Anti-4-1BB immunotherapy enhances systemic immune effects of radiotherapy to induce B and T cell-dependent anti-tumor immune activation and improve tumor control at unirradiated sites.

Radiation therapy (RT) can prime and boost systemic anti-tumor effects via STING activation, resulting in enhanced tumor antigen presentation and antigen recognition by T cells. It is increasingly recognized that optimal anti-tumor immune responses benefit from coordinated cellular (T cell) and humoral (B cell) responses. However, the nature and functional relevance of the RT-induced immune response are controversial, beyond STING signaling, and agonistic interventions are lacking. Here, we show that B and CD4+ T cell accumulation at tumor beds in response to RT precedes the arrival of CD8+ T cells, and both cell types are absolutely required for abrogated tumor growth in non-irradiated tumors. Further, RT induces increased expression of 4-1BB (CD137) in both T and B cells; both in preclinical models and in a cohort of patients with small cell lung cancer treated with thoracic RT. Accordingly, the combination of RT and anti-41BB therapy leads to increased immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment and significant abscopal effects. Thus, 4-1BB therapy enhances radiation-induced tumor-specific immune responses via coordinated B and T cell responses, thereby preventing malignant progression at unirradiated tumor sites. These findings provide a rationale for combining RT and 4-1bb therapy in future clinical trials.

Psoralidin, a natural compound from Psoralea corylifolia, induces oxidative damage mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

Psoralidin (PSO) is a natural coumarin isolated from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia Linn. Previous studies have reported that PSO exerts numerous pharmacological bioactivities including antitumor. The present study aimed to investigate its anticancer effect using colon cancer cells. Cultured HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells were treated with different concentrations of PSO, and the cell viability, the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), the protein expression, and the apoptosis were determined by MTT assay, DCFH2 -DA fluorescence probe, Western blotting, and Annexin V/7-AAD staining, respectively. The activities of caspase 3/7 were determined by a commercial kit. Our study found that PSO effectively induces apoptotic cell death mediated by caspase 3/7 in HT-29 and HCT-116 colon cancer cells. PSO treatment rapidly boosts the ROS generation, which is responsible for the PSO-triggered DNA damage, mitochondria membrane potential decrease and caspase 3/7 activation, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2 activation. Collectively, these results showed that PSO triggered oxidative damage mediated apoptosis in colon cancer cells.

Black soldier fly larvae vermicompost alters soil biochemistry and bacterial community composition.

Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens L. BSFL) bioconversion is a promising biotechnology for food waste recycling, yet little is known about how BSFL vermicompost affects soil health in terms of element availability and related microbial response. In this work, a field soil experiment for luffa (Luffa cylindrica (L.) Roem.) growth was conducted to examine the impacts of BSFL vermicompost (BV, 9750 kg ha-1, equal to total N input rate of chemically treated soil (CK)) on soil biochemistry and bacterial communities. Relative to CK, application of BV significantly increased total soil carbon by 149% and enhanced catalase and urease activity by 59.2% and 16.2%, respectively. BV increased the degree of aromaticity and humification in dissolved organic matter (DOM) in soil by 28.6% and 27.3%, respectively, compared to CK treatment. Among bacterial communities in soil, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were the phyla that showed the most substantial alteration in response to BV. Redundancy analysis further revealed that the bacterial community structure was affected by DOM and total phosphorus. Functional analyses indicated that BV enhanced xylanolysis (55.4%) and nitrogen fixation (46.3%), but inhibited nitrification (59.8%). BSFL vermicompost input might effectively prevent the harm of soil borne pathogens (e.g., wilt). Moreover, these function groups strongly correlated with Clostridiales, Actinomycetales, and Nitrospirales. Our study reveals that BSFL vermicompost promoted soil nutrient availability, microbial community succession, and biochemical function optimization, which is conducive to the popularization and application of BSFL vermicompost in the field of soil health. KEY POINTS: • Vermicompost enhanced catalase and urease levels while increased DOM aromaticity. • Vermicompost enriched Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes and improved soil health.

Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Proteins Enable High-Throughput Assignment of Cell Cohorts Directly from MALDI-MS Images.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) provides a unique in situ chemical profile that can include drugs, nucleic acids, metabolites, lipids, and proteins. MSI of individual cells (of a known cell type) affords a unique insight into normal and disease-related processes and is a prerequisite for combining the results of MSI and other single-cell modalities (e.g. mass cytometry and next-generation sequencing). Technological barriers have prevented the high-throughput assignment of MSI spectra from solid tissue preparations to their cell type. These barriers include obtaining a suitable cell-identifying image (e.g. immunohistochemistry) and obtaining sufficiently accurate registration of the cell-identifying and MALDI-MS images. This study introduces a technique that overcame these barriers by assigning cell type directly from mass spectra. We hypothesized that, in MSI from mice with a defined fluorescent protein expression pattern, the fluorescent protein's molecular ion could be used to identify cell cohorts. A method was developed for the purification of enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) from mice. To determine EYFP's molecular mass for MSI studies, we performed intact mass analysis and characterized the protein's primary structure and post-translational modifications through various techniques. MALDI-MSI methods were developed to enhance the detection of EYFP in situ, and by extraction of EYFP's molecular ion from MALDI-MS images, automated, whole-image assignment of cell cohorts was achieved. This method was validated using a well-characterized mouse line that expresses EYFP in motor and sensory neurons and should be applicable to hundreds of commercially available mice (and other animal) strains comprising a multitude of cell-specific fluorescent labels.

Fine Epitope Mapping of Two Antibodies Neutralizing the Bordetella Adenylate Cyclase Toxin.

Adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT) is an important Bordetella pertussis virulence factor that is not included in current acellular pertussis vaccines. We previously demonstrated that immunization with the repeat-in-toxin (RTX) domain of ACT elicits neutralizing antibodies in mice and discovered the first two antibodies to neutralize ACT activities by occluding the receptor-binding site. Here, we fully characterize these antibodies and their epitopes. Both antibodies bind ACT with low nanomolar affinity and cross-react with ACT homologues produced by B. parapertussis and B. bronchiseptica. Antibody M1H5 binds B. pertussis RTX751 ∼100-fold tighter than RTX751 from the other two species, while antibody M2B10 has similar affinity for all three variants. To initially map the antibody epitopes, we generated a series of ACT chimeras and truncation variants, which implicated the repeat blocks II-III. To identify individual epitope residues, we displayed randomly mutated RTX751 libraries on yeast and isolated clones with decreased antibody binding by flow cytometry. Next-generation sequencing identified candidate epitope residues on the basis of enrichment of clones with mutations at specific positions. These epitopes form two adjacent surface patches on a predicted structural model of the RTX751 domain, one for each antibody. Notably, the cellular receptor also binds within blocks II-III and shares at least one residue with the M1H5 epitope. The RTX751 model supports the notion that the antibody and receptor epitopes overlap. These data provide insight into mechanisms of ACT neutralization and guidance for engineering more stable RTX variants that may be more appropriate vaccine antigens.

An Integrated Platform for Isolation, Processing, and Mass Spectrometry-based Proteomic Profiling of Rare Cells in Whole Blood.

Isolation and molecular characterization of rare cells (e.g. circulating tumor and stem cells) within biological fluids and tissues has significant potential in clinical diagnostics and personalized medicine. The present work describes an integrated platform of sample procurement, preparation, and analysis for deep proteomic profiling of rare cells in blood. Microfluidic magnetophoretic isolation of target cells spiked into 1 ml of blood at the level of 1000-2000 cells/ml, followed by focused acoustics-assisted sample preparation has been coupled with one-dimensional PLOT-LC-MS methodology. The resulting zeptomole detection sensitivity enabled identification of ∼4000 proteins with injection of the equivalent of only 100-200 cells per analysis. The characterization of rare cells in limited volumes of physiological fluids is shown by the isolation and quantitative proteomic profiling of first MCF-7 cells spiked into whole blood as a model system and then two CD133+ endothelial progenitor and hematopoietic cells in whole blood from volunteers.

Inclusion of an RGD Motif Alters Invasin Integrin-Binding Affinity and Specificity.

Invasin is a key adhesin displayed on the outer membrane of Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis that mediates the initial stages of infection. Invasin specifically targets microfold (M) cells in the small intestine by binding ß1 integrins and is sufficient to trigger eukaryotic uptake of invasin-coated particles, including Yersinia, Escherichia coli, and latex beads. As a result, invasin has generated interest to mediate oral delivery of vaccines and other biologics. Integrin binding affinity has been shown to correlate with particle uptake; thus we hypothesized that invasin variants with higher affinity would confer enhanced internalization. We first performed alanine scanning of surface-exposed tyrosine residues to identify those contributing to integrin binding. We identified two residues, which, when substituted with alanine, reduced binding to soluble α5ß1 integrin. Next, we constructed four targeted mutagenesis libraries spanning these and other residues known to contribute to binding, followed by enrichment of variants able to mediate Caco-2 cellular invasion and to bind soluble α5ß1 integrin. We identified three amino acid substitutions that increased α5ß1 integrin binding affinity as measured by flow cytometry and ELISA assays, two of which created a novel RGD motif surrounding the D911 residue critical for binding. This variant confers enhanced internalization into CHO cells but not Caco-2 cells when expressed on the E. coli surface. Further analysis showed that inclusion of an RGD expands invasin-integrin specificity, thereby impacting cellular selectivity. This work provides a molecular explanation for the lack of an RGD motif in invasin that is present in many other adhesins.

The Bordetella adenylate cyclase repeat-in-toxin (RTX) domain is immunodominant and elicits neutralizing antibodies.

The adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT) is a multifunctional virulence factor secreted by Bordetella species. Upon interaction of its C-terminal hemolysin moiety with the cell surface receptor αMß2 integrin, the N-terminal cyclase domain translocates into the host cell cytosol where it rapidly generates supraphysiological cAMP concentrations, which inhibit host cell anti-bacterial activities. Although ACT has been shown to induce protective immunity in mice, it is not included in any current acellular pertussis vaccines due to protein stability issues and a poor understanding of its role as a protective antigen. Here, we aimed to determine whether any single domain could recapitulate the antibody responses induced by the holo-toxin and to characterize the dominant neutralizing antibody response. We first immunized mice with ACT and screened antibody phage display libraries for binding to purified ACT. The vast majority of unique antibodies identified bound the C-terminal repeat-in-toxin (RTX) domain. Representative antibodies binding two nonoverlapping, neutralizing epitopes in the RTX domain prevented ACT association with J774A.1 macrophages and soluble αMß2 integrin, suggesting that these antibodies inhibit the ACT-receptor interaction. Sera from mice immunized with the RTX domain showed similar neutralizing activity as ACT-immunized mice, indicating that this domain induced an antibody response similar to that induced by ACT. These data demonstrate that RTX can elicit neutralizing antibodies and suggest it may present an alternative to ACT.

Bioavailability of Fullerene under Environmentally Relevant Conditions: Effects of Humic Acid and Fetal Bovine Serum on Accumulation in Lipid Bilayers and Cellular Uptake.

Carbon fullerene (C60) has emerged at the forefront of nanoscale research and application due to its unique properties. As the production of this nanoparticle rapidly increases, it can be released into natural aquatic environments and can accumulate in biological systems. This research examined the effects of humic acid and fetal bovine serum (FBS), which are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and representative of blood plasma in living organisms, respectively, on bioavailability of fullerene. Bioavailability was investigated using in vitro methods for lipid membrane accumulation and cellular uptake studies. Humic acid and FBS significantly changed the characteristics of fullerene including its particle size and surface charge. The effects of humic acid on lipid accumulation of fullerene depended on the lipid head charge. FBS also significantly decreased the lipid accumulation when positively charged and zwitterionic head groups were present on the lipids, possibly due to the higher steric repulsion of the protein coated nanoparticles. In addition, both humic acid and FBS protein effectively lowered the amounts of fullerene taken up by Caco-2 cells, which are derived from a human colorectal adenocarcinoma and have similar functions to the small intestinal epithelium. Results of this study suggest that surface modification of fullerene by environmentally relevant matrices can significantly affect the biological transport, as well as the possible toxicity of this nanomaterial.

A bispecific anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 antibody induces PD-1 cleavage and provides enhanced anti-tumor activity.

Combinatorial strategies, such as targeting different immune checkpoint receptors, hold promise to increase the breadth and duration of the response to cancer therapy. Here we describe the preclinical evaluation of CTX-8371, a protein construct which combines PD-1 and PD-L1 targeting in one bispecific, tetravalent antibody. CTX-8371 matched or surpassed the activity of anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 benchmark antibodies in several in vitro T cell activation assays and outperformed clinically approved benchmarks in the subcutaneous MC38 colon and the B16F10 lung metastasis mouse tumor models. Investigation into the mechanism of action revealed that CTX-8371 co-engagement of PD-1 and PD-L1 induced the proteolytic cleavage and loss of cell surface PD-1, which is a novel and non-redundant mechanism that adds to the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling axis blockade. The combination of CTX-8371 and an agonistic anti-CD137 antibody further increased the anti-tumor efficacy with long-lasting curative therapeutic effect. In summary, CTX-8371 is a novel checkpoint inhibitor that might provide greater clinical benefit compared to current anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies, especially when combined with agents with orthogonal mechanisms of action, such as agonistic anti-CD137 antibodies.

Influence of carbon derivatives on carbon capture investments in coal-based power sector, a China perspective.

Coal-based power sector needs deep carbon emission reduction in the upcoming 20 years to fulfill China's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality pledge. Due to the low and fluctuating carbon price in the emission trading system, decarbonization projects are risky and face massive potential losses. To promote decarbonization investment, a lot of policies of subsidy have been set forth. However, market instruments, which could be efficient and motivating for market entities, should have received more attention. In this article, the influence of carbon derivatives on decarbonization investment and financing is analyzed for different technology progresses and price trajectories. Results show that carbon futures and options have de-risking ability, lowering expected variation and financial cost, and consequently, making decarbonization project feasible. For advanced technology and optimistic outlook, investment can be feasible with 42-66% debt share when options are available. For the base case and neutral price outlook, derivatives can pull subsidy down by around 1%.

Nifuroxazide boosts the anticancer efficacy of palbociclib-induced senescence by dual inhibition of STAT3 and CDK2 in triple-negative breast cancer.

Though palbociclib, a cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitor has been approved for treating breast cancer, two major clinical challenges remain: (i) Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) appears to be more resistant to palbociclib, and (ii) Palbociclib-induced senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) has a pro-tumorigenic function. Here we report that combining palbociclib with the STAT3 inhibitor nifuroxazide uncouples SASP production from senescence-associated cell cycle exit. Moreover, we identified nifuroxazide as a CDK2 inhibitor that synergistically promotes palbociclib-induced growth arrest and senescence in TNBC cells. In vitro, the combination of nifuroxazide with palbociclib further inhibited the TNBC cell proliferation and enhanced palbociclib-induced cell cycle arrest and senescence. The modulation of palbociclib-induced SASP by nifuroxazide was associated with the reduction of phosphorylated-STAT3. Nifuroxazide also blocks SASP-dependent cancer cell migration. Furthermore, thermal shift assay and molecular docking of nifuroxazide with STAT3 and CDK2 revealed that it binds to their active sites and acts as a potent dual inhibitor. In vivo, the combination of nifuroxazide with palbociclib suppressed 4T1 tumor growth and lung metastasis. Our data suggest that nifuroxazide enhances the anticancer effects of palbociclib in TNBC by uncoupling SASP production from senescence-associated cell cycle exit and inhibiting CDK2 to promote tumor senescence.

Efficacy of flavonoids-containing supplements on insulin resistance and associated metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 25 randomized controlled trials.

Background: Obesity is becoming a global epidemic. Flavonoids, with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative functions, are proposed to treat insulin resistance (IR) in obese subjects. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of flavonoids-containing supplements on IR and associated metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese participants. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving flavonoids-containing supplements used to treat overweight and obese subjects with results of IR, other associated metabolic risk factors, and adverse effects published were retrieved from 5 electronic databases from the year of inception to January 2, 2022. Results: Twenty-five RCTs (n = 1950) were included. Pooled results demonstrated that HOMA-IR in the group receiving flavonoids-containing supplements significantly decreased versus the control group (WMD = -0.132, 95% CI: -0.236 to -0.027, p = 0.013). Subgroup analyses showed that HOMA-IR in the subgroup receiving flavonoid-containing mixtures significantly decreased (WMD = -0.25, 95% CI: -0.43 to -0.06, p = 0.008), whereas such result was not found in the singly-used flavonoids subgroup (WMD = -0.08, 95% CI: -0.20 to 0.05, p = 0.240). In addition, QUICKI in the experimental group had an increasing trend compared to that in the control group (WMD = 0.01, 95% CI: -0.00 to 0.02, p = 0.065). For secondary outcomes, FBG, FBI, TC, TG, SBP, weight, BMI, and WHR in the group receiving flavonoids-containing supplements dropped significantly compared to those in the controls (WMD = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.08 to -0.02, p = 0.002; WMD = -0.58, 95% CI: -1.04 to -0.12, p = 0.014; WMD = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.03, p < 0.001; WMD = -0.04, 95% CI: -0.05 to -0.03, p < 0.001; WMD = -2.01, 95% CI: -3.17 to -0.86, p = 0.001; WMD = -0.29, 95% CI: -0.49 to -0.09, p = 0.004; WMD = -0.10 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.04, p = 0.003; WMD = -0.10, 95% CI: -0.01 to -0.00, p = 0.015; respectively). Adverse reactions did not differ between the group receiving flavonoids-containing supplements and the control group (RR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.52, p = 0.905). Conclusion: This study showed that flavonoids-containing supplements may be efficacious and safe in improving IR and associated metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese participants. Nevertheless, doubt over the findings remains because limited RCTs per type of flavonoids-containing supplement were investigated, and many of the RCTs had a small sample size. Therefore, the findings must be validated in future research. Systematic Review Registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-2-0011/, identifier INPLASY202220011.

Flavonoids for viral acute respiratory tract infections: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

INTRODUCTION: Herbal and 'natural' products are a growing industry in today's society because they reportedly help with numerous diseases and ailments. To date, there are some randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted on patients concerning the efficacy of flavonoids against viral acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) showing inconsistent results. On this basis, we will summarise the available evidence to investigate the efficacy of flavonoids on viral ARTI by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol has been registered. The systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted by Cochrane guidelines and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. RCTs comparing the flavonoids group with the control group for treating virus-induced ARTI will be included. RCTs published with relative outcomes will be searched through 12 databases. Data were searched from inception to 25 March 2022. Relevant literature search, data extraction and quality assessment will be performed by pairs of reviewers independently, and the third researcher will be involved in a discussion for disagreements. Stata V.16.0 software will be used for statistical analysis. Dichotomous data will use the ORs with 95% CIs. Continuous data will use the weighted mean difference with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity will be tested by χ2-based Cochran Q statistic and I2 statistic. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses will be used to observe the heterogeneity between included studies. The funnel plot, Egger's test and Begg's test will be used to judge the publication bias. A p<0.05 will be considered to indicate a statistically significant result. TRAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202180107.

Flavonoids for Treating Viral Acute Respiratory Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 30 Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of flavonoids in treating viral acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were entered into meta-analyses performed separately for each indication. Efficacy analyses were based on changes in disease-specific symptom scores. Safety was analyzed based on the pooled data from all eligible trials, by comparing the incidence of adverse events between flavonoids and the control. RESULTS: In this study, thirty RCTs (n = 5,166) were included. In common cold, results showed that the flavonoids group decreased total cold intensity score (CIS), the sum of sum of symptom intensity differences (SSID) of CIS, and duration of inability to work vs. the control group. In influenza, the flavonoids group improved the visual analog scores for symptoms. In COVID-19, the flavonoids group decreased the time taken for alleviation of symptoms, time taken for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR clearance, the RT-PCR positive subjects at day 7, time to achievement of the normal status of symptoms, patients needed oxygen, patients hospitalized and requiring mechanical ventilation, patients in ICU, days of hospitalization, and mortality vs. the control group. In acute non-streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis, the flavonoids group decreased the tonsillitis severity score (TSS) on day 7. In acute rhinosinusitis, the flavonoids group decreased the sinusitis severity score (SSS) on day 7, days off work, and duration of illness. In acute bronchitis, the flavonoids group decreased the bronchitis severity score (BSS) on day 7, days off work, and duration of illness. In bronchial pneumonia, the flavonoids group decreased the time to symptoms disappearance, the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). In upper respiratory tract infections, the flavonoids group decreased total CIS on day 7 and increased the improvement rate of symptoms. Furthermore, the results of the incidence of adverse reactions did not differ between the flavonoids and the control group. CONCLUSION: Results from this systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that flavonoids were efficacious and safe in treating viral ARTIs including the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, acute non-streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis, acute rhinosinusitis, acute bronchitis, bronchial pneumonia, and upper respiratory tract infections. However, uncertainty remains because there were few RCTs per type of ARTI and many of the RCTs were small and of low quality with a substantial risk of bias. Given the limitations, we suggest that the conclusions need to be confirmed on a larger scale with more detailed instructions in future studies.Systematic Review Registration: inplasy.com/inplasy-2021-8-0107/, identifier: INPLASY20218010.

ADME/T-based strategies for paraquat detoxification: Transporters and enzymes.

Paraquat (PQ) is a toxic, organic herbicide for which there is no specific antidote. Although banned in some countries, it is still used as an irreplaceable weed killer in others. The lack of understanding of the precise mechanism of its toxicity has hindered the development of treatments for PQ exposure. While toxicity is thought to be related to PQ-induced oxidative stress, antioxidants are limited in their ability to ameliorate the untoward biological responses to this agent. Summarized in this review are data on the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADME/T) of PQ, focusing on the essential roles of individual transporters and enzymes in these processes. Based on these findings, strategies are proposed to design and test specific and effective antidotes for the clinical management of PQ poisoning.

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) inhibitors Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) and 7-Cl-O-Nec-1 (Nec-1s) are potent inhibitors of NAD(P)H: Quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1).

Receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) has been identified as a critical mediator of cell death (necroptosis and apoptosis) and inflammation. Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) and 7-Cl-O-Nec-1 (Nec-1s) are widely used as selective small-molecule inhibitors of RIPK1 in various culture cells and disease models. NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is a ubiquitous flavoenzyme that catalyzes the reduction and detoxification of quinones and other organic compounds. Here, we showed that Nec-1 and Nec-1s could bind and inhibit NQO1 activity. Similar to dicoumarol, the specific inhibitor of NQO1, both Nec-1 and Nec-1s significantly suppress NQO1-dependent cell death. However, dicoumarol failed to reverse necroptosis induced by TNFα/BV6/Z-VAD-FMK (TBZ) in HT29 cells. These findings suggest that besides RIPK1, NQO1 might be another target for Nec-1 and Nec-1s and provide new insights for the interpretation of Nec-1-based experimental results.

Continental-Scale Paddy Soil Bacterial Community Structure, Function, and Biotic Interaction.

Rice paddy soil-associated microbiota participate in biogeochemical processes that underpin rice yield and soil sustainability, yet continental-scale biogeographic patterns of paddy soil microbiota remain elusive. The soil bacteria of four typical Chinese rice-growing regions were characterized and compared to those of nonpaddy soils. The paddy soil bacteria were significantly less diverse, with unique taxonomic and functional composition, and harbored distinct cooccurrence network topology. Both stochastic and deterministic processes shaped soil bacteria assembly, but paddy samples exhibited a stronger deterministic signature than nonpaddy samples. Compared to other environmental factors, climatic factors such as mean monthly precipitation and mean annual temperature described most of the variance in soil bacterial community structure. Cooccurrence network analysis suggests that the continental biogeographic variance in bacterial community structure was described by the competition between two mutually exclusive bacterial modules in the community. Keystone taxa identified in network models (Anaerolineales, Ignavibacteriae, and Deltaproteobacteria) were more sensitive to changes in environmental factors, leading us to conclude that environmental factors may influence paddy soil bacterial communities via these keystone taxa. Characterizing the uniqueness of bacterial community patterns in paddy soil (compared to nonpaddy soils) at continental scales is central to improving crop productivity and resilience and to sustaining agricultural soils. IMPORTANCE Rice fields provide food for over half of the world's human population. The ecology of paddy soil microbiomes is shaped by human activities, which can have a profound impact on rice yield, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil health. Investigations of the soil bacteria in four typical Chinese rice-growing regions showed that (i) soil bacterial communities maintain highly modularized species-to-species network structures; (ii) community patterns were shaped by the balance of integrated stochastic and deterministic processes, in which homogenizing selection and dispersal limitation dominate; and (iii) deterministic processes and climatic and edaphic factors influence community patterns mainly by their impact on highly connected nodes (i.e., keystone taxa) in networks. Characterizing the unique ecology of bacterial community patterns in paddy soil at a continental scale may lead to improved crop productivity and resilience, as well as sustaining agricultural soils.

Efficacy of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Treating COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of RCTs.

Background: Integrated Chinese and Western medicine (integrated medicine) is routinely used in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. In this study, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the efficacy of integrated medicine therapy for patients with COVID-19. Methods: In this meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP (CQVIP), and Wanfang databases from inception to April 12, 2021, to identify RCTs of integrated medicine in the treatment of COVID-19. The quality of RCTs was assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool. RevMan v5.3 and Stata software packages were used for statistical analysis. Results: Nineteen RCTs involving 1,853 patients met our inclusion criteria. Compared with patients treated by conventional Western medicine (CWM), patients treated by integrated medicine have a higher overall effective rate [RR = 1.17, 95% CI: (1.10, 1.26), p < 0.00001], fever disappearance rate [RR = 1.25, 95% CI: (1.04, 1.50), p = 0.02], fatigue disappearance rate [RR = 1.28, 95% CI: (1.00, 1.63), p = 0.05], and chest CT improvement rate [RR = 1.24, 95% CI: (1.14, 1.34), p < 00001]. Beneficial effects of the integrated medicine therapy were also seen in C-reactive protein (CRP) level [WMD = -4.14, 95% CI: (-6.38, -1.91), p = 0.0003] and white blood cell (WBC) count [WMD = 0.35, 95% CI: (0.11, 0.58), p = 0.004]. Subgroup analyses showed that, when the treatment time is <2 weeks, the effect of integrated medicine treatment is more obvious in improving the overall effective rate, clinical symptoms (fever, fatigue, and cough), the CRP level, and WBC count compared with that of the CWM treatment. For patients with severe and non-severe COVID-19, integrated medicine is more effective in improving fever and cough symptoms and WBC count than using CWM alone. Conclusion: The results of the current meta-analysis suggested that the integrated medicine can improve the clinical symptoms, chest CT and infection indicators of COVID-19 patients. Even if the treatment time is <2 weeks, the effect of integrated medicine in improving symptoms is more obvious compared with the treatment of CWM. However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the heterogeneity among the studies.