The effect of environmental factors on the genetic differentiation of Cucurbita ficifolia populations based on whole-genome resequencing.

BACKGROUND: Cucurbita ficifolia is one of the squash species most resistant to fungal pathogens, and has especially high resistance to melon Fusarium wilt. This species is therefore an important germplasm resource for the breeding of squash and melon cultivars. RESULTS: Whole-genome resequencing of 223 individuals from 32 populations in Yunnan Province, the main cucurbit production area in China, was performed and 3,855,120 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 1,361,000 InDels were obtained. SNP analysis suggested that levels of genetic diversity in C. ficifolia were high, but that different populations showed no significant genetic differentiation or geographical structure, and that individual C. ficifolia plants with fruit rinds of a similar color did not form independent clusters. A Mantel test conducted in combination with geographical distance and environmental factors suggested that genetic distance was not correlated with geographical distance, but had a significant correlation with environmental distance. Further associations between the genetic data and five environmental factors were analyzed using whole-genome association analysis. SNPs associated with each environmental factor were investigated and genes 250 kb upstream and downstream from associated SNPs were annotated. Overall, 15 marker-trait-associated SNPs (MTAs) and 293 genes under environmental selection were identified. The identified genes were involved in cell membrane lipid metabolism, macromolecular complexes, catalytic activity and other related aspects. Ecological niche modeling was used to simulate the distribution of C. ficifolia across time, from the present and into the future. We found that the area suitable for C. ficifolia changed with the changing climate in different periods. CONCLUSIONS: Resequencing of the C. ficifolia accessions has allowed identification of genetic markers, such as SNPs and InDels. The SNPs identified in this study suggest that environmental factors mediated the formation of the population structure of C. ficifolia in China. These SNPs and Indels might also contribute to the variation in important pathways of genes for important agronomic traits such as yield, disease resistance and stress tolerance. Moreover, the genome resequencing data and the genetic markers identified from 223 accessions provide insight into the genetic variation of the C. ficifolia germplasm and will facilitate a broad range of genetic studies.

Xinshuaining preparation protects H9c2 cells from H2O2-induced oxidative damage through the PI3K/Akt/Nrf-2 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death. Oxidative stress is an important pathological process of a variety of CVDs. Xinshuaining preparation has a therapeutic effect on the heart failure. However, the anti-oxidative stress role of Xinshuaining preparation in H9c2 cells is still unclear. METHODS: The medicated serum of Xinshuaining preparation was acquired and utilized to hatch with H2O2-induced H9c2 cells. Main components in the Xinshuaining preparation were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The effect of medicated serum on the cell viability, apoptosis rate, the oxidative stress indicators (SOD, GSH-Px, and MDA), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and ROS level was evaluated by CCK-8, flow cytometry, commercial biochemical detection kits, and JC-1 staining. Additionally, the associated mechanism was determined by the detection of the protein levels (PI3K, phosphorylated PI3K, Akt, phosphorylated Akt, and Nrf-2) through western blot assays, which was also further assessed with the application of LY294002. RESULTS: The medicated serum of Xinshuaining preparation notably increased the H2O2-reduced, the cell viability, the concentration of SOD and GSH-Px, MMP level and the relative protein expression level of phosphorylated PI3K and Akt and Nrf-2, while dampened the H2O2-elevated the level of the cell apoptosis rate, MDA, and ROS. However, Xinshuaining preparation on the cell viability, apoptosis, and oxidative stress was notably antagonized by LY294002 pre-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The medicated serum of Xinshuaining preparation increased the cell viability and suppressed apoptosis and oxidative stress via the PI3K/Akt/Nrf-2 signaling pathway.

Oxycodone-acetaminophen versus celecoxib for postoperative pain in knee osteoarthritis patients after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, controlled study.

PURPOSE: Oxycodone-acetaminophen is a synergic combination of semisynthetic opioid agonis and analgesic/antipyretic agent, which improves analgesic efficacy. This randomized, controlled study intended to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and tolerance of oxycodone-acetaminophen compared to celecoxib alone in post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) knee osteoarthritis patients. METHODS: One hundred and six knee osteoarthritis patients were randomized into oxycodone-acetaminophen group (N = 54) and celecoxib group (N = 52) at a 1:1 ratio. Each patient orally received oxycodone-acetaminophen (5 mg/325 mg, four times per day) or celecoxib (200 mg, twice per day) from 2 h to day (D) 3 after TKA; meanwhile, each patient received 2-day patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). The primary outcome was pain visual analog scale (VAS) score at rest; other assessments were the secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Pain VAS scores at rest at D1, D2, D3, and pain VAS scores at flexion at D0.5, D1, D2, D3 were lower in oxycodone-acetaminophen group compared to celecoxib group (all P < 0.050). Besides, extra (P < 0.001) and total (P < 0.001) PCA consumption were declined in oxycodone-acetaminophen group compared with celecoxib group. Furthermore, patients' satisfaction score at D3 (P = 0.012) and D7 (P = 0.043) was higher in oxycodone-acetaminophen group versus celecoxib group. Hospital for special surgery knee score (HSS) at preoperation, M1, and M3 did not differ between the two groups (all P > 0.050). The incidences of all adverse events were not varied between oxycodone-acetaminophen and celecoxib groups (all P > 0.050). CONCLUSION: Oxycodone-acetaminophen exerts superior analgesic efficacy, patients' satisfaction, and similar tolerance compared to celecoxib in post-TKA knee osteoarthritis patients.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) response to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerium.

BACKGROUND: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (FOC) is the causal agent of cucumber Fusarium wilt, which can cause extensive damages and productivity losses. Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (Cucurbitaceae) is usually used as rootstock for cucumber because of its excellent resistance to Fusarium wilt. Our previous study found that C.ficifolia has high FOC resistance, the underlying mechanism of which is unclear. RESULTS: Transcriptome and proteome profiling was performed on the basis of RNA-Seq and isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantitation technology to explore the molecular mechanisms of the response of Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerium infection. Comparative analyses revealed that 1850 genes and 356 protein species were differentially regulated at 2d and 4d after FOC inoculation. However, correlation analysis revealed that only 11 and 39 genes were differentially regulated at both the transcriptome and proteome levels after FOC inoculation at 2d and 4d, respectively. After FOC inoculation, plant hormones signal transduction, transcription factors were stimulated, whereas wax biosynthesis and photosynthesis were suppressed. Increased synthesis of oxidative-redox proteins is involved in resistance to FOC. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to reveal the response of C. ficifolia leaf to FOC infection at the transcriptome and proteome levels, and to show that FOC infection activates plant hormone signaling and transcription factors while suppressing wax biosynthesis and photosynthesis. The accumulation of oxidative-redox proteins also plays an important role in the resistance of C. ficifolia to FOC. Results provide new information regarding the processes of C. ficifolia leaf resistance to FOC and will contribute to the breeding of cucumber rootstock with FOC resistance.

Gene silencing, knockout and over-expression of a transcription factor ABORTED MICROSPORES (SlAMS) strongly affects pollen viability in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

BACKGROUND: The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an economically valuable crop grown worldwide. Because the use of sterile males reduces the cost of F1 seed production, the innovation of male sterility is of great significance for tomato breeding. The ABORTED MICROSPORES gene (AMS), which encodes for a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor, has been previously indicated as an essential gene for tapetum development in Arabidopsis and rice. To determine the function of the SlAMS gene (AMS gene from S. lycopersicum) and verify whether it is a potential candidate gene for generating the male sterility in tomato, we used virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and over-expression technology to transform tomato via Agrobacterium infection. RESULTS: Here, the full-length SlAMS gene with 1806 bp from S. lycopersicum (Accession No. MK591950.1) was cloned from pollen cDNA. The results of pollen grains staining showed that, the non-viable pollen proportions of SlAMS-silenced (75%), -knockouted (89%) and -overexpressed plants (60%) were significantly higher than the wild type plants (less than 10%; P < 0.01). In three cases, the morphology of non-viable pollen grains appeared tetragonal, circular, atrophic, shriveled, or otherwise abnormally shaped, while those of wild type appeared oval and plump. Furthermore, the qRT-PCR analysis indicated that SlAMS in anthers of SlAMS-silenced and -knockouted plants had remarkably lower expression than in that of wild type (P < 0.01), and yet it had higher expression in SlAMS-overexpressed plants (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In this paper, Our research suggested alternative approaches to generating male sterility in tomato, among which CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of SlAMS implied the best performance. We also demonstrated that the downregulation and upregulation of SlAMS both affected the pollen formation and notably led to reduction of pollen viability, suggesting SlAMS might be essential for regulating pollen development in tomato. These findings may facilitate studies on clarifying the SlAMS-associated molecular regulatory mechanism of pollen development in tomato.

Enhancing antibacterial property of porous titanium surfaces with silver nanoparticles coatings via electron-beam evaporation.

Antibacterial activity is one of the most vital characteristics for Titanium (Ti) dental implants. Coating antibacterial material onto Ti surfaces is an effective approach to enhance their intrinsic antibacterial ability. However, a cost-effective but efficient coating strategy for realizing this objective still remains challenging. In this study, we proposed a novel implant surface modification strategy for coating silver nanoparticles onto the porous Ti surface via a facile electron beam evaporation (EBE) approach. Porous Ti surfaces were firstly prepared by sand-blasting large grit acid-etching (SLA) process. Then, the silver nanoparticles coating thickness on the porous Ti surface was adjusted and optimized by altering the duration of EBE process. Consequently, composite porous Ti surfaces with different silver thicknesses were synthesized. Polished Ti (PT) surface without SLA or EBE process was also prepared as the controlled blank group. The surface characterizations were analyzed by SEM, AFM, and XPS. After that, the antibacterial properties of all groups were tested with bacteria counting method, bacterial viability test, live/dead bacterial staining, and SEM examination. Results show that silver nanoparticles were uniformly distributed on the porous Ti surfaces after the SLA and EBE processes. After being incorporated with silver nanoparticles, the composite surfaces successfully inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The antibacterial ratio (AR) values of SLA-Ag groups increased with the increasing silver thickness and are significantly higher than those of PT and SLA groups. Therefore, by the SLA and EBE processes, the composite porous Ti surfaces modified with silver nanoparticles coatings demonstrate superior antibacterial property compared with pure Ti surfaces, which is highly promising for enhancing the antibacterial functions of dental implants. Graphical abstract.

Actional Mechanisms of Active Ingredients in Functional Food Adlay for Human Health.

Medicinal and food homologous adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf) plays an important role in natural products promoting human health. We demonstrated the systematic actional mechanism of functional ingredients in adlay to promote human health, based on the PubMed, CNKI, Google, and ISI Web of Science databases from 1988 to 2022. Adlay and its extracts are rich in 30 ingredients with more than 20 health effects based on human and animal or cell cultures: they are anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, liver protective, anti-virus, gastroprotective, cardiovascular protective, anti-hypertension, heart disease preventive, melanogenesis inhibiting, anti-allergy, endocrine regulating, anti-diabetes, anti-cachexia, osteoporosis preventive, analgesic, neuroprotecting, suitable for the treatment of gout arthritis, life extending, anti-fungi, and detoxifying effects. Function components with anti-oxidants are rich in adlay. These results support the notion that adlay seeds may be one of the best functional foods and further reveal the action mechanism of six major functional ingredients (oils, polysaccharides, phenols, phytosterols, coixol, and resistant starch) for combating diseases. This review paper not only reveals the action mechanisms of adding adlay to the diet to overcome 17 human diseases, but also provides a scientific basis for the development of functional foods and drugs for the treatment of human diseases.

Hypoxia-induced HIF1α dependent COX2 promotes ovarian cancer progress.

Hypoxia can promote the progression and metastasis of ovarian cancer, while the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Hypoxia culture or CoCl2 induced-oxygen deprivation condition could promote SKOV3 cells to express cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2). Luciferase assay indicates that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) could bind directly with the promoter region of COX2 to promote the transcription. COX2 over-expressed SKOV3 cells show up-regulated stemness-related markers expression, proinflammatory gene expression, and increased tumor sphere formation. The inflammatory molecules (interleukin-6, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12, interleukin-1B, interleukin-10, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) and COX2 expression show positive correlations in the Cancer Genome Atlas data. COX2 over-expression could promote SKOV3 cell proliferation in the subcutaneous tumor model and metastasis in the transfer model. In conclusion, hypoxia-induced HIF-1α mediated COX2 expression could promote the proliferation, inflammation, and metastasis of ovarian cancer.

Plasmon AgNPs/MoS2/ZnO nanorods array ternary heterojunctions enabling high-efficiency solar-light energy utilization for photocatalysis and recyclable SERS detection.

BACKGROUND: Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has gained widespread use in molecule-level detection benefiting from its high sensitivity, nondestructive data acquisition, and capacity for providing molecular fingerprint information. However, the strong adhesion of target molecules to the substrate (known as the "memory effect") inherently hinders the reusability of SERS substrates. Research has shown that self-cleaning SERS substrates based on versatile semiconductor materials with SERS enhancement capabilities and solar photocatalytic properties offer an effective platform for the sensitive detection and degradation of harmful molecules. RESULTS: In this research, a resuable SERS-active substrate was facilely fabricated by anchoring silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to the edges of MoS2 nanosheet decorated on ZnO nanorod arrays (NRAs). This innovative design exhibited a remarkable SERS enhancement factor (EF) of 4.6 × 107 and demonstrated significant solar photocatalytic efficiency. Such superior characteristics of ternary plasma heterojunction were ascribable to the synergistic effect of the "Schottky barrier" and "hot spots" between MoS2 and AgNPs, the inherent chemical enhancement proficiency of the MoS2/ZnO NRAs heterojunction, as well as the ultrafast electron transfer within the ternary heterojunction. SIGNIFICANCE: The developed ternary heterojunction substrate enabled highly sensitive SERS detection of trace amounts of organic molecules. Moreover, this SERS substrate exhibited self-cleaning and recyclability via solar-light-driven photocatalysis. This bifunctional recyclable SERS substrate proved capable of meeting various requirements for routine monitoring of environmental organic pollutants and provided a robust avenue for advancing energy utilization materials that serve as high-performance SERS sensors and catalysts.

Computational simulation-assisted design and experimental verification of molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction of chlorogenic acid.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is an active ingredient in honeysuckle with a broad-spectrum of antibacterial activity, suppressing tumor growth and other pharmacological effects. However, it is susceptible to damage during traditional extraction and separation processes. Therefore, developing selective and efficient extraction methods of CGA is essential. Based on computational molecular simulations, a reliable and efficient molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were successfully developed for selective extraction of CGA. MIPs and non-molecularly imprinted polymers (NIPs) were synthesized using a precipitation polymerization method, employing three different functional monomers: [methacrylic acid (MAA), 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP), and methyl methacrylate (MMA)], with CGA serving as the template molecule. To simulate the polymers and predict the optimal ratio between the template and functional monomer, the computational studies and adsorption performance experiments were carried out. The adsorption characteristics and thermal stability of polymers were evaluated by isothermal adsorption, adsorption kinetics, selective adsorption and thermogravimetric analysis, aiming to obtain the MIPs with specific recognition and selectivity for CGA. When the molar ratio of template CGA to functional monomer 4-VP was 1:8, the prepared MIPs was found to have the maximum adsorption capacity (14.85 mg g-1) and the highest imprinting factor (1.74) at the CGA concentration of 100 mg L-1. These results were consistent with those obtained by computational molecular simulation. This study not only provides good guidance for developing separation materials for extracting CGA from natural plants but also inspires the application of computer simulation and molecular docking techniques in the preparation of specific MIPs materials.

Up-regulation of CMKLR1 in endometriosis and its relationship with inflammatory responses.

Inflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. We aimed to study the proinflammatory effect of Chemerin chemokine-like receptor 1 (CMKLR1) in patients with endometriosis. Sixty patients with endometriosis and 50 healthy controls were recruited in this study for the collection of endometrial samples and peritoneal fluid. The expression levels of CMKLR1, IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α in peritoneal fluid and endometrial tissues were detected by ELISA, qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemical staining. Human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were used to measure the Chemerin-induced CMKLR1 activation and inflammatory responses. CMKLR1 level was significantly up-regulated in peritoneal fluid and endometrial tissues in patients with endometriosis. Interestingly, CMKLR1 overexpression positively correlated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokine in both peritoneal fluid and ectopic endometrium. Chemerin treatment increased the expression of CMKLR1, and aggravated inflammatory responses in HESCs. CMKLR1 is up-regulated in peritoneal fluid and endometrial tissues, and promotes the inflammatory responses in of endometriosis.

Rac2 enhances activation of microglia and astrocytes, inflammatory response, and apoptosis via activating JNK signaling pathway and suppressing SIRT1 expression in chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is pain caused by injury or dysfunction of the somatosensory system. The role of Rac2, a member of the Rac family, which is expressed in neutrophils, macrophages, and adult T cells, in NP remains unclear. Using a chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced NP model in rats, we found that Rac2 expression was elevated in rats with CCI-induced NP and that overexpression of Rac2 aggravated the NP. Rac2 overexpression also aggravated the inflammatory response, induced activation of microglia and astrocytes, and enhanced apoptosis whereas knockdown of Rac2 had the opposite effects. Rac2 suppressed SIRT1 expression via activating the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. In rescue experiments, SRT1720, an activator of SIRT1, reversed the effect of Rac2 on glial activation, inflammatory response, and apoptosis. These findings indicate that Rac2 enhances the activation of microglia and astrocytes, inflammatory response, and apoptosis via activating the JNK signaling pathway and suppressing SIRT1 expression in CCI-induced NP.

Ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca compartment block for pain control in total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have investigated the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca compartment block (UGFICB) compared to quadratus lumborum block (QLB) for pain management in total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, there is currently a lack of a systematic review specifically addressing this issue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive analysis and comparison of the efficacy and safety of UGFICB versus QLB for pain management in THA. METHODS: An extensive search was conducted in various electronic databases, including PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, China Biomedical Literature Service System, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. This search encompassed all relevant studies published from the inception of these databases until June 30, 2023. The selected outcomes for analysis included moving and resting visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at 12 hours and 24 hours post-surgery, as well as opioids consumption at 24 hours post-surgery. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was utilized to assess the risk of bias in the trials included in the analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS: A total of 8 trials, involving 656 patients, were included in this study. The results of the meta-analysis showed no significant differences between the 2 modalities in terms of moving VAS scores (mean difference [MD] = 0.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.79, 1.14], P = .72) and resting VAS scores (MD = 0.04, 95% CI [-0.27, 0.36], P = .78) at 12 hours post-surgery, and moving VAS scores (MD = 0.27, 95% CI [-0.46, 1.01], P = .47) and resting VAS scores (MD = -0.05, 95% CI [-0.45, 0.35], P = .80) at 24 hours post-surgery. However, there was significant differences in opioids consumption at 24 hours post-surgery (MD = 8.98, 95% CI [2.04, 15.93], P = .01) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, the study concludes that UGFICB may be more beneficial than QLB for pain management in THA. However, it is important to interpret these results with caution due to certain limitations.

[Progress on nitrogen regulation gene expression of plant pathogenic fungi under nitrogen starvation].

It has been confirmed that the occurrence of plant disease is caused by the effector molecules secreted by plant pathogens. The regulation effector gene expression is an important aspect in understanding of the infection process. The nutritional status of cells has been postulated to be a vital role for effector gene expression. Studies have indicated that the induction of the same effecter genes during growth in vitro as those during growth in planta under nitrogen-starved conditions. This showed that the nitrogen poor environment existed in the early time of plant evolution. This paper describes the system in the pathogenesis of several fungal pathogens and nitrogen in the process of gene expression effects from the results of several species by comparing and contrasting the function of nitrogen regulatory genes, as well as by studying plants in vivo and in vitro gene under nitrogen limitation inductive effect in order to reveal the effectiveness of nitrogen in the development process of host plant disease is an important factor.

Association between Porphyromonas Gingivalis and systemic diseases: Focus on T cells-mediated adaptive immunity.

The association between periodontal disease and systemic disease has become a research hotspot. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a crucial periodontal pathogen, affects the development of systemic diseases. The pathogenicity of P. gingivalis is largely linked to interference with the host's immunity. This review aims to discover the role of P. gingivalis in the modulation of the host's adaptive immune system through a large number of virulence factors and the manipulation of cellular immunological responses (mainly mediated by T cells). These factors may affect the cause of large numbers of systemic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, adverse pregnancy outcomes, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease. The point of view of adaptive immunity may provide a new idea for treating periodontitis and related systemic diseases.

Melatonin regulates the immune response and improves Sjögren's syndrome-like symptoms in NOD/Ltj Mice.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is an autoimmune disease that primarily affects exocrine glands and is characterized by sicca syndrome and systemic manifestation. Mounting evidence indicates that circadian clocks are involved in the onset and progression of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatic arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus. However, few studies have reported the expression of clock genes in pSS. There is no ideal therapeutic method for pSS, the management of pSS is mainly palliative, aims to alleviate sicca symptoms. Melatonin is a neuroendocrine hormone mainly secreted by the pineal gland that plays an important role in the maintenance of the circadian rhythm and immunomodulation. Hence, this study aimed to analyse the circadian expression profile of clock genes in pSS, and further evaluate the therapeutic potential of melatonin in pSS. We discovered a distinct clock gene expression profile in the salivary glands of pSS patients and pSS animal model. More importantly, melatonin administration improved the hypofunction of the salivary glands, inhibited inflammatory development, and regulated clock gene expression in animal model of pSS. Our study suggested that the pathogenesis of pSS might correlate with abnormal expression of circadian genes, and that melatonin might be a potential candidate for prevention and treatment of pSS.

Effects of fascia iliaca compartment block as an adjunctive management to parecoxib for pain control after total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study investigated the effects of fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) as an adjunctive management to parecoxib for pain control after total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: A total of 72 patient records of THA were included in this retrospective study. All patients received parecoxib and were allocated to either the treatment group (n = 36) or the control group (n = 36). In addition, patients in the treatment group underwent FICB. The primary outcome was pain intensity measured using a resting and moving visual analog scales (VASs). The secondary outcomes were inflammatory factors (interleukin 6 and C-reactive protein) and occurrence rate of adverse events. RESULTS: Patients in the treatment group had better outcomes in the resting VAS (12 hours, P < .01; 24 hours, P < .01; 36 hours, P = .01; 72 hours, P = .03), moving VAS (12 hours, P < .01; 24 hours, P < .01; 36 hours, P = .02; 72 hours, P = .02), serum interleukin 6 (P < .01), and C-reactive protein (P < .01) than those in the control group at different time points. In addition, there were no significant differences in the occurrence rate of adverse events. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrated that the effects of FICB as an adjunctive management to parecoxib are superior to those of parecoxib alone for pain control after THA.

Single-cell RNA sequencing in oral science: Current awareness and perspectives.

The emergence of single-cell RNA sequencing enables simultaneous sequencing of thousands of cells, making the analysis of cell population heterogeneity more efficient. In recent years, single-cell RNA sequencing has been used in the investigation of heterogeneous cell populations, cellular developmental trajectories, stochastic gene transcriptional kinetics, and gene regulatory networks, providing strong support in life science research. However, the application of single-cell RNA sequencing in the field of oral science has not been reviewed comprehensively yet. Therefore, this paper reviews the development and application of single-cell RNA sequencing in oral science, including fields of tissue development, teeth and jaws diseases, maxillofacial tumors, infections, etc., providing reference and prospects for using single-cell RNA sequencing in studying the oral diseases, tissue development, and regeneration.

Recent Advances in Cardiac Patches: Materials, Preparations, and Properties.

Cardiac patches are biomaterials that can be used for transplantation and repair of damaged myocardium by combining seed cells with the ability to form cardiomyocytes and suitable scaffold materials. On the one hand, they provide temporary support to the infarcted area, and on the other hand, they repair the damaged myocardium by delivering cells or bioactive factors to integrate with the host, which have gradually become a hot research topic in recent years. This paper summarizes the structural properties of natural myocardium and reviews the recent research progress of cardiac patches, including the seed cells and scaffold materials used in patch preparation, as well as the main methods of scaffold preparation and the structure properties of various scaffolds. In addition, a comprehensive analysis of the problems faced in the clinical implementation of cardiac patches is presented. Finally, we look forward to the development of cardiac patches and point out that precisely tunable anisotropic tissue engineering scaffolds close to natural myocardial tissue will become an important direction for future research.

[Genome-wide analysis of the secreted proteins of phytophthora infestans].

Based on the Phytophthora infestans genome sequence, we used bioinformatics and computer-based prediction algorithms to predict the secreted proteins of P infestans in detail, which would help us to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between the host plants and the P infestans. In this study, the signal peptide prediction algorithms SignalP v3.0 and PSORT, transmembrane helix prediction algorithms TMHMM-2.0 and THUMBUP, GPI-anchoring site prediction algorithm big-PI Predictor, and subcellular protein location distribution algorithm TargetP v1.01 were used to analyze the 22658 protein sequences of P infestans published. Our results suggested that there might be 671 secreted pro- teins, accounting for 3.0% of the total proteins. Among them, the functions of the 45 secreted proteins had been described previously. Their functions involved cellular metabolism and signal transduction etc. In addition, some of the secreted proteins were functionally similar to elicitin, which were likely to be associated with the virulence of P. infestans.