Identification and functional analysis of the LEAFY gene in longan flower induction.

BACKGROUND: Flowering at the right time is a very important factor affecting the stable annual yield of longan. However, a lack of knowledge of the regulatory mechanism and key genes of longan flowering restricts healthy development of the longan industry. Therefore, identifying relevant genes and analysing their regulatory mechanism are essential for scientific research and longan industry development. RESULTS: DlLFY (Dimocarpus longan LEAFY) contains a 1167 bp open reading frame and encodes 388 amino acids. The amino acid sequence has a typical LFY/FLO family domain. DlLFY was expressed in all tissues tested, except for the leaf, pericarp, and pulp, with the highest expression occurring in flower buds. Expression of DlLFY was significantly upregulated at the early flower induction stage in "SX" ("Shixia"). The results of subcellular localization and transactivation analysis showed that DlLFY is a typical transcription factor acting as a transcriptional activator. Moreover, overexpression of DlLFY in Arabidopsis promoted early flowering and restrained growth, resulting in reduced plant height and rosette leaf number and area in transgenic plants. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-Seq) analysis showed that 13 flower-related genes corresponding to five homologous genes of Arabidopsis may have binding sites and be putative target genes. Among these five flower-related genes, only AtTFL1 (terminal flower 1) was strongly inhibited in transgenic lines. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results indicate that DlLFY plays a pivotal role in controlling longan flowering, possibly by interacting with TFL1.

Genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of the HD-ZIP gene family in kiwifruit.

The homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) gene family plays a pivotal role in plant development and stress responses. Nevertheless, a comprehensive characterization of the HD-Zip gene family in kiwifruit has been lacking. In this study, we have systematically identified 70 HD-Zip genes in the Actinidia chinensis (Ac) genome and 55 in the Actinidia eriantha (Ae) genome. These genes have been categorized into four subfamilies (HD-Zip I, II, III, and IV) through rigorous phylogenetic analysis. Analysis of synteny patterns and selection pressures has provided insights into how whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental may have contributed to the divergence in gene numbers between these two kiwifruit species, with duplicated gene pairs undergoing purifying selection. Furthermore, our study has unveiled tissue-specific expression patterns among kiwifruit HD-Zip genes, with some genes identified as key regulators of kiwifruit responses to bacterial canker disease and postharvest processes. These findings not only offer valuable insights into the evolutionary and functional characteristics of kiwifruit HD-Zips but also shed light on their potential roles in plant growth and development.

Establishment of a machine learning predictive model for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease, which lacks effective drug treatments. This study aimed to construct an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) prediction model to identify or evaluate potential NAFLD patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a longitudinal study of 22,140 individuals from the Beijing Health Management Cohort. Variable filtering was performed using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. Random Over Sampling Examples was used to address imbalanced data. Next, the XGBoost model and the other three machine learning (ML) models were built using balanced data. Finally, the variable importance of the XGBoost model was ranked. Among four ML algorithms, we got that the XGBoost model outperformed the other models with the following results: accuracy of 0.835, sensitivity of 0.835, specificity of 0.834, Youden index of 0.669, precision of 0.831, recall of 0.835, F-1 score of 0.833, and an area under the curve of 0.914. The top five variables with the greatest impact on the onset of NAFLD were aspartate aminotransferase, cardiometabolic index, body mass index, alanine aminotransferase, and triglyceride-glucose index. CONCLUSION: The predictive model based on the XGBoost algorithm enables early prediction of the onset of NAFLD. Additionally, assessing variable importance provides valuable insights into the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.

Zanthoxylum bungeanum Waste-Derived High-Nitrogen Self-Doped Porous Carbons as Efficient Adsorbents for Methylene Blue.

In this study, we prepared high-nitrogen self-doped porous carbons (NPC1 and NPC2) derived from the pruned branches and seeds of Zanthoxylum bungeanum using a simple one-step method. NPC1 and NPC2 exhibited elevated nitrogen contents of 3.56% and 4.22%, respectively, along with rich porous structures, high specific surface areas of 1492.9 and 1712.7 m2 g-1 and abundant surface groups. Notably, both NPC1 and NPC2 demonstrated remarkable adsorption abilities for the pollutant methylene blue (MB), with maximum monolayer adsorption capacities of 568.18 and 581.40 mg g-1, respectively. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order kinetics and the adsorption isotherms conformed to the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption mechanism primarily relied on the hierarchical pore structures of NPC1 and NPC2 and their diverse strong interactions with MB molecules. This study offers a new approach for the cost-effective design of nitrogen self-doped porous carbons, facilitating the efficient removal of MB from wastewater.

Integrated analyses of metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal the potential regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs in gingerol biosynthesis.

BACKGROUND: As the characteristic functional component in ginger, gingerols possess several health-promoting properties. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) act as crucial regulators of diverse biological processes. However, lncRNAs in ginger are not yet identified so far, and their potential roles in gingerol biosynthesis are still unknown. In this study, metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed in three main ginger cultivars (leshanhuangjiang, tonglingbaijiang, and yujiang 1 hao) in China to understand the potential roles of the specific lncRNAs in gingerol accumulation. RESULTS: A total of 744 metabolites were monitored by metabolomics analysis, which were divided into eleven categories. Among them, the largest group phenolic acid category contained 143 metabolites, including 21 gingerol derivatives. Of which, three gingerol analogs, [8]-shogaol, [10]-gingerol, and [12]-shogaol, accumulated significantly. Moreover, 16,346 lncRNAs, including 2,513, 1,225, and 2,884 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNA genes (DELs), were identified in all three comparisons by transcriptomic analysis. Gene ontology enrichment (GO) analysis showed that the DELs mainly enriched in the secondary metabolite biosynthetic process, response to plant hormones, and phenol-containing compound metabolic process. Correlation analysis revealed that the expression levels of 11 DE gingerol biosynthesis enzyme genes (GBEGs) and 190 transcription factor genes (TF genes), such as MYB1, ERF100, WRKY40, etc. were strongly correlation coefficient with the contents of the three gingerol analogs. Furthermore, 7 and 111 upstream cis-acting lncRNAs, 1,200 and 2,225 upstream trans-acting lncRNAs corresponding to the GBEGs and TF genes were identified, respectively. Interestingly, 1,184 DELs might function as common upstream regulators to these GBEGs and TFs genes, such as LNC_008452, LNC_006109, LNC_004340, etc. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) analysis indicated that three TF proteins, MYB4, MYB43, and WRKY70 might interact with four GBEG proteins (PAL1, PAL2, PAL3, and 4CL-4). CONCLUSION: Based on these findings, we for the first time worldwide proposed a putative regulatory cascade of lncRNAs, TFs genes, and GBEGs involved in controlling of gingerol biosynthesis. These results not only provide novel insights into the lncRNAs involved in gingerol metabolism, but also lay a foundation for future in-depth studies of the related molecular mechanism.

Genomic evidence reveals high genetic diversity in a narrowly distributed species and natural hybridization risk with a widespread species in the genus Geodorum.

BACKGROUND: Understanding genetic diversity is a core issue in conservation genetics. However, previous genetic diversity evaluations of narrowly distributed species have rarely used closely related widespread species as a reference. Furthermore, identifying natural hybridization signals between narrowly and widely distributed sympatric species is of great importance for the development of species conservation programs. METHODS: In this study, population genotyping by sequencing (GBS) was performed for a narrowly distributed species, Geodorum eulophioides (endemic and endangered in Southwest China), and a widespread species, G. densiflorum. A total of 18,490 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified at the whole-genome level. RESULTS: The results showed that the nucleotide diversity and heterozygosity of G. eulophioides were significantly higher than those of G. densiflorum, confirming that narrowly distributed species can still preserve high genetic diversity. Consistent with taxonomic boundaries, all sampled individuals from the two species were divided into two genetic clusters and showed high genetic differentiation between species. However, in a sympatric population, a few G. eulophioides individuals were detected with genetic components from G. densiflorum, suggesting potential interspecific natural hybridization. This hypothesis was supported by Treemix analysis and hand-hybridization trials. Invasion of the habitat of G. eulophioides invasion by G. densiflorum under anthropogenic disturbance may be the main factor causing interspecific hybridization. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, reducing or avoiding habitat disturbance is a key measure to protect the G. eulophioides populations. This study provides valuable information for future conservation programs for narrowly distributed species.

Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and elderly population: Based on the 2015 CHARLS.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Serum uric acid to creatinine ratio (SUA/Cr) may be associated with metabolic syndrome (MS). Here, we investigated the correlation between SUA/Cr and MS in Chinese residents aged ≥ 45 years. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were obtained from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) database. MS was diagnosed using the Chinese Diabetes Society 2017 criteria. We grouped the population according to SUA/Cr quartiles and compared the index differences between groups. We used spearman correlation analysis and binary logistic regression. The possible dose-response association of SUA/Cr with MS were analyzed using restricted cubic spline model. Of 12,946 included participants, 3370 (26.0%) had MS, and 1900 (56.4%) were female. After adjusting for multiple confounders, binary logistic regression analysis showed that compared with Quartile 1, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of the MS risk was 1.29 (1.09-1.52), 1.47 (1.25-1.74), and 1.80 (1.53-2.12) in Quartiles 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The restricted cubic spline model indicated a significant nonlinear dose-response association (Poverall < 0.001, Pnon-linearity = 0.029) between SUA/Cr and strength of MS prevalence association; MS risk began increasing when SUA/Cr > 6.22. CONCLUSIONS: A significant positive correlation existed between SUA/Cr and MS risk in Chinese individuals aged ≥ 45 years, which may be a new predictive marker for MS risk.

Sweet-Potato-Vine-Based High-Performance Porous Carbon for Methylene Blue Adsorption.

In this study, sweet-potato-vine-based porous carbon (SPVPC) was prepared using zinc chloride as an activating and pore-forming agent. The optimised SPVPC exhibited abundant porous structures with a high specific surface area of 1397.8 m2 g-1. Moreover, SPVPC exhibited excellent adsorption characteristics for removing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity for MB reached 653.6 mg g-1, and the reusability was satisfactory. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir models, respectively. The adsorption mechanism was summarised as the synergistic effects of the hierarchically porous structures in SPVPC and various interactions between SPVPC and MB. Considering its low cost and excellent adsorption performance, the prepared porous carbon is a promising adsorbent candidate for dye wastewater treatment.

Comparative plastid genomics of four Pilea (Urticaceae) species: insight into interspecific plastid genome diversity in Pilea.

BACKGROUND: Pilea is a genus of perennial herbs from the family Urticaceae, and some species are used as courtyard ornamentals or for medicinal purposes. At present, there is no information about the plastid genome of Pilea, which limits our understanding of this genus. Here, we report 4 plastid genomes of Pilea taxa (Pilea mollis, Pilea glauca 'Greizy', Pilea peperomioides and Pilea serpyllacea 'Globosa') and performed comprehensive comparative analysis. RESULTS: The four plastid genomes all have a typical quartile structure. The lengths of the plastid genomes ranged from 150,398 bp to 152,327 bp, and each genome contained 113 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 4 rRNA genes, and 30 tRNA genes. Comparative analysis showed a rather high level of sequence divergence in the four genomes. Moreover, eight hypervariable regions were identified (petN-psbM, psbZ-trnG-GCC, trnT-UGU-trnL-UAA, accD-psbI, ndhF-rpl32, rpl32-trnL-UAG, ndhA-intron and ycf1), which are proposed for use as DNA barcode regions. Phylogenetic relationships based on the plastid genomes of 23 species of 14 genera of Urticaceae resulted in the placement of Pilea in the middle and lower part of the phylogenetic tree, with 100% bootstrap support within Urticaceae. CONCLUSION: Our results enrich the resources concerning plastid genomes. Comparative plastome analysis provides insight into the interspecific diversity of the plastid genome of Pilea. The identified hypervariable regions could be used for developing molecular markers applicable in various research areas.

Tcf3-activated lncRNA Gas5 regulates newborn mouse cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Diabetic cardiomyopathy can cause cardiac dysfunction and eventually lead to heart failure and sudden death. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Gas5 has been reported to play a function in cardiomyocyte. Here we studied the function of Gas5 on newborn mouse cardiomyocyte (NMC) apoptosis to detect its molecular mechanism. High-glucose treatment was implemented to induce the apoptosis of NMC in this study. And terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay, JC-1 assay, and flow cytometry analysis were conducted to know about the apoptosis of NMC when Gas5 and Tcf3 were silenced. Meanwhile, RNA pull-down assay and luciferase reporter assay were conducted to verify the binding of RNAs. Finally, rescue assay was implemented to evaluate the influence on apoptosis situation affected by competing endogenous RNA pathways. Tcf3 was found to bind to the Gas5 promoter to activate the expression of Gas5. Meanwhile, Gas5 and Tcf3 were both found to promote the apoptosis of NMC. Also, mmu-miR-320-3p could bind to Gas5 and Tcf3. Moreover, the Gas5/miR-320-3p/Tcf3 pathway was found to modulate the apoptosis of NMC. In conclusion, Tcf3-activated lncRNA Gas5 regulates NMC apoptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Investigation of the role of AcTPR2 in kiwifruit and its response to Botrytis cinerea infection.

BACKGROUND: Elucidation of the regulatory mechanism of kiwifruit response to gray mold disease caused by Botrytis cinerea can provide the basis for its molecular breeding to impart resistance against this disease. In this study, 'Hongyang' kiwifruit served as the experimental material; the TOPLESS/TOPLESS-RELATED (TPL/TPR) co-repressor gene AcTPR2 was cloned into a pTRV2 vector (AcTPR2-TRV) and the virus-induced gene silencing technique was used to establish the functions of the AcTPR2 gene in kiwifruit resistance to Botrytis cinerea. RESULTS: Virus-induced silencing of AcTPR2 enhanced the susceptibility of kiwifruit to Botrytis cinerea. Defensive enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and endogenous phytohormones such as indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA3), abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA) were detected. Kiwifruit activated these enzymes and endogenous phytohormones in response to pathogen-induced stress and injury. The expression levels of the IAA signaling genes-AcNIT, AcARF1, and AcARF2-were higher in the AcTPR2-TRV treatment group than in the control. The IAA levels were higher and the rot phenotype was more severe in AcTPR2-TRV kiwifruits than that in the control. These results suggested that AcTPR2 downregulation promotes expression of IAA and IAA signaling genes and accelerates postharvest kiwifruit senescence. Further, Botrytis cinerea dramatically upregulated AcTPR2, indicating that AcTPR2 augments kiwifruit defense against pathogens by downregulating the IAA and IAA signaling genes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study could help clarify the regulatory mechanisms of disease resistance in kiwifruit and furnish genetic resources for molecular breeding of kiwifruit disease resistance.

Tracing the production area of citrus fruits using aroma-active compounds and their quality evaluation models.

BACKGROUND: Aroma is one of the most important aspects of fruit quality and can reflect the characteristics of different fruits. Aroma-active compounds can usefully be employed to trace the production areas of two citrus cultivars ('Eureka' lemon and 'Huapi' kumquat) and to evaluate their aroma quality. RESULTS: 'Huapi' kumquat peel displayed higher monoterpene and sesquiterpene compound content, whereas 'Eureka' lemon peel exhibited higher monoterpene and monoterpene aldehyde compound content. 'Eureka' lemon peel ('Wanzhou' cultivar) had higher nerol acetate and geraniol acetate compound content. Kumquat peel ('Suichuan' and 'Rongan' cultivars) had higher sesquiterpene content. In addition, 30 and 31 aroma-active compounds were observed in kumquat and lemon, respectively, based on their odor activity values. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) results indicated that classification for production areas based on aroma-active compounds was useful. The selected aroma-active compounds have been checked as aroma quality parameters that could be used with multivariate analysis to establish a model of aroma quality evaluation. Higher aroma quality values from kumquat and lemon were collected from Rongan and Wanzhou cultivars, respectively. CONCLUSION: Aroma-active compounds can be used to discriminate production areas using multivariate statistics. An objective method was established to evaluate the aroma quality of citrus fruits. 'Huapi' kumquat and 'Eureka' lemon, which had the highest aroma quality, was harvested from the Rongan and Wanzhou production areas. This was the first time that the aroma quality of citrus fruits was evaluated using multivariate analysis. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Usefulness of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio to predict no-reflow and short-term prognosis in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

No-reflow is one of the major complications of primary percutaneous coronary artery intervention (pPCI) in the treatment of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) has currently emerged as a novel inflammatory marker to predict inflammation in chronic diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether admission FAR values predicts angiographic no-reflow and short-term prognosis in all STEMI patients. A total of 510 consecutive STEMI patients who underwent successful pPCI between September 2016 and May 2018 were included in this study. Patients were divided into groups based on thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grades after pPCI. No-reflow was defined as a post-PCI TIMI flow grade of 0, 1, or 2. Angiographic success was defined as TIMI flow grade 3. Fibrinogen, hs-CRP, and admission FAR values were significantly higher among patients with no-reflow. On multivariate analysis, admission FAR was an independent predictor of angiographic no-reflow (p < 0.001). Receiver-operating characteristics analysis revealed the cut-off value of admission FAR was a predictor of no-reflow with a sensitivity of 79.59% and a specificity of 69.42%. In multivariable Cox regression models adjusted for potential confounders, admission FAR values, and LVEF, hs-CRP was independently and positively associated with the 30-day all-cause mortality. Admission FAR was associated independently and significantly with angiographic no-reflow and short-term mortality in patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI.

Ginger Straw Waste-Derived Porous Carbons as Effective Adsorbents toward Methylene Blue.

In this work, ginger straw waste-derived porous carbons, with high adsorption capacity, high adsorption rate, and good reusability for removing the toxic dye of methylene blue from wastewater, were prepared by a facile method under oxygen-limiting conditions. This study opens a new approach for the utilization of ginger straw waste, and the porous materials can be employed as great potential adsorbents for treating dye wastewater.

Eco-physiological basis of shade adaptation of Camellia nitidissima, a rare and endangered forest understory plant of Southeast Asia.

BACKGROUND: Camellia nitidissima, a rare and endangered shrub is narrowly distributed in South China and North Vietnam occurring in forest understory. Their light tolerance mechanism is unclear. We measured photosynthesis and related parameters on 2-years-old cuttings growing at 10, 30, 50 and 100% sunlight. Our research question was: At what light level are C. nitidissima cuttings responding most favorably, and what is the eco-physiological basis for their response to light? We hypothesized that as a forest understory growth of C. nitidissima would respond most favorably at low to intermediate light by optimizing photosynthetic activity, and high light will affect photosynthetic functions due to photoinhibition, damage of photosynthetic apparatus and concomitant enzyme activity. RESULTS: With increasing light, the maximum net photosynthetic rate (PNmax) and apparent quantum yield (AQY) decreased, while the light compensation point increased, and light saturation point first increased followed by a decrease. The PNmax and AQY under 50 and 100% sunlight were significantly lower than that under 10 and 30% sunlight. The chlorophyll fluorescence parameters Fm, Fv, Fv/Fm all decreased under high light (> 50%). The contents of chlorophyll a (Chla), chlorophyll b (Chlb), and carotenoid (Car) decreased with increasing light. Relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents in leaves were significantly increased in high light but we found no significant difference in these indices at 10 and 30% sunlight. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that C. nitidissima is a shade adapted plant with poor adaptability to high light (> 50%). The novelty of this research is the demonstration of the eco-physiological basis of its light tolerance (conversely, shade adaptation) mechanisms indicated by decreased photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll fluorescence, Chla, Chlb and Car contents and concomitant increase in relative conductivity, MDA and proline contents at high light causing photoinhibition. For artificial propagation of C. nitidissima we recommend growing cuttings below 30% sunlight. For in situ conservation of this valuable, rare and endangered shrub it is necessary to protect its natural habitats.

Evaluation on curative effect and safety of interventional treatment for patients with acute myocardial infarction.

To evaluate the effectiveness and recent safety of emergency and selective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in elderly patients (>80 years old) with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). 120 elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) were divided into AMI group (with 55 cases) and non-myocardial infarction group (control group with 65 cases). Among the AMI group, there were 18 cases underwent emergency PCI within 12 hours after the onset, (AMI emergency PCI group), the rest 37 cases were AMI selective PCI group. In the control group, 2 cases had stable angina pectoris, 59 cases unstable angina pectoris and 4 patients old myocardial infarction. The lesions were classified according to the practice guidelines of American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA). The hospitalized major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and complications in the patients were recorded and statistically analyzed. The AMI group had a higher total Gensini score, lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), less mean stents and contrast agent dosage and shorter operation time, compared with the control group. The difference was statistically significant. Though the average postoperative length of stay in AMI emergency PCI group was longer than that of AMI selective PCI group, but the difference had no statistical significance. To all the included patients, there were 50 cases with lesions in one branch, 43 cases in two branches and 27 cases in three branches. And the immediate PCI success ratio in AMI group was lower than that in control group (80% VS. 96.9%, P= 0.003), without significant difference in the distribution number of diseased vessels and complete reconstruction ratio (P>0.05). The incidence of the total complications in AMI emergency PCI group was higher, compared with the non-emergency group (with 102 cases) and AMI selective PCI group (P<0.001, P=0.039); and the occurrence rate of complication in AMI group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.001). The emergency PCI for elder patients with AMI is safe and worthy of promotion.

Downregulation of EphA5 by promoter methylation in human prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: EphA5 is a member of the Eph/ephrin family and plays a critical role in the regulation of carcinogenesis. A significant reduction of EphA5 transcripts in high-grade prostate cancer tissue was shown using a transcriptomic analysis, compared to the low-grade prostate cancer tissue. As less is known about the mechanism of EphA5 downregulation and the function of EphA5, here we investigated the expression and an epigenetic change of EphA5 in prostate cancer and determined if these findings were correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics of prostate cancer. METHODS: Seven prostate cell lines (RWPE-1, LNCap, LNCap-LN3, CWR22rv-1, PC-3, PC-3M-LN4, and DU145), thirty-nine BPH, twenty-two primary prostate carcinomas, twenty-three paired noncancerous and cancerous prostate tissues were examined via qRT-PCR, methylation-specific PCR, bisulfite sequencing, immunohistochemistry and western blotting. The role of EphA5 in prostate cancer cell migration and invasion was examined by wound healing and transwell assay. RESULTS: Downregulation or loss of EphA5 mRNA or protein expression was detected in 28 of 45 (62.2%) prostate carcinomas, 2 of 39 (5.1%) hyperplasias, and all 6 prostate cancer cell lines. Methylation of the EphA5 promoter region was present in 32 of 45 (71.1%) carcinoma samples, 3 of 39 (7.7%) hyperplasias, and the 6 prostate cancer cell lines. Among 23 paired prostate carcinoma tissues, 16 tumor samples exhibited the hypermethylation of EphA5, and 15 of these 16 specimens (93.8%) shown the downregulation of EphA5 expression than that of their respectively matched noncancerous samples. Immunostaining analysis demonstrated that the EphA5 protein was absent or down-regulated in 10 of 13 (76.9%) available carcinoma samples, and 8 of these 10 samples (80.0%) exhibited hypermethylation. The frequency of EphA5 methylation was higher in cancer patients with an elevated Gleason score or T3-T4 staging. Following the treatment of 6 prostate cancer cell lines with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, the levels of EphA5 mRNA were significantly increased. Prostate cancer cells invasion and migration were significantly suppressed by ectopic expression of EphA5 in vitro. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence that EphA5 is a potential target for epigenetic silencing in primary prostate cancer and is a potentially valuable prognosis predictor and thereapeutic marker for prostate cancer.

Association between axillary lymph node status and Ki67 labeling index in triple-negative medullary breast carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Medullary breast carcinoma is a rare breast carcinoma with good prognosis. Although it has been established that axillary lymph node metastasis is a poor prognostic factor, little is known about the relationship between axillary lymph node metastasis and clinicopathological characteristics of medullary breast carcinoma patients. The aim of this study was to identify factors that predict occurrence of axillary lymph node metastasis in medullary breast carcinoma patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of axillary lymph node status and the relevant clinicopathological characteristics in 49 triple-negative medullary breast carcinoma patients with axillary lymph node dissection between November 2004 and July 2011. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were enrolled in the study. Fourteen patients (28.6%) had axillary lymph node metastasis that was confirmed pathologically. Axillary lymph node metastasis was not associated with age, menopausal status, primary tumor size or its location, the degree of inflammation within the tumor or mitotic count. However, we found a statistically significant association between axillary lymph node metastasis and Ki67 labeling index in primary tumors (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a positive association between Ki67 labeling index in the primary tumor and axillary lymph node metastasis in triple-negative medullary breast carcinoma patients.

[Estimating Leaf Area Index of Crops Based on Hyperspectral Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) Data].

The fast estimation of leaf area index (LAI) is significant for learning the crops growth, monitoring the disease and insect, and assessing the yield of crops. This study used the hyperspectral compact airborne spectrographic imager (CASI) data of Zhangye city, in Heihe River basin, on July 7, 2012, and extracted the spectral reflectance accurately. The potential of broadband and red-edge vegetation index for estimating the LAI of crops was comparatively investigated by combined with the field measured data. On this basis, the sensitive wavebands for estimating the LAI of crops were selected and two new spectral indexes (NDSI and RSI) were constructed, subsequently, the spatial distribution of LAI in study area was analyzed. The result showed that broadband vegetation index NDVI had good effect for estimating the LAI when the vegetation coverage is relatively lower, the R2 and RMSE of estimation model were 0. 52, 0. 45 (p<0. 01) , respectively. For red-edge vegetation index, CIred edge took the different crop types into account fully, thus it gained the same estimation accuracy with NDVI. NDSI(569.00, 654.80) and RSI(597.60, 654.80) were constructed by using waveband combination algorithm, which has superior estimation results than NDVI and CIred edge. The R2 of estimation model used NDSI(569.00, 654.80) was 0. 77(p<0. 000 1), it mainly used the wavebands near the green peak and red valley of vegetation spectrum. The spatial distribution map of LAI was made according to the functional relationship between the NDSI(569.00, 654.80) and LAI. After analyzing this map, the LAI values were lower in the northwest of study area, this indicated that more fertilizer should be increased in this area. This study can provide technical support for the agricultural administrative department to learn the growth of crops quickly and make a suitable fertilization strategy.

The association between frailty and in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients with congestive heart failure: results from MIMIC-IV database.

Background: Frailty correlates with adverse outcomes in many cardiovascular diseases and is prevalent in individuals with heart failure (HF). The Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) offers an integrated, validated solution for frailty assessment in acute care settings, but its application in critically ill patients with congestive HF lacks exploration. This study aimed to identify the association between frailty assessed by the HFRS and in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients with congestive HF. Methods: This observational study retrospectively enrolled 12,179 critically ill patients with congestive HF. Data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database was used. The HFRS was calculated to assess frailty. Patients were categorized into three groups: non-frailty (HFRS < 5, n = 7,961), pre-frailty (5 ≤ HFRS < 15, n = 3,684), and frailty (HFRS ≥ 15, n = 534). Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, length of intensive care unit stay, and length of hospital stay. Multiple logistic regression and Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) smoother were used to investigate the association between frailty and outcomes. Subgroup analysis was employed to elucidate the correlation between frailty levels and in-hospital mortality across diverse subgroups. Results: 12,179 patients were enrolled, 6,679 (54.8%) were male, and the average age was 71.05 ± 13.94 years. The overall in-hospital mortality was 11.7%. In-hospital mortality increased with the escalation of frailty levels (non-frailty vs. pre-frailty vs. frailty: 9.7% vs. 14.8% vs. 20.2%, P < 0.001). The LOWESS curve demonstrated that the HFRS was monotonically positively correlated with in-hospital mortality. Upon controlling for potential confounders, both pre-frailty and frailty statuses were found to be independently linked to a heightened risk of mortality during hospitalization (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: pre-frailty vs. non-frailty: 1.27 [1.10-1.47], P = 0.001; frailty vs. non-frailty: 1.40 [1.07-1.83], P = 0.015; P for trend < 0.001). Significant interactions between frailty levels and in-hospital mortality were observed in the following subgroups: race, heart rate, creatinine, antiplatelet drug, diabetes, cerebrovascular disease, chronic renal disease, and sepsis. Conclusion: In critically ill patients with congestive HF, frailty as assessed by the HFRS emerged as an independent predictor for the risk of in-hospital mortality. Prospective, randomized studies are required to determine whether improvement of frailty levels could improve clinical prognosis.