Restricted responses of AcMYB68 and AcERF74/75 enhanced waterlogging tolerance in kiwifruit.

Most of kiwifruit cultivars (e.g. Actinidia chinensis cv. Donghong, "DH") were sensitive to waterlogging, thus, waterlogging resistant rootstocks (e.g. Actinidia valvata Dunn, "Dunn") were widely used for kiwifruit industry. Those different species provided ideal materials to understand the waterlogging responses in kiwifruit. Compared to the weaken growth and root activities in "DH", "Dunn" maintained the relative high root activities under the prolonged waterlogging. Based on comparative analysis, transcript levels of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDCs) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADHs) showed significantly difference between these two species. Both PDCs and ADHs had been significantly increased by waterlogging in "DH", while they were only limitedly triggered by 2 days stress and subsided during the prolonged waterlogging in "Dunn". Thus, 19 differentially expressed transcript factors (DETFs) had been isolated using weighted gene co-expression network analysis combined with transcriptomics and transcript levels of PDCs and ADHs in waterlogged "DH". Among these DETFs, dual luciferase and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated AcMYB68 could bind to and trigger the activity of AcPDC2 promoter. The stable over-expression of AcMYB68 significantly up-regulated the transcript levels of PDCs but inhibited the plant growth, especially the roots. Moreover, the enzyme activities of PDC in 35S::AcMYB68 were significantly enhanced during the waterlogging response than that in wild type plants. Most interestingly, comparative analysis indicated that the expression patterns of AcMYB68 and the previously characterized AcERF74/75 (the direct regulator on ADHs) either showed no responses (AcMYB68 and AcERF74) or very limited response (AcERF75) in "Dunn". Taken together, the restricted responses of AcMYB68 and AcERF74/75 in "Dunn" endow its waterlogging tolerance.

AcHZP45 is a repressor of chlorophyll biosynthesis and activator of chlorophyll degradation in kiwifruit.

The degradation of chlorophyll during fruit development is essential to reveal a more 'ripe' color that signals readiness to wild dispersers of seeds and the human consumer. Here, comparative biochemical analysis of developing fruit of Actinidia deliciosa cv. Xuxiang ('XX', green-fleshed) and Actinidia chinensis cv. Jinshi No.1 ('JS', yellow-fleshed) indicated that variation in chlorophyll content is the major contributor to differences in flesh color. Four differentially expressed candidate genes were identified: the down-regulated genes AcCRD1 and AcPOR1 involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis, and the up-regulated genes AcSGR1 and AcSGR2 driving chlorophyll degradation. Prochlorophyllide and chlorophyllide, the metabolites produced by AcCRD1 and AcPOR1, progressively reduced in 'JS', but not in 'XX', indicating that chlorophyll biosynthesis was less active in yellow-fleshed fruit. AcSGR1 and AcSGR2 were verified to be involved in chlorophyll degradation, using both transient expression in tobacco and stable overexpression in kiwifruit. Furthermore, a homeobox-leucine zipper (HD-Zip II), AcHZP45, showed significantly increased expression during 'JS' fruit ripening, which led to both repressed expression of AcCRD1 and AcPOR1 and activated expression of AcSGR1 and AcSGR2. Collectively, the present study indicated that different dynamics of chlorophyll biosynthesis and degradation coordinate the changes in chlorophyll content in kiwifruit flesh, which are orchestrated by the key transcription factor AcHZP45.

Immunohistochemical evaluation and prognostic value of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and 4 (MCT4) in T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Tumor cells often exhibit the Warburg effect, wherein, they preferentially undergo glycolysis over oxidative phosphorylation for energy production. Monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) and 4 (MCT4) are critical symporters mediating lactate efflux and preventing intracellular acidification during tumor growth. Numerous studies have focused on inhibiting MCT1 or MCT4 in various cancers. However, its role in T-cell lymphoma (TCL) is not yet investigated owing to the low incidence of TCL. This study was designed to investigate the expression of MCT1/MCT4 in patients with TCL and determine their prognostic value in this cancer. We performed immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression level of MCT1/MCT4 in 38 TCL tissue samples and then compared their expression among different TCL subgroups, which were formed based on different clinical characteristics. Survival analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between MCT1/MCT4 expression and both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Our results revealed that MCT1 and MCT4 expression was significantly increased in TCL tissues compared to the control group. In addition, increased MCT1 expression associated with the female sex, advanced disease stage, increased serum LDH, Ki-67 at ≥ 50%, and intermediate or high-risk groups as categorized by the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score. We also found that increased MCT1 expression may be associated with reduced OS and PFS. In conclusion, MCT1 and MCT4 are overexpressed in patients with TCL and may predict poor prognosis. MCT1 inhibition might be a novel treatment strategy for TCL, and further preclinical trials are required.

Effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a whole-process health education model among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis. Methods A “admission-hospitalization-discharge” whole-process health education model was created, 101 inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis were given the whole-process health education. The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and healthy behaviors, and awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge, correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct rate of healthy behaviors were compared among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis before and after implementation of the whole-process health education. Results The scores of schistosomiasis control knowledge, schistosomiasis control attitudes and healthy behaviors were all significantly higher among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis after implementation of the whole-process health education than before implementation (Z = −7.688, −3.576 and −4.328, all P values < 0.01). In addition, the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge increased from 54.3% to 82.7% (χ2 = 188.886, P < 0.01), and the correct rate of attitudes towards schistosomiasis control increased from 88.4% to 98.0% (χ2 = 22.001, P < 0.01), while the correct rate of healthy behaviors increased from 48.2% to 59.7% (χ2 = 11.767, P < 0.01). Conclusions The whole-process health education model may remarkably improve the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge and promote the formation of positive attitudes towards schistosomiasis control and correct behaviors among inpatients with ascites type of advanced schistosomiasis, which is of great significance to facilitate patients’ cure.

Application of the theory of equal emphasis on muscle and bone in percutaneous vertebroplasty of lumbar osteoporotic compression fracture / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty(PVP) combined with nerve block in the treatment of lumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures under the guidance of traditional chinese medicine "theory of equal emphasis on muscle and bone".@*METHODS@#Total of 115 patients with lumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty from January 2015 to March 2022, including 51 males and 64 females, aged 25 to 86 (60.5±15.9) years. Among them, 48 cases were treated with PVP operation combined with erector spinae block and joint block of the injured vertebral articular eminence (intervention group), and 67 cases were treated with conventional PVP operation (control group). The visual analogue scale(VAS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI) before operation, 3 days, 1 month and 6 months after operation between two groups were evaluated. The operation time, number of punctures and intraoperative bleeding between two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#The VAS and ODI scores of both groups improved significantly after operation compared with those before operation(P<0.05). Moreover, the VAS and ODI scores of 3 days and 1 month after operation of the intervention group improved more significantly than that of the control group(P<0.05). The difference of VAS and ODI scores before operation and 6 months after operation between two groups had no statistical significances(P>0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of punctures and intraoperative bleeding between the two groups (P>0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Based on the theory of "equal emphasis on muscles and bones", PVP combined with nerve block can effectively relieve paravertebral soft tissue spasm and other "muscle injuries", which can significantly improve short-term postoperative low back pain and lumbar spine mobility compared to conventional PVP treatment, and accelerate postoperative recovery, resulting in satisfactory clinical outcomes.

The role of jigsaw karyotype analysis in the teaching of chromosomal recognition / 中华医学遗传学杂志

Karyotype analysis is the basic method in cytogenetics, and is also recognized as the "gold standard" for diagnosing chromosomal disorders. The teaching and training for traditional karyotyping analysis is time-consuming and even boring. The individual's ability for mastering the chromosome morphology can vary greatly. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the teaching method. On the basis of the traditional method, we have added auxiliary analysis software during the teaching. This type of splicing karyotype teaching has increased the students' interest and improved their ability for karyotyping, allowing them to quickly remember the characteristic bands of chromosomes. Through enhanced memory of a large number of karyotypic images, the students' ability to recognize individual chromosomes has improved.

Feasibility of enlarging the ventral space by using a drill under spinal endoscopy in the treatment of severe free lumbar disc herniation / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical efficacy of spinal endoscopy in the treatment of severe free lumbar disc herniation and explore the feasibility and application of microscopic drills to expand ventral space.@*METHODS@#Thirty patients with severe free lumbar intervertebral disc herniation treated by spinal endoscopic technique from April 2019 to March 2021 were collected, including 19 males and 11 females;aged from 19 to 76 years with an average of (44.03±16.92) years old. All patients had a single segmental lesion with prolapse of the nucleus pulposus. Among them, there were 3 cases on L2,3, 3 cases on L3,4, 15 cases on L4,5, and 9 cases on L5S1. During operation, posterior bone of vertebral body and pedicle notch were removed by a drill under the endoscope to enlarge the ventral space. And the free nucleus pulposus was exposed and completely removed. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, hospital stay and postoperative neurological complications were recorded, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared before operation, 2 days, 3 months and 1 year after operation, and Macnab standard was used to evaluate clinical efficacy.@*RESULTS@#All operations were successful and the free nucleus pulposus was completely removed. Pain in the lower back and legs was significantly relieved on the day after operation. Two patients experienced transient pain and numbness in lower limbs after operation, and no serious nerve injury complications occurred. ODI and VAS at each time point after surgery were significantly lower than those before surgery (P<0.01), and JOA score was significantly higher than before surgery (P<0.01). The excellent and good rates of Macnab were 66.67% (20/30), 83.33% (25/30) and 90.00% (27/30) on 2 days, 3 months and 1 year after operation, respectively.@*CONCLUSION@#For severe free lumbar intervertebral disc herniation, using of a drill under endoscope to expand the ventral space can smoothly remove the free nucleus pulposus and avoid nerve damage.

Robot-assisted PVP for the treatment of osteoporotic fractures of the upper thoracic vertebra / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the clinical effect of "Tianji" orthopedic robot-assisted percutaneous vertebro plasty(PVP) surgery in the treatment of upper thoracic osteoporotic fracture.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on 32 patients with upper thoracic osteoporotic fracture who underwent PVP surgery in Shenzhen Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from August 2016 to June 2022. There were 8 males and 24 females, ranging in age from 58 to 90 years old, with a mean of (67.75±12.27) years old. Fifteen patients were treated with robot-assisted PVP surgery (robot group), including 3 males and 12 females, with an average age of (68.5±10.3) years. Fracture location:1 case of T2 fracture, 1 case of T3 fracture, 3 cases of T4 fracture, 3 cases of T5 fracture, and 7 cases of T6 fracture. The follow-up period ranged from 1.0 to 3.0 months, with a mean of (1.6±0.7) months. Seventeen patients underwent routine PVP surgery (conventional group), including 5 males and 12 females, with an average age of (66.8±11.6) years old. Fracture location:1 case of T1 fracture, 5 cases of T4 fracture, 2 cases of T5 fracture and 9 cases of T6 fracture. The follow-up period ranged from 0.5 to 4.0 months, with a mean of (1.5±0.6) months. Preoperative and postoperative visual analogue scale(VAS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI) scores were compared between the two groups, and the number of punctures, perspective times, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, bone cement distribution, bone cement leakage, and intraoperative radiation dose were compared between the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Number of punctures times, perspective times, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, bone cement distribution, bone cement leakage and intraoperative radiation dose in the robot group were all significantly better than those in the conventional group(P<0.05). VAS of 2.03±0.05 and ODI of (22.16±4.03) % in the robot group were significantly better than those of the robot group before surgery, which were (8.67±0.25) score and (79.40±7.72)%(t=100.869, P<0.001;t=25.456, P<0.001). VAS of 2.17±0.13 and ODI of (23.88±6.15)% in the conventional group were significantly better than those before surgery, which were (8.73±0.18) score and (80.01±7.59)%(t=121.816, P<0.001;t=23.691, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in VAS and ODI between the two groups after operation (t=-3.917, P=0.476;t=-0.922, P=0.364).@*CONCLUSION@#Robot-assisted PVP in the treatment of upper thoracic osteoporotic fractures can further improve surgical safety, reduce bone cement leakage, and achieve satisfactory clinical efficacy.

Advances of metal nanoadjuvant for cancer immunotherapy / 药学学报

Immunotherapy has become another effective tumor treatment after surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy. However, due to the low immunogenicity of tumor cells and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, antigen-presenting cells inefficiently process and present tumor antigens, thus leading to insufficient activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and tumor infiltration, which significantly affects the effectiveness of tumor immunotherapy. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that multiple metal ions exhibit distinguished modulatory effects in activating innate immune stimulation and conquering acquired immune tolerance. Based on this, scientists have designed a series of nano-adjuvant delivery systems with metal ions or metal nanoparticles to enhance the targeted accumulation of metal ions in tumor tissues or lymphoid organs for efficiently inducing immunogenic cell death or directly activating antigen-presenting cells to initiate anti-tumor specific immune response. This review briefly outlines the role of various metal ions in anti-tumor immunomodulation, summarizes the research progress in using metal nanoadjuvant delivery systems to achieve efficient anti-tumor immunotherapy, and provides foresight on the main challenges and potential directions in this field.

Circ_0008285 knockdown represses tumor development by miR-384/RRM2 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Circular RNA (circRNA) has attracted extensive attention in studies related to the malignant progression of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, its molecular mechanism in HCC needs to be further explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression levels of circ_0008285, microRNA (miR)-384 and ribonucleotide reductase subunit M2 (RRM2) mRNA were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation was analyzed using cell counting kit-8 assay and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry, and cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assay. Protein level was detected by western blot. The relationships between miR-384 and circ_0008285 or RRM2 were predicted by bioinformatics software and validated by dual luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. RESULTS: Circ_0008285 expression is elevated to HCC tissues and cell lines. Silencing of circ_0008285 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells but accelerated cell apoptosis in vitro and impeded HCC tumorigenesis in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0008285 directly interacted with miR-384, and miR-384 silencing attenuated the effects of circ_0008285 interference on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. RRM2 was a direct target of miR-384, and RRM2 overexpression reversed the effects of miR-384 overexpression on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis. In addition, circ_0008285 regulated RRM2 expression by sponging miR-384. CONCLUSION: In this study, circ_0008285 could promote the malignant biological behaviors of HCC cells through miR-384/RRM2 axis and has the potential to become a therapeutic target for HCC, providing a new idea for targeted therapy of HCC.

Prognostic prediction of clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on lipid metabolism-related lncRNA risk coefficient model.

Objective: In order to predict the prognosis in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) so as to understand cancer lipid metabolism and sensitivity to immune-targeting drugs, model algorithms were used to establish a risk coefficient model of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with lipid metabolism. Methods: The transcriptome data were retrieved from TCGA, and lncRNAs associated with lipid metabolism were obtained through Pearson correlation and differential expression analyses. Differentially expressed lipid metabolism-related lncRNAs and lipid metabolism-related lncRNA pairs were obtained using the R language software. The minimum absolute shrinkage method and the selector operation regression method were used to construct the model and draw the receiver operator characteristic curve. High-risk patients were differentiated from low-risk patients through the cut-off value, and the correlation analyses of the high-risk subgroup and low-risk subgroup were performed. Results: This research discovered that 25 pairs of lncRNAs were associated with the lipid metabolism of ccRCC, and 12 of these pairs were utilized to build the model. In combination with clinical data, the areas under the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival curves of ccRCC patients were 0.809, 0.764 and 0.792, separately. The cut-off value was used to perform subgroup analysis. The results showed that high-risk patients had poor prognosis. The results of Cox multivariate regressive analyses revealed that age and risk score were independent prediction factors of ccRCC prognosis. In addition, immune cell infiltration, the levels of gene expression at immune checkpoints, and high-risk patients more susceptible to sunitinib-targeted treatment were assessed by the risk model. Conclusion: Our team identified new prognostic markers of ccRCC and established risk models that could assess the prognosis of ccRCC patients and help determine which type of patients were more susceptible to sunitinib. These discoveries are vital for the optimization of risk stratification and personalized management.

Recurrent abdominal pain, peritoneal effusion, and eosinophilia in a boy aged 17 years. / 17å²ç”·ç«¥åå¤è ¹ç—›ã€è ¹è ”ç§¯æ¶²ä¼´å—œé ¸æ€§ç²’ç»†èƒžå¢žå¤š.

A boy, aged 17 years, was admitted again due to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and eosinophilia for 3 years, which worsened for 3 days. Three years ago, the boy suffered from abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating yogurt; color Doppler ultrasound showed a large amount of peritoneal effusion, and routine blood test, bone marrow cell morphology, and ascites histological examination showed a large number of eosinophils. Three days ago, he was admitted again due to abdominal pain and diarrhea. The gastrointestinal endoscopy showed eosinophil infiltration in the angle of stomach. The boy was diagnosed with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (eosinophilic gastroenteritis). He was improved after the treatment with glucocorticoids and dietary avoidance, and no recurrence was observed during the one-year follow-up. It is concluded that for children who attend the hospital due to gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, if there is an increase in peripheral blood eosinophils, it is necessary to consider the possibility of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, and eosinophil infiltration and abnormal eosinophil count in gastrointestinal tissue based on endoscopic biopsy may be the key to diagnosis.

Rapamycin antagonizes cadmium-induced breast cancer cell proliferation and metastasis through directly modulating ACSS2.

Cadmium (Cd) is a carcinogen that stimulates breast cancer (BC) progression. Rapamycin is a macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces hygroscopicus that possesses a wide array of pharmacological activities, including anti-BC activity. However, the effects of rapamycin on Cd-increased BC progression and the underlying mechanism have not been fully elucidated. Here, we hypothesize that rapamycin antagonizes Cd-induced BC cell proliferation and metastasis by directly modulating ACSS2. In this study, we found that rapamycin efficiently inhibited Cd-induced proliferation, invasion and migration in MCF-7 and T47-D cells. Moreover, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay confirmed that rapamycin directly binds to the ACSS2 protein with a calculated equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 18.3 µM. Molecular docking showed that there are three binding sites in the ACSS2 protein and that rapamycin binds at the coenzyme A (COA) binding site with a docking score of - 12.26 and a binding free energy of - 26.34 kcal/mol. More importantly, rapamycin suppresses Cd-induced BC progression by activating ACSS2. After cells were cotreated with an ACSS2 inhibitor, the effects of rapamycin were abolished. In conclusion, our findings suggest that rapamycin suppresses Cd-augmented BC progression by upregulating ACSS2, and ACSS2 may serve as a direct target of rapamycin for inhibiting xenobiotic (e.g., Cd)-mediated BC progression.

Vestigial mediates the effect of insulin signaling pathway on wing-morph switching in planthoppers.

Wing polymorphism is an evolutionary feature found in a wide variety of insects, which offers a model system for studying the evolutionary significance of dispersal. In the wing-dimorphic planthopper Nilaparvata lugens, the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) pathway acts as a 'master signal' that directs the development of either long-winged (LW) or short-winged (SW) morphs via regulation of the activity of Forkhead transcription factor subgroup O (NlFoxO). However, downstream effectors of the IIS-FoxO signaling cascade that mediate alternative wing morphs are unclear. Here we found that vestigial (Nlvg), a key wing-patterning gene, is selectively and temporally regulated by the IIS-FoxO signaling cascade during the wing-morph decision stage (fifth-instar stage). RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing of Nlfoxo increase Nlvg expression in the fifth-instar stage (the last nymphal stage), thereby inducing LW development. Conversely, silencing of Nlvg can antagonize the effects of IIS activity on LW development, redirecting wing commitment from LW to the morph with intermediate wing size. In vitro and in vivo binding assays indicated that NlFoxO protein may suppress Nlvg expression by directly binding to the first intron region of the Nlvg locus. Our findings provide a first glimpse of the link connecting the IIS pathway to the wing-patterning network on the developmental plasticity of wings in insects, and help us understanding how phenotypic diversity is generated by the modification of a common set of pattern elements.

Xanthones from Securidaca inappendiculata antagonized the antirheumatic effects of methotrexate in vivo by promoting its secretion into urine.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to characterize the interaction between Securidaca inappendiculata Hassk. derived xanthones and methotrexate (MTX). METHODS: Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was induced in rats, which were treated with MTX, a xanthone-rich fraction (XRF), or MTX+XRF by gavage for 30 days. Clinical efficacy was assessed based on arthritis scores, serological analysis, and histological examination. Protein expression was investigated by either immunohistochemical or immunoblotting methods. MTX concentrations were determined by HPLC or LC-MS methods. Obtained results were further validated by in vitro assays using 1,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyxanthone and HEK 293 T cells. RESULTS: XRF antagonized the antirheumatic effects of MTX in vivo, suggested by higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines, and severer swelling and deformation of joints in CIA rats in the MTX+XRF group compared with MTX monotherapy. XRF reduced MTX concentration in plasma and promoted its excretion into urine. As a result, XRF attenuated MTX-induced edema of the proximal tubule. Furthermore, XRF restored the decreased expression of organic anion transporter three (OAT3), which accounts for MTX secretion in the kidney. Consistently, 1,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyxanthone promoted the cellular intake of MTX by increasing OTA3 expression. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the combined use of S. inappendulata with MTX should be optimized to avoid the antagonistic effects and improve the safety of the MTX regimen.

Full Functional Sex Reversal Achieved Through Silencing of MroDmrt11E Gene in Macrobrachium rosenbergii: Production of All-Male Monosex Freshwater Prawn.

The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is one kind of important economic aquaculture species and displays remarkable sexual dimorphism. The molecular mechanism of sexual differentiation in M. rosenbergii has been primarily unraveled through the research efforts of the androgenic gland and its related genes. However, the understanding of conserved genes involved in the molecular mechanism underpinning sex determination and sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii is still fragmentary. MroDmrt11E is a member of the doublesex and mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt) gene family and is prominently expressed in the testis. In the present study, in vivo knockdown of MroDmrt11E at the postlarva stage in male prawn induced a complete and functional sex reversal and achieved the production of an all-male monosex population. Furthermore, a great deal of new information of upregulated and downregulated transcriptions involved in sexual differentiation of MroDmrt11E knockdown was enriched by comparative transcriptomic analysis. The effects of RNAi-mediated gene knockdown of MroDmrt11E on the differentially expressed and sex-related candidate genes, such as transformer, fruitless, feminization, insulin-like androgenic gland gene, Dmrt gene family, were primarily focused on, and their possible molecular regulatory relationships in sexual differentiation were analyzed. Meanwhile, the response of primary Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) biological pathways was investigated to expound the potential roles of MroDmrt11E in male sexual differentiation, which provided a deeper understanding of the molecular regulatory network underlying sexual differentiation of M. rosenbergii. The finding provided a novel sexual manipulation technique through silencing of Dmrt gene family for achieving a complete and functional sex reversal and offered a new insight regarding the mechanism of the Dmrt gene family in the sexual differentiation of crustaceans.

Circ-PTK2 promotes the proliferation and suppressed the apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells through targeting miR-330-5p/FOXM1 axis.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is characterized by malignant clonal disorder of blood cells with high relapse rate and low survival rate. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have shown their important regulatory roles in AML progression. Here, we intended to disclose the role of circular RNA protein tyrosine kinase 2 (circ-PTK2) in the progression of AML and illustrate the potential working mechanisms. METHODS: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and colony formation assay were conducted to analyze cell proliferation ability, and the apoptosis rate was assessed by flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to validate the direct interaction between microRNA-330-5p (miR-330-5p) and circ-PTK2 or forkhead box M1 (FOXM1). RESULTS: Circ-PTK2 was highly expressed in AML. Circ-PTK2 interference suppressed the proliferation and triggered the apoptosis of AML cells. Circ-PTK2 directly bound to miR-330-5p. Si-circ-PTK2-mediated inhibition on the malignant behaviors of AML cells was partly counteracted by the addition of anti-miR-330-5p. MiR-330-5p directly interacted with FOXM1 messenger RNA (mRNA), and FOXM1 overexpression partly reversed miR-330-5p-induced influence in AML cells. Circ-PTK2 up-regulated FOXM1 expression through sponging miR-330-5p in AML cells. CONCLUSION: Circ-PTK2 promoted the proliferation and hampered the apoptosis of AML cells through targeting miR-330-5p/FOXM1 axis.

Recurrent abdominal pain, peritoneal effusion, and eosinophilia in a boy aged 17 years / 中国当代儿科杂志

A boy, aged 17 years, was admitted again due to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and eosinophilia for 3 years, which worsened for 3 days. Three years ago, the boy suffered from abdominal pain and diarrhea after eating yogurt; color Doppler ultrasound showed a large amount of peritoneal effusion, and routine blood test, bone marrow cell morphology, and ascites histological examination showed a large number of eosinophils. Three days ago, he was admitted again due to abdominal pain and diarrhea. The gastrointestinal endoscopy showed eosinophil infiltration in the angle of stomach. The boy was diagnosed with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease (eosinophilic gastroenteritis). He was improved after the treatment with glucocorticoids and dietary avoidance, and no recurrence was observed during the one-year follow-up. It is concluded that for children who attend the hospital due to gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea, if there is an increase in peripheral blood eosinophils, it is necessary to consider the possibility of eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease, and eosinophil infiltration and abnormal eosinophil count in gastrointestinal tissue based on endoscopic biopsy may be the key to diagnosis.

A review on the status quo and implementation methods of ethics education in standardized training for resident doctors in medical genetics department / 中华医学遗传学杂志

Clinical practice of Medical Genetics involves application of various genetic techniques for the diagnosis of genetic disorders and subsequent genetic counseling and treatment. The principles of Medical Ethics must be fully taken into account when applying genetic knowledge for medical practice. Medical Ethics education is therefore essential for the standardized training of resident doctors in medical genetics department. With a basic system of Medical Genetics Physician Training established, our hospital has made a preliminary exploration for the development of Medical Ethics teaching in resident training through various teaching practices including seminar, network teaching, case study, scene teaching and outpatient teaching, with an aim to strengthen Medical Ethnics knowledge, professionalism and communication skills, and implement Medical Ethics principles throughout clinical practice.

Functional Analysis of Nuclear Factor Y in the Wing-Dimorphic Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor with the ability to bind to a CCAAT box in nearly all eukaryotes. However, the function of NF-Y in the life-history traits of insects is unclear. Here, we identified three NF-Y subunits, NlNF-YA, NlNF-YB, and NlNF-YC, in the wing-dimorphic brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. Spatio-temporal analysis indicated that NlNF-YA, NlNF-YB, and NlNF-YC distributed extensively in various body parts of fourth-instar nymphs, and were highly expressed at the egg stage. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated silencing showed that knockdown of NlNF-YA, NlNF-YB, or NlNF-YC in third-instar nymphs significantly extended the fifth-instar duration, and decreased nymph-adult molting rate. The addition of 20-hydroxyecdysone could specifically rescue the defect in adult molting caused by NlNF-YA RNAi, indicating that NlNF-Y might modulate the ecdysone signaling pathway in the BPH. In addition, NlNF-YA RNAi, NlNF-YB RNAi, or NlNF-YC RNAi led to small and moderately malformed forewings and hindwings, and impaired the normal assembly of indirect flight muscles. Adult BPHs treated with NlNF-YA RNAi, NlNF-YB RNAi, or NlNF-YC RNAi produced fewer eggs, and eggs laid by these BPHs had arrested embryogenesis. These findings deepen our understanding of NF-Y function in hemipteran insects.