Mechanisms of low cadmium accumulation in crops: A comprehensive overview from rhizosphere soil to edible parts.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal often found in soil and agricultural products. Due to its high mobility, Cd poses a significant health risk when absorbed by crops, a crucial component of the human diet. This absorption primarily occurs through roots and leaves, leading to Cd accumulation in edible parts of the plant. Our research aimed to understand the mechanisms behind the reduced Cd accumulation in certain crop cultivars through an extensive review of the literature. Crops employ various strategies to limit Cd influx from the soil, including rhizosphere microbial fixation and altering root cell metabolism. Additional mechanisms include membrane efflux, specific transport, chelation, and detoxification, facilitated by metalloproteins such as the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp) family, heavy metal P-type ATPases (HMA), zinc-iron permease (ZIP), and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. This paper synthesizes differences in Cd accumulation among plant varieties, presents methods for identifying cultivars with low Cd accumulation, and explores the unique molecular biology of Cd accumulation. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive resource for managing agricultural lands with lower contamination levels and supports the development of crops engineered to accumulate minimal amounts of Cd.

Comparison of survival outcomes with or without Para-aortic lymphadenectomy in surgical patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer in China from 2004 to 2016.

BACKGROUND: Current opinions on whether surgical patients with cervical cancer should undergo para-aortic lymphadenectomy at the same time are inconsistent. The present study examined differences in survival outcomes with or without para-aortic lymphadenectomy in surgical patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer. METHODS: We retrospectively compared the survival outcomes of 8802 stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer patients (FIGO 2009) who underwent abdominal radical hysterectomy + pelvic lymphadenectomy (n = 8445) or abdominal radical hysterectomy + pelvic lymphadenectomy + para-aortic lymphadenectomy (n = 357) from 37 hospitals in mainland China. RESULTS: Among the 8802 patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer, 1618 (18.38%) patients had postoperative pelvic lymph node metastases, and 37 (10.36%) patients had para-aortic lymph node metastasis. When pelvic lymph nodes had metastases, the para-aortic lymph node simultaneous metastasis rate was 30.00% (36/120). The risk of isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis was 0.42% (1/237). There were no significant differences in the survival outcomes between the para-aortic lymph node unresected and resected groups. No differences in the survival outcomes were found before or after matching between the two groups regardless of pelvic lymph node negativity/positivity. CONCLUSION: Para-aortic lymphadenectomy did not improve 5-year survival outcomes in surgical patients with stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer. Therefore, when pelvic lymph node metastasis is negative, the risk of isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis is very low, and para-aortic lymphadenectomy is not recommended. When pelvic lymph node metastasis is positive, para-aortic lymphadenectomy should be carefully selected because of the high risk of this procedure.

Uterine corpus invasion in cervical cancer: a multicenter retrospective case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of uterine corpus invasion (UCI) diagnosis in patients with cervical cancer and identity risk factors for UCI and depth of invasion. METHODS: Clinical data of patients with cervical cancer who underwent hysterectomy between 2004 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. UCI was assessed on uterine pathology. Independent risk factors for UCI and depth of invasion were identified using binary and ordinal logistic regression models, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 2,212 patients with cervical cancer from 11 medical institutions in China were included in this study. Of these, 497 patients had cervical cancer and UCI, and 1,715 patients had cervical cancer and no UCI, according to the original pathology reports. Retrospective review of the original pathology reports revealed a missed diagnosis of UCI in 54 (10.5%) patients and a misdiagnosis in 36 (2.1%) patients. Therefore, 515 patients with cervical cancer and UCI (160 patients with endometrial invasion, 176 patients with myometrial invasion < 50%, and 179 patients with myometrial invasion ≥ 50%), and 1697 patients with cervical cancer without UCI were included in the analysis. Older age, advanced stage, tumor size, adenocarcinoma, parametrial involvement, resection margin involvement, and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for UCI. These risk factors, except resection margin involvement, were independently associated with depth of UCI. CONCLUSIONS: UCI may be missed or misdiagnosed in patients with cervical cancer on postoperative pathological examination. Older age, advanced stage, tumor size, adenocarcinoma, parametrial involvement, resection margin involvement, and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for UCI and depth of UCI, with the exception of resection margin involvement.

Comparison of survival outcomes between radio-chemotherapy and radical hysterectomy with postoperative standard therapy in patients with stage IB1 to IIA2 cervical cancer: long-term oncological outcome analysis in 37 Chinese hospitals.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the survival outcomes of radio-chemotherapy (R-CT) and radical hysterectomy with postoperative standard therapy (RH) in stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer patients. METHODS: Based on the large amount of diagnostic and treatment cervical cancer data in China, a real-world study and 1:1 case-control matching were used to compare overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in cervical cancer patients. RESULTS: In this real-world study, the 5-year OS and DFS in the R-CT group (n = 8949) were lower than those in the RH group (n = 18,152). After applying the inclusion criteria, the OS and DFS in the R-CT group (n = 582) were lower than those in the RH group (n = 4308). After 1:1 case-control matching, the 5-year OS and DFS in the R-CT group (n = 535) were lower than those in the RH group (n = 535) (OS: 76.1% vs. 84.6%, p < 0.001, HR = 1.819; DFS: 75.1% vs. 81.5%, p < 0.001, HR = 1.462, respectively). Further stratification showed that for stage IB1 and IIA1 patients, the 5-year OS and DFS in the R-CT group (n = 300) were lower than those in the RH group (n = 300) (OS: 78.9% vs. 87.0%, p < 0.001, HR = 2.160; DFS: 77.0% vs. 84.9%, p < 0.001, HR = 2.053, respectively). In stage IB2 and IIA2 patients, the 5-year OS in the R-CT group (n = 235) was lower than that in the RH group (n = 235) (72.5% vs. 81.5%, p = 0.039; HR = 1.550), but no difference in the 5-year DFS was found between the two groups (72.6% vs. 76.9%, p = 0.151). CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that for stage IB1-IIA2 cervical cancer patients, RH offers better overall survival and disease-free survival outcomes than R-CT, however, due to the inherent biases of retrospective study, it needs to be confirmed by randomized trials. In addition, we need to further understand the quality of life of the two treatments. TRIAL REGISTRATION: registration number: CHiCTR1800017778; International Clinical Trials Registry Platform Search Port, http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/. registration date: August 14, 2018.

[Serological feature and molecular mechanism for a case with A307 subgroup].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the serological feature and molecular mechanism for a case with A307 subgroup of the ABO blood group system. METHODS: Serological assay was carried out to determine the ABO blood group of the proband and his family members. Genotypes for exons 1 to 7 of the ABO gene were determined with sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) and direct sequencing. The impact of the variant on the stability of alpha-1,3-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GTA) was predicted through construction of a 3D molecular model. RESULTS: The proband, his brother and daughter were diagnosed with Aend phenotype by serological analysis. Their ABO genotype was determined as A307/O02, with heterozygous c.467C>T (p.P156L) and c.745C>T (p.R249W) variants identified in exon 7 of the ABO gene. Molecular modeling suggested that the p.R249W variant may alter the number of hydrogen bonds between the amino acids. The protein was predicted to have a decreased Δ Δ G value of thermodynamic stability. CONCLUSION: The p.R249W variant may give rise to the A307 subgroup by reducing the stability of the GTA enzyme, leading to serological features of Aend phenotype.

[Identification and pedigree analysis of ABO subgroup B303].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the molecular mechanism of a case of ABO discrepancies based on the results of blood group serology. METHODS: Five cases of the two-generation pedigrees were analyzed. ABO genotypes were determined using serological tests. DNA sequence analysis was performed on exon 6, exon 7 and intron 3 of the 5 cases to confirm the genotypes of a proband with B subgroup and 4 family members. RESULTS: There were 3 cases of subgroup AB3 and 1 case of subgroup B3 among the 5 family members. The genotypes were identified as A102/B303 and O02/B303, respectively. B303 differed from B101 by intron 3 point mutation (intron3 + 5G>A). CONCLUSION: The point mutation of intron 3 (intron 3+5G>A) is specific in B303.

Ecological Risk Assessment of EDTA-Assisted Phytoremediation of Cd Under Different Cultivation Systems.

A long-term field experiment was designed to assess remediation efficiency and ecological risk of phytoremediation of Cd under different cultivation systems with or without ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). EDTA can significantly improve the phytoremediation effectiveness of a historically polluted e-waste dismantling site through enhancing Cd uptake by plants in all cultivation systems along with higher ecological risks to different receptors especially in the presence of Cicer arietinum (chickpea). Moisture content at each layer of soil profile under Eucalyptus globules L. cultivated sites was consistently lower than under chickpea monoculture as a result of E. globules' high water use efficiency. Besides low soil moisture, E. globules can intercept more Cd-rich leachate than chickpea regardless of the presence of EDTA. E. globules could be used for Cd phytoremediation as they can take full advantage of EDTA and decrease ecological risk caused by the chelator.

Validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantitative determination of a novel fungicide: pyraoxystrobin in rat plasma and its application to a toxicokinetics study.

A simple, sensitive, and reliable liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for determination of pyraoxystrobin in rat plasma and applied to a toxicokinetics study. The separation was performed by gradient elution on a Luna 5 µ C18 (2) 100 Å column (50 × 4.6 mm I.D., 5 µm) with mobile phase: water (0.1 % formic acid, v/v)/acetonitrile (0.1 % formic acid, v/v), followed by quantification with a mass detector in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using ESI as an interface. The calibration curve was linear over a concentration range of 1.00-200 ng/mL. The recovery for pyraoxystrobin ranged from 101.4 to 108.2 %. The intraday bias and precision ranged from -9.3 to 8.1 % and from 0.7 to 8.4 %, respectively, and the interday bias and precision ranged from -0.3 to 4.0 % and from 4.4 to 7.2 %, respectively. The toxicokinetics of pyraoxystrobin after single 100 and 1,000 mg/kg oral doses were studied in rats.

Association between systemic immune-inflammation index and atopic dermatitis: a cross-sectional study of NHANES 2001-2006.

Background: While several studies have noted a higher SII correlates with multiple diseases, research on the association between SII and atopic dermatitis remains limited. Our cross-sectional study seeks to examine the association between SII and atopic dermatitis among outpatient US adults. Methods: This compensatory cross-sectional study utilized NHANES data from 2001-2006 cycles, conducting sample-weighted multivariate logistic regression and stratified analysis of sub-groups. Results: Higher levels of SII were positively associated with an increased risk of atopic dermatitis in adults with BMI <30 (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.10-1.90) (p = 0.010). Conclusion: Our findings suggested SII higher than 330 × 109/L was positively associated with a high risk of atopic dermatitis in US adults with BMI <30. To our knowledge, this is the first study focused on the risk of higher SII on atopic dermatitis in the outpatient US population. Currently, there are differences in the standards used to diagnose atopic dermatitis across countries, and our study may have implications.

Association between systemic immunity-inflammation index and psoriasis among outpatient US adults.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic dermatological condition characterized by a complex pathogenesis that impacts approximately 3% of adults in the United States and brings enormous social burdens. For many diseases, the systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII), defined as neutrophils × platelets/lymphocytes, has been recognized as a prognostic indicator. Therefore, we conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the association between SII and psoriasis among outpatient US adults. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we used data on the US adults 20 to 59 years of age from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2003-2006 and 2009-2014. Sample-weighted logistic regression and stratified analysis of subgroups were used. Results: Among the 16,831 adults, there were 8,801 women and 8,030 men, with a psoriasis prevalence rate of 3.0%. A fully adjusted model revealed a positive association between a SII higher than 479.15 × 109/L and a high risk of psoriasis. According to subgroup analysis and interaction testing (p for interaction > 0.05), age, sex, alcohol drinking status, marital status, and body mass index (BMI) were not significantly correlated with this positive association. Conclusion: Our findings suggested that SII higher than 479.15 × 109/L was positively associated with a high risk of psoriasis among outpatient US adults. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first cross-sectional study using NHANES data focused on the risk of higher SII on psoriasis among outpatient US adults. The outcomes of this cross-sectional serve to supplement previous research, indicating a need for larger-scale prospective cohorts for further validation.

Quercetin-loaded melanin nanoparticle mediated konjac glucomannan/polycaprolactone bilayer film with dual-mode synergistic bactericidal activity for food packaging.

It is still difficult for a single antibacterial modality to realize satisfactory management of bacterial breeding in food preservation. To solve this problem, we developed a photothermal-derived dual-mode synergistic bactericidal konjac glucomannan (KGM)/polycaprolactone (PCL) bilayer film incorporated with quercetin-loaded melanin-like nanoparticles (Q@MNPs). The results showed that the mechanical properties (TS: 29.8 MPa, EAB: 43.1 %), UV shielding properties, and water resistance (WCA: 124.1°, WVP: 3.92 g mm/m2 day kPa) of KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer films were significantly improved. More importantly, KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film presented outstanding photothermal inversion and controlled release behavior of Q triggered by near infrared (NIR) radiation, thus contributing to excellent dual-mode synergistic antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus. Meanwhile, the KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film possessed good biocompatibility and low toxicity. As a proof-of-concept application, we further verified the significant value of film for the preservation of cherry tomatoes. Since KGM-Q@MNPs/PCL bilayer film showed excellent biodegradability, this work will aid the development of sustainable antibacterial food packaging materials.

Simultaneous exposure to nanoplastics and cadmium mitigates microalgae cellular toxicity: Insights from molecular simulation and metabolomics.

In the severe pollution area of nanoplastics (NPs) and cadmium ions (Cd2+), the joint effects of their high environmental concentrations on primary producers may differ from those of low environmental doses. Thus, we investigated the physiological changes, cell morphology, molecular dynamic simulation, phenotypic interactions, and metabolomics responses of C. pyrenoidosa to high environmental concentrations of NPs and Cd2+ after 12-d acclimation. After 12-d cultivation, mono-NPs and mono-Cd2+ reduced cell density and triggered antioxidant enzymes, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) production, and cell aggregation to defend their unfavorable effects. Based on the molecular dynamic simulation, the chlorine atoms of the NPs and Cd2+ had charge attraction with the nitrogen and phosphorus atoms in the choline and phosphate groups in the cell membrane, thereby NPs and Cd2+ could adsorb on the cells to destroy them. In the joint exposure, NPs dominated the variations of ultrastructure and metabolomics and alleviated the toxicity of NPs and Cd2+. Due to its high environmental concentration, more NPs could compete with the microalgae for Cd2+ and thicken cell walls, diminishing the Cd2+ content and antioxidant enzymes of microalgae. NPs addition also decreased the EPS content, while the bound EPS with -CN bond was kept to detoxicate Cd2+. Metabolomics results showed that the NPs downregulated nucleotide, arachidonic acid, and tryptophan metabolisms, while the Cd2+ showed an opposite trend. Compared with their respective exposures, metabolomics results found the changes in metabolic molecules, suggesting the NPs_Cd2+ toxicity was mitigated by balancing nucleotide, arachidonic acid, tryptophan, and arginine and proline metabolisms. Consequently, this study provided new insights that simultaneous exposure to high environmental concentrations of NPs and Cd2+ mitigated microalgae cellular toxicity, which may change their fates and biogeochemical cycles in aquatic systems.

Influencing mechanisms of microplastics existence on soil heavy metals accumulated by plants.

Microplastics (MPs) and heavy metals often coexist in soil, drawing significant attention to their interactions and the potential risks of biological accumulation in the soil-plant system. This paper comprehensively reviews the factors and biochemical mechanisms that influence the uptake of heavy metals by plants, in the existence of MPs, spanning from rhizospheric soil to the processes of root absorption and transport. The paper begins by introducing the origins and current situation of soil contamination with both heavy metals and MPs. It then discusses how MPs alter the physicochemical properties of rhizospheric soil, with a focus on parameters that affect the bioavailability of heavy metals such as aggregates, pH, Eh, and soil organic carbon (SOC). The paper also examines the effect of this pollution on soil organisms and plant growth and reviews the mechanisms by which MPs affect the bioavailability and movement-transformation of heavy metals in rhizospheric soil. This examination emphasizes the roles of rhizospheric microbes, soil fauna, and root physiological metabolism. Finally, the paper outlines the research progress on the mechanisms by which MPs influence the uptake and transport of heavy metals by plant roots. Through this comprehensive review, this paper provides aims to provide environmental managers with a detailed understanding of the potential impact of the coexistence of MPs and heavy metals on the soil-plant ecosystem.

Exposure to irregular microplastic shed from baby bottles activates the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway, causing intestinal inflammation.

Irregularly shaped microplastics (MPs) released from infant feeding bottles (PP-IFBs) may exhibit increased cytotoxicity, in contrast to the commonly studied spherical MPs. This study presents an initial analysis of the thermal-oxidative aging process of plastic shedding from feeding bottles, and investigates the inflammatory response induced by these atypical MPs in human intestinal cells (Caco-2). The PP-IFBs' surface displayed non-uniform white patches and increased roughness, revealing substantial structural alteration and shedding, especially during actions such as shaking, boiling water disinfection, and microwave heating. FT-IR and 2D-COS analyses revealed that oxygen targeted the C-H and C-C bonds of polypropylene molecular chain, producing RO· and ·OH, thereby hastening polypropylene degradation. When human intestinal cells were exposed to MPs from PP-IFBs, oxidative stress was triggered, resulting in lowered glutathione levels, augmented reactive oxygen species (ROS), and heightened lipid peroxidation. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNFα) signified an active inflammatory process. The inflammatory response was notably more intense when exposed to MPs released through boiling water disinfection and microwave heating treatments, primarily due to the larger quantity of MPs released and their higher proportion of smaller particles. Furthermore, the NLRP3 inflammasome was identified as critical in initiating this inflammatory chain reaction due to the mitochondrial ROS surge caused by MPs exposure. This was further validated by inhibitor studies, emphasizing the role of the ROS/NLRP3/Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway in in promoting intestinal inflammation. Therefore, swift actions are recommended to protect infants against the potential health effects of MPs exposure.

Microbiological mechanism for "production while remediating" in Cd-contaminated paddy fields: A field experiment.

Security utilization measures (SUMs) for "production while remediating" in moderate and mild Cd-polluted paddy fields had been widely used. To investigate how SUMs drove rhizosphere soil microbial communities and reduced soil Cd bioavailability, a field experiment was conducted using soil biochemical analysis and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Results showed that SUMs improved rice yield by increasing the number of effective panicles and filled grains, while also inhibiting soil acidification and enhancing disease resistance by improving soil enzyme activities. SUMs also reduced the accumulation of harmful Cd in rice grains and transformed it into FeMn oxidized Cd, organic-bound Cd, and residual Cd in rhizosphere soil. This was partly due to the higher degree of soil DOM aromatization, which helped complex the Cd with DOM. Additionally, the study also found that microbial activity was the primary source of soil DOM, and that SUMs increased the diversity of soil microbes and recruited many beneficial microbes (Arthrobacter, Candidatus_Solibacter, Bryobacter, Bradyrhizobium, and Flavisolibacter) associated with organic matter decomposition, plant growth promotion, and pathogen inhibition. Besides, special taxa (Bradyyrhizobium and Thermodesulfovibrio) involved in sulfate/sulfur ion generation and nitrate/nitrite reduction pathway were observably enriched, which effectively reduced the soil Cd bioavailability through adsorption and co-precipitation. Therefore, SUMs not only changed the soil physicochemical properties (e.g., pH), but also drove rhizosphere microbes to participate in the chemical species transformation of soil Cd, thus reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains.

Construction of a co-expression network and prediction of metastasis markers in colorectal cancer patients with liver metastasis.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common global malignancy associated with high invasiveness, high metastasis, and poor prognosis. CRC commonly metastasizes to the liver, where the treatment of metastasis is both difficult and an important topic in current CRC management. Methods: Microarrays data of human CRC with liver metastasis (CRCLM) were downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify potential key genes. Differentially expressed (DE) genes (DEGs) and DEmiRNAs of primary CRC tumor tissues and metastatic liver tissues were identified. Microenvironment Cell Populations (MCP)-counter was used to estimate the abundance of immune cells in the tumor micro-environment (TME), and weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to construct the co-expression network analysis. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted, and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network for the DEGs were constructed and gene modules were screened. Results: Thirty-five pairs of matched colorectal primary cancer and liver metastatic gene expression profiles were screened, and 610 DEGs (265 up-regulated and 345 down-regulated) and 284 DEmiRNAs were identified. The DEGs were mainly enriched in the complement and coagulation cascade pathways and renin secretion. Immune infiltrating cells including neutrophils, monocytic lineage, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) differed significantly between primary tumor tissues and metastatic liver tissues. WGCN analysis obtained 12 modules and identified 62 genes with significant interactions which were mainly related to complement and coagulation cascade and the focal adhesion pathway. The best subset regression analysis and backward stepwise regression analysis were performed, and eight genes were determined, including F10, FGG, KNG1, MBL2, PROC, SERPINA1, CAV1, and SPP1. Further analysis showed four genes, including FGG, KNG1, CAV1, and SPP1 were significantly associated with CRCLM. Conclusions: Our study implies complement and coagulation cascade and the focal adhesion pathway play a significant role in the development and progression of CRCLM, and FGG, KNG1, CAV1, and SPP1 may be metastatic markers for its early diagnosis.

Biomarkers of coordinate metabolic reprogramming and the construction of a co-expression network in colorectal cancer.

Background: Globally, the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC) rank amongst the highest of all malignancies. Thus, research aimed at developing new screening strategies and biomarkers for the early detection of CRC is needed. At present, conventional screening methods have limitations; therefore, new testing strategies have been considered. Using metabolomics to explore the molecular changes in CRC tissue is a mainstream method for identifying potential biomarkers and key cancer factors. Methods: In the present study, 27 samples from nine CRC patients were used to analyze the metabolite differences between the tumor, paracancerous, and normal tissues. The metabolite differences in the various stages of CRC (stages IIA, IIB, and IIIC) were analyzed as well. Subsequently, principal component analysis (PCA), permutation, and trend analyses were performed. Weighted gene co-expression and metabolite-metabolite interaction networks were also constructed. Results: A total of 5,834 metabolites were identified among the included samples. Permutation analysis showed a clear separation between the different tissues and different stages. Compared with normal tissues, tumor tissues exhibited 11, 233, and 25 up-regulated metabolites as well as one, 77, and zero down-regulated metabolites in stages IIA, IIB, and IIIC, respectively. Moreover, tumor tissues in stage IIB exhibited more differential metabolites (233 up-regulated and 77 down-regulated). Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) clustered the 5,834 metabolites into 15 different modules, of which four modules were significantly correlated with tissue specificity. Notably, glycerophospholipid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and other pathways were enriched in these modules. Conclusions: Fatty acids and glycerophospholipids were significantly related to the development of CRC. This result is of great significance for future targeted screening of CRC biomarkers and further clarifying the nutrient metabolism of cancer cells.

Development and validation of a prognostic nomogram for 2018 FIGO stages IB1, IB2, and IIA1 cervical cancer: a large multicenter study.

Background: Nomograms are predictive tools widely used for estimating cancer prognosis. We aimed to develop/validate a nomogram to predict the postsurgical 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) probability for patients with stages IB1, IB2, and IIA1 cervical cancer [2018 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO 2018)]. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled cervical cancer patients at 47 hospitals with stages IB1, IB2, and IIA1 disease from the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment for Cervical Cancer in China database. All patients were assigned to either the development or validation cohort (75% of patients used for model construction and 25% used for validation). OS and DFS were defined as the clinical endpoints. Clinicopathological variables were analyzed based on the Cox proportional hazards regression model. A nomogram was established and validated internally (with bootstrapping) and externally, and its performance was assessed according to the concordance index (C-index), receiver-operating characteristic curve, and calibration plot. Results: In total, 4,065 patients were enrolled and assigned to the development cohort (n=3,074) or validation cohort (n=991). The OS nomogram was constructed based on age, FIGO stage, stromal invasion, and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI). The DFS nomogram was constructed based on the FIGO stage, histological type, stromal invasion, and LVSI. Both nomograms showed greater discrimination than the FIGO 2018 staging system in the development cohort [OS nomogram vs. FIGO 2018: C-index =0.69 vs. 0.61, area under the curve (AUC): 69.8 vs. 60.3; DFS nomogram vs. FIGO 2018: C-index =0.64 vs. 0.57, AUC: 62.6 vs. 56.9], and the same results were observed the definition in the validation cohort. Calibration plots demonstrated good agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities of 5-year OS/DFS in the development and validation cohorts. We stratified the patients into 3 subgroups with differences in OS/DFS. Each risk subgroup presented a distinct prognosis. Conclusions: We successfully developed a robust and powerful model for predicting 5-year OS/DFS in stages IB1, IB2, and IIA1 cervical cancer (FIGO 2018) for the first time. Internal and external validation showed that the model had great prediction performance and was superior to the currently utilized FIGO staging system.

Evaluation of the real-time fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum.

Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) is commonly present in human reproductive tract, which frequently leads to genital tract infection. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop a rapid detection method for UU. In our study, a real-time fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and evaluated for the detection of UU. Two primers were specifically designed based on the highly conserved regions of ureaseB genes. The reaction was carried out for 60 min in a constant temperature system using Bst DNA polymerase, and the process was monitored by real-time fluorescence signal, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed simultaneously. In real-time fluorescence LAMP reaction system, positive result was only obtained for UU among 9 bacterial strains, with detection sensitivity of 42 pg/µL (4.2 × 105 CFU/mL), and all 16 clinical samples of UU could be detected. In conclusion, real-time fluorescence LAMP is a simple, sensitive, specific and effective method compared with conventional PCR, which shows great promise in the rapid detection of UU.

Genomic basis of the giga-chromosomes and giga-genome of tree peony Paeonia ostii.

Tree peony (Paeonia ostii) is an economically important ornamental plant native to China. It is also notable for its seed oil, which is abundant in unsaturated fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid (ALA). Here, we report chromosome-level genome assembly (12.28 Gb) of P. ostii. In contrast to monocots with giant genomes, tree peony does not appear to have undergone lineage-specific whole-genome duplication. Instead, explosive LTR expansion in the intergenic regions within a short period (~ two million years) may have contributed to the formation of its giga-genome. In addition, expansion of five types of histone encoding genes may have helped maintain the giga-chromosomes. Further, we conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on 448 accessions and show expansion and high expression of several genes in the key nodes of fatty acid biosynthetic pathway, including SAD, FAD2 and FAD3, may function in high level of ALAs synthesis in tree peony seeds. Moreover, by comparing with cultivated tree peony (P. suffruticosa), we show that ectopic expression of class A gene AP1 and reduced expression of class C gene AG may contribute to the formation of petaloid stamens. Genomic resources reported in this study will be valuable for studying chromosome/genome evolution and tree peony breeding.