Icariin upregulates methyltransferase-like 14-mediated prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta subunit m6A modification to promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells.

Prolyl 4-hydroxylase beta subunit (P4HB) plays a vital role in bone formation. This study intends to clarify the role of P4HB in the therapeutic effect of Icariin (ICA) on osteoporosis. Herein, in vivo and in vitro models were constructed by performing ovariectomy (OVX) in rats and inducing osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs), respectively. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and micro-computed tomography analysis were performed to evaluate osteoporosis in OVX rats. Alizarin Red staining, alkaline phosphatase staining, and the ALP activity test were employed to assess osteogenesis. m6A dot blotting and methylated RNA immunoprecipitation were used to determine m6A modification. We found that P4HB was downregulated in bone tissues of patients with osteoporosis and OVX rats. P4HB facilitated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. What's more, ICA upregulated P4HB expression, promoted osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and alleviated osteoporosis in OVX rats, which were reversed by knocking down P4HB. ICA enhanced the stability and m6A modification of P4HB. METTL14 mediated m6A modification of P4HB mRNA. In addition, METTL14 knockdown overturned the promotive effects of ICA on P4HB m6A level and BMSC osteogenic differentiation. To sum up, ICA elevated the METTL14-mediated m6A modification of P4HB to facilitate BMSC osteogenic differentiation.

Multitask deep learning for prediction of microvascular invasion and recurrence-free survival in hepatocellular carcinoma based on MRI images.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Accurate preoperative prediction of microvascular invasion (MVI) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) is vital for personalised hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) management. We developed a multitask deep learning model to predict MVI and RFS using preoperative MRI scans. METHODS: Utilising a retrospective dataset of 725 HCC patients from seven institutions, we developed and validated a multitask deep learning model focused on predicting MVI and RFS. The model employs a transformer architecture to extract critical features from preoperative MRI scans. It was trained on a set of 234 patients and internally validated on a set of 58 patients. External validation was performed using three independent sets (n = 212, 111, 110). RESULTS: The multitask deep learning model yielded high MVI prediction accuracy, with AUC values of 0.918 for the training set and 0.800 for the internal test set. In external test sets, AUC values were 0.837, 0.815 and 0.800. Radiologists' sensitivity and inter-rater agreement for MVI prediction improved significantly when integrated with the model. For RFS, the model achieved C-index values of 0.763 in the training set and ranged between 0.628 and 0.728 in external test sets. Notably, PA-TACE improved RFS only in patients predicted to have high MVI risk and low survival scores (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our deep learning model allows accurate MVI and survival prediction in HCC patients. Prospective studies are warranted to assess the clinical utility of this model in guiding personalised treatment in conjunction with clinical criteria.

Role of Hydrophobic Modification in Spermine-Based Poly(ß-amino ester)s for siRNA Delivery and Their Spray-Dried Powders for Inhalation and Improved Storage.

After RNAi was first discovered over 20 years ago, siRNA-based therapeutics are finally becoming reality. However, the delivery of siRNA has remained a challenge. In our previous research, we found that spermine-based poly(ß-amino ester)s are very promising for siRNA delivery. However, the role of hydrophobic modification in siRNA delivery of spermine-based poly(ß-amino ester)s is not fully understood yet. In the current work, we synthesized spermine-based poly(ß-amino ester)s with different percentages of oleylamine side chains, named P(SpOABAE). The chemical structures of the polymers were characterized by 1H NMR. The polymers showed efficient siRNA encapsulation determined by SYBR Gold assays. The hydrodynamic diameters of the P(SpOABAE) polyplexes from charge ratio N/P 1 to 20 were 30-100 nm except for aggregation phenomena observed at N/P 3. Morphology of the polyplexes was visualized by atomic force microscopy, and cellular uptake was determined by flow cytometry in H1299 cells, where all the polyplexes showed significantly higher cellular uptake than hyperbranched polyethylenimine (25 kDa). The most hydrophobic P(SpOABAE) polyplexes were able to achieve more than 90% GFP knockdown in H1299/eGFP cells. The fact that gene silencing efficacy increased with hydrophobicity but cellular uptake was affected by both charge and hydrophobic interactions highlights the importance of endosomal escape. For pulmonary administration and improved storage stability, the polyplexes were spray-dried. Results confirmed the maintained siRNA activity after storage for 3 months at room temperature, indicating potential for dry powder inhalation.

Evaluating the economic efficiency of open, laparoscopic, and robotic distal pancreatectomy: an updated systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study compared the cost-effectiveness of open (ODP), laparoscopic (LDP), and robotic (RDP) distal pancreatectomy (DP). METHODS: Studies reporting the costs of DP were included in a literature search until August 2023. Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted, and surface under cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) values, mean difference (MD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% credible intervals (CrIs) were calculated for outcomes of interest. Cluster analysis was performed to examine the similarity and classification of DP approaches into homogeneous clusters. A decision model-based cost-utility analysis was conducted for the cost-effectiveness analysis of DP strategies. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies with 29,164 patients were included in the analysis. Among the three groups, LDP had the lowest overall costs, while ODP had the highest overall costs (LDP vs. ODP: MD - 3521.36, 95% CrI - 6172.91 to - 1228.59). RDP had the highest procedural costs (ODP vs. RDP: MD - 4311.15, 95% CrI - 6005.40 to - 2599.16; LDP vs. RDP: MD - 3772.25, 95% CrI - 4989.50 to - 2535.16), but incurred the lowest hospitalization costs. Both LDP (MD - 3663.82, 95% CrI - 6906.52 to - 747.69) and RDP (MD - 6678.42, 95% CrI - 11,434.30 to - 2972.89) had significantly reduced hospitalization costs compared to ODP. LDP and RDP demonstrated a superior profile regarding costs-morbidity, costs-mortality, costs-efficacy, and costs-utility compared to ODP. Compared to ODP, LDP and RDP cost $3110 and $817 less per patient, resulting in 0.03 and 0.05 additional quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), respectively, with positive incremental net monetary benefit (NMB). RDP costs $2293 more than LDP with a negative incremental NMB but generates 0.02 additional QALYs with improved postoperative morbidity and spleen preservation. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggests that LDP and RDP are more cost-effective options compared to ODP at various willingness-to-pay thresholds. CONCLUSION: LDP and RDP are more cost-effective than ODP, with LDP exhibiting better cost savings and RDP demonstrating superior surgical outcomes and improved QALYs.

Roles of cigar microbes in flavor formation during roasted-rice leachate fermentation.

Roasted-rice leachate fermentation, a distinctive local tobacco fermentation method in Sichuan, imparts a mellow flavor and glossy texture to tobacco leaves, along with a roasted rice aroma. In order to find out the impact of roasted-rice leachate on cigar tobacco leaves, the physicochemical properties, volatile flavor profile, and microbial community were investigated. The content of protein significantly decreased after fermentation. The volatile flavor compounds increased following roasted-rice leachate fermentation, including aldehydes, alcohols, acids, and esters. High-throughput sequencing identified Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Oceanobacillus, Delftia, Corynebacterium, Sphingomonas, Aspergillus, Weissella, and Debaryomyces as the primary genera. Network and correlation analysis showed Debaryomyces played a crucial role in roasted-rice leachate fermentation, due to its numerous connections with other microbes and positive relationships with linoelaidic acid, aromandendrene, and benzaldehyde. This study is useful for gaining insight into the relationship between flavor compounds and microorganisms and provides references regarding the effect of extra nutrients on traditional fermentation products. KEY POINTS: • Volatile flavor compounds increased following roasted-rice leachate fermentation • Staphylococcus was the primary genera in fermented cigar • Debaryomyces may improve the quality of tobacco leaves.

Evaluation of the American College of Surgeons risk calculator in hepatectomy for metastatic colorectal cancer in a Southeast Asian population.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the accuracy of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) calculator in predicting outcomes after hepatectomy for colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis in a Southeast Asian population. METHODS: Predicted and actual outcomes were compared for 166 patients undergoing hepatectomy for CRC liver metastasis identified between 2017 and 2022, using receiver operating characteristic curves with area under the curve (AUC) and Brier score. RESULTS: The ACS-NSQIP calculator accurately predicted most postoperative complications (AUC > 0.70), except for surgical site infection (AUC = 0.678, Brier score = 0.045). It also exhibited satisfactory performance for readmission (AUC = 0.818, Brier score = 0.011), reoperation (AUC = 0.945, Brier score = 0.002), and length of stay (LOS, AUC = 0.909). The predicted LOS was close to the actual LOS (5.9 vs. 5.0 days, P = 0.985). CONCLUSION: The ACS-NSQIP calculator demonstrated generally accurate predictions for 30-day postoperative outcomes after hepatectomy for CRC liver metastasis in our patient population.

Sucrose contributed to the biofilm formation of Tetragenococcus halophilus and changed the biofilm structure.

Based on the previous research results that the addition of sucrose in the medium improved the biofilm formation of Tetragenococcus halophilus, the influence of sucrose on biofilm formation was explored. Moreover, the influence of exogenous expression of related genes sacA and galE from T. halophilus on the biofilm formation of L. lactis NZ9000 was investigated. The results showed that the addition of sucrose in the medium improved the biofilm formation, the resistance of biofilm cells to freeze-drying stress, and the contents of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and eDNA in the T. halophilus biofilms. Meanwhile, the addition of sucrose in the medium changed the monosaccharide composition of EPS and increased the proportion of glucose and galactose in the monosaccharide composition. Under 2.5% (m/v) salt stress condition, the expression of gene sacA promoted the biofilm formation and the EPS production of L. lactis NZ9000 with the sucrose addition in the medium and changed the EPS monosaccharide composition. The expression of gene galE up-regulated the proportion of rhamnose, galactose, and arabinose in the monosaccharide composition of EPS, and down-regulated the proportion of glucose and mannose. This study will provide a theoretical basis for regulating the biofilm formation of T. halophilus, and provide a reference for the subsequent research on lactic acid bacteria biofilms.

Analysis of the Efficacy of Polyenyl Phosphatidylcholine in Combination with Liraglutide in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and the Effect of Omentin-1 and Vaspin Expression.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combining polyene phosphatidylcholine (PPC) with liraglutide in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and investigate its impact on adipokine expression, specifically omentin-1 and vaspin. Methods: One hundred twenty NAFLD patients were randomly assigned to either the observation group (n = 60) or the control group (n = 60). The control group received single-dose PPC treatment, while the observation group received a combination of PPC and liraglutide for 12 weeks. Clinical efficacy, adipose-related factors (omentin-1, vaspin, serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21)), liver enzymes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)), and adverse reaction rates were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. Results: In the observation group, the clinical effectiveness rate (95.00%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (83.33%) (P < .05). Before treatment, there were no significant differences in omentin-1, vaspin, FGF21, ALT, AST, and GGT between the two groups (P > .05). After treatment, both groups showed decreased levels of vaspin, FGF21, ALT, AST, and GGT, along with increased omentin-1 levels. However, levels of vaspin, FGF21, ALT, AST, and GGT were lower in the observation group compared to the control group, while omentin-1 levels were higher (P < .05). Adverse reaction rates did not significantly differ between the two groups (10.00% vs. 6.67%) (P > .05). Conclusions: The combination therapy of PPC and liraglutide demonstrates efficacy in treating NAFLD, improving adipose-related factors, and reducing liver enzyme activity with high safety. This approach warrants broader clinical implementation.

The trends of pediatric duodenal ulcer and predictors of recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Duodenal ulcer (DU) causes various symptoms in children. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-associated DU has been reducing in some regions, yet the updated trend in Taiwan is unknown. Risk factors of DU recurrence have not been comprehensively investigated in children. METHODS: This retrospective study included children diagnosed with DU to evaluate the demographics, symptoms, diagnostics, treatment, and outcomes. Specific populations (infant, surgery required) were sorted for subgroup analysis. Predictors of DU recurrence was analyzed in patients who received endoscopic follow-ups. RESULTS: A total of 488 children were included. Most patients were male (72.5%), school-aged (11.3 ± 4.8 years old), and with varied underlying diseases in one-fifth. The annual incidences were around 3-5%, with a declining trend of case numbers and the Hp-positive proportion. Hp infection, concurrent gastric ulcer, perforation, and mortality were noted in 32.7%, 16%, 1.6%, and 1% of patients. Patients with or without Hp infection showed different clinical features but similar outcomes. The characteristics of subpopulations were depicted respectively. Male sex, lower Hb level, and perforation were independent risk factors associated with recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Hp-positive DU seems to wane. Patients with male sex, lower Hb level, or perforation at diagnosis carried a higher risk of recurrence, which may warrant active surveillance and endoscopic follow-up.

Improvement of the viability of Tetragenococcus halophilus under acidic stress by forming the biofilm cell structure based on RNA-Seq and iTRAQ analyses.

BACKGROUND: Tetragenococcus halophilus is a halophilic lactic acid bacterium (LAB) isolated from soya sauce moromi. During the production of these fermented foods, acid stress is an inevitable environmental stress. In our previous study, T. halophilus could form biofilms and the cells in the biofilms exhibited higher cell viability under multiple environmental stresses, including acid stress. RESULTS: In this study, the effect of preformed T. halophilus biofilms on cell survival, cellular structure, intracellular environment, and the expression of genes and proteins under acid stress was investigated. The result showed that acid stress with pH 4.30 for 1.5 h reduced the live T. halophilus cell count and caused cellular structure damage. However, T. halophilus biofilm cells exhibited greater cell survival under acid stress than the planktonic cells, and biofilm formation reduced the damage of acid stress to the cell membrane and cell wall. The biofilm cells maintained a higher level of H+ -ATPase activity and intracellular ammonia concentration after acid stress. The RNA-Seq and iTRAQ technologies revealed that the genes and proteins associated with ATP production, the uptake of trehalose and N-acetylmuramic acid, the assembly of H+ -ATPase, amino acid biosynthesis and metabolism, ammonia production, fatty acid biosynthesis, CoA biosynthesis, thiamine production, and acetoin biosynthesis might be responsible for the stronger acid tolerance of T. halophilus biofilm cells together. CONCLUSION: These findings further explained the mechanisms that allowed LAB biofilm cells to resist environmental stress. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Engineering the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids by introducing desaturase improved the stress tolerance of yeast.

BACKGROUND: Yeast is often used to build cell factories to produce various chemicals or nutrient substances, which means the yeast has to encounter stressful environments. Previous research reported that unsaturated fatty acids were closely related to yeast stress resistance. Engineering unsaturated fatty acids may be a viable strategy for enhancing the stress resistance of cells. RESULTS: In this study, two desaturase genes, OLE1 and FAD2 from Z. rouxii, were overexpressed in S. cerevisiae to determine how unsaturated fatty acids affect cellular stress tolerance of cells. After cloning and plasmid recombination, the recombinant S. cerevisiae cells were constructed. Analysis of membrane fatty acid contents revealed that the recombinant S. cerevisiae with overexpression of OLE1 and FAD2 genes contained higher levels of fatty acids C16:1 (2.77 times), C18:1 (1.51 times) and C18:2 (4.15 times) than the wild-type S. cerevisiae pY15TEF1. In addition, recombinant S. cerevisiae cells were more resistant to multiple stresses, and exhibited improved membrane functionality, including membrane fluidity and integrity. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that strengthening the expression of desaturases was beneficial to stress tolerance. Overall, this study may provide a suitable means to build a cell factory of industrial yeast cells with high tolerance during biological manufacturing. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification and validation of the reference genes in the echiuran worm Urechis unicinctus based on transcriptome data.

BACKGROUND: Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a crucial and widely used method for gene expression analysis. Selecting suitable reference genes is extremely important for the accuracy of RT-qPCR results. Commonly used reference genes are not always stable in various organisms or under different environmental conditions. With the increasing application of high-throughput sequencing, transcriptome analysis has become an effective method for identifying novel stable reference genes. RESULTS: In this study, we identified candidate reference genes based on transcriptome data covering embryos and larvae of early development, normal adult tissues, and the hindgut under sulfide stress using the coefficient of variation (CV) method in the echiuran Urechis unicinctus, resulting in 6834 (15.82%), 7110 (16.85%) and 13880 (35.87%) candidate reference genes, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that the candidate reference genes were significantly enriched in cellular metabolic process, protein metabolic process and ribosome in early development and normal adult tissues as well as in cellular localization and endocytosis in the hindgut under sulfide stress. Subsequently, ten genes including five new candidate reference genes and five commonly used reference genes, were validated by RT-qPCR. The expression stability of the ten genes was analyzed using four methods (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ∆Ct). The comprehensive results indicated that the new candidate reference genes were more stable than most commonly used reference genes. The commonly used ACTB was the most unstable gene. The candidate reference genes STX12, EHMT1, and LYAG were the most stable genes in early development, normal adult tissues, and hindgut under sulfide stress, respectively. The log2(TPM) of the transcriptome data was significantly negatively correlated with the Ct values of RT-qPCR (Ct = - 0.5405 log2(TPM) + 34.51), which made it possible to estimate the Ct value before RT-qPCR using transcriptome data. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to select reference genes for RT-qPCR from transcriptome data in Echiura and provides important information for future gene expression studies in U. unicinctus.

Spermine-Based Poly(ß-amino ester)s for siRNA Delivery against Mutated KRAS in Lung Cancer.

Polyethylenimine (PEI) is a highly efficient cationic polymer for nucleic acid delivery, and although it is commonly used in preclinical studies, its clinical application is limited because of concerns regarding its cytotoxicity. Poly(ß-amino ester)s are a new group of biodegradable and biocompatible cationic polymers that can be used for siRNA delivery. In this study, we synthesized Boc-protected and deprotected poly(ß-amino ester)s, P(BSpBAE) and P(SpBAE), respectively, based on spermine and 1,4-butanediol diacrylate to deliver siRNA. The polymers were synthesized by Michael addition in a step-growth polymerization and characterized via 1H NMR spectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). The polymers can encapsulate siRNA as determined by SYBR gold assays. Both polymers and polyplexes were biocompatible in vitro. Furthermore, the cellular uptake of P(BSpBAE) and P(SpBAE) polyplexes was more efficient than for branched PEI (25 kDa) polyplexes at the same N/P ratios. P(BSpBAE) polyplexes achieved 60% eGFP knockdown in vitro, which indicates that the Boc-protection can improve the siRNA delivery and gene silencing efficiency of PBAEs. P(BSpBAE) polyplexes and P(SpBAE) polyplexes showed different cellular uptake mechanisms, and P(BSpBAE) polyplexes demonstrated decreased endosomal entrapment, which could explain why P(BSpBAE) polyplexes more efficiently mediated gene silencing than P(SpBAE) polyplexes. Furthermore, transfection of an siRNA against mutated KRAS in KRAS-mutated lung cancer cells led to around 35% (P(BspBAE)) to 45% (P(SpBAE)) inhibition of KRAS expression and around 33% (P(SpBAE)) to 55% (P(BspBAE)) decreased motility in a migration assay. These results suggest that the newly developed spermine-based poly(ß-amino ester)s are promising materials for therapeutic siRNA delivery.

Intraoperative blood transfusion does not impact overall and recurrence-free survival after curative hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity-score-matched and inverse probability of treatment-weighted study.

INTRODUCTION: Our primary objective was to determine if receiving intraoperative blood transfusion was a significant prognostic factor for overall and recurrence-free survival after curative resection of hepatic cellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODOLOGY: Between 2001 and 2018, 1092 patients with histologically proven primary HCC who underwent curative liver resection were retrospectively reviewed. Primary study endpoints were recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). The main analysis was undertaken using propensity-score matching (PSM) to minimize confounding and selection biases in the comparison of patients with or without transfusion. RESULTS: There were 220 patients who received and 666 patients who did not receive intraoperative blood transfusion. The PSM cohort consisted of 163 pairs of patients. After PSM, the only perioperative outcome that appeared to significantly affect whether patients would receive blood transfusion was median blood loss (p = 0.001). In the PSM cohort, whether patients received blood transfusion was neither associated with OS (p = 0.759) nor RFS (p = 0.830). When the volume of blood transfusion was analyzed as a continuous variable, no significant dose-response relationship between blood transfusion volume and HR for OS and RFS was noted. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative blood transfusion had no significant impact on the survival outcomes in patients who receive curative resection in primary HCC.

Hair follicle stem cell proliferation and differentiation are achieved by miR-1285-3P through targeted regulation of NOTCH pathway.

The purpose of this experiment is to understand how miR-1285-3P regulates the NOTCH signaling pathway by targeting, thereby affecting the proliferation and differentiation of hair follicle stem cells. The cultured Inner Mongolia hair follicle stem cells were used in this experiment, and they were divided into control group, blank transfection group and miR-1285-3P transfection group. Among them, the control group was left untreated; the blank group was given miR-NC transfection; at the same time, the miR-1285-3P transfection group was given miR-1285-3P mimics for transfection. Compared with the control group (97.24 ± 6.81) and blank gro transfection up (97.32 ± 7.20), the cell proliferation ability of the miR-1285-3P transfection group (49.31 ± 3.39) was significantly lower. Compared with the other two groups, The proliferation ability of cells in the miR-1285-3P transfection group was decreased (P < 0.05); compared with the S-phase hair follicle stem cells in the control group (19.23 ± 1.29) and blank transfection group (19.38 ± 1.45), the miR-1285-3P transfection group (15.26 ± 1.26) decreased more significantly (P < 0.05). For hair follicle stem cells in each group, the proportion of cells in the G0-G1 phase was significantly different between the blank transfection group (63.18 ± 2.78) and the control group (64.29 ± 2.09), and the blank transfection group had a higher proportion (P < 0.05). In the process of miR-1285-3P targeting and regulating NOTCH signaling pathway, the proliferation and differentiation ability of hair follicle stem cells is affected. When NOTCH signaling pathway is activated, the differentiation of hair follicle stem cells is accelerated.

Circular RNAs: biology and clinical significance of breast cancer.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel noncoding RNAs with covalently closed-loop structures that can regulate eukaryotic gene expression. Due to their stable structure, circRNAs are widely distributed in the cytoplasm and have important biological functions, including as microRNA sponges, RNA-binding protein conjugates, transcription regulators, and translation templates. Breast cancer is among the most common malignant cancers diagnosed in women worldwide. Despite the development of comprehensive treatments, breast cancer still has high mortality rates. Recent studies have unmasked critical roles for circRNAs in breast cancer as regulators of tumour initiation, progression, and metastasis. Further, research has revealed that some circRNAs have the potential for use as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in clinical practice. Herein, we review the biogenesis and biological functions of circRNAs, as well as their roles in different breast cancer subtypes. Moreover, we provide a comprehensive summary of the clinical significance of circRNAs in breast cancer. CircRNAs are believed to be a hot focus in basic and clinical research of breast cancer, and innovative future research directions of circRNAs could be used as biomarkers, therapeutic targets, or novel drugs.Abbreviations: CeRNA: Competitive endogenous RNA; ciRNA: Circular intronic RNA; circRNA: Circular RNA; EIciRNA: Exon-intron circRNA; EMT: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; IRES: Internal ribosome entry site; lncRNA: Long non-coding RNA; miRNA: MicroRNA; MRE: MiRNA response element; ncRNA: Non-coding RNA; RBP: RNA-binding protein; RNA-seq: RNA sequencing; RT-PCR: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

seco-Sesquiterpenes and acorane-type sesquiterpenes with antiviral activity from the twigs and leaves of Illicium henryi Diels.

Chemical investigation of an alcohol extract from the twigs and leaves of Illicium henryi Diels resulted in the isolation of two new acorane-related seco-sesquiterpenes (1 and 3), two new acorane-related seco-norsesquiterpenes (2 and 4), one new 2-epi-cedrane sesquiterpene (5), eight new acorane-type sesquiterpenes (6-13), and a known major constituent of acorenone B (14). Their structures were established by interpreting extensive spectroscopic data, including HRESIMS, NMR (1H and 13C NMR, 1H-1H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC), and NOE difference spectra analysis. The absolute configurations of 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 10, and 14 were determined by X-ray crystallography, while chemical transformation methods were performed with compound 14 as the starting material to elegantly solve the absolute configuration issue of compounds 8 and 11-13. Notably, 1 and 2 are seco-sesquiterpenes that are related to acorane and possess an unusual ketal-linked hemiacetal in a 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-7-ol scaffold ring system. Plausible biosynthetic pathways for compounds 1-14, which were derived from the acorane skeleton, were proposed. All the isolated compounds (1-14) were evaluated for their antiviral and cytotoxic activities.

Association of standardized liver volume and body mass index with outcomes of minimally invasive liver resections.

INTRODUCTION: While minimally invasive liver resections (MILR) have demonstrated advantages in improved post-operative recovery, widespread adoption is hampered by inherent technical difficulties. Our study attempts to analyze the role of anthropometric measures in MILR-related outcomes. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2020, 676 consecutive patients underwent MILR at the Singapore General Hospital of which 565 met study criteria and were included. Patients were stratified based on Body Mass Index (BMI) as well as Standardized Liver Volumes (SLV). Associations between BMI and SLV to selected peri-operative outcomes were analyzed using restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: A BMI of ≥ 29 was associated with increase in blood loss [Mean difference (MD) 69 mls, 95% CI 2 to 137] as well as operative conversions [Relative Risk (RR) 1.63, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.62] among patients undergoing MILR while a SLV of 1600 cc or higher was associated with an increase in blood loss (MD 30 mls, 95% CI 10 to 49). In addition, a BMI of ≤ 20 was associated with an increased risk of major complications (RR 2.25, 95% 1.16 to 4.35). The magnitude of differences observed in these findings increased with each unit change in BMI and SLV. CONCLUSION: Both BMI and SLV were useful anthropometric measures in predicting peri-operative outcomes in MILR and may be considered for incorporation in future difficulty scoring systems for MILR.

Arginine deiminase pathway of Tetragenococcus halophilus contributes to improve the acid tolerance of lactic acid bacteria.

Arginine deiminase pathway, controlled by arginine deiminase, ornithine carbamoyltransferase and carbamate kinase, could affect and modulate the intracellular pH homeostasis of lactic acid bacteria under acid stress. Herein, strategy based on exogenous addition of arginine had been proposed to improve the robustness of Tetragenococcus halophilus during acid stressed condition. Results indicated cells cultured in the presence of arginine acquired high tolerance to acid stress mainly through maintaining the homeostasis of intracellular microenvironment. Additionally, metabolomic analysis and q-PCR showed the content of intracellular metabolites and expression levels of genes involved in ADI pathway significantly increased when cells encountered acid stress with the presence of exogenous arginine. Furthermore, Lactococcus lactis NZ9000 with heterologous overexpression of arcA and arcC from T. halophilus exhibited high stress tolerance to acidic condition. This study may provide an insight into the systematical understanding about the mechanism underlying acid tolerance and improve the fermentation performance of LAB during harsh condition.

Engineering acetyl-CoA metabolism to enhance stress tolerance of yeast by regulating membrane functionality.

Zygosaccharomyces rouxii has excellent fermentation performance and good tolerance to osmotic stress. Acetyl-CoA is a crucial intermediate precursor in the central carbon metabolic pathway of yeast. This study investigated the effect of engineering acetyl-CoA metabolism on the membrane functionality and stress tolerance of yeast. Firstly, exogenous supplementation of acetyl-CoA improved the biomass and the ability of unsaturated fatty acid synthesis of Z. rouxii under salt stress. Q-PCR results suggested that the gene ACSS (coding acetyl-CoA synthetase) was significantly up-expressed. Subsequently, the gene ACSS from Z. rouxii was transformed and heterologously expressed in S. cerevisiae. The recombinant cells exhibited better multiple stress (salt, acid, heat, and cold) tolerance, higher fatty acid contents, membrane integrity, and fluidity. Our findings may provide a suitable means to enhance the stress tolerance and fermentation efficiency of yeast under harsh fermentation environments.