Intragenic heterochromatin-mediated alternative polyadenylation modulates miRNA and pollen development in rice.

Despite a much higher proportion of intragenic heterochromatin-containing genes in crop genomes, the importance of intragenic heterochromatin in crop development remains unclear. Intragenic heterochromatin can be recognised by a protein complex, ASI1-AIPP1-EDM2 (AAE) complex, to regulate alternative polyadenylation. Here, we investigated the impact of rice ASI1 on global poly(A) site usage through poly(A) sequencing and ASI1-dependent regulation on rice development. We found that OsASI1 is essential for rice pollen development and flowering. OsASI1 dysfunction has an important impact on global poly(A) site usage, which is closely related to heterochromatin marks. Intriguingly, OsASI1 interacts with the intronic heterochromatin of OsXRNL, a nuclear XRN family exonuclease gene involved in the processing of an miRNA precursor, to promote the processing of full-length OsXRNL and regulate miRNA abundance. We found that OsASI1-mediated regulation of pollen development partially depends on OsXRNL. Finally, we characterised the rice AAE complex and its involvement in alternative polyadenylation and pollen development. Our findings help to elucidate an epigenetic mechanism governing miRNA abundance and rice development, and provide a valuable resource for studying the epigenetic mechanisms of many important processes in crops.

Finite element method simulating temperature distribution in skin induced by 980-nm pulsed laser based on pain stimulation.

For predicting the temperature distribution within skin tissue in 980-nm laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) experiments, a five-layer finite element model (FEM-5) was constructed based on Pennes bio-heat conduction equation and the Lambert-Beer law. The prediction results of the FEM-5 model were verified by ex vivo pig skin and in vivo rat experiments. Thirty ex vivo pig skin samples were used to verify the temperature distribution predicted by the model. The output energy of the laser was 1.8, 3, and 4.4 J. The laser spot radius was 1 mm. The experiment time was 30 s. The laser stimulated the surface of the ex vivo pig skin beginning at 10 s and lasted for 40 ms. A thermocouple thermometer was used to measure the temperature of the surface and internal layers of the ex vivo pig skin, and the sampling frequency was set to 60 Hz. For the in vivo experiments, nine adult male Wistar rats weighing 180 ± 10 g were used to verify the prediction results of the model by tail-flick latency. The output energy of the laser was 1.4 and 2.08 J. The pulsed width was 40 ms. The laser spot radius was 1 mm. The Pearson product-moment correlation and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the correlation and the difference of data. The results of all experiments showed that the measured and predicted data had no significant difference (P > 0.05) and good correlation (r > 0.9). The safe laser output energy range (1.8-3 J) was also predicted. Using the FEM-5 model prediction, the effective pain depth could be accurately controlled, and the nociceptors could be selectively activated. The FEM-5 model can be extended to guide experimental research and clinical applications for humans.

New Furan and Cyclopentenone Derivatives from the Sponge-Associated Fungus Hypocrea Koningii PF04.

Two new furan derivatives, hypofurans A and B (1 and 2), and three new cyclopentenone derivatives, hypocrenones A-C (3-5), along with seven known compounds (6-12), were isolated from a marine fungus Hypocrea koningii PF04 associated with the sponge Phakellia fusca. Among them, compounds 10 and 11 were obtained for the first time as natural products. The planar structures of compounds 1-5 were elucidated by analysis of their spectroscopic data. Meanwhile, the absolute configuration of 1 was determined as 2R,3R by the comparison of the experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. All the isolates were evaluated for their antibacterial and antioxidant activity. Compounds 1, 10, and 12 all showed modest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 (MIC, 32 µg/mL). In addition, compounds 1, 10 and 11 exhibited moderate DPPH radical scavenging capacity with IC50 values of 27.4, 16.8, and 61.7 µg/mL, respectively.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of oxoaporphine alkaloid derivatives.

A series of new oxoaporphine derivatives were synthesized and their inhibitory activity of topoisomerase I, cytotoxicity and DNA-binding properties were studied. Oxoaporphine can strongly inhibit topoisomerase I at concentrations of 5-50 µM and the cytotoxicity of the derivatives are more potent than their lead compound. Hypochromism, broadening and red shift in the absorption spectra were observed when these compounds bind to calf thymus DNA (CT DNA). These spectral characteristics were consistent with the intercalative binding of these compounds.

Effect of low-level laser therapy on allergic asthma in rats.

Asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that involves the activation of many inflammatory and other types of cells. We investigated the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on allergic asthma in rats and compared its effect with that of the glucocorticoid budesonide. Asthma was induced by challenge and repeated exposure to ovalbumin. Asthmatic rats were then treated with LLLT or budesonide suspension. LLLT at 8 J/cm(2) once daily for 21 days could relieve pathological damage and airway inflammation in asthmatic rats. LLLT could decrease the total numbers of cells and eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. LLLT could reduce levels of IL-4 and increase IFN-γ levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum, meanwhile reduce serum IgE levels. Flow cytometry assay showed that LLLT can regulate the Th1/Th2 imbalance of asthmatic rats. LLLT had a similar effect to that of budesonide. These findings suggest that the mechanism of LLLT treatment of asthma is by adjustment of Th1/Th2 imbalance. Thus, LLLT could take over some of the effects of budesonide for the treatment of asthma, thereby reducing some of the side effects of budesonide.

[Prognostic Factors Affecting Recurrence in Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Patients with Different HDAC Levels].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution characteristics of prognostic factors affecting recurrence in peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) patients with different levels of histone deacetylase (HDAC) based on latent class analysis. METHODS: 112 PTCL patients who were treated in our hospital from September 2012 to September 2019 were selected and divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group. The clinical data of the two groups of patients were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for recurrence. Latent class analysis was used to compare the distribution characteristics of prognostic factors affecting recurrence between the high-risk group and the low-risk group. RESULTS: There were 87 patients (77.68%) in recurrence group and 25 patients (22.32%) in non-recurrence group. The result of multivariate logistic regression showed that ECOG score ≥2, Ann Arbor stage III-IV, IPI score >2, bone marrow involvement, elevated serum ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), short-term efficacy not reaching complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), and the high expression of HDAC were all independent risk factors for recurrence in patients with PTCL (P <0.05). The recurrence rate of patients with high HDAC levels was significantly higher than that of patiens with low HDAC levels (P <0.05). The results of cluster analysis showed that the risk of recurrence was obviously clustered, and the patients could be divided into high recurrence risk group (HDAC＞5 points) and low recurrence risk group (HDAC≤5 points). The results of latent class analysis showed that patients with multiple risk factors account for a higher proportion in the high recurrence risk group, compared with the low recurrence risk group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: There are differences in recurrence rates among PTCL patients with different HDAC levels and in distribution characteristics of risk factors between high recurrence risk and low recurrence risk groups.

Effect of acupuncture on tic disorder: a randomized controlled clinical trial based on energy metabolomics and infrared thermography.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture is a method for treating tic disorder. However, there is a lack of sufficient clinical objective basis in regards of its treatment efficacy. Indeed, there are structural abnormalities present in energy metabolism and infrared thermography in children with tic disorder. Therefore, this study proposes a clinical trial scheme to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture in treating tic disorder. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will recruit a total of 90 children, in which they will be divided into non-intervention group and intervention group. The non-intervention group consists of 30 healthy children while the intervention group consists of 60 children with tic disorder. The intervention group will be randomly allocated into either the treatment group or the control group, with 30 children randomly assigned in each group. Children either received acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (treatment group) or sham acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (control group), 3 treatment sessions per week for a period of 12 weeks, with a total of 36 treatment sessions. Outcome measures include YGTSS, urinary and fecal metabolomics, infrared thermography of body surface including governor vessel. For the intervention group, these outcome measures will be collected at the baseline and 90th day prior to intervention. Whereas for the non-intervention group, outcome measures (excluding YGTSS) will be collected at the baseline. DISCUSSION: The main outcome will be to observe the changes of the severity of tic condition, the secondary outcome will be to observe the changes of structural characteristic of infrared thermography of body surface/acupoints along the governor vessel and to evaluate the changes of urinary and fecal metabolomics at the end of the treatment, so as to analyze the relationship between them and to provide further knowledge in understanding the possible mechanism of acupuncture in improving the clinical symptoms via regulating and restoring the body metabolomics network, which in future it can develop as a set of clinical guideline (diagnosis, treatment, assessment, prognosis) in treating tic disorder. ChiCTR2300075188(Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, http://www.chictr.org.cn , registered on 29 August 2023).

[The noninvasive measurement research of human blood parameters under flow control of time gate].

In order to further improve the noninvasive measurement precision of human blood components and achieve clinical requirements, we propose a new measurement method based on the dynamic dual wavelength time-resolved transmittance measurement, combined with the advanced time gate technology and Laplasse transform to detect human blood components noninvasively in the blocked blood flow conditions. Simulation results show that when p>0, emphasizing the importance of early arriving photons contribution can enhance the detection sensitivity of human body blood parameters.

Biomimetic Total Synthesis of Clavicipitic Acid: A DDQ-Mediated Intramolecular Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling Approach.

Clavicipitic acid, a communesin alkaloid precursor, has attracted significant attention due to its unique azepino[5,4,3-cd]indole framework. Herein, we report a novel biomimetic synthesis of clavicipitic acid diastereomers by utilizing a DDQ-mediated cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction. The synthesis involves Suzuki coupling for the prenylation of a 4-bromotryptophan derivative, followed by an intramolecular CDC reaction to construct the azepinoindole core. The trans isomer was obtained as the major product, and the two diastereomers were separable. The CDC reaction conditions, including temperature, solvent, and protecting groups, were investigated, and a plausible mechanism for the observed diastereoselectivity was proposed.

Rationally designed Mn2O3@ZnMn2O4/C core-shell hollow microspheres for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Manganese-based oxides are common cathode materials for aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) because of their great capacity and high working voltage. However, the sharp decline of capacity caused by the dissolution of manganese-based cathode materials and the low-rate performance restrict their development. To address these problems, unique core-shell structured Mn2O3@ZnMn2O4/C hollow microspheres are reported as an ideal cathode material for AZIBs. Benefiting from the hollow structure, the zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-derived carbon and ZnMn2O4. Its application in AZIBs as the cathode demonstrates its satisfactory rate performance, high cycle stability, and excellent reversibility. Its high reversible capacity is remarkable, which reaches its maximum of 289.9 mA h g-1 at 200 mA g-1 and maintains a capacity of 203.5 mA h g-1 after cycling for 700 times at 1000 mA g-1. These excellent performances indicate that this material is a potential cathode material of AZIBs.

Antiinflammatory effect of low-level laser therapy on Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis in rabbits.

A rabbit model of endophthalmitis was established to evaluate the antiinflammatory effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to treatment for Staphylococcus epidermidis endophthalmitis. Rabbits were randomly divided into three groups to receive intravitreal injections into their left eye: group A received 0.5 mg vancomycin (100 µl), group B received 0.5 mg vancomycin + 0.2 mg dexamethasone (100 µl), and group C received 0.5 mg vancomycin (100 µl) and continuous wave semiconductor laser irradiation (10 mW, λ = 632 nm) focused on the pupil. Slit lamp examination and B-mode ultrasonography were conducted to evaluate the symptoms of endophthalmitis. Polymorphonuclear cells and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in aqueous fluid were measured at 0 h, and 1, 2, 3, 7 and 15 days. A histology test was conducted at 15 days. B-mode ultrasonography and histology revealed that groups B and C had less inflammation than group A at 15 days. Groups B and C had fewer polymorphonuclear cells and lower levels of TNF-α in aqueous fluid than group A at 2, 3 and 7 days (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups B and C (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference between groups A, B and C at 15 days (P > 0.05). As an adjunct to vancomycin therapy to treat S. epidermidis endophthalmitis, LLLT has an antiinflammatory effect similar to that of dexamethasone.

Peripherally inserted central catheter placement in neonates with persistent left superior vena cava: Report of eight cases.

BACKGROUND: Reports on peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) placement in neonates with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) are rare. The majority of PLSVC patients have no clinical symptoms or hemodynamic changes, which are usually detected during cardiac catheterization, cardiac pacemaker implantation, or PICC placement. However, in neonates with PLSVC, PICC placement can be challenging. Here, we report PICC placement in eight neonates with PLSVC. CASE SUMMARY: This article introduces the concept of the "TIMB" bundle. After PICC implantation, we found PLSVC in all eight patients. The key points of care regarding PICC placement in neonates with PLSVC included "TIMB", where "T" indicates a reasonable choice of the catheterization time, "I" refers to a retrospective analysis of imaging data before catheterization, "M" refers to correct measurement of the body surface length, and "B" indicates that the tip of the PICC is placed in the middle and lower 1/3 of the left superior vena cava under the guidance of B-ultrasound. CONCLUSION: "TIMB" is a bundle for PICC placement in neonates, especially for those with PLSVC. Using this new approach can improve the first-attempt success rate of PICC placement, reveal cardiovascular abnormalities in advance, allow the selection of different measurement methods reasonably according to the puncture site, and finally, improve the accuracy of catheter positioning through the use of B-ultrasound guidance.

"AFGP" bundles for an extremely preterm infant who underwent difficult removal of a peripherally inserted central catheter: A case report.

BACKGROUND: There have been few reports on level 3 difficult removal of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in neonates. Here, we reported a case of an extremely preterm infant who underwent level 3 difficult removal of a PICC. CASE SUMMARY: Female baby A, weighing 1070 g at 27+1 wk of gestational age, was diagnosed with extremely preterm infant and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome. She underwent PICC insertion twice. The first PICC insertion went well; the second PICC was inserted in the right lower extremity, however, phlebitis occurred on the second day after the placement. On the third day of catheterization, phlebitis was aggravated, while the right leg circumference increased by 2.5 cm. On the fourth day of catheterization, more red swelling was found in the popliteal part, covering an area of about 1.5 cm × 4 cm, which was diagnosed as phlebitis level 3; thus, we decided to remove the PICC. During tube removal, the catheter rebounded and could not be pulled out (several conventional methods were performed). Finally, we successfully removed the PICC using a new approach termed "AFGP". On the 36th day of admission, the baby fully recovered and was discharged. CONCLUSION: The "AFGP" bundle approach was effective for an extremely preterm infant, who underwent level 3 difficult removal of a PICC.

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis caused by umbilical arterial catheter-associated abdominal aortic embolism: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Reports of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) caused by umbilical arterial catheter (UAC)-associated abdominal aortic embolism in neonates are rare. Herein, we report the case of an extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infant with NEC caused by UAC-associated abdominal aortic embolism. CASE SUMMARY: A female infant, aged 21 min and weighing 830 g at 28+6 wk of gestational age, was referred to our hospital because of premature birth and shallow breathing. The patient was diagnosed with ELBW, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, neonatal intrauterine infection, and neonatal asphyxia. Umbilical arterial and venous catheters were inserted on the day after birth and were removed 9 d later, according to the doctor's plan. Within 48 h after extubation, the patient's manifestations included poor responsiveness, heart rate range of 175-185/min, and currant jelly stool. Therefore, we considered a diagnosis of NEC. To determine the cause, we used B-mode ultrasound, which revealed a partial abdominal aortic embolism (2 cm × 0.3 cm) and abdominal effusion. The patient was treated with nil per os, gastrointestinal decompression, anti-infective therapy, blood transfusion, and low-molecular-weight heparin sodium q12h for anticoagulant therapy (from May 20 to June 1, the dosage of low-molecular-weight heparin sodium was adjusted according to the anti-Xa activity during treatment). On the 67th day after admission, the patient fully recovered and was discharged. CONCLUSION: The abdominal aortic thrombosis in this patient was considered to be catheter related, which requires immediate treatment once diagnosed. The choice of treatment should be determined according to the location of the thrombus and the patient's condition.

[Identification of important biodiversity areas by InVEST model considering opographic relief: A case study of Yunnan Province, China]. / 顾及地形起伏的InVESTæ¨¡åž‹çš„ç”Ÿç‰©å¤šæ ·æ€§é‡è¦åŒºè¯†åˆ«­­ä»¥äº‘南省为例.

Accurately identifying important areas of biodiversity is one of the key issues in ecology and biodiversity research, as well as an important basis for the delineation of the red line for ecologi-cal protection and territorial spatial planning. With China's typical plateau mountainous area (Yunnan Province) as a research case, we used the net primary productivity (NPP) quantitative index method, InVEST model and InVEST model focusing on topographic relief to identify biodiversity important areas. The results showed that NPP quantitative index method was not suitable for the plateau mountainous areas with obvious vertical zonal development. The identified area contained only 26.1% of the protected areas. The InVEST model had higher identification accuracy than the NPP quantitative index method in Yunnan Province. The identified area covered 49.4% of the protected natural areas. Fragmentation was obvious in northwest Yunnan. The InVEST model focusing on topographic relief improved the identification accuracy of important areas of biodiversity, including 71.7% of nature reserves. The deficiency of NPP quantitative index method in water area identification was made up and the fragmentation problem of InVEST model was solved. The area of biodiversity important areas was 119466.94 km2, accounting for 30.3% of the total land area of Yunnan Province. The spatial distribution showed a pattern of "three barriers, two zones and one region for multi-point development".

[Monitoring and evaluation of eco-environmental quality of lake basin regions in Central Yunnan Province, China]. / 滇中湖泊流域生态环境质量监测与评价.

The basin region of nine highland lakes plays an important role in the economic development of Yunnan Province, in which, the basin region of the five lakes (Dianchi, Fuxianhu, Xingyunhu, Qiluhu and Yangzonghai Lake, hereinafter was called Five-lake Basin) locating in the central region of Yunnan Province is the most active economic and social development area of industry, agriculture and tourism, closely related to the eco-environmental quality of the whole basin. In this study, the eco-environmental quality of the Five-lake Basin from 1988 to 2018 was monitored and evaluated based on remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). The results showed that although the eco-environmental quality in this area had a trend of turning better from 1988 to 2018, with the mean value of RSEI increasing from 0.368 to 0.481, whereas the overall eco-environmental quality of the basin was poor. The area with improved eco-environmental quality accounted for 57.6%, which was mainly distributed in the mountains between lakes, while the declining area was mainly the flat area around the lake. The eco-environmental quality of Dianchi Lake, Fuxianhu Lake, and Yangzonghai Lake was improved during the study period, but the eco-environmental quality of Qiluhu Lake and Xingyunhu Lake deteriorated obviously in the last 10 years. The change of eco-environmental quality in each lake was consistent with the change of water quality. In the future, the improvement of eco-environmental quality needs more social attention and government investment.

A bag-of-words approach for Drosophila gene expression pattern annotation.

BACKGROUND: Drosophila gene expression pattern images document the spatiotemporal dynamics of gene expression during embryogenesis. A comparative analysis of these images could provide a fundamentally important way for studying the regulatory networks governing development. To facilitate pattern comparison and searching, groups of images in the Berkeley Drosophila Genome Project (BDGP) high-throughput study were annotated with a variable number of anatomical terms manually using a controlled vocabulary. Considering that the number of available images is rapidly increasing, it is imperative to design computational methods to automate this task. RESULTS: We present a computational method to annotate gene expression pattern images automatically. The proposed method uses the bag-of-words scheme to utilize the existing information on pattern annotation and annotates images using a model that exploits correlations among terms. The proposed method can annotate images individually or in groups (e.g., according to the developmental stage). In addition, the proposed method can integrate information from different two-dimensional views of embryos. Results on embryonic patterns from BDGP data demonstrate that our method significantly outperforms other methods. CONCLUSION: The proposed bag-of-words scheme is effective in representing a set of annotations assigned to a group of images, and the model employed to annotate images successfully captures the correlations among different controlled vocabulary terms. The integration of existing annotation information from multiple embryonic views improves annotation performance.

Effect of 405 nm low intensity irradiation on the absorption spectrum of in-vitro hyperlipidemia blood.

BACKGROUND: Laser therapy is reported to be clinically effective for improving microcirculation, rheological properties and blood lipid profiles despite the lack of certainty on the mechanism. OBJECTIVE: This study intends to provide methods to drop blood lipid level of hyperlipidemia samples by low-intensity laser irradiation therapy and provide reasoning of mechanism. METHODS: Twenty whole blood samples of high level of lipids profile are irradiated by 405 nm low-intensity laser at 12 J/cm2 twice a day for 3 days and compared with normal lipids profile group. Then whole blood sample are centrifuged to obtain result of erythrocyte for further interpretation. Multi-scan spectrum microplate reader is used to measure absorption spectrum and data is analyzed by software SPSS 14.0. RESULTS: Results show that after 405 nm low-intensity laser irradiation, whole blood samples of high lipid level statistically have higher absorbance peak value than normal samples while erythrocyte samples have lower absorbance peak value. CONCLUSIONS: From the divergence of absorption peak value change after low-intensity laser irradiation for whole blood sample and erythrocyte, we suspect that low level laser irradiation affects the enzymes activity of lipid metabolism, improves the cholesterol balance of plasma and cytoplasm in erythrocyte, and decreases aggregation of the erythrocyte.

Hypocrol A, a new tyrosol derivative from a sponge-derived strain of the fungus Hypocrea koningii.

In continuation of our search for new antibacterial and antioxidant metabolites from sponge-derived fungi, one new tyrosol derivative, hypocrol A (1), together with four known congeners, trichodenol B (2), 4-hydroxyphenethyl acetate (3), 4-hydroxyphenethyl tetradecanoate (4) and 1-oleyltyrosol (5), was isolated from the strain Hypocrea koningii PF04. Their planar structures were unequivocally elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparison with the literature data. All the compounds displayed weak antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus and Escherichia coli, whereas compounds 1 and 2 exhibited a moderate antioxidant efficacy in the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging assay with IC50 values of 48.5 and 97.4 µg/mL, respectively.