T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukaemia involving bilateral breast: a case report.

T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma of the breast represents a highly uncommon subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This study presents a case of T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma/acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-LBL/ALL) in a 73-year-old female patient exhibiting bilateral breast masses, bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy, swollen lymph nodes in the left neck, and petechiae on the chest. The breast ultrasound revealed heterogeneous hypoechoic findings in the skin layer and subcutaneous tissue of the upper outer quadrant of both breasts. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) demonstrated rapid homogeneous hyperenhancement of bilateral breast masses, and with a small unenhanced area noted in the centre of the left breast mass. The fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of bilateral axillary lymph nodes revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma, whereas the FNAC of the left cervical lymph nodes indicated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Biopsy of the breast mass demonstrated multifocal growth of lymphocyte-like cells, with immunohistochemical analysis confirming T-LBL/ALL. This case study outlines the clinical and CEUS features of breast T-LBL/ALL.

Variation in Pesticide Toxicity in the Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Associated with Consuming Phytochemically Different Monofloral Honeys.

Insecticide toxicity to insect herbivores has long been known to vary across different host plants; this phenomenon has been widely documented in both foliage-feeders and sap-feeders. Species-specific phytochemical content of hostplant tissues is assumed to determine the pattern of induction of insect enzymes that detoxify insecticides, but specific phytochemicals have rarely been linked to host plant-associated variation in pesticide toxicity. Moreover, no studies to date have examined the effects of nectar source identity and phytochemical composition on the toxicity of insecticides to pollinators. In this study, we compared LD50 values for the insecticide bifenthrin, a frequent contaminant of nectar and pollen in agroecosystems, in the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, consuming three phytochemically different monofloral honeys: Nyssa ogeche (tupelo), Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust), and Fagopyrum esculentum (buckwheat). We found that bifenthrin toxicity (LD50) values for honey bees across different honey diets is linked to their species-specific phytochemical content. The profiles of phenolic acids and flavonoids of buckwheat and locust honeys are richer than is the profile of tupelo honey, with buckwheat honey containing the highest total content of phytochemicals and associated with the highest bifenthrin LD50 in honey bees. The vector fitting in the ordination analysis revealed positive correlations between LD50 values and two honey phytochemical richness estimates, Chao1 and Abundance-based Coverage Estimator (ACE). These findings suggest unequal effects among different phytochemicals, consistent with the interpretation that certain compounds, including ones that are rare, may have a more pronounced effect in mitigating pesticide toxicity.

[Effect of Erchen Decoction on liver mitochondrial function by inhibiting mTORC1/SREBP1/CAV1 pathway in mice with high-fat diet].

This study aims to investigate the effect of Erchen Decoction(ECD) on liver mitochondrial function in mice with a high-fat diet and its possible mechanism. A total of sixty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group, high-fat group, ECD group, mTORC1 activator(MHY) group, ECD+MHY group, and polyene phosphatidyl choline(PPC) group, with 10 rats in each group. The normal group was given a normal diet, and the other groups were fed a high-fat diet for 20 weeks. At the 17th week, the ECD group and ECD+MHY group were given ECD(8.7 g·kg~(-1)) daily, and the PPC group was given PPC(0.18 g·kg~(-1)) daily, while the remaining groups were given normal saline(0.01 mL·g~(-1)) daily for four weeks. In the 19th week, the MHY group and ECD+MHY group were injected intraperitoneally with MHY(5 mg·kg~(-1)) every other day for two weeks. During the experiment, the general conditions of the mice were observed. The contents of triglyceride(TG) and total cholesterol(TC) in serum were measured. Morphological changes in liver tissue were examined through HE and oil red O staining. The content of adenosine triphosphate(ATP) was determined using chemiluminescence, and mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed using a fluorescence probe(JC-1). Western blot was performed to detect the expression of rapamycin target protein complex 1(mTOR1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1(S6K), sterol regulatory element binding protein 1(SREBP1), and caveolin 1(CAV1). RESULTS:: revealed that compared with the normal group, the mice in the high-fat group exhibited significant increases in body weight and abdominal circumference(P<0.01). Additionally, there were significant increases in TG and TC levels(P<0.01). HE and oil red O staining showed that the boundaries of hepatic lobules were unclear; hepatocytes were enlarged, round, and irregularly arranged, with obvious lipid droplet deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration. The liver ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly(P<0.01). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 increased significantly(P<0.01), while the expression of CAV1 decreased significantly(P<0.01). Compared with the high-fat group, the body weight and TG content of mice in the ECD group and PPC group decreased significantly(P<0.05). Improvements were observed in hepatocyte morphology, lipid deposition, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, there were significant increases in ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 decreased significantly in the ECD group(P<0.01), while CAV1 expression increased significantly(P<0.01). However, the indices mentioned above did not show improvement in the MHY group. When the ECD+MHY group was compared with the MHY group, there were significant reductions in body weight and TG contents(P<0.05). The morphological changes of hepatocytes, lipid deposition, and inflammatory cell infiltration were recovered. Moreover, there were significant increases in liver ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05 or P<0.05). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 decreased significantly(P<0.01), while CAV1 expression increased significantly(P<0.01). In conclusion, ECD can improve mitochondrial function by regulating the mTORC1/SREBP1/CAV1 pathway. This mechanism may be involved in the resolution of phlegm syndrome and the regulation of lipid metabolism.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the GLK Gene Family and Its Expression at Different Leaf Ages in the Citrus Cultivar Kanpei.

The GLK gene family plays a crucial role in the regulation of chloroplast development and participates in chlorophyll synthesis. However, the precise mechanism by which GLK contributes to citrus's chlorophyll synthesis remains elusive. The GLK gene family causes variations in the photosynthetic capacity and chlorophyll synthesis of different citrus varieties. In this study, we identified tissue-specific members and the key CcGLKs involved in chlorophyll synthesis. A total of thirty CcGLK transcription factors (TFs) were discovered in the citrus genome, distributed across all nine chromosomes. The low occurrence of gene tandem duplication events and intronic variability suggests that intronic variation may be the primary mode of evolution for CcGLK TFs. Tissue-specific expression patterns were observed for various GLK family members; for instance, CcGLK12 and CcGLK15 were specifically expressed in the skin, while CcGLK30 was specific to the ovary, and CcGLK10, CcGLK6, CcGLK21, CcGLK2, CcGLK18, CcGLK9, CcGLK28, and CcGLK8 were specifically expressed in the leaves. CcGLK4, CcGLK5, CcGLK11, CcGLK23, CcGLKl7, CcGLK26, and CcGLK20 may participate in the regulation of the ALA, prochlorophylate, protoporphyrin IX, Mg-protoporphyrin IX, Chl b, T-Chl, MG-ProtoIX ME, and POR contents in citrus.

Analysis of sugar components and identification of SPS genes in citrus fruit development.

Sugar is a primary determinant of citrus fruit flavour, but undergoes varied accumulation processes across different citrus varieties owing to high genetic variability. Sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), a key enzyme in glucose metabolism, plays a crucial role in this context. Despite its significance, there is limited research on sugar component quality and the expression and regulatory prediction of SPS genes during citrus fruit development. Therefore, we analysed the sugar quality formation process in 'Kiyomi' and 'Succosa', two citrus varieties, and performed a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of citrus CsSPSs. We observed that the accumulation of sugar components significantly differs between the two varieties, with the identification of four CsSPSs in citrus. CsSPS sequences were highly conserved, featuring typical SPS protein domains. Expression analysis revealed a positive correlation between CsSPS expression and sugar accumulation in citrus fruits. However, CsSPS expression displays specificity to different citrus tissues and varieties. Transcriptome co-expression network analysis suggests the involvement of multiple transcription factors in shaping citrus fruit sugar quality through the regulation of CsSPSs. Notably, the expression levels of four CsWRKYs (CsWRKY2, CsWRKY20, CsWRKY28, CsWRKY32), were significantly positively correlated with CsSPSs and CsWRKY20 might can activate sugar accumulation in citrus fruit through CsSPS2. Collectively, we further emphasize the potential importance of CsWRKYs in citrus sugar metabolism, our findings serve as a reference for understanding sugar component formation and predicting CsSPS expression and regulation during citrus fruit development.

Microcystin-LR and polystyrene microplastics jointly lead to hepatic histopathological damage and antioxidant dysfunction in male zebrafish.

The co-occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms and nano-microplastic pollution in the water is becoming an emerging risk. To assess the combined hepatotoxicity of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) and polystyrene microplastics (PSMPs) on zebrafish (Danio rerio), male adult zebrafish were exposed to single MC-LR (0, 1, 5, 25 µg/L) and a mixture of MC-LR and PSMPs (100 µg/L). After 60 d exposure, the results indicated that PSMPs significantly increased the MC-LR bioaccumulation in the livers in contrast to the single 25 µg/L MC-LR treatment group. Moreover, the severity of hepatic pathological lesions was aggravated in the MC-LR + PSMPs treatment groups, which were mainly characterized by cellular vacuolar degeneration, swollen hepatocytes, and pyknotic nucleus. The ultrastructural changes also proved that PSMPs combined with MC-LR could enhance the swollen mitochondria and dilated endoplasmic reticulum. The biochemical results, including increased malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased glutathione (GSH), indicated that PSMPs intensified the MC-LR-induced oxidative damage in the combined treatment groups. Concurrently, alterations of sod1 and keap1a mRNA levels also confirmed that PSMPs together with MC-LR jointly lead to enhanced oxidative injury. Our findings demonstrated that PSMPs enhanced the MC-LR bioavailability by acting as a vector and exacerbating the hepatic injuries and antioxidant dysfunction in zebrafish.

Effect of exogenous melatonin on antioxidant properties and fruit softening of 'Fengtang' plum fruit (Prunus salicina Lindl.) during storage at room temperature.

'Fengtang' plums soften quickly and lose flavor after harvest. This study comprehensively evaluated the effect of exogenous melatonin on the fruit quality of 'Fengtang' plums. According to our findings, exogenous melatonin prevented plum fruit from losing water, delayed the decline in firmness, and preserved a high TSS/TA level. Additionally, exogenous melatonin also enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes and increased the non-enzymatic antioxidants, thereby further increasing the antioxidant capacity of plum fruit. Notably, exogenous melatonin delayed the degradation of covalent soluble pectin (CSP), cellulose, and hemicellulose, as well as the rise in water-soluble pectin (WSP) concentration and the activity of cell wall degrading enzymes. Further investigation using atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the chain-like structure of ionic-soluble pectin (ISP) and the self-assembly network structures of CSP were depolymerized, and melatonin treatment retarded the depolymerization of pectin structures. Our results showed that exogenous melatonin preserved the postharvest quality of plum fruits by controlling fruit softness and antioxidant capacity during storage.

Explainable Learning-Based Timeout Optimization for Accurate and Efficient Elephant Flow Prediction in SDNs.

Accurately and efficiently predicting elephant flows (elephants) is crucial for optimizing network performance and resource utilization. Current prediction approaches for software-defined networks (SDNs) typically rely on complete traffic and statistics moving from switches to controllers. This leads to an extra control channel bandwidth occupation and network delay. To address this issue, this paper proposes a prediction strategy based on incomplete traffic that is sampled by the timeouts for the installation or reactivation of flow entries. The strategy involves assigning a very short hard timeout (Tinitial) to flow entries and then increasing it at a rate of r until flows are identified as elephants or out of their lifespans. Predicted elephants are switched to an idle timeout of 5 s. Logistic regression is used to model elephants based on a complete dataset. Bayesian optimization is then used to tune the trained model Tinitial and r over the incomplete dataset. The process of feature selection, model learning, and optimization is explained. An extensive evaluation shows that the proposed approach can achieve over 90% generalization accuracy over 7 different datasets, including campus, backbone, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Elephants can be correctly predicted for about half of their lifetime. The proposed approach can significantly reduce the controller-switch interaction in campus and IoT networks, although packet completion approaches may need to be applied in networks with a short mean packet inter-arrival time.

The effects of incretin-based therapies on weight reduction and metabolic parameters in children with obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence indicates that incretin-based therapies (IBTs), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4is) are effective and safe for treating pediatric obesity patients with or without type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis for updating current evidence. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the EMBASE database for articles published until September 15, 2023, and limited to randomized control trials. The primary outcomes were changed from baseline in weight metrics and the cardiometabolic profile. A random effects model will be used, as high heterogeneity is expected. All analyses were performed using STATA 17.0. RESULTS: Fifteen trials with a total number of 1286 participants were included in our meta-analysis. Overall, the mean difference in weight change between the IBTs group and the control group was -2.89 kg (95% confidence interval, -5.12 to -0.65, p = 0.011). Additionally, IBTs significantly reduced the HbA1c level and fasting plasma glucose by 0.37% and 6.99 mg/dl, compared with control groups. IBTs showed a little increased risk of GI side effects and hypoglycemia events, but none of the severe hypoglycemia events were occurred in IBTs group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study results have proved that GLP-1 RAs are safe, acceptable, and effective in weight reduction and sugar control for children with obesity. In addition, DPP-4is seems to have no effect on glycemic control and weight loss in childhood obesity. Further research is needed to confirm these findings, especially in younger children.

Far-infrared stimulation of Neiguan acupoints improves heart rate variability and ameliorate fatigue in hemodialysis patients: A randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, 84 615 patients in Taiwan received hemodialysis, of which about 62% to 97% suffered from fatigue. Fatigue caused by hemodialysis may be mental or physical. However, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate whether far-infrared stimulation of the Neiguan acupoint (P6) could effectively reduce fatigue and improve heart rate variability (HRV) in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: We conducted a two-arm, randomized trial in a hemodialysis center between March 2015 and March 2016. A total of 73 hemodialysis patients were included and were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 37) and a control group (n = 36). The experimental group received far-infrared radiation on Neiguan acupoint during hemodialysis for 12 weeks. The outcomes were fatigue level and HRV. RESULTS: All patients showed moderate fatigue ( M = 26.00 ± 13.01, range = 0-78) at baseline. Far-infrared stimulation on Neiguan acupoint significantly reduced overall fatigue ( ß = 24, p < 0.001) and improved HRV ( ß = 74.36, p < 0.001). Compared to the control group, the experiment group had significantly reduced fatigue levels in all aspects such as reduced energy and motivation ( ß = -2.97, p < 0.001), reduced physical strength ( ß = -1.28, p < 0.01), reduced mental capability ( ß = -2.38, p < 0.001), reduction in daily activities ( ß = -1.48, p < 0.01), depressed mood and loss of control ( ß = -1.21, p < 0.05) as well as increased autonomous nervous system activity ( ß = 14.71, p < 0.01) in the third month of stimulation. CONCLUSION: Far-infrared stimulation of the Neiguan acupoints effectively reduces fatigue and increases autonomic nervous system activity in hemodialysis patients.

Physiological Mechanisms of Citrus Fruit Cracking: Study on Cell Wall Components, Osmoregulatory Substances, and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities.

Fruit cracking affects both the yield and economic efficiency of citrus; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, this study focused on resistant and susceptible cultivars to identify the mechanisms underlying fruit cracking. The results showed that in 'Mingrijian', pectin morphological transformation and hemicellulose and lignin degradation in the pericarp were important contributing factors. During the critical fruit-cracking period (115-150 days after flowering), the water-soluble pectin, protopectin, and lignin contents in the pericarp of 'Daya' presented inverse changes relative to those in 'Mingrijian', thus enhancing the mechanical properties and resistance of pericarp. From 115 to 150 days after flowering, the soluble sugar content in the pulp of 'Mingrijian' increased rapidly by 97.35%, aiding in pulp water absorption and expansion. Moreover, the soluble protein content in the pericarp of 'Mingrijian' exhibited a declining trend and was lower than that of 'Daya', thus affecting the overall metabolism. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the pericarp of 'Mingrijian' gradually decreased from 115 to 180 days after flowering, while the peroxidase (POD) activity remained at a low level, resulting in weaker antioxidant capacity and lower environmental resistance. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of citrus fruit cracking, laying the foundation for preventive and control strategies.

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Attenuates Cognitive Deficits and Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathologies via ISCA1-Mediated Mitochondrial Modulation in APP/PS1 Mice.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.

Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation for Stroke: Primary Motor Cortex Versus Cerebellar Stimulation: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors with impaired balance and motor function tend to have relatively poor functional outcomes. The cerebellum and primary motor cortex (M1) have been suggested as targets for neuromodulation of balance and motor recovery after stroke. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) to the cerebellum or M1 on balance and motor recovery in patients with stroke. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial, patients with subacute stroke were randomly divided into 3 groups: M1-, cerebellar-, and sham-iTBS (n=12 per group; 15 sessions, 3 weeks). All outcomes were evaluated before intervention (T0), after 1 week of intervention (T1), after 3 weeks of intervention (T2), and at follow-up (T3). The primary outcome was the Berg balance scale score at T2. Secondary outcomes include the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for lower extremities, the trunk impairment scale, the Barthel index, the modified Rankin Scale, the functional ambulation categories, and cortical excitability. RESULTS: A total of 167 inpatients were screened, 36 patients (age, 57.50±2.41 years; 10 women, 12 ischemic) were enrolled between December 2020 and January 2023. At T2, M1- or cerebellar-iTBS significantly improved Berg balance scale scores by 10.7 points ([95% CI, 2.7-18.6], P=0.009) and 14.2 points ([95% CI, 1.2-27.2], P=0.032) compared with the sham-iTBS group. Moreover, the cerebellar-iTBS group showed a significantly greater improvement in Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for lower extremities scores by 5.6 points than the M1-iTBS ([95% CI, 0.3-10.9], P=0.037) and by 7.8 points than the sham-iTBS ([95% CI, 1.1-14.5], P=0.021) groups at T2. The motor-evoked potential amplitudes of the M1- and cerebellar-iTBS groups were higher than those of the sham-iTBS group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Both M1- and cerebellar-iTBS could improve balance function. Moreover, cerebellar-iTBS, but not M1-iTBS, induced significant effects on motor recovery. Thus, cerebellar-iTBS may be a valuable new therapeutic option in stroke rehabilitation programs. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2100047002.

Breaking the cycle: Reforming pesticide regulation to protect pollinators.

Over decades, pesticide regulations have cycled between approval and implementation, followed by the discovery of negative effects on nontarget organisms that result in new regulations, pesticides, and harmful effects. This relentless pattern undermines the capacity to protect the environment from pesticide hazards and frustrates end users that need pest management tools. Wild pollinating insects are in decline, and managed pollinators such as honey bees are experiencing excessive losses, which threatens sustainable food security and ecosystem function. An increasing number of studies demonstrate the negative effects of field-realistic exposure to pesticides on pollinator health and fitness, which contribute to pollinator declines. Current pesticide approval processes, although they are superior to past practices, clearly continue to fail to protect pollinator health. In the present article, we provide a conceptual framework to reform cyclical pesticide approval processes and better protect pollinators.

Nickel-catalysed asymmetric hydromonofluoromethylation of 1,3-enynes for enantioselective construction of monofluoromethyl-tethered chiral allenes.

An unprecedented nickel-catalysed enantioselective hydromonofluoromethylation of 1,3-enynes is developed, allowing the diverse access to monofluoromethyl-tethered axially chiral allenes, including the challenging deuterated monofluoromethyl (CD2F)-tethered ones that are otherwise inaccessible. It represents the first asymmetric 1,4-hydrofunctionalization of 1,3-enynes using low-cost asymmetric nickel catalysis, thus opening a new avenue for the activation of 1,3-enynes in reaction development. The utility is further verified by its broad substrate scope, good functionality tolerance, mild conditions, and diversified product elaborations toward other valuable fluorinated structures. Mechanistic experiments and DFT calculations provide insights into the reaction mechanism and the origin of the enantioselectivity.

Comprehensive analyses of the citrus WRKY gene family involved in the metabolism of fruit sugars and organic acids.

Sugars and organic acids are the main factors determining the flavor of citrus fruit. The WRKY transcription factor family plays a vital role in plant growth and development. However, there are still few studies about the regulation of citrus WRKY transcription factors (CsWRKYs) on sugars and organic acids in citrus fruit. In this work, a genome-wide analysis of CsWRKYs was carried out in the citrus genome, and a total of 81 CsWRKYs were identified, which contained conserved WRKY motifs. Cis-regulatory element analysis revealed that most of the CsWRKY promoters contained several kinds of hormone-responsive and abiotic-responsive cis-elements. Furthermore, gene expression analysis and fruit quality determination showed that multiple CsWRKYs were closely linked to fruit sugars and organic acids with the development of citrus fruit. Notably, transcriptome co-expression network analysis further indicated that three CsWRKYs, namely, CsWRKY3, CsWRKY47, and CsWRKY46, co-expressed with multiple genes involved in various pathways, such as Pyruvate metabolism and Citrate cycle. These CsWRKYs may participate in the metabolism of fruit sugars and organic acids by regulating carbohydrate metabolism genes in citrus fruit. These findings provide comprehensive knowledge of the CsWRKY family on the regulation of fruit quality.

Effects of Exogenous Application of Glycine Betaine Treatment on 'Huangguoggan' Fruit during Postharvest Storage.

Loss of quality in citrus fruit is a common occurrence during postharvest storage due to oxidative stress and energy consumption. In recent years, glycine betaine (GB) has been widely applied to postharvest horticulture fruit. This study aimed to investigate the effect of GB treatment (10 mM and 20 mM) on the quality and antioxidant activity of 'Huangguogan' fruit during postharvest storage at room temperature. Our results indicated that both 10 mM and 20 mM treatments effectively reduced weight and firmness losses and maintained total soluble solid (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and ascorbic acid contents. Additionally, GB treatment significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, maintained higher levels of total phenols and total flavonoids, and led to slower accumulation of H2O2. A transcriptome analysis conducted at 28 days after treatment (DAT)identified 391 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 20 mM GB (GB-2) and the control (CK) group. These DEGs were enriched in various pathways, particularly related to oxygen oxidoreductase, peroxidase activity, and flavonoid biosynthesis. Overall, the application of GB proved beneficial in enhancing the storability and extending the shelf life of 'Huangguogan' fruit.

Effects of pesticide-adjuvant combinations used in almond orchards on olfactory responses to social signals in honey bees (Apis mellifera).

Exposure to agrochemical sprays containing pesticides and tank-mix adjuvants has been implicated in post-bloom mortality, particularly of brood, in honey bee colonies brought into California almond orchards for pollination. Although adjuvants are generally considered to be biologically inert, some adjuvants have exhibited toxicity and sublethal effects, including decreasing survival rates of next-generation queens. Honey bees have a highly developed olfactory system to detect and discriminate among social signals. To investigate the impact of pesticide-adjuvant combinations on honey bee signal perception, we performed electroantennography assays to assess alterations in their olfactory responsiveness to the brood ester pheromone (BEP), the volatile larval pheromone ß-ocimene, and the alarm pheromone 2-heptanone. These assays aimed to uncover potential mechanisms underlying changes in social behaviors and reduced brood survival after pesticide exposure. We found that combining the adjuvant Dyne-Amic with the fungicide Tilt (propiconazole) and the insecticide Altacor (chlorantraniliprole) synergistically enhanced olfactory responses to three concentrations of BEP and as well exerted dampening and compensatory effects on responses to 2-heptanone and ß-ocimene, respectively. In contrast, exposure to adjuvant alone or the combination of fungicide and insecticide had no effect on olfactory responses to BEP at most concentrations but altered responses to ß-ocimene and 2-heptanone. Exposure to Dyne-Amic, Altacor, and Tilt increased BEP signal amplitude, indicating potential changes in olfactory receptor sensitivity or sensilla permeability to odorants. Given that, in a previous study, next-generation queens raised by nurses exposed to the same treated pollen experienced reduced survival, these new findings highlight the potential disruption of social signaling in honey bees and its implications for colony reproductive success.

Long non-coding RNA CASC7 is a promising serum biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: At present, a large number of studies have found that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can be used as biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression of lncRNA cancer susceptibility candidate 7 (CASC7) in HCC has rarely been studied. The purpose of this study was to explore the expression of CASC7 and its correlation with clinical features, and to further analyze its diagnostic value in HCC. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 80 patients with HCC, 80 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 80 healthy people. The expression level of serum CASC7 was detected by droplet digital PCR. Appropriate parametric and nonparametric tests were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The results showed that the expression of CASC7 in serum of patients with HCC was significantly higher than that of patients with CHB (median: 8.8 versus 2.2 copies/µl, p < 0.001) and healthy controls (median: 8.8 versus 3.8 copies/µl, p < 0.001). High expression of serum CASC7 was significantly correlated with tumor number (p = 0.005), intrahepatic metastasis (IM) (p < 0.001), tumor size (p = 0.007) and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (p = 0.008). The area under the curve (AUC) of CASC7 to distinguish HCC patients from CHB patients and healthy controls was 0.808 (95% CI: 0.742-0.874) at the cut-off value of 7.24 copies/µl with 63.8% sensitivity and 95.2% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that CASC7 was significantly up-regulated in serum of patients with HCC and closely related to tumor number, IM, tumor size and TNM stage, which may serve as a promising diagnostic biomarker.

Transcriptome and UPLC-MS/MS reveal mechanisms of amino acid biosynthesis in sweet orange 'Newhall' after different rootstocks grafting.

Sweet orange 'Newhall' (C. sinensis) is a popular fruit in high demand all over the world. Its peel and pulp are rich in a variety of nutrients and are widely used in catering, medicine, food and other industries. Grafting is commonly practiced in citrus production. Different rootstock types directly affect the fruit quality and nutritional flavor of citrus. However, the studies on citrus metabolites by grafting with different rootstocks are very limited, especially for amino acids (AAs). The preliminary test showed that there were significant differences in total amino acid content of two rootstocks (Poncirus trifoliata (CT) and C. junos Siebold ex Tanaka (CJ)) after grafting, and total amino acid content in the peel was higher than flesh. However, the molecular mechanism affecting amino acid differential accumulation remains unclear. Therefore, this study selected peel as the experimental material to reveal the amino acid components and differential accumulation mechanism of sweet orange 'Newhall' grafted with different rootstocks through combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis. Metabolome analysis identified 110 amino acids (AAs) and their derivatives in sweet orange 'Newhall' peels, with L-valine being the most abundant. L-asparagine was observed to be affected by both developmental periods and rootstock grafting. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) combined with Redundancy Analysis (RDA) revealed eight hub structural genes and 41 transcription factors (TFs) that significantly influenced amino acid biosynthesis in sweet orange 'Newhall' peels. Our findings further highlight the significance of rootstock selection in enhancing the nutritional value of citrus fruits and might contribute to the development of functional citrus foods and nutritional amino acid supplements.