Upregulated miR-146b-3p predicted rheumatoid arthritis development and regulated TNF-α-induced excessive proliferation, motility, and inflammation in MH7A cells.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune system disease with a high disability rate threatening the living quality of patients. Identifying potential biomarkers for RA is of necessity to improve the prevention and management of RA. OBJECTIVES: This study focused on miR-146b-3p evaluating its clinical significance and revealing the underlying regulatory mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 107 RA patients were enrolled, and both serum and synovial tissues were collected. Another 78 osteoarthritis patients (OA, providing synovial tissues), and 72 healthy individuals (providing serum samples) were enrolled as the control group. The expression of miR-146b-3p was analyzed by PCR and analyzed with ROC and Pearson correlation analyses evaluating its significance in diagnosis and development prediction of RA patients. In vitro, MH7A cells were treated with TNF-α. The regulation of cell proliferation, motility, and inflammation by miR-146b-3p was assessed by CCK8, Transwell, and ELISA assays. RESULTS: Significant upregulation of miR-146b-3p was observed in serum and synovial tissues of RA patients, which distinguished RA patients and were positively correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP), and rheumatoid factor (RF) of RA patients. TNF-α promoted the proliferation and motility of MH7A cells and induced significant inflammation in cells. Silencing miR-146b-3p alleviated the effect of TNF-α and negatively regulated the expression of HMGCR. The knockdown of HMGCR reversed the protective effect of miR-146b-3p silencing on TNF-α-stimulated MH7A cells. CONCLUSIONS: Increased miR-146b-3p served as a biomarker for the diagnosis and severity of RA. Silencing miR-146b-3p could suppress TNF-α-induced excessive proliferation, motility, and inflammation via regulating HMGCR in MH7A cells.

In Situ Electrochemical Rapid Induction of Highly Active γ-NiOOH Species for Industrial Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzer.

Limited by the strong oxidation environment and sluggish reconstruction process in oxygen evolution reaction (OER), designing rapid self-reconstruction with high activity and stability electrocatalysts is crucial to promoting anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolyzer. Herein, trace Fe/S-modified Ni oxyhydroxide (Fe/S-NiOOH/NF) nanowires are constructed via a simple in situ electrochemical oxidation strategy based on precipitation-dissolution equilibrium. In situ characterization techniques reveal that the successful introduction of Fe and S leads to lattice disorder and boosts favorable hydroxyl capture, accelerating the formation of highly active γ-NiOOH. The Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations have also verified that the incorporation of Fe and S optimizes the electrons redistribution and the d-band center, decreasing the energy barrier of the rate-determining step (*O→*OOH). Benefited from the unique electronic structure and intermediate adsorption, the Fe/S-NiOOH/NF catalyst only requires the overpotential of 345 mV to reach the industrial current density of 1000 mA cm-2 for 120 h. Meanwhile, assembled AEM water electrolyzer (Fe/S-NiOOH//Pt/C-60 °C) can deliver 1000 mA cm-2 at a cell voltage of 2.24 V, operating at the average energy efficiency of 71% for 100 h. In summary, this work presents a rapid self-reconstruction strategy for high-performance AEM electrocatalysts for future hydrogen economy.

E3 ubiquitin ligase TaSDIR1-4A activates membrane-bound transcription factor TaWRKY29 to positively regulate drought resistance.

Drought is a deleterious abiotic stress factor that constrains crop growth and development. Post-translational modification of proteins mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system is an effective strategy for directing plant responses to stress, but the regulatory mechanisms in wheat remain unclear. In this study, we showed that TaSDIR1-4A is a positive modulator of the drought response. Overexpression of TaSDIR1-4A increased the hypersensitivity of stomata, root length and endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) content under drought conditions. TaSDIR1-4A encodes a C3H2C3-type RING finger protein with E3 ligase activity. Amino acid mutation in its conserved domain led to loss of activity and altered the subcellular localization. The membrane-bound transcription factor TaWRKY29 was identified by yeast two-hybrid screening, and it was confirmed as interacting with TaSDIR1-4A both in vivo and in vitro. TaSDIR1-4A mediated the polyubiquitination and proteolysis of the C-terminal amino acid of TaWRKY29, and its translocation from the plasma membrane to the nucleus. Activated TaWRKY29 bound to the TaABI5 promoter to stimulate its expression, thereby positively regulating the ABA signalling pathway and drought response. Our findings demonstrate the positive role of TaSDIR1-4A in drought tolerance and provide new insights into the involvement of UPS in the wheat stress response.

Association between different insulin resistance surrogates and all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease and hypertension: NHANES longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) surrogates and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension are lacking. This study aimed to explore the relationship between different IR surrogates and all-cause mortality and identify valuable predictors of survival status in this population. METHODS: The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001-2018) and National Death Index (NDI). Multivariate Cox regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were performed to evaluate the relationship between homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), triglyceride glucose index (TyG index), triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI index) and all-cause mortality. The recursive algorithm was conducted to calculate inflection points when segmenting effects were found. Then, segmented Kaplan-Meier analysis, LogRank tests, and multivariable Cox regression were carried out. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves were drawn to evaluate the differentiation and accuracy of IR surrogates in predicting the all-cause mortality. Stratified analysis and interaction tests were conducted according to age, gender, diabetes, cancer, hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering drug use. RESULTS: 1126 participants were included in the study. During the median follow-up of 76 months, 455 participants died. RCS showed that HOMA-IR had a segmented effect on all-cause mortality. 3.59 was a statistically significant inflection point. When the HOMA-IR was less than 3.59, it was negatively associated with all-cause mortality [HR = 0.87,95%CI (0.78, 0.97)]. Conversely, when the HOMA-IR was greater than 3.59, it was positively associated with all-cause mortality [HR = 1.03,95%CI (1.00, 1.05)]. ROC and calibration curves indicated that HOMA-IR was a reliable predictor of survival status (area under curve = 0,812). No interactions between HOMA-IR and stratified variables were found. CONCLUSION: The relationship between HOMA-IR and all-cause mortality was U-shaped in patients with CHD and hypertension. HOMA-IR was a reliable predictor of all-cause mortality in this population.

Melatonin MT1 receptors regulate the Sirt1/Nrf2/Ho-1/Gpx4 pathway to prevent α-synuclein-induced ferroptosis in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn). Ferroptosis, a form of cell death induced by iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation, is involved in the pathogenesis of PD. It is unknown whether melatonin receptor 1 (MT1) modulates α-syn and ferroptosis in PD. Here, we used α-syn preformed fibrils (PFFs) to induce PD models in vivo and in vitro. In PD mice, α-syn aggregation led to increased iron deposition and ferroptosis. MT1 knockout exacerbated these changes and resulted in more DA neuronal loss and severe motor impairment. MT1 knockout also suppressed the Sirt1/Nrf2/Ho1/Gpx4 pathway, reducing resistance to ferroptosis, and inhibited expression of ferritin Fth1, leading to more release of ferrous ions. In vitro experiments confirmed these findings. Knockdown of MT1 enhanced α-syn PFF-induced intracellular α-syn aggregation and suppressed expression of the Sirt1/Nrf2/Ho1/Gpx4 pathway and Fth1 protein, thereby aggravating ferroptosis. Conversely, overexpression of MT1 reversed these effects. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which MT1 activation prevents α-syn-induced ferroptosis in PD, highlighting the neuroprotective role of MT1 in PD.

Clinical Comparison between HD-tDCS and tDCS for Improving Upper Limb Motor Function: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Sham-Controlled Trial.

Background: Stroke is a common and frequently occurring disease among middle-aged and elderly people, with approximately 55%-75% of patients remaining with upper limb dysfunction. How to promote the recovery of motor function at an early stage is crucial to the life of the patient. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) functional area in poststroke patients in the subacute phase is more effective in improving upper limb function than conventional tDCS. Methods: This randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial included 69 patients with subcortical stroke. They were randomly divided into the HD-tDCS, anodal tDCS (a-tDCS), and sham groups. Each group received 20 sessions of stimulation. The patients were assessed using the Action Research Arm Test, Fugl-Meyer score for upper extremities, Motor Function Assessment Scale, and modified Barthel index (MBI) pretreatment and posttreatment. Results: The intragroup comparison scores improved after 4 weeks of treatment. The HD-tDCS group showed a slightly greater, but nonsignificant improvement as compared to a-tDCS group in terms of mean change observed in function of trained items. The MBI score of the HD-tDCS group was maintained up to 8 weeks of follow-up and was higher than that in the a-tDCS group. Conclusion: Both HD-tDCS and a-tDCS can improve upper limb motor function and daily activities of poststroke patients in the subacute stage. This trial is registered with ChiCTR2000031314.

Automatic Quantitative Assessment of Muscle Strength Based on Deep Learning and Ultrasound.

Skeletal muscle is a vital organ that promotes human movement and maintains posture. Accurate assessment of muscle strength is helpful to provide valuable insights for athletes' rehabilitation and strength training. However, traditional techniques rely heavily on the operator's expertise, which may affect the accuracy of the results. In this study, we propose an automated method to evaluate muscle strength using ultrasound and deep learning techniques. B-mode ultrasound data of biceps brachii of multiple athletes at different strength levels were collected and then used to train our deep learning model. To evaluate the effectiveness of this method, this study tested the contraction of the biceps brachii under different force levels. The classification accuracy of this method for grade 4 and grade 6 muscle strength reached 98% and 96%, respectively, and the overall average accuracy was 93% and 87%, respectively. The experimental results confirm that the innovative methods in this paper can accurately and effectively evaluate and classify muscle strength.

Metabolic and functional substrates of impulsive decision-making in individuals with heroin addiction after prolonged methadone maintenance treatment.

Elevated impulsivity has been frequently reported in individuals with opioid addiction receiving methadone maintenance therapy (MMT), but the underlying neural mechanisms and cognitive subprocesses are not fully understood. We acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 37 subjects with heroin addiction receiving long-term MMT and 33 healthy controls who performed a probabilistic reversal learning task, and measured their resting-state brain glucose using fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET). Subjects receiving MMT exhibited significantly elevated self-reported impulsivity, and computational modeling revealed a marked impulsive decision bias manifested as switching more frequently without available evidence. Moreover, this impulsive decision bias was associated with the dose and duration of methadone use, irrelevant to the duration of heroin use. During the task, the switch-related hypoactivation in the left rostral middle frontal gyrus was correlated with the impulsive decision bias while the function of reward sensitivity was intact in subjects receiving MMT. Using prior brain-wide receptor density data, we found that the highest variance of regional metabolic abnormalities was explained by the spatial distribution of µ-opioid receptors among 10 types of neurotransmitter receptors. Heightened impulsivity in individuals receiving prolonged MMT is manifested as atypical choice bias and noise in decision-making processes, which is further driven by deficits in top-down cognitive control, other than reward sensitivity. Our findings uncover multifaceted mechanisms underlying elevated impulsivity in subjects receiving MMT, which might provide insights for developing complementary therapies to improve retention during MMT.

Common and differential connectivity profiles of deep brain stimulation and capsulotomy in refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Neurosurgical interventions including deep brain stimulation (DBS) and capsulotomy have been demonstrated effective for refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although treatment-shared/-specific network mechanisms remain largely unclear. We retrospectively analyzed resting-state fMRI data from three cohorts: a cross-sectional dataset of 186 subjects (104 OCD and 82 healthy controls), and two longitudinal datasets of refractory patients receiving ventral capsule/ventral striatum DBS (14 OCD) and anterior capsulotomy (27 OCD). We developed a machine learning model predictive of OCD symptoms (indexed by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Y-BOCS) based on functional connectivity profiles and used graphic measures of network communication to characterize treatment-induced profile changes. We applied a linear model on 2 levels treatments (DBS or capsulotomy) and outcome to identify whether pre-surgical network communication was associated with differential treatment outcomes. We identified 54 functional connectivities within fronto-subcortical networks significantly predictive of Y-BOCS score in patients across 3 independent cohorts, and observed a coexisting pattern of downregulated cortico-subcortical and upregulated cortico-cortical network communication commonly shared by DBS and capsulotomy. Furthermore, increased cortico-cortical communication at ventrolateral and centrolateral prefrontal cortices induced by DBS and capsulotomy contributed to improvement of mood and anxiety symptoms, respectively (p < 0.05). Importantly, pretreatment communication of ventrolateral and centrolateral prefrontal cortices were differentially predictive of mood and anxiety improvements by DBS and capsulotomy (effect sizes = 0.45 and 0.41, respectively). These findings unravel treatment-shared and treatment-specific network characteristics induced by DBS and capsulotomy, which may facilitate the search of potential evidence-based markers for optimally selecting among treatment options for a patient.

Role of α-synuclein in microglia: autophagy and phagocytosis balance neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and is characterized by accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn). Neuroinflammation driven by microglia is an important pathological manifestation of PD. α-Syn is a crucial marker of PD, and its accumulation leads to microglia M1-like phenotype polarization, activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes, and impaired autophagy and phagocytosis in microglia. Autophagy of microglia is related to degradation of α-syn and NLRP3 inflammasome blockage to relieve neuroinflammation. Microglial autophagy and phagocytosis of released α-syn or fragments from apoptotic neurons maintain homeostasis in the brain. A variety of PD-related genes such as LRRK2, GBA and DJ-1 also contribute to this stability process. OBJECTIVES: Further studies are needed to determine how α-syn works in microglia. METHODS: A keyword-based search was performed using the PubMed database for published articles. CONCLUSION: In this review, we discuss the interaction between microglia and α-syn in PD pathogenesis and the possible mechanism of microglial autophagy and phagocytosis in α-syn clearance and inhibition of neuroinflammation. This may provide a novel insight into treatment of PD.

Prediction of benign and malignant ovarian tumors using Resnet34 on ultrasound images.

OBJECTIVE: To develop deep learning (DL) prediction models using transvaginal ultrasound (TVS), transabdominal ultrasound (TAS), and color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) of TVS (CDFI_TVS) to automatically predict benign or malignant ovarian tumors. METHODS: This retrospective study included women with ovarian tumors who underwent ultrasound between August 2018 and October 2022. Histopathological analysis was used as a reference standard. The dataset was preprocessed by clipping, flipping, and rotating images to generate a larger, more complicated, and diverse dataset to improve accuracy and generalizability. The dataset was then divided into training (80%) and test (20%) sets. The weights of the models, modified from the residual network (ResNet) with the TVS, TAS, and CDFI_TVS images (hereafter, referred to as DLTVS , DLTAS , and DLCDFI_TVS , respectively) were developed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis in the test set was used to compare the predictive value of DL for malignancy. RESULTS: A total of 2340 images from 1350 women with adnexal masses were included. DLTVS had an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93-0.97) for classifying malignant and benign ovarian tumors, comparable with that of DLTAS (AUC, 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-0.98; p = 0.96) and DLCDFI_TVS (AUC, 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84-0.93; p = 0.02). Decision curve analysis indicated that DLTVS performed better than DLTAS and DLCDFI_TVS . CONCLUSION: We developed DL models based on TVS, TAS, and CDFI_TVS on ultrasound images to predict benign and malignant ovarian tumors with high diagnostic performance. The DLTVS model had the best prediction compared with the DLTAS and DLCDFI_TVS models.

Effects of acupuncture on obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Our study aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of acupuncture in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Literature search of four Chinese databases and six English databases for studies published from the inception of each database to March 1, 2022 and identify relevant studies published in Chinese or English. Related randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for the treatment of OSAHS were included to analyze the efficacy of acupuncture. Two researchers independently reviewed all of the retrieved studies to screen for eligible studies and extract the required relevant data. Included studies were subjected to a methodological quality assessment using the Cochrane Manual 5.1.0, and to a meta-analysis using Cochrane Review Manager version 5.4. A total of 19 studies with 1365 participants were examined. Compared with the control group, the apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen saturation, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor α, and nuclear factor κ-B indicators all exhibited statistically significant changes. Thus, acupuncture was effective in alleviating the state of hypoxia and sleepiness and reduced the inflammatory response and disease severity among reported patients with OSAHS. Therefore, acupuncture could be widely used in the clinical treatment of OSAHS patients as a complementary strategy and warrants further study.

Metacarpal Lengthening Using a Mini-Ring Ilizarov Device for Thumb Reconstruction.

PURPOSE: To explore the results of using the mini-ring Ilizarov external fixator for thumb metacarpal lengthening and its compatibility with a simultaneous groin flap. METHODS: From May 2016 to June 2019, 17 adult patients with thumb loss were treated with metacarpal lengthening using a mini-ring Ilizarov device. The device was composed of 2 rings, threaded rods, nuts, and K-wires (diameter, 1.5 mm). Of these patients, 6 also underwent simultaneous groin flap transfer. Lengthening was started 3 days after surgery at a rate of 0.66 mm/d. The pedicle of the groin flap was divided 1 month after the surgery. The healing index (days per cm), which denotes the number of days the external fixator is attached to the bone per centimeter of length gained, was used to evaluate the lengthening efficiency. RESULTS: The patients were observed for 21.9 ± 9.0 months. The lengthening continued for 29.1 ± 4.5 days, resulting in an additional length of 1.9 ± 0.3 cm. CONCLUSIONS: The mini-ring Ilizarov external fixator is a simple device for primary metacarpal lengthening. This device can be used with a groin flap for single-stage lengthening of injured thumbs with bone exposure. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Evaluation of dressings preventing facial medical device-related pressure injury in medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

AIM: This study systematically compared the efficacy of various dressings that may prevent facial medical device-related pressure injury (MRDPI) in medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical staff who are required to wear masks, goggles and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are susceptible to facial MRDPI, which exacerbates working conditions. Dressings can effectively prevent or alleviate MRDPI, but it is unclear which dressings are most effective. DESIGN: A systematic review and network meta-analysis, in accordance with PRISMA. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in four English and four Chinese databases to identify relevant studies published up to 8 September 2022. The selected studies were randomised controlled trials, with populations comprising medical staff who wore PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic and included an observation and control group. RESULTS: The network meta-analysis of the 12 selected articles showed that foam dressing, hydrocolloid dressing and petrolatum gauze were better than conventional protection for preventing MRDPI. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve indicated that foam dressing was the best preventative. CONCLUSION: Foam dressing is more effective than other dressings in preventing facial MRDPI in medical staff. When PPE must be worn for many hours, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, medical staff can use foam dressings to prevent MRDPI. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The results support the use of dressings, especially foam dressings, to prevent MRDPI in healthcare workers. The appropriate dressings are recommended to prevent MRDPI associated with wearing PPE.

Incidence of facial pressure injuries in health-care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence of facial pressure injuries in health-care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in a meta-analysis. METHODS: Related studies were obtained through electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Chinese Scientific Journal (VIP) China Biomedical Literature service systems (CBM) and Wanfang Data (from inception to 27 November 2021). The pooled incidence and the 95% confidence interval of facial pressure injuries were calculated with Review Manager v5.4 software. RESULTS: Overall, 16 studies with 14 430 health-care professionals were included. Pooled results showed that the pooled incidence of facial pressure injury in health-care professionals was 58.8% (95% CI: 49.0%-68.7%; p < 0.01). The results of the subgroup analysis showed that the incidence of facial pressure injury in these staff was high, and predominantly stage I pressure injury, in the following cases: in health-care professionals who wore personal protective equipment for longer than 4 h, in those without any training experience, and on the nose. CONCLUSION: Administrators and researchers should pay attention to preventing facial pressure injury related to the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) by ensuring all health-care professionals receive training and by limiting prolonged periods of use.

The biological functions of peptide signaling in plant and the advances on its utilization for crop improvement.

As the important signaling molecules in plants, peptides at femtomolar levels are recognized and bound by the corresponding plasma membrane-localized receptor-like kinases. This triggers the peptide-receptor-mediated intercellular signal transduction for regulation of the stem cell growth and proliferation, modulation of the development of plant organs (such as roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits) as well as coordinating plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. With the advancement of in-depth research, an increasing number of studies have revealed the crucial role of peptides in regulating agronomic traits of various crops, including rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), potato (Solanum tuberosum) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). These findings suggest the great potentials of utilizing the peptide signaling for genetic improvement of crops. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the biological function and molecular mechanism of peptide-receptor signaling in plants, and highlight the advances in research of peptides in regulating crop yield, quality and resistance. Then, we discuss the strategies for the application of peptide signaling in crop improvement. Finally, we point out some future directions for peptide research in plant.

Caldovatus aquaticus sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from hot spring microbial mat.

Two closely related, aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, motile, oval-shaped, non-endospore-forming, moderately thermophilic bacteria, designated strains SYSU G05006T and SYSU G05005, were isolated from a bioreactor enrichment and the original sample was collected from Rehai National Park, Tengchong, Yunnan Province, PR China. The results of phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that these two strains were closely related to Caldovatus sediminis YIM 72346T (96.75 and 96.89 % sequence similarity, respectively). The whole genome size of strain SYSU G05006T was 3.87 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 75.33 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI based on the MUMmer algorithm≤90.31 % and ANI based on blast≤89.36 %) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (≤35.10 %) values between strain SYSU G05006T and other members of the family Acetobacteraceae were all lower than the threshold values recommended for distinguishing novel prokaryotic species. Optimal growth of the strain was observed at 55 °C and pH 6.0. Ubiquinone-10 was the predominant respiratory lipoquinone. The major cellular fatty acids included iso-C14 : 0, C16 : 1 ω5c, summed feature 5 and summed feature 7. The major polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, two unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified lipids. Based on results of phylogenetic analyses, comparative genomics and phenotypic characteristics, we describe a new species of the genus Caldovatus represented by strain SYSU G05006T (=KCTC 82831T=MCCC 1K06125T), for which we propose the name Caldovatus aquaticus sp. nov.

Characterization of the Dual Functions of LvCrustinVII from Litopenaeus vannamei as Antimicrobial Peptide and Opsonin.

Crustin are a family of antimicrobial peptides that play an important role in protecting against pathogens infection in the innate immune system of crustaceans. Previously, we identified several novel types of crustins, including type VI and type VII crustins. However, their immune functions were still unclear. In the present study, the immune function of type VII crustin LvCrustinVII were investigated in Litopenaeus vannamei. LvCrustinVII was wildly expressed in all tested tissues, with relatively high expression levels in hepatopancreas, epidermis and lymphoid organ. Upon Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection, LvCrustinVII was significantly upregulated in hepatopancreas. Recombinant LvCrustinVII (rLvCrustinVII) showed strong inhibitory activities against Gram-negative bacteria Vibrio harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus, while weak activities against the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Binding assay showed that rLvCrustinVII could bind strongly to V. harveyi and V. parahaemolyticus, as well as the cell wall components Glu, LPS and PGN. In the presence of Ca2+, rLvCrustinVII could agglutinate V. parahaemolyticus and enhance hemocyte phagocytosis. The present data partially illustrate the immune function of LvCrustinVII, which enrich our understanding on the functional mechanisms of crustins and provide useful information for application of this kind of antimicrobial peptides.

TaNBR1, a Novel Wheat NBR1-like Domain Gene Negatively Regulates Drought Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

Drought stress is an important factor that severely affects crop yield and quality. Autophagy has a crucial role in the responses to abiotic stresses. In this study, we explore TaNBR1 in response to drought stress. Expression of the TaNBR1 gene was strongly induced by NaCl, PEG, and abscisic acid treatments. The TaNBR1 protein is localized in the Golgi apparatus and autophagosome. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing TaNBR1 exhibited reduced drought tolerance. When subjected to drought stress, compared to the wild-type (WT) lines, the transgenic overexpressing TaNBR1 plants had a lower seed germination rate, relative water content, proline content, and reduced accumulation of antioxidant enzymes, i.e., superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase, as well as higher chlorophyll losses, malondialdehyde contents, and water loss. The transgenic plants overexpressing TaNBR1 produced much shorter roots in response to mannitol stress, in comparison to the WT plants, and they exhibited greater sensitivity to abscisic acid treatment. The expression levels of the genes related to stress in the transgenic plants were affected in response to drought stress. Our results indicate that TaNBR1 negatively regulates drought stress responses by affecting the expression of stress-related genes in Arabidopsis.

A Polyoxometalate-Encapsulated Metal-Organic Framework Nanoplatform for Synergistic Photothermal-Chemotherapy and Anti-Inflammation of Ovarian Cancer.

Photothermal therapy (PTT), as a noninvasive and local treatment, has emerged as a promising anti-tumor strategy with minimal damage to normal tissue under spatiotemporally controllable irradiation. However, the necrosis of cancer cells during PTT will induce an inflammatory reaction, which may motivate tumor regeneration and resistance to therapy. In this study, polyoxometalates and a chloroquine diphosphate (CQ) co-loaded metal-organic framework nanoplatform with hyaluronic acid coating was constructed for efficient ovarian cancer therapy and anti-inflammation. Our results demonstrated that this nanoplatform not only displayed considerable photothermal therapeutic capacity under 808 nm near-infrared laser, but also had an impressive anti-inflammatory capacity by scavenging reactive oxygen species in the tumor microenvironment. CQ with pH dependence was used for the deacidification of lysosomes and the inhibition of autophagy, cutting off a self-protection pathway induced by cell necrosis-autophagy, and achieving the synergistic treatment of tumors. Therefore, we combined the excellent properties of these materials to synthesize a nanoplatform and explored its therapeutic effects in various aspects. This work provides a promising novel prospect for PTT/anti-inflammation/anti-autophagy combinations for efficient ovarian cancer treatment through the fine tuning of material design.