A rapid and highly efficient sorghum transformation strategy using GRF4-GIF1/ternary vector system.

Sorghum is an important crop for food, forage, wine and biofuel production. To enhance its transformation efficiency without negative developmental by-effects, we investigated the impact of GRF4-GIF1 chimaera and GRF5 on sorghum transformation. Both GRF4-GIF1 and GRF5 effectively improved the transformation efficiency of sorghum and accelerated the transformation process of sorghum to less than 2 months which was not observed when using BBM-WUS. As agrobacterium  effectors increase the ability of T-DNA transfer into plant cells, we checked whether ternary vector system can additively enhance sorghum transformation. The combination of GRF4-GIF1 with helper plasmid pVS1-VIR2 achieved the highest transformation efficiency, reaching 38.28%, which is 7.71-fold of the original method. Compared with BBM-WUS, overexpressing GRF4-GIF1 caused no noticeable growth defects in sorghum. We further developed a sorghum CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool based on this GRF4-GIF1/ternary vector system, which achieved an average gene mutation efficiency of 41.36%, and null mutants were created in the T0 generation.

Hydrophobic Two-Dimensional Layered Superstructure of a Polyoxometalate Cluster as the Cathode Material for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries hold promise for sustainable energy storage, yet challenges in finding high-performance cathode materials persist. Polyoxovanadates (POVs) are emerging as potential candidates due to their structural diversity and robust redox activity. Despite their potential, issues like dissolution in electrolytes, structural degradation, and byproduct accumulation persist. This work introduces a POV-based hydrophobic two-dimensional (2D) layered superstructure that addresses these challenges. The hydrophobic nature minimizes POV dissolution, enhancing structural stability and inhibiting phase transitions during cycling. The 2D arrangement ensures a larger surface area and improved electronic conductivity, resulting in faster kinetics and higher specific capacity. The superstructure demonstrates improved cycle life and an increased operating voltage, marking a significant advancement in POV-based cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Chiral Transfer and Evolution in Cysteine Induced Cobalt Superstructures.

Chiral organic additives have unveiled the extraordinary capacity to form chiral inorganic superstructures, however, complex hierarchical structures have hindered the understanding of chiral transfer and growth mechanisms. This study introduces a simple hydrothermal synthesis method for constructing chiral cobalt superstructures with cysteine, demonstrating specific recognition of chiral molecules and outstanding electrocatalytic activity. The mild preparation conditions allow in situ tracking of chirality evolution in the chiral cobalt superstructure, offering unprecedented insights into the chiral transfer and amplification mechanism. The resulting superstructures exhibit a universal formation process applicable to other metal oxides, extending the understanding of chiral superstructure evolution. This work contributes not only to the fundamental understanding of chirality in self-assembled structures but also provides a versatile method for designing chiral inorganic nanomaterials with remarkable molecular recognition and electrocatalytic capabilities.

Ultrahigh Thermal Conductivity of Epoxy/Ag Flakes/MXene@Ag Composites Achieved by In Situ Sintering of Silver Nanoparticles.

The growing use of high-power and integrated electronic devices has created a need for thermal conductive adhesives (TCAs) with high thermal conductivity (TC) to manage heat dissipation at the interface. However, TCAs are often limited by contact thermal resistance at the interface between materials. In this study, we synthesized MXene@Ag composites through a direct in situ reduction process. The Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) generated by the reduction of the MXene interlayer and surface formed effective thermally conductive pathways with Ag flakes within an epoxy resin matrix. Various characterization analyses revealed that adding MXene@Ag composites at a concentration of 3 wt % resulted in a remarkable TC of 40.80 W/(m·K). This value is 8.77 times higher than that achieved with Ag flakes and 7.9 times higher than with MXene filler alone. The improved TC is attributed to the sintering of the in situ reduced Ag NPs during the curing process, which formed a connection between MXene (a highly conductive material) and the Ag flakes, thereby reducing contact thermal resistance. This reduction in contact thermal resistance significantly enhanced the TC of the thermal interface materials (TIMs). This study presents a novel approach for developing materials with exceptionally high TC, opening new possibilities for the design and fabrication of advanced thermal management systems.

Construction of a nomogram based on clinicopathologic features to predict the likelihood of No. 253 lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To explore the high-risk factors for rectal cancer No.253 lymph node metastasis (LNM) and to construct a risk nomogram for the individualized prediction of No.253 LNM. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 425 patients with rectal cancer who underwent laparoscopic-assisted radical surgery. Independent risk factors for rectal cancer No.253 LNM was identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis, and a risk prediction nomogram was constructed based on the independent risk factors. In addition, the performance of the model was evaluated by discrimination, calibration, and clinical benefit. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that No.253 lymphadenectasis on CT (OR 10.697, P < 0.001), preoperative T4-stage (OR 4.431, P = 0.001), undifferentiation (OR 3.753, P = 0.004), and preoperative Ca199 level > 27 U/ml (OR 2.628, P = 0.037) were independent risk factors for No.253 LNM. A nomogram was constructed based on the above four factors. The calibration curve of the nomogram was closer to the ideal diagonal, indicating that the nomogram had a better fitting ability. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.865, which indicated that the nomogram had high discriminative ability. In addition, decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that the model could show better clinical benefit when the threshold probability was between 1% and 50%. CONCLUSION: Preoperative No.253 lymphadenectasis on CT, preoperative T4-stage, undifferentiation, and elevated preoperative Ca199 level were found to be independent risk factors for the No.253 LNM. A predictive model based on these risk factors can help surgeons make rational clinical decisions.

APOE ε4 is associated with decreased synaptic density in cognitively impaired participants.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the effect of apolipoprotein E4 (APOE) ε4 on synaptic density in cognitively impaired (CI) participants. METHODS: One hundred ten CI participants underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-florbetapir and synaptic density PET with 18F-SynVesT-1. We evaluated the influence of APOE ε4 allele on synaptic density and investigated the effects of ε4 genotype on the associations of synaptic density with Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers. The mediation effects of AD biomarkers on ε4-associated synaptic density loss were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with non-carriers, APOE ε4 allele carriers exhibited significant synaptic loss in the medial temporal lobe. Amyloid beta (Aß) and tau pathology mediated the effects of APOE ε4 on synaptic density to different extents. The associations between synaptic density and tau pathology were regulated by the APOE ε4 genotype. DISCUSSION: The APOE ε4 allele was associated with decreased synaptic density in CI individuals and may be driven by AD biomarkers.

Presynaptic density determined by SV2A PET is closely associated with postsynaptic metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 availability and independent of amyloid pathology in early cognitive impairment.

INTRODUCTION: Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) is involved in regulating integrative brain function and synaptic transmission. Aberrant mGluR5 signaling and relevant synaptic failure play a key role in the pathophysiological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Ten cognitively impaired (CI) individuals and 10 healthy controls (HCs) underwent [18F]SynVesT-1 and [18F]PSS232 positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance to assess synaptic density and mGluR5 availability. The associations between mGluR5 availability and synaptic density were examined. A mediation analysis was performed to investigate the possible mediating effects of mGluR5 availability and synaptic loss on the relationship between amyloid deposition and cognition. RESULTS: CI patients exhibited lower mGluR5 availability and synaptic density in the medial temporal lobe than HCs. Regional synaptic density was closely associated with regional mGluR5 availability. mGluR5 availability and synaptic loss partially mediated the relationship between amyloid deposition and cognition. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in mGluR5 availability and synaptic density exhibit similar spatial patterns in AD and are closely linked. HIGHLIGHTS: Cognitively impaired patients exhibited lower mGluR5 availability and synaptic density in the medial temporal lobe than HCs. Reductions in mGluR5 availability and synaptic density exhibit similar spatial patterns in AD. Regional synaptic density was closely associated with regional mGluR5 availability. mGluR5 availability and synaptic loss partially mediated the relationship between amyloid deposition and global cognition. With further research, modulating mGluR5 availability might be a potential therapeutic strategy for improving synaptic function in AD.

Identification and Analysis of the MIR399 Gene Family in Grapevine Reveal Their Potential Functions in Abiotic Stress.

MiR399 plays an important role in plant growth and development. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the evolutionary characteristics of the MIR399 gene family in grapevine and investigate its role in stress response. To comprehensively investigate the functions of miR399 in grapevine, nine members of the Vvi-MIR399 family were identified based on the genome, using a miRBase database search, located on four chromosomes (Chr 2, Chr 10, Chr 15, and Chr 16). The lengths of the Vvi-miR399 precursor sequences ranged from 82 to 122 nt and they formed stable stem-loop structures, indicating that they could produce microRNAs (miRNAs). Furthermore, our results suggested that the 2 to 20 nt region of miR399 mature sequences were relatively conserved among family members. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Vvi-MIR399 members of dicots (Arabidopsis, tomato, and sweet orange) and monocots (rice and grapevine) could be divided into three clades, and most of the Vvi-MIR399s were closely related to sweet orange in dicots. Promoter analysis of Vvi-MIR399s showed that the majority of the predicted cis-elements were related to stress response. A total of 66.7% (6/9) of the Vvi-MIR399 promoters harbored drought, GA, and SA response elements, and 44.4% (4/9) of the Vvi-MIRR399 promoters also presented elements involved in ABA and MeJA response. The expression trend of Vvi-MIR399s was consistent in different tissues, with the lowest expression level in mature and young fruits and the highest expression level in stems and young leaves. However, nine Vvi-MIR399s and four target genes showed different expression patterns when exposed to low light, high light, heat, cold, drought, and salt stress. Interestingly, a putative target of Vvi-MIR399 targeted multiple genes; for example, seven Vvi-MIR399s simultaneously targeted VIT_213s0067g03280.1. Furthermore, overexpression of Vvi_MIR399e and Vvi_MIR399f in Arabidopsis enhanced tolerance to drought compared with wild-type (WT). In contrast, the survival rate of Vvi_MIR399d-overexpressed plants were zero after drought stress. In conclusion, Vvi-MIR399e and Vvi-MIR399f, which are related to drought tolerance in grapevine, provide candidate genes for future drought resistance breeding.

Interfacial Interaction in NiFe LDH/NiS2/VS2 for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Water Splitting.

A bifunctional electrocatalyst with high efficiency and low costs for overall water splitting is critical to achieving a green hydrogen economy and coping with the energy crisis. However, developing robust electrocatalysts still faces huge challenges, owing to unsatisfactory electron transfer and inherent activity. Herein, NiFe LDH/NiS2/VS2 heterojunctions have been designed as freestanding bifunctional electrocatalysts to split water, exhibiting enhanced electron transfer and abundant catalytic sites. The optimum NiFe LDH/NiS2/VS2 electrocatalyst exhibits a small overpotential of 380 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for overall water splitting and superior electrocatalytic performance in both hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions (HER/OER). Specifically, the electrocatalyst requires overpotentials of 76 and 286 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for HER and OER, respectively, in alkaline electrolytes, which originate from the synergistic interaction among the facilitated electron transfer and increasingly exposed active sites due to the modulation of interfaces and construction of heterojunctions.

Identification of the genetic basis of the duck growth rate in multiple growth stages using genome-wide association analysis.

BACKGROUND: The genetic locus responsible for duck body size has been fully explained before, but the growth trait-related genetic basis is still waiting to be explored. For example, the genetic site related to growth rate, an important economic trait affecting marketing weight and feeding cost, is still unclear. Here, we performed genome wide association study (GWAS) to identify growth rate-associated genes and mutations. RESULT: In the current study, the body weight data of 358 ducks were recorded every 10 days from hatching to 120 days of age. According to the growth curve, we evaluated the relative and absolute growth rates (RGR and AGR) of 5 stages during the early rapid growth period. GWAS results for RGRs identified 31 significant SNPs on autosomes, and these SNPs were annotated by 24 protein-coding genes. Fourteen autosomal SNPs were significantly associated with AGRs. In addition, 4 shared significant SNPs were identified as having an association with both AGR and RGR, which were Chr2: 11483045 C>T, Chr2: 13750217 G>A, Chr2: 42508231 G>A and Chr2: 43644612 C>T. Among them, Chr2: 11483045 C>T, Chr2: 42508231 G>A, and Chr2: 43644612 C>T were annotated by ASAP1, LYN and CABYR, respectively. ASAP1 and LYN have already been proven to play roles in the growth and development of other species. In addition, we genotyped every duck using the most significant SNP (Chr2: 42508231 G>A) and compared the growth rate difference among each genotype population. The results showed that the growth rates of individuals carrying the Chr2: 42508231 A allele were significantly lower than those without this allele. Moreover, the results of the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis supported the idea that the growth rate and birth weight had a causal effect on the adult body weight, with the growth rate having a greater effect size. CONCLUSION: In this study, 41 SNPs significantly related to growth rate were identified. In addition, we considered that the ASAP1 and LYN genes are essential candidate genes affecting the duck growth rate. The growth rate also showed the potential to be used as a reliable predictor of adult weight, providing a theoretical reference for preselection.

A Multifunctional Organic Electrolyte Additive for Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries Based on Polyaniline Cathode.

The practical applications of aqueous zinc ion batteries are hindered by the formation of dendrites on the anode, the narrow electrochemical window of electrolyte, and the instability of the cathode. To address all these challenges simultaneously, a multi-functional electrolyte additive of 1-phenylethylamine hydrochloride (PEA) is developed for aqueous zinc ion batteries based on polyaniline (PANI) cathode. Experiments and theoretical calculations confirm that the PEA additive can regulate the solvation sheath of Zn2+ and form a protective layer on the surface of the Zn metal anode. This broadens the electrochemical stability window of the aqueous electrolyte and enables uniform deposition of Zn. On the cathode side, the Cl- anions from PEA enter the PANI chain during charge and release fewer water molecules surrounding the oxidized PANI, thus suppressing harmful side reactions. When used in a Zn||PANI battery, this cathode/anode compatible electrolyte exhibits excellent rate performance and long cycle life, making it highly attractive for practical applications.

Comparison of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI and [18F]FDG uptake in patients with gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma: a multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we investigated the role of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET imaging in the detection of primary and metastatic gastric signet-ring-cell carcinoma (GSRCC) and compared with [18F]FDG PET. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter analysis included 34 patients with histologically confirmed GSRCCs from four medical centers. The maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), and diagnostic accuracy were compared between the two modalities. [18F]FDG and [68Ga]Ga-FAPI uptakes were compared by using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. McNemar's test was used to compare the diagnostic accuracy between the two techniques. RESULTS: Data were analyzed from 27 paired PET/CT and 7 paired PET/MRI scans for 34 GSRCC patients (16 men and 18 women) who had a median age of 51 years (range: 25-85 years). [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET showed higher SUVmax and TBR values than did [18F]FDG PET in the primary tumors (SUVmax: 5.2 vs. 2.2, p = 0.001; TBR: 7.6 vs. 1.3, p < 0.001), involved lymph nodes (SUVmax: 6.8 vs. 2.5, p < 0.001; TBR: 5.8 vs. 1.3, p < 0.001), and bone and visceral metastases (SUVmax: 6.5 vs. 2.4, p < 0.001; TBR: 6.3 vs. 1.3, p < 0.001). In diagnostic performance, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET exhibited higher sensitivity than [18F]FDG PET for detecting primary tumors (73% [16/22] vs. 18% [4/22], p < 0.001), local recurrences (100% [7/7] vs. 29% [2/7], p = 0.071), lymph node metastases (77% [59/77] vs. 23% [18/77], p < 0.001), and distant metastases (93% [207/222] vs. 39% [86/222], p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results from this multicenter retrospective analysis justify the clinical use of [68Ga]Ga-FAPI tracers for GSRCC diagnosis and staging. KEY POINTS: • [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET/CT is a promising imaging modality for the detection of primary and metastatic disease and has implications for TNM staging in GSRCC. • In this multicenter study of 34 patients with GSRCC, [68Ga]Ga-FAPI PET exhibited greater radiotracer uptake, tumor-to-background ratios, and diagnostic accuracy than [18F]FDG PET for detecting primary/recurrent tumors and metastatic lesions.

Evaluation of novel anti-CEACAM6 antibody-based conjugates for radioimmunotheranostics of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly malignant solid tumor that lacks early diagnostic methods. Recently, targeted immunotherapy and radiotherapy have been integrated with radionuclide-antibody conjugate drugs, which can be used for targeted diagnosis and dynamic imaging of tumors. CEACAM6 is overexpressed in pancreatic tumors and is a potential theranostic target for PDAC. We aimed to develop a novel targeted carrier for theranostics of PDAC and other solid tumors. METHODS: Based on camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies, we developed a CEACAM6-targeting recombinant antibody NY004, and evaluated it as a novel antibody-carrier for imaging and therapy of cancer in tumor models. We labeled NY004 with theranostic nuclides and applied this self-developed antibody platform in diagnostic imaging and antitumor assessment in PDAC models. RESULTS: Through microPET, IHC, and biodistribution assays, targeting and biodistribution of [89Zr]-NY004 in solid tumors including PDAC was examined, and the investigated tumors were all CEACAM6-positive malignancies. We found that NY004 was suitable for use as a drug carrier for radioimmunotheranostics. Our study showed that NY004 was characterized by high targeted uptake and a long retention time in PANC-1 tumors (up to 6 days post-injection), with good specificity and high imaging efficiency. Therapeutic evaluation of the radionuclide-labeled antibody drug [177Lu]-NY004 in PDAC tumor-bearing model revealed that NY004 had high and prolonged uptake in tumors, relatively low non-target organ uptake, and good anti-tumor efficacy. CONCLUSION: As a drug platform for radiotheranostics, CEACAM6-specific antibody NY004 met the requirements of easy-labeling, targeting specificity, and effective persistence in pancreatic adenocarcinoma tissues. KEY POINTS: • [89Zr]-NY004 has good specificity and high imaging efficiency, and is characterized by high tumor-targeting uptake and a long tumor retention time as a PET molecular imaging tracer. • Therapeutic radionuclide-conjugated antibody drug [177Lu]-NY004 has high uptake and prolonged uptake duration in tumors, low non-target organ uptake, and significant tumor-inhibiting efficacy in PDAC model. • The self-developed antibody structure NY004 is a promising drug platform for radioimmunotheranostics of CEACAM6-positive tumors including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Positive rate and quantification of amyloid pathology with [18F]florbetapir in the urban Chinese population.

OBJECTIVES: Amyloid deposition is considered the initial pathology in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Personalized management requires investigation of amyloid pathology and the risk factors for both amyloid pathology and cognitive decline in the Chinese population. We aimed to investigate amyloid positivity and deposition in AD patients, as well as factors related to amyloid pathology in Chinese cities. METHODS: This cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in Shanghai and Zhengzhou, China. All participants were recruited from urban communities and memory clinics. Amyloid positivity and deposition were analyzed based on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). We used partial least squares (PLS) models to investigate how related factors contributed to amyloid deposition and cognitive decline. RESULTS: In total, 1026 participants were included: 768 participants from the community-based cohort (COMC) and 258 participants from the clinic-based cohort (CLIC). The overall amyloid-positive rates in individuals with clinically diagnosed AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and normal cognition (NC) were 85.8%, 44.5%, and 26.9%, respectively. The global amyloid deposition standardized uptake value ratios (SUVr) (reference: cerebellar crus) were 1.44 ± 0.24, 1.30 ± 0.22, and 1.24 ± 0.14, respectively. CLIC status, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4, and older age were strongly associated with amyloid pathology by PLS modeling. CONCLUSION: The overall amyloid-positive rates accompanying AD, MCI, and NC in the Chinese population were similar to those in published cohorts of other populations. ApoE ε4 and CLIC status were risk factors for amyloid pathology across the AD continuum. Education was a risk factor for amyloid pathology in MCI. Female sex and age were risk factors for amyloid pathology in NC. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: This study provides new details about amyloid pathology in the Chinese population. Factors related to amyloid deposition and cognitive decline can help to assess patients' AD risk. KEY POINTS: • We studied amyloid pathology and related risk factors in the Chinese population. •·The overall amyloid-positive rates in individuals with clinically diagnosed AD, MCI, and NC were 85.8%, 44.5%, and 26.9%, respectively. • These overall amyloid-positive rates were in close agreement with the corresponding prevalence for other populations.

The short- and long-term effect of laparoscopic total gastrectomy in D2 radical treatment combined with spleno-pancreatectomy under membrane anatomy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the short- and long-term effect of laparoscopic total gastrectomy in D2 radical treatment combined with spleno-pancreatectomy under membrane anatomy. METHODS: From June 2013 to June 2018, 70 patients with gastric cancer underwent total gastrectomy combined with spleno-pancreatectomy involving 37 cases in laparoscopy group and 33 cases in laparotomy group. The intraoperative and postoperative conditions of patients in the two groups were compared and analyzed. RESULTS: In the laparoscopy group, the operation time and the number of positive lymph node dissection was similar to the laparotomy group. Statistical difference was found in intraoperative bleeding [(79.19 ± 39.63)ml vs (214.39 ± 152.47)m1], the number of lymph node dissection [(47.27 ± 13.94) vs (35.45 ± 9.81)], the first time of aerofluxus [(2.92 ± 0.76)d vs (3.76 ± 1.09)d], the first fluid intake time [(7.49 ± 0.96)d vs (8.27 ± 1.91)d] and the postoperative hospital stay [(11.95 ± 1.90)d vs (15.39 ± 4.07)d] (P < 0.05), So the laparoscopy group was significantly superior to the laparotomy group. The incidences of postoperative complications in laparoscopy group and the laparotomy group were 35.13% and 27.27%, and the difference was not statistically significant. (P > 0.05). No stark difference in postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo Classification (P > 0.05). The K-M survival curve showed no significant difference in 3-year overall survival (OS) and 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic total gastrectomy in D2 radical treatment combined with spleno-pancreatectomy under membrane anatomy is feasible and safe, which can remove more perigastric lymph nodes. With advantages of less intraoperative blood loss and fast postoperative recovery, it cannot increase postoperative complications and long-term survival are comparable to open surgery.

The short- and long-term effect of membrane anatomy-guided laparoscopic D2 lymphadenectomy plus regional complete mesogastrium excision for locally advanced gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Retrospectively analyzed the short- and long-term efficacy between laparoscopic D2 lymphadenectomy plus regional complete mesogastrium excision (D2 + rCME) and traditional laparoscopic D2 in the treatment of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC), in order to obtain more evidence for D2 + rCME gastrectomy. METHODS: A total of 599 LAGC patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomy from January 2014 to December 2019, including 367 cases in the D2 + rCME group and 232 cases in the D2 group. Intraoperative and postoperative clinicopathological parameters, postoperative complications and long-term survival in the two groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: No significant differences in the positive rate of mesogastric tumor deposits, the number of positive lymph nodes and postoperative length of stay were found between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the D2 + rCME group, intraoperative blood loss was significantly reduced (84.20 ± 57.64 ml vs. 148.47 ± 76.97 ml, P < 0.001), the time to first postoperative flatus and first liquid diet intake were significantly shortened (3[2-3] days vs. 3[3-3] days, P < 0.001; 7[7-8] days vs. 8[7-8] days, P < 0.001), and the number of lymph nodes dissected was greater (43.57 ± 16.52 pieces vs. 36.72 ± 13.83 pieces, P < 0.001). The incidence of complications did not significantly differ between the D2 + rCME group (20.7%) and D2 group (19.4%) (P > 0.05). Although there was no statistically difference in 3-year OS and DFS between the two groups. However, the trend was better in D2 + rCME group. In subgroup analysis, patients with positive tumor deposits (TDs) in the D2 + rCME group had significantly better 3-year DFS compared With D2 group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic D2 + rCME is safe and feasible for the treatment of LAGC and is characterized by less bleeding, greater lymph node dissection and rapid recovery, without increasing postoperative complications. D2 + rCME group showed a better trend of long-term efficacy, especially significant beneficial for LAGC patients who with positive TDs.

Brain glucose metabolism and dopamine transporter changes in rats with morphine-induced conditioned place preference.

Addiction to morphine is a chronic brain disease leading to compulsive abuse. Drug addiction animal models with and without conditioned place preference (CPP) training have been used to investigate cue-elicited drug craving. We used 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18 F-FDG) and 11 C-2-ß-carbomethoxy-3-ß-(4-fluorophenyl)tropane (11 C-CFT) micro-PET/CT scans to examine the regional changes in brain glucose metabolism and dopamine transporter (DAT) availability to study their relationship underlying drug memory in morphine-treated rat models with and without CPP. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVr) of 18 F-FDG significantly decreased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and cingulate with short-term morphine administration compared with the baseline condition. Voxelwise analysis indicated glucose metabolism alterations in the somatosensory cortex, hippocampus and cingulate in morphine-treated rats and in the striatum, thalamus, medial prefrontal cortex, primary motor cortex and many regions in the cortex in the CPP group compared with the baseline condition. Alterative glucose metabolism was also observed in the striatum, primary somatosensory cortex and some cortical regions in the CPP group compared with morphine alone group. DAT expression alterations were only observed in the long-term morphine compared with the short-term morphine group. This study shows that cerebral glucose metabolism significantly altered during morphine administration and CPP process mainly in the mPFC, striatum and hippocampus, which indicates that the function of these brain regions is involved in cue-induced craving and memory retrieval.

Single-molecule long-read sequencing reveals the potential impact of posttranscriptional regulation on gene dosage effects on the avian Z chromosome.

BACKGROUND: Mammalian sex chromosomes provide dosage compensation, but avian lack a global mechanism of dose compensation. Herein, we employed nanopore sequencing to investigate the genetic basis of gene expression and gene dosage effects in avian Z chromosomes at the posttranscriptional level. RESULTS: In this study, the gonad and head skin of female and male duck samples (n = 4) were collected at 16 weeks of age for Oxford nanopore sequencing. Our results revealed a dosage effect and local regulation of duck Z chromosome gene expression. Additionally, AS and APA achieve tissue-specific gene expression, and male-biased lncRNA regulates its Z-linked target genes, with a positive regulatory role for gene dosage effects on the duck Z chromosome. In addition, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the dosage effects of Z-linked genes were mainly associated with the cellular response to hormone stimulus, melanin biosynthetic, metabolic pathways, and melanogenesis, resulting in sex differences. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that post transcriptional regulation (AS, APA and lncRNA) has a potential impact on the gene expression effects of avian Z chromosomes. Our study provides a new view of gene regulation underlying the dose effects in avian Z chromosomes at the RNA post transcriptional level.

Melatonin increases growth and salt tolerance of Limonium bicolor by improving photosynthetic and antioxidant capacity.

BACKGROUND: Soil salinization is becoming an increasingly serious problem worldwide, resulting in cultivated land loss and desertification, as well as having a serious impact on agriculture and the economy. The indoleamine melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) has a wide array of biological roles in plants, including acting as an auxin analog and an antioxidant. Previous studies have shown that exogenous melatonin application alleviates the salt-induced growth inhibition in non-halophyte plants; however, to our knowledge, melatonin effects have not been examined on halophytes, and it is unclear whether melatonin provides similar protection to salt-exposed halophytic plants. RESULTS: We exposed the halophyte Limonium bicolor to salt stress (300 mM) and concomitantly treated the plants with 5 µM melatonin to examine the effect of melatonin on salt tolerance. Exogenous melatonin treatment promoted the growth of L. bicolor under salt stress, as reflected by increasing its fresh weight and leaf area. This increased growth was caused by an increase in net photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency. Treatment of salt-stressed L. bicolor seedlings with 5 µM melatonin also enhanced the activities of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase [SOD], peroxidase [POD], catalase [CAT], and ascorbate peroxidase [APX]), while significantly decreasing the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2•-), and malondialdehyde (MDA). To screen for L. bicolor genes involved in the above physiological processes, high-throughput RNA sequencing was conducted. A gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that genes related to photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species scavenging, the auxin-dependent signaling pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were highly expressed under melatonin treatment. These data indicated that melatonin improved photosynthesis, decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activated MAPK-mediated antioxidant responses, triggering a downstream MAPK cascade that upregulated the expression of antioxidant-related genes. Thus, melatonin improves the salt tolerance of L. bicolor by increasing photosynthesis and improving cellular redox homeostasis under salt stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that melatonin can upregulate the expression of genes related to photosynthesis, reactive oxygen species scavenging and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) of L. bicolor under salt stress, which can improve photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activities. Thus melatonin can promote the growth of the species and maintain the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species to alleviate salt stress.

Stabilizing Interface pH by Mixing Electrolytes for High-Performance Aqueous Zn Metal Batteries.

Aqueous zinc metal batteries with mild acidic electrolytes are considered promising candidates for large-scale energy storage. However, the Zn anode suffers from severe Zn dendrite growth and side reactions due to the unstable interfacial pH and the absence of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) protective layer. Herein, a novel and simple mixed electrolyte strategy is proposed to address these problems. The mixed electrolytes of 2 M ZnSO4 and 2 M Zn (CF3 SO3 )2 can efficiently buffer the interfacial pH and induce the in situ formation of the organic-inorganic SEI layer, which eliminates dendrite growth and prevents side reactions. As a result, Zn anodes in mixed electrolyte exhibit a lifespan enhancement over 400 times, endure stable cycling over 270 h at a high DOD of 62% and achieve high Zn plating/stripping reversibility with an average CE of 99.5% for 1000 cycles at 1 mA cm-2 . The findings pave the way for developing practical electrolyte systems for Zn batteries.