Identifying SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins.

The ongoing outbreak of viral pneumonia in China and across the world is associated with a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-21. This outbreak has been tentatively associated with a seafood market in Wuhan, China, where the sale of wild animals may be the source of zoonotic infection2. Although bats are probable reservoir hosts for SARS-CoV-2, the identity of any intermediate host that may have facilitated transfer to humans is unknown. Here we report the identification of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses in Malayan pangolins (Manis javanica) seized in anti-smuggling operations in southern China. Metagenomic sequencing identified pangolin-associated coronaviruses that belong to two sub-lineages of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses, including one that exhibits strong similarity in the receptor-binding domain to SARS-CoV-2. The discovery of multiple lineages of pangolin coronavirus and their similarity to SARS-CoV-2 suggests that pangolins should be considered as possible hosts in the emergence of new coronaviruses and should be removed from wet markets to prevent zoonotic transmission.

Ligand-Controlled Cobalt-Catalyzed Regio-, Enantio-, and Diastereoselective Oxyheterocyclic Alkene Hydroalkylation.

Metal-hydride-catalyzed alkene hydroalkylation has been developed as an efficient method for C(sp3)-C(sp3) coupling with broad substrate availability and high functional group compatibility. However, auxiliary groups, a conjugated group or a chelation-directing group, are commonly required to attain high regio- and enantioselectivities. Herein, we reported a ligand-controlled cobalt-hydride-catalyzed regio-, enantio-, and diastereoselective oxyheterocyclic alkene hydroalkylation without chelation-directing groups. This reaction enables the hydroalkylation of conjugated and unconjugated oxyheterocyclic alkenes to deliver C2- or C3-alkylated tetrahydrofuran or tetrahydropyran in uniformly good yields and with high regio- and enantioselectivities. In addition, hydroalkylation of C2-substituted 2,5-dihydrofuran resulted in the simultaneous construction of 1,3-distereocenters, providing convenient access to polysubstituted tetrahydrofuran with multiple enantioenriched C(sp3) centers.

A SARS-CoV-2-Related Virus from Malayan Pangolin Causes Lung Infection without Severe Disease in Human ACE2-Transgenic Mice.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is the most severe emerging infectious disease in the current century. The discovery of SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV-2) in bats and pangolins in South Asian countries indicates that SARS-CoV-2 likely originated from wildlife. To date, two SARSr-CoV-2 strains have been isolated from pangolins seized in Guangxi and Guangdong by the customs agency of China, respectively. However, it remains unclear whether these viruses cause disease in animal models and whether they pose a transmission risk to humans. In this study, we investigated the biological features of a SARSr-CoV-2 strain isolated from a smuggled Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) captured by the Guangxi customs agency, termed MpCoV-GX, in terms of receptor usage, cell tropism, and pathogenicity in wild-type BALB/c mice, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-transgenic mice, and human ACE2 knock-in mice. We found that MpCoV-GX can utilize ACE2 from humans, pangolins, civets, bats, pigs, and mice for cell entry and infect cell lines derived from humans, monkeys, bats, minks, and pigs. The virus could infect three mouse models but showed limited pathogenicity, with mild peribronchial and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration observed in lungs. Our results suggest that this SARSr-CoV-2 virus from pangolins has the potential for interspecies infection, but its pathogenicity is mild in mice. Future surveillance among these wildlife hosts of SARSr-CoV-2 is needed to monitor variants that may have higher pathogenicity and higher spillover risk. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2, which likely spilled over from wildlife, is the third highly pathogenic human coronavirus. Being highly transmissible, it is perpetuating a pandemic and continuously posing a severe threat to global public health. Several SARS-CoV-2-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoV-2) in bats and pangolins have been identified since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. It is therefore important to assess their potential of crossing species barriers for better understanding of their risk of future emergence. In this work, we investigated the biological features and pathogenicity of a SARSr-CoV-2 strain isolated from a smuggled Malayan pangolin, named MpCoV-GX. We found that MpCoV-GX can utilize ACE2 from 7 species for cell entry and infect cell lines derived from a variety of mammalian species. MpCoV-GX can infect mice expressing human ACE2 without causing severe disease. These findings suggest the potential of cross-species transmission of MpCoV-GX, and highlight the need of further surveillance of SARSr-CoV-2 in pangolins and other potential animal hosts.

Abnormal platelet parameters in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Platelet dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Despite clinical observations indicating abnormalities in platelet parameters among IBD patients, inconsistencies persist, and these parameters lack standardization for diagnosis or clinical assessment. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for relevant articles published up to December 16th, 2023. A random-effects model was employed to pool the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) between IBD patients and healthy controls, and subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: The meta-analysis included 79 articles with 8,350 IBD patients and 13,181 healthy individuals. The results revealed significantly increased PLT and PCT levels (WMD: 69.910, 95% CI: 62.177, 77.643 109/L; WMD: 0.046%, 95% CI: 0.031%, 0.061%), and decreased MPV levels (WMD: -0.912, 95% CI: -1.086, -0.739 fL) in IBD patients compared to healthy individuals. No significant difference was found in PDW between the IBD and control groups (WMD: -0.207%, 95% CI: -0.655%, 0.241%). Subgroup analysis by disease type and disease activity showed no change in the differences for PLT, PCT, and MPV in the ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease groups, as well as the active and inactive groups. Notably, the active group exhibited significantly lower PDW levels than the control group (WMD: -1.138%, 95% CI: -1.535%, -0.741%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with healthy individuals, IBD patients display significantly higher PLT and PCT and significantly lower MPV. Monitoring the clinical manifestations of platelet abnormalities serves as a valuable means to obtain diagnostic and prognostic information. Conversely, proactive measures should be taken to prevent the consequences of platelet abnormalities in individuals with IBD. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023493848.

Fatal swine acute diarrhoea syndrome caused by an HKU2-related coronavirus of bat origin.

Cross-species transmission of viruses from wildlife animal reservoirs poses a marked threat to human and animal health 1 . Bats have been recognized as one of the most important reservoirs for emerging viruses and the transmission of a coronavirus that originated in bats to humans via intermediate hosts was responsible for the high-impact emerging zoonosis, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) 2-10 . Here we provide virological, epidemiological, evolutionary and experimental evidence that a novel HKU2-related bat coronavirus, swine acute diarrhoea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), is the aetiological agent that was responsible for a large-scale outbreak of fatal disease in pigs in China that has caused the death of 24,693 piglets across four farms. Notably, the outbreak began in Guangdong province in the vicinity of the origin of the SARS pandemic. Furthermore, we identified SADS-related CoVs with 96-98% sequence identity in 9.8% (58 out of 591) of anal swabs collected from bats in Guangdong province during 2013-2016, predominantly in horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus spp.) that are known reservoirs of SARS-related CoVs. We found that there were striking similarities between the SADS and SARS outbreaks in geographical, temporal, ecological and aetiological settings. This study highlights the importance of identifying coronavirus diversity and distribution in bats to mitigate future outbreaks that could threaten livestock, public health and economic growth.

Complete plastid genome structure of 13 Asian Justicia (Acanthaceae) species: comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses.

BACKGROUND: Justicia L. is the largest genus in Acanthaceae Juss. and widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Previous phylogenetic studies have proposed a general phylogenetic framework for Justicia based on several molecular markers. However, their studies were mainly focused on resolution of phylogenetic issues of Justicia in Africa, Australia and South America due to limited sampling from Asia. Additionally, although Justicia plants are of high medical and ornamental values, little research on its genetics was reported. Therefore, to improve the understanding of its genomic structure and relationships among Asian Justicia plants, we sequenced complete chloroplast (cp.) genomes of 12 Asian plants and combined with the previously published cp. genome of Justicia leptostachya Hemsl. for further comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses. RESULTS: All the cp. genomes exhibit a typical quadripartite structure without genomic rearrangement and gene loss. Their sizes range from 148,374 to 151,739 bp, including a large single copy (LSC, 81,434-83,676 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 16,833-17,507 bp) and two inverted repeats (IR, 24,947-25,549 bp). GC contents range from 38.1 to 38.4%. All the plastomes contain 114 genes, including 80 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNAs and 4 rRNAs. IR variation and repetitive sequences analyses both indicated that Justicia grossa C. B. Clarke is different from other Justicia species because its lengths of ndhF and ycf1 in IRs are shorter than others and it is richest in SSRs and dispersed repeats. The ycf1 gene was identified as the candidate DNA barcode for the genus Justicia. Our phylogenetic results showed that Justicia is a polyphyletic group, which is consistent with previous studies. Among them, J. grossa belongs to subtribe Tetramerinae of tribe Justicieae while the other Justicia members belong to subtribe Justiciinae. Therefore, based on morphological and molecular evidence, J. grossa should be undoubtedly recognized as a new genus. Interestingly, the evolutionary history of Justicia was discovered to be congruent with the morphology evolution. CONCLUSION: Our study not only elucidates basic features of Justicia whole plastomes, but also sheds light on interspecific relationships of Asian Justicia plants for the first time.

Highly sensitive and rapid determination of Mycobacterium leprae based on real-time multiple cross displacement amplification.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium leprae (ML) is the pathogen that causes leprosy, which has a long history and still exists today. ML is an intracellular mycobacterium that dominantly induces leprosy by causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes as well as deformities and disabilities. Moreover, ML grows slowly and is nonculturable in vitro. Given the prevalence of leprosy, a highly sensitive and rapid method for the early diagnosis of leprosy is urgently needed. RESULTS: In this study, we devised a novel tool for the diagnosis of leprosy by combining restriction endonuclease, real-time fluorescence analysis and multiple cross displacement amplification (E-RT-MCDA). To establish the system, primers for the target gene RLEP were designed, and the optimal conditions for E-RT-MCDA at 67 °C for 36 min were determined. Genomic DNA from ML, various pathogens and clinical samples was used to evaluate and optimize the E-RT-MCDA assay. The limit of detection (LoD) was 48.6 fg per vessel for pure ML genomic DNA, and the specificity of detection was as high as 100%. In addition, the detection process could be completed in 36 min by using a real-time monitor. CONCLUSION: The E-RT-MCDA method devised in the current study is a reliable, sensitive and rapid technique for leprosy diagnosis and could be used as a potential tool in clinical settings.

Open abdominal aortic repair in the current era has more complications for occlusive disease than for aneurysm repair.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular intervention has become the first-line treatment of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). However, open abdominal aortic repair remains a valuable treatment option for patients who are younger, those with unfavorable anatomy, and patients for whom endovascular intervention has failed. The cohort of patients undergoing open repair has become highly selected; nevertheless, updated outcomes or patient selection recommendations have been unavailable. In the present study, we explored and compared the characteristics and postoperative outcomes of patients who had undergone open abdominal aortic repair from 2009 to 2018. METHODS: Patients who had undergone open AAA (n = 9481) or AIOD (n = 9257) repair were collected from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. The primary outcome was the 30-day mortality. The secondary outcomes included 30-day return to the operating room, total operative time, total hospital stay, and postoperative complications. Unmatched and matched differences between the two groups and changes over time were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to assess the risk factors predicting for 30-day mortality. RESULTS: After propensity matching (n = 4980), those in the AIOD group had had a higher 30-day mortality rate (5.1% vs 4.1%; P = .021), a higher incidence of wound complications (7.4% vs 5.1%; P<.0001) and an increased 30-day return to the operating room (14.2% vs 9.1%; P < .0001). More open AIOD cases (P = .02) and fewer open AAA cases (P = .04) had been treated in the second half of the decade than in the first. The factors associated with an increased odds of 30-day mortality included advanced age, American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥III, functional dependence, blood transfusion <72 hours before surgery, weight loss in previous 6 months, and a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. CONCLUSIONS: From 2009 to 2018, the number of open AAA repairs decreased and the proportion of open abdominal AIOD cases increased. Open AIOD surgery was associated with higher 30-day mortality, increased return to the operating room, and increased wound complications vs open AAA repair. Multiple risk factors increased the odds for perioperative mortality. Thus, open abdominal aortic repair should be selectively applied to patients with fewer risk factors.

Effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors: A Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Observational studies have demonstrated that serum branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with the risk of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and their risk factors. However, the causal effect is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of genetically determined BCAA levels on CVDs and their risk factors using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed univariable and multivariable MR analyses using summary-level data from multiple GWASs and the FinnGen consortium to investigate the association between BCAA levels and the risk of CVDs (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and intracerebral hemorrhage) and their risk factors (atrial fibrillation, hypertension, heart failure, and valvular heart disease). We used the random-effects IVW approach as the primary statistical method and incorporated MR estimates from different data sources using the fixed-effects model. We found genetically determined total and individual BCAA levels and a high risk of hypertension. However, there is no evidence of a causal relationship between BCAA levels and 3 cardiovascular diseases and other their risk factors. The odds of hypertension increased per 1-SD increase in BCAA levels (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04; P = 0.005), valine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03; P<0.0001), leucine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.04; P＜0.01), and isoleucine (OR = 1.02 95% CI: 1.01, 1.03; P < 0.0001). This result was also significant in the multivariable MR. CONCLUSIONS: This MR study suggests that total and individual BCAA levels could be associated with a high risk of hypertension.

The Underappreciated Placebo Effects and Responses in Randomized Controlled Trials on Neck Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify placebo effects and responses in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on neck pain and explore how they would influence the treatment of neck pain. DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from the inception of August 15, 2021, to identify relevant RCTs. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: The abstracts and full texts of potential studies were independently screened, and data extraction was also independently performed by 2 researchers. Scales of the score measuring neck pain and the scores both at baseline and the endpoint were extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 60 RCTs were included. The mean improvement in the pain score after placebo treatment was 15.65 (mean difference [MD]=-15.65, 95% confidence interval; CI [-19.19, -12.12]; P<.05), which we defined as the placebo response. In the active groups, it was 25.91 (MD=-25.91, 95% CI [-29.15, -22.68]; P<.05), and in the no-treatment groups, it was 5.80 (MD=-5.80, 95% CI [13.28, 1.69]; P=.13). Using the 3 MDs from the 3 groups, the placebo effect was calculated to account for 38.0% of the pain score improvement in the active group. CONCLUSIONS: The pain scores of patients with neck pain were reduced after treatment with placebos, but the magnitude of pain score reduction was not clinically significant enough. The 38.0% amount of pain score reduction in patients treated with active interventions was caused by placebo. Interventions with considerable clinically significance for neck pain were still required.

Effect of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin on Patency in High-Risk Bypass Patients.

BACKGROUND: The use of warfarin for anticoagulation in thromboembolic disease has been the mainstay of treatment. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have demonstrated equivalent anticoagulant effects, without increased bleeding risks or need for frequent monitoring. However, the role of DOACs remains unclear in the setting of replacing warfarin for high-risk peripheral artery disease (PAD) interventions. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of DOACs compared to warfarin during the postoperative period in patients that underwent a lower extremity high-risk bypass (HRB). METHODS: The study is a single institution, retrospective review of all lower extremity HRBs between January 2012 and June 2021, who were previously placed on or started on anticoagulation with a DOAC or warfarin. The HRB group included all patients undergoing femoral to above or below knee bypass with an adjunct procedure, or below knee bypass with synthetic or composite vein conduit. All demographics, preoperative factors, and complications were evaluated with respect to DOAC versus warfarin. RESULTS: A total of 44 patients (28 males; average age 68.8 ± 10.9) underwent an HRB during the study period. There were no significant differences in demographics and preoperative characteristics between the 2 groups. Among patient comorbidities, coronary artery disease was found to be significantly higher in patients on DOACs (P = 0.03). The 12-month primary patency rate was 83.3% versus 57.1%, for DOAC versus warfarin respectively (P = 0.03). Multivariate analyses revealed that <30-day reinterventions contribute to 12-month patency (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent lower extremity HRB with postoperative DOAC appeared to exhibit higher graft patency rates than those who were placed on warfarin. Due to their low incidence of undesirable side effects and the lack of frequent monitoring, DOACs could be considered a safe alternative to warfarin in the postoperative period for patients with HRB.

Comprehensive Evolution and Expression anaLysis of PHOSPHATE 1 Gene Family in Allotetraploid Brassica napus and Its Diploid Ancestors.

The members of PHOSPHATE 1 (PHO1) family play important roles in plant phosphate (Pi) transport and adaptation to Pi deficiency. The functions of PHO1 family proteins have been reported in several plant species, with the exception of Brassica species. Here, we identified 23, 23, and 44 putative PHO1 family genes in Brassica rapa, Brassica oleracea, and Brassica napus by whole genome analysis, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis divided PHO1 family proteins into eight groups, which represented the orthologous relationships among PHO1 members. The gene structure and the conserved motif analysis indicated that the most PHO1 family genes had similar gene structures and the PHO1 proteins shared mutual conserved motifs. The chromosome distribution analysis showed that the majority of BnPHO1 family genes distributed analogously at chromosomes with BrPHO1 and BoPHO1 family genes. The data showed that PHO1 family genes were highly conserved during evolution from diploid to tetraploid. Furthermore, the expression analysis showed that PHO1 family genes had different expression patterns in plant tissues, suggesting the diversity of gene functions in Brassica species. Meanwhile, the expression analysis also revealed that some PHO1 family genes were significantly responsive to Pi deficiency, suggesting that PHO1 family genes play critical roles in Pi uptake and homeostasis under low Pi stress. Altogether, the characteristics of PHO1 family genes provide a reliable groundwork for further dissecting their functions in Brassica species.

Quantitative Detection of In Vivo Aggregation Degree for Enhanced M2 Macrophage MR Imaging.

In situ self-assembly in vivo can be used in the enhanced diagnosis and therapy of major diseases such as cancer and bacterial infections on the basis of an assembly/aggregation-induced-retention (AIR) effect. However, the aggregation degree (αagg) is a significant parameter for determining the delivery efficiency to lesions in a complex physiological environment and a real-time quantitative calculation of the aggregation degree in vivo is still a great challenge. Here, we developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for sensitive and quantitative calculation of αagg with a detection limit of 10-4 M and a bioactivated in vivo assembly (BIVA) magnetic resonance (MR) probe was optimized for enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging of M2 macrophages in tumors. Our MRI quantitative calculation method had a high fitting degree (R2 = 0.987) with the gold standard fluorescence (FL) method. On the basis of the BIVA mechanism of CD206 active targeting and cathepsin B specific tailoring to induce an in situ nanofiber assembly, our optimized BIVA probe exhibited a high intracellular aggregation degree of over 70% and a high in vivo αagg value of over 55%. Finally, the aggregation-enhanced T1 MR signal and the AIR effect both contributed to enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging of M2 macrophages in triple-negative breast cancer. We believe that our αagg real-time quantitative calculation method of MRI will help to further screen and optimize the in vivo enhanced imaging and treatment of the BIVA drug.

Functional Properties of Corn Byproduct-Based Emulsifier Prepared by Hydrothermal-Alkaline.

As consumers' interest in nature-sourced additives has increased, zein has been treated hydrothermally under alkaline conditions to prepare a nature-sourced emulsifier. The effects of mild hydrothermal-alkaline treatment with different temperatures or alkaline concentrations on the emulsifying properties of zein were investigated. The emulsification activity and stability index of zein hydrolysates increased by 39% and 164%, respectively. The optimal simple stabilized emulsion was uniform and stable against heat treatment up to 90 °C, sodium chloride up to 200 mmol/L, and pH values ranging from 6 to 9. Moreover, it presented excellent storage stability compared to commonly used food emulsifiers. The surface hydrophobicity caused the depolymerization of the tertiary structure of zein and the dissociation of subunits along with exposure of hydrophilic groups. The amino acid composition and circular dichroism results reveal that the treatment dissociated protein subunits and transformed α-helices into anti-parallel ß-sheets and random coil. In conclusion, mild hydrothermal-alkaline treatment may well contribute to the extended functional properties of zein as a nature-sourced emulsifier.

Comparative efficacy of osteochondral autologous transplantation and microfracture in the knee: an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: More than 19% of patients undergoing knee arthroscopies suffers from articular cartilage defects. The chondral or osteochondral lesion has negative impacts on the knee joints function and the life quality of patients. However, the treatment remains challenging as hyaline cartilage is not renewable. The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the data of randomized controlled trials for comparing the postoperative outcomes between osteochondral autologous transplantation (OAT) and microfracture (MF) procedure. We hypothesized that the outcomes were better in OAT than MF procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search of the EMBASE, Pubmed, and Cochrane Library databases was conducted based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The outcome measures include: the rate of excellent or good results, the rate of return to sports, the failure rate, osteoarthritis rate, International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) score, Lysholm Knee Score, and Tegner scale. The statistical analysis was completed using Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.3) software. RESULTS: The systematic search identified 7 studies with a total of 346 patients. The pooled result showed significant differences between the two groups in the rate of return to sports and failure. The following outcome scores showed significant improvement (pre- vs postoperatively): Lysholm score (p = 0.02), Tegner scale (p < 0.00001), and ICRS score (p < 0.00001). The differences were not significant in the excellent or good results and the rate of osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: The patients in OAT group may return to play quicker, even return to pre-injury level of activity compared to the MF group. OAT is better than MF procedure in accordance with Lysholm score, Tegner score, ICRS score, and the rate of failure. However, few studies have reported long-term outcomes and there has no uniform criteria for safe return to sports. Further research is needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Transection of the ventral hippocampal commissure impairs spatial reference but not contextual or spatial working memory.

Plasticity is a neural phenomenon in which experience induces long-lasting changes to neuronal circuits and is at the center of most neurobiological theories of learning and memory. However, too much plasticity is maladaptive and must be balanced with substrate stability. Area CA3 of the hippocampus provides such a balance via hemispheric lateralization, with the left hemisphere dominant in providing plasticity and the right specialized for stability. Left and right CA3 project bilaterally to CA1; however, it is not known whether this downstream merging of lateralized plasticity and stability is functional. We hypothesized that interhemispheric convergence of input from these pathways is essential for integrating spatial memory stored in the left CA3 with navigational working memory facilitated by the right CA3. To test this, we severed interhemispheric connections between the left and right hippocampi in mice and assessed learning and memory. Despite damage to this major hippocampal fiber tract, hippocampus-dependent navigational working memory and short- and long-term memory were both spared. However, tasks that required the integration of information retrieved from memory with ongoing navigational working memory and navigation were impaired. We propose that one function of interhemispheric communication in the mouse hippocampus is to integrate lateralized processing of plastic and stable circuits to facilitate memory-guided spatial navigation.

Circ_0001093 promotes glutamine metabolism and cancer progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by targeting miR-579-3p/glutaminase axis.

Increasing studies indicate that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in tumor metabolism of multiple cancers. However, the contribution of circRNAs in glutamine metabolism of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains elusive. The objective of this research was to investigate the role and mechanism of circRNA hsa_circ_0001093 (circ_0001093) in the glutamine metabolism and tumorigenesis of ESCC. Circ_0001093, microRNA-579-3p (miR-579-3p) and glutaminase (GLS) expressions in ESCC tissues and cell lines were measured by qRT-PCR, tissue array or Western blot. Cell proliferation, invasion and migration were assessed by CCK-8 or transwell assays. Glutamine consumption, glutamate and ATP production were detected by indicated assay kits. The relationships between circ_0001093 and miR-579-3p or GLS mRNA were investigated by bioinformatics analysis, RNA pull-down, luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Here, we found that circ_0001093 expression was up-regulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines. Increased circ_0001093 expression predicted an unfavourable prognosis, and was associated with the lymph node metastasis, TNM staging and tumor size in ESCC tissues. Circ_0001093 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, invasion, migration and glutamine metabolism of ESCC cells, while circ_0001093 over-expression showed the opposite effects. Mechanistically, circ_0001093 acted as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) by sponging miR-579-3p, thereby increasing GLS expression. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of circ_0001093 knockdown on the invasion, migration and glutamine metabolism were partly rescued by miR-579-3p inhibition or GLS over-expression in ESCC cells. Additionally, miR-579-3p expression was down-regulated in ESCC tissues, while GLS expression was up-regulated. In conclusion, this study first provides evidence that the circ_0001093/miR-579-3p/GLS regulatory network can affect glutamine metabolism and malignant phenotype of ESCC, which can further impact ESCC progression.

Peptide supplementation relieves stress and enhances glycolytic flux in filamentous fungi during organic acid bioproduction.

Filamentous fungi occupy a uniquely favorable position in the bioproduction of organic acids. Intracellular stress is the main stimulator in filamentous fungi to produce and accumulate organic acids with high flux. However, stress can affect the physiological activities of filamentous fungi, thereby deteriorating their fermentation performance. Herein, we report that peptide supplementation during Rhizopus oryzae fermentation significantly improved fumaric acid production. Specifically, fumaric acid productivity was elevated by approximately 100%, fermentation duration was shortened from 72 to 36 h, while maintaining the final titer. Furthermore, transcriptome profile analysis and biochemical assays indicated that the overall capabilities of the stress defense systems (enzymatic and nonenzymatic) were significantly improved in R. oryzae. Consequently, glycolytic metabolism was distinctly enhanced, which eventually resulted in improved fumaric acid production and reduced fermentation duration. We expect our findings and efforts to provide essential insights into the optimization of the fermentation performance of filamentous fungi in industrial biotechnology and fermentation engineering.

Chromatin openness of donor cells is directly correlated with the in vitro developmental capabilities of cloned buffalo embryos.

The Switch/sucrose nonfermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodelling complex is closely related to chromatin openness and gene transcriptional activity. To understand if the chromatin openness of donor cells was related to the development efficiency of somatic cell cloning embryos, two buffalo fetal fibroblasts (BFF), BFF1 and BFF3, with significantly different cloned blastocyst development rates (18.4% and 30.9% respectively), were selected in this study. The expression of SWI/SNF complex genes, chromatin openness, and transcript level of these two cell lines were analysed, and the effect of ATP on the expression of the SWI/SNF complex genes was further explored. The results showed that compared with BFF1, the expression of SWI/SNF complex family genes was higher in BFF3 at the G0/G1 phase, where SMARCC1, SMARCC2 and SMARCE1 were significantly different (p < .05). Assay of Transposase Accessible Chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) results showed that, at the genome-wide level, BFF3 had more open chromatin, especially which having more open chromatin peaks at SMARCA4, SMARCA2, and RBPMS2 (RNA Binding Protein, mRNA Processing Factor 2) sites. In total, 2,712 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by the RNA-Seq method, with 1380 up- and 1332 down-regulated genes in BFF3. Interestingly, the ATPase-related genes ATP1B1 and ATP11A were extreme significantly up-regulated in BFF3 (p < .01). The ATP content and the expression of SWI/SNF complex genes in both BFF1 and BFF3 decreased when treated with rotenone. The above results demonstrated that the SWI/SNF complex contributed to chromatin opening, and chromatin opening of donor cells was essential for cloned embryo development.

BRCA1/2 Serves as a Biomarker for Poor Prognosis in Breast Carcinoma.

BRCA1/2 are breast cancer susceptibility genes that are involved in DNA repair and transcriptional control. They are dysregulated in breast cancer, making them attractive therapeutic targets. Here, we performed a systematic multiomics analysis to expound BRCA1/2 functions as prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer. First, using different web-based bioinformatics platforms (Oncomine, TIMER 2.0, UALCAN, and cBioportal), the expression of BRCA1/2 was assessed. Then, the R package was used to analyze the diagnostic value of BRCA1/2 in patients. Next, we determined the relationship between BRCA1/2 mRNA expression and prognosis in patients (PrognoScan Database, R2: Kaplan Meier Scanner and Kaplan−Meier Plotter). Subsequently, the association of BRCA1/2 with mutation frequency alteration and copy number alterations in breast cancer was investigated using the cBioportal platform. After that, we identified known and predicted structural genes and proteins essential for BRCA1/2 functions using GeneMania and STRING db. Finally, GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed to elucidate the potential biological functions of the co-expression genes of BRCA1/2. The BRCA1/2 mRNA level in breast cancer tissues was considerably higher than in normal tissues, with AUCs of 0.766 and 0.829, respectively. Overexpression of BRCA1/2 was significantly related to the worse overall survival (p < 0.001) and was correlated to clinicopathological characteristics including lymph nodes, estrogen receptors, and progesterone receptors (p < 0.01). The alteration frequencies of both the gens have been checked, and the results show that BRCA1 and BRCA2 show different alteration frequencies. Their mutation sites differ from each other. GO and KEGG showed that BRCA1/2 was mainly enriched in catalytic activity, acting on DNA, chromosomal region, organelle fission, cell cycle, etc. The 20 most frequently changed genes were closely related to BRCA1/2, including PALB2 and RAD51 relatively. Our study provides suggestive evidence of the prognostic role of BRCA1/2 in breast cancer and the therapeutic target for breast cancer. Furthermore, BRCA1/2 may influence BRCA prognosis through catalytic activity, acting on DNA, chromosomal regions, organelle fission, and the cell cycle. Nevertheless, further validation is warranted.