Suppressed Droplet Splashing on Positively Skewed Surfaces for High-Efficiency Evaporation Cooling.

Two types of functional surfaces with the same roughness but completely different surface topographies are prepared, namely positively skewed surfaces filled with micropillar arrays (Sa ≈4.4 µm, Ssk >0) and negatively skewed surfaces filled with microcavity arrays (Sa ≈4.4 µm, Ssk <0), demonstrating promoting droplet splashing. Remarkably, the critical Weber number for generating satellite droplets on the negatively skewed surfaces is significantly lower than that on the positively skewed surfaces, indicating that the negatively skewed surface with microcavity arrays is more likely to promote droplet splashing. It is mainly attributed to the fact that air on the negatively skewed surface can make the liquid film take on a Cassie-Baxter state on the surface so that the stabilizing capillary force of the liquid film exceeds the destabilizing stress of the air film. Moreover, the surface topography promoting droplet spreading and the mechanical properties of three-phase moving contact lines are analyzed from the perspective of microscopic interface mechanics. Finally, it is demonstrated the designed positively skewed surfaces can be employed for large-area heat dissipation by means of high-efficiency evaporation.

Toxicity of pathogenic ataxin-2 in Drosophila shows dependence on a pure CAG repeat sequence.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 is a polyglutamine (polyQ) disease associated with an expanded polyQ domain within the protein product of the ATXN2 gene. Interestingly, polyQ repeat expansions in ATXN2 are also associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism depending upon the length of the polyQ repeat expansion. The sequence encoding the polyQ repeat also varies with disease presentation: a pure CAG repeat is associated with SCA2, whereas the CAG repeat in ALS and parkinsonism is typically interrupted with the glutamine encoding CAA codon. Here, we asked if the purity of the CAG sequence encoding the polyQ repeat in ATXN2 could impact the toxicity of the ataxin-2 protein in vivo in Drosophila. We found that ataxin-2 encoded by a pure CAG repeat conferred toxicity in the retina and nervous system, whereas ataxin-2 encoded by a CAA-interrupted repeat or CAA-only repeat failed to confer toxicity, despite expression of the protein at similar levels. Furthermore, the CAG-encoded ataxin-2 protein aggregated in the fly eye, while ataxin-2 encoded by either a CAA/G or CAA repeat remained diffuse. The toxicity of the CAG-encoded ataxin-2 protein was also sensitive to the translation factor eIF4H, a known modifier of the toxic GGGGCC repeat in flies. These data indicate that ataxin-2 encoded by a pure CAG versus interrupted CAA/G polyQ repeat domain is associated with differential toxicity, indicating that mechanisms associated with the purity of the sequence of the polyQ domain contribute to disease.

Comparative chloroplast genomics of 34 species in subtribe Swertiinae (Gentianaceae) with implications for its phylogeny.

BACKGROUND: Subtribe Swertiinae, a medicinally significant and highly speciose Subtribe of family Gentianaceae. Despite previous extensive studies based on both morphology and molecular data, intergeneric and infrageneric relationships within subtribe Swertiinae remain controversial. METHODS: Here, we employed four newly generated Swertia chloroplast genomes with thirty other published genomes to elucidate their genomic characteristics. RESULTS: The 34 chloroplast genomes were small and ranged in size from 149,036 to 154,365 bp, each comprising two inverted repeat regions (size range 25,069-26,126 bp) that separated large single-copy (80,432-84,153 bp) and small single-copy (17,887-18,47 bp) regions, and all the chloroplast genomes showed similar gene orders, contents, and structures. These chloroplast genomes contained 129-134 genes each, including 84-89 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. The chloroplast genomes of subtribe Swertiinae appeared to have lost some genes, such as rpl33, rpl2 and ycf15 genes. Comparative analyses revealed that two mutation hotspot regions (accD-psaI and ycf1) could serve as effective molecular markers for further phylogenetic analyses and species identification in subtribe Swertiinae. Positive selection analyses showed that two genes (ccsA and psbB) had high Ka/Ks ratios, indicating that chloroplast genes may have undergone positive selection in their evolutionary history. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the 34 subtribe Swertiinae species formed a monophyletic clade, with Veratrilla, Gentianopsis and Pterygocalyx located at the base of the phylogenetic tree. Some genera of this subtribe, however, were not monophyletic, including Swertia, Gentianopsis, Lomatogonium, Halenia, Veratrilla and Gentianopsis. In addition, our molecular phylogeny was consistent with taxonomic classification of subtribe Swertiinae in the Roate group and Tubular group. The results of molecular dating showed that the divergence between subtrib Gentianinae and subtrib Swertiinae was estimated to occur in 33.68 Ma. Roate group and Tubular group in subtribe Swertiinae approximately diverged in 25.17 Ma. CONCLUSION: Overall, our study highlighted the taxonomic utility of chloroplast genomes in subtribe Swertiinae, and the genetic markers identified here will facilitate future studies on the evolution, conservation, population genetics, and phylogeography of subtribe Swertiinae species.

Delayed Leidenfrost Effect of a Cutting Droplet on a Microgrooved Tool Surface.

Regulation over the generation of the Leidenfrost phenomenon in liquids is vitally important in a cutting fluid/tool system, with benefits ranging from optimizing the heat transfer efficiency to improving the machining performance. However, realizing the influence mechanism of liquid boiling at various temperatures still faces enormous challenges. Herein, we report a kind of microgrooved tool surface by laser ablation, which could obviously increase both the static and dynamic Leidenfrost point of cutting fluid by adjusting the surface roughness (Sa). The physical mechanism that delays the Leidenfrost effect is primarily due to the ability of the designed microgroove surface to store and release vapor during droplet boiling so that the heated surface requires higher temperatures to generate sufficient vapor to suspend the droplet. We also find six typical impact regimes of cutting fluid under various contact temperatures; it is worth noting that Sa has a great influence on the transform threshold among six impact regimes, and the likelihood that a droplet will enter the Leidenfrost regime decreases with increasing Sa. In addition, the synergistic effect of Sa and tool temperature on the droplet kinetics of cutting droplets is investigated, and the relationship between the maximum rebound height and the dynamic Leidenfrost point is correlated for the first time. Significantly, cooling experiments on the heated microgrooved surface are performed and demonstrate that it is effective to improve the heat dissipation ability of cutting fluid by delaying the Leidenfrost effect on the microgrooved heated surface.

Dynamic Behavior of Droplet Impact on Laminar Superheated Particles.

The impact of droplets on particles involves a wide range of complex phenomena and mechanisms, including bubble nucleation, crater formation, fluidization, and more intricate changes in the boiling regime when impacting superheated particles. In this study, we focus on droplet impact behavior on superheated laminar particles at various temperatures and define six typical characteristic patterns of a single droplet impact on superheated laminar particles, including film evaporation, bubbly boiling, immersion boiling, sputter boiling, transition boiling, and film boiling. It is worth noting that the variations of inertial force FI caused by gravity, the capillary force FC generated by the pores of the droplets, and the dewetting force by the vapor phase FV are the main contributors to different evaporation regimes. Interestingly, we find that the Leidenfrost point (LFP) of droplets on the laminar superheated particles decreases with particle size, which is related to the effect of the pore space generated between the laminar particles. Finally, the effect of temperature, particle size, and Weber number (We) on the dynamic behavior of droplet impact is revealed. Experimental results show that the instantaneous diameter of droplets is inversely proportional to the change of height, with different patterns of maximum spreading diameter and maximum bounce height at different particle sizes, while the maximum spreading velocity and maximum bounce velocity are independent of particle size. We believe the present work would provide a broader knowledge and comprehension of the droplet impact on heated particles and promote the development of the safety and productivity of industrial processes such as fluid catalytic cracking, spray drying, and spray cooling.

Design and Psychophysical Evaluation of a Novel Wearable Upper-Arm Tactile Display Device.

A novel wearable upper arm tactile display device, which can simultaneously provide three types of tactile stimuli (i.e., squeezing, stretching, and vibration) is presented. The squeezing and stretching stimulation of the skin is generated by two motors simultaneously driving the nylon belt in the opposite and the same direction, respectively. In addition, four evenly spaced vibration motors are fixed around the user's arm by an elastic nylon band. There is also a unique structural design for assembling the control module and actuator, powered by two lithium batteries, making it portable and wearable. Psychophysical experiments are conducted to investigate the effect of interference on the perception of squeezing and stretching stimulation by this device. Results show that (1) different tactile stimuli actually interfere with the user's perception compared to the case where only one stimulus is applied to the user; (2) the squeezing has a considerable impact on the stretch just noticeable difference (JND) values when both stimuli are exerted on the user, and when the squeezing is strong, while the impact of stretch on the squeezing JND values is negligible.

Impact of age-associated increase in 2'-O-methylation of miRNAs on aging and neurodegeneration in Drosophila.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20- to ∼24-nucleotide (nt) small RNAs that impact a variety of biological processes, from development to age-associated events. To study the role of miRNAs in aging, studies have profiled the levels of miRNAs with time. However, evidence suggests that miRNAs show heterogeneity in length and sequence in different biological contexts. Here, by examining the expression pattern of miRNAs by Northern blot analysis, we found that Drosophila miRNAs show distinct isoform pattern changes with age. Surprisingly, an increase of some miRNAs reflects increased 2'-O-methylation of select isoforms. Small RNA deep sequencing revealed a global increase of miRNAs loaded into Ago2, but not into Ago1, with age. Our data suggest increased loading of miRNAs into Ago2, but not Ago1, with age, indicating a mechanism for differential loading of miRNAs with age between Ago1 and Ago2. Mutations in Hen1 and Ago2, which lack 2'-O-methylation of miRNAs, result in accelerated neurodegeneration and shorter life span, suggesting a potential impact of the age-associated increase of 2'-O-methylation of small RNAs on age-associated processes. Our study highlights that miRNA 2'-O-methylation at the 3' end is modulated by differential partitioning of miRNAs between Ago1 and Ago2 with age and that this process, along with other functions of Ago2, might impact age-associated events in Drosophila.

A-kinase-interacting protein 1 promotes EMT and metastasis via PI3K/Akt/IKKß pathway in cervical cancer.

Overexpression of A-kinase-interacting protein 1 (AKIP1) has been reported in prostate and breast cancers. Nevertheless, the clinical potential of AKIP1 during the development of cervical cancer (CC) remains unclear. A series of experiments involving BdU, colony formation, wound healing and cell invasion assays were performed to determine cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively. Gene expression changes were validated by qRT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. We found that AKIP1 expression is increased in CC cell lines and tissue specimens from CC patients. The elevated AKIP1 expression in primary tumours was related to lymph node metastasis in CC patients. In addition, we observed that overexpression of AKIP1 promotes CC cell proliferation. Enhanced expression of AKIP1 facilitated the migration and invasion of CC cells by inducing NF-κB-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Moreover, mechanistic investigations revealed that AKIP1 induced nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of the p65 NF-κB subunit through the PI3K/Akt/IKKß pathway. Conversely, enhanced expression of phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) inhibited this signalling pathway and restored an epithelial phenotype to CC cells in the presence of overexpressed AKIP1. Our results indicate that AKIP1 promotes the EMT and metastasis in CC by activating NF-κB signalling through the PI3K/Akt/IKKß pathway, suggesting that AKIP1 could be a pivotal regulator of an EMT axis in CC. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: AKIP1 expression in the samples of CC patients and in in vitro tumour cell lines provides evidence that expression of AKIP1 in CC contributes to cancer progression. Our findings indicate that AKIP1 promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in CC by activating NF-κB signalling through the PI3K/Akt/IKKß pathway, suggesting that AKIP1 is a pivotal regulator of an EMT axis in CC. AKIP1 could be implicated as a potential therapeutic target as well as a valuable biomarker for evaluating prognosis for patients with CC.

Metagenomic insights into the changes in microbial community and antimicrobial resistance genes associated with different salt content of red pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) sauce.

Fermented red pepper (FRP) sauce has been eaten in worldwide for many years. The salt content and resident microbial community influences the quality of the FRP sauce and may confer health (e.g., probiotics) or harm (e.g., antibiotic resistance genes) to the consumers in some circumstances; however, the salt-mediated alteration of microbial community and antibiotic resistance genes are little known. In this study, a combination of whole genome sequencing and amplicon analysis was used to investigate the changes in microbial community and antimicrobial resistance genes in response to different salt content during red pepper fermentation. While the family Enterobacteriaceae dominated in high-salt (15-25%) samples, Lactobacillaceae quickly became the dominant population in place of Enterobacteriaceae after 24 days in 10% salt samples. Compared to 0.05 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) per cell number on average in 10% salt sample, 16.6 ARGs were present in high-salt samples, wherein the bacterial hosts were major assigned to Enterobacteriaceae including genera Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Escherichia, Salmonella and Klebsiella. Multidrug resistance genes were the predominant ARG type. Functional profiling showed that histidine kinase functions were of much higher abundance in high-salt samples and included several osmotic stress-related two-component systems that simultaneously encoded ARGs. These results give first metagenomic insights into the salt-mediated changes in microbial community composition and a broad view of associated antibiotic resistance genes in the process of food fermentation.

The microRNA miR-34 modulates ageing and neurodegeneration in Drosophila.

Human neurodegenerative diseases have the temporal hallmark of afflicting the elderly population. Ageing is one of the most prominent factors to influence disease onset and progression, yet little is known about the molecular pathways that connect these processes. To understand this connection it is necessary to identify the pathways that functionally integrate ageing, chronic maintenance of the brain and modulation of neurodegenerative disease. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are emerging as critical factors in gene regulation during development; however, their role in adult-onset, age-associated processes is only beginning to be revealed. Here we report that the conserved miRNA miR-34 regulates age-associated events and long-term brain integrity in Drosophila, providing a molecular link between ageing and neurodegeneration. Fly mir-34 expression exhibits adult-onset, brain-enriched and age-modulated characteristics. Whereas mir-34 loss triggers a gene profile of accelerated brain ageing, late-onset brain degeneration and a catastrophic decline in survival, mir-34 upregulation extends median lifespan and mitigates neurodegeneration induced by human pathogenic polyglutamine disease protein. Some of the age-associated effects of miR-34 require adult-onset translational repression of Eip74EF, an essential ETS domain transcription factor involved in steroid hormone pathways. Our studies indicate that miRNA-dependent pathways may have an impact on adult-onset, age-associated events by silencing developmental genes that later have a deleterious influence on adult life cycle and disease, and highlight fly miR-34 as a key miRNA with a role in this process.

A fly model for the CCUG-repeat expansion of myotonic dystrophy type 2 reveals a novel interaction with MBNL1.

Expanded non-coding RNA repeats of CUG and CCUG are the underlying genetic causes for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2), respectively. A gain-of-function of these pathogenic repeat expansions is mediated at least in part by their abnormal interactions with RNA-binding proteins such as MBNL1 and resultant loss of activity of these proteins. To study pathogenic mechanisms of CCUG-repeat expansions in an animal model, we created a fly model of DM2 that expresses pure, uninterrupted CCUG-repeat expansions ranging from 16 to 720 repeats in length. We show that this fly model for DM2 recapitulates key features of human DM2 including RNA repeat-induced toxicity, ribonuclear foci formation and changes in alternative splicing. Interestingly, expression of two isoforms of MBNL1, MBNL135 and MBNL140, leads to cleavage and concurrent upregulation of the levels of the RNA-repeat transcripts, with MBNL140 having more significant effects than MBNL135. This property is shared with a fly CUG-repeat expansion model. Our results suggest a novel mechanism for interaction between the pathogenic RNA repeat expansions of myotonic dystrophy and MBNL1.

Characterization of Stripe Rust Resistance Genes in the Wheat Cultivar Chuanmai45.

The objective of this research was to characterize the high level of resistance to stripe that has been observed in the released wheat cultivar, Chuanmai45. A combination of classic genetic analysis, molecular and cytogenetic methods were used to characterize resistance in an F2 population derived from Chuanmai45 and the susceptible Chuanmai42. Inheritance of resistance was shown to be conferred by two genes in Chuanmai45. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used along with segregation studies to show that one gene was located on a 1RS.1BL translocation. Molecular markers were employed to show that the other locus was located on chromosome 4B. The defeated gene, Yr24/26, on chromosome 1BL was present in the susceptible parent and lines that recombined this gene with the 1RS.1BL translocation were identified. The germplasm, loci, and associated markers identified in this study will be useful for application in breeding programs utilizing marker-assisted selection.

Effects of substrates and suppliers of ingredients on microbial community and metabolites of traditional non-salt Suancai.

Aim: Non-salt Suancai is an acidic fermented vegetable consumed by the Chinese Yi ethnic group. Traditionally, it is produced by fermentation without salt in a cold environment. The present study aimed to investigate the metabolite and microbial characteristics, and the effects of substrates/suppliers ingredients on non-salt Suancai. Methods: A simulated fermentation system of non-salt Suancai was constructed by using different substrates/suppliers' ingredients. The coherence and differential detection of the metabolite and microbial characteristics were done through non-target metabolomic and metagenomic analysis. Results: Lactic acid was the predominant organic acid across all samples. The enumeration of the Lactic acid bacteria showed no discernible differences between study groups, but that of yeast was highest in the mustard leaf stem (Brassica juncea var. latipa). The three major biological metabolic pathways were metabolism, environmental information, and genetic information processing based on the KEGG database. The metabolite diversity varied with the substrate/supplier of ingredients based on the PLS-DA plot. Lactiplantibacillus, Leuconostoc, and Lactococcus were prevalent in all samples but differentially. The microbial diversity and richness varied significantly, with 36~291 species being identified. Among the various substrates collected from the same supplier, 29, 59, and 29 differential species were identified based on LEfSe [linear discriminant analysis (LDA) > 2, P < 0.05]. Leuconostoc citreum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, and Leuconostoc lactis were likely to be used as the species to discriminate samples collected from different suppliers. Conclusions: This research contributed to the exploration of microbial and metabolite characteristics behind the ingredient restriction of non-salt Suancai using traditional technology.

Unlocking the therapeutic treasure of pomegranate leaf: A comprehensive review on phytochemical compounds, health benefits, and future prospects.

The exploration of sustainable and valuable by-products from industrial and agricultural processes is increasingly recognized for its economic, environmental and health advantages. This review examines the phytochemical constituents, biological properties, current applications and future directions of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) leaf (PGL). PGL exhibits broad biological activities, aiding in managing health conditions like chronic diseases, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and neurological disorders. Anti-cancer and anti-diabetic effects are demonstrated in vitro and in vivo using animal models. Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties are also observed in cell cultures and animal studies. Its anti-microbial properties show efficacy against pathogens. However, variability in phytochemical composition due to different extraction methods and environmental conditions poses challenges for standardization. The review underscores the urgent need for comprehensive human clinical trials to confirm PGL's therapeutic benefits and safety, calling for future research to fully harness PGL's potential as a sustainable and bioactive compound in various industrial applications.

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (ZZUCSBi001-A) from skin fibroblasts of a healthy donor.

Fibroblasts were extracted from the scalp of a healthy 55-year-old male and subsequently transformed into pluripotent stem cells by introducing episomal plasmids harboring essential reprogramming factors. These induced pluripotent stem cells exhibited a normal karyotype and demonstrated the capacity to differentiate into all three germ layers, as confirmed through teratoma assays. This specific cell line serves as a valuable reference for comparative investigations alongside other induced pluripotent stem cell lines generated from somatic cells of patients afflicted by genetic neurodegenerative disorders.

Comprehensive Analysis of Phenolic Constituents, Biological Activities, and Derived Aroma Differences of Penthorum chinense Pursh Leaves after Processing into Green and Black Tea.

Penthorum chinense Pursh (Penthoraceae) is a traditional herb used in Miao medical systems that is also processed into foods (e.g., tea products) in China. Different processing methods significantly affect the volatile compounds, phenolic constituents, and biological activities. This study aimed to produce P. chinense green tea leaves (GTL), black tea leaves (BTL), and untreated leaves (UL) to investigate differences in their flavor substances, functional components, antioxidant activity, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. The results showed that 63, 56, and 56 volatile compounds were detected in UL, GTL, and BTL, respectively, of which 43 volatile compounds were identified as differential metabolites among them. The total phenolic content (97.13-179.34 mg GAE/g DW), flavonoid content (40.07-71.93 mg RE/g DW), and proanthocyanidin content (54.13-65.91 mg CE/g DW) exhibited similar trends, decreasing in the order of UL > BTL > GTL. Fourteen phenolic compounds were determined, of which gallic acid, (-)-epicatechin, and pinocembrin 7-O-glucoside showed a sharp decrease in content from UL to BTL, while the content of pinocembrin 7-O-(3″-O-galloy-4″, 6″-hexahydroxydiphenoyl)-glucoside and pinocembrin significantly increased. GTL showed better DPPH/ABTS·+ scavenging ability and ferric-reducing ability than UL. The ADH and ALDH activities decreased in the order of GTL > UL > BTL. Therefore, tea products made with P. chinense leaves contained an abundance of functional compounds and showed satisfactory antioxidant and hepatoprotective activities, which are recommended for daily consumption.

Phytochemical composition of Tibetan tea fermented by Eurotium cristatum and its effects on type 1 diabetes mice and gut microbiota.

"Golden-flower" Tibetan tea (GTT) is an innovative dark tea fermented via fungus Eurotium cristatum. To study GTT effects on alleviating the symptoms of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), GTT's extract (GTTE) was prepared. GTTE chemical compositions were analyzed via HPLC, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass (Py-GC-MS) spectrometry analysis, and chemistry analyses. GTTE effects on T1DM were explored on T1DM mice model induced by streptozotocin (STZ). GTTE was composed mainly of tea pigment theabrownin (TB) (49.18%), with high percentages of polysaccharide (16.93%), protein (10.15%), polyphenols (13.90%), amino acids (5.89%), caffeine (1.83%), and flavonoids (0.67%). Py-GC-MS results exhibited that GTTE constituted of phenols, lipids, sugars, and proteins. GTTE attenuated T1DM conditions of mice, relieved their liver and pancreatic injury, restored damaged islet cells, decreased oxidative stress by increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels, modulated cytokine expression leading to the decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, increased anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 to improve inflammatory responses, and optimized gut microbiota composition and structure based on high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing, suggesting multi-channel anti-diabetes mechanisms.

Are habitat fragmentation, local adaptation and isolation-by-distance driving population divergence in wild rice Oryza rufipogon?

Habitat fragmentation weakens the connection between populations and is accompanied with isolation by distance (IBD) and local adaptation (isolation by adaptation, IBA), both leading to genetic divergence between populations. To understand the evolutionary potential of a population and to formulate proper conservation strategies, information on the roles of IBD and IBA in driving population divergence is critical. The putative ancestor of Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) is endangered in China due to habitat loss and fragmentation. We investigated the genetic variation in 11 Chinese Oryza rufipogon populations using 79 microsatellite loci to infer the effects of habitat fragmentation, IBD and IBA on genetic structure. Historical and current gene flows were found to be rare (mh  = 0.0002-0.0013, mc  = 0.007-0.029), indicating IBD and resulting in a high level of population divergence (FST  = 0.343). High within-population genetic variation (HE  = 0.377-0.515), relatively large effective population sizes (Ne  = 96-158), absence of bottlenecks and limited gene flow were found, demonstrating little impact of recent habitat fragmentation on these populations. Eleven gene-linked microsatellite loci were identified as outliers, indicating local adaptation. Hierarchical AMOVA and partial Mantel tests indicated that population divergence of Chinese O. rufipogon was significantly correlated with environmental factors, especially habitat temperature. Common garden trials detected a significant adaptive population divergence associated with latitude. Collectively, these findings imply that IBD due to historical rather than recent fragmentation, followed by local adaptation, has driven population divergence in O. rufipogon.

Beta-catenin knockdown impairs the viability of ovarian cancer cells by modulating YAP-dependent glycolysis.

OBJECTIVES: Ovarian cancer (OC) ranks fifth among the main causes of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. PCLAF/KIAA0101 and Yes-associated protein (YAP) have been linked to several human malignant cancers, including OC. However, the roles of KIAA0101 and YAP in glycolysis-dependent OC cell proliferation remain unknown. METHODS: qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to analyze the KIAA0101 expression. Short hairpin RNA transfection was performed to silence KIAA0101 expression in cells. Cell viability and apoptosis were assayed by colony formation and flow cytometry, respectively. Glucose uptake, lactate production, and glycolytic enzyme expression were assessed to determine the level of cellular glycolysis. Phosphorylation and the nuclear localization of YAP were assessed to determine YAP activation. RESULTS: OC tissue and cell lines exhibited higher KIAA0101 expression than the non-cancerous tissues and cells. KIAA0101 silencing reduced the proliferation and increased the apoptosis of both A2780 and ES-2 OC cell lines. Furthermore, KIAA0101 depletion suppressed glycolysis and YAP activation, as evidenced by increased YAP phosphorylation and decreased nuclear localization. Reactivation of YAP was performed by administration of mitochonic acid 5 in both OC cell lines with KIAA0101 knockdown. Glucose uptake, lactate production, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate dehydrogenase beta, pyruvate kinase M2, triosephosphate isomerase 1, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, enolase 1, and lactate dehydrogenase expression levels in cells recovered after the reactivation of YAP. Additionally, YAP reactivation increased cell proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that KIAA0101 could promote glycolysis during nasopharyngeal carcinoma development through YAP signaling activation, suggesting that KIAA0101 could serve as a target for OC treatment.

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Potential of Citrus medica from Different Geographical Regions and Characterization of Phenolic Constituents by LC-MS.

The varying antioxidant potential of Citrus medica associated with different geographical regions makes the evaluation of C. medica for natural antioxidants essential. This work aimed to compare the antioxidant potential of the phenolic constituents from different geographical regions. The chemical compositions were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). A total of 67 compounds including 29 coumarin derivatives and 38 flavonoids were tentatively identified by UPLC-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). To evaluate the quality of C. medica from seven different geographical regions, water and 80% methanol fractions were subjected to quantitative analysis. Antioxidant potentials were determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), iron chelation, and reduction methods. The samples collected from Sichuan province showed the highest content of total phenolic compounds. Combined with antioxidant results, the sample from Sichuan province presented good antioxidant activity. This study also showed that total phenolic compounds significantly contributed to the antioxidant activities (2,2-azinobis(3-ethyl-benzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and radical scavenging activity) of C. medica samples (p < 0.01). These results provided chemical information and potential antioxidant value for further research, providing ideal evidence for the quality evaluation and exploitation of the source.