Analyzing genetic diversity in luffa and developing a Fusarium wilt-susceptible linked SNP marker through a single plant genome-wide association (sp-GWAS) study.

BACKGROUND: Luffa (Luffa spp.) is an economically important crop of the Cucurbitaceae family, commonly known as sponge gourd or vegetable gourd. It is an annual cross-pollinated crop primarily found in the subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, Australia, Africa, and the Americas. Luffa serves not only as a vegetable but also exhibits medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. Moreover, the fiber derived from luffa finds extensive applications in various fields such as biotechnology and construction. However, luffa Fusarium wilt poses a severe threat to its production, and existing control methods have proven ineffective in terms of cost-effectiveness and environmental considerations. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop luffa varieties resistant to Fusarium wilt. Single-plant GWAS (sp-GWAS) has been demonstrated as a promising tool for the rapid and efficient identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with target traits, as well as closely linked molecular markers. RESULTS: In this study, a collection of 97 individuals from 73 luffa accessions including two major luffa species underwent single-plant GWAS to investigate luffa Fusarium wilt resistance. Utilizing the double digest restriction site associated DNA (ddRAD) method, a total of 8,919 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The analysis revealed the potential for Fusarium wilt resistance in accessions from both luffa species. There are 6 QTLs identified from 3 traits, including the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), a putative disease-resistant QTL, was identified on the second chromosome of luffa. Within the region of linkage disequilibrium, a candidate gene homologous to LOC111009722, which encodes peroxidase 40 and is associated with disease resistance in Cucumis melo, was identified. Furthermore, to validate the applicability of the marker associated with resistance from sp-GWAS, an additional set of 21 individual luffa plants were tested, exhibiting 93.75% accuracy in detecting susceptible of luffa species L. aegyptiaca Mill. CONCLUSION: In summary, these findings give a hint of genome position that may contribute to luffa wild resistance to Fusarium and can be utilized in the future luffa wilt resistant breeding programs aimed at developing wilt-resistant varieties by using the susceptible-linked SNP marker.

Simple and Versatile Nitrooxylation: Noncyclic Hypervalent Iodine Nitrooxylating Reagent.

Organic nitrates are broadly applied as pharmaceuticals (acting as efficient nitric oxide donor), energetic materials, building blocks in organic synthesis, etc. However, practical and direct methods to access organic nitrates efficiently are still rare, mainly due to the lack of powerful nitrooxylating reagents. Herein, we report bench-stable and highly reactive noncyclic hypervalent iodine nitrooxylating reagents, oxybis(aryl-λ3 -iodanediyl) dinitrates (OAIDNs, 2), which are prepared just by using aryliodine diacetate and HNO3 . The reagents are used to achieve a mild and operationally simple protocol to access diverse organic nitrates. By employing of 2, zinc-catalyzed regioselective nitrooxylation of cyclopropyl silyl ethers is realized efficiently to access the corresponding ß-nitrooxy ketones with high functional-group tolerance. Moreover, a series of direct and catalyst-free nitrooxylations of enolizable C-H bonds are carried out smoothly to afford the desired organic nitrates within minutes by just mixing the substrates with 2 in dichloromethane.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) successfully used in interhospital transport.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is primarily utilized in traumatic noncompressible torso hemorrhage as a temporary approach to buying time until a definite intervention could be obtained. REBOA is mostly reported in inhospital or prehospital settings. Its interhospital transfer use remains controversial. In this report, we present a case with pelvic fracture and hemorrhagic shock who underwent REBOA placement and was transferred from a local hospital to a trauma center successfully for further surgical intervention.

Enantioselective copper-catalyzed azidation/click cascade reaction for access to chiral 1,2,3-triazoles.

Chiral 1,2,3-triazoles are highly attractive motifs in various fields. However, achieving catalytic asymmetric click reactions of azides and alkynes for chiral triazole synthesis remains a significant challenge, mainly due to the limited catalytic systems and substrate scope. Herein, we report an enantioselective azidation/click cascade reaction of N-propargyl-ß-ketoamides with a readily available and potent azido transfer reagent via copper catalysis, which affords a variety of chiral 1,2,3-triazoles with up to 99% yield and 95% ee under mild conditions. Notably, chiral 1,5-disubstituted triazoles that have not been accessed by previous asymmetric click reactions are also prepared with good functional group tolerance.

Azidobenziodazolones as Azido Sources for the Enantioselective Copper-Catalyzed Azidation of N-Unprotected 3-Trifluoromethylated Oxindoles.

Both azido (N3) and trifluoromethyl (CF3) groups are key moieties of numerous valuable molecules that are extensively applied in drug discovery, chemical biology, and synthetic chemistry. However, the asymmetric construction of chiral quaternary stereocenters bearing both N3 and CF3 groups is still unexplored. Herein, we report a kind of bench-stable and easily adjustable benziodazolone-based azidating reagents. These reagents were used to achieve an enantioselective copper-catalyzed azidation of N-unprotected 3-trifluoromethylated oxindoles to provide diverse enantioenriched 3-N3-3-CF3 oxindoles.

Proportion of stable femoral neck fracture types in different age groups: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment and incidence of femoral neck fracture (FNF) in older patients is controversial. We investigated the new AO (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthese) classification in patients with FNF by age to determine the proportions of stable fracture and change trends according to patients' age. METHODS: We divided patients with FNF hospitalized in Xi'an Honghui Hospital from 2018 to 2020 into five groups according to age: young (<50 years), middle-aged (50-59 years), young-elderly (60-69 years), middle-elderly (70-79 years), and very elderly (≥80 years) groups. We retrospectively collected data of patients' sex, admission date, fracture side, mechanism of injury, and new AO classification. RESULTS: In total, 2071 patients were included for analysis, with 1329 women (64.2%); 1106 patients (53.4%) had left-side fracture. The main mechanism of injury was falling. In the young-elderly, middle-elderly, and very-elderly groups, 33.3%, 29.2%, and 24.1% had stable fracture type, respectively). The proportion of patients with FNF did not show a change trend by age during the 3-year investigation period. CONCLUSION: In our study, the proportion of older patients with FNF did not increase, and as many as a third of patients with FNF aged 50 to 70 years had stable fracture.

Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Thymoma Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis and Myocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Our study investigated a special series of thymoma with autoimmune hepatitis and myocarditis and tried to reveal the gene expression profiles of this series of thymoma. METHODS: From 2011 to 2019, a total of 13 special thymoma patients presented with autoimmune hepatitis and myocarditis, accounting for about 1.26% of thymoma patients undergoing surgery in Beijing TongRen Hospital. Clinical data were retrospectively collected. All samples were harvested during surgical procedures, and analyzed to identify changes in gene expression using the CapitalBio mRNA microarray analysis, the Whole exome sequencing analysis (WES), qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) tools. RESULTS: After surgery, patient symptoms were relieved gradually. Levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase MB (CK-MB), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine amiotransferase (ALT) increased to some extent within 1 to 3 months after surgery, and fluctuated, and then, gradually decreased close to normal within 6 months after surgery. Enrichment analysis of Kyoto Genome and Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) pathway was performed and enrichment results were visualized. It indicated that gene expression of 5 signaling pathways, including cell cycle and p53 signaling pathway, were generally abnormal. P53 expression was up-regulated in all tumor tissues. However, IHC and qPCR analysis showed that there was no significant difference in p21 expression between normal and tumor tissue. Results of WES showed that only one driver gene-MDM4 amplified 4 fold in 53.2% thymoma cells. Further qPCR and IHC analysis confirmed the up-regulation of the expression of p53 and mdm4 in 13 thymoma patients with autoimmune hepatitis and myocarditis. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals the clinical and genetic characteristics of thymoma patients with autoimmune hepatitis and myocarditis. For this special category of thymoma, the up-regulation of p53 and mdm4 plays an important role in the occurrence of thymoma and autoimmune hepatitis/myocarditis.

Case Report: MDM4 Amplified in a Thymoma Patient With Autoimmune Enteropathy and Myocarditis.

Introduction: Thymoma is a type of mediastinal malignant tumors which always associated with autoimmune diseases. Although surgery is the predominant treatment method for thymoma, the pathogenesis of thymoma and thymoma-associated autoimmune diseases is still unknown. However, the case study here provided a possible pathogenesis and treatment to cure the thymoma with autoimmune enteropathy and myocarditis. Case presentation: A thymoma case with autoimmune enteropathy and myocarditis undergoing surgery was reported. The symptoms and laboratory results of the patient had dramatically fluctuated after tumor resection and gradually alleviated. The whole exome sequencing found MDM4 amplified in tumor cells. Immunohistochemistry indicated that thymoma cells were positive for MDM4. The result of drug sensitivity tests showed thymoma cells were highly sensitive to Nutlin-3a. Conclusion: MDM4 could play an important role in the pathogenesis of this thymoma case with autoimmune enteropathy and myocarditis. This discovery may provide a novel idea of pathogenesis and treatment for thymoma and autoimmune diseases.

Evaluating the effectiveness of chemotherapy for thymic epithelial tumors using the CD-DST method.

BACKGROUND: Thymic epithelial tumors (TET) are frequently eligible for curative-intent surgical resection. For locally advanced TETs, chemotherapy has been used to both reduce the tumor burden and achieve prolonged disease control. However, effective therapy for this disease largely remains to be determined. Here, we report the chemosensitivity of 100 patients with TETs determined by the collagen gel droplet embedded culture-drug sensitivity test (CD-DST). METHODS: A total of 100 patients with TETs underwent surgical resection. The efficacy of antitumor agents on TET cells was tested by CD-DST. RESULTS: Thymic epithelial tumors were pathologically confirmed after surgery: two cases were type A thymoma, 17 were type AB, 12 were type B1, 44 were type B2, 12 were type B3, and there were 13 cases with thymic carcinoma. A total of 36% patients with TETs were sensitive to different types of chemotherapeutic agents. There was no significant differences in age, histological type, clinical staging, or association with autoimmune diseases between sensitive and nonsensitive cases. Type B1 and B2 thymoma were relatively more sensitive to chemotherapeutic agents (6/12 and 18/44, respectively), while sensitivity of type B3 cases to chemotherapeutic agents was much lower (only 2/12). Cases with type A thymoma were not sensitive to any antitumor drugs. Among 11 chemotherapeutic agents tested in our study, the sensitivity of TETs to EPI was the highest (16%). No patients with thymoma were sensitive to Alimta (Pemetrexed). CONCLUSIONS: Our work illuminates the effectiveness of chemotherapy for TETs and provides important clues for choosing antitumor drugs with relatively high drug sensitivity to TETs in advance.

Guided wave elastography of layered soft tissues.

In vivo mechanical characterization of soft biological tissues has broad applications ranging from disease diagnosis to tissue engineering. Shear wave elastography based on the bulk wave theory has been widely used to measure the mechanical properties of soft tissues. Given that most soft tissues basically have layered structures, the dispersive feature of elastic waves should be considered when the thickness of the interested layer is comparable to or smaller than the wavelength. Bearing this fundamental issue in mind, we propose an ultrasound-based guided wave elastography (GWE) method to characterize the mechanical properties of layered soft tissues. The dispersion relations of guided waves in layered structures were derived first, and its explicit expression was achieved. An inverse approach based on the dispersion relation to characterize the mechanical properties of layered soft tissues was then established. Both finite element analysis (FEA) and phantom experiments were carried out to validate the new method. In vivo experiments on forearm skin demonstrate the usefulness of the present method in characterizing layered soft tissues. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Layered soft tissues and artificial soft materials are ubiquitous in both nature and engineering. Imaging their in vivo/in situ mechanical properties finds important applications and remains a great challenge to date. Here, we propose an ultrasound-based guided wave elastography method to in vivo/in situ characterize the elastic properties of layered soft materials. We validate the method via finite element analysis and phantom experiments and further demonstrate its usefulness in practice by performing in vivo measurements on forearm skins. Given that the dispersive feature of elastic waves in layered soft media is considered in our method, it provides the opportunity to assess the intrinsic elastic properties of an individual layer in a non-destructive manner as shown in our experiments.

Effect of ligation on the viscoelastic properties of liver tissues.

It has been reported that ex vivo viscoelastic properties of liver tissues usually differ from those measured in in vivo state due to the reasons such as the effects of perfusion, temperature, and native pre-stress. Therefore, the development of an appropriate ex vivo protocol, which enables the measurement of liver mechanical properties close to those in vivo, is of great importance and has been pursued over the years. In this paper, we propose a simple protocol by ligating the liver when performing ex vivo indentation relaxation tests. Our results show that the viscoelastic kernel function, which measures the intrinsic time-dependent mechanical behavior of a viscoelastic material, determined with the present protocol can describe the in vivo viscoelasticity of liver tissues well in comparison with the ex vivo result measured on a liver without ligation and that obtained in vitro. The performance of the protocol reported here is similar to the ex vivo perfusion system developed by Kerdok et al. (2006). However, the present experimental set-up is much easier to realize.

HRPDviewer: human ribosome profiling data viewer.

Translational regulation plays an important role in protein synthesis. Dysregulation of translation causes abnormal cell physiology and leads to diseases such as inflammatory disorders and cancers. An emerging technique, called ribosome profiling (ribo-seq), was developed to capture a snapshot of translation. It is based on deep sequencing of ribosome-protected mRNA fragments. A lot of ribo-seq data have been generated in various studies, so databases are needed for depositing and visualizing the published ribo-seq data. Nowadays, GWIPS-viz, RPFdb and TranslatomeDB are the three largest databases developed for this purpose. However, two challenges remain to be addressed. First, GWIPS-viz and RPFdb databases align the published ribo-seq data to the genome. Since ribo-seq data aim to reveal the actively translated mRNA transcripts, there are advantages of aligning ribo-req data to the transcriptome over the genome. Second, TranslatomeDB does not provide any visualization and the other two databases only provide visualization of the ribo-seq data around a specific genomic location, while simultaneous visualization of the ribo-seq data on multiple mRNA transcripts produced from the same gene or different genes is desired. To address these two challenges, we developed the Human Ribosome Profiling Data viewer (HRPDviewer). HRPDviewer (i) contains 610 published human ribo-seq datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus, (ii) aligns the ribo-seq data to the transcriptome and (iii) provides visualization of the ribo-seq data on the selected mRNA transcripts. Using HRPDviewer, researchers can compare the ribosome binding patterns of multiple mRNA transcripts from the same gene or different genes to gain an accurate understanding of protein synthesis in human cells. We believe that HRPDviewer is a useful resource for researchers to study translational regulation in human.Database URL: http://cosbi4.ee.ncku.edu.tw/HRPDviewer/ or http://cosbi5.ee.ncku.edu.tw/HRPDviewer/.