Evaluation of the Influence of Varied Juncao Grass Substrates on Physiological and Enzymatic Reactions of Pleurotus ostreatus.

Pleurotus ostreutus is one of the world's most commonly consumed mushrooms. The cultivation of mushrooms using wood resources usually results in environmental issues such as deforestation. Juncao grasses, namely (JJ) Cenchrus fungigraminus, (AR) Saccharum arundinaceum, and (MS) Miscanthus floridulus, supplemented with 20% wheat brain, 1% ground coffee, 1% gysum, and 1% lime, were used as the culture mediums in this research, which offers a composting system with a simple formulation that is cheap and feasible for small farms to use in cultivating oyster mushrooms. The present study assessed the different juncao grasses as substrates for growing Pleurotus ostreatus given their enzyme activities, growth, and yields. The results demonstrated that the yields of pleurotus ostreatus grown on JJ, AR, and MS substrates were significantly different at the level of 0.05 and were recorded as follows: 159.2 g/bag, 132 g/bag, and 65.1 g/bag on average, respectively. The biological efficiency of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated in three different substrates was 75.2%, 63.4%, and 28.7%, respectively. Lignin peroxidase (LiP) was the most active enzyme in each culture material among the other enzyme activities expressed differently between the substrate and growing stages. At the same time, other enzyme activities were differently expressed between the substrate and different developmental stages. Nutrient analysis revealed significant variations, with differences in polysaccharides, proteins, and amino acids among substrates, as well as the presence of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium in all samples within safe limits. The obtained results indicated that Saccharum arundinaceum is a good substrate in place of Cenchrus fungigraminus, and that using Miscanthus floridulus is not productive. Moreover, the juncao grasses offer a sustainable approach that reduces reliance on wood-based substrates and enhances environmental sustainability.

A Spatiotemporal Transcriptome Reveals Stalk Development in Pearl Millet.

Pearl millet is a major cereal crop that feeds more than 90 million people worldwide in arid and semi-arid regions. The stalk phenotypes of Poaceous grasses are critical for their productivity and stress tolerance; however, the molecular mechanisms governing stalk development in pearl millet remain to be deciphered. In this study, we spatiotemporally measured 19 transcriptomes for stalk internodes of four different early developmental stages. Data analysis of the transcriptomes defined four developmental zones on the stalks and identified 12 specific gene sets with specific expression patterns across the zones. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), we found that two co-expression modules together with candidate genes were involved in stalk elongation and the thickening of pearl millet. Among the elongation-related candidate genes, we established by SELEX that a MYB-family transcription factor PMF7G02448 can bind to the promoters of three cell wall synthases genes (CesAs). In summary, these findings provide insights into stalk development and offer potential targets for future genetic improvement in pearl millet.

Production of rare ginsenosides by biotransformation of Panax notoginseng saponins using Aspergillus fumigatus.

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) are the main active components of Panax notoginseng. But after oral administration, they need to be converted into rare ginsenosides by human gut microbiota and gastric juice before they can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream and exert their effects. The sources of rare ginsenosides are extremely limited in P. notoginseng and other medical plants, which hinders their application in functional foods and drugs. Therefore, the production of rare ginsenosides by the transformation of PNS using Aspergillus fumigatus was studied in this research. During 50 days at 25 â„ƒ and 150 rpm, A. fumigatus transformed PNS to 14 products (1-14). They were isolated by varied chromatographic methods, such as silica gel column chromatography, Rp-C18 reversed phase column chromatography, semi-preparative HPLC, Sephadex LH-20 gel column chromatography, and elucidated on the basis of their 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and ESIMS spectroscopic data. Then, the transformed products (1-14) were isolated and identified as Rk3, Rh4, 20 (R)-Rh1, 20 (S)-Protopanaxatriol, C-K, 20 (R)-Rg3, 20 (S)-Rg3, 20 (S)-Rg2, 20 (R)-R2, Rk1, Rg5, 20 (S)-R2, 20 (R)-Rg2, and 20 (S)-I, respectively. In addition, all transformed products (1-14) were tested for their antimicrobial activity. Among them, compounds 5 (C-K) and 7 [20 (S)-Rg3] showed moderate antimicrobial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans with MIC values of 6.25, 1.25 µg/mL and 1.25, 25 µg/mL, respectively. This study lays the foundation for production of rare ginsenosides.

Short-Term Effects of Cenchrus fungigraminus/Potato or Broad Bean Interplanting on Rhizosphere Soil Fertility, Microbial Diversity, and Greenhouse Gas Sequestration in Southeast China.

Cenchrus fungigraminus is a new species and is largely used as forage and mushroom substrate. However, it can usually not be planted on farmland on account of local agricultural land policy. Interplanting Cenchrus fungigraminus with other crops annually (short-term) is an innovative strategy to promote the sustainable development of the grass industry in southern China. To further investigate this, C. fungigraminus mono-planting (MC), C. fungigraminus-potato interplanting (CIP) and C. fungigraminus-broad bean interplanting (CIB) were performed. Compared to MC, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), soil organic matter (SOM), ammoniacal nitrogen (AMN), pH and soil amino sugars had a positive effect on the rhizosphere soil of CIP and CIB, as well as enhancing soil nitrogenase, nitrite reductase, and peroxidase activities (p < 0.05). Moreover, CIP improved the root vitality (2.08 times) and crude protein (1.11 times). In addition, CIB enhanced the crude fiber of C. fungigraminus seedlings. These two interplanting models also improved the microbial composition and diversity (Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota, etc.) in the rhizosphere soil of C. fungigraminus seedlings. Among all the samples, 189 and 59 genes were involved in methane cycling and nitrogen cycling, respectively, which improved the presence of the serine cycle, ribulose monophosphate, assimilatory nitrate reduction, methane absorption, and glutamate synthesis and inhibited denitrification. Through correlation analysis and the Mantel test, the putative functional genes, encoding functions in both nitrogen and methane cycling, were shown to have a significant positive effect on pH, moisture, AMN, SOM, SMBC, and soil peroxidase activity, while not displaying a significant effect on soil nitrogenase activity and total amino sugar (p < 0.05). The short-term influence of the interplanting model was shown to improve land use efficiency and economic profitability per unit land area, and the models could provide sustainable agricultural production for rural revitalization.

Effect of Organic, Nano, and Inorganic Zinc Sources on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Function, and Intestinal Health of Young Broilers.

The study aimed to determine the effects of different zinc sources on growth performance, antioxidant function, and intestinal health of broilers. In total, 240 Ross 308 male broilers with similar weight were randomly assigned to 4 treatments, including zinc sulfate, methionine zinc (Zn-Met), glycine zinc (Zn-Gly), and nano-zinc oxide (ZnO-NPs), with 80 mg zinc/kg diet supplementation. The experiment lasted for 21 days. Results showed dietary supplemental Zn-Gly and Zn-Met increased average daily gain during 1-14 days (P = 0.011), and Zn-Gly, Zn-Met, and ZnO-NP supplementation decreased the ratio of feed to gain during 1-21 days (P = 0.003) compared to zinc sulfate. ZnO-NPs supplementation tended to increase total SOD activity (P = 0.068) and had higher serum IgA content and lower MDA level than the other three groups (P < 0.05). Compared with zinc sulfate, Zn-Met and ZnO-NP supplementation decreased TNF-α mRNA expression (P = 0.048). However, serum biochemical indices, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction proteins were not affected by different zinc sources (P > 0.05). A differential trend was observed in the beta diversity of bacterial communities among four groups (P = 0.082). The LEfSe analysis showed that bacterial genera Blautia, Ruminococcaceae, Clostridia, Anaerostipes, Eubacterium_ventriosum, Merdibacter, and Oscillospira were enriched in the ZnSO4 group, and the genera Eubacterium_hallii and Anaerotruncus were enriched in the Zn-Gly group. The genera UCG-009 and UCG010 were enriched in ZnO-NPs and Zn-Met groups, respectively. It should be stated dietary supplemental Zn-Met improved growth performance, ZnO-NPs promoted IgA production and reduced occurrences of oxidative stress and inflammation, and different zinc sources enriched different jejunal bacteria genera.

Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharide Peptide Alleviates Cyclophosphamide-Induced Male Reproductive Injury by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

Chemotherapy is an important factor leading to male infertility. It is crucial to discover safe and effective treatments to prevent male reproductive injury caused by chemotherapy. The Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide peptide (GLPP) has multiple pharmacological activities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether GLPP could protect the male sperm production from chemotherapeutic injury using a mouse model, with testicular damage induced by cyclophosphamide (CP). CP (50 mg/kg/day) was injected intraperitoneally into male ICR mice gavaged with different doses of GLPP at certain spermatogenic stages. The experimental results showed that GLPP alleviated the CP-induced reduction in reproductive organ coefficients and sperm parameters and reduced the morphological damage of testicular tissues in a dose-dependent manner. GLPP significantly improved the reproductive index, sperm-related parameters, sex hormone levels, and histological testis architecture at different spermatogenic stages. Furthermore, GLPP significantly increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), Nrf2, and HO-1, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and Keap-1 in the testicular tissue, indicating reduced oxidative stress. In addition, GLPP limited CP-induced apoptosis via a reduction in Bax expression and increase in Bcl-2 expression. This study suggests that GLPP plays a protective role in spermatogenesis by reducing chemotherapeutic injury and might be developed into drug for male patients receiving chemotherapy.

TNF-α-positive patients with recurrent pregnancy loss: The etiology and management.

BACKGROUND: Elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, specifically recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). These elevated levels may be associated with the presence of autoantibodies. Although TNF-α inhibitors have shown promise in improving pregnancy rates, further research is needed to comprehend their impact and mechanisms in RPL patients. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the association between elevated TNF-α levels and autoantibodies in RPL patients, as well as evaluate the effect of TNF-α inhibition on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A total of 249 RPL patients were included in this study. Serum levels of TNF-α, autoantibodies, and complement were measured and monitored. Among these patients, 138 tested positive for TNF-α, while 111 tested negative. The medical records of these patients were retrospectively evaluated. Additionally, 102 patients with elevated TNF-α levels were treated with TNF-α inhibitors, and their pregnancy outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: TNF-α-positive RPL patients had higher levels of complement C1q, anti-cardiolipin (ACL)-IgA, ACL-IgM ,ACL-IgG, thyroglobulin antibody, and Anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin IgM antibody, as well as a higher positive rate of antinuclear antibodies compared to TNF-α-negative patients (23.19% vs. 12.6%, P< 0.05). Conversely, complement C3 were lower in TNF-α-positive patients (t test, P< 0.05). The use of TNF-α inhibitors led to a reduction in the early abortion rate (13.7% vs. 44.4%, P< 0.001) and an improvement in term delivery rate (52.0% vs. 27.8%, P= 0.012). Furthermore, patients who used TNF-α inhibitors before 5 weeks of pregnancy had a lower early abortion rate (7.7% vs. 24.3%, P= 0.033) and a higher term delivery rate (69.2% vs. 48.6%, P= 0.033). CONCLUSION: TNF-α plays a role in the occurrence and development of RPL, and its expression is closely associated with autoantibodies and complements. TNF-α inhibitors increase the term delivery rate in TNF-α-positive RPL patients, and their use before 5 weeks of pregnancy may more beneficial.

Exploring the Evolutionary History and Phylogenetic Relationships of Giant Reed (Arundo donax) through Comprehensive Analysis of Its Chloroplast Genome.

Giant reed (Arundo donax) is widely distributed across the globe and is considered an important energy crop. This study presents the first comprehensive analysis of the chloroplast genome of giant reed, revealing detailed characteristics of this species' chloroplast genome. The chloroplast genome has a total length of 137,153 bp, containing 84 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes, with a GC content of 39%. Functional analysis indicates that a total of 45 photosynthesis-related genes and 78 self-replication-related genes were identified, which may be closely associated with its adaptability and growth characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Arundo donax cv. Lvzhou No.1 belongs to the Arundionideae clade and occupies a distinct evolutionary position compared to other Arundo species. The findings of this study not only enhance our understanding of the giant reed genome but also provide valuable genetic resources for its application in biotechnology, bioenergy crop development, and ecological restoration.

CDKN2A somatic copy number amplification in normal tissues surrounding gastric carcinoma reduces cancer metastasis risk in droplet digital PCR analysis.

BACKGROUND: The CDKN2A gene is frequently affected by somatic copy number variations (SCNVs, including deletions and amplifications [SCNdel and SCNamp]) in the cancer genome. Using surgical gastric margin tissue samples (SMs) as the diploid reference in SCNV analysis via CDKN2A/P16-specific real-time PCR (P16-Light), we previously reported that the CDKN2A SCNdel was associated with a high risk of metastasis of gastric carcinoma (GC). However, the status of CDKN2A SCNVs in SMs and their clinical significance have not been reported. METHODS: Peripheral white blood cell (WBC) and frozen GC and SM tissue samples were collected from patients (n = 80). Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was used to determine the copy number (CN) of the CDKN2A gene in tissue samples using paired WBCs as the diploid reference. RESULTS: A novel P16-ddPCR system was initially established with a minimal proportion (or limit, 10%) of the detection of CDKN2A CN alterations. While CDKN2A SCNamp events were detected in both SMs and GCs, fewer CDKN2A SCNdel events were detected in SMs than in GCs (15.0% vs. 41.3%, P = 4.77E-04). Notably, significantly more SCNamp and fewer SCNdel of the CDKN2A gene were detected in SMs from GC patients without metastasis than in those from patients with lymph node metastasis by P16-ddPCR (P = 0.023). The status of CDKN2A SCNVs in SM samples was significantly associated with overall survival (P = 0.032). No cancer deaths were observed among the 11 patients with CDKN2A SCNamp. CONCLUSION: CDKN2A SCNVs in SMs identified by P16-ddPCR are prevalent and significantly associated with GC metastasis and overall survival.

Secondary metabolites from the fungus Cladosporium xylophilum.

A new cladosporol derivative xylophilum A (1), together with 10 known compounds (2-11), were isolated from the rice fermentation of the fungus Cladosporium xylophilum. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic methods and comparison of their NMR data with literatures. The antimicrobial activity of compound 1 against 11 kinds of pathogenic microbial was evaluated, but no significant activity was found (MIC >100 µg/ml).

Feasibility of two-step approach for screening NTRK fusion in two major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer within a large cohort.

Our objective is to investigate a cost-effective approach to screen for NTRK fusion in the major subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Evaluate the concordance between immunohistochemistry (IHC) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), as well as between fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and NGS, to detect any discrepancies in methodological consistency between lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Analyze the factors influencing IHC results. A cohort of 1654 patients with NSCLC underwent screening for NTRK fusion using whole slide IHC. The positive cases were analyzed by both FISH and NGS. Totally, 57 tested positive for pan-TRK, with positivity rates of 0.68% (10/1467) for LADC and 29.01% (47/162) for LSCC. FISH showed separate NTRK1 and NTRK3 rearrangements in two pan-TRK-positive LADCs, while all LSCCs tested negative. NGS confirmed functional NTRK fusion in two FISH-positive cases: one involving TPM3-NTRK1 and the other involving SQSTM1-NTRK3. A non-functional fusion of NTRK2-XRCC1 was detected in LSCC, while FISH was negative. According to our approach, the prevalence of NTRK fusion in NSCLC is 0.12%. The concordance rate between IHC and RNA-based NGS was 20% (2/10) in LADC and 0% (0/162) in LSCC. When the positive criteria increased over 50% of tumor cells showing strong staining, the concordance would be 100% (2/2). A concordance rate of 100% (2/2) was observed between FISH and RNA-based NGS in LADC. The expression of pan-TRK was significantly correlated with the tumor proportion score (TPS) of PD-L1 (p < 0.05) and transcript per million (TPM) values of NTRK2 (p < 0.05). We recommend using IHC with strict criteria to screen NTRK fusion in LADC rather than LSCC, confirmed by RNA-based NGS directly. When the NGS results are inconclusive, FISH validation is necessary.

Genomic characterization and risk stratification of esophageal squamous dysplasia.

Objectives: The majority of esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD) patients progress slowly, while a subset of patients can undergo recurrence rapidly or progress to invasive cancer even after proper treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these clinical observations are still largely unknown. Methods: By sequencing the genomic data of 160 clinical samples from 49 tumor-free ESD patients and 88 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients, we demonstrated lower somatic mutation and copy number alteration (CNA) burden in ESD compared with ESCC. Results: Cross-species screening and functional assays identified ACSM5 as a novel driver gene for ESD progression. Furthermore, we revealed that miR-4292 promoted ESD progression and could serve as a non-invasive diagnostic marker for ESD. Conclusions: These findings largely expanded our understanding of ESD genetics and tumorigenesis, which possessed promising significance for improving early diagnosis, reducing overtreatment, and identifying high-risk ESD patients.

Electron-transferring flavoprotein and its dehydrogenase contributed to growth development and virulence in Beauveria bassiana.

Electron-transferring flavoprotein (Etf) and its dehydrogenase (Etfdh) are integral components of the electron transport chain in mitochondria. In this study, we characterize two putative etf genes (Bbetfa and Bbetfb) and their dehydrogenase gene Bbetfdh in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Individual deletion of these genes caused a significant reduction in vegetative growth, conidiation, and delayed conidial germination. Lack of these genes also led to abnormal metabolism of fatty acid and increasing lipid body accumulation. Furthermore, the virulence of Bbetfs and Bbetfdh deletion mutants was severely impaired due to decreasing infection structure formation. Additionally, all deletion strains showed reduced ATP synthesis compared to the wild-type strain. Taken together, Bbetfa and Bbetfb, along with Bbetfdh, play principal roles in fungal vegetative growth, conidiation, conidial germination, and pathogenicity of B. bassiana due to their essential functions in fatty acid metabolism.

"Percentage" and "size" of residual viable tumor in lymph node, the performance in estimating pathologic response of lymph node in non-small cell lung cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

There is no universally accepted method for evaluating lymph node metastasis (LNM) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. Different protocols recommend evaluating the percentage of residual viable tumor (RVT%) and metastatic tumor size (MTS). Our aim was to determine the prognostic significance of RVT% and MTS, and identify the more effective parameter for pathological evaluating LNM. Two independent cohorts were collected (derivation, n = 84; external validation, n = 42). All patients exhibited metastatic cancer or treatment response in lymph nodes post-surgery. In the derivation cohort, we assessed the mean and largest values of MTS and RVT% in LNM, estimating their optimal cutoffs for event-free survival (EFS) using maximally selected rank statistics. Validation was subsequently conducted in the external validation cohort. The quality of prognostic factors was evaluated using the Area Under Curve (AUC). A positive association was identified between RVT% and MTS, but an absolute association could not be conclusively established. In the derivation cohort, neither the largest MTS (cutoff = 6 mm, p = 0.28), largest RVT% (cutoff = 75%, p = 0.23), nor mean RVT% (cutoff = 55%, p = 0.06) were associated with EFS. However, mean MTS (cutoff = 4.5 mm) in lymph nodes was statistically associated with EFS (p = 0.018), validated by the external cohort (p = 0.017). The prognostic value of MTS exceeded that of ypN staging in both cohorts, as evidenced by higher AUC values. The mean value of MTS can effectively serve as a parameter for the pathological evaluation of lymph nodes, with a threshold of 4.5 mm, closely linked to EFS. Its prognostic value outperforms that of ypN staging.

A new illudane sesquiterpene from the edible fungus Pholiota nameko.

Fungi have different genetic expression abilities and biosynthetic pathways under different cultivation conditions, which can produce various secondary metabolites. The "one strain many compounds" strategy is used to activate silent biosynthetic genes of fungi to produce various compounds, which is an effective method. In order to discover various new compounds in the edible fungus Pholiota nameko, a fermentation strategy involving precursor feeding and enzyme inhibitor addition has been employed. A new illudane sesquiterpene (1), along with one known indole diterpenoid alkaloid, cladosporine A (2) were isolated from the extracts of liquid culture of P. nameko. The new compound was identified by combination of 1D and 2D NMR, MS, optical rotation, and ECD calculations. We conducted experiments on the cytotoxicity of all isolated compounds on three cancer cell lines, but we did not observe any significant cytotoxicity (IC50 > 40 µM).

Prevalence and detection methodology for preliminary exploration of NTRK fusion in gastric cancer from a single-center retrospective cohort.

The fusion of neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) is a novel target for cancer therapy and offers hope for patients with gastric cancer (GC). However, there are few studies on the prevalence and detection methods of NTRK fusions in GC. In this study, we used immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a screening method to select cases for molecular testing and evaluated the effectiveness of IHC, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and next-generation sequencing (NGS). We retrospectively collected 1970 patients with GC. Pan-TRK IHC was conducted in all cases, and three cases were positive: one with strong and diffuse cytoplasmic staining, while two with weak cytoplasmic staining. All three cases were validated using NTRK1/2/3 FISH. FISH results revealed a single 3' signal of NTRK1 in 95% of the tumor cells in the first case, while the remaining two cases were negative. NGS confirmed LMNA-NTRK1 fusion in the first case, with no gene fusion detected in the other two cases. Out of 46 negative controls, one had a non-functional fusion of IGR-NTRK1, and four had point mutations. The case with LMNA-NTRK1 fusion were negative for pMMR, EBV, HER2, and AFP. The pan-TRK IHC showed a 33.33% (1/3) concordance rate with RNA-based NGS. If the criterion for positivity was 3+ cytoplasmic staining, the agreement between IHC and RNA-based NGS was 100% (1/1). In conclusion, the incidence of NTRK fusion in GC is extremely low (0.05%). If the criteria are strict, pan-TRK IHC is highly effective for screening NTRK fusions. FISH could complement NGS detection, particularly when NTRK fusion is detected by DNA sequencing. NTRK fusion in GC may not be limited to specific subtypes.

Long-Term Benefits of Cenchrus fungigraminus Residual Roots Improved the Quality and Microbial Diversity of Rhizosphere Sandy Soil through Cellulose Degradation in the Ulan Buh Desert, Northwest China.

Long-term plant residue retention can effectively replenish soil quality and fertility. In this study, we collected rhizosphere soil from the residual roots of annual Cenchrus fungigraminus in the Ulan Buh Desert over the past 10 years. The area, depth, and length of these roots decreased over time. The cellulose content of the residual roots was significantly higher in the later 5 years (2018-2022) than the former 5 years (2013-2017), reaching its highest value in 2021. The lignin content of the residual roots did not differ across samples except in 2015 and reached its highest level in 2021. The total sugar of the residual roots in 2022 was 227.88 ± 30.69 mg·g-1, which was significantly higher than that in other years. Compared to the original sandy soil, the soil organic matter and soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) contents were 2.17-2.41 times and 31.52-35.58% higher in the later 3 years (2020-2022) and reached the highest values in 2020. The residual roots also significantly enhanced the soil carbon stocks from 2018-2022. Soil dehydrogenase, nitrogenase, and N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosidase (S-NAG) were significantly affected from 2019-2022. The rhizosphere soil community richness and diversity of the bacterial and fungal communities significantly decreased with the duration of the residual roots in the sandy soil, and there was a significant difference for 10 years. Streptomyces, Bacillus, and Sphigomonas were the representative bacteria in the residual root rhizosphere soil, while Agaricales and Panaeolus were the enriched fungal genera. The distance-based redundancy analysis and partial least square path model results showed that the duration of residual roots in the sandy soil, S-NAG, and SMBC were the primary environmental characteristics that shaped the microbial community. These insights provide new ideas on how to foster the exploration of the use of annual herbaceous plants for sandy soil improvement in the future.

Ganoderic acids alleviate atherosclerosis by inhibiting macrophage M1 polarization via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by lipid infiltration and plaque formation in blood vessel walls. Ganoderic acids (GA), a class of major bioactive compounds isolated from the Chinese traditional medicine Ganoderma lucidum, have multiple pharmacological activities. This study aimed to determine the anti-atherosclerotic effect of GA and reveal the pharmacological mechanism. METHODS: ApoE-/- mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet and treated with GA for 16 weeks to induce AS and identify the effect of GA. Network pharmacological analysis was performed to predict the anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms. An invitro cell model was used to explore the effect of GA on macrophage polarization and the possible mechanism involved in bone marrow dereived macrophages (BMDMs) and RAW264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide or oxidized low-density lipoprotein. RESULTS: It was found that GA at 5 and 25 mg/kg/d significantly inhibited the development of AS and increased plaque stability, as evidenced by decreased plaque in the aorta, reduced necrotic core size and increased collagen/lipid ratio in lesions. GA reduced the proportion of M1 macrophages in plaques, but had no effect on M2 macrophages. In vitro experiments showed that GA (1, 5, 25 µg/mL) significantly decreased the proportion of CD86+ macrophages and the mRNA levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, and MCP-1 in macrophages. Experimental results showed that GA inhibited M1 macrophage polarization by regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that GA play an important role in plaque stability and macrophage polarization. GA exert the anti-atherosclerotic effect partly by regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathways to inhibit M1 polarization of macrophages. Our study provides theoretical basis and experimental data for the pharmacological activity and mechanisms of GA against AS.

Impact of platinum-based chemotherapy on the tumor mutational burden and immune microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer with postoperative recurrence.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy on the immunotherapeutic biomarkers of postoperative recurrent tumors in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: This study involved twenty-two cases of NSCLC, all of which underwent postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy, with matched surgical samples obtained from both their primary tumors (PTs) and recurrent tumors (RTs). Multiplex immunofluorescence was performed to assess the tumor proportion score (TPS) and immune cells (IC) on whole sections. Whole exon sequencing (WES) was conducted to investigate the tumor mutational burden (TMB) and tumor neoantigen burden (TNB). RESULTS: Compared to paired PTs, RTs exhibited higher PD-L1 expression, along with a slightly elevated density of intratumoral PD-L1+ cells (p = 0.082) and an increased tumor proportion score (mean TPS: 40.51% vs. 28.56%, p = 0.046). Regarding IC infiltration, RTs generally demonstrated significantly lower CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) density (p = 0.011) and lower CD68+ macrophage density (p = 0.005), with a loss of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS). The comparison between RTs and PTs revealed no significant differences in TMB (p = 0.795), whereas the count of TNB in RTs was notably increased compared to PTs (p = 0.033). Prognosis analysis indicated that a higher density of CD8+ CTLs in RTs was positively correlated with improved overall survival (OS). CONCLUSIONS: In NSCLC patients with a history of postoperative platinum-based chemotherapy, the RTs demonstrated a trend towards increased PD-L1 expression and TMB/TNB, but a state of immunosuppression characterized by decreased ICs and loss of TLS, which may potentially impact the therapeutic benefits of immunotherapy.

Core competence of midwives in township hospitals and its influencing factors-A cross-sectional study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the core competence of midwives in township hospitals through a self-assessment questionnaire. The relationship between professional identity and core competence and the factors influencing midwives' core competence was also investigated. Method: Convenience sampling was conducted in 77 township hospitals in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China, with 150 participants. The questionnaires were distributed online in November 2021. We conducted a descriptive data analysis, a correlation analysis of the two variables of professional identity and core competencies, and multivariate linear regression to analyse the influencing factors, including the sociodemographic information, the Midwife Core Competence Scale, and the Nurses' Professional Identity Scale scores. Results: The mean score for the core competence was 206.43 (±37.45) out of 270. The highest score was for pregnancy care (3.97 ± 0.70) and the lowest was for newborn care (3.72 ± 0.78). The independent sample t-test results and one-way analysis of variance showed that qualifications, midwifery training situation, and midwifery working years had differential effects on midwives' core competencies (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression showed that qualifications, midwifery working years, and level of professional identity were influencing factors (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The core competencies of midwives in township hospitals were lower than those reported in other studies. Advancements in education, midwifery working years, and professional identity may increase midwives' core competencies.