tailored surgery for epilepsy, with a follow-up of at least 6 months. We used a random-effects model to calculate the overall rate of patients achieving favorable seizure outcome (FSO), defined as Engel class I, ILAE class 1, or seizure-free status. Meta-regression was used to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) for estimating variables on FSO:ioECoG vs non-ioECoG-tailored surgery (if included studies contained patients with non-ioECoG-tailored surgery), ioECoG-tailored epilepsy surgery in children vs adults, temporal (TL) vs extratemporal lobe (eTL), MRI-positive vs MRI-negative, and complete vs incomplete resection of tissue that generated interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted for underlying pathologies. We assessed the evidence certainty using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). RESULTS: Eighty-three studies (82 observational studies, 1 trial) comprising 3,631 patients with ioECoG-tailored surgery were included. The overall pooled rate of patients who attained FSO after ioECoG-tailored surgery was 74% (95% CI 71-77) with significant heterogeneity, which was predominantly attributed to pathologies and seizure outcome classifications. Twenty-two studies contained non-ioECoG-tailored surgeries. IoECoG-tailored surgeries reached a higher rate of FSO than non-ioECoG-tailored surgeries (OR 2.10 [95% CI 1.37-3.24]; p < 0.01; very low certainty). Complete resection of tissue that displayed IEDs in ioECoG predicted FSO better compared with incomplete resection (OR 3.04 [1.76-5.25]; p < 0.01; low certainty). We found insignificant difference in FSO after ioECoG-tailored surgery in children vs adults, TL vs eTL, or MRI-positive vs MRI-negative. The network meta-analysis showed that the odds of FSO was lower for malformations of cortical development than for tumors (OR 0.47 95% credible interval 0.25-0.87). DISCUSSION: Although limited by low-quality evidence, our meta-analysis shows a relatively good surgical outcome (74% FSO) after epilepsy surgery with ioECoG, especially in tumors, with better outcome for ioECoG-tailored surgeries in studies describing both and better outcome after complete removal of IED areas.

Early life stage exposure to fenbuconazole causes multigenerational cardiac developmental defects in zebrafish and potential reasons.

With the increasing use of triazole fungicides in agriculture, triazole pesticides have aroused great concern about their toxicity and ecological risk. The current study investigated the impairments of embryonic exposure to fenbuconazole (FBZ) on cardiac transgenerational toxicity and related mechanisms. The fertilized eggs were exposed to 5, 50 and 500 ng/L FBZ for 72 h, and the larvae were then raised to adulthood in clean water. The adult fish were mated with unexposed fish to produce maternal and paternal F1 and F2 embryos, respectively. The results showed that increased arrhythmia were observed in F0, F1 and F2 larvae. Transcriptome sequencing indicated that the pathway of adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes was enriched in F0 and F2 larvae. In both F0 and F1 adult zebrafish hearts, ADRB2 protein expression decreased, and transcription of genes related to cardiac development and Ca2+ homeostasis was downregulated. These alterations might cause cardiac developmental defects. Significantly decreased protein levels of H3K9Ac and H3K14Ac might be linked with the downregulation in transcription of cardiac development genes. Protein‒protein interaction analysis exhibited that the pathway affecting the heart was well inherited in the paternal line. These results provide new ideas for the analysis and prevention of congenital heart disease.

Prognostic Value of Complete Resection of the High-Frequency Oscillation Area in Intracranial EEG: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: High-frequency oscillations (HFOs; ripples 80-250 Hz; fast ripples [FRs] 250-500 Hz) recorded with intracranial electrodes generated excitement and debate about their potential to localize epileptogenic foci. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prognostic value of complete resection of the HFOs-area (crHFOs-area) for epilepsy surgical outcome in intracranial EEG (iEEG) accessing multiple subgroups. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for original research from inception to October 27, 2022. We defined favorable surgical outcome (FSO) as Engel class I, International League Against Epilepsy class 1, or seizure-free status. The prognostic value of crHFOs-area for FSO was assessed by (1) the pooled FSO proportion after crHFOs-area; (2) FSO for crHFOs-area vs without crHFOs-area; and (3) the predictive performance. We defined high combined prognostic value as FSO proportion >80% + FSO crHFOs-area >without crHFOs-area + area under the curve (AUC) >0.75 and examined this for the clinical subgroups (study design, age, diagnostic type, HFOs-identification method, HFOs-rate thresholding, and iEEG state). Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was compared with extra-TLE through dichotomous variable analysis. Individual patient analysis was performed for sex, affected hemisphere, MRI findings, surgery location, and pathology. RESULTS: Of 1,387 studies screened, 31 studies (703 patients) met our eligibility criteria. Twenty-seven studies (602 patients) analyzed FRs and 20 studies (424 patients) ripples. Pooled FSO proportion after crHFOs-area was 81% (95% CI 76%-86%) for FRs and 82% (73%-89%) for ripples. Patients with crHFOs-area achieved more often FSO than those without crHFOs-area (FRs odds ratio [OR] 6.38, 4.03-10.09, p < 0.001; ripples 4.04, 2.32-7.04, p < 0.001). The pooled AUCs were 0.81 (0.77-0.84) for FRs and 0.76 (0.72-0.79) for ripples. Combined prognostic value was high in 10 subgroups: retrospective, children, long-term iEEG, threshold (FRs and ripples) and automated detection and interictal (FRs). FSO after complete resection of FRs-area (crFRs-area) was achieved less often in people with TLE than extra-TLE (OR 0.37, 0.15-0.89, p = 0.006). Individual patient analyses showed that crFRs-area was seen more in patients with FSO with than without MRI lesions (p = 0.02 after multiple correction). DISCUSSION: Complete resection of the brain area with HFOs is associated with good postsurgical outcome. Its prognostic value holds, especially for FRs, for various subgroups. The use of HFOs for extra-TLE patients requires further evidence.

Mechanisms of the role of proto-oncogene activation in promoting malignant transformation of mature B cells. / åŽŸç˜¤åŸºå› æ¿€æ´»è¯±å¯¼æˆç†ŸB细胞恶变的作用机制.

Malignant tumors continue to pose a significant threat to human life and safety and their development is primarily due to the activation of proto-oncogenes and the inactivation of suppressor genes. Among these, the activation of proto-oncogenes possesses greater potential to drive the malignant transformation of cells. Targeting oncogenes involved in the malignant transformation of tumor cells has provided a novel approach for the development of current antitumor drugs. Several preclinical and clinical studies have revealed that the development pathway of B cells, and the malignant transformation of mature B cells into tumors have been regulated by oncogenes and their metabolites. Therefore, summarizing the key oncogenes involved in the process of malignant transformation of mature B cells and elucidating the mechanisms of action in tumor development hold significant importance for the clinical treatment of malignant tumors.

Risk Factors for Cerebral Hyperperfusion Syndrome After Combined Revascularization in Adult Patients with Moyamoya Disease.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) is known as a complication after bypass surgery for Moyamoya disease (MMD). However, the incidence of CHS has not been accurately reported, and there is no consensus on the risk factors associated with it. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with postoperative CHS after surgical combined revascularization used to treat adult patients with MMD. OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and characteristics of CHS in patients with MMD after revascularization operations. METHODS: Patients who received combined revascularization from Jan 2021 to Nov 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative clinical characteristics and radiographic features were recorded. Postoperative CHS after surgery were examined. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for CHS. RESULTS: A total of 133 patients (141 hemispheres) were included in this study. Postoperative CHS were observed in 28 hemispheres (19.8%), including focal cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (FCHS) in 20 hemispheres (14.2%), hemorrhage in 4 (2.8%) hemispheres, seizures in 4 (2.8%) hemispheres. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that preoperative hypertension (OR 4.705, 95% CI 1.323 ~ 12.554, p = 0.014), cerebral hemorrhage onset (OR 5.390, 95% CI 1.408 ~ 20.642, p = 0.014) and higher Hct level (OR 1.171, 95% CI 1.051 ~ 1.305, p = 0.004) were significantly associated with CHS after combined revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative hypertension, cerebral hemorrhage onset, and higher Hct level were independent risk factors for CHS after combined revascularization.

DNA Hypomethylation-Mediated Transcription Dysregulation Participates in Pathogenesis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly heterogeneous and genetically complex endocrine disorder. Although the etiology remains mostly elusive, growing evidence suggests that abnormal changes of DNA methylation correlate well with systemic and tissue-specific dysfunctions in PCOS. Herein, a dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS-like mouse model which has a similar metabolic and reproductive phenotype as human patients with PCOS was generated. It was used to experimentally validate the potential role of aberrant DNA methylation in PCOS in this study. Integrated DNA methylation and transcriptome analysis revealed the potential role of genomic DNA hypomethylation in transcription regulation of PCOS and identified several key candidate genes, including BMP4, Adcy7, Tnfaip3, and Fas, which were regulated by aberrant DNA hypomethylation. Moreover, i.p. injection of S-adenosylmethionine increased the overall DNA methylation level of PCOS-like mice and restored expression of the candidate genes to similar levels as the control, alleviating reproductive and metabolic abnormalities in PCOS-like mice. These findings provide direct evidence showing the importance of normal DNA methylation in epigenetic regulation of PCOS and potential targets for diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Novel bioactive 2-phenyl-4-aminopyrimidine derivatives as EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S inhibitors for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the development of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thus, EGFR is an effective drug target for the treatment of NSCLC, and developing fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors to overcome the resistance mediated by T790M/C797S mutations are currently under investigation. In this study, based on the binding model between Angew2017-7634-1 and EGFRT790M/C797S , several series of 2-phenyl-4-aminopyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized. The bioactivity of these compounds was evaluated and it is suggested that compound A23 could effectively inhibit the proliferation of Ba/F3-EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S and H1975-EGFRL858R/T790M cells, with an IC50 of 0.22 ± 0.07 and 0.52 ± 0.03 µM, respectively. Meanwhile, the kinase activity of A23 against EGFRL858R/T790M and EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S was also evaluated, with an IC50 of 0.33 and 0.133 µM, respectively. Moreover, compound A23 was further evaluated in the H1975 xenograft models with significant in vivo tumor growth inhibitions of 25.5%, which means that A23 could effectively inhibit the growth of tumor cells and promote the death of tumor cells. As a result, A23 could be identified as a novel potential EGFRDel19/T790M/C797S inhibitor.

T5S1607 identified as a antibacterial FtsZ inhibitor：Virtual screening combined with bioactivity evaluation for the drug discovery.

Due to antibiotic overuse, many bacteria have developed resistance, creating an urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. It has been established that the filamentous temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) of the bacterial cell division protein is an effective and promising antibacterial target. In this study, the optimal proteins were assessed by early recognition ability and the processed compound libraries were virtually screened using Vina. This effort resulted in the identification of 14 potentially active antimicrobial compounds. Among them, the compound T5S1607 demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis ATCC9732 (MIC = 1 µg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus ATC5C6538 (MIC = 4 µg/mL). Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the selected compound T5S1607 rapidly killed bacteria and induced FtsZ protein aggregation, preventing bacterial division and leading to bacterial death. Additionally, cell toxicity and hemolysis experiments indicate that compound T5S1607 exhibits minimal toxicity to LO2 cells and shows no significant hemolytic effects on mammalian cells in vitro at the MIC concentration range. All the results indicate that compound T5S1607 is a promising antibacterial agent and a potential FtsZ inhibitor. In conclusion, this work successfully discovered FtsZ inhibitors with good activity through the virtual screening drug discovery process.

Targeting gut microbial nitrogen recycling and cellular uptake of ammonium to improve bortezomib resistance in multiple myeloma.

The gut microbiome has been found to play a crucial role in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), which is still considered incurable due to drug resistance. In previous studies, we demonstrated that intestinal nitrogen-recycling bacteria are enriched in patients with MM. However, their role in MM relapse remains unclear. This study highlights the specific enrichment of Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii) in patients with relapsed MM. Through fecal microbial transplantation experiments, we demonstrate that C. freundii plays a critical role in inducing drug resistance in MM by increasing levels of circulating ammonium. The ammonium enters MM cells through the transmembrane channel protein SLC12A2, promoting chromosomal instability and drug resistance by stabilizing the NEK2 protein. We show that furosemide sodium, a loop diuretic, downregulates SLC12A2, thereby inhibiting ammonium uptake by MM cells and improving progression-free survival and curative effect scores. These findings provide new therapeutic targets and strategies for the intervention of MM progression and drug resistance.

Analysis of the detection rate and related factors of fatty liver disease in physical examination of healthy population in Chengdu district.

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we analyzed the detection rate and related influencing factors of fatty liver in the health examination population in Chengdu area. METHODS: The case-control study was performed to compare the gender, age (years), body mass index (BMI), smoking, drinking, abnormal lipid metabolism, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia Is there any statistically significant difference in the detection rate of diseases such as metabolic syndrome, and logistic regression analysis is conducted to analyze the comprehensive impact of each influencing factor on the prevention of fatty liver disease. RESULTS: Among 14,426 survey subjects, a total of 6717 patients with fatty liver were detected, with a detection rate of 47.22%. There are significant differences in the incidence of fatty liver disease among different gender groups, with the incidence rate in males being significantly higher than that in females (P < .05); The incidence of fatty liver in elderly subjects was significantly higher than that in middle-aged and young subjects (P < .05); The prevalence rate of individuals with a BMI > 24 was significantly higher than that of individuals with a BMI < 24 (P < .05). The prevalence of fatty liver in the population with abnormal lipid metabolism, hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome and other diseases was significantly higher (P < .05); After stratified analysis by gender and age, the incidence of fatty liver in males was significantly higher than that in females in the 3 age groups < 60 years old (P < .05); In the age group ≥ 60 years old, the difference in the incidence of fatty liver disease between males and females was significantly reduced, and the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The health screening of patients with fatty liver should be carried out regularly, and attention should be paid to the intervention and prevention of overweight people and people with basal metabolism diseases such as hyperglycemia and hypertension, so as to reduce the incidence of fatty liver.

High expression of VARS promotes the growth of multiple myeloma cells by causing imbalance in valine metabolism. / VARSé«˜è¡¨è¾¾è‡´ç¼¬æ°¨é ¸ä»£è°¢å¤±è¡¡ä¿ƒè¿›å¤šå‘æ€§éª¨é«“ç˜¤ç»†èƒžç”Ÿé•¿.

OBJECTIVES: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy occurring in middle and old age. MM is still an incurable disease due to its frequent recurrence and drug resistance. However, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Abnormal amino acid metabolism is one of the important characteristics of MM, and the important metabolic pathway of amino acids participates in protein synthesis as basic raw materials. Aminoacyl transfer ribonucleic acid synthetase (ARS) gene is a key regulatory gene in protein synthesis. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanism for ARS, a key factor of amino acid metabolism, in regulating amino acid metabolism in MM and affecting MM growth. METHODS: The corresponding gene number was combined with the gene expression profile GSE5900 dataset and GSE2658 dataset in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to standardize the gene expression data of ARS. GSEA_4.2.0 software was used to analyze the difference of gene enrichment between healthy donors (HD) and MM patients in GEO database. GraphPad Prism 7 was used to draw heat maps and perform data analysis. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression model were used to analyze the expression of ARS gene and the prognosis of MM patients, respectively. Bone marrow samples from 7 newly diagnosed MM patients were collected, CD138+ and CD138- cells were obtained by using CD138 antibody magnetic beads, and the expression of ARS in MM clinical samples was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR. Human B lymphocyte GM12878 cells and human MM cell lines ARP1, NCI-H929, OCI-MY5, U266, RPMI 8266, OPM-2, JJN-3, KMS11, MM1.s cells were selected as the study objects. The expression of ARS in MM cell lines was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) lentiviruses were used to construct gene knock-out plasmids (VARS-sh group). No-load plasmids (scramble group) and gene knock-out plasmids (VARS-sh group) were transfected into HEK 293T cells with for virus packaging, respectively. Stable expression cell lines were established by infecting ARP1 and OCI-MY5 cells, and the effects of knockout valyl-tRNA synthetase (VARS) gene on proliferation and apoptosis of MM cells were detected by cell counting and flow cytometry, respectively. GEO data were divided into a high expression group and a low expression group according to the expression of VARS. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore the downstream pathways affected by VARS. Gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to detect the valine content in CD138+ cells and ARP1, OCI-MY5 cells and supernatant of knockdown VARS gene in bone marrow samples from patients, respectively. RESULTS: Gene enrichment analysis showed that tRNA processing related genes were significantly enriched in MM compared with HD (P<0.0001). Further screening of tRNA processing-pathway related subsets revealed that cytoplasmic aminoacyl tRNA synthetase family genes were significantly enriched in MM (P<0.0001). The results of gene expression heat map showed that the ARS family genes except alanyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS), arginyl-tRNA synthetase (RARS), seryl-tRNA synthetase (SARS) in GEO data were highly expressed in MM (all P<0.01). With the development of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to MM, the gene expression level was increased gradually. Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis of survival results showed that there were significant differences in the prognosis of MM patients in methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MARS), asparaginyl-tRNA synthetase (NARS) and VARS between the high expression group and the low expression group (all P<0.05). Cox regression model multivariate analysis showed that the high expression of VARS was associated with abnormal overall survival time of MM (HR=1.83, 95% CI 1.10 to 3.06, P=0.021). The high expression of NARS (HR=0.90, 95% CI 0.34 to 2.38) and MARS (HR=1.59, 95% CI 0.73 to 3.50) had no effect on the overall survival time of MM patients (both P>0.05). Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting showed that VARS, MARS and NARS were highly expressed in CD138+ MM cells and MM cell lines of clinical patients (all P<0.05). Cell counting and flow cytometry results showed that the proliferation of MM cells by knockout VARS was significantly inhibited (P<0.01), the proportion of apoptosis was significantly increased (P<0.05). Bioinformatics analysis showed that in addition to several pathways including the cell cycle regulated by VARS, the valine, leucine and isoleucine catabolic pathways were upregulated. Non-targeted metabolomics data showed reduced valine content in CD138+ tumor cells in MM patients compared to HD (P<0.05). HPLC results showed that compared with the scramble group, the intracellular and medium supernatant content of ARP1 cells and the medium supernatant of OCI-MY5 in the VARS-shRNA group was increased (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MM patients with abnormal high expression of VARS have a poor prognosis. VARS promotes the malignant growth of MM cells by affecting the regulation of valine metabolism.

Thiazole-based analogues as potential antibacterial agents against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and their SAR elucidation.

In recent years, the overuse of antibiotics has resulted in the emergence of antibiotic resistance, which is a serious global health problem. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common and virulent bacterium in clinical practice. Numerous researchers have focused on developing new candidate drugs that are effective, less toxic, and can overcome MRSA resistance. Thiazole derivatives have been found to exhibit antibacterial activity against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant pathogens. By hybridizing thiazole with other antibacterial pharmacophores, it is possible to obtain more effective antibacterial candidate drugs. Thiazole derivatives have shown potential in developing new drugs that can overcome drug resistance, reduce toxicity, and improve pharmacokinetic characteristics. This article reviews the recent progress of thiazole compounds as potential antibacterial compounds and examines the structure-activity relationship (SAR) in various directions. It covers articles published from 2018 to 2023, providing a comprehensive platform to plan and develop new thiazole-based small MRSA growth inhibitors with minimal side effects.

Insights into the mechanism underlying UV-B induced flavonoid metabolism in callus of a Tibetan medicinal plant Mirabilis himalaica.

Mirabilis himalaica is an important Tibetan medicinal plant in China. However, it has become a rare and class I endangered Tibetan medicine plant. Therefore, the use of callus to propagate germplasm resources is of great significance. We found that the flavonoid content of M. himalaica callus increased continuously with the extension of UV-B treatment. Multi-omics profiles were used to reveal the co-expression patterns of gene networks of flavonoid metabolism in M. himalaica callus during UV-B radiation. Results showed that five medicinal metabolics, including geranin, eriodictyol, astragalin, isoquercetin, pyrotechnic acid, and one anthocyanin malvide-3-O-glucoside were identified. The transcriptome data were divided into 46 modules according to the expression pattern by WGCNA (weighted gene co-expression network analysis), of which the module Turquoise had the strongest correlation with six target metabolites. We found that seven structural genes and twenty-five transcription factors were related to the metabolism of flavonoid synthesis, among which the structural genes CHI, C4H and UGT79B6 had strong co-expression relationships with the 6 target metabolites. WRKY42, WRKY7, bHLH128 and other transcription factors had strong co-expression relationships with multiple structural genes. Consequently, these findings suggest callus grown under UV-B treatment could be an effective alternative medical resource of M. himalaica, which is valuable for conservation and usage of this wild and endangered plant.

Efficacy and safety of tai chi exercise on bone health: An umbrella review.

PURPOSE: To critically evaluate systematic reviews (SRs) of the Tai Chi (TC) exercise on bone health and provide more recently available evidence. METHODS: SRs with or without meta-analysis (MA) of TC on bone health were comprehensively searched in eight electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Chinese Scientific Journals Database) and in the international prospective register of systematic reviews of (PROSPERO) from initiation to March 2023. Descriptive analyses of SRs were performed, and reporting and methodological quality of the included SRs were evaluated using the updated version of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist and A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2). The certainty of the synthesized evidence was assessed with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. RESULTS: Eighteen SRs, 15 with MAs, were included. Forty-nine RCTs and 16 NRSIs with 3956 and 1157 participants, respectively, were included in these SRs. The reporting quality of the included SRs ranged from high to low, but most received critically low AMSTAR-2 scores. Efficacy of TC on nine bone health biomarkers has been explored, covering bone mineral density (BMD) and serum biomarkers. The results showed that compare to non-intervention, perimenopausal and postmenopausal participants who practiced TC may benefit in BMD of the lumbar spine [MD = 0.04, 95% CI (0.02, 0.07)], and femoral neck [MD = 0.04, 95% CI (0.02, 0.06)], but not BMD of the femoral proximal trochanter [MD = 0.02, 95% CI (0.00, 0.03)], ward's triangle [MD = 0.02, 95% CI (-0.01, 0.04)], and femoral shaft [SMD = 0.16, 95% CI (-0.11, 0.44)]. Elders practicing TC may benefit in BMD of the femoral neck [SMD = 0.28, 95% CI (0.10, 0.45)], femoral proximal trochanter [SMD = 0.39, 95% CI (0.05, 0.73)], and ward's triangle [SMD = 0.21, 95% CI (0.05,0.37)], but may not in BMD of lumbar spine [SMD = 0.03, 95% CI (-0.22, 0.27)]. CONCLUSION: We have low certainty that for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, compare to those with no exercise, TC could improve BMD of the lumbar spine, femoral neck. We also have low certainty that in elder population, TC practitioners may benefit in BMD of femoral neck, and Ward's triangle. REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42020173543).

Presence of schistosome eggs in lymph node predict unfavorable prognosis in schistosomal colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of schistosome eggs' location in schistosomal colorectal cancer (SCRC). METHODS: 172 cases of SCRC were retrospectively analyzed. Patient clinicopathological parameters and survival rates were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 102 males and 70 females, the median age was 71 years (range, 44-91). All patients were followed, and the median time was 50.1 months (range, 1.0-79.7). There were 87 patients with PS1 (presence site 1, eggs deposited in the mucosa) and 85 patients with PS2 (presence site 2, eggs deposited in the muscularis propria or throughout the full thickness of the intestinal wall), 159 patients presented with eggs in cutting edge and 83 patients presented with eggs in lymph node (LN). Hepatic schistosomiasis was found in 27.3% of patients by imaging modalities and correlated to patients with PS2 ( P < 0.001) and LNs' eggs ( P < 0.001). Survival analyses showed that in stage III SCRC, eggs' presence in LN associated with worse DFS ( P = 0.004) or marginally worse OS ( P = 0.056), patients with PS2 had shorter OS ( P = 0.044). Multivariate analyses revealed hepatic schistosomiasis was an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS in stage III SCRC ( P = 0.001, 0.002, respectively). In adjusted multivariate analysis, eggs' presence in LN was an independent prognostic factor for DFS in stage III SCRC ( P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: In stage III SCRC, eggs' presence in LN could predict poor prognosis and hepatic schistosomiasis was an independently unfavorable prognosis factor.

The Interaction between Gut Microbiota and Host Amino Acids Metabolism in Multiple Myeloma.

Although novel therapies have dramatically improved outcomes for multiple myeloma (MM) patients, relapse is inevitable and overall outcomes are heterogeneous. The gut microbiota is becoming increasingly recognized for its influence on host metabolism. To date, evidence has suggested that the gut microbiota contributes to MM, not only via the progressive activities of specific bacteria but also through the influence of the microbiota on host metabolism. Importantly, the abnormal amino acid metabolism, as well as the altered microbiome in MM, is becoming increasingly apparent, as is the influence on MM progression and the therapeutic response. Moreover, the gut-microbiota-host-amino-acid metabolism interaction in the progression of MM has been highlighted. Modulation of the gut microbiota (such as fecal microbiota transplantation, FMT) can be modified, representing a new angle in MM treatment that can improve outcomes. In this review, the relationship between gut microbiota, metabolism, and MM, together with strategies to modulate the microbiota, will be discussed, and some unanswered questions for ongoing and future research will be presented.

Excessive serine from the bone marrow microenvironment impairs megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis in Multiple Myeloma.

Thrombocytopenia is a major complication in a subset of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, little is known about its development and significance during MM. Here, we show thrombocytopenia is linked to poor prognosis in MM. In addition, we identify serine, which is released from MM cells into the bone marrow microenvironment, as a key metabolic factor that suppresses megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis. The impact of excessive serine on thrombocytopenia is mainly mediated through the suppression of megakaryocyte (MK) differentiation. Extrinsic serine is transported into MKs through SLC38A1 and downregulates SVIL via SAM-mediated tri-methylation of H3K9, ultimately leading to the impairment of megakaryopoiesis. Inhibition of serine utilization or treatment with TPO enhances megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis and suppresses MM progression. Together, we identify serine as a key metabolic regulator of thrombocytopenia, unveil molecular mechanisms governing MM progression, and provide potential therapeutic strategies for treating MM patients by targeting thrombocytopenia.