Rhizobia cystathionine γ-lyase-derived H2S delays nodule senescence in soybean.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is required for optimal establishment of soybean (Glycine max)-Sinorhizobium fredii symbiotic interaction, yet its role in regulating the nitrogen fixation-senescence transition remains poorly understood. A S. fredii cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) mutant deficient in H2S synthesis showed early nodule senescence characterized by reduced nitrogenase activity, structural changes in nodule cells, and accelerated bacteroid death. In parallel, the CSE mutant facilitated the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and elicited antioxidant responses. We observed that H2S-mediated persulfidation of cysteine C31/C80 in ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and C32 in APX2 modulated enzyme activity, thereby participating in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detoxification and delaying nodule senescence. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed a significant up-regulation of GmMYB128, an MYB transcription factor (TF), in the CSE mutant nodules. Functional analysis through overexpression and RNAi lines of GmMYB128 demonstrated its role as a positive regulator in nodule senescence. MYB128-OE inoculated with the CSE mutant strain exhibited a reduction in nitrogenase activity and a significant increase in DD15 expression, both of which were mitigated by NaHS addition. Changes at the protein level encompassed the activation of plant defenses alongside turnover in carbohydrates and amino acids. Our results suggest that H2S plays an important role in maintaining efficient symbiosis and preventing premature senescence of soybean nodules.

Postbiotic Administration Ameliorates Colitis and Inflammation in Rats Possibly through Gut Microbiota Modulation.

Postbiotics are preparations of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that are beneficial to host health. Compared with probiotics, the postbiotic dose required for exerting obvious protective effects is unknown. Thus, we conducted a dose-dependent postbiotic intervention study in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis rats. The trial included five rat groups, including: control without DSS/postbiotic treatment, group C; 7-day DSS treatment, group D; 14-day low, medium, and high probiotic doses (0.1, 0.2, 0.4 g/kg; groups L, M, H, respectively) after DSS induction. We found that postbiotic intervention effectively mitigated the symptoms and inflammation in colitis rats, evidenced by the improved spleen index, less severe colon tissue damage, and changes in serum cytokine levels (decreases in tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1ß; increase in interleukin-10) in postbiotic groups compared with group D. Moreover, the therapeutic effect was dose-dependent. Fecal metabolomics analysis revealed that the postbiotic recipients had more anti-inflammatory metabolites, namely, salicyloyl phytophingosine, podophylloxin, securinine, baicalein, and diosmetin. Fecal metagenomics analysis revealed that the postbiotic recipients had more beneficial microbes and less pro-inflammatory bacteria. This study confirmed that postbiotics are effective in alleviating colitis in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings are of interest to food scientists, clinicians, and the health food industry.

Bethesda system reporting rates, histological follow-up and HPV genotypes distribution of abnormal cytology in Anhui province of China: Analysis of 93,168 cervical liquid-based cytology test reports.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the Bethesda System reporting rates, histological follow-up, and HPV genotypes distribution of abnormal cytology in Anhui province of China. METHODS: According to the Bethesda Reporting System of Cervical Cytology (2014), a retrospective analysis of the cervical liquid-based cytology (LBC) results, abnormal cytology with concurrent HPV genotype testing, and immediate histological follow-up. HPV genotype testing was performed for 15 High-risk types and 6 Low-risk types. Immediate histological correlation results within 6 months after the LBC and HPV results. RESULTS: 6.70% of women with abnormal LBC results, and ASC/SIL was 1.42. The severe histological results in abnormal cytology were ASC-US (18.58%), ASC-H (53.76%), LSIL (16.62%), HSIL (82.07%), SCC/ACa (100.00%), AGC (63.77%). The total HPV-positive rate in abnormal cytology was 70.29%, of which ASC-US, ASC-H, LSIL, HSIL, SCC/ACa, and AGC were 60.78%, 80.83%, 83.05%, 84.93%, 84.51%, 33.33%. The top three detected genotypes were HR HPV 16, 52, and 58. The most commonly detected genotype in HSIL and SCC/ACa was HPV 16. Of the 91 AGC patients, 34.78% were cervical lesions, and 42.03% were endometrial lesions. The HPV-positive rate in the group of AGC-FN was highest and lowest in the group of AGC-EM. CONCLUSION: The Bethesda System reporting rates of cervical cytology were all within the benchmark range of the CAP laboratory. HPV 16, 52, and 58 were the most common genotypes in our population, and HPV 16 infection has a higher degree of malignancy of cervical lesions. Among patients with ASC-US results, HPV positive patients had a higher rate of biopsy-detected CIN2+ than HPV negative patients.

Synchronous mucinous metaplasia and neoplasia of the female genital tract (SMMN­FGT): A case report and literature review.

The present study reported a case of Synchronous Mucinous Metaplasia and Neoplasia of the Female Genital Tract (SMMN-FGT), which occurred in a 47-year-old woman. The patient complained of pelvic mass during a physical examination a month ago. Ultrasound examination found an anechoic spot in the left ovary and several anechoic spots were detected in the cervix. The patient underwent left adnexectomy and the left ovarian frozen section revealed a mucinous borderline tumor. Total abdominal hysterectomy and right salpingo-oophorectomy were subsequently performed. Microscopically, multifocal mucinous lesions were involved in the female genital tract, including bilateral ovarian mucinous borderline tumor, cervical and endometrial mucinous adenocarcinoma and the bilateral fallopian tube epithelium showed mucinous metaplasia. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the tumor cells of the ovary, cervix and endometrium expressed MUC6, exhibiting features of gastric-type differentiation. The Ki-67 proliferative index was ~10-70%. Cumulative evidence established SMMN-FGT as the final histopathological diagnosis with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I. Following surgery, the patient received a course of pelvic radiotherapy and survived for 16 months.

The effect of abdominal massage on enteral nutrition tolerance in patients on mechanical ventilation: A Randomized Controlled Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether abdominal massage impacts enteral feeding tolerance in mechanically ventilated patients. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive standard or intervention care (standard care plus a 15-minute abdominal massage twice daily) for three days. We recorded the vomiting, reflux, gastric retention, aspiration, diarrhea, abdominal distension, gastric residual volume and abdominal circumference from days one to three. A P-value of less than 0.05 was statistically significant. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients (37 per group) were recruited (intervention vs control: age 58.03 ± 10.44 vs 55.33 ± 12.45 years; %M: 69.70 % vs 69.70 %). The aspiration, gastric retention and abdominal distension incidence in the intervention group was 3.03 %, 6.06 % and 9.09 %, whereas in the control group it was 24.24 %, 30.30 % and 27.27 % (P <.05). The vomiting, reflux and diarrhea incidence for patients in the intervention group were all 3.03 %, whereas in the control group they were 3.03 %, 9.09 % and 9.09 % (P >.05). From day 1 to day 3, the gastric residual volume decreased from 87.23 ± 3.29 mL to 72.59 ± 5.40 mL in the intervention group and increased from 91.94 ± 3.45 mL to 105.00 ± 6.94 mL in the control group. Similarly, the abdominal circumference decreased from 84.41 ± 1.73 cm to 82.44 ± 1.73 cm in the intervention group and increased from 87.90 ± 1.60 cm to 88.90 ± 1.75 cm in the control group. The differences in time, group, and interaction effects between the two groups were statistically significant for abdominal circumference and gastric residual volume (P <.05). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal massage can effectively reduce gastric retention, abdominal distension, aspiration, gastric residual volume and abdominal circumference in mechanically ventilated patients, but not the incidence of vomiting, reflux and diarrhea.

Hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide regulate the adaptation to iron deficiency through affecting Fe homeostasis and thiol redox modification in Glycine max seedlings.

Iron (Fe) is a vital microelement required for the growth and development of plants. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO), as messenger molecules, participated in the regulation of plant physiological processes. Here, we studied the interaction effects of H2S and NO on the adaptation to Fe deficiency in Glycine max L. Physiological, biochemical and molecular approaches were conducted to analyze the role of H2S and NO in regulating the adaptation to Fe deficiency in soybean. We found that H2S and NO had obvious rescuing function on the Fe deficiency-induced the plant growth inhibition, which was significantly correlated with the increase in Fe content in the leaves, stems, and roots of soybean. Meanwhile, H+-flux, ferric chelate reductase (FCR) activity, and root apoplast Fe content were significantly affected by H2S and NO. Under Fe deficiency conditions NO and H2S regulated the expression of genes related to Fe homeostasis. Moreover, photosynthesis (Pn) and photosystem II (PSII) efficiency were enhanced by H2S and NO, and thiol redox modification was important for regulating the adaptation of Fe deficiency. The aforementioned affirmative influences caused by H2S and NO were also totally reversed by cPTIO (a NO scavenger). Our results suggested that H2S might act upstream of NO in response to Fe deficiency by affecting the Fe homeostasis enzyme activities and gene expression, and by promoting Fe accumulation in plant tissues as well as by enhancing thiol redox modification and photosynthesis in soybean plants.

Heat-Killed Bifidobacterium bifidum B1628 May Alleviate Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice, and the Anti-Inflammatory Effect Is Associated with Gut Microbiota Modulation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with gut dysbiosis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of heat-killed Bifidobacterium bifidum B1628 (HB1628) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. The following three mouse groups were included (n = eight per group): NC (normal control), DSS (colitis), and HB1628 (colitis and postbiotic). The mice in the DSS group showed significant weight loss and histological damage, developed bloody diarrhea, scored high in the disease activity index (DAI), and exhibited increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α) and decreases in an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-13) in the serum. These changes were accompanied by gut microbiota modulation in colitis mice (decreases in Rikenellaceae and Eubacterium; increases in Peptostreptococcaceae, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Parasutterella excrementihominis). The HB1628 group had lower DAIs, histology scores, and serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß and TNF-α), but higher levels of an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-13), compared with the DSS group, suggesting a less severe inflammatory state after the HB1628 intervention. Additionally, HB1628 improved DSS-induced gut dysbiosis, which is evidenced by increases in intestinal beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, and decreases in known unfavorable taxa in IBD, e.g., Porphyromonadaceae, Subdoligranulum, Lachnospiraceae bacterium 3_1_46FAA, and Alistipes indistinctus. Functional metagenomics revealed three significantly enriched metabolic pathways in the HB1628 group (namely, the aerobic respiration I [cytochrome c] pathway and the superpathways of L-phenylalanine biosynthesis and L-tryptophan biosynthesis, respectively). In conclusion, our results showed that HB1628 effectively improved the inflammation state and tissue damage in DSS-induced colitis mice, and the symptom relief effect was accompanied by obvious gut microbiota remodulation.

The Lactobacillus gasseri G098 Strain Mitigates Symptoms of DSS-Induced Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurring inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract with unclear etiology, but it is thought to be related to factors like immune abnormalities and gut microbial dysbiosis. Probiotics can regulate host immunity and gut microbiota; thus, we investigated the alleviation effect and mechanism of the strain Lactobacillus gasseri G098 (G098) on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Three groups of mice (n = 8 per group) were included: normal control (NC), DSS-induced colitis mice (DSS), and colitis mice given strain (G098). Our results showed that administering G098 effectively reversed DSS-induced colitis-associated symptoms (mitigating weight loss, reducing disease activity index and pathology scores; p < 0.05 in all cases) and prevented DSS-induced mortality (62.5% in DSS group; 100% in G098 group). The mortality rate and symptom improvement by G098 administration was accompanied by a healthier serum cytokine balance (significant decreases in serum pro-inflammatory factors, interleukin (IL)-6 [p < 0.05], IL-1ß [p < 0.01], and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α [p < 0.001], and significant increase in the serum anti-inflammatory factor IL-13 [p < 0.01], compared with DSS group) and gut microbiome modulation (characterized by a higher gut microbiota diversity [p < 0.05], significantly more Firmicutes and Lachnoclostridium [p < 0.05], significantly fewer Bacteroidetes [p < 0.05], and significant higher gene abundances of sugar degradation-related pathways [p < 0.05], compared with DSS-treated group). Taken altogether, our results suggested that G098 intake could mitigate DSS-induced colitis through modulating host immunity and gut microbiome, and strain treatment is a promising strategy for managing IBD.

Primary ovarian Burkitt lymphoma: report of a case and review of literature.

We report a case of primary ovarian Burkitt lymphoma that occurred in a 25-year-old woman. The patient complained of a mass in the right ovary discerned by physical examination 2 months prior. Ultrasound examination indicated that the right ovary was enlarged and abundant blood flow signals were observed. Right salpingo-oophorectomy was subsequently performed. Histology was characterized by diffuse sheets of monotonous medium-sized lymphoid cells with plentiful mitotic figures and apoptosis. Numerous tingible-body macrophages were found in the ovarian tissue, presenting a starry sky pattern. The tumor cells expressed CD20, CD10, BCL6 and MYC in the absence of BCL2. Ki-67 proliferative index was very high with a proliferation rate of near 100%. MYC (8q24) rearrangement was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with no BCL2 (18q21) and BCL6 (3q37) gene rearrangements. Cumulative evidence established primary ovarian Burkitt lymphoma as the final histopathologic diagnosis with clinical stage I (FIGO). The patient received HyperCVAD chemotherapy after surgery and remained complete response (CR) for 18 months. We aim to provide insight into the future treatment of this rare but lethal disease.

Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9-Driven Mouse Mammary Tumor-Inhibitory Effect Is Accompanied by Modulation of Host Gut Microbiota, Immunity, and Serum Metabolome.

Gut microbiome may influence tumor growth and cancer treatment efficacy, so it is a potential target for tumor prevention/treatment. This pilot study investigated the preventive and therapeutic effects of a probiotic strain, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus Probio-M9 (Probio-M9), against murine mammary cancer. Thirty-six female mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 12 per group): control (without tumor transplantation), model (tumor transplantation; no probiotic administration), and probiotic (30-day oral gavage of probiotic, started seven days before tumor transplantation). Changes in tumor size were recorded, and blood, tumor tissue, and stool samples were collected at the end of the trial for analyses. Comparing with the model group, the probiotic group had a significantly smaller tumor volume (p < 0.05), a higher fecal microbiota Shannon diversity index, with significant modifications in the gut microbiota structure (p < 0.05), characterized by more Alistipes sp._2, Porphyromonadaceae bacterium_7, and Bacteroidales bacterium 55_9 (p < 0.05). Additionally, Probio-M9 administration elevated the serum IFN-γ, IL-9, IL-13, and IL-27 levels and several metabolites (e.g., pyridoxal, nicotinic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, glutamine; p < 0.05), while reducing IL-5 (p < 0.05). These changes might be associated with the protective effect of Probio-M9 against mammary tumor growth. Thus, probiotic administration could harness host gut microbiome in anti-cancer responses.

ß-Catenin Controls the Electrophysiologic Properties of Skeletal Muscle Cells by Regulating the α2 Isoform of Na+/K+-ATPase.

ß-Catenin is a key component of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. It has been shown to have an important role in formation of the neuromuscular junction. Our previous studies showed that in the absence of ß-catenin, the resting membrane potential (RMP) is depolarized in muscle cells and expression of the α2 subunit of sodium/potassium adenosine triphosphatase (α2NKA) is reduced. To understand the underlying mechanisms, we investigated the electrophysiologic properties of a primary cell line derived from mouse myoblasts (C2C12 cells) that were transfected with small-interfering RNAs and over-expressed plasmids targeting ß-catenin. We found that the RMP was depolarized in ß-catenin knocked-down C2C12 cells and was unchanged in ß-catenin over-expressed muscle cells. An action potential (AP) was not released by knockdown or over-expression of ß-catenin. α2NKA expression was reduced by ß-catenin knockdown, and increased by ß-catenin over-expression. We showed that ß-catenin could interact physically with α2NKA (but not with α1NKA) in muscle cells. NKA activity and α2NKA content in the cell membranes of skeletal muscle cells were modulated positively by ß-catenin. These results suggested that ß-catenin (at least in part) regulates the RMP and AP in muscle cells, and does so by regulating α2NKA.

[The study of combining high-risk human papillomavirus types checking and cytologic test in the screening of cervical lesions].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between thinprep cytologic test and the types of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in cervical precancerous lesion screening. METHODS: To perform high-risk HPV types test in 1375 samples. Choose 256 positive samples to take thinprep cytologic test (TCT) and directed biopsies under colposcopy. Adopting two-channels real time PCR to genotype and quantify eight high risk HPV DNA (high risk types: HPV 16, 18, 45, 31; intermediate risk types: HPV 33, 52, 58, 67). RESULTS: There are 256 positive samples in High risk HPV DNA test (18.62%). WNL rate for TCT is 16.41% (42/256), ASCUS and above rate for TCT is 83.59% (214/256). There is no statistically significant difference in the viral loads of HPV infection rate between the TCT negative patients and positive patients (P > 0.5). Positive correspondence rate for TCT and biopsy are 92.86% (39/42), 81.36% (48/59), 85.19% (23/27) and 9/10. CONCLUSION: High-risk HPV types checking combined with TCT and biopsy can raise positive rate significantly. It should be used as a reliable method for early diagnosis in cervical cancer and CIN screening.