Exploring the Correlation between Azido-Tetrazolo Tautomerizations and Isomer Structures: Electron Density of Bonding N Atoms and N-N Bond Polarity.

Azido-tetrazolo tautomerizations between azido N-heteroaromatic compounds and tetrazole-fused energetic materials can produce a new generation of high-energy density compounds. Density functional theory (DFT) computations are performed to explore the relationship between reaction barriers and electron densities of bonding N atoms, i.e., the terminal N1 and heterocyclic N2 atoms, for six reported tautomerizations. The results reveal four linear correlations between reverse reaction barriers (Gr) and the electron densities of N1 and N2 atoms in the product. N1 electron density (ρN1) and N-N bond polarity, as measured by the difference between the electron densities on the two N atoms (ΔρN = ρN1 - ρN2) in products, are inversely proportional to the reverse reaction barriers. They are also proportional to the energy barrier differences between the forward and reverse reactions (ΔG = Gf - Gr). Polar solvents, including DMSO, water, and acetone, can effectively increase the reverse reaction barriers (Gr) by improving the stability of products. This regularity is further confirmed by its application to four additional tautomerizations and can be used to screen out unfavorable azido-tetrazolo tautomerization reactions and increase the success rate of such synthesis.

Minimally Invasive versus Traditional Surgery: Efficacy of PELD and PLIF in Treating Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis.

BACKGROUND Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is infection of the intervertebral disc or discs and the adjacent vertebrae. This retrospective study aimed to compare the effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar debridement (PELD) versus posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) in 40 patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PSD). MATERIAL AND METHODS Medical records of patients who underwent PELD (n=18) or PLIF (n=22) for PSD between 2018 and 2023 were reviewed. The recorded outcomes encompassed surgical duration, intraoperative blood loss, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) measurements, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) assessments, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, duration of hospitalization, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grading, lumbar sagittal parameters, and the incidence of complications. RESULTS The PELD group had shorter surgical duration, less intraoperative blood loss, and shorter length of hospital stay compared to the PLIF group (P<0.01). At the last follow-up, both groups had significant improvement in ESR, CRP levels, and ASIA classification (P<0.001), but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups (P>0.05). The PELD group had lower ODI and VAS ratings at 1 month and 3 months, respectively (P<0.01). The PLIF group had significant improvements in intervertebral space height and lumbar lordosis angle (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both PLIF and PELD surgical approaches demonstrate adequate clinical efficacy in the treatment of monosegmental PSD. PLIF can better ensure more spinal stability than PELD, but PELD offers advantages such as reduced minimal surgical trauma, shorter operative duration, and faster recovery after surgery.

Detection Ewingella americana from a patient with Andersson lesion in ankylosing spondylitis by metagenomic next-generation sequencing test: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Andersen's lesion (AL) is a rare complication of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), characterized by nonneoplastic bone destruction, typically manifested as bone destruction and sclerosis in the vertebral body and/or intervertebral disc area. At present, there is no consensus on the pathology and etiology of AL. Repeated trauma, inflammation in essence and part of the natural history of Ankylosing spondylitis itself are the most widely recognized theories of the etiology of AL. However, positive bacteria cultured in bone biopsy of Andersen's lesion (AL) in Ankylosing spondylitis patients are extremely rare. Herein, we report a rare case of detecting Ewingella americana from a patient with Andersson lesion in ankylosing spondylitis by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing (mNGS) Test. CASE PRESENTATION: This case involved a 39-year-old male with a history of AS for 11 years, who developed AL (T11/12) in the thoracic vertebrae. After sufficient preoperative preparation, we successfully performed one-stage posterior approach corrective surgery and collected bone biopsies samples for examination. Cultured bacteria were not found, and pathological histology indicated infiltration of inflammatory cells. However, it is worth noting that we discovered a gram-negative bacterium, the Ewingella americana, through mNGS testing. Further histopathological examination suggests chronic inflammatory cell infiltration. After one-stage posterior approach corrective surgery, the patient's condition significantly improved. At the 6-month follow-up, the pain significantly decreased, and the patient returned to normal life. CONCLUSION: We detected Ewinia americana in the bone biopsies of Andersson lesion (AL) in ankylosing spondylitis patient by mNGS.

Interfacial Domino Effect Triggered by ß-Alanine Cations Realized Highly Reversible Zinc-Metal Anodes.

Realizing durative dense, dendrite-free, and no by-product deposition configuration on Zn anodes is crucial to solving the short circuit and premature failure of batteries, which is simultaneously determined by the Zn interface chemistry, electro-reduction kinetics, mass transfer process, and their interaction. Herein, this work unmasks a domino effect of the ß-alanine cations (Ala+) within the hydrogel matrix, which effectively triggers the subsequent electrostatic shielding and beneficial knock-on effects via the specifical adsorption earliest event on the Zn anode surface. The electrostatic shielding effect regulates the crystallographic energetic preference of Zn deposits and retards fast electro-reduction kinetics, thereby steering stacked stockier block morphology and realizing crystallographic optimization. Meanwhile, the mass transfer rate of Zn2+ ions was accelerated via the SO4 2- anion immobilized caused by Ala+ in bulk electrolyte, finally bringing the balance between electroreduction kinetics and mass transfer process, which enables dendrite-free Zn deposition behavior. Concomitantly, the interfacial adsorbed Ala+ cations facilitate the electrochemical reduction of interfacial SO4 2- anions to form the inorganic-organic hybrid solid electrolyte interphase layer. The above domino effects immensely improve the utilization efficiency of Zn anodes and long-term stability, as demonstrated by the 12 times longer life of Zn||Zn cells (3650 h) and ultrahigh Coulombic efficiency (99.4 %).

Long intergenic non-coding RNA DIO3OS promotes osteosarcoma metastasis via activation of the TGF-ß signaling pathway: a potential diagnostic and immunotherapeutic target for osteosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the underlying potential mechanisms and function of DIO3OS, a lincRNA in osteosarcoma and clarify that DIO3OS can be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker and immunotherapeutic target. METHODS: The expression matrix data and clinical information were obtained from XENA platform of UCSC and GEO database as the test cohorts. The external validation cohort was collected from our hospital. Bioinformatics analysis was used to annotate the biological function of DIO3OS. Immune infiltration and immune checkpoint analysis were applied to evaluate whether DIO3OS can be used as an immunotherapeutic target. ROC curves and AUC were established to assess the diagnostic value of DIO3OS for differentiating patients from other subtypes sarcoma. The expression analysis was detected by qRT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemical. Wound healing assay and Transwell assay were applied to determine the migration and invasion function of DIO3OS in osteosarcoma cell lines. The tail vein injection osteosarcoma cells metastases model was used in this research. RESULTS: High expression of DIO3OS was identified as a risk lincRNA for predicting overall survival of osteosarcoma in test cohort. The outcomes of experiments in vitro and in vivo showed that low expression of DIO3OS limited osteosarcoma tumor metastasis with inhibiting TGF-ß signaling pathway. Immune checkpoint genes (CD200 and TNFRSF25) expressions were inhibited in the low DIO3OS expression group. The DIO3OS expression can be applied to reliably distinguish osteosarcoma from lipomatous neoplasms, myomatous neoplasms, nerve sheath tumors, and synovial-like neoplasms. This result was further validated in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our outcomes indicated that DIO3OS is a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker of osteosarcoma, emphasizing its potential as a target of immunotherapy to improve the treatment of osteosarcoma through TGF-ß signaling pathway. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The present retrospectively study was approved by the Ethics Committee of The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University [Review (2020) No. (115)].

Accuracy of Coronal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Diagnosis of Multi-Segmental Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Single-Center Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND Multi-segment herniation of lumbar intervertebral discs is a complex lumbar spine disease, and it is difficult to identify the responsible segment using only magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The present study screened 47 patients with multi-segment lumbar disc herniation (MSLDH) to evaluate coronal magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) of three-dimensional fast-field echo with water-selective excitation to identify the responsible segment of multi-segment lumbar disc herniation (MSLDH) and to assess the accuracy and utility of CMRI. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 44 patients with low back pain or lower-extremity symptoms from January 2019 to December 2021. The imaging (including CMRI) and clinical data of the patients were analyzed by 3 independent, blinded experts. The Kappa statistical method was used to characterize the reader-to-reader reliability to qualitatively evaluate the data. RESULTS CMRI showed high diagnostic performance, with 90.2% sensitivity, 94.9% positive predictive value (PPV), 80% negative predictive value (NPV), and 83.4% accuracy, and there were significant differences in hospital length of stay (P=0.013) and surgical bleeding (P=0.006) (P<0.01) between single-segment and multi-segment patients. CONCLUSIONS CMRI is highly accurate in revealing the shape, signal, and position of the intraspinal and extraspinal lumbosacral plexus, and reducing surgical segments can help improve postoperative outcomes for patients.

Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Preoperative Coronal MRI-Guided Minimally Invasive Surgery for Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy.

BACKGROUND Key-hole surgery is a minimally invasive technique that has shown promise in various surgical procedures. This study aimed to assess the clinical effectiveness of preoperative coronal MRI-assisted key-hole surgery for the treatment of patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (CSR). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 30 patients diagnosed with CSR and undergoing key-hole surgery with CMRI assistance were included in the study. Various parameters, including surgical segments, incision length, disease duration, operative time, intraoperative fluoroscopy times, intraoperative blood loss, complications, and length of hospitalization, were recorded. Precise measurements of Cobb angles and intervertebral space height were taken before and after the surgical procedure. Surgical outcomes were evaluated using modified Macnab criteria, visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores (JOA), and neck disability index (NDI). RESULTS The average duration of disease was 6.47±3.29 months, with an average incision length of 1.94±0.15 cm and operative time of 57.83±4.34 minutes. The average intraoperative blood loss was 33.70±9.28 ml, with an average of 3.50±0.73 intraoperative fluoroscopies. The average duration of hospitalization was 4.10±1.27 days. Preoperative and postoperative measurements showed no statistically significant difference in C2-C7 Cobb angles and intervertebral space height. However, there were significant improvements in postoperative VAS, NDI, and JOA scores compared to preoperative scores. The surgical effectiveness rate was 100%, with a high rate of good and excellent outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that preoperative CMRI-assisted key-hole surgery for single-segment CSR is a safe and effective treatment option with low complication rates. The clinical benefits include high security and good outcomes. Further research and larger studies are warranted to validate these findings.

Identification of pyroptosis-related genes and long non-coding RNAs signatures in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is a highly malignant tumor, with very high disability and fatality rates. However, the overall prognosis is not optimistic. Pyroptosis is a newly discovered cell death modality accompanied by inflammation, which is closely related to varieties of cancers. In this study, the RNA-seq data were downloaded from public databases, the differences in the expression of the pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) were identified, and the six PRGs signature was established through the univariate and LASSO Cox analysis. The patients were grouped according to the PRGs signature, and the prognosis between the two groups was further compared. In addition, a ten pyroptosis-related lncRNAs (PRLs) prognostic signature was also constructed. Through functional analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), the immune-related pathways were found to be enriched. The Pearson correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between the pyroptosis-related biomarkers. Finally, we identified a promising biomarker, CHMP4C, which is highly expressed in osteosarcoma. Overexpression of CHMP4C promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of the osteosarcoma cell. Our results thus provide new evidence for exploring prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of osteosarcoma.

Study on the Interaction between Deuterium Clopidogrel and Omeprazole.

INTRODUCTION: Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin in combination with a P2Y12 receptor antagonist is a cornerstone for treating patients with acute coronary syndrome and in percutaneous coronary intervention. However, as this combination of antiplatelet therapy increases the risk of bleeding, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are currently recommended to prevent gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding. The cytochrome P450 (CYP450) isoenzyme system metabolizes both clopidogrel (CLP) and PPIs. Unfortunately, omeprazole (OM) reduce the antiplatelet activity of CLP and increases the probability of recurrence of cardiovascular events by competitively inhibiting the CYP450 isoenzyme CYP2C19. METHODS: To address these abovementioned problems, we designed and synthesized deuterium CLP (D-CL) using selective deuterium technology. Our previous research results showed that D-CL had better pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Thus, the HPLC-MS/MS method, cocktail method, Born method, electro-stimulated thrombus generation, and thrombus elastography were used to detect the production of thiol active metabolites (AM), CYP450 enzyme activities, platelet aggregation, time and length of thrombus formation, and the maximum clot strength after combination therapy. We investigated the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties of D-CL combined with OM. RESULTS: As compared to CLP, D-CL was less affected when combined with OM, which was reflected in lower inhibitory effects of CYP450 enzyme activities, a greater area under the curve of AM, and better antiplatelet and antithrombotic effects. CONCLUSION: D-CL may reduce drug-drug interactions and address the clinical disadvantages of CLP.

MiR-32-5p/AIDA Mediates OxLDL-Induced Endothelial Injury and Inflammation.

The role of endothelial injury and inflammation in atherosclerosis has been well established. miRNAs have been found to be key regulators in the development of atherosclerosis. Here we investigated whether miR-32-5p and its predicted target gene axin interactor, dorsalization associated (AIDA) are involved in endothelial injury and inflammation. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) to induce endothelial injury and inflammation. AIDA was predicted to be a target gene of miR-32-5p using TargetScan software. Cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis were evaluated using Cell Counting Kit-8, wound-healing, and tube formation assays, respectively. The expression of inflammatory factors was detected using quantitative PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blot. We found that miR-32-5p expression was significantly decreased, whereas AIDA expression was significantly increased in oxLDL-treated HUVECs and the increased AIDA expression was reversed by the up-regulation of miR-32-5p. Moreover, both miR-32-5p mimic and knockdown of AIDA enhanced cell viability, promoted cell migration and angiogenesis and suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors including IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 in oxLDL-induced HUVECs. Furthermore, miR-32-5p was verified to directly target AIDA using dual-luciferase reporter assay. Overall, these findings suggest that miR-32-5p/AIDA signal plays an important role in oxLDL-induced endothelial injury and inflammation. This study provides new insights into novel molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis.

Revealing the link between macrophage in microenvironment of osteosarcoma and poor prognosis by utilizing the Integrated analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of primary malignant bone tumor, The effect of tumor microenvironment components on OS oncogenesis remains unknown. METHODS: To investigate the function of immune cells in osteosarcoma, we provided a text-based GMT (Gene Matrix Transposed) file in which each line defines one of lm22 with their markers. We used STRING to draw DEG's PPI network and selected hub genes and modules. Then, survival analysis was conducted to hub genes. We identified 10,390 common genes, and identified 218 DEGs based on the combined t-value and Z scores. RESULTS: The KEGG and GSEA enrichment analysis showed that macrophages are significantly activated in osteosarcoma. PPI network analysis revealed that hub gene CD163 molecule. We found that the expression of CD163 was negatively associated with the OS of osteosarcoma patients. These results suggest that macrophages are a risk factor in patients with osteosarcoma. CONCLUSIONS: This study has systematically validated results of the studies carried out previously and filled up the gap in the field of OS on large-scaled meta-analysis. In addition, for the hub gene (CD163) and the macrophage cell capable of being used as a novel biomarker in promoting early diagnosis and development of therapeutic approaches.

Serum-Derived Exosomes from Patients with Coronary Artery Disease Induce Endothelial Injury and Inflammation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Endothelial injury and inflammation have been found to be essential in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Circulating exosomes are of great value as novel biomarkers for CAD. However, the role of circulating exosomes in the pathogenesis of CAD remains unclear. Thus, in this study, we aimed to examine whether circulating exosomes from CAD are involved in the endothelial injury and inflammation. The serum-derived exosomes were isolated from CAD and controls using an ExoQuick reagent, and these were then quantified by measuring the protein levels using BCA methods. The uptake of exosomes by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was observed by laser scanning microscope and analyzed via flow cytometry. Then, HUVECs were treated with vehicle, exosomes from CAD (CAD-exo), and controls (ctrl-exo) in the absence and presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Cell viability, migration, and angiogenesis were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, scratch assay, and tube formation assay. Inflammatory factors including IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels were detected via qPCR. As per our findings, no significant differences were noted in uptake of ctrl-exo and CAD-exo by HUVECs. CAD-exo suppressed cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Compared with ctrl-exo, CAD-exo-treated HUVECs significantly suppressed migration and angiogenesis. However, CAD-exo had a stronger inhibitory effect on VEGF-induced migration and angiogenesis compared with ctrl-exo. Moreover, IL-1ß, TNF-α, and ICAM-1 were determined to be significantly upregulated in HUVECs treated with CAD-exo, but IL-6 and VCAM-1 expressions were not affected. Overall, our results suggest that CAD-exo are involved in endothelial injury and inflammation, which may, in turn, cause endothelial dysfunction and potentially promote the development of CAD.

17ß-estradiol protects nucleus pulposus cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis and regulates expression of MMP-3 and MMP-13 through promotion of autophagy.

Serum deprivation is a likely contributor to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD).17ß-estradiol (E2) have been noted to protect nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) against apoptosis. Autophagy and apoptosis play a paramount role in maintaining the homeostasis of IVD. So far, little research has been published on whether autophagy plays a role for the E2 mediated protection of NPCs. The aim of this study is to understand whether autophagy is involved in the protective effect of E2 against serum deprivation-induced cell apoptosis and expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and MMP-13. mCherry-GFP-LC3-adenovirus transfection is used to monitor autophagy detection. The expression levels of autophagy-related proteins were measured by Western blotting, Apoptosis and MMPs were detected by flow cytometry and Western blotting. Accordingly, Autophagy and apoptosis was detected in NP cells under serum deprivation conditions, the autophagy incidence began to reached a peak value at 48 h, the apoptosis and MMPs incidence began reached a minimum value treat with E2 (10-7 M). Whereas the combined use of E2 and 3-MA led to a dramatic decrease in autophagy, while aberrantly elevated expression levels of apoptotic and MMPs. These data suggest that serum deprivation-induced apoptosis and MMP-3, MMP-13, which was efficiently suppressed by the E2 through promoting autophagy in rat NPCs.

Two cases in which 3D MRI was used to differentiate between a disc mass that mimics a tumor and neurinoma.

BACKGROUND: Since disc sequestration that mimics a tumor is rare and sometimes presents with an atypical appearance upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it is often confused with other more common epidural and intradural neoplasms, particularly neurinoma. Open surgery is necessary due to the difficult of achieving a definitive diagnosis using computed tomography, MRI, and gadolinium- enhanced MRI prior to operation. Herein, we describe the use of coronal MR images of 3D fast-field echo with water selective excitation in the diagnosis of disc sequestration mimicking a tumor. CASE PRESENTATION: Two patients were admitted to our hospital with back pain, radiating pain, and hypoesthesia in the right lower limb. MRI revealed tumor-like masses in the lateral recess of L3 and posterior to the body of L4. The initial diagnosis indicated disc sequestration mimicking a tumor and neurinoma. The coronal MR images of 3D fast-field echo with water selective excitation showed a clear boundary between the tumor-like mass and the nerve root. Moreover, the mass was also completely separated from the dura. Therefore, neurinoma was excluded as a possible diagnosis prior to operation. Surgical excision to perform removal of the gross mass was performed in one patient. The histopathological diagnosis was consistent with the 3D fast-field echo with water-selective excitation MRI. Another patient was successfully treated by minimally invasive endoscopic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Disc sequestration that mimics a tumor is difficult to diagnose preoperatively. As a non-invasive strategy, coronal MR images of 3D fast-field echo with water selective excitation is a helpful imaging tool for differentiating between diagnosis of disc sequestration that mimics a tumor and neurinoma prior to operation. If the disc fragment of mimicking tumor can be identified prior to operation, open surgery may not be necessary for all patients. Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery also is an alternative strategy.

Utilizing Iron's Attractive Chemical and Magnetic Properties in Microrocket Design, Extended Motion, and Unique Performance.

All-in-one material for microrocket propulsion featuring acid-based bubble generation and magnetic guidance is presented. Electrochemically deposited iron serves as both a propellant, toward highly efficient self-propulsion in acidic environments, and as a magnetic component enabling complete motion control. The new microrockets display longer lifetime and higher propulsion efficiency compared to previously reported active metal zinc-based microrockets due to the chemical properties of iron and the unique structure of the microrockets. These iron-based microrockets also demonstrate unique and attractive cargo towing and autonomous release capabilities. The latter is realized upon loss of the magnetic properties due to acid-driven iron dissolution. More interestingly, these bubble-propelled microrockets assemble via magnetic interactions into a variety of complex configurations and train structures, which enrich the behavior of micromachines. Modeling of the magnetic forces during the microrocket assembly and cargo capture confirms these unique experimentally observed assembly and cargo-towing behaviors. These findings provide a new concept of blending propellant and magnetic components into one, toward simplifying the design and fabrication of artificial micro/nanomachines, realizing new functions and capabilities for a variety of future applications.

A Modified Laminoplasty Technique to Treat Cervical Myelopathy Secondary to Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament (OPLL).

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the validity of modified laminoplasty in treating close-base OPLL with an occupying ratio of more than 60%. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty-seven close-base OPLL patients with an occupying ratio of more than 60% were treated through modified laminoplasty (N=22) and combined anterior-posterior approach (N=25) in the study, including 17 females and 30 males, with a mean age of 60.59±6.76 years (ranging from 46 to 75 years). The patients' characteristics, the recovery rate of neurological function, length of the operation, intraoperative blood loss, hospital costs, and complications were recorded and compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS The recovery rate of neurological function did not demonstrate a significant difference between the 2 groups (P=0.886). However, length of the operation and intraoperative blood loss in the modified laminoplasty group were shorter than those in the combined anterior-posterior approach group (P=0.001 and P=0.023). Moreover, the mean hospital costs in the modified laminoplasty group (5166.61±123.27 USD) decreased by 33.6% compared with the combined anterior-posterior approach group (7780.12±256.73 USD). Additionally, the complications of the modified laminoplasty group were lower than in the combined anterior-posterior approach group. CONCLUSIONS Modified laminoplasty may be considered a safe and effective strategy for patients that have demonstrated close-base OPLL with an occupying ratio of more than 60% and who cannot endure the trauma caused by the combined anterior-posterior approach due to medical disease.

A R2R3-MYB transcription factor from Lablab purpureus induced by drought increases tolerance to abiotic stress in Arabidopsis.

Few regulators for drought tolerance have been identified in Lablab purpureus which is a multipurpose leguminous crop. The transcription factor MYB is involved in regulatory networks in response to abiotic and biotic stresses in plants. A novel R2R3-MYB factor in L. purpureus has been identified. An suppression subtraction hybridization (SSH) library was constructed using root tissues of L. purpureus MEIDOU 2012 from well-watered and water-stress treatments that were subjected to drought stress for 10 days. In addition, the cDNA of LpMYB1 was identified based on the SSH library. The cDNA of LpMYB1 is 858 bp and encodes a 285-amino acid protein with a calculated mass of 33.4 kDa. The LpMYB1 protein localizes to the nucleus and has transactivation activity with the activation domain in the C terminal region of the protein. In LpMYB1 overexpressed Arabidopsis, the tolerance of transgenic seedlings to drought and salt was improved, and the germination potential of transgenic seeds increase in the presence of NaCl or ABA. LpMYB1 is a drought-responsive R2R3-MYB factor that can increase the drought and salt tolerance of LpMYB1-overexpressed Arabidopsis.

The soybean R2R3 MYB transcription factor GmMYB100 negatively regulates plant flavonoid biosynthesis.

Soybean flavonoids, a group of important signaling molecules in plant-environment interaction, ubiquitously exist in soybean and are tightly regulated by many genes. Here we reported that GmMYB100, a gene encoding a R2R3 MYB transcription factor, is involved in soybean flavonoid biosynthesis. GmMYB100 is mainly expressed in flowers, leaves and immature embryo, and its level is decreased after pod ripening. Subcellular localization assay indicates that GmMYB100 is a nuclear protein. GmMYB100 has transactivation ability revealed by a yeast functional assay; whereas bioinformatic analysis suggests that GmMYB100 has a negative function in flavonoid biosynthesis. GmMYB100-overexpression represses the transcript levels of flavonoid-related genes in transgenic soybean hairy roots and Arabidopsis, and inhibits isoflavonoid (soybean) and flavonol (Arabidopsis) production in transgenic plants. Furthermore, the transcript levels of six flavonoid-related genes and flavonoid (isoflavonoid and flavone aglycones) accumulation are elevated in the GmMYB100-RNAi transgenic hairy roots. We also demonstrate that GmMYB100 protein depresses the promoter activities of soybean chalcone synthase and chalcone isomerase. These findings indicate that GmMYB100 is a negative regulator in soybean flavonoid biosynthesis pathway.

Nontraumatic posterior atlantooccipital dislocation associated with atlantoaxial instability.

INTRODUCTION: Nontraumatic posterior atlantooccipital dislocation has only been rarely reported. In the current study, the authors reported an extremely rare case of nontraumatic posterior atlantooccipital dislocation associated with atlantoaxial instability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 47-year-old female was referred with a history of neck pain for 5 years. The patient had no history of trauma. The axial rotation of range of motion of the cervical spine was severely restricted. Posterior atlantooccipital dislocation with atlantoaxial instability was confirmed through conventional radiography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. We performed realignment of the dislocation and posterior occipitocervical (C0-C2) fusion. After the surgery, the patient's symptoms improved significantly and she manifested neurological improvement. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this lesion has not been reported previously. Anomalies of upper cervical spine may have induced this instability.

GmFNSII-controlled soybean flavone metabolism responds to abiotic stresses and regulates plant salt tolerance.

Flavones, a major group of flavonoids in most plant tissues, play multiple roles in plant-environment interactions. In our study, the expression of the two soybean flavone synthase genes, GmFNSII-1 and GmFNSII-2, was significantly increased by methyl jasmonate (MeJA), glucose, mannitol and NaCl treatment, which were also found to increase flavone aglycone accumulation in Glycine max (L.) Merrill. In the GmFNSII-1 promoter, a specific CGTCA motif in the region (-979 bp to -806 bp) involved in the MeJA response was identified. Promoter deletion analysis of GmFNSII-2 revealed the presence of osmotic-responsive (-1,143 bp to -767 bp) and glucose-repressive sequence elements (-767 bp to -475 bp), which strongly supported the hypothesis that glucose induces soybean flavone production by acting as both an osmotic factor and a sugar signaling molecule simultaneously. Silencing of the GmFNSII gene clearly reduced the production of flavone aglycones (apigenin, luteolin and 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone) in hairy roots. The GmFNSII-RNAi (RNA interference) roots that had a reduced level of flavones accompanied by more malondialdehyde and H2O2 accumulation were more sensitive to salt stress compared with those of the control, and we concluded that flavones, as antioxidants, are associated with salt tolerance.