CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSER OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 5 is an RNA-binding protein controlling plant immunity via an RNA processing complex.

Plant innate immunity is capable of combating diverse and ever evolving pathogens. The plasticity of innate immunity could be boosted by RNA processing. Arabidopsis thaliana CONSTITUTIVE EXPRESSER OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES 5 (CPR5), a key negative immune regulator, is a component of the nuclear pore complex. Here we further identified CPR5 as a component of RNA processing complexes. Through genetic screening, we found that RNA splicing activator NineTeen Complex and RNA polyadenylation factor CLEAVAGE AND POLYADENYLATION SPECIFICITY FACTOR, coordinately function downstream of CPR5 to activate plant immunity. CPR5 and these two regulators form a complex that is localized in nuclear speckles, an RNA processing organelle. Intriguingly, we found that CPR5 is an RNA-binding protein belonging to the Transformer 2 (Tra2) subfamily of the serine/arginine-rich family. The RNA recognition motif of CPR5 protein binds the Tra2-targeted RNA sequence in vitro and is functionally replaceable by those of Tra2 subfamily proteins. In planta, it binds RNAs of CPR5-regulated alternatively spliced genes (ASGs) identified by RNA-seq. ARGONAUTE 1 (AGO1) is one of the ASGs and, consistent with this, the ago1 mutant suppresses the cpr5 phenotype. These findings reveal that CPR5 is an RNA-binding protein linking RNA processing with plant immunity.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 promotes HuR/ELAVL1 cytoplasmic localization and inflammatory gene expression by regulating p38 MAPK activity.

Post-transcriptional regulation of cytokine/chemokine mRNA turnover is critical for immune processes and contributes to the mammalian cellular response to diverse inflammatory stimuli. The ubiquitous RNA-binding protein human antigen R (HuR) is an integral regulator of inflammation-associated mRNA fate. HuR function is regulated by various post-translational modifications that alter its subcellular localization and ability to stabilize target mRNAs. Both poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) have been reported to regulate the biological function of HuR, but their specific regulatory and crosstalk mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we show that PARP1 acts via p38 to synergistically promote cytoplasmic accumulation of HuR and stabilization of inflammation-associated mRNAs in cells under inflammatory conditions. Specifically, p38 binds to auto-poly ADP-ribosylated (PARylated) PARP1 resulting in the covalent PARylation of p38 by PARP1, thereby promoting the retention and activity of p38 in the nucleus. In addition, PARylation of HuR facilitates the phosphorylation of HuR at the serine 197 site mediated by p38, which then increases the translocation of HuR to the cytoplasm, ultimately stabilizing the inflammation-associated mRNA expression at the post-transcriptional level.

Improved 2α-Hydroxylation Efficiency of Steroids by CYP154C2 Using Structure-Guided Rational Design.

Cytochrome P450 enzymes are promising biocatalysts for industrial use because they catalyze site-selective C-H oxidation and have diverse catalytic reactions and a broad substrate range. In this study, the 2α-hydroxylation activity of CYP154C2 from Streptomyces avermitilis MA-4680T toward androstenedione (ASD) was identified by an in vitro conversion assay. The testosterone (TES)-bound structure of CYP154C2 was solved at 1.42 Å, and this structure was used to design eight mutants, including single, double, and triple mutants, to improve the conversion efficiency. Mutants L88F/M191F and M191F/V285L were found to enhance the conversion rates significantly (i.e., 8.9-fold and 7.4-fold for TES, 46.5-fold and 19.5-fold for ASD, respectively) compared with the wild-type (WT) enzyme while retaining high 2α-position selectivity. The substrate binding affinity of the L88F/M191F mutant toward TES and ASD was enhanced compared with that of WT CYP154C2, supporting the measured increase in the conversion efficiencies. Moreover, the total turnover number and kcat/Km of the L88F/M191F and M191F/V285L mutants increased significantly. Interestingly, all mutants containing L88F generated 16α-hydroxylation products, suggesting that L88 in CYP154C2 plays a vital role in substrate selectivity and that the amino acid corresponding to L88 in the 154C subfamily affects the orientation of steroid binding and substrate selectivity. IMPORTANCE Hydroxylated derivatives of steroids play essential roles in medicine. Cytochrome P450 enzymes selectively hydroxylate methyne groups on steroids, which can dramatically change their polarity, biological activity and toxicity. There is a paucity of reports on the 2α-hydroxylation of steroids, and documented 2α-hydroxylate P450s show extremely low conversion efficiency and/or low regio- and stereoselectivity. This study conducted crystal structure analysis and structure-guided rational engineering of CYP154C2 and efficiently enhanced the conversion efficiency of TES and ASD with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Our results provide an effective strategy and theoretical basis for the 2α-hydroxylation of steroids, and the structure-guided rational design of P450s should facilitate P450 applications in the biosynthesis of steroid drugs.

Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics of Rhabdomyolysis: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Rhabdomyolysis (RM) refers to a clinical syndrome in which muscle cells are damaged by various causes and the clinical manifestations are mainly muscle pain, weakness, and dark urine. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of RM with complex mechanisms and high mortality. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations, early diagnosis and treatment of RM are crucial to improve its prognosis. Method: Analysis of medical records of RM patients admitted to Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from October 2019 to October 2022. Statistical software SPSS 25.0 was used to analyze the data. The risk factors of RM-complicated AKI were analyzed by logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated, and the optimal cutoff value was determined by the Youden index. P < 0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference between the groups. Result: Among the 71 patients, the median age of the patients was 53.0 (30.0, 71.0) years and was 2.5 times higher in men than in women. Infection was the most common etiology. History of alcohol consumption, CK, and creatinine were independent influencing factors for AKI due to RM. Logistic regression analysis showed that CK combined with creatinine had a better predictive value than the single index. Conclusion: Our study revealed the clinical and laboratory characteristics of RM in the population attending the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital in the last three years, which is a reference for future multicenter, prospective studies.

Advances in the use of recycled non-ferrous slag as a resource for non-ferrous metal mine site remediation.

The growing global demand for non-ferrous metals has led to serious environmental issues involving uncovered mine site slag dumps that threaten the surrounding soils, surface waters, groundwater, and the atmosphere. Remediation of these slags using substitute cement materials for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and precursors for alkali-activated materials (AAMs) can convert hazardous solid wastes into valuable construction materials, as well as to attain the desired solidification and stabilization (S/S) of heavy metal(loid)s (HM). This review discusses the current research on the effect of non-ferrous slags on the reaction mechanisms of the OPC and AAM. The S/S of HM from the non-ferrous slags in AAM and OPC is also reviewed. HM can be stabilized in these materials based on the complex salt effect and isomorphic effects. The major challenges faced in AAMs and OPC for HM stabilization include the long-term durability of the matrix (e.g., sulfate attack, stability of volume). The existing knowledge gaps and future trends for the sustainable application of non-ferrous slags are also discussed.

Transcutaneous Electrical Acustimulation Improved the Quality of Life in Patients With Diarrhea-Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Patients with diarrhea-dominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) experience abdominal pain and reduced quality of life and need effective treatments. This study aimed to evaluate whether transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) at two acupuncture points, LI4 and ST36, could improve pain and quality of life of patients with IBS-D. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 42 patients with IBS-D who met the Rome IV criteria were randomly divided into two groups: TEA and sham-TEA. TEA was performed through acupoints Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli (ST36) for one hour twice daily for one month, using previously established parameters; sham-TEA was delivered in the same way as TEA but without actual electrical current stimulation. RESULTS: The sham-TEA group showed a significantly higher rate of drop-out than the TEA group (29% vs 0%, p = 0.021). TEA, but not sham-TEA, significantly improved quality of life (before: 78.55 ± 9.62, after: 85.97 ± 9.49, p < 0.0001). Both TEA and sham-TEA reduced abdominal pain; however, TEA was more potent than sham-TEA (p = 0.014). The IBS symptom severity scale score was reduced by both TEA and sham-TEA. Autonomic functions assessed by plasma norepinephrine and pancreatic polypeptide were not altered with TEA, nor was interleukin 10 or interleukin 6. CONCLUSIONS: TEA at LI4 and ST36 improves abdominal pain and quality of life of patients with IBS-D, probably mediated by mechanisms other than autonomic function or inflammatory cytokines.

Quantitative Evaluation of Carbon Fiber Dispersion in Amorphous Calcium Silicate Hydrate-Based Contact-Hardening Composites.

Carbon fiber dispersion has a substantial influence on the properties of amorphous calcium silicate hydrate-based contact-hardening composites. In this study, a mixture of carbon fiber and calcium silicate hydrate powder was compressed into solid composites at 40 MPa for one minute. The mechanical properties and electrical resistivity of the solid materials were measured, and the dispersion of carbon fibers was quantitatively evaluated by digital image processing technology. The Taipalu model was used to build the correlation between the electrical resistivity of the composites and the carbon fiber dispersion. The results of the electrical resistivity showed that the down threshold of carbon fiber content in the contact-hardening composites was 1.0 wt.% and the electrical resistivity was 30,000 Ω·cm. As the fiber content increased to 2.0 wt.%, the electrical resistivity dropped to 2550 Ω·cm, which was attributed to the increase in fiber dispersion uniformity in the solid composites, and the value of the fiber distribution coefficient reached a maximum value of 0.743. A subsequent decrease in the uniformity of the fiber dispersion was observed at a high fiber content. In addition, the carbon fiber content showed a slight influence on the fiber orientation in the contact-hardening composites.

Prognostic significance of long non-coding RNA MALAT1 for predicting the recurrence and metastasis of gallbladder cancer and its effect on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis.

The objective of this study is to explore the role of MALAT1 as a molecular indicator in predicting the recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of gallbladder cancer (GBC) and its effect on the proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis of GBC cells in vitro. GBC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 102 patients. MALAT1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) plasmids were first constructed to transfect the GBC-SD cells. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was applied to detect MALAT1 expression. CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay were applied to testify the cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the values of MALAT1 in GBC recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis. COX regression analysis was applied to analyze the independent influencing factors of GBC patients' survival status. ROC curve results showed that the MALAT1 expression could be a predictor of the GBC recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis. According to the COX regression analysis, MALAT1 expression, tumor size, and TNM stage were independent influencing factors of GBC patients' survival condition. Compared with the GBC-SD cells transfected with empty plasmids, those transfected with MALAT1 shRNA plasmids showed higher apoptosis rates, weakened proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that lncRNA MALAT1 can be considered as an indicator for evaluating the recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of GBC patients. We also demonstrate how the overexpression of MALAT1 confers an oncogenic function in GBC.

Adsorption of azo dyes from aqueous solution by the hybrid MOFs/GO.

In this work, a hybrid of chromium(III) terephthalate metal organic framework (MIL-101) and graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and its performance in the removal of azo dyes (Amaranth, Sunset Yellow, and Carmine) from water was evaluated. The adsorption for azo dyes on MIL-101/GO was compared with that of MIL-101, and it was found that the addition of GO enhanced the stability of MIL-101 in water and increased the adsorption capacity. The maximum adsorption capacities of MIL-101/GO were 111.01 mg g(-1) for Amaranth, 81.28 mg g(-1) for Sunset Yellow, and 77.61 mg g(-1) for Carmine. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics were investigated, showing that the adsorption fits the Freundlich isotherm and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The recyclability of MIL-101/GO was shown by the regeneration by acetone. The high adsorption capability and excellent reusability make MIL-101/GO a competent adsorbent for the removal dyes from aqueous solution.

Iron-modified biochar effectively mitigates arsenic-cadmium pollution in paddy fields: A meta-analysis.

The escalating problem of compound arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils necessitates the urgency for effective remediation strategies. This is compounded by the opposing geochemical behaviors of As and Cd in soil, and the efficacy of biochar treatment remains unclear. This pioneering study integrated 3780 observation pairs referred from 92 peer-reviewed articles to investigate the impact of iron-modified biochar on As and Cd responses across diverse soil environments. Regarding the treatments, 1) biochar significantly decreased the exchangeable and acid-soluble fraction of As (AsF1, 20.9%) and Cd (CdF1, 24.0%) in paddy fields; 2) iron-modified biochar significantly decreased AsF1 (32.0%) and CdF1 (27.4%); 3) iron-modified biochar in paddy fields contributed to the morphological changes in As and Cd, mainly characterized by a decrease in AsF1 (36.5%) and CdF1 (36.3%) and an increase in the reducible fraction of As (19.7%) and Cd (39.2%); and 4) iron-modified biochar in paddy fields increased As (43.1%) and Cd (53.7%) concentrations in the iron plaque on root surfaces. We conclude that iron-modified biochar treatment of paddy fields is promising in remediating As and Cd contamination by promoting the formation of iron plaque.

Volume Deformation and Hydration Behavior of Ordinary Portland Cement/Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement Blends.

Blends of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement can be used to adjust the properties of cement for specific applications. In this study, CSA cement was used as a shrinkage-compensating admixture to improve the hydration behavior and performance (compressive strength and drying shrinkage) of OPC; the expansion behavior of the blended cement mortar was evaluate based on the saturation index of ettringite. The experimental results showed that incorporating CSA cement resulted in a delayed effect on the hydration of C3S, shortened the induction periods of the blended cement and decreased the setting time. The CSA cement also improved the early compressive strength and drying shrinkage of the OPC due to its compact microstructure. The drying shrinkage of the OPC mortar decreased by 27.8% when 6% CSA cement was used, but the formation of microcracks due to expansion could negatively impact its late compressive strength development and associated pore structures of the blends when the replacement content of CSA cement exceeded 6 wt.%. The results relevant to the expansion behavior of the CSA cements could induce crystallization stress, enhancing its resistance against shrinkage cracking.

Effect of air pollution-controlled residue of a sewage sludge incinerator on the drying shrinkage and the pore structure of alkali-activated materials.

Recycling air pollution-controlled residues (APCR) generated from sewage sludge incinerators can be used for waste management, but the leaching of potentially toxic heavy metals from APCR poses environmental and human health issues. The present paper describes a procedure using APCR to produce alkali-activated materials and thereby realize their disposal. The effect of APCR on the compressive strength and drying shrinkage of the alkali-activated slag/glass powder was investigated. The pore structure characteristics were analyzed for clarifying its relationship with drying shrinkage. The results indicated that the drying shrinkage of the alkali-activated material was related to the mesopore volume. The drying shrinkage was slightly increased after the incorporation of the 10 % APCR, which was likely attributed to the high volume of mesopores compared to the 20 % APCR that lowered the drying shrinkage and compressive strength. This decrease in drying shrinkage was due to the recrystallization of sodium sulfate in the pore solution that can act as expansive agents and aggregates. The growth stress of the crystalline sodium sulfate within the matrix can offset the tension stress caused by the water loss. In addition, leaching studies using the SW-846 Method 1311 showed that recycling APCR into the alkali-activated system did not present a toxicity leaching risk or release unacceptable concentrations of heavy metals. The incorporation of waste APCR and waste glass can make AAMs a very promising and safe environmental technology.

The roles of interleukin-17A in risk stratification and prognosis of patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of interleukin (IL)-17A in risk stratification and prognosis of patients with sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SAKI). METHODS: We enrolled 146 sepsis patients (84 non-SAKI and 62 SAKI patients) admitted to the emergency department from November 2020 to November 2021. Patients with SAKI were differentiated based on the severity of acute kidney injury. All clinical parameters were evaluated upon admission before administering antibiotic treatment. Inflammatory cytokines were assessed using flow cytometry and the Pylon 3D automated immunoassay system (ET Healthcare). In addition, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was utilized to determine the prognostic values of IL-17A in SAKI. RESULTS: The levels of creatinine, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin (PCT) were significantly higher in the SAKI group than in the non-SAKI group (p < 0.05). The level of IL-17A revealed significant differences among stages 1, 2, and 3 in SAKI patients (p < 0.05). The mean levels of PCT, IL-4, and IL-17A were significantly higher in the non-survival group than in the survival group in SAKI patients (p < 0.05). In addition, the area under the ROC curve of IL-17A was 0.811. Moreover, the IL-17A cutoff for differentiating survivors from non-survivors was 4.7 pg/mL, of which the sensitivity and specificity were 77.4% and 71.0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Elevated levels of IL-17A could predict that SAKI patients are significantly prone to worsening kidney injury with higher mortality. The usefulness of IL-17A in treating SAKI requires further research.

Multiobjective path optimization of an indoor AGV based on an improved ACO-DWA.

With their intelligence, flexibility, and other characteristics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) have been popularized and promoted in traditional industrial markets and service industry markets. Compared with traditional transportation methods, AGVs can effectively reduce costs and improve the efficiency of problem solving in various application developments, but they also lead to serious path-planning problems. Especially in large-scale and complex map environments, it is difficult for a single algorithm to plan high-quality moving paths for AGVs, and the algorithm solution efficiency is constrained. This paper focuses on the indoor AGV path-planning problem in large-scale, complex environments and proposes an efficient path-planning algorithm (IACO-DWA) that incorporates the ant colony algorithm (ACO) and dynamic window approach (DWA) to achieve multiobjective path optimization. First, inspired by the biological population level, an improved ant colony algorithm (IACO) is proposed to plan a global path for AGVs that satisfies a shorter path and fewer turns. Then, local optimization is performed between adjacent key nodes by improving and extending the evaluation function of the traditional dynamic window method (IDWA), which further improves path security and smoothness. The results of simulation experiments with two maps of different scales show that the fusion algorithm shortens the path length by 9.9 and 14.1% and reduces the number of turns by 60.0 and 54.8%, respectively, based on ensuring the smoothness and safety of the global path. The advantages of this algorithm are verified. QBot2e is selected as the experimental platform to verify the practicability of the proposed algorithm in indoor AGV path planning.

Exosomal circular RNAs: A new frontier in the metastasis of digestive system tumors.

Exosomes are membrane vesicles with a diameter of 30-150 nm. Exosomes are secreted by various types of tumor cell and contain a variety of proteins, circular RNAs (circRNAs), microRNAs and DNA, depending on the host cells. Among them, circRNAs, which are long non-coding endogenous RNAs, form covalently closed and continuous loops that link the 3' and 5' terminals generated by back-splicing. circRNAs have become a hotspot of research. Exosomal circRNAs are in volved in the pathogenesis of cancer, especially metastasis, which is mainly ascribed to the frequently abnormal expression levels within neoplasms. Nonetheless, the functions and regulatory mechanisms of exosomal circRNAs in the progression of digestive system tumors (DSTs) remain unclear. More knowledge on the regulation and network interactions of exosomal circRNAs will help identify superior treatment strategies for the metastasis of DSTs. The present review aims to summarize the existing studies on the functions and mechanisms of exosomal circRNAs in tumorigenesis, and evaluate the associations between the dysregulation of exosomal circRNAs and tumor metastasis.

The Regime of Rural Ecotourism Stakeholders in Poverty-Stricken Areas of China: Implications for Rural Revitalization.

The rural ecotourism system can be defined as a complex association of stakeholders. This system of rural ecotourism in relatively poor areas of China can influence rural revitalization strategies. The purpose of this study is to plan a rural ecotourism system among the tourism enterprises, local residents and government by using an evolutionary game theory. Based on the theoretical analysis, an evolution game model for the three stakeholders is developed and the evolution process of strategies is described by replicator dynamic equations. Then, a simulation method and case was used to analyze the stability of interactions among the stakeholders and determine an equilibrium solution in the finite rationality case. Finally, specific control strategies were proposed to suppress instability and an ideal evolutionarily stable strategy was obtained. This provides a theoretical basis for achieving a win-win situation among the three parties. The results of this study suggest appropriate roles for stakeholders in the rural ecotourism project that provide management implications for rural tourism activities, local economy and rural revitalization.

Functional Characterization of Chemosensory Protein AmalCSP5 From Apple Buprestid Beetle, Agrilus mali (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).

In the sensitive and complex chemo-sensation system of insects, chemosensory proteins (CSPs) can facilitate the transfer of chemical information and play important roles for variable behaviors of insects. We cloned the chemosensory protein AmalCSP5 from antennae of the apple buprestid beetle (Agrilus mali Matsumura), a serious invasive pest of wild apple trees. Expression profiling showed that AmalCSP5 was expressed in various tissues, suggesting its significance in multiple physiological activities and behaviors of A. mali. AmalCSP5 was preferentially expressed in female antennae and male abdomens. AmalCSP5 was able to bind a variety of test volatiles, especially alcohols and esters. AmalCSP5 exhibited good binding affinity for all five test secondary compounds (i.e., procyanidin, phlorizin, kaemferol, chlorogenic acid, and rutin), suggesting its preferential binding abilities to nonvolatile host plant secondary metabolites and critical roles in gustatory perception of nonvolatiles. Tyr27 and Ser69 of AmalCSP5 could form hydrogen bonds with hexyl benzoate and hexyl hexanoate, respectively. Procyanidin, the best ligand among all test compounds, could form hydrogen bonds with three amino acid residues (i.e., Arg7, Leu8, and Lys41) of AmalCSP5. Thus, high ligand binding affinity for AmalCSP5 seemed to be dependent mainly on the formation of hydrogen bonds. The putative key amino acid residues of AmalCSP5 can be used as molecular targets for designing and screening new attractants and repellents for A. mali. Our results provide insights into binding interactions of AmalCSP5 with volatile and nonvolatile ligands, and a firm basis for developing eco-friendly management strategies of A. mali.

Setting and Hardening Behaviour of Alkali-Activated Landfilled Fly Ash-Slag Binder at Room Temperature.

A geopolymer is normally considered an environmentally friendly binder due to the utilisation of industrial wastes. This study focusses on the potential of geopolymer preparation at room temperature from landfilled fly ash (LFA) which has been discharged to the land for more than three years. To accelerate the reaction process, 20-30 wt.% LFA was replaced by ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS). The effect of water glass modulus, Na2O content, water-to-solid ratio, and GGBS content on the setting time and strength development of the binder was discussed. Results showed that to activate LFA, the optimal value of the sodium silicate modulus for alkaline solution was 1.4-1.6 with a Na2O content of 10%, and the water-to-solid ratio was 0.4. In addition, the setting time of the binder reduced with increasing content of GGBS replacement, and the compressive strength increased due to the coexistence of C-(A)-S-H and zeolite-like phases. The maximum compressive strength of the binder was 29.2 MPa after 56 days of curing. The relatively low strength was likely due to the absence of the Q4 unit with a three-dimensional structure.

Hydrogen Sulfide Maintained the Good Appearance and Nutrition in Post-harvest Tomato Fruits by Antagonizing the Effect of Ethylene.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) could act as a versatile signaling molecule in delaying fruit ripening and senescence. Ethylene (C2H4) also plays a key role in climacteric fruit ripening, but little attention has been given to its interaction with H2S in modulating fruit ripening and senescence. To study the role of H2S treatment on the fruit quality and nutrient metabolism, tomato fruits at white mature stage were treated with ethylene and ethylene plus H2S. By comparing to C2H4 treatment, we found that additional H2S significantly delayed the color change of tomato fruit, and maintained higher chlorophyll and lower flavonoids during storage. Moreover, H2S could inhibit the activity of protease, maintained higher levels of nutritional-related metabolites, such as anthocyanin, starch, soluble protein, ascorbic acid by comparing to C2H4 treatment. Gene expression analysis showed that additional H2S attenuated the expression of beta-amylase encoding gene BAM3, UDP-glycosyltransferase encoding genes, ethylene-responsive transcription factor ERF003 and DOF22. Furthermore, principal component analysis suggested that starch, titratable acids, and ascorbic acid were important factors for affecting the tomato storage quality, and the correlation analysis further showed that H2S affected pigments metabolism and the transformation of macromolecular to small molecular metabolites. These results showed that additional H2S could maintain the better appearance and nutritional quality than C2H4 treatment alone, and prolong the storage period of post-harvest tomato fruits.

Identification of biomarkers associated with diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer patients based on integrated bioinformatics analysis.

BACKGROUND: The current study aimed to identify potential diagnostic and prognostic gene biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. METHODS: Microarray data of gene expression profiles of CRC from GEO and RNA-sequencing dataset of CRC from TCGA were downloaded. After screening overlapping differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by R software, functional enrichment analyses of the DEGs were performed using the DAVID database. Then, the STRING database and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and identify hub genes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were conducted to assess the diagnostic values of the hub genes. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to screen the potential prognostic genes. Kaplan-Meier curve and the time-dependent ROC curve were used to assess the prognostic values of the potential prognostic genes for CRC patients. RESULTS: Integrated analysis of GEO and TCGA databases revealed 207 common DEGs in CRC. A PPI network consisted of 70 nodes and 170 edges were constructed and top 10 hub genes were identified. The area under curve (AUC) of the ROC curves of the hub genes were 0.900, 0.927, 0.869, 0.863, 0.980, 0.682, 0.903, 0.790, 0.995, and 0.989 for CCL19, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL11, CXCL12, GNG4, INSL5, NMU, PYY, and SST, respectively. A prognostic gene signature consisted of 9 genes including SLC4A4, NFE2L3, GLDN, PCOLCE2, TIMP1, CCL28, SCGB2A1, AXIN2, and MMP1 was constructed with a good performance in predicting overall survivals of CRC patients. The AUC of the time-dependent ROC curve was 0.741 for 5-year survival. CONCLUSION: The results in this study might provide some directive significance for further exploring the potential biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CRC patients.