Physiological responses of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) to exogenous 2,4-epibrassinolide at different concentrations.

BACKGROUND: Brassinolide, known as the seventh plant hormone, can improve the photosynthetic capacity of plants, promote plant growth and development, promote the formation of horticultural crop yield, improve the quality of horticultural crops, and also improve the ability of plants to resist biological and abiotic stresses. RESULTS: The effects of different concentrations of exogenously sprayed 2,4-epibrassinolide (EBR) on growth, physiological and photosynthetic characteristics of 'All-round large leaf coriander' were studied in substrate culture. The results showed that 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR promoted the growth of coriander and increased the aboveground fresh and dry weights, with 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR having the most significant effect. Spraying 0.1 mg.L- 1 EBR increased the content of soluble sugars and protein of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.1 and 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR significantly increased the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters of coriander leaves, and 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR also significantly increased the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters of coriander leaves. Spraying 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR upregulated the expression of CsRbcS, CsFBPase, and CsAld. Correlation analysis showed that aboveground fresh weight under exogenous EBR treatment was significantly positively correlated with aboveground dry weight, plant height, Pn, Gs, Ci, and CsAld (P < 0.05), and soluble sugar content was significantly positively correlated with the number of leaves, Y(II), qP, and CsRbcS. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) showed that there was a significant separation between the treatment and the control groups. Spraying 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR can promote the growth of coriander, improve the quality of coriander leaves, and strengthen coriander leaf photosynthetic capacity. This study provides new insights into the promotion of coriander growth and development following the application of exogenous EBR. CONCLUSION: Exogenous EBR treatment increased coriander plant height, leaf growth and aboveground dry weight, and enhanced photosynthesis. Exogenous spraying of 0.5 mg.L- 1 EBR had the most significant effect.

Safety and efficacy associated with single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy in localized prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Although single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy (SFHDR) for localized prostate cancer has been tried in clinical trials, relevant medical evidence is currently lacking. It is necessary to systematically analyze the safety and efficacy of SFHDR. METHODS: Comprehensive and systematic searches for eligible studies were performed in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases. The primary endpoints included safety and efficacy, represented by toxic effects and biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS), respectively. The proportion rates were used as the effect measure for each study and were presented with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and related 95% prediction interval (PI). Restricted maximum-likelihood estimator (REML) and the Hartung-Knapp method were used in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis, including 1440 patients. The median age of patients was 66.9 years old (62-73 years old) and the median follow-up was 47.5 months (12-75 months). The estimates of cumulative occurrence for severe gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxic effects were 0.1% (95% CI 0-0.2%) and 0.4% (95% CI 0-1.2%), and for grade 2 toxic effects were 1.6% (95% CI 0.1-4.7%) and 17.1% (95% CI 5.4-33.5%), respectively. The estimate of 3­year bRFS was 87.5% (95% CI 84.4-90.3%) and 71.0% (95% CI 63.0-78.3%) for 5­year bRFS. The pooled bRFS rates for low-risk patients were 99.0% (95% CI 85.2-100.0%) at 3 years and 80.9% (95% CI 75.4-85.9%) at 5 years, and the risk group was found to be statistically correlated with bRFS (3-year bRFS, P < 0.01; 5­year bRFS, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: SFHDR is associated with favorable tolerability and suboptimal clinical benefit in patients with localized prostate cancer. Ongoing and planned high-quality prospective studies are necessary to verify its safety and efficacy.

Biomimetic hypoxia-triggered RNAi nanomedicine for synergistically mediating chemo/radiotherapy of glioblastoma.

Although RNA interference (RNAi) therapy has emerged as a potential tool in cancer therapeutics, the application of RNAi to glioblastoma (GBM) remains a hurdle. Herein, to improve the therapeutic effect of RNAi on GBM, a cancer cell membrane (CCM)-disguised hypoxia-triggered RNAi nanomedicine was developed for short interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery to sensitize cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Our synthesized CCM-disguised RNAi nanomedicine showed prolonged blood circulation, high BBB transcytosis and specific accumulation in GBM sites via homotypic recognition. Disruption and effective anti-GBM agents were triggered in the hypoxic region, leading to efficient tumor suppression by using phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) silencing to enhance paclitaxel-induced chemotherapy and sensitize hypoxic GBM cells to ionizing radiation. In summary, a biomimetic intelligent RNAi nanomedicine has been developed for siRNA delivery to synergistically mediate a combined chemo/radiotherapy that presents immune-free and hypoxia-triggered properties with high survival rates for orthotopic GBM treatment.

Resveratrol ameliorates thymus senescence changes in D-galactose induced mice.

The thymic microenvironment plays an important role in the development of T cells. A decrease of thymic epithelial cells is the main cause of age-related thymic atrophy or degeneration. Resveratrol (RSV), a phytoalexin produced from plants, has been shown to inhibit the adverse effects of dietary obesity on the structure and function of the thymus. D-Galactose (D-gal) can induce accelerated aging in mice. In the present study, young mice (2 months old) were injected with D-gal (120 mg/kg/day) for 8 consecutive weeks to construct an accelerated aging model. Compared with normal control mice, the thymus epithelium of the D-gal treated mice had structural changes, the number of senescent cells increased, the number of CD4+ T cells decreased, and CD8+ T cells increased. After RSV administration by gavage for 6 weeks, it was found that RSV improved the surface phenotypes of D-gal treated mice, and recovered thymus function by maintaining the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells. It also indicated that RSV enhanced the cell proliferation and inhibited cell senescence. Increased autoimmune regulator (Aire) expression was present in the RSV treated mice. The lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LTßR) expression also increased. These findings suggested that RSV intake could restore the alterations caused by D-gal treatment in the thymus via stimulation of Aire expression.

Effect of electroacupuncture stimulation at Zusanli acupoint (ST36) on gastric motility: possible through PKC and MAPK signal transduction pathways.

BACKGROUND: Electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation has been shown to have a great therapeutic potential for treating gastrointestinal motility disorders. However, no evidence has clarified the mechanisms contributing to the effects of EA stimulation at the Zusanli acupoint (ST.36). This study was designed to investigate the regulative effect of EA stimulation at the ST.36 on gastric motility and to explore its possible mechanisms. METHODS: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: the ST.36 group, the non-acupoint group, and the control group. EA stimulation was set at 2 Hz, continuous mode, and 1 V for 30 min. The frequency and average peak amplitude of gastric motility were measured by electrogastrography. The protein kinase C (PKC) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reactions. Caldesmon (CaD) and calponin (CaP) protein expression in the gastric antrum were detected on Western blots. A Computed Video Processing System was used to evaluate morphological changes in smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the gastric antrum. RESULTS: EA stimulation at ST.36 had a dual effect on the frequency and average peak amplitude. Additionally, EA stimulation at ST.36 regulated the expression of some genes in the PKC and MAPK signaling pathways, and it regulated the expression of the CaD and CaP proteins. EA serum induced SMC contractility. Promotion of gastric motility may correlate with up-regulation of MAPK6 (ERK3), MAPK13, and Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) gene expression, and the down-regulation of the collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1) gene and CaD and CaP protein expression. Inhibition of gastric motility may correlate with down-regulation of the Interleukin-1 receptor type 2 (IL1R2) and Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) genes, and up-regulation of CaD and CaP protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: EA stimulation at ST.36 regulated gastric motility, and the effects were both promoting and inhibiting in rats. The possible mechanisms may correlate with the PKC and MAPK signal transduction pathways.

TBX15 facilitates malignant progression of glioma by transcriptional activation of TXDNC5.

T-box transcription factor 15 (TBX15) plays important role in various cancers; however, its expression and role in glioma is still unclear. In this study, our findings indicated that TBX15 was increased in gliomas compared to normal brain tissues, and high levels of TBX15 were related to poor survival. Furthermore, TBX15 silencing in glioma cells not only inhibited their proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro, but also weakened their ability to recruit macrophages and polarize the latter to the M2 subtype. Mechanism study indicated that thioredoxin domain containing 5 (TXNDC5) lies downstream of TBX15. Furthermore, rescue assays verified that the role of TBX15 in glioma cells is dependent on TXNDC5. Moreover, sh-TBX15 loaded into DNA origami nanocarrier suppressed the malignant phenotype of glioma in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, the TBX15/TXNDC5 axis is involved in the genesis and progression of glioma, and is a potential therapeutic target.

Expression of concern: A hypoxia-dissociable siRNA nanoplatform for synergistically enhanced chemo-radiotherapy of glioblastoma.

Expression of concern for 'A hypoxia-dissociable siRNA nanoplatform for synergistically enhanced chemo-radiotherapy of glioblastoma' by Yandong Xie, et al., Biomater. Sci., 2022, 10, 6791-6803, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2BM01145J.

Improvements in the Appearance and Nutritional Quality of Tomato Fruits Resulting from Foliar Spraying with Silicon.

Research on silicon (Si), an element considered beneficial for plant growth, has focused on abiotic and biotic stress mitigation. However, the effect of Si on tomato fruit quality under normal growth conditions remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of applying different levels of Si (0 mmol·L-1 [CK], 0.6 mmol·L-1 [T1], 1.2 mmol·L-1 [T2], and 1.8 mmol·L-1 [T3]) in foliar sprays on tomato fruit quality cultivated in substrates, and the most beneficial Si level was found. Compared to CK, exogenous Si treatments had a positive influence on the appearance and nutritional quality of tomato fruits at the mature green, breaker, and red ripening stages. Of these, T2 treatment significantly increased peel firmness and single-fruit weight in tomato fruits. The contents of soluble sugars, soluble solids, soluble proteins, and vitamin C were significantly higher, and the nitrate content was significantly lower in the T2 treatment than in the CK treatment. Cluster analysis showed that T2 produced results that were significantly different from those of the CK, T1, and T3 treatments. During the red ripening stage, the a* values of fruits in the T2 treatment tomato were significantly higher than those in the other three treatments. Moreover, the lycopene and lutein contents of the T2 treatment increased by 12.90% and 17.14%, respectively, compared to CK. T2 treatment significantly upregulated the relative gene expression levels of the phytoene desaturase gene (PDS), the lycopene ε-cyclase gene (LCY-E), and the zeaxanthin cyclooxygenase gene (ZEP) in the carotenoid key genes. The total amino acid content in tomato fruits in the T2 treatment was also significantly higher than that of CK. In summary, foliar spraying of 1.2 mmol·L-1 exogenous Si was effective in improving the appearance and nutritional quality of tomato fruits under normal growth conditions. This study provides new approaches to further elucidate the application of exogenous silicon to improve tomato fruit quality under normal conditions.

TCFL5 knockdown sensitizes DLBCL to doxorubicin treatment via regulation of GPX4.

BACKGROUND: Resistance to chemo-drug is a major cause of bad outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). It was reported that TCFL5 may be related to chemoresistance in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, it is still unclear whether TCFL5 is involved in DLBCL drug-resistance. METHODS: To explore the underlying mechanism of doxorubicin resistance, recombinant lentivirus was applied to control expression of TCFL5 in DLBCL cells. CCK-8 assay was perfomed to investigate the influence of doxorubicin on proliferation of TCFL5-overexpressed or sh-TCFL5 DLBCL cells. Correlation between TCFL5 and GPX4 was analyzed with bioinformatic methods, which was further confirmed by qPCR and western blot. TCFL5 overexpression conferred doxorubicin resistance via regulating GPX4 and was verified by TUNEL assay and western blot in vitro and mice model in vivo. RESULTS: TCFL5 was enriched in DLBCL cells and conferred doxorubicin resistance through binding to GPX4. Inhibition of TCFL5 enhanced the sensitivity of DLBCL cells to doxorubicin. GPX4 knockdown reversed doxorubicin resistance in TCFL5-overexpressed DLBCL cells. CONCLUSION: DLBCL cells overexpress TCFL5 that promotes chemoresistance by regulating GPX4. Targeting TCFL5 may provide a prospective therapeutic strategy for doxorubicin-resistant DLBCL.

Recent progress of hydrogel-based local drug delivery systems for postoperative radiotherapy.

Surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy remained the most common therapeutic modalities for malignant tumors. However, tumor recurrence after receiving such combination is difficult to be avoided because of high invasiveness and radiation resistance of cancer cells during long-term therapy. Hydrogels, as novel local drug delivery systems, presented excellent biocompatibility, high drug loading capacity and sustained drug release property. Compared with conventional drug formulations, hydrogels are able to be administered intraoperatively and directly release the entrapped therapeutic agents to the unresectable tumor sites. Therefore, hydrogel-based local drug delivery systems have their unique advantages especially in sensitizing postoperative radiotherapy. In this context, classification and biological properties of hydrogels were firstly introduced. Then, recent progress and application of hydrogels for postoperative radiotherapy were summarized. Finally, the prospects and challenges of hydrogels in postoperative radiotherapy were discussed.

Radiation-Triggered Selenium-Engineered Mesoporous Silica Nanocapsules for RNAi Therapy in Radiotherapy-Resistant Glioblastoma.

Radiotherapy-resistant glioblastoma (rrGBM) remains a significant clinical challenge because of high infiltrative growth characterized by activation of antiapoptotic signal transduction. Herein, we describe an efficiently biodegradable selenium-engineered mesoporous silica nanocapsule, initiated by high-energy X-ray irradiation and employed for at-site RNA interference (RNAi) to inhibit rrGBM invasion and achieve maximum therapeutic benefit. Our radiation-triggered RNAi nanocapsule showed high physiological stability, good blood-brain barrier transcytosis, and potent rrGBM accumulation. An intratumoral RNAi nanocapsule permitted low-dose X-ray radiation-triggered dissociation for cofilin-1 knockdown, inhibiting rrGBM infiltration. More importantly, tumor suppression was further amplified by electron-affinity aminoimidazole products converted from metronidazole polymers under X-ray radiation-exacerbated hypoxia, which sensitized cell apoptosis to ionizing radiation by fixing reactive oxygen species-induced DNA lesions. In vivo experiments confirmed that our RNAi nanocapsule reduced tumor growth and invasion, prolonging survival in an orthotopic rrGBM model. Generally, we present a promising radiosensitizer that would effectively improve rrGBM-patient outcomes with low-dose X-ray irradiation.

Mn(II) oxidation by the UV/chlorine system under near-neutral pH conditions: The important role of ClO· and ClO2.

The oxidation kinetics of Mn(II) by free chlorine is relatively low under near-neutral pH conditions which limits the Mn removal efficiency in drinking water treatment. Therefore, this study investigated the oxidation efficiency of Mn(II) by the UV-enhanced chlorination (UV/chlorine) system and identified the responsible reactive radical species. The results show that the oxidation kinetic of Mn(II) was greatly enhanced by the UV/chlorine system under near-neutral pH or even acidic conditions. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate of Mn(II) at pH 8.0 (within the first 20 min) increased from 2.60 × 10-5 s-1 to 3.41 × 10-4 s-1. Based on the scavenging experiments and the steady-state kinetic modeling, ClO· and ClO2, whose steady-state concentration (∼10-10 M and ∼10-9 M, respectively at pH 8.0) was at least 4 orders of magnitude higher than that of HO· and Cl·, were recognized as the dominant reactive species contributing to the oxidation of Mn(II). Kinetic model calculations indicate that the contribution of ClO· to the oxidation of Mn(II) was consistently maintained above 70 %, and ClO2 also played an important role in the oxidation of Mn(II) especially under acidic and alkaline conditions. In addition, the background components of HCO3- and Cl- had negligible influence on the oxidation efficiency because they barely changed the concentration of the ClO· and ClO2. This study first demonstrates the important role of ClO2 in the oxidation of Mn(II) in the UV/chlorine system, and the possible role of ClO2 in the degradation of some organic pollutants needs to be carefully evaluated in the future.

Primary renal mucinous adenocarcinoma masquerading as a giant renal cyst: a case report.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the kidney is rarely reported in the literature. We present a previously unreported mucinous adenocarcinoma arising from the renal parenchyma. A 55-year-old male patient with no complaints showed a large cystic hypodense lesion in the upper left kidney on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan. A left renal cyst was initially considered, and a partial nephrectomy (PN) was performed. During the operation, a large amount of jelly-like mucus and bean-curd-like necrotic tissue was found in the focus. The pathological diagnosis was mucinous adenocarcinoma, and further systemic examination revealed no clinical evidence of primary disease elsewhere. Then the patient underwent left radical nephrectomy (RN), and the cystic lesion was found in the renal parenchyma, while neither the collecting system nor the ureters were involved. Postoperative sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy were administered, and no signs of disease recurrence were observed over 30 months of follow-up. Based on a literature review, we summarize the lesion with rarity and the associated dilemma in preoperative diagnosis and treatment. Given the high degree of malignancy, a careful history analysis accompanied by dynamic observation of imaging and tumor markers is recommended for the diagnosis of the disease. Comprehensive treatment based on surgery may improve its clinical outcomes.

Contact Lens Sensor with Anti-jamming Capability and High Sensitivity for Intraocular Pressure Monitoring.

Contact lens sensors provide a noninvasive approach for intraocular pressure (IOP) monitoring in patients with glaucoma. Accurate measurement of this imperceptible pressure variation requires highly sensitive sensors in the absence of simultaneously amplifying IOP signal and blinking-induced noise. However, current noise-reduction methods rely on external filter circuits, which thicken contact lenses and reduce signal quality. Here, we introduce a contact lens strain sensor with an anti-jamming ability by utilizing a self-lubricating layer to reduce the coefficient of friction (COF) to remove the interference from the tangential force. The sensor achieves exceptionally high sensitivity due to the strain concentration layout and the confined occurrence of sympatric microcracks. The animal tests prove our lens can accurately detect IOP safely and reliably.

Comprehensive exploration of long-wave emission carbon dots for brain tumor visualization.

Carbon dot (CD)-based tumor imaging has been proven to be a reliable nanodiagnostic technique. Although abundant types of CDs have been developed, it is still a major challenge to synthesize long-wavelength CDs with high quality and superior repetition due to the complicated synthetic process. Here, stable long-wavelength red-light emission carbon dots (R-CDs) have been synthesized using appropriate carbon sources via a solvothermal method, which enables effective visualization of deep brain glioblastoma (GBM) by a liposome-formulated delivery system. The luminescence phenomenon and structural growth characteristics of R-CDs have been fully investigated and it has been found that R-CDs exhibit different optical behaviors in different pH and solvent environments. In vitro and in vivo models have proved their excellent cell targeting capacity, bioluminescence imaging potential, and biosafety for GBM visualization. Considering their stability and biocompatibility, the in-depth tissue imagining and other extensive applications of R-CDs are strongly recommended.

Single-Cell Sequencing Analysis Identified ASTN2 as a Migration Biomarker in Adult Glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary central nervous system malignant tumors. With the development of targeted sequencing and proteomic profiling technology, some new tumor types have been established and a series of novel molecular markers have also been identified. The 2021 updated World Health Organization classification of central nervous system tumors first mentioned the classification of adult glioma and pediatric glioma based on the molecular diagnosis. Thus, we used single-cell RNA sequencing analysis to explore the diversity and similarities in the occurrence and development of adult and pediatric types. ASTN2, which primarily encodes astrotactin, has been reported to be dysregulated in various neurodevelopmental disorders. Although some studies have demonstrated that ASTN2 plays an important role in glial-guided neuronal migration, there are no studies about its impact on glioblastoma cell migration. Subsequent single-cell RNA sequencing revealed ASTN2 to be a hub gene of a cell cluster which had a poor effect on clinical prognosis. Eventually, a western blot assay and a wound-healing assay first confirmed that ASTN2 expression in glioblastoma cell lines is higher than that in normal human astrocytes and affects the migration ability of glioblastoma cells, making it a potential therapeutic target.

POEMS syndrome: A rare cause of ascites and pelvic effusion.

POEMS syndrome is a rare clonal plasma cell disease associated with multisystem involvement. We reported a case of 48-year-old woman with large volume of exudative ascites with an increased level of λ-light chain and hepatosplenomegaly. The patient was treated with thalidomide and dexamethasone and showed a good clinical response.

Construction of a novel radiosensitivity- and ferroptosis-associated gene signature for prognosis prediction in gliomas.

Background: Gliomas are the most refractory intracranial disease characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Therefore, radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of gliomas. However, recent evidence reveals that ferroptosis is highly associated with radiosensitivity in tumor cells. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate radiosensitivity- and ferroptosis-associated biomarkers. Moreover, the study aimed to provide new strategies for the treatment and evaluation of prognosis in gliomas. Methods: The mRNA sequencing and relevant clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Secondly, differential analysis was conducted to reveal the radiosensitivity- and ferroptosis-associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further, a predictive model based on the seven genes was constructed, and LASSO regression analysis was carried out. After that, the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) was used for validation of the results. Results: A total of 36 radiosensitivity- and 19 ferroptosis-associated DEGs with a prognostic value were identified. Moreover, seven intersecting genes (HSPB1, STAT3, CA9, MAP1LC3A, MAPK1, ZEB1, and TNFAIP3) were identified as the risk signature genes. The ROC curves and K-M analysis revealed that the signature genes showed a good survival prediction. Furthermore, the functional analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes between the high-risk and the low-risk groups were enriched in glioma-related biological processes. In addition, differences were reported in immune function status between the two groups. Conclusion: This study revealed that the seven biomarkers could help predict the prognosis in glioma patients. In addition, this study provides a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms of radiosensitivity and ferroptosis in the treatment of gliomas.

Study on anaerobic co-digestion of municipal sewage sludge and fruit and vegetable wastes: Methane production, microbial community and three-dimension fluorescence excitation-emission matrix analysis.

Constantly increased sewage sludge (SS) and fruit and vegetable wastes (FVW) are becoming the major organic solid wastes in human society. Thus, anaerobic digestion is employed as a low carbon energy strategy to reduce their environmental pollution risk. Anaerobic co-digestion system was developed based on the carbon to nitrogen ratio strategy. Results showed that the daily biogas production was higher in co-digester, and the volumetric biogas production rate (VBPR) significantly enhanced for 1.3 âˆ¼ 3 folds, and the highest VBPR was 2.04 L/L • day with optimal OLR of 2.083 Kg L-1 d-1. Analytic results indicated that co-digestion could improve the biodegradable of feedstocks, which transforming to more VFAs and biogas. Compared with mono SS digester, mixed substrates relieved ammonia nitrogen inhibition and enhanced the hydrolytic acidification and methanogenesis. Meanwhile, the excessive humification of organics was suppressed. This study supported the concepts of improving carbon recovery from SS and FVW.