Brassica napus cytochrome P450 superfamily: Origin from parental species and involvement in diseases resistance, abiotic stresses tolerance, and seed quality traits.

Cytochromes P450 monooxygenases (CYP450s) constitute the largest enzymic protein family that is widely present in plants, animals, and microorganisms, participate in numerous metabolic pathways, and play diverse roles in development, metabolism, and defense. Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is an important oil crop worldwide and have many versions of reference genome. However, there is no systemically comparative genome-wide analysis of CYP450 family genes in rapeseed and its parental species B. rapa and B. oleracea. In this study, we identified 765, 293 and 437 CYP450 genes in B. napus, B. rapa and B. oleracea, respectively, which were unevenly located in A01-A10 and/or C01-C09 chromosomes in corresponding species. Phylogenetic relationship analysis indicated that 1745 CYP450 proteins from three Brassica species and Arabidopsis were divided into 4 groups. Whole genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication resulted in gene expansion of CYP450 family in three Brassica species. There were 33-83 SSR loci in CYP450 genes of three Brassica species, and numerous transcription factor binding sites were identified in their promoters. A total of 459-777 miRNAs were predicted to target 174-426 CYP450 genes in three Brassica species. Based on transcriptome data, BnCYP450s, BrCYP450s and BoCYP450s were differentially expressed in various tissues. There existed numerous BnCYP450 DEGs in response to pathogens and abiotic stresses. Besides, many BnCYP450 DEGs were involved in the regulation of important traits, such as seed germination, seed ALA content, and yellow-seed. The qRT-PCR experiment confirmed the transcriptome analysis results by validating two representative Sclerotinia-responsive BnCYP450 DEGs as an example. Three BnCYP450s genes (CYP707A1, CYP81F1, CYP81H1) might be regulated by seed-specific transcription factors BnTT1 and BnbZIP67 to participate in the development and metabolism of seed coat and embryo by undertaking related metabolic reactions.

Genome-wide identification of SIMILAR to RCD ONE (SRO) gene family in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) reveals their role in drought stress response.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop widely cultivated worldwide, and drought is the main environmental factor limiting its yield enhancement and the expansion of planted areas. SIMILAR TO RCD ONE (SRO) is a plant-specific small gene family that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic stresses such as drought. However, the functional role of SROs in rapeseed remains poorly understood. In this study, 19 BnaSROs were identified from the rapeseed genome, with 9, 10, 10, 18, and 20 members identified from the genomes of Brassica rapa, Brassica nigra, Brassica oleracea, Brassica juncea, and Brassica carinata, respectively. We then analyzed their sequence characteristics, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and conserved domains, and explored the collinearity relationships of the SRO members in Brassica napus and Brassica juncea. Next, we focused on the analysis of tissue expression and stress-responsive expression patterns of rapeseed SRO members and examined their expression profiles under ABA, MeJA and water-deficit drought treatments using qPCR. Transcriptome data analysis and qPCR detection indicated that BnaSROs exhibit multiple stress-responsive expression patterns. BnaSRO1 and BnaSRO11, which are likely to function through interactions with NAC transcription factors, were screened as major drought-regulated members. Our results provide a solid foundation for functional analysis of the role of the SRO gene family in abiotic stress responses, especially drought stress responses, in rapeseed.

Recombinant humanized type I collagen remodels decidual immune microenvironment at maternal-fetal interface by modulating Th17/Treg imbalance.

Disruption of the extracellular matrix and dysregulation of the balance between Th17 and regulatory T cells are recognized as risk factors for recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). However, the interaction between matrix components and the Th17/Treg axis remains poorly elucidated. The result of this study revealed that the absence of type I collagen in the decidua is linked to Th17/Treg imbalance in RSA. Furthermore, we discovered that biomaterial recombinant humanized type I collagen (rhCOLI) promoted T cell differentiation into Tregs by inhibition the Notch1/Hes1 signaling pathway and enhanced the immunosuppressive function of Tregs, as indicated by increased secretion level of IL-10 and TGF-ß. Importantly, this study is the first to demonstrate that rhCOLI can modulate the Th17/Treg imbalance, reduce embryo resorption rates, reshape the immune microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface, and improve fertility in an RSA mouse model. Collectively, these findings suggest that type I collagen deficiency may contribute to, rather than result from, RSA, and propose a potential intervention for RSA using rhCOLI.

Quantitative evaluation of right ventricular myocardial function changes in patients with atrial septal defect before and after occlusion by noninvasive right ventricular pressure-strain loop.

OBJECTIVE: The noninvasive right ventricular pressure-strain loop (PSL) represents a novel method for the quantitative assessment of right ventricular myocardial function. Given that atrial septal defect (ASD) is a prevalent congenital heart anomaly associated with right ventricular volume overload, this study aimed to quantitatively assess the myocardial function of the right ventricle in ASD patients pre- and post-occlusion by noninvasive right ventricular PSL. METHODS: This study included 36 patients diagnosed with secundum ASD group and 30 healthy adults (control group). We compared conventional right ventricular echocardiographic parameters, right ventricular strain, and myocardial work in the ASD group before occlusion, two days post-occlusion, and three months post-occlusion, with those in the control group. RESULTS: Prior to and two days following occlusion, the ASD group exhibited higher right ventricular global work index (RVGWI), right ventricular global wasted work (RVGWW), and right ventricular global constructive work (RVGCW) compared to the control group (P < .05). Within the ASD group, post-occlusion, RVGWI, RVGCW, and RVGWW values were significantly reduced compared to pre-occlusion values (P < .001). Furthermore, RVGWI and RVGCW showed a significant decrease three months after occlusion compared to two days post-occlusion (P < .05). Multivariate regression analysis identified ASD diameter and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) as independent predictors of RVGWI (ß = .405, P < .001; ß = 2.307, P = .037) and RVGCW(ß = .350, P<.001; ß = 1.967, P = .023). CONCLUSIONS: The noninvasive right ventricular PSL effectively demonstrates the alterations in right ventricular myocardial function in ASD patients, pre- and post-occlusion. The metrics of right ventricular myocardial work (RVMW) offer a novel indicator for evaluating right ventricular myocardial function in these patients. Moreover, ASD diameter and PASP emerge as independent determinants of RVGWI and RVGCW.

Rapid determination of total flavonoid content, xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities, and antioxidant activity in Prunus mume by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Evaluating the quality of herbal medicine based on the content and activity of its main components is highly beneficial. Developing an eco-friendly determination method has significant application potential. In this study, we propose a new method to simultaneously predict the total flavonoid content (TFC), xanthine oxidase inhibitory (XO) activity, and antioxidant activity (AA) of Prunus mume using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR). Using the sodium nitrite-aluminum nitrate-sodium hydroxide colorimetric method, uric acid colorimetric method, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity as reference methods, we analyzed TFC, XO, and AA in 90 P. mume samples collected from different locations in China. The solid samples were subjected to NIR. By employing spectral preprocessing and optimizing spectral bands, we established a rapid prediction model for TFC, XO, and AA using partial least squares regression (PLS). To improve the model's performance and eliminate irrelevant variables, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) was used to calculate the pretreated full spectrum. Evaluation model indicators included the root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) and determination coefficient (R2) values. The TFC, XO, and AA model, combining optimal spectral preprocessing and spectral bands, had RMSECV values of 0.139, 0.117, and 0.121, with RCV2 values exceeding 0.92. The root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) for the TFC, XO, and AA model on the prediction set was 0.301, 0.213, and 0.149, with determination coefficient (RP2) values of 0.915, 0.933, and 0.926. The results showed a strong correlation between NIR with TFC, XO, and AA in P. mume. Therefore, the established model was effective, suitable for the rapid quantification of TFC, XO, and AA. The prediction method is simple and rapid, and can be extended to the study of medicinal plant content and activity.

Molecular orbital breaking in photo-mediated organosilicon Schiff base ferroelectric crystals.

Ferroelectric materials, whose electrical polarization can be switched under external stimuli, have been widely used in sensors, data storage, and energy conversion. Molecular orbital breaking can result in switchable structural and physical bistability in ferroelectric materials as traditional spatial symmetry breaking does. Differently, molecular orbital breaking interprets the phase transition mechanism from the perspective of electronics and sheds new light on manipulating the physical properties of ferroelectrics. Here, we synthesize a pair of organosilicon Schiff base ferroelectric crystals, (R)- and (S)-N-(3,5-di-tert-butylbenzylidene)-1-((triphenylsilyl)oxy)ethanamine, which show optically controlled phase transition accompanying the molecular orbital breaking. The molecular orbital breaking is manifested as the breaking and reformation of covalent bonds during the phase transition process, that is, the conversion between C = N and C-O in the enol form and C-N and C = O in the keto form. This process brings about photo-mediated bistability with multiple physical channels such as dielectric, second-harmonic generation, and ferroelectric polarization. This work further explores this newly developed mechanism of ferroelectric phase transition and highlights the significance of photo-mediated ferroelectric materials for photo-controlled smart devices and bio-sensors.

The effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of Sutetinib maleate capsule, an irreversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in healthy Chinese subjects.

Sutetinib is an irreversible inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and showed favorable efficacy and safety in patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harbouring nondrug-resistant rare EGFR mutations. To evaluate the potential food effect, eighteen healthy Chinese subjects were enrolled in a single-centre, randomized, open-label, two-sequence, two-period crossover study. Sutetinib was administered as a single oral 100 mg under fasting or fed conditions, and pharmacokinetic sampling was performed following each dose and analysed by a validated liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method. Safety and tolerability were also evaluated. Food intake slightly decreased maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time 0 to infinity (AUC0 - inf) of sutetinib (geometric least-squares mean [GLSM] ratio, 80.94% and 86.11%; 90% confidence interval [CI], 68.43-95.72 and 75.88-97.73) and its active metabolite sutetinib N-Oxide (GLSM ratio, 75.58% and 84.00%; 90% CI, 65.69-86.95 and 75.42-93.56), respectively. In addition, the time to maximum plasma concentration (Tmax) of both sutetinib and its metabolite has been prolonged by 2 h under fed conditions. A total of 31 adverse events (AEs) occurred during the study, with no serious adverse events (SAE) reported, and no obvious difference was observed between the fasting and fed groups. Our results demonstrated that a high-fat and high-calorie diet caused a significant delay in drug absorption and a marginal reduction in drug exposure. Sutetinib was generally well tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects. (This trial was registered at http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn . The registration No. is CTR20201933, and the date of registration is 2020-10-16).

Identification of a major QTL and candidate genes analysis for branch angle in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) using QTL-seq and RNA-seq.

Introduction: Branching angle is an essential trait in determining the planting density of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and hence the yield per unit area. However, the mechanism of branching angle formation in rapeseed is not well understood. Methods: In this study, two rapeseed germplasm with extreme branching angles were used to construct an F2 segregating population; then bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping were utilized to localize branching anglerelated loci and combined with transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for candidate gene mining. Results and discussion: A branching angle-associated quantitative trait loci (QTL) was mapped on chromosome C3 (C3: 1.54-2.65 Mb) by combining BSA-seq as well as traditional QTL mapping. A total of 54 genes had SNP/Indel variants within the QTL interval were identified. Further, RNA-seq of the two parents revealed that 12 of the 54 genes were differentially expressed between the two parents. Finally, we further validated the differentially expressed genes using qPCR and found that six of them presented consistent differential expression in all small branching angle samples and large branching angles, and thus were considered as candidate genes related to branching angles in rapeseed. Our results introduce new candidate genes for the regulation of branching angle formation in rapeseed, and provide an important reference for the subsequent exploration of its formation mechanism.

Modulating the ferroelectric phases in cholesteryl-based organic compounds with perfluoroalkyl tail engineering.

Here, we synthesized a series of cholesteryl-based compounds, whose phases and their transformation can be modulated by temperature and the chain length of the fluoroalkyl moieties. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the phase transition could be modulated with perfluoroalkyl tail engineering in organic single-component ferroelectric crystals.

Study on short-term clinical observation of the effect of apically repositioned flap combined with free gingival graft to widen keratinized tissue in implant area.

Objective: To analyse the short-term clinical results of the effect of apically repositioned flap combined with free gingival graft to widen keratinized tissue in implant area, so as to provide a basis for its clinical application. Methods: Fifteen patients with intraoral single or multiple missing teeth, who did not undergo implant restoration or who re-examined after implant restoration completed were included, along with KW less than 1-2 mm on the buccal side of the median line of the alveolar ridge crest in the implant area, or KW less than 1-2 mm on the buccal side of the abutments and dental crown margins. All underwent apically repositioned flap combined with free gingival graft, which were reviewed. Results: Fifteen patients with missing keratinized gingivae underwent free gingival flap graft, survived with all grafted gingival flaps. Compared with before implantation, significant keratinized tissue widening and area gain were obtained at 1 and 3 months postoperatively. Conclusion: The free gingival flap graft can significantly widen the buccal keratinized mucosa of the implant, and to some extent maintains the health status of the implant, which is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Factores de riesgo de lesión de las arterias coronarias en niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki / Risk factors for coronary artery lesions in children with Kawasaki disease

Introducción. La enfermedad de Kawasaki (EK) es una vasculitis sistémica inespecífica que suele presentarse en los niños; la lesión de las arterias coronarias (LAC) es la complicación más grave.Objetivos. Nuestro objetivo fue investigar los factores de riesgo de LAC en niños con EK.Materiales y métodos. Se incluyó a niños con EK según los criterios diagnósticos, hospitalizados entre enero de 2014 y diciembre de 2017. Se realizaron análisis univariado y multivariado de regresión logística para investigar las relaciones entre LAC y género, edad, diagnóstico clínico, velocidad de sedimentación globular (VSG), recuento de trombocitos, concentración de hemoglobina, concentración de proteína C-reactiva, recuento de leucocitos, momento de inicio de la administración de inmunoglobulina intravenosa (IgIV) y duración de la fiebre.Resultados. Se dividió a los 982 niños con EK en un grupo con LAC (n = 104) y otro sin LAC (n = 878), según una ecocardiografía Doppler color. La tasa de incidencia de LAC fue del 10,6 % (104/982). En el análisis univariado, se observó una diferencia significativa entre ambos grupos en cuanto al género, la VSG, el recuento de trombocitos, el momento de inicio de la administración de IgIV y la duración de la fiebre (p < 0,05). Según el análisis multivariado de regresión logística, el sexo masculino, una VSG elevada y la administración tardía de IgIV fueron factores de riesgo independientes de EK complicada con LAC.Conclusiones. El sexo masculino, una VSG elevada y la administración tardía de IgIV fueron factores de riesgo independientes de EK complicada con LAC.

Introduction. Kawasaki disease (KD) is a non-specific systemic vasculitic disease that frequently occurs among children, and coronary artery lesion (CAL) is the most serious complication.Objectives. We aimed to study the risk factors for CAL in children with KD.Materials and methods. KD children in accordance with diagnostic criteria, who were hospitalized from January 2014 to December 2017, were selected as subjects. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between CAL and gender, age, clinical diagnosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), platelet count, hemoglobin level, C reactive protein level, white blood cell count, initiation time of IVIG administration and duration of fever.Results. The enrolled 982 KD children were divided into a CAL group (n = 104) and an NCAL group (n = 878) according to cardiac color Doppler ultrasonography. The incidence rate of CAL was 10.6 % (104/982). Univariate analysis showed that the two groups had significantly different gender, ESR, platelet count, initiation time of IVIG administration and duration of fever (P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that male gender, elevated ESR and delayed use of IVIG were independent risk factors for KD complicated with CAL.Conclusions:Male gender, increased ESR and delayed use of IVIG were independent risk factors for KD complicated with CA

Effect of triptolide on immune function and tumor cell proliferation in patients cervical cancer / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To explore the effects of triptolide on immune function and tumor cell proliferation in patients with cervical cancer. Methods: Sixty-two patients with cervical cancer admitted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North College between July 2015 and April 2018 were randomly divided into the control group (n=31) and the observation group (n=31). All patients received routine treatment after laparoscopy, while those in the observation group received additional triptolide. The treatment efficacy, serum immune cells, inflammatory factors and the levels of cyclinD1, estrogen receptor α (ERα ) were observed and compared between the two groups. Results: The total remission rate of the patients in the observation group was 87.10%, significantly higher than 61.29% in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD4+ /CD8+ T lymphocytes in the two groups increased significantly, with more obvious increase in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.01). The levels of CD8+ and programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) T lymphocytes in the two groups decreased significantly after treatment, with a more obvious decrease in observation group than that in control group (P<0.01). After treatment, the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the two groups decreased, and those in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the positive expression rate of cyclinD1 decreased and the positive expression rate of ER α increased in both groups (all P<0.05), with no significant difference between the two groups (all P>0.05). Conclusion: On the basis of routine surgical treatment, triptolide can effectively improve the immune function, reduce the inflammatory response, inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells and regulate the expression of cancer-related factors in patients with cervical cancer, which has a certain therapeutic effect on cervical cancer.