Architectural Design of a Multichannel Porous Carbon Fiber for Efficient Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption.

An ingenious microstructure of electromagnetic microwave absorption materials is crucial to achieve strong absorption and a broad bandwidth. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) carbon fibers with implantation of zero-dimensional (0D) ZIF-8-derived carbon frameworks and construction of a three-dimensional (3D) microcosmic multichannel porous structure are fabricated by electro-blown spinning, solvent-thermal reaction, and high-temperature pyrolysis techniques. The 1D carbon fiber skeleton with a multichannel structure provides a direct axial conductive pathway for charge transport, which plays an important role in dielectric loss. The 0D surface carbon frameworks offer plenty of heterogeneous interfaces to trigger intensive interfacial polarization loss and act as dihedral angles for microwave scattering. The 3D microcosmic multichannel pores can not only generate multiple reflections as much as possible to dissipate electromagnetic microwave energy but also supply huge interior cavities to improve impedance matching. Thanks to the synergistic effect of a strong electrically conductive pathway for enhancing the conductive loss, a plenteous heterogeneous interface for triggering intensive interfacial polarization loss, microcosmic multichannel pores for generating multiple reflections and improving impedance matching, and N and O atom doping for inducing dipole polarization, the optimal sample with an ingenious microstructure delivers an excellent absorption performance of a minimum reflection loss of -35.5 dB at a thickness of 5.0 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 6.72 GHz (10.96-17.68 GHz) at a thickness of 2.0 mm. Such a well-designed multichannel porous carbon fiber may pave the way for the exploitation of high-performance microwave absorbing materials.

Genome-wide investigation of the nuclear factor Y gene family in Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): evolution and expression profiling during development and abiotic stresses.

BACKGROUND: Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) plays a vital role in numerous biological processes as well as responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, its function in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a significant medicinal and dietary vegetable, remains largely unexplored. Although the NF-Y family has been thoroughly identified in many plant species, and the function of individual NF-Y TFs has been characterized, there is a paucity of knowledge concerning this family in ginger. METHODS: We identified the largest number of NF-Y genes in the ginger genome using two BLASTP methods as part of our ginger genome research project. The conserved motifs of NF-Y proteins were analyzed through this process. To examine gene duplication events, we employed the Multiple Collinearity Scan toolkit (MCScanX). Syntenic relationships of NF-Y genes were mapped using the Dual Synteny Plotter software. Multiple sequence alignments were performed with MUSCLE under default parameters, and the resulting alignments were used to generate a maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree with the MEGA X program. RNA-seq analysis was conducted on collected samples, and statistical analyses were performed using Sigma Plot v14.0 (SYSTAT Software, USA). RESULTS: In this study, the ginger genome was utilized to identify 36 NF-Y genes (10 ZoNF-YAs, 16 ZoNF-YBs, and 10 ZoNF-YCs), which were renamed based on their chromosomal distribution. Ten distinct motifs were identified within the ZoNF-Y genes, with certain unique motifs being vital for gene function. By analyzing their chromosomal location, gene structure, conserved protein motifs, and gene duplication events, we gained a deeper understanding of the evolutionary characteristics of these ZoNF-Y genes. Detailed analysis of ZoNF-Y gene expression patterns across various tissues, performed through RNA-seq and qRT-PCR, revealed their significant role in regulating ginger rhizome and flower growth and development. Additionally, we identified the ZoNF-Y family genes that responded to abiotic stresses. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first identification of the ZoNF-Y family in ginger. Our findings contribute to research on evolutionary characteristics and provide a better understanding of the molecular basis for development and abiotic stress response. Furthermore, it lays the foundation for further functional characterization of ZoNF-Y genes with an aim of ginger crop improvement.

Histogenetic insights and genetic landscape of fibromatosis-like undifferentiated gastric carcinoma: a focused study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to elucidate the histogenesis and genetic underpinnings of fibromatosis-like undifferentiated gastric carcinoma (FLUGC), a rare pathological entity. METHOD: Through a detailed analysis of seven cases, including histopathological evaluation, CTNNB1 gene mutation screening, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) protein level quantification, and HER2 gene amplification assessment to identify the pathological and molecular characteristics of FLUGC. RESULTS: Of the seven patients in this study, five were male and two were female (age: 39-73 years). Four patients presented with lesions in the gastric antrum and three had lesions in the lateral curvature of the stomach. Histopathologically, over 90% of the tumor consisted of aggressive fibromatosis-like tissue, including proliferating spindle fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and varying amounts of collagenous fibrous tissues. Undifferentiated cancer cells, accounting for less than 10%, were dispersed among the aggressive fibromatosis-like tissues. These cells were characterized by their small size and were relatively sparse without glandular ducts or nested mass-like structures. Immunophenotyping results showed positive expression of CKpan, CDX2, villin, and p53 in undifferentiated cancer cells; positive expression of vimentin in aggressive fibromatosis-like tissue; positive cytoplasmic expression of ß-catenin; and focal cytoplasmic positive expression of smooth muscle actin (SMA). Genetic analysis did not reveal any mutations in the CTNNB1 gene test, nor was there amplification in the HER2 gene fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test. Additionally, the Epstein-Barr encoding region (EBER) of in situ hybridization was negative; and the mismatch repair (MMR) protein was positive. Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) was < 1-5%; programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1): TPS = 1-4%, CPS = 3-8. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the significance of CTNNB1, HER2, EBER, and MMR as pivotal genetic markers in FLUGC, underscoring their relevance for diagnosis and clinical management. The rarity and distinct pathological features of FLUGC emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis to prevent underdiagnosis or misdiagnosis and to raise awareness within the medical community.

Lightweight, Elastic, and Superhydrophobic Multifunctional Organic-Inorganic Fibrous Aerogels for Efficient Oily Wastewater Purification and Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption.

Lightweight and robust aerogels with multifunctionality are highly desirable to meet the technological demands of current society. Herein, we designed lightweight, elastic, and superhydrophobic multifunctional organic-inorganic fibrous hybrid aerogels which were assembled with organic aramid nanofibers and inorganic hierarchical porous carbon fibers. Thanks to the organic-inorganic fiber hybridization strategy, the optimal aerogels possessed remarkable compressibility and elasticity. Benefiting from the microscopic hierarchical porous structure of carbon fibers and the macroscopic macroporous lamellar structure of aerogels, the optimal aerogels exhibited superb lightweight property, conspicuous electromagnetic microwave absorption ability, and outstanding oily wastewater purification capacity. As for electromagnetic microwave absorption, it achieved a strong reflection loss of -41.8 dB, and the effective absorption bandwidth reached 6.86 GHz. Besides, the oil adsorption capacity for trichloromethane reached as high as 93.167 g g-1 with a capacity retention of 95.6% after 5 cycles. Meanwhile, it could act as a gravity-driven separation membrane to continuously separate trichloromethane from a trichloromethane-water mixture with a high flux of 7867.37 L·m-2·h-1, even for surfactant-stabilized water-in-n-heptane emulsions of 3794.94 L·m-2·h-1. Such a strategy might shed some light on the construction of multifunctional aerogels toward broader applications.

Smurf1-targeting microRNA-136-5p-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells combined with 3D-printed ß-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds strengthen osteogenic activity and alleviate bone defects.

Suitable biomaterials with seed cells have promising potential to repair bone defects. However, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), one of the most common seed cells used in tissue engineering, cannot differentiate efficiently and accurately into functional osteoblasts. In view of this, a new tissue engineering technique combined with BMSCs and scaffolds is a major task for bone defect repair. Lentiviruses interfering with miR-136-5p or Smurf1 expression were transfected into BMSCs. The effects of miR-136-5p or Smurf1 on the osteogenic differentiation (OD) of BMSCs were evaluated by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. Then, the targeting relationship between miR-136-5p and Smurf1 was verified by bioinformatics website analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay. Then, a rabbit femoral condyle bone defect model was established. miR-136-5p/BMSCs/ß-TCP scaffold was implanted into the defect, and the repair of the bone defect was detected by Micro-CT and HE staining. Elevating miR-136-5p-3p or suppressing Smurf1 could stimulate OD of BMSCs. miR-136-5p negatively regulated Smurf1 expression. Overexpressing Smurf1 reduced the promoting effect of miR-136-5p on the OD of BMSCs. miR-136-5p/BMSCs/ß-TCP could strengthen bone density in the defected area and accelerate bone repair. SmurF1-targeting miR-136-5p-modified BMSCs combined with 3D-printed ß-TCP scaffolds can strengthen osteogenic activity and alleviate bone defects.

The MYB family and their response to abiotic stress in ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe).

BACKGROUND: Zingiber officinale Roscoe, colloquially known as ginger, is a crop of significant medicinal and culinary value that frequently encounters adversity stemming from inhospitable environmental conditions. The MYB transcription factors have garnered recognition for their pivotal role in orchestrating a multitude of plant biological pathways. Nevertheless, the enumeration and characterization of the MYBs within Z. officinale Roscoe remains unknown. This study embarks on a genome-wide scrutiny of the MYB gene lineage in ginger, with the aim of cataloging all ZoMYB genes implicated in the biosynthesis of gingerols and curcuminoids, and elucidating their potential regulatory mechanisms in counteracting abiotic stress, thereby influencing ginger growth and development. RESULTS: In this study, we identified an MYB gene family comprising 231 members in ginger genome. This ensemble comprises 74 singular-repeat MYBs (1R-MYB), 156 double-repeat MYBs (R2R3-MYB), and a solitary triple-repeat MYB (R1R2R3-MYB). Moreover, a comprehensive analysis encompassing the sequence features, conserved protein motifs, phylogenetic relationships, chromosome location, and gene duplication events of the ZoMYBs was conducted. We classified ZoMYBs into 37 groups, congruent with the number of conserved domains and gene structure analysis. Additionally, the expression profiles of ZoMYBs during development and under various stresses, including ABA, cold, drought, heat, and salt, were investigated in ginger utilizing both RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR analysis. CONCLUSION: This work provides a comprehensive understanding of the MYB family in ginger and lays the foundation for the future investigation of the potential functions of ZoMYB genes in ginger growth, development and abiotic stress tolerance of ginger.

Assessing clinical pathological characteristics and gene expression patterns associated with hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the clinical pathological attributes of Hepatoid Adenocarcinoma of the Stomach (HAS) and to delineate the differential diagnostic considerations about it. METHOD: The investigation involved analyzing 31 HAS cases using histomorphological assessment, immunohistochemical profiling, and relevant gene detection methodologies. RESULTS: Among the 31 HAS cases, 9 (29.0%) were of trabecular hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, 7 (22.6%) were of glandular hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, 4 (12.9%) were of nesting hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, 3 (9.7%) were of clear cell hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach, and 8 (25.8%) were of diverse hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach. Of these 31 cases, 24 were male, accounting for 77.4% of the cases. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were notably elevated, with radioimmunoassay results reaching 1240 ng/ml; 28 out of 31 cases had AFP levels below 25 µg/l, accounting for 90.3%. Related genes: HER2 protein indicated positive expression on the cell membrane in 35.5% (11/31) of the cases; HER2 gene amplification detected by the FISH technique was 12.9% (4/31). Tumoral stromal lymphocytes exhibited a PD-1 positive expression rate of 58.1% (18/31). In gastric cancer tissues, the PD-L1 positive rate was 45.1% (14/31). CONCLUSION: HAS represents a distinctive subtype of gastric cancer with a propensity for mimicking other forms of tumors, underscoring the significance of discerning its unique histopathological attributes for accurate differential diagnosis and tailored therapeutic interventions.

[Mechanism of Fushen Granules treat peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis by regulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway:based on network pharmacology and animal experiments].

Network pharmacology was employed to probe into the mechanism of Fushen Granules in treating peritoneal dialysis-rela-ted peritonitis(PDRP) in rats. The main active components of Fushen Granules were searched against the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, and their targets were predicted. PDRP-related targets were retrieved from DisGeNET and other databases. The common targets shared by the drug and the disease were identified by the online tool, and protein-protein interaction(PPI) network of the common targets. The obtained 276 common targets were imported into DAVID for GO function enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment. The main signaling pathway of Fushen Granules in the treatment of PDRP was predicted as Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor(NF)-κB. The rat model of uremia was induced by 5/6 nephrectomy. From two weeks after operation, the rat model of peritoneal dialysis(PD) was established by intraperitoneal injection of 20 mL dialysate with 1.25% glucose every day. The sham operation group and model group received 2 mL normal saline by gavage every day. The rats in Fushen Gra-nules groups were administrated with 2 mL solutions of low-(0.54 g·kg~(-1)), medium-(1.08 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(2.16 g·kg~(-1)) Fushen Granules every day. The bifico group received 2 mL(113.4 mg·kg~(-1)) of bifico solution every day. At the end of the 8th week, the levels of serum creatinine(Scr) and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) in each group were measured. The serum levels of hypersensitive C reactive protein(hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and interleukin(IL)-6 were measured, and the pathological changes in the colon tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The serum levels of lipopolysaccharide(LPS) and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein(LBP) of rats were measured, and the expression levels of LBP, TLR4, NF-κB p65, inhibitor of κB kinase α(IκBα), TNF-α, and IL-1ß in the colon tissue were determined. Compared with sham operation group, the model group had abnormal structure of all layers of colon tissue, sparse and shorter intestinal villi, visible edema in mucosal layer, wider gap, obvious local inflammatory cell infiltration, significantly decreased body weight(P<0.01), and significantly increased kidney function index(Scr, BUN) content(P<0.01). Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines(hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6), LPS and LBP were significantly increased(P<0.01), protein expressions of LBP, TLR4, NF-κB p65, TNF-α and IL-1ß were significantly increased(P<0.01), and protein expressions of IκBα were significantly decreased(P<0.01). Compared with model group, intestinal villi damage in colonic tissue of rats in low-, medium-and high-dose Fushen Granules groups and bifico group were alleviated to different degrees, edema in submucosa was alleviated, space was narrowed, and inflammatory cell infiltration in lamina propria was reduced. The contents of renal function index(Scr, BUN) and serum inflammatory factors(hs-CRP, TNF-α, IL-6) were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01) in medium-and high-dose Fushen Granules groups and bifico group(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Serum LPS and LBP contents in Fushen Granules group and bifico group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), protein expressions of LBP, TLR4, NF-κB p65, TNF-α and IL-1ß in Fushen Granules group were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and protein expressions of IκBα were significantly increased(P<0.01). The expression of LBP protein in bifico group was significantly decreased(P<0.01). The results suggest that Fushen Granules can protect the residual renal function of PD rats, reduce the inflammatory response, and protect the colon tissue. Based on network pharmacology, TLR4/NF-κB pathway may be the main signaling pathway of Fushen granule in the treatment of PDRP. The results showed that Fushen Granules could improve intestinal inflammation and protect intestinal barrier to prevent PDRP by regulating the expression of key factors in TLR4/NF-κB pathway in colon of PD rats.

The novel HLA-DPA1*02:117 allele, identified by Sanger dideoxy nucleotide sequencing in a Chinese individual.

HLA-DPA1*02:117 differs from HLA-DPA1*02:02:02:01 by one nucleotide in exon 2.

Novel Pyrazole Acyl(thio)urea Derivatives Containing a Biphenyl Scaffold as Potential Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Fungicidal Activity, and SAR.

As part of a program to discover novel succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides, a series of new pyrazole acyl(thio)urea compounds containing a diphenyl motif were designed and synthesized. Their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, HRMS, and single X-ray crystal diffraction analysis. Most of these compounds possessed excellent activity against 10 fungal plant pathogens at 50 µg mL-1, especially against Rhizoctonia solani, Alternaria solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Botrytis cinerea, and Cercospora arachidicola. Interestingly, compounds 3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-((3',4',5'-trifluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl)carbamoyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (9b, EC50 = 0.97 ± 0.18 µg mL-1), 1,3-dimethyl-N-((3',4',5'-trifluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl)carbamoyl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (9a, EC50 = 2.63 ± 0.41 µg mL-1), and N-((4'-chloro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl)carbamoyl)-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (9g, EC50 = 1.31 ± 0.15 µg mL-1) exhibited activities against S. sclerotiorum that were better than the commercial fungicide bixafen (EC50 = 9.15 ± 0.05 µg mL-1) and similar to the positive control fluxapyroxad (EC50 = 0.71 ± 0.11 µg mL-1). These compounds were not significantly phytotoxic to monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) are discussed by substituent effects/molecular docking, and density functional theory analysis indicated that these compounds are succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors.

Discovery of Highly Efficient Novel Antifungal Lead Compounds Targeting Succinate Dehydrogenase: Pyrazole-4-carboxamide Derivatives with an N-Phenyl Substituted Amide Fragment.

Developing environmentally friendly fungicides is crucial to tackle the issue of rising pesticide resistance. In this study, a series of novel pyrazole-4-carboxamide derivatives containing N-phenyl substituted amide fragments were designed and synthesized. The structures of target compounds were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS, and the crystal structure of the most active compound N-(1-(4-(4-(tert-butyl)benzamido)phenyl)propan-2-yl)-3-(difluoromethyl)-N-methoxy-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide (U22) was further determined by X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The bioassay results indicated that the 26 target compounds possessed good in vitro antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum with EC50 values for compounds U12, U13, U15, U16, U18, U22, and U23 being 4.17 ± 0.46, 8.04 ± 0.71, 7.01 ± 0.71, 12.77 ± 1.00, 8.11 ± 0.70, 0.94 ± 0.11, and 9.48 ± 0.83 µg·mL-1, respectively, which were the similar to controls bixafen (6.70 ± 0.47 µg·mL-1), fluxapyroxad (0.71 ± 0.14 µg·mL-1), and pydiflumetofen (0.06 ± 0.01 µg·mL-1). Furthermore, in vivo antifungal activity results against S. sclerotiorum indicated that compounds U12 (80.6%) and U22 (89.9%) possessed excellent preventative efficacy at 200 µg·mL-1, which was the same as the control pydiflumetofen (82.4%). Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy studies found that the compound U22 could destroy the hyphal morphology and damage mitochondria, cell membranes, and vacuoles. The results of molecular docking of compound U22 and pydiflumetofen with succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) indicated they interact well with the active site of SDH. This study validated our approach and design strategy to produce compounds with an enhanced biological activity as compared to the parent structure.

Identification of Key Novel lncRNAs RP11-400N13.3 and RP11-197K6.1 that Construct ceRNA Networks Associated with Recurrence and Metastasis in Colon Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The occurrence and development of colon cancer is regulated by complex mechanisms that require further exploration. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were found to be related to the mortality of colon cancer patients through their participation in competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks. Therefore, screening the lncRNAs involved in colon cancer may contribute to clarifying the complex mechanisms. METHODS: In this study, we explored the potential lncRNAs associated with colon cancer by establishing a ceRNA network using bioinformatics, followed by biological verification. RESULTS: RP11-197K6.1 and RP11-400N13.3 were screened out owing to their involvement in the expression of CDK2NA, a gene that potentially prevents colon cancer cells from high oxygen levels. CONCLUSIONS: Our work explored the mechanisms of recurrence and metastasis in colon cancer and provided potential targets for drug development.

Design, Synthesis, Insecticidal Activity, and SAR of Aryl Isoxazoline Derivatives Containing Pyrazole-5-carboxamide Motif.

It is important to develop new insecticides with a new mode of action because of increasing pesticide resistance. In this study, a series of novel aryl isoxazoline derivatives containing the pyrazole-5-carboxamide motif were designed and synthesized. Their structures were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. Bioassays indicated that the 24 compounds synthesized possessed excellent insecticidal activity against Mythimna separate and no activity against Aphis craccivora and Tetranychus cinnabarinus. Among these aryl isoxazoline derivatives, 3-(5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydrozol-3-yl)-N-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide (IA-8) had the best insecticidal activity against M. separate, which is comparable with the positive control fluralaner. The molecular docking results of compound IA-8 and fluralaner with the GABA model demonstrated the same docking mode between compound IA-8 and positive control fluralaner in the active site of GABA. Molecular structure comparisons and ADMET analysis can potentially be used to design more active compounds. The structure-activity relationships are also discussed. This work provided an excellent insecticide for further optimization.

[Clinical features of oral management to oral complications of Sjögren's syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the clinical characteristics about sequence diagnosis and treatment of oral complications in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) through retrospective analysis, and to provide some guidance for clinical work. METHODS: Some SS patients who underwent oral sequence management in the Department of General Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2015 to September 2021 were enrolled. For the SS patients included in this study, a comprehensive oral examination was performed, including parotid region examination, oral mucosal exa-mination, dentition examination, dental examination, periodontal examination, unstimulated salivary flow rate, Candida infection and radiological imaging examination. According to the examination results, the patients were given fluoride application, antifungal treatment, root canal therapy, direct filling repair, and indirect repair treatment in sequence and the results recorded. RESULTS: A total of 9 patients with SS, with 4 primary SS patients (pSS) and 5 secondary SS patients (sSS) were enrolled in the study. For all the 9 patients, the average age was (49.2±16.2) years and the median xerostomia duration 5 years. The unstimulated salivary flow rate of the 9 patients was all less than 1 mL/10 min. Eight of the 9 cases was diagnosed as oral Candidiasis, with positive salivary Candida culture result (>200 cfu/mL), and 1 of the 9 cases was not. The average decay, missing, filling teeth (DMFT) was 24.8±4.2; the average decay, missing, filling tooth surfaces (DMFS) was 59.2±21.9, the average incisal caries was 2.5±1.3, and the average number of crown restorations at baseline was 4.5±3.6. All the 9 SS patients were applied with topical fluoride usage, and 8 were prescribed with antifungal treatment. One sSS patient was conducted with filling restoration treatment, one pSS patient was conducted with full mouth rehabilitation, and the remaining 7 patients were conducted with direct filling combined with fixed repair treatment. The average 3.2 full crown restorations in 6 patients had to be removed and restored because of secondary caries, and 3 of the 9 patients underwent implant denture restorations finally. CONCLUSION: Management of oral complications in SS patients needs to be carried out in sequence. A comprehensive examination and diagnosis should be carried out first, followed by infection control, and then restoration of oral function at last.

KED gene expression in early response to wounding stress in tomato plants.

The wounding-responsive KED gene, named for its coding for a lysine (K), glutamic acid (E), and aspartic acid (D)-rich protein, is widely present among land plants. However, little is known about its regulation or function. In this study, we found that transcription of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) KED gene, SlKED, was rapidly and transiently elevated by wounding or ethephon treatment. Compared to the wild-type plants, the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated SlKED knockout plants did not exhibit altered expression patterns for genes involved in hormone biosynthesis or stress signaling, suggesting a lack of pleiotropic effect on other stress-responsive genes. Conversely, jasmonic acid did not appear to directly regulate SlKED expression. Wounded leaves of the KED-lacking plants exhibited higher binding of Evans blue dye than the wild-type, indicating a possible role for KED in healing damaged tissues. The SlKED knockout plants showed a similar dietary effect as the wild-type on the larval growth of tobacco hornworm. But a higher frequency of larval mandible (mouth) movement was recorded during the first 2 minutes of feeding on the wounded KED-lacking SlKED knockout plants than on the wounded KED-producing wild-type plants, probably reflecting an initial differential response by the feeding larvae to the SlKED knockout plants. Our findings suggest that SlKED may be an ethylene-mediated early responder to mechanical stress in tomato, acting downstream of the wound stress response pathways. Although its possible involvement in response to other biotic and abiotic stresses is still unclear, we propose that SlKED may play a role in plant's rapid, short-term, early wounding responses, such as in cellular damage healing.

Red Seaweed-derived Compounds: A Desired Approach for Treating Cancer.

Cancer is a collection of diseases in which aberrant cells grow uncontrolled and invade surrounding tissues. Cancer can be classified as carcinoma, sarcoma, leukemia, or lymphoma. The deadliest cancers are lung, breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and prostate. Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy are the usual cancer treatments. However, drug resistance poses a significant barrier to cancer treatment. Macroalgae are wellknown producers of bioactive compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Red algae, in particular, are a prominent source of bioactive substances, such as polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, lipids, sterols, alkaloids, and terpenoids. Therefore, molecules from marine resources could be an appealing way to identify new cancer treatment alternatives. This study aimed to provide a brief overview of what is currently known regarding the potential of red macroalgae in cancer treatment by discussing the primary therapeutic targets of the disease and identifying compounds or extracts with bioactive characteristics against them.

Dynamic transcriptome profiling provides insights into rhizome enlargement in ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.).

The rhizome is an economically important part of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.). However, the mechanism of ginger rhizome enlargement remains unclear. In this study, we performed an integrated analysis of the hormone content and transcriptome of ginger at three rhizome enlargement stages: initial enlargement (S1), middle enlargement (S2), and peak enlargement (S3). With rhizome enlargement, the levels of the hormones zeatin (ZT), gibberellic acid (GA), indole acetic acid (IAA), and jasmonic acid (JA) were significantly increased, and this increase was positively correlated with rhizome diameter. Transcriptomic analysis identified a large number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs); the number of DEGs were 2,206 in the transition from S1 to S2, and 1,151 in the transition from S2 to S3. The expression of several genes related to hormone biosynthesis and signalling and cell division or expansion, and transcription factors was significantly altered, which suggests that these genes play essential roles in rhizome enlargement. The results of correlation analysis suggested that the process of ginger rhizome enlargement may be primarily related to the regulation of endogenous cytokinin, GA3, auxin, and JA biosynthesis pathways and signal transduction; GRAS, HB, MYB, MYB122, bZIP60, ARF1, ARF2, E2FB1, and E2FB2, which may regulate the expression of rhizome formation-related genes; and CYC2, CDKB1, CDKB2, EXPA1, and XTH7, which may mediate cell division and expansion. These results provide gene resources and information that will be useful for the molecular breeding in ginger.

QTL mapping and identification of candidate genes for cold tolerance at the germination stage in wild rice.

BACKGROUND: Cold damage stress significantly affects rice growth (germination and seedling) and causes serious losses in yield in temperate and high-altitude areas around the globe. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the cold tolerance (CT) locus of rice and create new cold-tolerant germplasm. We constructed a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) with strong CT and fine mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with CT by performing the whole-genome resequencing of CSSL with phenotypes under cold treatment. METHODS: A chromosome CSSL, including 271 lines from a cross between the cold-tolerant wild rice Y11 (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) and the cold-sensitive rice variety GH998, was developed to map QTLs conferring CT at the germination stage. The whole-genome resequencing was performed on CSSL for mapping QTLs of associated with CT at the germination stage. RESULTS: A high-density linkage map of the CSSLs was developed using the whole-genome resequencing of 1484 bins. The QTL analysis using 615,466 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) led to the identification of 2 QTLs related to germination rate at low-temperature on chromosome 8 (qCTG-8) and chromosome 11 (qCTG-11). The qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 explained 14.55% and 14.31% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. We narrowed down qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 to 195.5 and 78.83-kb regions, respectively. The expression patterns of important candidate genes in different tissues, and of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) in CSSLs, were identified based on gene sequences in qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 cold-induced expression analysis. LOC_Os08g01120 and LOC_Os08g01390 were identified as candidate genes in qCTG-8, and LOC_Os11g32880 was identified as a candidate gene in qCTG-11. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a general method that could be used to identify useful loci and genes in wild rice and aid in the future cloning of candidate genes of qCTG-8 and qCTG-11. The CSSLs with strong CT were supported for breeding cold-tolerant rice varieties.

Utilization of natural alleles for heat adaptability QTLs at the flowering stage in rice.

BACKGROUND: Heat stress threatens rice yield and quality at flowering stage. In this study, average relative seed setting rate under heat stress (RHSR) and genotypes of 284 varieties were used for a genome-wide association study. RESULTS: We identified eight and six QTLs distributed on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 12 in the full population and indica, respectively. qHTT4.2 was detected in both the full population and indica as an overlapping QTL. RHSR was positively correlated with the accumulation of heat-tolerant superior alleles (SA), and indica accession contained at least two heat-tolerant SA with average RHSR greater than 43%, meeting the needs of stable production and heat-tolerant QTLs were offer yield basic for chalkiness degree, amylose content, gel consistency and gelatinization temperature. Chalkiness degree, amylose content, and gelatinization temperature under heat stress increased with accumulation of heat-tolerant SA. Gel consistency under heat stress decreased with polymerization of heat-tolerant SA. The study revealed qHTT4.2 as a stable heat-tolerant QTL that can be used for breeding that was detected in the full population and indica. And the grain quality of qHTT4.2-haplotype1 (Hap1) with chalk5, wx, and alk was better than that of qHTT4.2-Hap1 with CHALK5, WX, and ALK. Twelve putative candidate genes were identified for qHTT4.2 that enhance RHSR based on gene expression data and these genes were validated in two groups. Candidate genes LOC_Os04g52830 and LOC_Os04g52870 were induced by high temperature. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings identify strong heat-tolerant cultivars and heat-tolerant QTLs with great potential value to improve rice tolerance to heat stress, and suggest a strategy for the breeding of yield-balance-quality heat-tolerant crop varieties.

Synthesis of diarylmethyl thioethers via a DABCO-catalyzed 1,6-conjugate addition reaction of p-quinone methides with organosulfur reagents.

A rapid and simple method was developed for the synthesis of diarylmethyl thioethers via a DABCO-catalyzed 1,6-conjugate addition reaction of para-quinone methides (p-QMs) with organosulfur reagents. A series of diarylmethyl thioethers were synthesized at 13-85% yields by this method. After that, the antibacterial activities of synthesized diarylmethyl thioethers and their derivatives were evaluated. The MIC range (µg mL-1) against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and clinically isolated methicillin-resistant S. aureus was 8-128 and 64-128, respectively.