Cathepsin B degrades RbcL during freezing-induced programmed cell death in Arabidopsis.

KEY MESSAGE: Cathepsin B plays an important role that degrades the Rubisco large subunit RbcL in freezing stress. Programmed cell death (PCD) has been well documented in both development and in response to environmental stresses in plants, however, PCD induced by freezing stress and its molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. In the present study, we characterized freezing-induced PCD and explored its mechanisms in Arabidopsis. PCD induced by freezing stress was similar to that induced by other stresses and senescence in Arabidopsis plants with cold acclimation. Inhibitor treatment assays and immunoblotting indicated that cathepsin B mainly contributed to increased caspase-3-like activity during freezing-induced PCD. Cathepsin B was involved in freezing-induced PCD and degraded the large subunit, RbcL, of Rubisco. Our results demonstrate an essential regulatory mechanism of cathepsin B for Rubisco degradation in freezing-induced PCD, improving our understanding of freezing-induced cell death and nitrogen and carbohydrate remobilisation in plants.

Quantitative dual-energy computed tomography texture analysis predicts the response of primary small hepatocellular carcinoma to radiofrequency ablation.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is one of the effective therapeutic modalities in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, there is no proper method to evaluate the HCC response to RFA. This study aimed to establish and validate a clinical prediction model based on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) quantitative-imaging parameters, clinical variables, and CT texture parameters. METHODS: We enrolled 63 patients with small HCC. Two to four weeks after RFA, we performed DECT scanning to obtain DECT-quantitative parameters and to record the patients' clinical baseline variables. DECT images were manually segmented, and 56 CT texture features were extracted. We used LASSO algorithm for feature selection and data dimensionality reduction; logistic regression analysis was used to build a clinical model with clinical variables and DECT-quantitative parameters; we then added texture features to build a clinical-texture model based on clinical model. RESULTS: A total of six optimal CT texture analysis (CTTA) features were selected, which were statistically different between patients with or without tumor progression (P < 0.05). When clinical variables and DECT-quantitative parameters were included, the clinical models showed that albumin-bilirubin grade (ALBI) [odds ratio (OR) = 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-6.65, P = 0.010], λAP (40-100 keV) (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 3.16-5.65, P = 0.045) and ICAP (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01-1.62, P = 0.028) were associated with tumor progression, while the clinical-texture models showed that ALBI (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.19-5.68, P = 0.024), λAP (40-100 keV) (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.10-2.07, P = 0.019), and CTTA-score (OR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.68-6.66, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for tumor progression. The clinical model, clinical-texture model, and CTTA-score all performed well in predicting tumor progression within 12 months after RFA (AUC = 0.917, 0.962, and 0.906, respectively), and the C-indexes of the clinical and clinical-texture models were 0.917 and 0.957, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DECT-quantitative parameters, CTTA, and clinical variables were helpful in predicting HCC progression after RFA. The constructed clinical prediction model can provide early warning of potential tumor progression risk for patients after RFA.

A Novel Method for Rapid Fabrication of Colloidal Clusters.

In this work, a novel method was proposed to prepare two kinds of colloidal clusters. One was unitary cluster composed of monodisperse microspheres, the other was binary cluster consisting of bidisperse particles (large microsphere and small nanosphere). Each unitary cluster with fixed number (n) of monodisperse microspheres had its own unique configuration. Most unitary clusters had the configurations identical with the theoretical geometries, while some clusters were not the theoretical clusters. For binary clusters, a fascinating phenomenon was that the presence of nanospheres could not change the configuration of large microspheres, but just could affect their morphologies.

Relationship between renal tissues phospholipase A2 receptor and its serum antibody and clinical condition and prognosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation of M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) expression and serum anti-PLA2R antibody with the clinical parameters and prognosis of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). METHODS: A literature search for relevant original articles published between January 2009 and October 2019 was conducted on domestic and foreign databases. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included in this meta-analysis. There were 1235 anti-PLA2R antibody-positive and PLA2R-positive patients, and 407 serum anti-PLA2R antibody-negative and PLA2R-negative patients. Compared with negative group, patients in the serum PLA2R antibody -positive group had lower serum albumin [SMD = -1.11, 95% CI (- 1.82, - 0.40), P < 0.00001], higher age [MD = 2.71, 95% CI (1.94, 3.48), P < 0.00001], and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) [MD = -10.34, 95% CI (- 12.09, - 8.60), P < 0.00001]; no significant between-group difference was observed with respect to 24-h urine protein and serum creatinine. However, no significant difference was observed between renal tissues PLA2R -positive and -negative groups with respect to serum albumin, eGFR, serum creatinine, and 24-h urine protein. Remission rate in the serum anti-PLA2R antibody -positive group was lower than that in the -negative group [OR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.28, 0.61),P < 0.00001]; however, no significant between-group difference in this respect was observed between the renal tissue PLA2R-positive and -negative groups. In the serum anti-PLA2R antibody -positive group, the higher titer subgroup had lower remission rate [OR = 0.19, 95% CI (0.07, 0.55),P = 0.002]. No significant difference was observed between anti-PLA2R antibody -positive and -negative groups with respect to adverse events. Serum anti-PLA2R antibody titer did not affect the adverse event rate. CONCLUSION: As compared to PLA2R, serum anti-PLA2R antibody is more closely related with IMN disease progression.

Two New Neo-debromoaplysiatoxins-A Pair of Stereoisomers Exhibiting Potent Kv1.5 Ion Channel Inhibition Activities.

A pair of stereoisomers possessing novel structures with 6/6/5 fused-ring systems, neo-debromoaplysiatoxin E (1) and neo-debromoaplysiatoxin F (2), were isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya sp. Their structures were elucidated using various spectroscopic techniques including high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The absolute stereochemistry was determined by calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and gauge-independent atomic orbital (GIAO) NMR shift calculation followed by DP4+ analysis. Significantly, this is the first report on aplysiatoxin derivatives with different absolute configurations at C9-C12 (1: 9S, 10R, 11S, 12S; 2: 9R, 10S, 11R, 12R). Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited potent blocking activities against Kv1.5 with IC50 values of 1.22 ± 0.22 µM and 2.85 ± 0.29 µM, respectively.

Downregulation of PI3K-γ in a mouse model of sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction.

A key component during sepsis is the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, of which the PI3K-γ isoform is a major regulator in many inflammatory responses. However, the role of PI3K-γ in the development of sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) is unknown. In this study, we established a model of SIMD induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), subsequently used the selective inhibitor LY294002 and AS605240 to block the effect of PI3K and PI3K-γ, respectively. Cardiac function was evaluated by echocardiography, hearts were obtained for histological and protein expression examinations. ELISA was used to measure the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP). LPS-treated mice showed an increase to cardiac inflammation, myocardial damage and production of TNF-α, IL-6, NF-κB, cTnI and H-FABP. Administration of AS605240 to LPS-treated mice reduced some patho-physiological characteristics of SIMD and reduced TNF-α, IL-6, cTnI and H-FABP production. However, administration of LY294002 did not improve those same conditions. The results showed that PI3K-γ is likely a crucial element in SIMD by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway, and become a new marker of myocardial injury. Inhibition of PI3K-γ might be a potential therapeutic target in SIMD.

Interleukin-27 is elevated in sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction and mediates inflammation.

INTRODUCTION: Interleukin (IL)-27 is an important cytokine involved in many human inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigated its role in the pathogenesis of sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD). METHODS: Twenty patients with SIMD and 24healthy donors were prospectively enrolled. Expression of IL-27 was detected in serum from SIMD patients by ELISA. Cardiac dysfunction was induced by administration of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to C57BL/6 (wild type) or IL-27R-/- mice. IL-27 mRNA in the myocardium was measured by RT-PCR. Cytokine levels in serum were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: Expression of IL-27 in the serum was markedly increased in patients with SIMD compared with that in controls. Serum IL-27 levels and cardiac IL-27 mRNA expression were significantly increased after LPS injection compared with control specimens. Compared with wild-type mice, IL-27R-/- mice had higher expression of brain natriuretic peptide, cardiac troponin I, IL-6, IL-12, tumor necrosis factor-α and transforming growth factor-ß. CONCLUSIONS: IL-27 is an important protective mediator of SIMD.

Effect of Organic Matter on Sorption of Zn on Soil: Elucidation by Wien Effect Measurements and EXAFS Spectroscopy.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is the major factor affecting sequestration of heavy metals in soil. The mean free binding energy and the mean free adsorption energy and speciation of Zn in soil, as affected by SOM, were determined by employing Wien effect measurements. The presence of SOM markedly decreased the Zn binding energy in soils in the following order: Top (5.86 kJ mol(-1)) < Bottom (8.66 kJ mol(-1)) < Top OM-free (9.44 kJ mol(-1)) ≈ Bottom OM-free (9.50 kJ mol(-1)). The SOM also significantly decreased the adsorption energy of Zn on black soil particles by reducing nonspecific adsorption of Zn on their surfaces. The speciation of Zn in soils was elucidated by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and microfocus X-ray fluorescence. The results obtained by linear combination fitting of EXAFS spectra revealed that the main forms of Zn in soil were outer-sphere Zn, Zn-illite, Zn-kaolinite, and HA-Zn. As the SOM content increased, the proportion of HA-Zn among the total immobilized Zn increased, and the proportion of nonspecific adsorbed Zn decreased. The present results implied that SOM is an important controlling factor for the environmental behavior of Zn in soils.

[Fluorescence Properties and the Detection of Benzaldehyde of Lanthanide Complex with 2-Sufoterephthalalic Acid].

A new lanthanide coordination polymer, [Eu(2-stp) (2,2'-bipy) (H2O)] · H2O (2-stp = 2-sufoterephthalalic acid, 2, 2'-bipy=2,2'-bipyridine) was obtained by hydrothermal method. The crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex has a one-dimensional parallel double-chain structure. Eu³âº is a nine-coordinated by six O atoms from three 2-sufoterephthalalic acids, one water molecule and two N atoms from 2,2'-bipyridine. The fluorescence properties of the complex were studied. The complex shows the characteristics narrow emission of ion at 581, 594, 619, 654 and 698 nm, corresponding to 5D0-->Fj (J = 0-4) transitions. The strongest emission peak is at 619 nm, corresponding to 5D0-F2 transition for red light. Different organic solvents have different effects on the fluorescence intensity of the complex, and enzaldehyde exerts the most significant fluorescence quenching effect. So, this complex can be used as a fluorescent sensing probe for benzaldehyde.

[Fluorescence Properties and the Detection of Nitrobenzene of Lanthanides Complex with 3,4-Thiophenedicarboxylic Acid and 1,10 Phenanthroline].

3,4-thiophenedicarboxylic acid (3,4-H2tdc) as the first ligand, 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) as the auxiliary ligand, three complexes Ln2(Htdc)2(tdc)2(phen)2(H2O)4(Ln=Eu 1, Gd 2, Tb 3) were synthesized with hydrothermal method. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that complexes 1-3 were isostructural crystallize and both of complexes are binuclear molecules. In the complexes 1-3, the coordination number is nine. Each metal is bound to two 3, 4-tdc ligand, one 3,4-Htdc ligand, one phen and two water molecule. Complexes 1 and 3 display the red and green light under UV lamp, corresponding the characteristic peaks from 619 nm (5D0→7F2) and 545 nm (5D4→7F5). Complex 2 expresses a broad band at 425 nm is attributed to π*→π transition. Furthermore, under the excitation wavelength of 329 nm, the effects of different solvents on complex 1 was discussed and complex 1 could be a potential luminescent probe for detecting nitrobenzene through fluorescence quenching mechanism.

[Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Fluorescence Properties of Two Tb(III) Complexes].

Two coordination polymers with formula of [Tb(3-SBA) (IP)OH(H2O)] · H2O(1) and [Tb(dpdc)1.5 (IP) (H2O)]n (2) (3-SBA==3-sulfobenzoate, dpdc=2,2'-diphenyldicarboxylate and IP=1H-imidazo[4,5-f][1,10]-phenanthroline) have been synthesised under hydrothermal condition and characterizated by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The complex 1 possesses a 1D chain structure constructed from Tb(III) ions by 3-SBA ligands and OH groups. Complex 2 shows a 1D chain structure constructed from Tb(III) ions by dpdc ligands. The two complexes display the characteristic (5)D4-->7Fj (J=6-3) transitions at 492, 544,584 and 619 nm of Tb(III) ion, respectively. No emission from the ligand could be observed, which indicates that the ligands absorb and transfer energy efficiently to central Tb( M) ion. The emission decay curves reveal a monoexponential behaviour yielding the lifetime values of 0.287 ms for 1 and 0.439 ms for 2. The quantum yields of luminescence are 9.28% for 1 and 7.07% for 2.

Overexpression of SIRT1 promotes metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: SIRT1 is a member of the mammalian sirtuin family with the ability to deacetylate histone and nonhistone proteins. The correlation between SIRT1 expression and tumor metastasis in several types of cancer has aroused widespread concern. This study investigated SIRT1 expression and its prognostic value in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The function of SIRT1 in hepatocarcinogenesis was further investigated in cell culture and mouse models. METHODS: Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to explore SIRT1 expression in HCC cell lines and primary HCC clinical specimens. The functions of SIRT1 in the migration and invasion in the HCC cell line were analyzed by infecting cells with adenovirus containing full-length SIRT1 or sh-RNA. The effect of SIRT1 on tumorigenicity in nude mice was also investigated. RESULTS: SIRT1 expression was significantly overexpressed in the tumor tissues and HCC cell lines. SIRT1 significantly promoted the ability of migration and invasion in HCC cells. In addition, experiments with a mouse model revealed that SIRT1 overexpression enhanced HCC tumor metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that SIRT1 significantly enhanced the invasive and metastatic potential by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HCC cells. A clinicopathological analysis showed that SIRT1 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, tumor number, and TNM staging. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed that positive SIRT1 expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that SIRT1 may play an important role in HCC progression and could be a potential molecular therapy target for HCC.

[Multi Scenario Carbon Peak Prediction and Emission Reduction Path Analysis of Xi'an Hi-tech Zone].

The fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress proposed to be committed to promoting carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, promoting the comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society and achieving high-quality development. As an important scientific and technological innovation and industrial cluster in Shaanxi Province, the economic development of the Xi'an Hi-tech Zone largely relies on energy consumption, making the task of carbon reduction particularly challenging. Firstly, taking the Xi'an Hi-tech Zone as the research object, through systematic accounting of carbon emissions within the park, we analyzed the current carbon emission status of enterprises in different energy types and industries. Then, using the Kaya model, multiple independent carbon peak scenarios were set up to predict the total carbon emissions and peak time under different scenarios. Finally, based on the development characteristics of the Xi'an Hi-tech Zone, we scientifically selected corresponding carbon emission reduction paths and provided reasonable emission reduction suggestions. The results showed that the proportion of carbon emissions consumed by electricity was currently the highest, and the share was increasing yearly. Industrial carbon emissions had always been dominant, and the development of the tertiary industry was becoming increasingly prosperous. In the scenario prediction, the carbon emission factor scenario, energy intensity scenario, and economic level scenario could reach the carbon peak by 2030. Among them, the economic development level had the greatest impact on the peak and time of the future carbon peak in the Xi'an Hi-tech Zone, whereas the industrial structure scenario, energy source structure scenario, and population size scenario had no peak before 2030. The future emission reduction path mainly started from decarbonization of the power sector, stable and high-quality economic development, green upgrading of energy and industrial structure, and building a green transportation system. This can reserve more preparation time for achieving carbon neutrality and provide decision-making reference for the low-carbon development of industrial parks in China.

High-quality haplotype-resolved genome assembly for ring-cup oak (Quercus glauca) provides insight into oaks demographic dynamics.

Quercus section Cyclobalanopsis represents a dominant woody lineage in East Asian evergreen broadleaved forests. Regardless of its ecological and economic importance, little is known about the genomes of species in this unique oak lineage. Quercus glauca is one of the most widespread tree species in the section Cyclobalanopsis. In this study, a high-quality haplotype-resolved reference genome was assembled for Q. glauca from PacBio HiFi and Hi-C reads. The genome size, contig N50, and scaffold N50 measured 902.88, 7.60, and 69.28 Mb, respectively, for haplotype1, and 913.28, 7.20, and 71.53 Mb, respectively, for haplotype2. A total of 37,457 and 38,311 protein-coding genes were predicted in haplotype1 and haplotype2, respectively. Homologous chromosomes in the Q. glauca genome had excellent gene pair collinearity. The number of R-genes in Q. glauca was similar to most East Asian oaks but less than oak species from Europe and America. Abundant structural variation in the Q. glauca genome could contribute to environmental stress tolerance in Q. glauca. Sections Cyclobalanopsis and Cerris diverged in the Oligocene, in agreement with fossil records for section Cyclobalanopsis, which document its presence in East Asia since the early Miocene. The demographic dynamics of closely related oak species were largely similar. The high-quality reference genome provided here for the most widespread species in section Cyclobalanopsis will serve as an essential genomic resource for evolutionary studies of key oak lineages while also supporting studies of interspecific introgression, local adaptation, and speciation in oaks.

Inhibition mechanisms of Zn precipitation on aluminum oxide by glyphosate: a 31P NMR and Zn EXAFS study.

In this research, the effects of glyphosate (GPS) on Zn sorption/precipitation on γ-alumina were investigated using a batch technique, Zn K-edge EXAFS, and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. The EXAFS analysis revealed that, in the absence of glyphosate, Zn adsorbed on the aluminum oxide surface mainly as bidentate mononuclear surface complexes at pH 5.5, whereas Zn-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) precipitates formed at pH 8.0. In the presence of glyphosate, the EXAFS spectra of Zn sorption samples at pH 5.5 and 8.0 were very similar, both of which demonstrated that Zn did not directly bind to the mineral surface but bonded with the carboxyl group of glyphosate. Formation of γ-alumina-GPS-Zn ternary surface complexes was further suggested by (31)P solid state NMR data which indicated the glyphosate binds to γ-alumina via a phosphonate group, bridging the mineral surface and Zn. Additionally, we showed the sequence of additional glyphosate and Zn can influence the sorption mechanism. At pH 8, Zn-Al LDH precipitates formed if Zn was added first, and no precipitates formed if glyphosate was added first or simultaneously with Zn. In contrast, at pH 5.5, only γ-alumina-GPS-Zn ternary surface complexes formed regardless of whether glyphosate or Zn was added first or both were added simultaneously.

Ferroptosis and cuproptosis prognostic signature for prediction of prognosis, immunotherapy and drug sensitivity in hepatocellular carcinoma: development and validation based on TCGA and ICGC databases.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy. Ferroptosis and cuproptosis promote HCC spread and proliferation. While fewer studies have combined ferroptosis and cuproptosis to construct prognostic signature of HCC. This work attempts to establish a novel scoring system for predicting HCC prognosis, immunotherapy, and medication sensitivity based on ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) and cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs). Methods: FerrDb and previous literature were used to identify FRGs. CRGs came from original research. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) databases included the HCC transcriptional profile and clinical information [survival time, survival status, age, gender, Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) stage, etc.]. Correlation, Cox, and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analyses were used to narrow down prognostic genes and develop an HCC risk model. Using "caret", R separated TCGA-HCC samples into a training risk set and an internal test risk set. As external validation, we used ICGC samples. We employed Kaplan-Meier analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to evaluate the model's clinical efficacy. CIBERSORT and TIMER measured immunocytic infiltration in high- and low-risk populations. Results: TXNRD1 [hazard ratio (HR) =1.477, P<0.001], FTL (HR =1.373, P=0.001), GPX4 (HR =1.650, P=0.004), PRDX1 (HR =1.576, P=0.002), VDAC2 (HR =1.728, P=0.008), OTUB1 (HR =1.826, P=0.002), NRAS (HR =1.596, P=0.005), SLC38A1 (HR =1.290, P=0.002), and SLC1A5 (HR =1.306, P<0.001) were distinguished to build predictive model. In both the model cohort (P<0.001) and the validation cohort (P<0.05), low-risk patients had superior overall survival (OS). The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the ROC curves in the training cohort (1-, 3-, and 5-year AUCs: 0.751, 0.727, and 0.743), internal validation cohort (1-, 3-, and 5-year AUCs: 0.826, 0.624, and 0.589), and ICGC cohort (1-, 3-, and 5-year AUCs: 0.699, 0.702, and 0.568) were calculated. Infiltration of immune cells and immunological checkpoints were also connected with our signature. Treatments with BI.2536, Epothilone.B, Gemcitabine, Mitomycin.C, Obatoclax. Mesylate, and Sunitinib may profit high-risk patients. Conclusions: We analyzed FRGs and CRGs profiles in HCC and established a unique risk model for treatment and prognosis. Our data highlight FRGs and CRGs in clinical practice and suggest ferroptosis and cuproptosis may be therapeutic targets for HCC patients. To validate the model's clinical efficacy, more HCC cases and prospective clinical assessments are needed.

Acid and alkali-resistant fabric-based triboelectric nanogenerator for self-powered intelligent monitoring of protective clothing in highly corrosive environments.

The corrosion of materials severely limits the application scenarios of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), especially in laboratories, chemical plants and other fields where leakage of chemically corrosive solutions is common. Here, we demonstrate a chemical-resistant triboelectric nanogenerator (CR-TENG) based on polysulfonamide (PSA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) non-woven fabrics. The CR-TENG can stably harvest biological motion energy and perform intelligent safety protection monitoring in a strong corrosive environment. After treatment with strong acid and alkali solution for 7 days, the fabric morphology, diameter, tensile properties and output of CR-TENG are not affected, showing high reliability. CR-TENG integrated into protective equipment can detect the working status of protective equipment in real time, monitor whether it is damaged, and provide protection for wearers working in high-risk situations. In addition, the nonwoven-based CR-TENG has better wearing comfort and is promising for self-powered sensing in harsh environments.

Efficacy and safety of piperacillin-tazobactam compared with meropenem in treating complicated urinary tract infections including acute pyelonephritis due to extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae.

Introduction: Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae pose a huge threat to human health, especially in the context of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs). Carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) are two antimicrobial agents commonly used to treat cUTIs. Methods: A monocentric retrospective cohort study focused on the treatment of cUTIs in adults was conducted from January 2019 to November 2021. Patients with a positive urine culture strain yielding ≥ 103 colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL), and sensitive to PTZ and carbapenems, were included. The primary endpoint was clinical success after antibiotic therapy. The secondary endpoint included rehospitalization and 90-day recurrence of cUTIs caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Results: Of the 195 patients included in this study, 110 were treated with PTZ while 85 were administered meropenem. The rate of clinical cure was similar between the PTZ and meropenem groups (80% vs. 78.8%, p = 0.84). However, the PTZ group had a lower duration of total antibiotic use (6 vs. 9; p < 0.01), lower duration of effective antibiotic therapy (6 vs. 8; p < 0.01), and lower duration of hospitalization (16 vs. 22; p < 0.01). Discussion: In terms of adverse events, the safety of PTZ was higher than that of meropenem in the treatment of cUTIs.

Effects of resveratrol treatment on quality and antioxidant properties of postharvest strawberry fruit.

Strawberry fruit is one of people's favorite fruits. It has high nutritional value and health care effects. Strawberries lose their edible value quickly after being picked because of their thin skin, which is easily damaged. In order to find a method to maintain the quality of strawberries, the effects of resveratrol treatment on the nutritional quality and antioxidant metabolism of strawberry fruit were studied. The result indicated that 100 µM resveratrol was the optimal concentration to delay the occurrence of decay. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol delayed the decrease in firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolics content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), vitamin C (Vc) content,1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbezothi- azot-hiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging capacities. The malondialdehyde (MDA) content, hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) content, and superoxide anion (O2 •- ) production of control fruit were significantly higher than those of treated fruit. Strawberry fruit treated with resveratrol also increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) during storage. Therefore, resveratrol has been proved to effectively improve the nutritional quality and antioxidant properties of strawberry fruit. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Strawberry fruit is rich in nutrients, which is beneficial to human health. But strawberry fruit has high water content and soft tissue, which is easy to be damaged and decayed. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a way to maintain strawberry fruit quality. In this study, resveratrol has good antioxidant, health care, and antibacterial properties. Resveratrol treatment can maintain the nutritional quality of strawberry fruit and can be used as an effective method for strawberry fruit preservation.

Causal associations between blood pressure and the risk of myocardial infarction: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Introduction: Many observational studies imply elevated blood pressure (BP) as a leading risk factor for incident myocardial infarction (MI), but whether this relationship is causal remains unknown. In this study, we used bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential causal association of BP levels with the risk of MI. Methods: Genetic variants associated with BP and MI traits were retrieved from the International Consortium of Blood Pressure (N = 7,57,601) and UKB (N = 3,61,194), obtaining 1,26,40,541 variants. We used two-sample MR (TSMR) analyses to examine the potential bidirectional causal association of systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP) and pulse pressure (PP) with MI. Results: The forward MR analysis identified a potentially causal association between MI and BP except PP[odds ratio (OR) SBP: 1.0008, P = 1.911 × 10-22; ORDBP: 1.0014, P = 1.788 × 10-28;odds ratio (OR)pp: 1.0092, P = 0.179]. However, the reverse analysis suggested no causal relation (betaSBP: 5.469, P = 0.763; betaDBP: 3.624, P = 0.588; betaPP: -0.074, P = 0.912). These findings were robust in sensitivity analyses such as the MR-Egger method, the maximum likelihood method and the MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier test (MR-PRESSO). No horizontal pleiotropy (p = 0.869 for SBP, p = 0.109 for DBP and p = 0.978 for PP in the forward results and p = 0.168 for SBP, P = 0.892 for DBP and p = 0.989 for PP in the reverse results) was observed. Conclusions: Elevated SBP or DBP levels increase the risk of MI, but there is no causal relationship between MI and changes in BP including PP. Independent of other risk factors, optimal BP control might represent an important therapeutic target for MI prevention in the general population.