Transcriptomic Insights into Different Stimulation Intensity of Electroacupuncture in Treating COPD in Rat Models.

Background: Electroacupuncture (EA), with varying stimulation intensities, has demonstrated therapeutic potentials in both animal and clinical studies for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, a comprehensive investigation of the intensity-related effects, particularly 1mA and 3mA of EA, and the underlying mechanisms remains lacking. Methods: A COPD rat model was established by prolonged exposure to cigarette smoke and intermittent intratracheal instillation of lipopolysaccharide. EA treatment was administered at acupoints BL13 (Feishu) and ST36 (Zusanli), 20 minutes daily for 2 weeks, with intensities of 1mA and 3mA. EA effectiveness was evaluated by pulmonary function, histopathological change, serum level of inflammatory cytokines, and level of oxidative stress markers in serum and lung tissues. Transcriptome profiling and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were performed to reveal gene expression patterns and identify hub genes. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot (WB) were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels, respectively. Results: EA at both 1mA and 3mA exerted differing therapeutic effects by improving lung function and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in COPD rats. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct expression patterns between the two groups, functionally corresponding to shared and intensity-specific (1mA and 3mA) enriched pathways. Eight candidate genes were identified, including Aqp9, Trem1, Mrc1, and Gpnmb that were downregulated by EA and upregulated in COPD. Notably, Msr1 and Slc26a4 exclusively downregulated in EA-1mA, while Pde3a and Bmp6 upregulated solely in EA-3mA. WGCNA constructed 5 key modules and elucidated the module-trait relationship, with the aforementioned 8 genes being highlighted. Additionally, their mRNA and protein levels were validated by RT-qPCR and WB. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that 1mA and 3mA intensities induce distinct gene expression patterns at the transcriptional level, associated with shared and 1mA vs 3mA-specific enriched pathways. Genes Mrc1, Gpnmb, Trem1, and Aqp9 emerge as promising targets, and further studies are needed to elucidate their functional consequences in COPD.

Site and severity of facial asymmetry after bimaxillary surgery for class III deformity: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed (1) to evaluate the site and severity of facial asymmetry in Class III patients before and after bimaxillary surgery, and (2) to identify the influence of initial severity and positional jaw asymmetry on residual facial asymmetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography of 65 patients with Class III facial asymmetry who underwent bimaxillary surgery were evaluated. Five midline and 14 paramedian facial soft tissue landmarks were identified to assess facial asymmetry. The outcomes were compared to a control group consisting of 30 age- and gender-matched Class I subjects. The postoperative positional jaw asymmetry (i.e., shift, roll, yaw) of each osteotomy segment (maxilla, mandible, chin, ramus) was also measured. RESULTS: Before surgery, the asymmetry was more severe at the chin, middle and lower contour. Bimaxillary surgery effectively corrected facial asymmetry, particularly in achieving normalization of chin deviation. However, significant asymmetry persisted postoperatively in the middle and lower contour (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01, respectively), which was affected by the positional ramus asymmetry in the roll and shift. CONCLUSIONS: Deviation of the chin, middle and lower contour contributed significantly to overall facial asymmetry in Class III asymmetry. Despite normalization of the chin deviation after bimaxillary surgery, asymmetry persisted at the middle and lower contour, primarily as the result of insufficient correction of the positional ramus asymmetry. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Understanding the residual asymmetry after bimaxillary surgery is important for minimizing deviation and optimizing the surgical planning for its correction.

Preoperative CECT-Based Multitask Model Predicts Peritoneal Recurrence and Disease-Free Survival in Advanced Ovarian Cancer: A Multicenter Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Peritoneal recurrence is the predominant pattern of recurrence in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) and portends a dismal prognosis. Accurate prediction of peritoneal recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) is crucial to identify patients who might benefit from intensive treatment. We aimed to develop a predictive model for peritoneal recurrence and prognosis in AOC. METHODS: In this retrospective multi-institution study of 515 patients, an end-to-end multi-task convolutional neural network (MCNN) comprising a segmentation convolutional neural network (CNN) and a classification CNN was developed and tested using preoperative CT images, and MCNN-score was generated to indicate the peritoneal recurrence and DFS status in patients with AOC. We evaluated the accuracy of the model for automatic segmentation and predict prognosis. RESULTS: The MCNN achieved promising segmentation performances with a mean Dice coefficient of 84.3% (range: 78.8%-87.0%). The MCNN was able to predict peritoneal recurrence in the training (AUC 0.87; 95% CI 0.82-0.90), internal test (0.88; 0.85-0.92), and external test set (0.82; 0.78-0.86). Similarly, MCNN demonstrated consistently high accuracy in predicting recurrence, with an AUC of 0.85; 95% CI 0.82-0.88, 0.83; 95% CI 0.80-0.86, and 0.85; 95% CI 0.83-0.88. For patients with a high MCNN-score of recurrence, it was associated with poorer DFS with P < 0.0001 and hazard ratios of 0.1964 (95% CI: 0.1439-0.2680), 0.3249 (95% CI: 0.1896-0.5565), and 0.3458 (95% CI: 0.2582-0.4632). CONCLUSION: The MCNN approach demonstrated high performance in predicting peritoneal recurrence and DFS in patients with AOC.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy with non-invasive ventilation by laryngeal mask-assisted anesthesia for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: case report.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer surgery remains associated with significant morbidity and surgical complications across the globe. Non-intubation video-assisted thoracic surgery (NIVATS) has been successfully employed in lung resection in recent years, but there are few reported cases with regard to the safety and feasibility of this approach in radical esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancers. We present 4 consecutive cases with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who received minimally invasive McKeown's esophagectomy under non-intubation general anesthesia from November 2022 to April 2023. All these patients were aged from 55 to 75 years old and were pathologically diagnosed with ESCC. All procedures of McKeown's esophagectomy in these patients were completed with non-invasive ventilation by laryngeal mask-assisted anesthesia. Operation duration ranged from 185 to 395 minutes and the estimated blood loss ranged from 25 to 60 ml in these 4 cases. No severe hypoxia was observed and transient hypercapnia was resolved intraoperatively. None of them was converted to endotracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation or to thoracotomy. The number of retrieved lymph nodes in mediastinum were 21-27 and all patients received R0 surgery with pathological stage as T1bN0M0 to T3N2M0. There was no serious complication (Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV) observed perioperatively and they were all discharged 11-14 days after the surgery with resumption of oral feeding. They are all alive without tumor recurrence at the date of data collection. The safety and efficacy of minimally invasive esophagectomy with non-invasive ventilation by laryngeal mask-assisted anesthesia for patients with ESCC are warranted for explored in a larger cohort study.

DNA-Mediated Magnetic-Dimer Assembly for Fault-Free Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors.

Ultra-high-field (UHF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) stands as a pivotal cornerstone in biomedical imaging, yet the challenge of false imaging persists, constraining its full potential. Despite the development of dual-mode contrast agents improving conventional MRI, their effectiveness in UHF remains suboptimal due to the high magnetic moment, resulting in diminished T1 relaxivity and excessively enhanced T2 relaxivity. Herein, we report a DNA-mediated magnetic-dimer assembly (DMA) of iron oxide nanoparticles that harnesses UHF-tailored nanomagnetism for fault-free UHF-MRI. DMA exhibits a dually enhanced longitudinal relaxivity of 4.42 mM-1·s-1 and transverse relaxivity of 26.23 mM-1·s-1 at 9 T, demonstrating a typical T1-T2 dual-mode UHF-MRI contrast agent. Importantly, DMA leverages T1-T2 dual-modality image fusion to achieve artifact-free breast cancer visualization, effectively filtering interference from hundred-micrometer-level false-positive signals with unprecedented precision. The UHF-tailored T1-T2 dual-mode DMA contrast agents hold promise for elevating the accuracy of MR imaging in disease diagnosis.

Ferviditalea candida gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel member of the family Paenibacillaceae isolated from a geothermal area.

OBJECTIVE: The family Paenibacillaceae is linked to the order Caryophanales. Paenibacillaceae members residing in compost or soil play crucial roles in nutrient recycling and breaking down complex organic materials. However, our understanding of Paenibacillaceae remains limited. METHODS: Strain SYSU GA230002T was conclusively identified using a polyphasic taxonomic approach frequently utilized in bacterial systematics. Standard microbiological techniques were employed to characterize the morphology and biochemistry of strain SYSU GA230002T. RESULTS: An anaerobic and Gram-stain-negative bacterium, designated SYSU GA230002T, was isolated from geothermally heated soil of Tengchong, Yunnan Province, south-west China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genomes showed that strain SYSU GA230002T belongs to the family Paenibacillaceae. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (<94.0%), ANI (<71.95%) and AAI values (<58.67%) between strain SYSU GA230002T with other members of the family were lower than the threshold values recommended for distinguishing novel species. Growth was observed at 30-45ºC (optimum, 37ºC), pH 7.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and in 0-3.0% (w/v) NaCl concentrations (optimum, 0%). The major fatty acids detected were anteiso-C15:0, iso-C16:0 and iso-C17:0. The polar lipids included diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified glycolipids. The respiratory quinone was MK-7. The DNA G+C content of strain SYSU GA230002T was 49.87%. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of morphological, physiological properties, and chemotaxonomic characteristics, this strain is proposed to represent a new species of a new genus Ferviditalea candida gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of the type species is SYSU GA230002T (=KCTC 25726T=GDMCC 1.4160T).

Association between red cell distribution width and hypertension: Results from NHANES 1999-2018.

The relationship between red cell distribution width (RDW) and hypertension remains a contentious topic, with a lack of large-scale studies focusing on the adults in the United States. This study aimed to investigate the association between RDW and hypertension among US adults from 1999 to 2018. METHODS: Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018. RDW values were obtained from the Laboratory Data's Complete Blood Count with 5-part Differential-Whole Blood module. Hypertension data were obtained through hypertension questionnaires and blood pressure measurements. Multivariable weighted logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the association between RDW and hypertension, followed by subgroup and smooth curve analyses. RESULTS: Compared to the non-hypertensive group, the hypertensive group exhibited higher RDW values (13.33±1.38 vs. 12.95±1.27, P <0.001). After adjusting for covariates, weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between RDW and hypertension prevalence (OR: 1.17, 95% CI 1.13, 1.21, P <0.001). When RDW was included as a categorical variable, participants in the fourth quartile had the highest risk of hypertension (OR: 1.86, 95% CI 1.70, 2.03, P <0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that, except for age, BMI and weak/failing kidneys, gender, race, education level, smoking, alcohol use, congestive heart failure, and stroke did not significantly influence this correlation (all P-values for interaction >0.05).Smooth curve fitting analysis revealed a reverse J-shaped relationship between RDW and hypertension prevalence, with an inflection point at 12.93%. CONCLUSION: We first explored the relationship between RDW and hypertension among US adults and discovered a reverse J-shaped association, providing further insights into the relationship between blood cell counts and hypertension and offering a new foundation for hypertension prevention and control.

Distinctive Lipid Characteristics of Colorectal Cancer Revealed through Non-targeted Lipidomics Analysis of Tongue Coating.

The metabolites and microbiota in tongue coating display distinct characteristics in certain digestive disorders, yet their relationship with colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unexplored. Here, we employed liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the lipid composition of tongue coating using a nontargeted approach in 30 individuals with colorectal adenomas (CRA), 32 with CRC, and 30 healthy controls (HC). We identified 21 tongue coating lipids that effectively distinguished CRC from HC (AUC = 0.89), and 9 lipids that differentiated CRC from CRA (AUC = 0.9). Furthermore, we observed significant alterations in the tongue coating lipid composition in the CRC group compared to HC/CRA groups. As the adenoma-cancer sequence progressed, there was an increase in long-chain unsaturated triglycerides (TG) levels and a decrease in phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen (PE-P) levels. Furthermore, we noted a positive correlation between N-acyl ornithine (NAOrn), sphingomyelin (SM), and ceramide phosphoethanolamine (PE-Cer), potentially produced by members of the Bacteroidetes phylum. The levels of inflammatory lipid metabolite 12-HETE showed a decreasing trend with colorectal tumor progression, indicating the potential involvement of tongue coating microbiota and tumor immune regulation in early CRC development. Our findings highlight the potential utility of tongue coating lipid analysis as a noninvasive tool for CRC diagnosis.

Ligand-Induced Atomically Segregation-Tunable Alloy Nanoprobes for Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Bimetallic iron-noble metal alloy nanoparticles have emerged as promising contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) due to their biocompatibility and facile control over the element distribution. However, the inherent surface energy discrepancy between iron and noble metal often leads to Fe atom segregation within the nanoparticle, resulting in limited iron-water molecule interactions and, consequently, diminished relaxometric performance. In this study, we present the development of a class of ligand-induced atomically segregation-tunable alloy nanoprobes (STAN) composed of bimetallic iron-gold nanoparticles. By manipulating the oxidation state of Fe on the particle surface through varying molar ratios of oleic acid and oleylamine ligands, we successfully achieve surface Fe enrichment. Under the application of a 9 T MRI system, the optimized STAN formulation, characterized by a surface Fe content of 60.1 at %, exhibits an impressive r1 value of 2.28 mM-1·s-1, along with a low r2/r1 ratio of 6.2. This exceptional performance allows for the clear visualization of hepatic tumors as small as 0.7 mm in diameter in vivo, highlighting the immense potential of STAN as a next-generation contrast agent for highly sensitive MR imaging.

Screening of specific binding peptide for ß-lactoglobulin using phage display technology.

ß-lactoglobulin (ß-Lg) is a major food allergen, there is an urgent need to develop a rapid method for detecting ß-Lg in order to avoid contact or ingestion by allergic patients. Peptide aptamers have high affinity, specificity, and stability, and have broad prospects in the field of rapid detection. Using ß-Lg as the target, this study screened 11 peptides (P1-11) from a phage display library. Using molecular docking technology to predict binding energy and binding mode of proteins and peptides. Select the peptides with the best binding ability to ß-Lg (P5, P7, P8) through ELISA. Combining them with whey protein, casein, and bovine serum protein, it was found that P7 has the best specificity for ß-Lg, with an inhibition rate of 87.99%. Verified by molecular dynamics that P7 binds well with ß-Lg. Therefore, this peptide can be used for the recognition of ß-Lg, becoming a new recognition element for detecting ß-Lg.

Multi-spectral photoacoustic imaging combined with acoustic radiation force impulse imaging for applications in tissue engineering.

Tissue engineering is a dynamic field focusing on the creation of advanced scaffolds for tissue and organ regeneration. These scaffolds are customized to their specific applications and are often designed to be complex, large structures to mimic tissues and organs. This study addresses the critical challenge of effectively characterizing these thick, optically opaque scaffolds that traditional imaging methods fail to fully image due to their optical limitations. We introduce a novel multi-modal imaging approach combining ultrasound, photoacoustic, and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging. This combination leverages its acoustic-based detection to overcome the limitations posed by optical imaging techniques. Ultrasound imaging is employed to monitor the scaffold structure, photoacoustic imaging is employed to monitor cell proliferation, and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging is employed to evaluate the homogeneity of scaffold stiffness. We applied this integrated imaging system to analyze melanoma cell growth within silk fibroin protein scaffolds with varying pore sizes and therefore stiffness over different cell incubation periods. Among various materials, silk fibroin was chosen for its unique combination of features including biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, and structural porosity which supports extensive cell proliferation. The results provide a detailed mesoscale view of the scaffolds' internal structure, including cell penetration depth and biomechanical properties. Our findings demonstrate that the developed multimodal imaging technique offers comprehensive insights into the physical and biological dynamics of tissue-engineered scaffolds. As the field of tissue engineering continues to advance, the importance of non-ionizing and non-invasive imaging systems becomes increasingly evident, and by facilitating a deeper understanding and better characterization of scaffold architectures, such imaging systems are pivotal in driving the success of future tissue-engineering solutions.

Reliability and validity tests of the Chinese version of the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) in tumor survivors.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese-translated Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) for the assessment of locomotive syndrome (LS) in individuals surviving malignancies. Methods: 393 tumor survivors at a general hospital in China were recruited. The Chinese version of GLFS-25 was utilized to conduct a cross-sectional survey to ascertain the tool's efficacy in measuring LS in this cohort. The scale's validity was examined through content, structural and discriminant validity assessments, while its reliability was investigated by determining the internal consistency (via Cronbach's α coefficient) and test-retest reliability (via intragroup correlation coefficient, ICC). Results: The Chinese-adapted GLFS-25 demonstrated a robust scale-level content validity index of 0.94, while item-level content validity indices ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 across individual items. The suitability of the scale for structural validity assessment was confirmed via exploratory factor analysis, yielding a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of 0.930 and a significant Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ2 = 3217.714, df = 300, P < 0.001). Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) extracted four distinct factors: Social Activity Engagement, Daily Living Ability, Pain Experience and Physical Mobility. These factors accounted for 72.668 % of the variance, indicating substantial construct validity for measuring LS among this population. CFA supported the model's fit with the following indices: χ2/df = 1.559, RMSEA = 0.077, GFI = 0.924, CFI = 0.941, NFI = 0.919, and TLI = 0.933. The factor loadings for the four factors ranged from 0.771 to 0.931, indicating the items corresponding to the four factors effectively represented the constructs they were designed to measure. The correlation coefficients among the four factors were between 0.306 and 0.469, all lower than the square roots of the respective AVEs (0.838-0.867). This suggests a moderate correlation among the four factors and a distinct differentiation between them, indicating the Chinese version of the GLFS-25 exhibits strong discriminant validity in Chinese tumor survivors. Reliability testing revealed a high Cronbach's α coefficient for the overall scale at 0.961, with the subscales yielding coefficients of 0.751, 0.836, 0.930, and 0.952. The overall ICC was determined to be 0.935, with subscale ICCs ranging from 0.857 to 0.941, reinforcing the scale's reliability in this context. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the GLFS-25 exhibits strong reliability and validity for the assessment of LS in tumor survivors. It may serve as a diagnostic tool for LS, contributing to the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders and enhancing the prognosis for this patient population.

Impact of Silk-Ionomer Encapsulation on Immune Cell Mechanical Properties and Viability.

Encapsulation of single cells is a powerful technique used in various fields, such as regenerative medicine, drug delivery, tissue regeneration, cell-based therapies, and biotechnology. It offers a method to protect cells by providing cytocompatible coatings to strengthen cells against mechanical and environmental perturbations. Silk fibroin, derived from the silkworm Bombyx mori, is a promising protein biomaterial for cell encapsulation due to the cytocompatibility and capacity to maintain cell functionality. Here, THP-1 cells, a human leukemia monocytic cell line, were encapsulated with chemically modified silk polyelectrolytes through electrostatic layer-by-layer deposition. The effectiveness of the silk nanocoating was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal microscopy and on cell viability and proliferation by Alamar Blue assay and live/dead staining. An analysis of the mechanical properties of the encapsulated cells was conducted using atomic force microscopy nanoindentation to measure elasticity maps and cellular stiffness. After the cells were encapsulated in silk, an increase in their stiffness was observed. Based on this observation, we developed a mechanical predictive model to estimate the variations in stiffness in relation to the thickness of the coating. By tuning the cellular assembly and biomechanics, these encapsulations promote systems that protect cells during biomaterial deposition or processing in general.

CEBPB-mediated upregulation of SERPINA1 promotes colorectal cancer progression by enhancing STAT3 signaling.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly malignant carcinoma associated with poor prognosis, and metastasis is one of the most common causes of death in CRC. Serpin Family A Member 1 (SERPINA1) is a serine protease inhibitor from the Serpin family. Till now, the function and mechanism of SERPINA1 in CRC progression have not been fully illustrated. We established highly metastatic colorectal cancer cells named as RKO-H and Caco2-H by mice liver metastasis model. By integrative bioinformatic approaches, we analyzed the prognostic value and clinical significance of SERPINA1 in CRC, and predicted potential transcription factors. Colony formation, EDU, MTS, Transwell and wound healing assay were performed to evaluate the biological functions of SERPINA1 in CRC in vitro. Experiments in vivo were conducted to explore the effects of SERPINA1 on liver metastasis of CRC. ChIP and luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to identify the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of SERPINA1 by CEBPB. Our results show that SERPINA1 is highly expressed in CRC and correlated with poor clinical outcomes. SERPINA1 promotes the proliferation, migration by activating STAT3 pathway. Mechanistically, CEBPB binds SERPINA1 gene promoter sequence and promotes the transcription of SERPINA1. SERPINA1 drives CEBPB-induced tumor cell growth and migration via augmenting STAT3 signaling. Our results suggest that SERPINA1 is a potential prognostic marker and may serve as a novel treatment target for CRC.

SlNAC3 suppresses cold tolerance in tomatoes by enhancing ethylene biosynthesis.

Low temperature stress poses a significant challenge to the productivity of horticultural crops. The dynamic expression of cold-responsive genes plays a crucial role in plant cold tolerance. While NAC transcription factors have been extensively studied in plant growth and development, their involvement in regulating plant cold tolerance remains poorly understood. In this study, we focused on the identification and characterisation of SlNAC3 as the most rapid and robust responsive gene in tomato under low temperature conditions. Manipulating SlNAC3 through overexpression or silencing resulted in reduced or enhanced cold tolerance, respectively. Surprisingly, we discovered a negative correlation between the expression of CBF and cold tolerance in the SlNAC3 transgenic lines. These findings suggest that SlNAC3 regulates tomato cold tolerance likely through a CBF-independent pathway. Furthermore, we conducted additional investigations to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying SINAC3-mediated cold tolerance in tomatoes. Our results revealed that SlNAC3 controls the transcription of ethylene biosynthetic genes, thereby bursting ethylene release in response to cold stress. Indeed, the silencing of these genes led to an augmentation in cold tolerance. This discovery provides valuable insights into the regulatory pathways involved in ethylene-mediated cold tolerance in tomatoes, offering potential strategies for developing innovative approaches to enhance cold stress resilience in this economically important crop species.

First report of pepper chlorosis-associated virus infecting tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants in Sichuan Province in China.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is an economically important crop in China, and more than 30 viruses have been reported to infect tobacco (Yin et al. 2022). In July 2022, we observed interveinal necrosis on tobacco leaves in fields in Sichuan Province (N 27.9172, E 105.6662) (Fig. 1). Total RNA was isolated from multiple leaves of one plant using an RNAprep Pure Polysaccharide Polyphenol Plant Total RNA Extraction Kit (TIANGEN, Beijing, China). Total RNAs were pooled, and a TruSeq Stranded Total RNA with RiboZero Gold Kit (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA) was used to eliminate ribosomal RNA. An RNA-Seq library was constructed using VAHTS Universal V6 RNA-seq Library Prep (Nanjing Vazyme, China). High-throughput sequencing was performed on the Illumina DNBseq platform (BGI-ShenZhen, China), which yielded 20,102,087 reads with an average length of 150 nt (total size >6 Gb). Unaligned reads were assembled de novo using SPAdes (Bankevich et al. 2012). Contigs with length ≥200 nt were subjected to local BLASTn and BLASTx analyses against the GenBank nt and nr databases, respectively (Wang et al. 2022). A total of 23 contigs were identified through BLASTx (e-value cut-off = 10 -3), ranging from 631 to 1555 bp long, with 82% to 96% coverage to partial genomic sequences of pepper chlorosis-associated virus (PepCaV-Higashitsuno_2021; Accessions: LC719619 to LC719621) and one contig (6459 bp) with 99% similarity to tobacco mosaic virus (Accession: OP525281) isolate DSMZ PV-0109 from Germany. The complete genome sequence of PepCaV was obtained using primers based on the assembled contigs. The 5'- and 3'-terminal regions of the RNA genome were obtained by 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA ends. These amplicons were cloned using the pEASY-Blunt Zero Cloning Kit (TRANSGEN, Nangjing, China) and sequenced by Sanger sequencing. Complete genome sequences of tripartite PepCaV from tobacco samples were 7697, 1808, and 1557 nucleotides long (Accession: OR451987 to OR451989) and showed genome organization typical of the genus Ophiovirus in the family Aspiviridae. The complete sequences of RNA1, RNA2 and RNA3 genome segments shared 92.36%, 90.43%, and 95.24%, nucleotide sequence identities, respectively, with the isolate PepCaV-Higashitsuno_2021 pepper isolate (Accession: LC719619 to LC719621) (Shimomoto et al. 2023), but PepCaV has not been reported to infect N. tabacum. In June 2023, 10 plants collected from each place of Macheng (N 27.9094, E 105.6740), Xiangyang (N 28.0936, E 105.6249) and Moni (N 27.8899, E 105.5936) showing interveinal necrosis symptoms were tested using RT-PCR using PepCaV-MP610-F (5'-TGTTCTCTGCTATGCGGTTG -3') and PepCaV-MP610-R (5'-AGCAATCTCGCACCTGAAGT-3') to product 610bp amplicon. Twenty-five tobacco plants were positive for PepCaV. Single sequence from each location was submitted to GenBank (Accession: PP728631 to PP728633). Sap extracts from the original field leaf samples collected from Sichuan Province were used to mechanically inoculate tobacco plants (10 plants) at the four-leaf stage. After 7 days, leaf samples were tested using RT-PCR assay specific to PepCaV and TMV while samples were positive only for TMV but failed to transmit PepCaV by mechanical inoculation. According to previous literature, ophioviruses may be transmitted though soilborne fungus (Jeong et al. 2014). Further research is needed to understand the transmission, epidemiology, and pathological properties of the PepCaV. To our knowledge, this is the first report documenting natural PepCaV infection of tobacco plants in China, providing a scientific basis for PepCaV infection control in tobacco plantations.

Correction to "Diterpenoid Tanshinones Can Inhibit Lung Cancer Progression by Improving the Tumor Microenvironment and Downregulation of NF-κB Expression".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09667.].

Highly Effective Pyroelectric Catalysis for Simultaneous Tumor-Targeted Dynamic Therapy and Gentle Photothermal Therapy by Oxygen-Vacancy-Rich CeO2-BaTiO3 Nanorods.

Pyroelectric nanostructures could effectively generate temperature-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) through the pyroelectric effect, providing promise for treating hypoxic tumors, and therefore, the synergistic application of photothermal therapy (PTT) and pyroelectric dynamic therapy (PEDT) presents an intriguing approach for cancer therapy. However, this method still faces challenges in improving pyroelectric catalysis and achieving precise tumor localization. In this study, a nano-heterojunction based on CeO2-BaTiO3 nanorods (IR1061@PCBNR) is reported, which exhibits highly effective pyroelectric catalysis for simultaneous tumor-targeted dynamic therapy and gentle photothermal therapy through the utilization of the rich oxygen vacancies. The oxygen vacancies create active sites that facilitate the migration of pyroelectrically-induced charge carriers, improving charge separation and ROS generation. IR1061@PCBNR also demonstrates high tumor penetration while minimizing damage to normal cells. This precise nanomedicine strategy holds great potential for advancing dynamic cancer therapies by overcoming the limitations of conventional approaches. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

One and five-year efficacy of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) abbrevo and TVT-obturator in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical interventions are more effective than nonsurgical approaches in providing a cure for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). In this study, we aimed to assess the benefits of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) abbrevo by comparing its efficacy and complications to those of TVT obturator. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 and 47 patients at The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University between January 2013 and December 2016 were included in the TVT-O and TVT-A groups, respectively. We evaluate the success rate and perioperative complications associated with TVT-O and TVT-A. A questionnaire that utilized the Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) Scale was employed to assess the impact of surgery. Patients were followed up at 1 year, and 5 years after surgery. There were no statistically significant differences found in the efficacy of the TVT-A group and TVT-O group during both the one-year (p = 0.4) and five-year (p = 0.32) follow-up periods. In the period of one-year follow-up, 95.9% (n = 47) of patients in the TVT-O group and 95.8% (n = 45) of patients in the TVT-A group demonstrated improvement. During the period of five-year follow-up, 87.8% (n = 43) of patients in the TVT-O group and 93.6% (n = 44) of patients in the TVT-A group demonstrated improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, TVT-A and TVT-O procedures exhibited similarly high success rates and low frequencies of complications.