Immunomodulation in allergic rhinitis: Insights from Th2 cells and NLRP3/IL-18 pathway.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by nasal symptoms such as rubbing and sneezing, often triggered by allergen exposure. The purpose of this study is to dissect the roles of NLRP3-mediated immune modulation and macrophage pyroptosis in modulating T cell differentiation within the context of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR in mice. OVA-induced AR was established in mice, evaluating nasal symptoms, macrophage infiltration, cytokine levels, and T cell differentiation. Manipulations using NLRP3-/-, ASC-/- mice, clodronate liposome treatment, and NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 were performed to assess their impact on AR symptoms and immune responses. Following OVA stimulation, increased nasal symptoms were observed in the OVA group along with augmented GATA3 expression and elevated IL-4 and IL-1b levels, indicative of Th2 polarization and cellular pyroptosis involvement. NLRP3-/- and ASC-/- mice exhibited reduced CD3+ T cells post OVA induction, implicating cellular pyroptosis in AR. Macrophage depletion led to decreased IgE levels, highlighting their involvement in allergic responses. Further investigations revealed enhanced macrophage pyroptosis, influencing Th1/Th2 differentiation in AR models. IL-18 released through NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis induced Th2 differentiation, distinct from IL-1b. Additionally, MCC950 effectively mitigated AR symptoms by modulating Th2 responses and reducing macrophage infiltration. This comprehensive study unravels the pivotal role of NLRP3-mediated immune modulation and macrophage pyroptosis in Th1/Th2 balance regulation in OVA-induced AR. Targeting NLRP3 pathways with MCC950 emerged as a promising strategy to alleviate AR symptoms, providing insights for potential therapeutic interventions in AR management.

Comparison of genomic prediction methods for early growth traits of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats based on multi trait models.

Inner Mongolia cashmere goat is an excellent livestock breed formed through long-term natural selection and artificial breeding, and is currently a world-class dual-purpose breed producing cashmere and meat. Multi trait animal model is considered to significantly improve the accuracy of genetic evaluation in livestock and poultry, enabling indirect selection between traits. In this study, the pedigree, genotype, environment, and phenotypic records of early growth traits of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats were used to build multi trait animal model., Then three methods including ABLUP, GBLUP, and ssGBLUP wereused to estimate the genetic parameters and genomic breeding values of early growth traits (birth weight, weaning weight, average daily weight gain before weaning, and yearling weight). The accuracy and reliability of genomic estimated breeding value are further evaluated using the five fold cross validation method. The results showed that the heritability of birth weight estimated by three methods was 0.13-0.15, the heritability of weaning weight was 0.13-0.20, heritability of daily weight gain before weaning was 0.11-0.14, and the heritability of yearling weight was 0.09-0.14, all of which belonged to moderate to low heritability. There is a strong positive genetic correlation between weaning weight and daily weight gain before weaning, daily weight gain before weaning and yearling weight, with correlation coefficients of 0.77-0.79 and 0.56-0.67, respectively. The same pattern was found in phenotype correlation among traits. The accuracy of the estimated breeding values by ABLUP, GBLUP, and ssGBLUP methods for birth weight is 0.5047, 0.6694, and 0.7156, respectively; the weaning weight is 0.6207, 0.6456, and 0.7254, respectively; the daily weight gain before weaning was 0.6110, 0.6855, and 0.7357 respectively; and the yearling weight was 0.6209, 0.7155, and 0.7756, respectively. In summary, the early growth traits of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats belong to moderate to low heritability, and the speed of genetic improvement is relatively slow. The genetic improvement of other growth traits can be achieved through the selection of weaning weight. The ssGBLUP method has the highest accuracy and reliability in estimating genomic breeding value of early growth traits in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats, and is significantly higher than that from ABLUP method, indicating that it is the best method for genomic breeding of early growth weight in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats.

Feasibility of modified radical mastectomy with nipple-areola preservation combined with stage I prosthesis implantation using air cavity-free suspension hook in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mastoscopic surgery is proven to have lower incidence of postoperative complications and better postoperative recovery than traditional breast cancer surgery. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of mastoscopic modified radical mastectomy (MRM) with skin nipple-areola preservation under air cavity-free suspension hook and stage I silicone prosthesis implantation (SMALND) compared with routine MRM. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent MRM for breast cancer at the Shengjing Hospital Affiliated to China Medical University between January 1, 2019, and June 30, 2019. Surgical outcomes, complications, satisfaction, and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast [FACT-B] [Chinese version]) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 87 patients were enrolled, with 30 underwent SMALND and 57 underwent routine MRM. The intraoperative blood loss in the SMALND group was lower than in the control group (165.3±44.1 vs. 201.4±52.7 ml, P=0.001), the operation time was longer (220.5±23.9 vs. 155.6±9.2 min, P<0.001), daily axillary drainage volume was smaller (20.2±3.6 vs. 24.1±3.0 ml, P<0.001), daily subcutaneous drainage volume was smaller (15.5±2.3 vs. 19.3±3.5 ml, P<0.001), the discharge time was shorter (7.5±1.6 vs. 9.0±1.8 days, P<0.001), and FACT-B scores were higher (83.8±5.6 vs. 72.1±4.6, P<0.001). The overall satisfaction was higher in the SMALND group than in the controls (76.7% vs. 54.4%, P=0.041). Compared with the controls, the occurrence rates of nipple and flap necrosis, upper limb edema, and paraesthesia in the SMALND group were lower within 6 months (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with traditional MRM, SMALND had better surgical outcomes, higher satisfaction, higher quality of life, and lower complication rates.

Phylogeography, speciation and demographic history: Contrasting evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear markers of the Odorrana graminea sensu lato (Anura, Ranidae) in China.

Understanding the process of speciation and the factors driving the geographical distribution patterns of species is of great interest in ecology and evolutionary biology. Herein, we investigated the phylogeographic patterns, speciation, demographic history and genetic structure of the widespread endemic Odorrana graminea sensu lato in Southern China and adjacent areas. A total of 439 specimens from 68 localities were sequenced and analyzed for both mitochondrial (12S and 16S rRNA) and nuclear markers (RAG-1 and ten microsatellite loci). Phylogenetic analyses of the concatenated mtDNA data revealed five major highly divergent lineages within the O. graminea sensu lato in Southern China, and these divergent lineages were highly concordant with five geographical regions. The nuclear data showed a discordant genetic structure compared to the mtDNA lineages (Clades A, B, and C) for O. graminea sensu stricto, with an admixed pattern in the RAG-1 data and two structure clusters in the microsatellite data. The species delimitation analyses, based on three methods, supported the species status of Odorrana zhaoi and Odorrana rotodora, and revealed the existence of putative cryptic species in the O. graminea sensu stricto. In addition, one statistically significant gene flow event was detected from Clade B to Clade C based on mtDNA and RAG-1 data, and the microsatellite data suggested gene flow within the O. graminea sensu stricto. Bayesian skyline plotting analyses and ecological niche modeling supported demographic and range expansions during the LGM for Clades A and C of the O. graminea sensu stricto. In addition, ecological niche models suggested the existence of ecological divergence among the three Clades (Clades A, B and C) of the O. graminea sensu stricto. The intense uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the Quaternary climate oscillations, and drainage changes may have driven the speciation, genetic structure and phylogeoraphic patterns of the O. graminea sensu lato.

Atmospheric organic nitrogen deposition around the Danjiangkou Reservoir: Fluxes, characteristics and evidence of agricultural source.

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) deposition was the substantial component of dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) deposition in the world's nitrogen deposition hot spots areas. However, the information on the importance for DON deposition and its sources was still scarce, which limited the comprehensive assessment of the ecological threat from nitrogen deposition. Six sampling sites around the Danjiangkou Reservoir were set up to collect the dry and wet deposition samples from October 2017 to September 2021. The results showed that dry and wet DTN deposition averaged 34.72 kg ha-1 yr-1 and 22.27 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Dry NH4+-N, NO3--N and DON deposition averaged 14.28 kg ha-1 yr-1, 5.91 kg ha-1 yr-1 and 14.53 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. Wet NH4+-N, NO3--N and DON deposition averaged 11.14 kg ha-1 yr-1, 3.89 kg ha-1 yr-1and 7.24 kg ha-1 yr-1, respectively. The contributions of DON to DTN were 41.85% (in dry deposition) and 32.50% (in wet deposition), respectively. Dry DON deposition varied between 26.44 kg ha-1 yr-1 and 9.11 kg ha-1 yr-1, and significantly differed among six sampling sites (P < 0.05). The different intensity of agricultural activities disturbance at the sampling sites was the important reason for the spatial variations of DON deposition. DON deposition was significantly correlated with ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) deposition (P < 0.05). According to the results of positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, agriculture source contributed significantly to the DON deposition, the contributions at six sampling sites ranged from 45.8% to 73.7% in dry deposition, and from 56.8% to 81.6% in wet deposition. In summary, our findings found that agricultural activities were the important factors influencing the spatial patterns of DON deposition around Danjiangkou Reservoir and provided new evidence for the anthropogenic source of DON deposition in China.

Bibliometric analysis of T cells in allergic rhinitis.

By reviewing the relevant literature in the field of T cell and allergic rhinitis, we determined the development status, study hotspots, and research frontiers viewpoints of this field to provide a reference for researchers and clinical workers. METHODS: Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was applied to obtain the studies related to T cells and allergic rhinitis (AR) from 2003 to 2023, and the information extracted from these studies was analyzed using CiteSpace 6.1. R6 and VOSviewer 1.6.18. RESULTS: In total, 1585 articles were collected from WoSCC, with the time set between 2003 and 2023. Overall, a growing number of articles are being published annually. The countries and institutions with the maximum publications volume are China (370, 23.34 %) and Sun Yat-sen University (34, 2.15 %). The biggest contributor to the field was Durham, Stephen R. from the UK (22, 1.39 %). The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology published the most related papers in the field (88, 5.54 %). Immunotherapy, Th cells, and inflammation were found to be the research hotspots in this area of T cells and allergic rhinitis in recent years. Pathway, model, Regulatory T cells (Treg cells), regulatory B cells, immunoglobulin E,and innate lymphoid cells were the current research hotspots in this field. CONCLUSION: The field of T cell and allergic rhinitis is developing rapidly, and many countries significantly contributed to this field. Most researchers in this field mainly focused on immunotherapy, Th cell, and inflammation. Pathway, model, Treg cell, regulatory B cell, immunoglobulin E,and innate lymphoid cells were the main subject of current research, and future development is expected to occur in this field.

Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of nigella sativa supplementation for allergic rhinitis treatment.

Background: Demonstrating the positive effects of Nigella sativa supplementation (Nigella spp) on Allergic Rhinitis (AR) treatment is challenging. To investigate the role of Nigella spp in managing AR, a comprehensive review through systematic reviews and meta-analyses was conducted. Purpose: To carry out a meta-analysis of clinical trials that used Nigella spp in treating AR based on current data. Study Design: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed. Methods: Various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Science Direct, Springer Link and the Cochrane Library, were searched until October 2023 to obtain RCTs assessing impact of Nigella spp in the control of AR. The current meta-analysis was carried out with a random-effects model. Results: There were 8 studies enrolled, and our meta-analysis findings revealed that, relative to the control group, observation group exhibited the markedly increased total effective rate for allergic rhinitis treatment (odds ratio [OR] = 4.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] (2.57, 7.27), and p < 0.00001); three studies showed that the effect of Nigella spp for nasal symptoms treatment among patients with allergic rhinitis was superior in observation group to control group [mean difference = -2.60, 95% CI (-2.82, -2.38), p < 0.00001]; adverse effects occurred in five studies, all of which were transient, did not require medical intervention, and were not statistically significant between the two groups [OR = 1.01, 95% CI (0.59, 1.73), p = 0.98]. Conclusion: The observation group demonstrated relative safety and had an enhanced effect on allergic rhinitis treatment and total nasal symptom improvement than the control group. The inclusion of fewer studies and the lower quality of trial design might affect the stability of the results. However, the evidence-based findings that Nigella spp for allergic rhinitis treatment is more accurate should be validated in future large-scale, multicenter, and well-designed RCTs.

HiOmics: A cloud-based one-stop platform for the comprehensive analysis of large-scale omics data.

Analyzing the vast amount of omics data generated comprehensively by high-throughput sequencing technology is of utmost importance for scientists. In this context, we propose HiOmics, a cloud-based platform equipped with nearly 300 plugins designed for the comprehensive analysis and visualization of omics data. HiOmics utilizes the Element Plus framework to craft a user-friendly interface and harnesses Docker container technology to ensure the reliability and reproducibility of data analysis results. Furthermore, HiOmics employs the Workflow Description Language and Cromwell engine to construct workflows, ensuring the portability of data analysis and simplifying the examination of intricate data. Additionally, HiOmics has developed DataCheck, a tool based on Golang, which verifies and converts data formats. Finally, by leveraging the object storage technology and batch computing capabilities of public cloud platforms, HiOmics enables the storage and processing of large-scale data while maintaining resource independence among users.

Clinical Value Screening, Prognostic Significance, and Key Gene Identification of TrkB in Laryngeal Carcinoma.

Purpose: Using human gene chip expression profiling technology to screen out downstream genes related to TrkB regulation in laryngeal cancer cells. Methods: Using the Hep-2 TrkB shRNA cell line, divide it into an experimental group (shNTRK2) and a control group (PLKO1), and use the human gene expression microarray to screen out the differential genes. Then, select 10 upregulated genes and 10 downregulated genes from the differential genes, and use RT-PCR to verify whether the screening results of human gene expression microarray profiles are reliable. Use GO, KEGG, and miRNA enrichment analyses, PPI network diagram, etc., to analyze the differential genes and further screen out the key genes. Results: A total of 318 differential genes (87 upregulated genes and 231 downregulated genes) were screened in laryngeal cancer cells. Use RT-PCR for the 10 upregulated differential genes (DMKN, FHL1, FOXN4, GGNBP1, HOXB9, ABCB1, TNFAI, RGS2, LINC01133, and FGG) and 10 downregulated differential genes (CHI3L1, FMOD, IGFBP1, IRF5, SPARC, NPAS4, TRPS1, TRAP, COL8A1, and DNER), and the results are consistent with the chip results, confirming the accuracy of the chip results; GO analysis results show that the downstream differential genes (DEGs) regulated by TrkB are mainly involved in biological processes such as retinol metabolic process, diterpenoid metabolic process, and regulation of cell-substrate adhesion. DEGs mainly affect cytoskeletal protein binding, serotonin-activated cation-selective channel activity, and sphingosine molecular functions. DEGs are mainly enriched in the cell periphery, secretory granule, cytoplasmic membrane-bounded vesicle lumen, blood microparticle, and other molecular components. The results of disease enrichment analysis show that the downstream differential genes regulated by TrkB are mainly involved in atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, hematologic disease, meningococcal disease, lung cancer, susceptibility, asthma, and other diseases. The PPI network diagram results showed 7 hub genes, and then, we used GO analysis and KEGG enrichment analysis to see the biological process, cell component, molecular functions, and biological pathways. Conclusion: Gene chip technology was used to screen out the differential genes of TrkB epigenetic modification in the Hep-2 cell line, and seven key genes (ALDH1A1, SDR16C5, PIK3R1, PLCG2, IL2RG, PIK3CD, and SPARC) were further screened using bioinformatics technology.

Relationship between Patients' Baseline Characteristics and Survival Benefits in Immunotherapy-Treated Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The difference of patients' baseline characteristics such as sex, age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), and smoking status may influence the immune response. However, little is known about whether these factors affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, we performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the relationship between patients' baseline characteristics and survival benefits in immunotherapy-treated NSCLC. Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic search of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of NSCLC immunotherapy. We also searched abstracts and presentations from the proceedings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society of Medical Oncology to identify unpublished studies. These studies have available data based on patients' baseline characteristics (such as sex, age, ECOG PS, and smoking status). We take the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of overall survival (OS) as the effect index and use the random effect model to pool the results. Results: We included 18 phase II/III RCTs with a total of 14,189 participants. The benefits of ICIs were found for both male (pooled OS-HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.72-0.82, P < 0.05) and female patients (pooled OS-HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.67-0.87, P < 0.05); for both younger (<65 y: pooled OS-HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68-0.81, P < 0.05) and older patients (≥65 y: pooled OS-HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.75-0.86, P < 0.05); and for both patients with ECOG PS = 0 (pooled OS-HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.71-0.84, P < 0.05) and ECOG PS ≥ 1 (pooled OS-HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70-0.82, P < 0.05). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the efficacy of ICIs among different sex (P value for interaction = 0.955), age (P value for interaction = 0.17), or ECOG PS (P value for interaction = 0.765). However, in patients with different smoking status, the application of ICIs significantly prolonged the OS of smokers (pooled OS-HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.71-0.83, P < 0.05) but could not significantly improve the OS of never smokers (pooled OS-HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.70-1.03, P > 0.05). Conclusions: ICIs could significantly improve prognosis in patients with advanced NSCLC, regardless of sex, age, or ECOG PS. But among patients with different smoking status, the survival benefits of never smokers treated with ICIs were no better than that of controls. The impact of these factors on immunotherapy should be considered in the future clinical practice and guidelines.

[Characteristics of Eukaryotic Phytoplankton Community Structure and Its Relationship with Environmental Factors in Danjiangkou Reservoir].

Eukaryotic phytoplankton play crucial roles in ecosystem processes, and understanding their community composition and abundance is of great importance to protect the balance of aquatic ecosystems. Danjiangkou Reservoir is a canyon lake in central China that acts as the water source of the Mid-route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project. In this study, the composition of planktonic microeukaryotes from water samples with a depth ranging from 0.5 to 20 m in Danjiangkou Reservoir were investigated using high-throughput 18S rDNA gene sequencing. The environmental factors including pH, water temperature (WT), nitrate (NO3--N), ammonia (NH4+-N), total nitrogen (TN), conductivity (Cond.), water depth, and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the reservoir areas were measured, and their correlations with the abundance and diversity of eukaryotic phytoplankton were analyzed. The results of high-throughput sequencing showed that a total of 68 genera of phytoplankton belonging to 12 phyla were detected, and the phytoplankton communities were mainly composed of Dinophyceae, Bacillariophyta, and Chlorophyta. In particular, significant differences in the diversity of phytoplankton communities on a vertical distribution were found. The diversity and abundance of the phytoplankton communities in Songgang (SG), Tumen (TM), and Dangzikou (DZK) decreased with the increase in water depth, and the relationship between phytoplankton and water depth in other sampling sites was not obvious. The results of RDA showed that NO3--N, water depth, DO, pH, and WT could influence the vertical distribution of the phytoplankton community in the Danjiangkou Reservoir. Among these phytoplankton types, Dinophyceae was negatively correlated with NO3--N and water depth and positively correlated with other environmental factors. Meanwhile, Bacillariophyta was positively correlated with NO3--N and water depth and negatively correlated with other environmental factors. In addition, Chlorophyta was negatively correlated with WT, pH, and DO and not significantly correlated with water depth.

Ensuring effective implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity targets.

Biodiversity underpins the fundamental elements for human well-being including food security, human health and access to clean water. In 2010, the Aichi Targets were adopted by world leaders to address the crisis of biodiversity loss. Despite conservation efforts, none of the Aichi Targets have been fully met. However, comprehensive analysis of the reasons for failure in terms of implementation mechanisms is, to date, rare and limited in scope. Here, we demonstrate that most parties did not set effective national targets in accordance with the Aichi Targets, and investments, knowledge and accountability for biodiversity conservation have been inadequate to enable effective implementation. We recommend that the new global targets under the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework should be adopted by parties as the minimum national targets to achieve the 2050 Vision. We propose that financial resources for biodiversity conservation are substantially increased through a variety of sources, including the deployment of new economic instruments such as payments for ecosystem services. In addition, science-policy interfaces at all levels need to be strengthened to integrate scientific, Indigenous and local knowledge to support decision-making. We suggest that a compliance and accountability mechanism, based on monitoring systems, is created to provide transparent and credible review of parties' implementation of the new global targets.

Association between the rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 and risk of cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the effect of rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 on susceptibility to cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Materials & methods: We collected venous blood samples from 242 CSCC patients and 250 healthy controls. The rs3733846 polymorphism was genotyped by SnaPshot and Sanger sequencing. The expression of miR-143/145 in CSCC tissues was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Results: The rs3733846 AG genotype was associated with a decreased risk of CSCC in genetic model (AGvs.AA: adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.30-0.66; p < 0.001). Patients with the rs3733846 AG/GG genotypes had a reduced risk of developing poorly differential status (OR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.33-0.98; p < 0.04) and lymph node metastasis (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.26-0.92; p < 0.03). Conclusion: The rs3733846 in the flanking region of miR-143/145 was related to the susceptibility of CSCC.

[Characteristics of Macrobenthos Community Structure and Their Relationships with Environmental Factors in Rivers of Beijing in Spring].

Macrobenthos from 20 sites of 17 rivers in Beijing were investigated in the spring of 2019, and the relationship between community structure characteristics and environmental factors was analyzed. A total of 64 classification units (species) of macrobenthos from 3 phyla, 6 classes, and 32 families were identified. We found that there were large spatial differences between the density composition and dominant species of macrobenthos. Mountainous river area had the highest density of aquatic insects (33.95 ind.·m-2), and the main dominant species were Simuliidae sp., Hydropsyche sp., and Paraciadius alpicola. In suburban areas, Chironomidae and Oligochaeta showed the largest average density, which was 82.58 ind.·m-2 and 36.21 ind.·m-2, respectively, and Polypedilum nubeculosum and Chironomus pallidivittatus were the dominant species in this area. Furthermore, macrobenthos in urban rivers were mainly Gastropods (88.75 ind.·m-2), and the dominant species were Bellamya aeruginosa and Bellamya purificata. Fourteen more species were found in the urban and suburban river areas than in mountain areas. According to the results of the canonical correspondence analysis, there were many factors affecting the community structure of macrobenthos, including water temperature, TN, Chl-a, pH, and human activity. Nutrient concentration was the main factor affecting the community structure of macrobenthos in the suburban river area, while human activities and water temperature were the major determinants of the macrobenthos community structure in mountainous and urban rivers.

ERK Activation-Mediated Autophagy Induction Resists Licochalcone A-Induced Anticancer Activities in Lung Cancer Cells in vitro.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence and mortality rates of lung cancer rank top in the different types of cancers in China. Licochalcone A (LA) is a flavonoid extracted from the roots of licorice with antitumor effects in various cancers in vitro and in vivo. However, the role of LA in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains largely unclear. METHODS: The cell viability was measured by MTT assay, Edu staining and colony formation assay. Apoptosis was investigated using Annexin V/PI double-stained assays with flow cytometry. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was carried out to investigate the expression of mRNA of related proteins. Western blotting was used to investigate the expression of related proteins. RESULTS: The results show that LA inhibits the proliferation of NSCLC cells in a dose-dependent manner and induces apoptotic cell death. Moreover, LA significantly suppresses the expression of c-IAP1, c-IAP2, XIAP, Survivin, c-FLIPL and RIP1 without influencing the level of mRNA. Cycloheximide chase assay demonstrates that LA greatly decreases the stability of Survivin, XIAP and RIP1. Mechanistic studies indicate that LA induces cytoprotective autophagy since block of autophagy with CQ greatly enhances LA-induced anticancer activities. Furthermore, LA rapidly induces ERK and p38 activation in a time-dependent manner in both A549 and H460 cells, but suppresses the activities of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK); suppression of ERK not p38 with inhibitor attenuates LA-induced autophagy, while it remarkably enhances LA-induced cytotoxicity in lung cancer cells and further promotes the degradation of apoptosis-related proteins. DISCUSSION: The results of this study provide novel insights on the role of apoptosis-related proteins and the MAPKs pathway in the anticancer activities of LA.

Agricultural non-point nitrogen pollution control function of different vegetation types in riparian wetlands: a case study in the Yellow River wetland in China.

Riparian wetland is the major transition zone of matter, energy and information transfer between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and has important functions of water purification and non-point pollution control. Using the field experiment method and an isotope tracing technique, the agricultural non-point nitrogen pollution control function of different vegetation types in riparian wetland was studied in the Kouma Section of the Yellow River. The results showed that the retention of agricultural non-point nitrogen pollution by riparian wetland soil occurs mainly in top 0-10 cm layer. The amount of nitrogen retained by surface soils associated with three types of vegetation are 0.045 mg/g for Phragmites communis Trin Linn, 0.036 mg/g for Scirpus triqueter Linn, and 0.032 mg/g for Typha angustifolia Linn, which account for 59.21%, 56.25%, and 56.14% of the total nitrogen interception, respectively. Exogenous nitrogen in 0-10 cm soil layer changes more quickly than in other layers. One month after adding K(15)NO3 to the tested vegetation, nitrogen content was 77.78% for P. communis Trin, 68.75% for T. angustifolia, and 8.33% for S. triqueter in the surface soil. After three months, nitrogen content was 93.33% for P. communis Trin, 72.22% for S. triqueter, and 37.50% for T. Angustifolia. There are large differences among vegetation communities respecting to purification of agricultural non-point nitrogen pollution. The nitrogen uptake amount decreases in the sequence: new shoots of P. communis Trin (9.731 mg/g) > old P. communis Trin (4.939 mg/g) > S. triqueter (0.620 mg/g) > T. angustifolia (0.186 mg/g). Observations indicated that the presence of riparian wetlands as buffers on and adjacent to stream banks could be recommended to control agricultural non-point pollution.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Spotted Greenshank Tringa guttifer (Charadriiforemes: Charadriidae).

The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of the Endangered Spotted Greenshank, Tringa guttifer, was detected using phenol-chloroform extraction procedure and polymerase chain reaction method. It is a circular molecule of 16,935 bp in size, exhibits the typical structure of mitochondrial genomes of Charadriiformes, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and a control region. Overall base composition of the complete mitochondrial DNA is A (31.7%), T (25.5%), C (29.5%), and G (13.3%), the percentage of A and T (57.2%) is higher than G and C. The phylogenetic relationships of 34 species were reconstructed using the maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference, and unravel T. guttifer is close to T. semipalmata.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Calidris tenuirostris (Charadriiformes: Scolopacidae).

There is a lack of genomic information on Calidris tenuirostris, which can provide valuable resource for genetic diversity and conservation biology. The complete mitogenome of C. tenuirostris was 16,775 bp in length and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 1 control region (D-loop). The overall nucleotide composition was 31.10% A, 24.9% T, 30.10% C and 13.9% G. The start codon (ATG) and end codon (TAA) were usual. Phylogenomic analysis using mitogenomes supports monophyly of Scolopacidae, and help us understand the evolutionary relationship in charadriiformes.

[Analysis of River Zooplankton Community Characteristics in Autumn in Beijing].

To clarify the spatial distribution characteristics of zooplankton communities and the relationship between zooplankton and water environmental factors, 81 samples from 28 rivers and lakes in Beijing were collected in September 2017. A total of 68 species of zooplankton were identified, including 17 species of protozoa (25%), 36 species of rotifers (53%), 13 species of cladocera (19%), and copepods (3%, which were mainly copepodids and nauplii). Among 15 dominant species, 12 were copepods and rotifers. Zooplankton communities varied between the different rivers:The zooplankton in rivers in mountainous areas were mainly protozoa and copepods; in suburban areas, communities were dominated by copepods; and in urban areas, rotifers were dominant. A comprehensive water quality index, the Shannon-Wiener index, the Pielou evenness index, and the Margalef richness index were also calculated. Results showed that the water quality of the rivers in mountainous areas was generally better than in urban areas, which was better than in suburban areas. TN was found to be the main form of pollution using the single factor water quality index. Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified that NH4+-N, BOD5, and COD had a significant effect on zooplankton community characteristics.

Effect of Sewage Irrigation on the CT-Measured Soil Pore Characteristics of a Clay Farmland in Northern China.

Sewage irrigation has a strong influence on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. However, the effects of sewage irrigation on the pore characteristics of soil are not well understood. This study compares the effects of sewage irrigation and groundwater irrigation on computed tomography (CT)-measured pore parameters and examines the relationships between CT-measured pore parameters and soil physicochemical and microbial properties. Intact soil cores were collected from S1 irrigated with sewage for 25 years, S2 irrigated with sewage for 52 years, and CK irrigated with groundwater. Various soil pore characteristics were determined, including the total pore number, macropore number (>1 mm diam.), coarse mesopore number (0.264⁻1 mm diam.), total porosity, macroporosity, coarse mesoporosity, and circularity. The results indicated that sewage irrigation significantly affected soil pore number and porosity. Compared with S1 and S2, CK exhibited a higher average total pore number (91), macropore number (40), coarse mesopore number (51), total porosity (2.08%), macroporosity (1.90%), and coarse mesoporosity (0.18%) throughout the 50⁻350 mm layer. At depths of 200⁻350 mm, S2 exhibited the lowest average total pore number (33), macropore number (13), coarse mesopore number (21), total porosity (0.42%), macroporosity (0.35%), and coarse mesoporosity (0.07%) among the three sites. In addition, the average pore numbers and porosity at depths of 200⁻350 mm decreased with increasing sewage irrigation time. There were significant positive correlations between pore features (including pore numbers and porosity) and soil properties (phosphorus content and fungi numbers). Our results suggest that decreased macropore numbers and macroporosity in the sewage-irrigated farmland may strongly intensify the accumulation of metals and nutrients in the upper layer. The findings of this study are useful for understanding the negative effects of sewage irrigation on soil pore structure and are critical for developing sustainable strategies in agriculture.