The Enteric Bacterium Enterococcus faecalis Elongates and Incorporates Exogenous Short and Medium Chain Fatty Acids Into Membrane Lipids.

Enterococcus faecalis incorporates and elongates exogeneous short- and medium-chain fatty acids to chains sufficiently long to enter membrane phospholipid synthesis. The acids are activated by the E. faecalis fatty acid kinase (FakAB) system and converted to acyl-ACP species that can enter the fatty acid synthesis cycle to become elongated. Following elongation the acyl chains are incorporated into phospholipid by the PlsY and PlsC acyltranferases. This process has little effect on de novo fatty acid synthesis in the case of short-chain acids, but a greater effect with medium-chain acids. Incorporation of exogenous short-chain fatty acids in E. faecalis was greatly increased by overexpression of either AcpA, the acyl carrier protein of fatty acid synthesis, or the phosphate acyl transferase PlsX. The PlsX of Lactococcus lactis was markedly superior to the E. faecalis PlsX in incorporation of short-chain but not long-chain acids. These manipulations also allowed unsaturated fatty acids of lengths too short for direct transfer to the phospholipid synthesis pathway to be elongated and support growth of E. faecalis unsaturated fatty acid auxotrophic strains. Short- and medium-chain fatty acids can be abundant in the human gastrointestinal tract and their elongation by E. faecalis would conserve energy and carbon by relieving the requirement for total de novo synthesis of phospholipid acyl chains.

Real-Time Direct Monitoring of Chirality Fixation and Recognition at the Single-Molecule Level.

Chirality, a fundamental attribute of nature, significantly influences a wide range of phenomena related to physical properties, chemical reactions, biological pharmacology, and so on. As a pivotal aspect of chirality research, chirality recognition contributes to the synthesis of complex chiral products from simple chiral compounds and exhibits intricate interplay between chiral materials. However, macroscopic detection technologies cannot unveil the dynamic process and intrinsic mechanisms of single-molecule chirality recognition. Herein, we present a single-molecule detection platform based on graphene-molecule-graphene single-molecule junctions to measure the chirality recognition involving interactions between amines and chiral alcohols. This approach leads to the realization of in situ and real-time direct observation of chirality recognition at the single-molecule level, demonstrating that chiral alcohols exhibit compelling potential to induce the formation of the corresponding chiral configuration of molecules. The amalgamation of theoretical analyses with experimental findings reveals a synergistic action between electrostatic interactions and steric hindrance effects in the chirality recognition process, thus substantiating the microscopic mechanism governing the chiral structure-activity relationship. These studies open up a pathway for exploring novel chiral phenomena from the fundamental limits of chemistry, such as chiral origin and chiral amplification, and offer important insights into the precise synthesis of chiral materials.

High-Power-Density and Excellent-Flexibility Thermoelectric Generator Based on All-SWCNTs/PVP Composites.

Flexible polymer/single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) composites are a vital component for wearable/portable electronics, but the development of their n-type counterpart is laggard. Furthermore, little attention is paid to the interaction between SWCNT and polymers, especially the unconjugated polymers, as well as the conversion mechanism of conduction characteristics. Here, the n-type flexible SWCNTs/Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) films are successfully fabricated, where the oxygen atoms in PVP interacted with SWCNT via hydrogen bonds, which can lower the energy barrier of electron tunneling, providing the pathway for the electron transfer. Furthermore, with the increasing synthesis temperature, the hydrogen bonds strengthened and the thermal activation energy further improved, both of which enhanced the electron-donating ability of PVP, resulting in a high-power-factor value of 260 µW m-1 K-2. Based on the optimized SWCNTs/PVP films, a thermoelectric module is assembled, which achieved a power density of 400 µW cm-2 at a temperature difference of 56 K, coupled with excellent flexibility, showing a less than 1% variation of resistance after 5000 bending cycles. It shows the highest output-performance and the best flexibility among the reported SWCNT-based thermoelectric modules. This work provides significant insights into the interaction mechanism and performance optimization of hybrid thermoelectric composites, based on SWCNTs/unconjugated polymers.

Nobiletin, as a Novel PDE4B Inhibitor, Alleviates Asthma Symptoms by Activating the cAMP-PKA-CREB Signaling Pathway.

Asthma is a chronic airway inflammation that is considered a serious public health concern worldwide. Nobiletin (5,6,7,8,3',4'-hexamethyl flavonoid), an important compound isolated from several traditional Chinese medicines, especially Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, is widely used for a number of indications, including cancer, allergic diseases, and chronic inflammation. However, the mechanism by which nobiletin exerts its anti-asthmatic effect remains unclear. In this research, we comprehensively demonstrated the anti-asthmatic effects of nobiletin in an animal model of asthma. It was found that nobiletin significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory cells and cytokines in mice and alleviated airway hyperresponsiveness. To explore the target of nobiletin, we identified PDE4B as the target of nobiletin through pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, SPR, and enzyme activity assays. Subsequently, it was found that nobiletin could activate the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway downstream of PDE4B in mouse lung tissues. Additionally, we studied the anti-inflammatory and anti-airway remodeling effects of nobiletin in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells and TGF-ß1-induced ASM cells, confirming the activation of the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway by nobiletin. Further validation in PDE4B-deficient RAW264.7 cells confirmed that the increase in cAMP levels induced by nobiletin depended on the inhibition of PDE4B. In conclusion, nobiletin exerts anti-asthmatic activity by targeting PDE4B and activating the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway.

Uptake, subcellular distribution, and fate of tetracycline in two wetland plants supplemented with microbial agents: Effect and mechanism.

The use of wetland plants in the context of phytoremediation is effective in the removal of antibiotics from contaminated water. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of many of these plants in the removal of antibiotics remain undetermined. In this study, the effectiveness of two plants-Phragmites australis and Iris pseudacorus-in the removal of tetracycline (TC) in hydroponic systems was investigated. The uptake of TC at the roots of I. pseudacorus and P. australis occurred at concentrations of 588.78 and 106.70 µg/g, respectively, after 7-day exposure. The higher uptake of TC in the root of I. pseudacorus may be attributed to its higher secretion of root exudates, which facilitate conditions conducive to the reproduction of microorganisms. These rhizosphere-linked microorganisms then drove the TC uptake, which was higher than that in the roots of P. australis. By elucidating the mechanisms underlying these uptake-linked outcomes, we found that the uptake of TC for both plants was significantly suppressed by metabolic and aquaporin inhibition, suggesting uptake and transport of TC were active (energy-dependent) and passive (aquaporin-dominated) processes, respectively. The subcellular distribution patterns of I. pseudacorus and P. australis in the roots were different, as expressed by differences in organelles, cell wall concentration levels, and transport-related dynamics. Additionally, the microbe-driven enhancement of the remediation capacities of the plants was studied comprehensively via a combined microbial-phytoremediation hydroponic system. We confirmed that the microbial agents increased the secretion of root exudates, promoting the variation of TC chemical speciation and thus enhancing the active transport of TC. These results contribute toward the improved application of wetland plants in the context of antibiotic phytoremediation.

Association between age, gender, and oral traumatic ulcerative lesions: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Oral traumatic ulcerative lesions (OTUL) are commonly encountered in clinical practice, yet there is limited research on their clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the age, gender, clinical characteristics, and traumatic etiological factors in a large cohort of patients with OTUL and provide valuable insights for dental clinicians to optimize patient care and prevention strategies. METHODS: A total of 1543 patients with OTUL were enrolled in this study. Age, gender, medical history, clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the significance of age and gender as factors related to OTUL. RESULTS: The study revealed significant variations in clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors among different age groups and between genders. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that both age and gender were significant factors related to OTUL. CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics of OTUL and traumatic etiological factors appear to be significantly different according to age and gender. More targeted prevention strategies should be implemented for all age and gender groups.

Near-field manipulation of Tamm plasmon polaritons.

Tamm plasmon polaritons (TPPs) arise from electromagnetic resonant phenomena which appear at the interface between a metallic film and a distributed Bragg reflector. They differ from surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), since TPPs possess both cavity mode properties and surface plasmon characteristics. In this paper, the propagation properties of TPPs are carefully investigated. With the aid of nanoantenna couplers, polarization-controlled TPP waves can propagate directionally. By combining nanoantenna couplers with Fresnel zone plates, asymmetric double focusing of TPP wave is observed. Moreover, radial unidirectional coupling of the TPP wave can be achieved when the nanoantenna couplers are arranged along a circular or a spiral shape, which shows superior focusing ability compared to a single circular or spiral groove since the electric field intensity at the focal point is 4 times larger. In comparison with SPPs, TPPs possess higher excitation efficiency and lower propagation loss. The numerical investigation shows that TPP waves have great potential in integrated photonics and on-chip devices.

Association between vitamin D, depression, and sleep health in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys: a mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the association between vitamin D and sleep health and to investigate whether depression could mediate this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using the 2005-2014 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. The logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate association of serum vitamin D concentrations with sleep health and depression. Mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the mediated effects of depression on the association of vitamin D with sleep health. RESULTS: In multivariate logistic models, vitamin D was found to be negatively associated with an increased risk of poor sleep health, with an odds ratio (OR) of vitamin D deficiency versus sufficiency was 1.256 (95% CI = 1.084-1.455). Additionally, univariate logistic models showed that vitamin D was also negatively associated with depression risk (vitamin D deficiency vs. sufficiency: OR = 1.699, 95% CI = (1.373-2.103). Further mediation analyses showed that the association of vitamin D with sleep health was mediated by depression, with the mediating effects of depression accounted for 44.56% of the total effects. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D affects sleep health directly and indirectly through depression. The results suggest that interventions increasing intake of vitamin D should be prioritized to promote sleep health of persons with or at risk of depression.

Inhibitory Effects of 3-Cyclopropylmethoxy-4-(difluoromethoxy) Benzoic Acid on TGF-ß1-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation of In Vitro and Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis In Vivo.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease characterized by lung inflammation and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) induced epithelial-mesenchymal transformation of type 2 lung epithelial cells leads to excessive extracellular matrix deposition, which plays an important role in fibrosis. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of 3-cyclopropylmethoxy-4-(difluoromethoxy) benzoic acid (DGM) on pulmonary fibrosis and aimed to determine whether EMT plays a key role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and whether EMT can be used as a therapeutic target for DGM therapy to reduce IPF. Firstly, stimulation of in vitro cultured A549 cells to construct EMTs with TGF-ß1. DGM treatment inhibited the expression of proteins such as α-SMA, vimentin, and collagen Ⅰ and increased the expression of E-cadherin. Accordingly, Smad2/3 phosphorylation levels were significantly reduced by DGM treatment. Secondly, models of tracheal instillation of bleomycin and DGM were used to treat rats to demonstrate their therapeutic effects, such as improving lung function, reducing lung inflammation and fibrosis, reducing collagen deposition, and reducing the expression of E-cadherin. In conclusion, DGM attenuates TGF-ß1-induced EMT in A549 cells and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

Photoconductance from the Bent-to-Planar Photocycle between Ground and Excited States in Single-Molecule Junctions.

Single-molecule conductance measurements for 9,14-diphenyl-9,14-dihydrodibenzo[a,c]phenazine (DPAC) may offer unique insight into the bent-to-planar photocycle between the ground and excited states. Herein, we employ DPAC derivative DPAC-SMe as the molecular prototype to fabricate single-molecule junctions using the scanning tunneling microscope break junction technique and explore photoconductance dependence on the excited-state structural/electronic changes. We find up to ∼200% conductance enhancement of DPAC-SMe under continuous 340 nm light irradiation than that without irradiation, while photoconductance disappears in the case where structural evolution of the DPAC-SMe is halted through macrocyclization. The in situ conductance modulation as pulsed 340 nm light irradiation is monitored in the DPAC-SMe-based junctions alone, suggesting that the photoconductance of DPAC-SMe stems from photoinduced intramolecular planarization. Theoretical calculations reveal that the photoinduced structural evolution brings about a significant redistribution of the electron cloud density, which leads to the appearance of Fano resonance, resulting in enhanced conductance through the DPAC-SMe-fabricated junctions. This work provides evidence of bent-to-planar photocycle-induced conductance differences at the single-molecule level, offering a tailored approach for tuning the charge transport characteristics of organic photoelectronic devices.

Molecular characterization of a new fusarivirus infecting Botryosphaeria dothidea, the causal agent of pear ring rot disease.

Here, a novel mycovirus, tentatively designated as "Botryosphaeria dothidea fusarivirus 2" (BdFV2), was discovered in Botryosphaeria dothidea strain JZ-3. The complete genome sequence is 6,271 nucleotides (nt) in length, excluding the poly(A) tail, and contains two putative open reading frames (ORFs). The larger ORF1 encodes a polypeptide of 1,552 amino acids (aa) with conserved RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains and a viral helicase domain. The ORF1-encoded polypeptide shares 19.47-78.70% sequence identity with those of other fusariviruses and shares the highest sequence identity (78.70%) with the corresponding protein aa sequences of Neofusicoccum luteum fusarivirus 1 (NlFV1) isolate CBS110299. The small ORF2 encodes a hypothetical protein with 479 aa, which is predicted to contain a chromosome segregation protein SMC domain of unknown function. Sequence alignments and phylogenetic analysis indicated that BdFV2 is a distinct member of the recently established family Fusariviridae. BdFV2 appears to be a novel fusarivirus infecting a pathogenic B. dothidea strain that causes pear ring rot disease.

miR-126 ameliorates multiple organ dysfunction in septic rats by regulating the differentiation of Th17/Treg.

BACKGROUND: The most common cause of death in sepsis is MODS. We hope that miR-126 can regulate the differentiation of Th17/Treg, reduce the infiltration of inflammatory factors in peripheral blood and various organs and tissues, and improve organ function and prognosis in sepsis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Septic rat model was established by cecal perforation and ligation. miR-126 mimic and inhibitor were used to intervene sepsis. The experimental results showed that miR-126 mimic reduced the differentiation of Th17 and increased the differentiation of Treg in septic rats, resulting in the TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17 were decreased in peripheral blood, the infiltration levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17 were decreased in lung, liver and kidney, the tissue damage degree of lung, liver and kidney were weakened, and the corresponding histopathological score decreased. Finally, the survival rate of septic rats was increased. However, after using miR-126 inhibitor, the levels of inflammatory factors and the degree of multiple organ injury in septic rats increased in varying degrees, and the prognosis of septic rats was worse. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that miR-126 can regulate the differentiation of Th17/Treg, change the infiltration of inflammatory factors in peripheral blood, lung, liver and kidney of septic rats, alleviate MODS, and improve the organ function and prognosis of septic rats.

Sulfuriroseicoccus oceanibius gen. nov., sp. nov., a representative of the phylum Verrucomicrobia with a special cytoplasmic membrane.

Here, we describe a novel bacterial strain, designated T37T, which was isolated from the marine sediment of Xiaoshi Island, PR China. Growth of strain T37T occurs at 15-40 °C (optimum 37 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum 7.5), and in the presence of 0.5-5.5% (w/v) NaCl (optimum 1.5%). Characteristic biochemical traits of the novel strain include MK-9 as the major menaquinone. The major fatty acids identified were iso-C14:0 and C16:1 ω9c (oleic acid). Phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, and phosphoglycolipids were the major cellular polar lipids. The G + C content of genomic DNA was 58.4 mol%. Unusual outer membrane features deduced from the analysis of cell morphology point towards the formation of an enlarged periplasmic space putatively used for the digestion of macromolecules. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA genes and the genome indicated that strain T37T represents a novel species and genus affiliated with a distinct family level lineage of the verrucomicrobial subdivision 1. Our polyphasic taxonomy approach places the novel strain in a new genus within the current family Verrucomicrobiaceae, order Verrucomicrobiales, class Verrucomicrobiae. Strain T37T (= KCTC 72799 T = MCCC 1H00391T) is the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sulfuriroseicoccus oceanibius gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed.

KDM5A silencing transcriptionally suppresses the FXYD3-PI3K/AKT axis to inhibit angiogenesis in hepatocellular cancer via miR-433 up-regulation.

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) has been reported to belong to one of the highly vascularized solid tumours accompanied with angiogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). KDM5A, an attractive drug target, plays a critical role in diverse physiological processes. Thus, this study aims to investigate its role in angiogenesis and underlying mechanisms in HCC. ChIP-qPCR was utilized to validate enrichment of H3K4me3 and KDM5A on the promotor region of miR-433, while dual luciferase assay was carried out to confirm the targeting relationship between miR-433 and FXYD3. Scratch assay, transwell assay, Edu assay, pseudo-tube formation assay and mice with xenografted tumours were conducted to investigate the physiological function of KDM5A-miR-433-FXYD3-PI3K-AKT axis in the progression of HCC after loss- and gain-function assays. KDM5A p-p85 and p-AKT were highly expressed but miR-433 was down-regulated in HCC tissues and cell lines. Depletion of KDM5A led to reduced migrative, invasive and proliferative capacities in HCC cells, including growth and a lowered HUVEC angiogenic capacity in vitro. Furthermore, KDM5A suppressed the expression of miR-433 by demethylating H3K4me3 on its promoterregion. miR-433 negatively targeted FXYD3. Depleting miR-433 or re-expressing FXYD3 restores the reduced migrative, invasive and proliferative capacities, and lowers the HUVEC angiogenic capacity caused by silencing KDM5A. Therefore, KDM5A silencing significantly suppresses HCC tumorigenesis in vivo, accompanied with down-regulated miR-433 and up-regulated FXYD3-PI3K-AKT axis in tumour tissues. Lastly, KDM5A activates the FXYD3-PI3K-AKT axis to enhance angiogenesis in HCC by suppressing miR-433.

Genome-wide analysis identifies critical DNA methylations within NTRKs genes in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Neurotrophic tropomyosin receptor kinases (NTRKs) are a gene family function as oncogene or tumor suppressor gene in distinct cancers. We aimed to investigate the methylation and expression profiles and prognostic value of NTRKs gene in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: An analysis of DNA methylation and expression profiles in CRC patients was performed to explore the critical methylations within NTRKs genes. The methylation marker was validated in a retrospectively collected cohort of 229 CRC patients and tested in other tumor types from TCGA. DNA methylation status was determined by quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMSP). RESULTS: The profiles in six CRC cohorts showed that NTRKs gene promoter was more frequently methylated in CRC compared to normal mucosa, which was associated with suppressed gene expression. We identified a specific methylated region within NTRK3 promoter targeted by cg27034819 and cg11525479 that best predicted survival outcome in CRC. NTRK3 promoter methylation showed independently predictive value for survival outcome in the validation cohort (P = 0.004, HR 2.688, 95% CI [1.355, 5.333]). Based on this, a nomogram predicting survival outcome was developed with a C-index of 0.705. Furthermore, the addition of NTRK3 promoter methylation improved the performance of currently-used prognostic model (AIC: 516.49 vs 513.91; LR: 39.06 vs 43.64, P = 0.032). Finally, NTRK3 promoter methylation also predicted survival in other tumors, including pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma and stomach adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the essential value of NTRK3 methylation in prognostic evaluation and the potential to improve current prognostic models in CRC and other tumors.

Methylobrevis albus sp. nov., isolated from freshwater lake sediment.

An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium with flagellum, designated L22T, was isolated from sediment of Hulun Lake, Inner Mongolia, China. The organism was found to grow optimally at 30° C in a medium containing 0-0.75% (w/v) NaCl at pH 7.5. The major fatty acid identified was summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c). The dominant polar lipids were phosphomonoester, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. The main respiratory quinone was Q-10. The draft genome sequence of strain L22T consisted of 4354,788 bp. The G + C content of genomic DNA was 69.8 mol %. The 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain L22T was affiliated with the genus Methylobrevis within the family Pleomorphomonadaceae, being most closely related to Methylobrevis pamukkalensis JCM 30229T with 95.9% 16S rRNA gene sequences similarity. The AAI, ANI and dDDH values between strain L22T and M. pamukkalensis JCM 30229T were 72.5%, 80.7% and 22.7%. Based on taxonomic results in this study, we proposed that strain L22T a novel species in the genus Methylobrevis of the family Pleomorphomonadaceae, for which the name Methylobrevis albus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is L22T (=KCTC 72858T=MCCC 1H00432T).

Rhodohalobacter mucosus sp. nov., isolated from a marine solar saltern.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic, rod-shaped and reddish-pigmented bacterium, designated 8A47T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern located in Wendeng, PR China. The novel strain 8A47T grows at 20-42 °C, pH 7.0-9.0, and in the presence of 2.0-14.0% (w/v) NaCl. Optimal growth was observed at 37-40 °C, pH 7.5-8.0, and with 4.0-6.0% (w/v) NaCl. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 8A47T formed an evolutionary lineage with members of the genus Rhodohalobacter. Strain 8A47T exhibited high level of similarity to Rhodohalobacter barlenses MCCC 1K03442T (94.7%) and Rhodohalobacter halophilus JZ3C29T (93.5%). The major fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c and/or C16:1 ω6c), C16:0 and iso-C15:0. The sole respiratory quinone was MK-7. The polar lipids of the new isolate consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified lipid, two unidentified phospholipids and three unidentified glycolipids and. The genomic DNA G + C content of the strain 8A47T was 47.7 mol%. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, genotypic and genomic characteristics presented in this study, strain 8A47T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Rhodohalobacter, for which the name Rhodohalobacter mucosus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 8A47T (= KCTC 62603T = MCCC 1H00329T).

The Addition of Preoperative Radiation Is Insufficient for Lateral Pelvic Control in a Subgroup of Patients With Low Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Post Hoc Study of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The local recurrence of rectal cancer has been improved by total mesorectal excision following neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. However, in patients with low locally advanced rectal cancer, lateral pelvic recurrence remains to be addressed. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the efficiency of neoadjuvant radiotherapy in addressing lateral pelvic recurrence and which subgroup of patients might be optimal to receive lateral lymph node dissection. DESIGN: The MRI/CT images were reassessed for lateral lymph node status. The lateral lymph nodes with short axis ≥5 mm and ≥4 mm were considered positive in pretreatment and restaging MRI/CT. SETTING: This was a post hoc analysis of a prospective randomized controlled trial (FOWARC, NCT01211210). PATIENTS: A total of 495 patients with stage II or III rectal adenocarcinoma were included in the original trial. According to the excluding criteria, the finally included population consists of 253 patients; of these, 195 patients received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 94 received chemotherapy alone. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the 5-year lateral pelvic recurrence rate. RESULTS: Compared with patients receiving chemotherapy alone, patients receiving additional radiotherapy had a marginal significance of lower lateral pelvic recurrence rate (6.6% vs 13.0%; p = 0.051). In the subset with pretreatment positive lateral lymph nodes, patients had a lateral pelvic recurrence rate of 22.6% and 45.1% after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy alone. Of note, 34.9% of the pretreatment positive lateral lymph nodes were persistent after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, culminating in a lateral pelvic recurrence rate of 63.3%. LIMITATIONS: This is a post hoc analysis, and only the patients from the leading center were included, which limited the sample size. In addition, the lateral lymph node dissection was not performed in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of radiotherapy in neoadjuvant regimens could not address lateral pelvic recurrence adequately. Some subgroups of patients might need additional dissection. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B613. LA INCLUSION DE LA RADIOTERAPIA PREOPERATORIA ES INSUFICIIENTE EN EL CONTROL PLVICO LATERAL EN UN SUBGRUPO DE PACIENTES CON CNCER DE RECTO INFERIOR LOCALMENTE AVANZADO UN ESTUDIO POSTHOC CONTROLADO Y RANDOMIZADO: ANTECEDENTES:La recurrencia local del cancer de recto ha disminuido al efectuar una excision mesorrectal total seguida de quimioradioterapia neoadyuvante. No obstante, en pacientes con cancer de tercio inferior de recto avanzado localmente, aún está por controlarse la recurrencia pélvicaOBJETIVOS:Determinar la eficacia de la radioterapia neoadyuvante en el control de la recurrencia pélvica lateral y en que subgrupo de pacientes sería conveniente efecutar una excisión lateral de las cadenas ganglionares.DISEÑO:Se reevaluaron las imágenes tomográficas y de resonancia magnética del status de las cadenas ganglionares linfáticas laterales. Los ganglios linfáticos laterales con un eje-corto > 5 mm y ≥ 4 mm se consideraron como positivos previo al tratamiento y reestadificados con RM y TAC respectivamente.ESCENARIO:Es un análisis post hoc de un studio prospectivo randomizado controlado (FOWARC, NCT01211210).PACIENTESSe incluyeron un total de 495 pacientes en estdio II o III con adenomcarcinoma rectal en el estudio original. De acuerdo a los criterios de exclusión, la población final incluida consistió en 253 pacientes; de estos, 195 recibieron quimioradioterapia neoadyuvante y 94 quimioterapia sola.EVALUACION DE LOS RESULTADOS PRINCIPALES:El parámetro mas importante fue la tasa de recurrencia pélvica lateral a cinco años.RESULTADOS:En comparación con los pacientes que recibieron quimioterapia sola, aquellos que además fueron sometidos a radioterapia adicional presentaron un margen significativo de menor tasa de recurrencia pélvica lateral (6.6% vs. 13.0%; p=0.051). En el grupo de pacientes con ganglios linfáticos laterales positivos, los enfermos presentaron una tasa de recurrencia pélvica lateral de 22.6% y 45.1% después de quimioradiaterapia neoadyuvante en comparación con quimioterapia sola respectivamente. Cabe mencionar que el 34.9% de los pacientes con ganglios linfáticos laterales positivos antes del tratamiento persistieron después de la quimioradioterapia neoadyuvante, reportándose finalmente una recurrencia pélvica lateral de un 63.3%.LIMITACIONES:Se trata de un análisis posthoc y solo los pacientes del hospital fueron incluidos, lo que limita el tamaño de la muestra. Además, no se efectuó la disección de los ganglios linfáticos laterales en este grupo.CONCLUSIONES:La radioterapia en los esquemas de neoadyuvancia no logran controlar la recurrencia pélvica lateral en forma adecuada. Algunos subgrupos de pacientes podría requerir de disección adicional. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B613.

The full-length genome sequence of a novel mitovirus from Botryosphaeria dothidea, the causal agent of pear ring rot disease.

Here, we describe a novel mycovirus, tentatively designated as "Botryosphaeria dothidea mitovirus 3" (BdMV3), isolated from Botryosphaeria dothidea strain FJ, which causes pear ring rot disease in Fujian Province, China. The complete genome nucleotide sequence of BdMV3 is 2538 nt in length and contains a single 2070-nt open reading frame (ORF) encoding a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of 689 amino acids (aa) using the fungal mitochondrial genetic code. BLASTp analysis revealed that the RdRp of BdMV3 shares 28.91%-69.36% sequence identity (query sequence coverage more than 90%) with those of members of the genus Mitovirus, with the highest sequence identity of 69.36% and 68.79% to the corresponding RdRp aa sequences of Rhizoctonia solani mitovirus 10 and Macrophomina phaseolina mitovirus 4, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on RdRp aa sequences indicated that BdMV3 is a new member of the genus Mitovirus in the family Mitoviridae.

Enhanced terahertz shielding by adding rare Ag nanoparticles to Ti3C2TxMXene fiber membranes.

Polyacrylonitrile/Ti3C2TxMXene/silver nanoparticles fiber membranes with different silver nanoparticles contents and thickness of porous structure have been successfully prepared by electrospinning. Through the measurement of terahertz time domain spectrum, the shielding effect of the fiber membrane with 1% silver nanoparticles content can reach up to 12 dB. Moreover, the thickness of the spinning fiber membranes is controlled by adjusting the spinning time, so as to better analyze the influence of the thickness of the shielding performance in terahertz band. We attribute this excellent phenomenon to porous structure of the spun fiber membrane and combination of Ti3C2TxMXene with few-layers and silver nanoparticles to increase the absorption and conductivity of the fiber membrane, thereby enhancing the shielding effect in terahertz range. Meanwhile, the prepared polyacrylonitrile/Ti3C2TxMXene/silver nanoparticles fiber membranes show good stability and little change in terahertz shielding effect after high temperature annealing. This may provide potential ideas about the development of high-performance terahertz shielding materials, which are of great significance of terahertz electromagnetic shielding.