Innovative pancreas-guided technique for splenic flexure mobilization in laparoscopic left hemicolectomy.

OBJECTIVE: Splenic flexure mobilization (SFM) is a major challenge in laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. This study aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of the pancreas-guided SFM technique during laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. METHODS: From January 2018 to December 2023, 352 patients with left-sided colon cancer underwent laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. Based on the SFM method used, the patients were divided into the pancreas-guided group (167 cases) or the "Three Approaches Roundabout"/classic group (185 cases). Clinicopathologic characteristics and intraoperative and postoperative variables were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The two groups had no significant differences in baseline indicators (P > 0.05). All surgeries were successful without needing to convert to laparotomy, and there were no combined organ resections involving the spleen or pancreas in either group. The mean duration of surgery was significantly lower in the pancreas-guided group than in the classic group (P < 0.01). The median volume of intraoperative blood loss in the pancreas-guided group was lower than that in the classic group (P < 0.01). Through video playback, it was found that the retro-pancreatic space had been entered during operation in 8 cases (4.3%) in the classic group, while there were no such occurrences in the pancreas-guided group. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The difference in the number of lymph nodes cleared, postoperative hospital stays, and incidence of complications were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05) between the groups. CONCLUSION: The pancreas-guided SFM technique is a safe and feasible option for laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. Our study's findings suggest that this approach facilitates accurate access to the correct anatomic plane, potentially improving surgical efficiency.

Sequential Sol-Gel Self-Assembly and Nonclassical Gel-Crystal Transformation of the Metal-Organic Framework Gel.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) gel, an emerging subtype of MOF structure, is unique in formation and function; however, its evolutionary process remains elusive. Here, the evolution of a model gel-based MOF, UiO-66(Zr) gel, is explored by demonstrating its sequential sol-gel self-assembly and nonclassical gel-crystal transformation. The control of the sol-gel process enables the observation and characterization of structures in each assembly stage (phase-separation, polycondensation, and hindered-crystallization) and facilitates the preparation of hierarchical materials with giant mesopores. The gelation mechanism is tentatively attributed to the formation of zirconium oligomers. By further utilizing the pre-synthesized gel, the nonclassical gel-crystal transformation is achieved by the modulation in an unconventional manner, which sheds light on crystal intermediates and distinct crystallization motions ("growth and splitting" and "aggregation and fusion"). The overall sol-gel and gel-crystal evolutions of UiO-66(Zr) enrich self-assembly and crystallization domains, inspire the design of functional structures, and demand more in-depth research on the intermediates in the future.

Nitrogen removal performance, quantitative detection and potential application of a novel aerobic denitrifying strain, Pseudomonas sp. GZWN4 isolated from aquaculture water.

A novel Pseudomonas sp. GZWN4 with the aerobic nitrogen removal ability was isolated from aquaculture water, whose removal efficiency of NO2--N, NO3--N and NH4+-N was 99.72%, 82.54% and 98.62%, respectively. The key genes involved in nitrogen removal, nxr, napA, narI, nirS, norB and nosZ, were successfully amplified and by combination with the results of nitrogen balance analysis, it was inferred that the denitrification pathway of strain GZWN4 was NO3--N → NO2--N → NO → N2O → N2. The strain GZWN4 had excellent nitrite removal performance at pH 7.0-8.5, temperature 25-30 â„ƒ, C/N ratio 5-20, salinity 8-32‰ and dissolved oxygen concentration 2.52-5.73 mg L-1. The receivable linear correlation (R2 = 0.9809) was obtained with the range of quantification between l03 and 108 CFU mL-1 of the strain by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Strain GZWN4 could maintain high abundance in the actual water and wastewater of mariculture and the removal efficiency of TN were 52.57% and 63.64%, respectively. The safety evaluation experiment showed that the strain GZWN4 had no hemolysis and high biosecurity toward shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The excellent nitrogen removal ability and adaptability to aquaculture environment made strain GZWN4 a promising candidate for treatment of water and wastewater in aquaculture.

Heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification characteristics and antibiotic resistance of two bacterial consortia from Marinomonas and Halomonas with effective nitrogen removal in mariculture wastewater.

Heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HNAD) characteristics and antibiotic resistance of two bacterial consortia, Marinomonas communis & Halomonas titanicae (MCH) and Marinomonas aquimarina & Halomonas titanicae (MAH), and their single isolates (MC, MA, and H) were determinated in this study. When cultured in sole and mixed N-source media (NH4+-N and/or NO2--N of 10 mg/L), MCH and MAH exhibited greater efficiency and stability of inorganic-N removal than single isolates, and these strains preferred to remove NH4+-N by simultaneous HNAD in mixed N-source media. Meanwhile, 45%-70% of NH4+-N and/or NO2--N was mainly converted to organic nitrogen (15%-25%) and gaseous nitrogen (30%-40%) by these strains, and more inorganic-N was transformed to intracellular-N by MCH and MAH via assimilation instead of gaseous-N production by denitrification. Both isolates and their consortia had the maximal NH4+-N or NO2--N removal efficiency above 95% under the optimum conditions including temperature of 20-30 °C, C/N ratios of 15-20, and sucrose as carbon source. Interestingly, bacterial consortia performed greater nitrogen removal than single isolates under the low temperature of 10 °C or C/N ratios of 2-5. In real mariculture wastewater, MCH and MAH also showed higher NH4+-N removal efficiency (65%-68%) and more stable cell quantity (4.2-5.2 × 108 CFU/mL) than single strains, due to the interspecific coexistence detected by bacterial quantitation with indirect immunoassay. Additionally, these isolates and consortia had stronger resistances to polypeptides, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, furanes, and macrolides than other antibiotics. These findings will be conducive to the applications of HNAD bacteria of Marinomonas and Halomonas on reducing nitrogen pollution in mariculture or other saline environments.

[Changes and clinical significance of NLRP3 inflammasomes and related factors in patients with spinal fracture complicated with acute spinal cord injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes and clinical significance of NOD like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes and related factors in patients with spinal fractures complicated with acute spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Eighty-six spinal fracture patients complicated with acute SCI admitted to hospital from June 2019 to March 2022 were selected as SCI group, There were 48 males and 38 females, with an average age of (43.48±6.58) years old. And 100 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examination during the same time were selected as control group, including 56 males patients and 44 females patients, with an average age of (45.13±6.43) years old. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were collected, and the mRNA expressions of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 were detected. Serum was collected and the levels of interleukin (IL)- 1ß, IL-18 were detected. According to Frankel's grade, the SCI group was divided into complete injury patients and incomplete injury patients, and according to the Japanese Orthopedic Society (JOA) grade, the SCI group was divided into good prognosis group and poor prognosis group. The difference of NLRP3, Caspase-1, IL-1ß, IL-18 among groups were compared, the influencing factors for poor prognosis in SCI patients was analyzed by Logistic regression. RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 (1.41±0.33) and Caspase-1 (1.44±0.35) in PBMC and the levels of IL-1ß(45.34±13.22) pg·ml-1, IL-18(40.95±8.77) pg·ml-1 in serum of SCI group were higher than those of the control group[(1.00±0.19), (1.00±0.16), (16.58±4.24) pg·ml-1, (12.57±3.68) pg·ml-1] (P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3(1.63±0.34) and Caspase-1 (1.67±0.27) in PBMC and the levels of IL-1ß(51.09±11.10) pg·ml-1, IL-18 (47.65±7.93) pg·ml-1 in serum of patients with complete injury in the SCI group were higher than those of patients with incomplete injury [(1.31±0.27), (1.34±0.33), (42.85±13.36) pg·ml-1, (38.05±7.48) pg·ml-1](P<0.05). The mRNA expression levels of NLRP3 (1.66±0.31) and Caspase-1 (1.72±0.31)in PBMC and the levels of IL-1ß(51.21±11.31) pg·ml-1, IL-18 (45.70±7.25) pg·ml-1 in serum, the proportion of complete injury(21 patients), and the proportion of spinal cord edema or bleeding of patients(15 patients) with poor prognosis in the SCI group were higher than those of patients with good prognosis[(1.28±0.26), (1.37±0.36), (42.79±13.25) pg·ml-1、(38.90±8.63) pg·ml-1, 5、20 cases](P<0.05). Complete injury and the mRNA expression of NLRP3 in PBMC were the influencing factors for poor prognosis in the SCI group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes in patients with spinal fractures complicated with acute SCI is associated with worsening injury and poor prognosis, and NLRP3 expression can serve as a marker for evaluating prognosis.

Extensive intragenomic variations of the 18S rDNA V4 region in the toxigenic diatom species Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata revealed through high-throughput sequencing.

Metabarcoding analysis is an effective technique for monitoring the domoic acid-producing Pseudo-nitzschia species in marine environments, uncovering high-levels of molecular diversity. However, such efforts may result in the overinterpretation of Pseudo-nitzschia species diversity, as molecular diversity not only encompasses interspecies and intraspecies diversities but also exhibits extensive intragenomic variations (IGVs). In this study, we analyzed the V4 region of the 18S rDNA of 30 strains of Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata collected from the coasts of China. The results showed that each P. multistriata strain harbored about a hundred of unique 18S rDNA V4 sequence varieties, of which each represented by a unique amplicon sequence variant (ASV). This study demonstrated the extensive degree of IGVs in P. multistriata strains, suggesting that IGVs may also present in other Pseudo-nitzschia species and other phytoplankton species. Understanding the scope and levels of IGVs is crucial for accurately interpreting the results of metabarcoding analysis.

Protective effects of butyrate on cerebral ischaemic injury in animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cerebral ischaemic stroke is a common disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Butyrate is an important metabolite of intestinal microorganisms. Recent studies have shown that butyrate has a significant protective effect in animal models of cerebral ischaemic injury. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of butyrate on cerebral ischaemic stroke by meta-analysis, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of butyrate in patients with cerebral ischaemia. Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted for all relevant studies published before 23 January 2024, in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase. Methodological quality was assessed using Syrcle's risk of bias tool for animal studies. Data were analysed using Rev Man 5.3 software. Results: A total of nine studies were included, and compared with controls, butyrate significantly increased BDNF levels in the brain (SMD = 2.33, 95%CI = [1.20, 3.47], p < 0.005) and P-Akt expression (SMD = 3.53, 95% CI = [0.97, 6.10], p < 0.05). Butyrate also decreased IL-ß levels in the brain (SMD = -2.02, 95% CI = [-3.22, -0.81], p < 0.005), TNF-α levels (SMD = -0.86, 95% CI = [-1.60, -0.12], p < 0.05), and peripheral vascular IL-1ß levels (SMD = -2.10, 95%CI = [-3.59, -0.61], p < 0.05). In addition, butyrate reduced cerebral infarct volume (MD = -11.29, 95%CI = [-17.03, -5.54], p < 0.05), mNSS score (MD = -2.86, 95%CI = [-4.12, -1.60], p < 0.005), foot fault score (MD = -7.59, 95%CI = [-9.83, -5, 35], p < 0.005), and Morris water maze time (SMD = -2.49, 95%CI = [-4.42, -0.55], p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that butyrate has a protective effect on cerebral ischaemic stroke in animal models, and the mechanism is related to reducing inflammation and inhibiting apoptosis. It provides an evidence-based basis for the future clinical development of butyrate in the treatment of ischaemic stroke. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42023482844.

Construction and applications of the EOMA spheroid model of Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma.

BACKGROUND: Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) is a rare intermediate vascular tumor with unclear pathogenesis. Recently, three dimensional (3D) cell spheroids and organoids have played an indispensable role in the study of many diseases, such as infantile hemangioma and non-involuting congenital hemangiomas. However, few research on KHE are based on the 3D model. This study aims to evaluate the 3D superiority, the similarity with KHE and the ability of drug evaluation of EOMA spheroids as an in vitro 3D KHE model. RESULTS: After two days, relatively uniform morphology and high viability of EOMA spheroids were generated by the rotating cell culture system (RCCS). Through transcriptome analysis, compared with 2D EOMA cells, focal adhesion-related genes such as Itgb4, Flt1, VEGFC, TNXB, LAMA3, VWF, and VEGFD were upregulated in EOMA spheroids. Meanwhile, the EOMA spheroids injected into the subcutaneous showed more obvious KMP than 2D EOMA cells. Furthermore, EOMA spheroids possessed the similar characteristics to the KHE tissues and subcutaneous tumors, such as diagnostic markers (CD31 and LYVE-1), cell proliferation (Ki67), hypoxia (HIF-1α) and cell adhesion (E-cadherin and N-cadherin). Based on the EOMA spheroid model, we discovered that sirolimus, the first-line drug for treating KHE, could inhibit EOMA cell proliferation and downregulate the VEGFC expression. Through the extra addition of VEGFC, the effect of sirolimus on EOMA spheroid could be weakened. CONCLUSION: With a high degree of similarity of the KHE, 3D EOMA spheroids generated by the RCCS can be used as a in vitro model for basic researches of KHE, generating subcutaneous tumors and drug screening.

Epigenetic Targets and Their Inhibitors in Thyroid Cancer Treatment.

Although biologically targeted therapies based on key oncogenic mutations have made significant progress in the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic thyroid cancer, the challenges of drug resistance are urging us to explore other potentially effective targets. Herein, epigenetic modifications in thyroid cancer, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs, chromatin remodeling and RNA alterations, are reviewed and epigenetic therapeutic agents for the treatment of thyroid cancer, such as DNMT (DNA methyltransferase) inhibitors, HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibitors, BRD4 (bromodomain-containing protein 4) inhibitors, KDM1A (lysine demethylase 1A) inhibitors and EZH2 (enhancer of zeste homolog 2) inhibitors, are updated. We conclude that epigenetics is promising as a therapeutic target in thyroid cancer and further clinical trials are warranted.

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/polyaniline nanocomposite-based electrochemical sensor for sensitive detection of imidaclothiz.

Imidaclothiz (IMZ) is a class of neonicotinoid insecticide which can pose potential threat to human health and be frequently detected in water and foods. Herein, a zeolitic imidazolate framework-8/polyaniline (ZIF-8/PANI) nanocomposite has been modified on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the electrochemical determination of IMZ, and the electrochemical detection performance of the modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). With the large surface area of ZIF-8 and great electric conductivity of PANI, the ZIF-8/PANI-modified electrode showed a high catalytic performance towards IMZ reduction in PBS. Under the optimized conditions, the linear range was from 1.0 × 10-7 to 1.0 × 10-5 mol/L and the limit of detection was as low as 2.5 × 10-8 mol/L (S/N = 3). In addition, the developed sensor displayed high reproducibility, excellent stability, and applicability in real vegetable sample analysis, indicating that the proposed method offered an alternative approach for IMZ residues analysis.

Molecular mechanism of HNTX-I activates the intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (IK) channels.

The IK channel, a potassium ion channel regulated by calcium ions and voltages in a bidirectional manner, has been implicated in a range of diseases. However, there are currently few compounds available that can target the IK channel with high potency and specificity. Hainantoxin-I (HNTX-I) is the first peptide activator of IK channel discovered so far, but its activity is not ideal, and the underlying mechanism interaction between HNTX-I toxin and IK channel remains unclear. Thus, our study aimed to enhance the potency of IK channel activating peptides derived from HNTX-I and elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between HNTX-I and the IK channel. By employing virtual alanine scanning mutagenesis, we generated 11 HNTX-I mutants using site-directed mutagenesis to pinpoint specific residues crucial for the HNTX-I and IK channel interaction. Subsequently, we identified key residues on the IK channel that are involved in the interaction with HNTX-I. Additionally, molecular docking was employed to guide the molecular engineering process and clarify the binding interface between HNTX-I and the IK channel. Our results demonstrate that HNTX-I primarily acts on the IK channel via the N-terminal amino acid, and its interaction with the IK channel is mediated by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions, specifically the amino acid residues at positions 1, 3, 5, and 7 on HNTX-I. This study provides valuable insights into the peptide toxins that may serve as potential templates for the development of activators with enhanced potency and selectivity for the IK channel.

IGF2BP2-dependent activation of ERBB2 signaling contributes to acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in differentiation therapy of radioiodine-refractory papillary thyroid cancer.

Acquired drug resistance represents a major obstacle to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-induced differentiation therapy of radioiodine-refractory papillary thyroid cancer (RR-PTC); thus, there is an urgent need to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Here, selumetinib-resistant PTC (PTCSR) cell lines, which were characterized by loss of sodium/iodide symporter expression, enhanced insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2), and activated V-Erb-B2 avian erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 (ERBB2) signaling, were initially established using a dose escalation method. Upon knockdown of IGF2BP2 in PTCSR cells, ERBB2 signaling was inhibited, and the acquired drug resistance was partially reversed. Mechanistically, the luciferase activity assay showed that IGF2BP2 bound to the N6-methyladenosine-binding site in the coding sequence of ERBB2 mRNA, yielding an increased ERBB2 translation efficacy revealed by polysome profiling. Inhibition of ERBB2 and IGF2BP2 by lapatinib robustly rescued the PTCSR cells from acquired dedifferentiation. Our study demonstrated that IGF2BP2-dependent ERBB2 signaling activation contributes to acquired resistance to TKI, which may be a promising differentiation strategy for RR-PTC by targeting IGF2BP2.

ERBB2 as a prognostic biomarker correlates with immune infiltrates in papillary thyroid cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ERBB2) is commonly over-expressed in advanced or metastatic tissues of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) with poor prognosis, while it remains unknown whether ERBB2 plays a role in the progression of PTC. Thus, we analyzed the data derived from online repositories, including TCGA, KEGG, GO, GeneMANIA, and STRING, to explore the relationship between ERBB2 expression and prognosis, tumor phenotypes of interest, and immune infiltrates in PTC. Compared to normal thyroid tissue, ERBB2 was up-regulated in PTC samples (p < 0.001); In comparison with the group with low expression of ERBB2, the group with high expression of ERBB2 had poorer progression-free interval in stage III/IV patients (p = 0.008) and patients aged >45 years (p = 0.019). The up-regulated ERBB2 was associated with iodine metabolism dysfunction, proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. The expression of ERBB2 negatively correlated with enrichment scores of B cells (r = -0.176, p < 0.001), CD8+ T cells (r = -0.160, p < 0.001), cytotoxic cells (r = -0.219, p < 0.001), NK CD56dim cells (r = -0.218, p < 0.001), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (r = -0.267, p < 0.001), T cells (r = -0.164, p < 0.001), T follicular helper cells (r = -0.111, p = 0.012), gamma delta T cells (r = -0.105, p = 0.017), and regulatory T cells (r = -0.125, p = 0.005). In conclusion, ERBB2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and an immunotherapeutic target in PTC, deserving further exploration.

Targeting IGF2BP2 Promotes Differentiation of Radioiodine Refractory Papillary Thyroid Cancer via Destabilizing RUNX2 mRNA.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulators play an important role in multiple biological and pathological processes of radioiodine refractory papillary thyroid cancer (RR-PTC). However, the function of m6A regulators in differentiation of RR-PTC remains unclear. In this study, online data, clinical samples, and RR-PTC cell lines (K1 and TPC1) were used to identify the m6A regulators that contributed to the differentiation of RR-PTC. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) was found to be associated with thyroid-specific genes in online data analyses, and metastatic PTCs with high expression of IGF2BP2 were prone to be 131I-nonavid in clinical analyses. Furthermore, targeting IGF2BP2 increased 125I uptake in RR-PTC cell lines and enhanced the sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) expression. Mechanistically, IGF2BP2 bound to the m6A modification site of runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) 3'-UTR and enhanced the RUNX2 mRNA stability. Moreover, RUNX2 could bind to the promoter region of NIS to block the differentiation of RR-PTC. Together, these results demonstrated that IGF2BP2 represents a diagnostic marker for RR-PTC, suggesting a novel differentiation therapeutic strategy of targeting IGF2BP2.

Solution-Processed Silicon Doped Tin Oxide Thin Films and Thin-Film Transistors Based on Tetraethyl Orthosilicate.

Recently, tin oxide (SnO2) has been the preferred thin film material for semiconductor devices such as thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to its low cost, non-toxicity, and superior electrical performance. However, the high oxygen vacancy (VO) concentration leads to poor performance of SnO2 thin films and devices. In this paper, with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the Si source, which can decompose to release heat and supply energy when annealing, Si doped SnO2 (STO) films and inverted staggered STO TFTs were successfully fabricated by a solution method. An XPS analysis showed that Si doping can effectively inhibit the formation of VO, thus reducing the carrier concentration and improving the quality of SnO2 films. In addition, the heat released from TEOS can modestly lower the preparation temperature of STO films. By optimizing the annealing temperature and Si doping content, 350 °C annealed STO TFTs with 5 at.% Si exhibited the best device performance: Ioff was as low as 10-10 A, Ion/Ioff reached a magnitude of 104, and Von was 1.51 V. Utilizing TEOS as an Si source has a certain reference significance for solution-processed metal oxide thin films in the future.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the harmful algal bloom species Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima (Bacillariophyceae, Bacillariophyta).

Pseudo-nitzschia is an important genus of diatoms with many species capable of inducing harmful algae blooms (HABs) in coastal and oceanic waters, some of which produce the toxin domoic acid (DA), a neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima is a cosmopolitan species that can induce HABs and produce DA. Nevertheless, mitochondrial genome of P. delicatissima has not been revealed. In this study, we determined the complete mitochondrial genome of P. delicatissima for the first time. The circular mitochondrial genome was 42,182 bp in length with GC content of 30.37%. It consisted of 65 genes including 39 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 24 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes. This mitogenome has a group II intron, located in the cytochrome c oxidase subunit genes (cox1), with orf790 identified inside the intron region. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that P. delicatissima was clustered well with P. multiseries. This analysis is valuable for studying the evolutionary relationships among Pseudo-nitzschia species, and for comparative analysis of P. delicatissima strains.

Total ginsenosides induce autophagic cell death in cervical cancer cells accompanied by downregulation of bone marrow stromal antigen-2.

Ginsenosides are important active components in Panax ginseng. In the present study, total ginsenosides (TGNs) were demonstrated to enhance autophagy by promoting acidic vacuole organelle formation, recruitment of enhanced green fluorescent protein-microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 and expression of autophagy-related factors in cervical cancer cell lines. TGN markedly increased the expression of p62 at the transcriptional level, but decreased p62 protein expression in the presence of actinomycin D. The autophagic regulatory effect was reversible. TGN (≤120 µg/ml) did not affect the proliferation of cervical cancer cells under normal culture conditions, but markedly inhibited the growth of serum-deprived cells. Treatment with an inhibitor of autophagy (3-methyladenine) impaired TGN-induced cell death. This suggested that TGN caused autophagic cell death. In addition, western blot analysis demonstrated that the protein level of bone marrow stromal antigen-2 (BST-2) was downregulated by TGN. Upregulation of BST-2 reduced cell death. The results of the combined actions of various monomeric ginsenosides in TGN provide the molecular basis to develop TGN as a promising candidate for cancer therapy.

Identification, interactions, nitrogen removal pathways and performances of culturable heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification bacteria from mariculture water by using cell culture and metagenomics.

The rapid expansion of aquaculture industry brings about significant environmental concerns, especially nitrogen pollution. Compared to nitrogen bioconversion implemented by the conventional autotrophic nitrifiers and anaerobic denitrifiers, bacteria capable of heterotrophic nitrification-aerobic denitrification (HNAD) in mariculture environments have yet to be well understood. In this study, twenty-five species of new halophilic HNAD bacteria were isolated and identified from mariculture water. By these strains co-cultured in the synthetic mariculture water (ammonia: 5 mg/L, C/N: 5, salinity: 30‰), microbial dynamic analysis showed that ammonia were mainly removed by dominant genera of Marinomonas, Marinobacterium, Halomonas, and Cobetia which simultaneously had positive correlations to total nitrogen removal. Metagenomic annotations revealed that inorganic-N was converted into gaseous-N and organic-N by these HNAD bacteria through nitrogen metabolism pathways of assimilation, partial nitrification, nitroalkane oxidation, nitrate/nitrite dissimilation reduction, and denitrification. Among them, due to the interspecific coexistence and cooperation, Marinomonas communis &Halomonas titanicae, Marinomonas communis &Cobetia marina, Marinomonas aquimarina &Halomonas titanicae, and Marinomonas aquimarina &Cobetia marina exhibited significantly better inorganic-N removal efficiency and stability. The four novel bacterial consortia could transform approximately 60% of initial ammonia into intracellular organic-N (18-20%) and gaseous-N (36-38%), which were significantly higher than those of their single strains. These findings will contribute to understanding and developing the culturable HNAD bacteria as promising candidates for nitrogen pollution control and water bioremediation in mariculture or other saline environments.

A facile approach for rapid on-site screening of nicotine in natural tobacco.

Nicotine (Nic) exposed to the environment which comes from tobacco products is the main addictive agent and specific classes of hazardous compound that merit concern. In this study, we have established a fast and reliable method to achieve specific detection of Nic in natural nicotiana tabacum within 30 s through a miniaturized platform based on screen printed gold electrode (SPE). A simple electrochemical pretreatment mean was employed on gold surface that led to the exposure of Au (111) facet and a convenient sample pretreatment method was adopted to realize the extraction of Nic in tobacco. The present electrochemical sensor exhibits an ample range of sensing from 10 µg/g to 200 µg/g, which is able to compliance with tobacco industry testing standards of actual samples. Over 60 sampling points from different origins in China or other countries were performed with direct analysis using this method and satisfactory results have been obtained. The proposed approach was demonstrated to be a very promising platform for significantly improving analytical efficiency in laboratories as well as for monitoring the source reduction control of Nic in the environment.

Screening of bacterial strains from the gut of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and their efficiencies in improving the fermentation of soybean meal.

Microbial fermentation is an efficient, economical and eco-friendly approach to overcome the limitations in soybean meal replacement of fish meal in aquaculture. However, little research focused on the development of shrimp-derived strains for fermentation of SBM. In this study, Bacillus sanfensis (SQVG18) and Bacillus stratosphericus (SQVG22) were screened from shrimp intestine for fermentation according to the activities of protease, cellulase and phytase. The optimized fermentation conditions of SQVG18 and SQVG22 were as follow: fermentation temperature (40°C vs 35°C), fermentation time (48h both), inoculation amount [4% both (v/m)], solid-liquid ratio [1:1.2 vs 1:1 (g/ml)]. After 48 h fermentation, SQVG18 and SQVG22 increased crude protein content by 6.93% and 5.95%, respectively; degraded most of macromolecular proteins to micromolecular proteins (< 20 kDa); improved amino acids profiles, like lysine and methionine in particular; significantly decreased the anti-nutritional factors such as trypsin inhibitor, glycinin and ß-conglycinin (P < 0.05). In addition, both strains were observed no hemolytic activity, less antibiotic resistance genes and definite inhibition to common shrimp pathogens of Vibrio alginolyticus sp. and Vibrio parahaemolyticus sp. These results indicated that both strains could improve nutrition values of soybean meal effectively and have potential applications in shrimp culture.