A Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature Predicts Prognosis and Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Colorectal Cancer.

Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death, which garners increasing attention by relating to immune and therapy response. However, the role of pyroptosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Our study mainly to explore the role of pyroptosis in CRC. The mRNA expression data and corresponding clinical information of CRC patients were achieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) were identified using DESeq2 R package and biological function was analyzed using cluster Profiler R package. A PRGs-based prognosis model was constructed by a univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses. Then, the affecting of risk signature to clinicopathological characteristics, immune status and infiltrated immune cells, immune checkpoint and chemotherapy sensitivity was analyzed. qRT-PCR and IHC were performed for the expression level of PRGs. Moreover, a nomogram predict model was constructed. Total 57 PRGs were identified between 500 CRC samples and 44 normal samples. Those PRGs mainly enriched in immune-related and pyroptosis-related pathways. GABRD, NADK, TMEM240, RER1, AGRN, UBE2J2, CALML6, PLCH2, TMEM88B have been identified as gene signature and a prognostic model was constructed and validated. CRC patients with high-risk score showed poor survival, high TMB score, high proportion of CD4 + memory T cells, common lymphoid progenitors, cancer associated fibroblasts, mast cells, and neutrophils. The immune checkpoint related genes, CD160, CD200R1, CD244, CD28, CD40LG, CD44, CD48, CD80, CD86, HHLA2, ICOS, IDO1, TIGIT, TNFRSF25, TNFRSF4, TNFRSF9, TNFSF15, TNFSF18 also increased in high-risk score group. CRC patients with high-risk score more sensitive to docetaxel and rapamycin but resistance to gemcitabine and mitomycin. Moreover, a predictive nomogram for 1-, 3-, 5-year for CRC patients was established and validated. In the study, a PRGs-based prognostic model and a predictive model were constructed. These models are effective and robust in prediction the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival of CRC patients.

Gut bacteria, host immunity, and colorectal cancer: From pathogenesis to therapy.

The emergence of 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing has gradually revealed the close relationship between dysbiosis and colorectal cancer (CRC). Recent studies have confirmed that intestinal dysbiosis plays various roles in the occurrence, development, and therapeutic response of CRC. Perturbation of host immunity is one of the key mechanisms involved. The intestinal microbiota, or specific bacteria and their metabolites, can modulate the progression of CRC through pathogen recognition receptor signaling or via the recruitment, polarization, and activation of both innate and adaptive immune cells to reshape the protumor/antitumor microenvironment. Therefore, the administration of gut bacteria to enhance immune homeostasis represents a new strategy for the treatment of CRC. In this review, we cover recent studies that illuminate the role of gut bacteria in the progression and treatment of CRC through orchestrating the immune response, which potentially offers insights for subsequent transformative research.

Portable Near-Infrared to Near-Infrared Platform for Homogeneous Quantification of Biomarkers in Complex Biological Samples.

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based homogeneous immunoassay obviates tedious washing steps and thus is a promising approach for immunoassays. However, a conventional FRET-based homogeneous immunoassay operating in the visible region is not able to overcome the interference of complex biological samples, thus resulting in insufficient detection sensitivity and poor accuracy. Here, we develop a near-infrared (NIR)-to-NIR FRET platform (Ex = 808 nm, Em = 980 nm) that enables background-free high-throughput homogeneous quantification of various biomarkers in complex biological samples. This NIR-to-NIR FRET platform is portable and easy to operate and is mainly composed of a high-performance NIR-to-NIR FRET pair based on lanthanide-doped nanoparticles (LnNPs) and a custom-made microplate reader for readout of NIR luminescence signals. We demonstrate that this NIR-to-NIR FRET platform is versatile and robust, capable of realizing highly sensitive and accurate detection of various critical biomarkers, including small molecules (morphine and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D), proteins (human chorionic gonadotropin), and viral particles (adenovirus) in unprocessed complex biological samples (urine, whole blood, and feces) within 5-10 min. We expect this NIR-to-NIR FRET platform to provide low-cost healthcare for populations living in resource-limited areas and be widely used in many other fields, such as food safety and environmental monitoring.

Inhibition of DNMT1 attenuates experimental food allergy.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of food allergy (FA) needs improvement. The treatment of immune disorders can be improved by regulating epigenetic marks, which is a promising method. The objective of this research is to alleviate experimental FA by employing an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1). METHODS: Ovalbumin was used as the specific antigen to establish a mouse model of FA. Intestinal IL-35+ regulatory B cells (Breg cells) were isolated from FA mice, and characterized using immunological approaches. RESULTS: FA mice had a lower frequency of IL-35+ Breg cells, which was inversely correlated with their FA response. The quantity of IL-35 was lower in intestinal Breg cells from FA mice. Hypermethylation status was detected in the Il35 promoter, which was accompanied with high levels of H3K9me3. Enforced expression of DNMT1 hindered the promoter activity of the IL35 gene. Administration of an inhibitor of DNMT1 (RG108) restored the immune regulatory capacity of FA intestinal Bregs, and effectively suppressed the expression of DNMT1, and attenuated experimental FA. CONCLUSIONS: The elevated quantity of DNMT1 in intestinal Breg cells compromises the expression of IL-35 and affects the immune regulatory functions, which facilitates the development of FA. The immune regulatory functions of intestinal Breg cells are restored and experimental FA is attenuated by inhibiting DNMT1.

Soil bacterial diversity and community structure of Suaeda glauca vegetation in the Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia, China.

Exploring the bacterial community in the S. glauca rhizosphere was of great value for understanding how this species adapted to the saline-alkali environment and for the rational development and use of saline-alkali soils. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the diversity characteristics and distribution patterns of soil bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of S.glauca-dominated communities in the Hetao Irrigation Distract, Inner Mongolia, China. The relationships among bacterial characteristics, soil physicochemical properties and vegetation in four sampling sites were analyzed. The soil bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of S. glauca-dominated communities were mainly composed of 16 phyla (i.e., Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Planctomycetes, Deinococcus-Thermus, Verrucomicrobia, Saccharibacteria, Cyanobacteria, Nitrospirae, JL-ETNP-Z39, Parcubacteria and Chlorobi), and these populations accounted for more than 99% of the total bacterial community. At the genus level, the main bacterial communities comprised Halomonas, Nitriliruptor, Euzebya and Pelagibius, which accounted for 15.70% of the total bacterial community. An alpha diversity analysis indicated that the richness and diversity of rhizosphere soil bacteria differed significantly among the sampling sites, and the bacterial richness and diversity indices of severe saline-alkali land were higher than those of light and moderate saline-alkali land. The principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed significant differences in the species composition of the rhizosphere soil bacterial community among different sampling sites. A correlation analysis showed that the number of bacterial species exhibited the highest correlation with the soil water content (SWC). The richness and evenness indices were significantly correlated with the SWC and SO4 2-, K+ and Mg2+ concentrations. The electrical conductivity (EC), soluble ions (Na+, CO3 2- + HCO3 -, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO4 2+), SWC and vegetation coverage (VC) were the main drivers affecting the changes in its community structure. The bacterial community in the rhizosphere of S. glauca enhanced the adaptability of S. glauca to saline-alkali environment by participating in the cycling process of nutrient elements, the decomposition of organic matter and the production of plant growth regulating substances. These results provided a theoretical reference for further study on the relationship among rhizosphere soil microorganisms and salt tolerance in halophytes.

Partial substitution of manure increases N2O emissions in the alkaline soil but not acidic soils.

The fertilization regimes of combining manure with synthetic fertilizer are benefits for crop yields and soil fertility in cropping systems as compared to sole synthetic fertilization, but the responses of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions to these practices are inconsistent in the literatures. We hypothesized that it is caused by different proportions of nitrogen (N) applied as manure and various soil properties. Here, we conducted a microcosm experiment, and measured the N2O emissions from control (no N) and five manure substitution treatments (supplied 100 mg N kg-1 using the combination of urea with manure) with a range of proportions of N applied as manure (0, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) in three different soil types (fluvo-aquic soil, black soil, and latosol) under aerobic condition. The stimulated effect on N2O emissions was more pronounced after manure application in an alkaline soil with high nitrification rate, due to relatively rapid soil DOC depletion and N mineralization of manure. N2O emissions from partial substitution of urea with manure were significantly higher than manure-only addition under high soil pH due to abundant labile C from manure. However, there was no difference between manure substitution treatments under acid soils. Nitrification inhibitor substantially decreased N2O emissions with increasing soil pH, but it was less effective in mitigating N2O emissions with larger proportion of manure. This is likely due to the slow nitrification under low soil pH, and denitrification derived N2O increased with increasing manure application rate. Collectively, our study shows that the application of manure substitution to alkaline soils requires careful consideration, which might have rapid nitrification potential and hence trigger significant N2O emissions. The knowledge gained in this work will help the decision-makers in optimizing a sound N fertilization regime interacted with soil properties for sustainable crop production and N2O mitigation.

Saikosaponin d protects pancreatic acinar cells against cerulein-induced pyroptosis through alleviating mitochondrial damage and inhibiting cGAS-STING pathway.

Acute pancreatitis represents an inflammatory disease featuring pancreatic necrosis and inflammation. Inflammatory injury of pancreatic acinar cells (PACs) is critically involved in the initiation and progression of acute pancreatitis. Pyroptosis, a new kind of programmed cell death concomitant with a low-grade inflammatory reaction, plays a function in acute pancreatitis pathology. It is unclear whether saikosaponin d (SSd), a pharmacologically active natural product, could protect PACs by regulating pyroptosis. Here, we established a PAC injury model in vitro using cerulein to treat AR42J cells. SSd restored viability and proliferation and lowered the release of pancreatic enzymes and inflammatory interleukins in cerulein-treated AR42J cells. Cerulein-induced pyroptosis was evidenced by typical ultrastructural changes and NLRP3/caspase-1 activation in AR42J cells, but SSd attenuated cerulein-induced pyroptosis and inhibited NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway. Mechanically, SSd reduced mitochondrial damage and mtDNA release, and blocked cGAS-STING signaling in AR42J cells treated with cerulein, contributing to the inhibition of NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, SSd abolished cerulein-elevated oxidative stress in AR42J cells, leading to the mitigation of mitochondrial damage and inhibition of cGAS-STING signaling and pyroptosis. In conclusion, SSd protected PACs against cerulein-induced pyroptosis by alleviating mitochondrial damage and inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway, and it could be a therapeutic candidate for acute pancreatitis.

Design and discovery of a highly potent ultralong-acting GLP-1 and glucagon co-agonist for attenuating renal fibrosis.

The role of co-agonists of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) and glucagon receptor (GCGR) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. Herein we found that GLP-1R and GCGR expression levels were lower in the kidneys of mice with CKD compared to healthy mice and were correlated with disease severity. Interestingly, GLP-1R or GCGR knockdown aggravated the progression of kidney injury in both diabetic db/db mice and non-diabetic mice undergoing unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Based on the importance of GLP-1R and GCGR in CKD, we reported a novel monomeric peptide, 1907-B, with dual-agonism on both GLP-1R and GCGR. The data confirmed that 1907-B had a longer half-life than long-acting semaglutide in rats or cynomolgus monkeys (∼2-3 fold) and exhibited better therapeutic contribution to CKD than best-in-class monoagonists, semaglutide, or glucagon, in db/db mice and UUO mice. Various lock-of-function models, including selective pharmacological activation and genetic knockdown, confirmed that 1907-B's effects on ameliorating diabetic nephropathy in db/db mice, as well as inhibiting kidney fibrosis in UUO mice, were mediated through GLP-1 and glucagon signaling. These findings highlight that 1907-B, a novel GLP-1R and GCGR co-agonist, exerts multifactorial improvement in kidney injuries and is an effective and promising therapeutic option for CKD treatment.

Green manure removal with reduced nitrogen improves saline-alkali soil organic carbon storage in a wheat-green manure cropping system.

The incorporation of green manure into cropping systems is a potential strategy for sequestering soil carbon (C), especially in saline-alkali soil. Yet, there are still unknown about the substitution impacts of green manure on nitrogen (N) fertilizer in wheat-green manure multiple cropping system. Herein, a five-year field experiment was performed to determine the impact of three levels of N fertilizer inputs [i.e., N fertilizer reduced by 0 % (100N), 10 % (90 N), and 20 % (80 N)] with aboveground biomass of green manure removal (0GM) and return (100GM) on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and its primary determinants. The results demonstrated that no significant interaction on SOC storage was detected between green manure and N fertilizer management. 80 N enhanced SOC storage in bulk soil by 7.4 and 13.2 % in 0-20 cm soil depth relative to 100 N and 90 N (p < 0.05). Regardless of N fertilizer levels, compared with 100GM, 0GM increased SOC storage in bulk soil by 14.2-34.6 % in 0-40 cm soil depth (p < 0.05). This was explained by an increase in soil macro-aggregates (>2 and 0.25-2 mm) proportion contributing to SOC physical protection. Meanwhile, the improvement of SOC storage under 0GM was due to the decrease of soil C- and N-acquisition enzyme activities, and microbial resource limitation. Alternatively, the variation partitioning analyses (VPA) results further suggested that C- and N-acquisition enzyme activities, as well as microbial resource limitation were the most important factors for SOC storage. The findings highlighted those biological factors played a dominant role in SOC accumulation compared to physical factors. The aboveground biomass of green manure removal with N fertilizer reduced by 20 % is a viable option to enhance SOC storage in a wheat-green manure multiple cropping system.

Subsurface organic amendment of a saline soil increases ecosystem multifunctionality and sunflower yield.

Salt stress poses a growing constraint to crop productivity in arid regions globally. Previous evidence indicates that organic amendment is a pivotal management practice for enhancing crop yield and soil fertility in agroecosystems. How organic amendment depth influences the interaction between soil health, ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), and crop yield, however, still remains unclear. Thus, a 3-year field experiment was carried out to investigate the impacts of surface (0-15 cm) and subsurface (15-30 cm) applications of humic acid and manure on the soil quality index (SQI), enzyme activities, EMF, and crop yield on saline soils. Subsurface organic amendment improved the SQI (at the 0-45 cm layers) by 20-47 %, while the surface amendment improved the SQI at the 0-30 cm layer by 15-51 %. The higher soil quality under subsurface organic amendment was characterized by increases in soil organic carbon and available nutrients, and a decrease in electrical conductivity compared to surface organic amendment. The organic amendment increased microbial diversity and richness, stimulated enzyme activities, and ultimately improved soil EMF. The soil EMF increased by 122-214 % at the 0-30 cm layer under subsurface organic amendment and by only 178 % at the 0-15 cm layer under surface organic amendment. Pairwise comparisons further confirmed that electrical conductivity was negatively, and soil organic carbon positively, correlated with soil ecological functions within the 0-45 cm layer. The higher soil quality and microenvironment with better EMF under subsurface organic amendment increased sunflower yield by 16 % and 8 % as compared to inorganic fertilizer only and surface organic amendment, respectively. This relates to the considerable improvement in soil electrical conductivity, soil organic carbon, ß-glucosidase activity, and diversity and richness of microbial communities resulting from deep organic amendment. Overall, subsurface organic amendment is an effective way to enhance soil EMF and crop yield on saline soils.

Once-middle amount of straw interlayer enhances saline soil quality and sunflower yield in semi-arid regions of China: Evidence from a four-year experiment.

Straw deep returning as an interlayer is a novel practice to enhance soil carbon and nutrients. However, the impact of applying various amounts of straw as an interlayer on soil quality still remain unclear in the saline soil. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out over four years (2015-2018) in Hetao Irrigation District, China. The aim was to evaluate the impact of four straw interlayer rates (i.e., 0, 6, 12, and 18 Mg ha-1) applied at 40 cm depth on soil quality index (SQI) and its relationship to sunflower yield in saline soil. Our results showed that, in comparison to no straw interlayer (CK), straw interlayers applied at rates of 6, 12, and 18 Mg ha-1 improved SQI on average by 2.0, 2.7, and 3.0 times in four years, respectively (p < 0.05). This suggested that straw deep returning as an interlayer improved SQI, especially for middle and high amounts (12 and 18 Mg ha-1). Partial least squares path model (PLSPM) illustrated that the improvement of SQI was due to the high-moisture and low-salt environment created by straw interlayer in the early two years (2015-2016), while the higher soil nutrients released from straw decomposition in the subsequent years (2017-2018). The improvement of SQI contributed to sunflower yield, which was related to the decrease of soil salinity, the increase of soil moisture, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and available nutrients under straw interlayers. The sunflower yield was increased by 8.7-13.4% under straw interlayers (p < 0.05), following the order of 18 = 12 > 6 >0 Mg ha-1. The greater increment of yield was detected during the initial phase of burying straw interlayers, which indicated that straw as an interlayer played a more important role than nutrient supply from straw decomposition. The findings highlighted that appropriate straw return amount (i.e., 12 Mg ha-1) as an interlayer is an economic practice to benefit soil quality and crop yield synchronously in salt-affected soils.

Morphology, Histopathology, and Anatomical Distribution of Sporadic Colorectal Polyps in Chinese Patients.

Background and Aims: There are limited data regarding the morphology, histopathology, and anatomical distribution of sporadic colorectal polyps in Chinese patients. We evaluated these characteristics of sporadic polyps to guide the endoscopic detection and excision of colorectal polyps. Methods: This was a retrospective single-center observational study involving 7381 patients with sporadic colorectal polyps. All polyps were removed endoscopically. The morphology and histopathology of polyps were evaluated according to the Paris classification and the World Health Organization classification, respectively. Results: A total of 22,174 polyps removed endoscopically from 7322 patients were included. In the sigmoid colon, 24.70% of colorectal polyps occurred, followed by the transverse colon (18.58%) in frequency. 0-Is type polyps accounted for 60.60% of all sporadic colorectal polyps. Polyps with 0-Ip, 0-Isp, and 0-IIa types were frequently found in the sigmoid colon, but laterally spreading lesions usually occurred in the ascending colon (24.61%) and rectum (20.51%). Irrespective of the Paris classification and anatomical location, as the polyps enlarge, the proportion of adenomatous polyps gradually increases while the proportion of serrated lesions decreases. Polyps with size ≥1 cm located in the left-sided colon were more likely to have villous/tubulovillous or high-grade dysplasia histology than those located in the right-sided colon, and about 1% of them were demonstrated with adenocarcinoma. Conclusion: Sigmoid colon should be detected adequately during colonoscopy, and polyps with size ≥1 cm should be treated carefully, especially in the left-sided colon.

Long-term excessive application of K2SO4 fertilizer alters bacterial community and functional pathway of tobacco-planting soil.

To improve tobacco leaf quality, excessive K2SO4 fertilizers were applied to soils in major tobacco-planting areas in China. However, the effects of K2SO4 application on soil microbial community and functions are still unclear. An eight-year field experiment with three kinds of K2SO4 amounts (low amount, K2O 82.57 kg hm-2, LK; moderate amount, K2O 165.07 kg hm-2, MK; high amount, K2O 247.58 kg hm-2, HK) was established to assess the effects of K2SO4 application on the chemical and bacterial characteristics of tobacco-planting soil using 16S rRNA gene and metagenomic sequencing approaches. Results showed that HK led to lower pH and higher nitrogen (N), potassium (K), sulfur(S) and organic matter contents of the soil than LK. The bacterial community composition of HK was significantly different from those of MK and LK, while these of MK and LK were similar. Compared to LK, HK increased the relative abundance of predicted copiotrophic groups (e.g. Burkholderiaceae, Rhodospirillaceae families and Ellin6067 genus) and potentially beneficial bacteria (e.g. Gemmatimonadetes phylum and Bacillus genus) associated with pathogens and heavy metal resistance, N fixation, dissolution of phosphorus and K. While some oligotrophic taxa (e.g. Acidobacteria phylum) related to carbon, N metabolism exhibited adverse responses to HK. Metagenomic analysis suggested that the improvement of pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism and genetic information processing by HK might be the self-protection mechanism of microorganisms against environmental stress. Besides, the redundancy analysis and variation partitioning analysis showed that soil pH, available K and S were the primary soil factors in shifting the bacterial community and KEGG pathways. This study provides a clear understanding of the responses of soil microbial communities and potential functions to excessive application of K2SO4 in tobacco-planting soil.

Improvement of multicatalytic properties of nitrilase from Paraburkholderia graminis for efficient biosynthesis of 2-chloronicotinic acid.

Nitrilases are promising biocatalysts to produce high-value-added carboxylic acids through hydrolysis of nitriles. However, since the enzymes always show low activity and sometimes with poor reaction specificity toward 2-chloronicotinonitrile (2-CN), very few robust nitrilases have been reported for efficient production of 2-chloronicotinic acid (2-CA) from 2-CN. Herein, a nitrilase from Paraburkholderia graminis (PgNIT) was engineered to improve its catalytic properties. We identified the beneficial residues via computational analysis and constructed the mutant library. The positive mutants were obtained and the activity of the "best" mutant F164G/I130L/N167Y/A55S/Q260C/T133I/R199Q toward 2-CN was increased from 0.14 × 10-3  to 4.22 U/mg. Its reaction specificity was improved with elimination of hydration activity. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that the conformational flexibility, the nucleophilic attack distance, as well as the interaction forces between the enzyme and substrate were the main reason alternating the catalytic properties of PgNIT. With the best mutant as biocatalyst, 150 g/L 2-CN was completely converted, resulting in 2-CA accumulated to 169.7 g/L. When the substrate concentration was increased to 200 g/L, 203.1 g/L 2-CA was obtained with yield of 85.7%. The results laid the foundation for industrial production of 2-CA with the nitrilase-catalyzed route.

Concordance Between Self-Reported Medical Diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment/Dementia and Neurocognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Hispanic/Latino Adults: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and the Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA).

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies typically rely on self-reported medical diagnosis (SRMD) of mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/dementia; however, links to objective neurocognitive function have not been established. OBJECTIVE: Examine the association between SRMD of MCI/dementia and objective neurocognitive function among Hispanic/Latino adults. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study using the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) baseline data and its ancillary SOL-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL-INCA) at visit 2. Hispanic/Latino adults aged 50 years and older (n = 593) were administered neurocognitive tests: the Six-Item Screener (SIS), Brief-Spanish English Verbal Learning Test (B-SVELT Sum), B-SVELT Recall, Word Fluency Test (WF), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSS), and Trail Making Test A and B. Individual and global neurocognitive function scores were used for analyses. Propensity matching techniques and survey generalized linear regression models were used to compare SRMD of MCI/dementia with demographic, psychological, and cardiovascular risk matched controls. Complex survey design methods were applied. RESULTS: There were 121 cases of SRMD of MCI/dementia and 472 propensity matched controls. At baseline, compared to matched controls, cases showed no differences in neurocognitive function (p > 0.05). At SOL-INCA visit 2, cases had poorer scores in global neurocognitive function (p < 0.05), B-SEVLT Sum, B-SEVLT Recall, WF, DSS, and Trail A (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Observed differences in neurocognitive test scores between SRMD of MCI/dementia cases and matched controls were present at visit 2, but not at baseline in middle-aged and older Hispanic/Latino adults. These findings present initial evidence of the potential utility of SRMD of MCI/dementia in epidemiologic studies, where obtaining confirmation of diagnosis may not be feasible.

Description and genome analysis of Luteimonas viscosa sp. nov., a novel bacterium isolated from soil of a sunflower field.

Strain XBU10T was isolated from a soil sample of a sunflower plot in Inner Mongolia, China. The isolate was a Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, and its colonies were bright yellow in colour. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain XBU10T belonged to the genus Luteimonas of the family Lysobacteraceae and was most closely related to Luteimonas panaciterrae Gsoil 068T (97.8%), Luteimonas marina FR1330T (97.6%), Luteimonas aquatica RIB1-20T (97.4%) and Luteimonas huabeiensis HB2T (97.2%). Growth occurred at 4-40 °C (optimum, 28-30 °C), with 0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 0.5%) and at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0 - 8.0). The chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain XBU10T, which had Q-8 as its predominant quinone and iso-C17:1 ω9c, iso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 and iso-C16:0 as its major fatty acids, were consistent with classification in the genus Luteimonas. The polar lipid profile of strain XBU10T comprised phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid, two unidentified aminophospholipids and three unidentified polar lipids. The genome of strain XBU10T was 4.17 Mbp with a G + C content of 69.9%. Its genome sequence showed genes encoding alkaline phosphatase and catalase. Protein-coding genes related to carbohydrate-active enzymes were also observed. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between XBU10T and other species of the genus Luteimonas were found to be low (ANIm < 88.0%, ANIb < 85.0% and OrthoANIu < 85.0%). Furthermore, digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average amino acid identity (AAI) values between strain XBU10T and the closely related species ranged from 20.3 to 28.9% and from 64.2 to 82.3%, respectively. Based on the results of our phylogenetic, phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic analyses, it is concluded that strain XBU10T represents a novel species within the genus Luteimonas, for which the name Luteimonas viscosa sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is XBU10T (= CGMCC 1.12158T = KCTC 23878T).

What Makes a Nobel Prize Innovator? Early Growth Experiences and Personality Traits.

The original innovation talents and their achievements promote the development of natural science and are regarded as a symbol of the national comprehensive power. This study explores the process that causes original innovation talents' personality, uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, and explores the linkage between configurations made up of early growth experiences and personality. We took Nobel Prize winners as samples and discovered that high responsibility was inspired by high family democracy driving, high family size driving, high family function driving, and high teaching democracy driving; high extroversion was inspired by high family size driving, high family democracy driving, and high family status driving; high openness was inspired by high family status driving, high family democracy driving, high family size driving, both high open teaching and educational level driving, as well as high peer support driving; high or non-high family status brought high extroversion or openness; non-high teacher accomplishments and teacher-student relationships produced high openness; non-high extroversion came with non-high teacher-student relationship. We proposed strategies for strengthening the positive effects or avoiding the negative effects of early growing-up experiences on personality.

Sutcliffiella deserti sp. nov., isolated from desert soil.

A Gram-stain-positive, facultative anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped bacterial strain, DG-18T, was isolated from desert soil sampled at the Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, China. Strain DG-18T grew at 4-40 °C (optimum, 25-30 °C), at pH 8.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 9.0) and with 0-8.0 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum 2.0%). 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed strain DG-18T within the genus Sutcliffiella of the family Bacillaceae with Sutcliffiella halmapala DSM 8723T (98.2%), Sutcliffiella zhanjiangensis JSM 099021T (97.6%), Sutcliffiella horikoshii DSM 8719T (97.4%), Sutcliffiella catenulata 18CT (96.6 %) and Sutcliffiella cohnii NBRC 15565T (96.5%) as its closest relatives. The major respiratory quinone of strain DG-18T was MK-7 and the major polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol. Its major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 1 ω10c. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain DG-18T was 38.7 mol% based on total genome calculations. The average nucleotide identity score between the genomic sequence of strain DG-18T and that of S. halmapala DSM 8723T was 76.7 %. The Genome-to-Genome Distance Calculator showed that the DNA-DNA hybridization value for strain DG-18T and S. halmapala DSM 8723T was 21.8%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, strain DG-18T represents a novel species of the genus Sutcliffiella, for which the name Sutcliffiella deserti sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DG-18T (=GDMCC 1.17773T=KCTC 43170T).

Computed tomography in the size measurement of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Implication to risk stratification and "wait-and-see" tactics.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the radiologic size of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) on computed tomography (CT) with the pathologic size in a Chinese population, and elucidate the potential significance of the CT size in the preoperative risk stratification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 314 patients treated by endoscopic/surgical resection of gastric lesions that proved postoperatively to be GISTs. Bland-Altman analysis and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were adopted to assess the size agreement between CT and pathology. Independent predictors of risk category underestimation and the optimal cut-off value of CT size were determined by logistic regression analysis and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: CT underestimated gastric GISTs size by 0.30 cm [95% confidence interval (CI): (-0.42, - 0.19); p < 0.001]. In the subgroup analysis, the size underestimation was 0.10 cm in GISTs ≤ 5 cm [95% CI: (-0.19, -0.01); p = 0.024]; and 0.75 cm in GISTs >5 cm [95% CI: (-1.05, 0.45), p < 0.001]. Though ICC values showed well reliability for the corresponding pathologic size, with 0.95 in all size, 0.86 in size ≤ 5 cm, and 0.92 in size >5 cm respectively. Risk underestimation by CT imaging mainly occurred in gastric GISTs with smaller size (≤5 cm; p = 0.010) and lower mitotic index (≤5 per 50 high-power fields; p = 0.011). CT size of 3.65 cm was defined as an absolute cut-off to differentiate intermediate/high-risk patients from low-risk group, with 87.5% sensitivity at a specificity of 57.8%. CONCLUSION: Preoperative CT underestimated the mean size by 0.30 cm in gastric GISTs. A CT size of 3.65 cm would facilitate the selection of potential intermediate/high-risk patients, instant intervention should be encouraged in the absence of contraindications.

Lymphoid-specific helicase in epigenetics, DNA repair and cancer.

Lymphoid-specific helicase (LSH) is a member of the SNF2 helicase family of chromatin-remodelling proteins. Dysfunctions or mutations in LSH causes an autosomal recessive disease known as immunodeficiency-centromeric instability-facial anomaly (ICF) syndrome. Interestingly, LSH participates in various aspects of epigenetic regulation, including nucleosome remodelling, DNA methylation, histone modifications and heterochromatin formation. Further, LSH plays a crucial role during DNA-damage repair, specifically during double-strand break (DSB) repair, since murine LSH was shown to be essential for non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Accordingly, overexpression of LSH drives tumorigenesis and malignancy. On the other hand, LSH homologs stabilise the genome. Thus, LSH might be implemented as a biomarker for various cancer types and potential target molecule to develop therapeutic strategies against them. In this review, we focus on the role of LSH in orchestrating chromatin rearrangements, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, as well as in DNA-damage repair. Changes in chromatin structure may facilitate gene expression signatures that cause malignant transformation. We summarise recent findings of LSH in cancers and raise critical open questions for further studies.