Dexmedetomidine with different concentrations added to local anesthetics in erector spinae plane block: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Dexmedetomidine has been used as a perineural local anesthetic (LA) adjuvant to facilitate the potency of erector spinal plane block (ESPB). This quantitative review aimed to evaluate whether perineural dexmedetomidine for ESPB can improve the effects of analgesia compared to LA alone. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the addition of dexmedetomidine to LA compared to LA alone in ESPB were included. The pain scores, duration of sensory block, the time to first analgesia requirement, postoperative morphine consumption, rescue analgesia, and dexmedetomidine-related side effects were analyzed and combined using random-effects models. Results: A total of 823 patients from 13 RCTs were analyzed. Dexmedetomidine was used at the concentration of 0.5 µg/kg in three trials and 1 µg/kg in nine trials, and both in one trial. Both concentrations of dexmedetomidine perineurally administrated significantly reduced the rest VAS scores postoperatively at 12 h (0.5 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.86; 95% CI: -1.59 to -0.12; p = 0.02; 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.49; 95% CI: -0.83 to -0.16; p = 0.004), and 24 h (0.5 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.43; 95% CI: -0.74 to -0.13; p = 0.005; 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.62; 95% CI: -0.84 to -0.41; p < 0.00001). Both concentrations of dexmedetomidine added in LAs improved the dynamic VAS scores postoperatively at 12 h (0.5 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.55; 95% CI: -0.95 to -0.15; p = 0.007; 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.66; 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.28; p = 0.0006) and 24 h (0.5 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.52; 95% CI: -0.94 to -0.10; p = 0.01; 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine: MD = -0.46; 95% CI: -0.75 to -0.16; p = 0.002). Furthermore, perineural dexmedetomidine prolonged the duration of the sensory block and the time to first analgesia requirement, reduced postoperative morphine consumption, and lowered the incidence of rescue analgesia and chronic pain. Conclusion: The meta-analysis showed that using perineural dexmedetomidine at either 0.5 µg/kg or 1 µg/kg doses in ESPB can effectively and safely enhance pain relief. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO (CRD42023424532: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/).

Rising rainfall intensity induces spatially divergent hydrological changes within a large river basin.

Droughts or floods are usually attributed to precipitation deficits or surpluses, both of which may become more frequent and severe under continued global warming. Concurring large-scale droughts in the Southwest and flooding in the Southeast of China in recent decades have attracted considerable attention, but their causes and interrelations are not well understood. Here, we examine spatiotemporal changes in hydrometeorological variables and investigate the mechanism underlying contrasting soil dryness/wetness patterns over a 54-year period (1965-2018) across a representative mega-watershed in South China-the West River Basin. We demonstrate that increasing rainfall intensity leads to severe drying upstream with decreases in soil water storage, water yield, and baseflow, versus increases therein downstream. Our study highlights a simultaneous occurrence of increased drought and flooding risks due to contrasting interactions between rainfall intensification and topography across the river basin, implying increasingly vulnerable water and food security under continued climate change.

Application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in diagnosing pneumonia of adults.

INTRODUCTION: Accurate identification of pathogens that cause pulmonary infections is essential for effective treatment and hastening recovery in adults diagnosed with pneumonia. At present, despite metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) technology has been widely used in clinical practice for pathogen identification, the clinical significance and necessity of detecting pathogen in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for pneumonia-stricken adults remain ambiguous. METHODOLOGY: In this study, 80 patients suffering from pulmonary infection were enrolled, who were admitted to the Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University between January 2020 and September 2022. The diagnostic performances of mNGS and conventional methods (CM) were systematically analyzed based on BALF samples, and we further investigated the influence of mNGS and CM in diagnosis modification and treatment. RESULTS: We found a significantly higher positive rate for the mNGS method in contrast to CM. Bacteria were the most common pathogens, and Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly identified pathogen. Candida albicans and Epstein-Barr virus were the most frequently identified fungus and virus. Atypical pathogens such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, virus Nontuberculous mycobacteria, and Chlamydia psittaci were also identified. A total of 77 patients were identified with mixed infections by mNGS. As the disease progressed and recurrent antibiotic treatment persisted, significant dynamic changes in the clinical manifestation from the BALF samples could be found by mNGS. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the efficacy of mNGS in detecting pathogens in BALF samples from patients suffering pulmonary infections. Compared with the CM, mNGS significantly enhanced the positive diagnosis ratio, particularly in diagnosing Mycobacterium tuberculosis, atypical pathogens, and viral or fungal infections.

Photothermally responsive icariin and carbon nanofiber modified hydrogels for the treatment of periodontitis.

Introduction: Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease brought on by various bacteria, and effective antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and alveolar bone regeneration are the main goals of treating periodontal disease. Methods: In the current work, we employed Icariin (ICA) into a hydrogel modified with carbon nanofiber (CNF) to create a multifunctional composite nanoplatform. The composite was activated in the near infrared (NIR) to treat periodontitis. Results: The antibacterial results showed that the ICA+CNF@H showed 94.2% and 91.7% clearance of S. aureus and E. coli, respectively, under NIR irradiation. In vitro experiments showed that NIR-irradiated composites suppressed inflammatory factor (IL-6) and ROS expression and up-regulated the performance of anti-inflammatory factor (IL-10) in RAW264.7 cells. At the same time, the composites promoted the production of osteogenic factors in BMSCs, with an approximately 3-fold increase in alkaline phosphatase activity after 7 days and an approximately 2-fold increase in the rate of extracellular matrix mineralization after 21 days. In vivo tests showed that the alveolar bone height was clearly greater in the ICA+CNF@H (NIR) group compared to the periodontitis group. Discussion: In conclusion, ICA+CNF@H under NIR irradiation achieved a synergistic effect of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, reduction of reactive oxygen species and promotion of osteogenesis, offering a novel approach for treating periodontitis.

DUSP10 alleviates ischemic stroke-induced neuronal damage by restricting p38/JNK pathway.

Neuronal apoptosis is considered one of the hallmarks of ischemic stroke. Dual specificity phosphatase 10 (DUSP10), a member of the dual-specificity phosphatase family, which is involved in the regulation of apoptosis process. This study aimed to investigate the effect of on apoptosis in primary cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) and mice suffered from transient middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R). The results showed that DUSP10 overexpression improved survival and reduced apoptosis in neurons subjected to OGD/R, which was manifested by decreased apoptotic proteins (cleaved caspase 3 and bax) and TUNEL+ cells, as well as increased the anti-apoptotic protein (bcl-2). DUSP10 overexpression inhibited the p38/JNK signaling pathway after OGD/R treatment, whilst DUSP10 knockdown had opposite effects. In addition, the p38 inhibitor SB203580 or JNK inhibitor SP600125 attenuated the increased apoptosis of OGD/R-stimulated neurons treated with DUSP10 silencing. Consistently, DUSP10 knockdown exacerbated infarct volume in MCAO/R injury. The data of Nissl staining and TUNEL-NeuN double staining revealed that DUSP10 interference aggravated neuronal damage in the ischemic penumbra of mice. Furthermore, DUSP10 inhibition activated the p38/JNK axis accompanied by enhanced phosphorylation of p38 and JNK in vivo. In summary, DUSP10 is a neuroprotective agent against ischemic stroke-induced neuronal damage via suppressing the p38/JNK signaling pathway.

Response characteristics of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial communities during agricultural waste composting: Focusing on biogas residue combined with biochar amendments.

This research investigated biogas residue and biochar addition on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and changes in bacterial community during agricultural waste composting. Sequencing technique investigated bacterial community structure and ARGs, MGEs changes. Correlations among physicochemical factors, ARGs, MGEs, and bacterial community structure were determined using redundancy analysis. Results confirmed that biochar and biogas residue amendments effectively lowered the contents of ARGs and MGEs. The main ARGs detected was sul1. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the main host bacteria strongly associated with the dissemination of ARGs. The dynamic characteristics of the bacterial community were strongly correlated with pile temperature and pH (P < 0.05). Redundancy and network analysis revealed that nitrate, intI1, and Firmicutes mainly affected the in ARGs changes. Therefore, regulating these key variables would effectively suppress the ARGs spread and risk of compost use.

Motion error analysis of a shield machine tool-changing robot based on a screw-vector method.

Industrial robots are widely used in various industrial fields, such as handling and welding, due to their good repeat positioning accuracy. The motion error determines the absolute accuracy. For robot design, dimensional parameter errors and drive parameter errors, a mathematical model of a kinematic exponential product with error screws was proposed. The influence of different rod lengths and transmission errors on the accuracy of the end motion was analysed. A composite analysis method based on screw theory and vector method is proposed for the spatial deflection error of robot rotating joints with clearance. By using screw theory, a mathematical error model of the axial movement and spatial deflection of the joint gap was established. A mathematical model of joint space radial movement was established by using the three-dimensional vector method. Through numerical simulation, the position distribution law of the random error of the robot terminal in the workspace and the distribution of the plane projection density were obtained. By solving the attitude matrix, the distribution of each Euler angle error was obtained. A simulation test was carried out to verify the model's correctness. The calculation showed that the method is simple and correct, and the obtained error distribution characteristics are of great significance to improving robotic kinematic calibration accuracy and optimising the spatial position error distribution.

Accumulation of microplastics in fish guts and gills from a large natural lake: Selective or non-selective?

In recent years, microplastics (MPs) have become emerging contaminant causing widespread concern about their ecotoxicological effects. However, little is known regarding the accumulation of MPs in different tissues of fishes, especially for freshwater fishes in natural environments. In this study, MPs in guts and gills of 11 fish species from Lake Chao, China were examined to explore the accumulation differences and foraging preferences of MPs. In general, MPs in fish guts varied from 2.85 to 8.38 items/individual, while ranged from 3.06 to 8.90 items/individual in fish gills. In terms of characteristic composition (shape, color, size, and polymer type), our results demonstrate higher occurrence of fibrous, black, small sized (<1 mm), and polypropylene MPs. Meanwhile, MPs concentrations in fish guts differed significantly among various feeding groups, with none significant difference detected in fish gills. In addition, fish guts exhibit more distinct foraging preferences for specific featured MPs in contrast with fish gills. These results indicate selective MPs accumulation in fish guts whereas random MPs accumulation in fish gills. Fish gills, adhering MPs by non-selective water exchange, may be more related to the real-time MPs abundance in water. To some extent, fish gills may be employed as important instruments to reflect MPs contamination in aquatic environments. Influenced by diverse feeding behaviors such as visual cues and sensory systems, MPs accumulation in fish guts reflect intrinsic differences, thus making fish guts sensitive organ in monitoring MPs' ecological risk for their health.

MicroRNA-877-5p Inhibits Cell Progression by Targeting FOXM1 in Lung Cancer.

Background: Many researches revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) function as potential oncogene or tumor suppressor gene. As an antioncogene, miR-877-5p was reduced in many tumors. Objective: This research aimed to explore the biological role and mechanisms of miR-877-5p, which may help patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) find effective therapeutic targets. Methods: The downstream targets of miR-877-5p were predicted by Bioinformatics software. RT-qPCR and western blot were employed to analyze the gene levels. The impacts of miR-877-5p and FOXM1 were assessed by cell function experiments. Results: The miR-877-5p was reduced in NSCLC. In addition to this, it also inhibited cell progression of NSCLC cells in vitro. Moreover, the upregulation of FOXM1 expression restored the inhibitory effect of enhancement of miR-877-5p. Conclusions: Taken together, miR-877-5p inhibited cell progression by directly targeting FOXM1, which may provide potential biomarkers for targeted therapy of NSCLC.

Preparation of pro-angiogenic, antibacterial and EGCG-modified ZnO quantum dots for treating bacterial infected wound of diabetic rats.

The complex wound environment and abnormalities in self-metabolism of diabetic skin defects lead to impaired angiogenesis, which can easily lead to bacterial infection and increased inflammation. Therefore, there is an urgent need for multifunctional composites with antimicrobial and pro-angiogenic properties to improve the current therapeutic outcomes of diabetic wounds. In this study, we described an EGCG-modified zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) hydrogel (ZnO-EGCG@H) for the treatment of delayed diabetic wounds. In vitro antimicrobial assays showed that ZnO-EGCG@H effectively cleared 95.6% of MRSA and 97% of AmprE. coli with good bactericidal activity. Western blotting assay analysis showed that ZnO-EGCG@H downregulated trauma inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6) by 46.9% and 57%, respectively, while upregulating 1.7-fold VEGF and 2-fold EGF, accelerating wound healing by reducing inflammatory response and promoting proliferation of vascular endothelial cells and skin epidermal cells. After 15 days of ZnO-EGCG@H treatment, the rate of skin lesion closure in rats was 96.3%, which was much better than that of 65.4% in the control group. Safety experiments showed that ZnO-EGCG@H was reassuringly biocompatible and harmless to vital organs. The obtained results suggested that ZnO-EGCG@H had the potential to be a safe and effective treatment method with a promising future as a diabetic wound treatment material.

The Grain-for-Green project offsets warming-induced soil organic carbon loss and increases soil carbon stock in Chinese Loess Plateau.

The dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock is a vital element affecting the climate, and ecological restoration is potentially an effective measure to mitigate climate change by enhancing vegetation and soil carbon stocks and thereby offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. The Grain-for-Green project (GFGP) implemented in Chinese Loess Plateau (LP) since 1999 is one of the largest ecological restoration projects in the world. However, the contributions of ecological restoration and climate change to ecosystem soil carbon sequestration are still unclear. In this study, we improved a soil carbon decomposition framework by optimizing the initial SOC stock based on full spatial simulation of SOC and incorporating the priming effect to investigate the SOC dynamics across the LP GFGP region from 1982 through 2017. Our results indicated that SOC stock in the GFGP region increased by 20.18 Tg C from 1982 through 2017. Most portion (15.83 Tg C) of the SOC increase was accumulated when the GFGP was initiated, with a SOC sink of 16.12 Tg C owing to revegetation restoration and a carbon loss of 0.29 Tg C due to warming during this period. The relationships between SOC and forest canopy height and investigations on the SOC dynamics after afforestation revealed that the accumulation rate of SOC could be as high as 24.68 g C m-2 yr-1 during the 70 years following afforestation, and that SOC could decline thereafter (-8.89 g C m-2 yr-1), which was mainly caused by warming. This study provides a new method for quantifying the contribution of ecological restoration to SOC changes, and also cautions the potential risk of LP SOC loss in the mature forest soil under future warming.

Seasonal variation and ecological risk assessment of microplastics ingested by economic fishes in Lake Chaohu, China.

Microplastic (MP) contaminations in freshwater organisms have attracted substantial attention worldwide. However, seasonal field studies of MPs concentrations in aquatic life are scarce. In this study, we analyzed the seasonal variation and ecological risk of MPs concentrations in economic fish species from Lake Chaohu in China between wet and dry seasons. Within both seasons, MPs in fish were systematically analyzed using methods of KOH digestion, NaCl density floatation and raman spectroscopy. MPs abundance in economic fishes were significantly higher in dry season than that in wet season, which can be ascribed to the MPs' amplification effects in lacustrine ecosystems during dry season. Whereas, our results recorded similar and homogenized characteristic composition of MPs in economic fishes between wet and dry seasons. In both seasons, fiber was the main morphological type, black and blue were the most common MPs color, and MPs ranging from <0.5 mm accounting for the most abundant size. In addition, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) accounted for the most abundant polymer type detected by economic fishes in both seasons. In terms of feeding groups and habitat preferences, planktivorous and pelagic fish species exhibited sensitive variations of MPs concentrations between wet and dry seasons, thus being highlighted as good bioindicators of MPs contaminants in freshwater ecosystems. Our results revealed higher ecological risks of MPs in wet season than that in dry season when indicating from polymer risk index (H). By providing detailed and direct toxicity information, our study highlights the usage of polymer risk index for ecological risk assessment in aquatic organisms.

Novel variants of NEK9 associated with neonatal arthrogryposis: Two case reports and a literature review.

Objective: Pathogenic variants in NEK9 (MIM: 609798) have been identified in patients with lethal congenital contracture syndrome 10 (OMIM: 617022) and arthrogryposis, Perthes disease, and upward gaze palsy (APUG and OMIM: 614262). The shared core phenotype is multiple joint contractures or arthrogryposis. In the present study, three novel variants of NEK9 associated with neonatal arthrogryposis were reported. Methods: The clinical data of two premature infants and their parents were collected. The genomic DNA was extracted from their peripheral blood samples and subjected to trio-whole-exome sequencing (trio-WES) and copy number variation analysis. Results: Using trio-WES, a total of three novel pathogenic variants of NEK9 were detected in the two families. Patient 1 carried compound heterozygous variations of c.717C > A (p. C239*741) and c.2824delA (p.M942Cfs*21), which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. Patient 2 also carried compound heterozygous variations of c.61G > T (p. E21*959) and c. 2824delA (p. M942Cfs*21), which were inherited from his father and mother, respectively. These variants have not been previously reported in the ClinVar, HGMD, or gnomAD databases. Conclusion: This is the first report about NEK9-related arthrogryposis in neonatal patients. The findings from this study suggest that different types of mutations in NEK9 lead to different phenotypes. Our study expanded the clinical phenotype spectrum and gene spectrum of NEK9-associated arthrogryposis.

Simulation Analysis and Experimental Study of the Strength of Aluminum Alloy Suspension Structure.

High-speed trains have a large amount of ancillary equipment, which is suspended from the underside of the train by means of a suspension structure. Due to the large mass of the ancillary equipment, the suspension structure is subjected to various loads during train operation and there is a risk of fatigue failure. In this paper, the stress distribution at the suspension point and the lo-cation of the maximum stress point under load are investigated in detail based on actual test loads at the suspension point and finite element simulation analysis. In order to further investigate the fracture failure of the suspension points, experimental studies were carried out. Firstly, static strength tests were carried out to obtain the load-displacement curves of the structural members and to determine the fracture strength of the structure based on the displacement sensors, and secondly, fatigue tests at different stress levels were carried out to obtain the load-life curves of the structural members and to investigate the probabilistic load-life curves at different reliability levels. The test results show that the structural component has a high fracture strength of 65kN, while the conditional fatigue strength is relatively low, corresponding to a load level of 12.5kN at a median life of 106 cycles. The above research work provides the necessary basis for the design, optimization and reliability assessment of the suspension structures of high-speed trains.

Sports Augmented Cognitive Benefits: An fMRI Study of Executive Function with Go/NoGo Task.

Exercise is believed to have significant cognitive benefits. Although an array of experimental paradigms have been employed to test the cognitive effects on exercising individuals, the mechanism as to how exercise induces cognitive benefits in the brain remains unclear. This study explores the effect of dynamic neural network processing with the classic Go/NoGo task with regular exercisers. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the brain activation of areas involved in executive function, especially inhibitory control. Nineteen regular joggers and twenty-one subjects as a control group performed the task, and their brain imaging data were analyzed. The results showed that at the attentive visual period, the frontal and parietal areas, including the prefrontal cortex, putamen, thalamus, lingual, fusiform, and caudate, were significantly enhanced in positive activities than the control group. On the other hand, in the following inhibitory control processing period, almost the same areas of the brains of the exercise group have shown stronger negative activation in comparison to the control group. Such dynamic temporal response patterns indicate that sports augment cognitive benefits; i.e., regular jogging increases the brain's visual attention and inhibitory control capacities.

Clinical metagenomic sequencing for rapid diagnosis of pneumonia and meningitis caused by Chlamydia psittaci.

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) is a gram-negative intracellular parasitic pathogenic bacterium that can infect avian and mammalian hosts, including humans. The detection of C. psittaci infections typically relies on traditional antigen-based immunoassays or serological testing that often lack sensitivity and/or specificity. Metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) is an emerging tool for diagnosis. AIM: To demonstrate that mNGS represents a valuable tool for rapid, sensitive, and accurate pathogen detection including C. psittaci infections. METHODS: Four cases of psittacosis pneumonia and one case of pediatric psittacosis meningitis were diagnosed between December 2019 and May 2020 using mNGS at Changzhou Second People's Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University. Patients' clinical characteristics, manifestations, and treatment histories were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: All five patients had a history of exposure to wild (psittacine or other birds) or domesticated birds (chickens). All patients had a high fever (> 39℃) and three of them (60%) experienced organ insufficiency during the disease. The laboratory data showed normal to slightly increased leucocyte and neutrophil counts, and elevated procalcitonin levels in all five cases, and very high C-reactive protein levels in psittacosis pneumonia patients. mNGS identified a potential pathogen, C. psittaci, in patients' bronchoalveolar lavage fluid or cerebrospinal fluid. Computed tomography revealed lung air-space consolidation, pleural thickening, and effusion fluid buildup in psittacosis pneumonia cases, and an arachnoid cyst in the right temporal lobe of the pediatric psittacosis meningitis patient. All patients experienced complete recovery following the administration of targeted anti-chlamydia therapy. CONCLUSION: This study not only demonstrated that mNGS represents a valuable tool for rapid, sensitive, and accurate pathogen detection, but also raised public health concerns over C. psittaci infections.

Viewing time and facial trustworthiness perception: Giving it a second thought may not work for older adults.

Older adults tend to rate unfamiliar faces higher on trustworthiness than do their younger counterparts. Although the saying goes "look before you leap", it is still unknown whether such a strategy could also apply to facial trustworthiness perception, and our understanding of the time course in facial trustworthiness perception also remains unclear. Here, we have argued that a cognitive controlled process suggested by "socioemotional selectivity theory" could potentially lead to such biased trustworthiness perception. Two experiments were conducted to test the association between viewing time and trustworthiness perception. The first study used hierarchical linear modeling in a sample of younger (N = 30, Mage  = 20.53, SD = 1.61, 50% female) and older (N = 30, Mage  = 63.27, SD = 3.14, 43% female) adults, and found that viewing time and trustworthiness evaluation were positively associated. Using the same stimuli, our second study further manipulated viewing time by two levels (500 ms vs. 3000 ms) and compared younger (N = 28, Mage  = 23.93, SD = 2.68, 50% female) and older (N = 30, Mage  = 64.47, SD = 4.32, 50% female) adults' facial trustworthiness evaluation. As expected, a significant three-way interaction revealed that viewing time only impacted older adults' facial trustworthiness evaluation, and only when given shorter viewing time did older adults show similar facial trustworthiness ratings as younger adults. The present study is the first to directly investigate the relationship between older adults' viewing time on unfamiliar faces and their perception of facial trustworthiness. Findings suggested that a second thought in facial perception may not benefit older adults' trustworthiness evaluation.

BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 Mediates Brassinosteroid-Induced Calvin Cycle to Promote Photosynthesis in Tomato.

Calvin cycle is a sequence of enzymatic reactions that assimilate atmospheric CO2 in photosynthesis. Multiple components are known to participate in the induction or suppression of the Calvin cycle but the mechanism of its regulation by phytohormones is still unclear. Brassinosteroids (BRs) are steroid phytohormones that promote photosynthesis and crop yields. In this study, we study the role of BRs in regulating Calvin cycle genes to further understand the regulation of the Calvin cycle by phytohormones in tomatoes. BRs and their signal effector BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) can enhance the Calvin cycle activity and improve the photosynthetic ability. BRs increased the accumulation of dephosphorylated form of BZR1 by 94% and induced an 88-126% increase in the transcription of key genes in Calvin cycle FBA1, RCA1, FBP5, and PGK1. BZR1 activated the transcription of these Calvin cycle genes by directly binding to their promoters. Moreover, silencing these Calvin cycle genes impaired 24-epibrassinolide (EBR)-induced enhancement of photosynthetic rate, the quantum efficiency of PSII, and V c,max and J max . Taken together, these results strongly suggest that BRs regulate the Calvin cycle in a BZR1-dependent manner in tomatoes. BRs that mediate coordinated regulation of photosynthetic genes are potential targets for increasing crop yields.

Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Differentiation Into Odontoblast-Like Cells and Endothelial Cells: A Potential Cell Source for Dental Pulp Tissue Engineering.

OBJECTIVES: Dental pulp regeneration is considered an ideal approach for treating dental pulp disease. Because pulp is composed of various cells, determining the proper seed cells is critical. We explored the potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) as seed cells for dental pulp regeneration. METHODS: Liquid extract of human treated dentin matrix (LE-TDM) was acquired to culture hUCMSCs. Odontoblast-specific markers were detected by western blot, qRT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assays. Endothelial differentiation of hUCMSCs was examined according to VEGF induction by western blot, qRT-PCR, and Matrigel assays. hUCMSCs and VEGF-induced hUCMSCs (V-hUCMSCs) were also cocultured in vivo for the Matrigel plug assay and in vitro for RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). Finally, encapsulated mono-cultured hUCMSCs or cocultured hUCMSCs and V-hUCMSCs in scaffolds were injected into the root segments and transplanted into immunodeficient mice for dental pulp regeneration. RESULTS: Under LE-TDM induction, hUCMSCs expressed specific odontoblast markers (DSPP, DMP-1, DSP). Under VEGF induction, hUCMSCs expressed functional endothelial markers (CD31, eNOs, vWF). In vivo, the Matrigel plug assay indicated that cocultured hUCMSCs and V-hUCMSCs formed extensive vessel-like structures. RNA-seq results indicated that cocultured V-hUCMSCs exhibited high Hif-1 signaling pathway activity. Both the hUCMSCs mono-culture and coculture groups showed pulp-like tissue regeneration. The cocultured group showed more extracellular matrix and vascularization than the mono-cultured group in vivo. CONCLUSION: hUCMSCs can differentiate into odontoblast-like cells and functional endothelial cells. Cocultured hUCMSCs and V-hUCMSCs formed vessel-like structures and regenerated dental pulp-like tissue. Therefore, hUCMSCs can be used as an alternative seed cell source for angiogenesis and dental pulp regeneration.

Analysis of efficacy and prognosis of Osimertinib combined with docetaxel for non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To explore the therapeutic effects and prognosis of osimertinib combined with docetaxel for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: A total of 94 patients with NSCLC diagnosed in hospitals of Changzhou were selected and randomly divided into two groups of 47 patients each. Patients in the control group took osimertinib tablets, while patients in the drug combination group were given intravenous docetaxel in addition to the oral administration of osimertinib. The therapeutic effects, inflammatory factors, toxic and side effects and factors affecting prognosis were analyzed in the two groups. RESULTS: The overall response rate (RR) and disease control rate (DCR) in the drug combination group were 25.53% and 57.44%, respectively, which were higher than those in the control group. Before treatment, there were no obvious differences in terms of the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) and cytokeratin19 fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) between the two groups of patients. After treatment, the levels of the above indicators were lower in the drug combination group than in the control group. Patients in the two groups demonstrated significantly different degrees of side effects during treatment, including fatigue, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Smoking history, Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) score and TNM staging were important indicators affecting the prognosis of NSCLC patients. KPS score <70 and TNM stage IV were independent risk factors for the prognosis of NSCLC patients. After follow-up for 2 years, it was found that the survival rate was remarkably different between the two groups. The survival rate was notably higher in the drug combination group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic effect of osimertinib combined with docetaxel is better than that of osimertinib alone, but the toxic and side effects of combined use are significantly higher, suggesting that enteral administration should be conducted during the medication period. Patients with smoking history, advanced TNM stage and high KPS score tend to have a poor prognosis.