Recent advancements in artificial intelligence for breast cancer: Image augmentation, segmentation, diagnosis, and prognosis approaches.

Breast cancer is a significant global health burden, with increasing morbidity and mortality worldwide. Early screening and accurate diagnosis are crucial for improving prognosis. Radiographic imaging modalities such as digital mammography (DM), digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US), and nuclear medicine techniques, are commonly used for breast cancer assessment. And histopathology (HP) serves as the gold standard for confirming malignancy. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies show great potential for quantitative representation of medical images to effectively assist in segmentation, diagnosis, and prognosis of breast cancer. In this review, we overview the recent advancements of AI technologies for breast cancer, including 1) improving image quality by data augmentation, 2) fast detection and segmentation of breast lesions and diagnosis of malignancy, 3) biological characterization of the cancer such as staging and subtyping by AI-based classification technologies, 4) prediction of clinical outcomes such as metastasis, treatment response, and survival by integrating multi-omics data. Then, we then summarize large-scale databases available to help train robust, generalizable, and reproducible deep learning models. Furthermore, we conclude the challenges faced by AI in real-world applications, including data curating, model interpretability, and practice regulations. Besides, we expect that clinical implementation of AI will provide important guidance for the patient-tailored management.

Enhancing the Features of DNA Mimic Foldamers for Structural Investigations.

DNA mimic foldamers based on aromatic oligoamide helices bearing anionic phosphonate side chains have been shown to bind to DNA-binding proteins sometimes orders of magnitude better than DNA itself. Here, we introduce new features in the DNA mimic foldamers to facilitate structural investigations of their interactions with proteins. Thirteen new foldamer sequences have been synthesized and characterized using NMR, circular dichroism, molecular modeling, and X-ray crystallography. The results show that foldamer helix handedness can be quantitatively biased by means of a single stereogenic center, that the foldamer structure can be made C2-symmetrical as in palindromic B-DNA sequences, and that associations between foldamer helices can be promoted utilizing dedicated C-terminal residues that act as sticky ends in B-DNA structures.

Survival analysis of patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a nomogram for clinical and MRI features.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to establish a predictive model to estimate the postoperative prognosis of patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC) based on preoperative clinical and MRI features. METHODS: A total of 104 patients with ECC confirmed by surgery and pathology were enrolled from January 2013 to July 2021, whose preoperative clinical, laboratory, and MRI data were retrospectively collected and examined, and the effects of clinical and imaging characteristics on overall survival (OS) were analyzed by constructing Cox proportional hazard regression models. A nomogram was constructed to predict OS, and calibration curves and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were employed to assess OS accuracy. RESULTS: Multivariate regression analyses revealed that gender, DBIL, ALT, GGT, tumor size, lesion's position, the signal intensity ratio of liver to paraspinal muscle (SIRLiver/Muscle), and the signal intensity ratio of spleen to paraspinal muscle (SIRSpleen/Muscle) on T2WI sequences were significantly associated with OS, and these variables were included in a nomogram. The concordance index of nomogram for predicting OS was 0.766, and the AUC values of the nomogram predicting 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 0.838 and 0.863, respectively. The calibration curve demonstrated good agreement between predicted and observed OS. 5-fold and 10-fold cross-validation show good stability of nomogram predictions. CONCLUSIONS: Our nomogram based on clinical, laboratory, and MRI features well predicted OS of ECC patients, and could be considered as a convenient and personalized prediction tool for clinicians to make decisions.

Application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Electroencephalography in the Evaluation of Brain Function Changes after Stroke.

Objective: Based on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography technology, this study analyzed the rehabilitation mechanism of patients' motor function reconstruction and nerve remodeling after stroke. It revealed the function of the cerebral cortex network at a deeper level and established a set of prognostic marker evaluation indicators for the reconstruction of motor function after stroke. Methods: Twenty-one patients treated at the Beijing Rehabilitation Hospital of Capital Medical University because of ischemic stroke in the territory supplied by the middle cerebral artery were selected as the experimental group. Neurophysiological evaluation, motor function evaluation, and clinical evaluation were performed 30 and 180 d after the onset of ischemic stroke. In the control group, neurophysiological evaluation was also performed as a reference index to evaluate the changes in cortical patterns after stroke. Results: The brain topographic map showed the changes in energy or power spectral density (PSD) at 1,000 ms after stimulation as compared with before stimulation, but no difference was detected in these patients. The time-frequency analysis showed that when the left primary motor cortex (M1) area was stimulated using TMS, the PSD values of the left and right M1 and posterior occipital cortex areas produced an 8-40 Hz wave band in patients S1-S11. There was no significant energy change in patients S12-S16. Conclusions: For patients with different injury types, degrees of injury, and different onset periods, individualized intervention methods should be adopted. The evaluation methods should be as diverse as possible, and the rehabilitation effects of patients should be assessed from multiple perspectives to avoid the limitations of single factors. Possible mechanism: After brain injury, the nervous system can change its structure and function through different ways and maintain it for a certain period of time. This plasticity change will change with the course of the disease.

Morphological brain alterations in dialysis- and non-dialysis-dependent patients with chronic kidney disease.

To 1) investigate the morphological brain-tissue changes in patients with dialysis- and non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD); 2) analyze the effects of CKD on whole-brain cortical thickness, cortical volume, surface area, and surface curvature; and 3) analyze the correlation of these changes with clinical and biochemical indices. This study included normal controls (NCs, n = 34) and patients with CKD who were divided into dialysis (dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease [DD-CKD], n = 26) and non-dialysis (non-dialysis patients who underwent cranial magnetic resonance imaging scans [NDD-CKD], n = 26) groups. Cortical thickness, volume, surface area, and surface curvature in each group were calculated using FreeSurfer software. Brain morphological indicators with statistical differences were correlated with clinical and biochemical indicators. Patients with CKD exhibited a significant and widespread decrease in cortical thickness and volume compared with NCs. Among the brain regions associated with higher neural activity, patients with CKD exhibited more significant morphological changes in the paracentral gyrus, transverse temporal gyrus, and lateral occipital cortex than in other brain regions. Cortical thickness and volume in patients with CKD correlated with blood pressure, lipid, hemoglobin, creatinine, and urea nitrogen levels. The extent of brain atrophy was further increased in the DD-CKD group compared with that in the NDD-CKD group. Patients with CKD potentially exhibit a certain degree of structural brain-tissue imaging changes, with morphological changes more pronounced in patients with DD-CKD, suggesting that blood urea nitrogen and dialysis may be influential factors in brain morphological changes in patients with CKD.

Genome-wide characterization of the MBF1 gene family and its expression pattern in different tissues and stresses in Zanthoxylum armatum.

BACKGROUND: Multiprotein bridging factor 1 (MBF1) is a crucial transcriptional coactivator in animals, plants, and some microorganisms, that plays a necessary role in growth development and stress tolerance. Zanthoxylum armatum is an important perennial plant for the condiments and pharmaceutical industries, whereas the potential information in the genes related to stress resistance remains poorly understood in Z. armatum.  RESULTS: Herein, six representative species were selected for use in a genome-wide investigation of the MBF1 family, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Populus trichocarpa, Citrus sinensis, Ginkgo biloba, and Z. armatum. The results showed that the MBF1 genes could be divided into two groups: Group I contained the MBF1a and MBF1b subfamilies, and group II was independent of the MBF1c subfamily.. Most species have at least two different MBF1 genes, and MBF1c is usually an essential member. The three ZaMBF1 genes were respectively located on ZaChr26, ZaChr32, and ZaChr4 of Zanthoxylum chromosomes. The collinearity were occurred between three ZaMBF1 genes, and ZaMBF1c showed the collinearity between Z. armatum and both P. trichocarpa and C. sinensis. Moreover, many cis-elements associated with abiotic stress and phytohormone pathways were detected in the promoter regions of MBF1 of six representative species. The ERF binding sites were the most abundant targets in the sequences of the ZaMBF1 family, and some transcription factor sites related to floral differentiation were also identified in ZaMBF1c, such as MADS, LFY, Dof, and AP2. ZaMBF1a was observed to be very highly expressed in 25 different samples except in the seeds, and ZaMBF1c may be associated with the male and female floral initiation processes. In addition, expression in all the ZaMBF1 genes could be significantly induced by water-logging, cold stress, ethephon, methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid treatments, especially in ZaMBF1c. CONCLUSION: The present study carried out a comprehensive bioinformatic investigation related to the MBF1 family in six representative species, and the responsiveness of ZaMBF1 genes to various abiotic stresses and phytohormone inductions was also revealed. This work not only lays a solid foundation to uncover the biological roles of the ZaMBF1 family in Z. armatum, but also provides some broad references for conducting the MBF1 research in other plants.

Molecular design and rational optimization of synergistic effect between the two wings of a roughly orthogonal cation-π-π stacking system at nasopharyngeal carcinoma YAP1-TEAD4 parallel Helix-Helix interaction interface.

The Yes-associated protein-1 (YAP1) is an essential regulator of human Hippo signaling pathway and functions through interaction with TEA domain-4 (TEAD4) transcription factor involved in the tumorigenesis of nasopharyngeal cancer. Previously, a parallel helix-helix interaction (PHHI) was identified as the key hotspot at YAP1-TEAD4 complex interface and has been exploited as an attractive druggable target to disrupt the complex. In this study, we investigated a roughly orthogonal cation-π-π stacking system across the crystal PHHI packing interface by integrating computational modeling and binding assay, which forms between one YAP1 helical residue Phe69 and two TEAD4 helical residues Phe373/Lys376. A synergistic effect between cation-π and π-π interactions was observed; they separately represent two wings of the stacking system. The π-electron is primarily responsible for the synergistic effect. Combination between diverse aromatic/charged amino acids. as well as neutral alanine on the cation-π-π stacking, revealed that the presence of aromatic tryptophan and charged arginine at, respectively, the residues 373 and 376 of TEAD4 helix can considerably improve PHHI binding affinity by ~6-fold, whereas neutral alanine substitution on each residue and on both would reduce the affinity significantly, confirming a strong synergistic effect involved in the roughly orthogonal cation-π-π stacking system at YAP1-TEAD4 PHHI interface.

Nuciferine, an active ingredient derived from lotus leaf, lights up the way for the potential treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Obesity, is an increasingly global public health problem associated complications. However, the proven anti-obesity agents are inefficient with adverse side effects; hence attention is being paid to novel drugs from natural resources to manage obesity and obesity-related diseases. Nuciferine (NF) is a high-quality aporphine alkaloid present in lotus leaf. Unlike the chemical drugs, NF elicits anti-obesity, anti-dyslipidemia, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypouricemic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor effects, and affinity to neural receptors, and protection against obesity-related diseases. The underlying mechanism of NF includes the regulation of targeted molecules and pathways related to metabolism, inflammation, and cancer and modulation of Ca2+ flux, gut microbiota, and ferroptosis. Besides, the clinical application, availability, pharmacokinetics, pharmaceutics, and security of NF have been established, highlighting the potential of developing NF as an anti-obesity agent. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive summarization, which sheds light on future research in NF.

Therapeutic potential of dietary flavonoid hyperoside against non-communicable diseases: targeting underlying properties of diseases.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a global epidemic with diverse pathogenesis. Among them, oxidative stress and inflammation are the most fundamental co-morbid features. Therefore, multi-targets and multi-pathways therapies with significant anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are potential effective measures for preventing and treating NCDs. The flavonol glycoside compound hyperoside (Hyp) is widely found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, beverages, and medicinal plants and has various health benefits, especially excellent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties targeting nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the pathogenesis associated with oxidative stress and inflammation in NCDs and the biological activity and therapeutic potential of Hyp. Our findings reveal that the anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities regulated by Hyp are associated with numerous biological mechanisms, including positive regulation of mitochondrial function, apoptosis, autophagy, and higher-level biological damage activities. Hyp is thought to be beneficial against organ injuries, cancer, depression, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and is a potent anti-NCDs agent. Additionally, the sources, bioavailability, pharmacy, and safety of Hyp have been established, highlighting the potential to develop Hyp into dietary supplements and nutraceuticals.

Role of Serum Creatinine Levels in Prognostic Risk Stratification of Prostate Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND Studies on the relationship between serum creatinine and the prognosis of prostate cancer have been very limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of serum creatinine in the prognostic risk stratification of patients with prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS We identified 1134 eligible patients from the "Prostate Cancer Data Set" in the National Clinical Medical Science Data Center. Patients with prostate cancer were divided high- and low-risk prognostic groups according to prostate-specific antigen levels and Gleason scores and were divided into 5 groups according to serum creatinine quintile: Q1 (<70.1 umol/L), Q2 (70.1-76.8 umol/L), Q3 (76.8-83.4 umol/L), Q4 (83.4-92.1 umol/L), and Q5 (>92.1 umol/L). Multivariate logistic regression and a multiple restricted cubic spline method were used to evaluate the relationship between serum creatinine level and the level of prostate cancer prognostic risk. RESULTS Of the 1134 patients with prostate cancer, 134 (11.8%) had a high-risk prognosis. Compared with the Q2 group (the reference group), the lowest serum creatinine levels in the Q1 group and the highest serum creatinine levels in groups Q5, Q3, and Q4 were associated with a high-risk prognosis, and this association remained significant after adjusting for confounders. The multiple restricted cubic spline regression model showed the relationship between serum creatinine level and high-risk prognosis was U-shaped. CONCLUSIONS Serum creatinine level was an independent predictor of high-risk prognosis. Controlling serum creatinine levels between 70.1 and 76.8 umol/L in patients with prostatic cancer may benefit the prognosis of patients with prostatic cancer.

Recent Progress on Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance of Energetic Cocrystals: A Review.

In the niche area of energetic materials, a balance between energy and safety is extremely important. To address this "energy-safety contradiction", energetic cocrystals have been introduced. The investigation of the synthesis methods, characteristics, and efficacy of energetic cocrystals is of the utmost importance for optimizing their design and development. This review covers (i) various synthesis methods for energetic cocrystals; (ii) discusses their characteristics such as structural properties, detonation performance, sensitivity analysis, thermal properties, and morphology mapping, along with other properties such as oxygen balance, solubility, and fluorescence; and (iii) performance with respect to energy contents (detonation velocity and pressure) and sensitivity. This is followed by concluding remarks together with future perspectives.

The Dynamic Interactions between Nanoparticles and Macrophages Impact Their Fate in Brain Tumors.

Functional nanomaterials such as iron oxide nanoparticles have been extensively explored for the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system diseases. However, an insufficient understanding of the comprehensive nanomaterial-biological interactions in the brain hinders the nanomaterials from meeting the medical requirements for translational research. Here, FDA-approved ferumoxytol, an iron oxide nanoparticle, is chosen as the model nanomaterial for a systematic study of the dynamic interactions between ferumoxytol and immune cells, including microglia and macrophages, in the brain tumors. Strikingly, up to 90% of intratumorally injected ferumoxytol nanoparticles are recognized and phagocytized by tumor-associated microglia and macrophages. The dynamic trafficking progress of ferumoxytol in microglia and macrophages, including scavenger receptor-mediated endocytosis, lysosomal internalization, and extracellular vesicle-dominated excretion, is further studied. Importantly, the results demonstrate that extracellular vesicle-encapsulated nanoparticles could be gradually eliminated from the brain along with cerebrospinal fluid circulation over 21 days. Moreover, ferumoxytol exhibits no obvious long-term neurological toxicity after its injection. The study suggests that the dynamic biointeractions of nanoparticles with immune cells in the brain exert a key rate-limiting impact on the efficiency of targeting tumor cells and their in vivo fate and thus provide a deeper understanding of the nanomaterials in the brain for clinical applications.

Effects of cadmium stress at different concentrations on the reproductive behaviors of beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Hübner).

Insects are exposed to cadmium stress since cadmium pollution has increasingly become a serious global environmental issue. However, until now few studies have paid attention to the effect of heavy metals on insect reproductive behaviors. In our study, the courtship behaviors, mating behaviors and fecundity of beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) exposed to different concentrations of cadmium in artificial diets at larval stage were studied. The results showed that cadmium stress changed the courtship rhythm by significantly advancing or delaying the courtship starting time. Low dose of cadmium (0.2 mg/kg) increased the courtship frequency in the first two scotophases, but in the fourth phase, the two cadmium treatments reduced the frequency. The total courtship duration was significantly shortened in the first six scotophases except high dose of cadmium treatment (51.2 mg/kg) in the sixth dark phase. Paired adults did not mate after the seventh scotophase under low cadmium exposure, while high cadmium stress made the paired adults just copulate in the first four scotophases. The daily mating rate and total mating rate decreased with the increase in cadmium concentration. The number of eggs of low cadmium treatment was higher than that of control, but the difference was not significant; the number of eggs in high cadmium treatment was lower than that of control and low cadmium treatment. Our results indicate that cadmium exposure can disrupt the courtship rhythm for females and has negative influences on copulation behavior and high cadmium stress can reduce fecundity. Hence, the insect population increase will be affected by heavy metal pollution. Our study will provide scientific reference for environmental risk assessment of heavy metal pollution.

Combined effect of nanoscale zero-valent iron and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) to the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus.

With wide use of nanoparticles, co-exposure of aquatic organisms to nanoparticles and organic pollutants often takes place in the environment. However, the combined effects are still rarely understood. In this study, in order to study the interaction and biological effects of nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), which acts as a typical surfactant, the freshwater algae Scenedesmus obliquus was exposed to nZVI and LAS individually and in combination for 96 h. According to the inhibition rate of the algae, the toxic effects were investigated by dose-response analysis. Then the combined effect of nZVI and LAS was evaluated using three evaluation models including toxicity unit (TU), additional index (AI), and mixture toxicity index (MTI). The results showed that the 96 h IC50 of nZVI and LAS to Scenedesmus obliquus was 2.464 mmol L-1 and 0.332 mmol L-1, respectively. When nZVI coexisted with LAS at toxic ratio 1:1, the 96 h IC50 value was 1.658 mmol L-1 (shown with nZVI), and the partly additive effect of nZVI mixed with LAS was confirmed. However, when the toxic ratio of nZVI:LAS was 4:1, it showed synergistic effect. In addition, when nZVI mixed with LAS at toxic ratio 1:4, the joint effect is antagonistic effect. In addition, the content of chorophyll in Scenedesmus obliquus, especially the content of chlorophyll a, was decreased with the increase of mixture dose. However, the protein levels did not show significant changes at different mixture doses.

WRKY Transcription Factors Shared by BTH-Induced Resistance and NPR1-Mediated Acquired Resistance Improve Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Wheat.

In Arabidopsis, both pathogen invasion and benzothiadiazole (BTH) treatment activate the nonexpresser of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1)-mediated systemic acquired resistance, which provides broad-spectrum disease resistance to secondary pathogen infection. However, the BTH-induced resistance in Triticeae crops of wheat and barley seems to be accomplished through an NPR1-independent pathway. In the current investigation, we applied transcriptome analysis on barley transgenic lines overexpressing wheat wNPR1 (wNPR1-OE) and knocking down barley HvNPR1 (HvNPR1-Kd) to reveal the role of NPR1 during the BTH-induced resistance. Most of the previously designated barley chemical-induced (BCI) genes were upregulated in an NPR1-independent manner, whereas the expression levels of several pathogenesis-related (PR) genes were elevated upon BTH treatment only in wNPR1-OE. Two barley WRKY transcription factors, HvWRKY6 and HvWRKY70, were predicted and further validated as key regulators shared by the BTH-induced resistance and the NPR1-mediated acquired resistance. Wheat transgenic lines overexpressing HvWRKY6 and HvWRKY70 showed different degrees of enhanced resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici pathotype CYR32 and Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici pathotype E20. In conclusion, the transcriptional changes of BTH-induced resistance in barley were initially profiled, and the identified key regulators would be valuable resources for the genetic improvement of broad-spectrum disease resistance in wheat.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Remote Control of Mechanical Forces via Mitochondrial-Targeted Magnetic Nanospinners for Efficient Cancer Treatment.

In cells, mechanical forces play a key role in impacting cell behaviors, including adhesion, differentiation, migration, and death. Herein, a 20 nm mitochondria-targeted zinc-doped iron oxide nanocube is designed as a nanospinner to exert mechanical forces under a rotating magnetic field (RMF) at 15 Hz and 40 mT to fight against cancer. The nanospinners can efficiently target the mitochondria of cancer cells. By means of the RMF, the nanocubes assemble in alignment with the external field and produce a localized mechanical force to impair the cancer cells. Both in vitro and in vivo studies show that the nanospinners can damage the cancer cells and reduce the brain tumor growth rate after the application of the RMF. This nanoplatform provides an effective magnetomechanical approach to treat deep-seated tumors in a spatiotemporal fashion.

A long non-coding RNA OLBC15 promotes triple-negative breast cancer progression via enhancing ZNF326 degradation.

BACKGROUND: The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been involved in various processes, including cancer. However, the function of many lncRNAs is still elusive in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: LncRNA profiling was used to screen for novel lncRNAs related to TNBC. OLBC15 expression was measured via qRT-PCR. In vitro migration and viability assays were conducted to determine the oncogenic role of OLBC15. Xenograft and metastatic models were performed to further investigate effects in vivo. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), mass spectrometry (MS), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) strategies were designed to identify the interaction between ZNF326 and OLBC15. RESULTS: In the current study, we have identified a novel oncogenic lncRNA termed OLBC15 via lncRNA profiling. OLBC15 is highly expressed especially in triple-negative breast cancer. OLBC15 promoted viability and migration in breast cancer cells. Moreover, OLBC15 could accelerate metastasis and xenograft tumor growth. Mechanistic study suggested that OLBC15 could bind a well-characterized tumor suppressor ZNF326 and OLBC15-ZNF326 interaction resulted in ZNF326 destabilization. OLBC15 induced proteasomal ZNF326 degradation through enhanced ubiquitination. OLBC15 and ZNF326 protein expression is also negatively correlated in clinical specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, OLBC15 may serve as an oncogenic lncRNA to facilitate TNBC progression and a putative target for therapeutic anti-breast cancer intervention.

Mixed carbon source improves deep denitrification performance in up-flow anaerobic sludge bed reactor.

To investigate the advantages of mixed carbon source over a single one in deep denitrification, sodium acetate, glucose and their mixture were used as carbon sources in present study. Denitrification performance, effluent pH, microbial community and carbon source cost were taken into account. With the same influent NO3 --N concentration of 50 mg/L and the same C/N ratio of 1.5, the NO3 --N removal rate with the mixed carbon source (96.53%) was slightly lower than that with sodium acetate (98.15%), but significantly higher than that with glucose (74.69%). The specific denitrification rates of the sodium acetate, glucose and sodium acetate/glucose reactor were 47.7, 29.7 and 45.4 mg N/g VSS d, respectively. The effluent pH with sodium acetate varied in the range of 9.13-9.60, exceeding the discharge standard limit of 9.0, whereas the sodium acetate/glucose reactor could keep pH in the range of 7.80-8.23. The 16S rRNA gene-based high-throughput sequencing revealed that carbon sources determined the microbial community structure and the sludge Shannon index with the mixed carbon source was the highest. Furthermore, cost estimation indicated that the mixed carbon source was the cheapest. This study is significant as it tests reasonable selection of carbon sources for deep denitrification in practice.

A Neutrophil-Inspired Supramolecular Nanogel for Magnetocaloric-Enzymatic Tandem Therapy.

Neutrophils can responsively release reactive oxygen species (ROS) to actively combat infections by exogenous stimulus and cascade enzyme catalyzed bio-oxidation. A supramolecular nanogel is now used as an artificial neutrophil by enzymatic interfacial self-assembly of peptides (Fmoc-Tyr(H2 PO3 )-OH) with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and electrostatic loading of chloroperoxidase (CPO). The MNPs within the nanogel can elevate H2 O2 levels in cancer cells under programmed alternating magnetic field (AMF) similar to the neutrophil activator, and the loaded CPO within protective peptides nanolayer converts the H2 O2 into singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) in a sustained manner for neutrophil-inspired tumor therapy. As a proof of concept study, both the H2 O2 and 1 O2 in cancer cells increase stepwise under a programmed alternating magnetic field. An active enzyme dynamic therapy by magnetically stimulated oxygen stress and sustained enzyme bio-oxidation is thus shown with studies on both cells and animals.

Genome-Wide Expression Profiling of Genes Associated with the Lr47-Mediated Wheat Resistance to Leaf Rust (Puccinia triticina).

Puccinia triticina (Pt), the causal agent of wheat leaf rust, is one of the most destructive fungal pathogens threatening global wheat cultivations. The rational utilization of leaf rust resistance (Lr) genes is still the most efficient method for the control of such diseases. The Lr47 gene introgressed from chromosome 7S of Aegilops speltoides still showed high resistance to the majority of Pt races collected in China. However, the Lr47 gene has not been cloned yet, and the regulatory network of the Lr47-mediated resistance has not been explored. In the present investigation, transcriptome analysis was applied on RNA samples from three different wheat lines ("Yecora Rojo", "UC1037", and "White Yecora") carrying the Lr47 gene three days post-inoculation with the epidemic Pt race THTT. A comparison between Pt-inoculated and water-inoculated "Lr47-Yecora Rojo" lines revealed a total number of 863 upregulated (q-value < 0.05 and log2foldchange > 1) and 418 downregulated (q-value < 0.05 and log2foldchange < -1) genes. Specifically, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) located on chromosomes 7AS, 7BS, and 7DS were identified, ten of which encoded receptor-like kinases (RLKs). The expression patterns of these RLK genes were further determined by a time-scale qRT-PCR assay. Moreover, heatmaps for the expression profiles of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and several transcription factor gene families were generated. Using a transcriptomic approach, we initially profiled the transcriptional changes associated with the Lr47-mediated resistance. The identified DEGs, particularly those genes encoding RLKs, might serve as valuable genetic resources for the improvement of wheat resistance to Pt.