Genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of the HD-ZIP gene family in kiwifruit.

The homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) gene family plays a pivotal role in plant development and stress responses. Nevertheless, a comprehensive characterization of the HD-Zip gene family in kiwifruit has been lacking. In this study, we have systematically identified 70 HD-Zip genes in the Actinidia chinensis (Ac) genome and 55 in the Actinidia eriantha (Ae) genome. These genes have been categorized into four subfamilies (HD-Zip I, II, III, and IV) through rigorous phylogenetic analysis. Analysis of synteny patterns and selection pressures has provided insights into how whole-genome duplication (WGD) or segmental may have contributed to the divergence in gene numbers between these two kiwifruit species, with duplicated gene pairs undergoing purifying selection. Furthermore, our study has unveiled tissue-specific expression patterns among kiwifruit HD-Zip genes, with some genes identified as key regulators of kiwifruit responses to bacterial canker disease and postharvest processes. These findings not only offer valuable insights into the evolutionary and functional characteristics of kiwifruit HD-Zips but also shed light on their potential roles in plant growth and development.

Elimination of copper obstacle factor in anaerobic digestion effluent for value-added utilization: Performance and resistance mechanisms of indigenous bacterial consortium.

The presence of excessive residual Cu(II), a high-risk heavy metal with potential toxicity and biomagnification property, substantially impede the value-added utilization of anaerobic digestion effluent (ADE). This study adapted indigenous bacterial consortium (IBCs) to eliminate Cu(II) from ADE, and their performances and resistance mechanisms against Cu(II) were analyzed. Results demonstrated that when the Cu(II) exposure concentration exceeded 7.5 mg/L, the biomass of IBCs decreased significantly, cells produced a substantial amount of ROS and EPS, at which time the intracellular Cu(II) content gradually decreased, while Cu(II) accumulation within the EPS substantially increased. The combined features of a high PN/PS ratio, a reversed Zeta potential gradient, and abundant functional groups within EPS collectively render EPS a primary diffusion barrier against Cu(II) toxicity. Mutual physiological and metagenomics analyses reveal that EPS synthesis and secretion, efflux, DNA repair along with coordination between each other were the primary resistance mechanisms of IBCs against Cu(II) toxicity. Furthermore, IBCs exhibited enhanced resistance by enriching bacteria carrying relevant resistance genes. Continuous pretreatment of actual ADE with IBCs at a 10-day hydraulic retention time (HRT) efficiently eliminated Cu(II) concentration from 5.01 mg/L to ∼0.68 mg/L by day 2. This elimination remained stable for the following 8 days of operation, further validated their good Cu(II) elimination stability. Notably, supplementing IBCs with 200 mg/L polymerized ferrous sulfate significantly enhanced their settling performance. By elucidating the intricate interplay of Cu(II) toxicity and IBC resistance mechanisms, this study provides a theoretical foundation for eliminating heavy metal barriers in ADE treatment.

tRNA-Uridine Aminocarboxypropyltransferase DTW Domain Containing 2 Suppresses Colon Adenocarcinoma Progression.

Background: DTW Domain Containing 2 (DTWD2) is a newly identified transfer RNA-uridine aminocarboxypropyltransferase. Dysregulated expression of DTWD1 has been reported in several malignancies, nevertheless, the role of DTWD2 in cancers remains completely unknown. Here, we aimed to initially investigate the expression and role of DTWD2 in colon adenocarcinoma. Methods: We first evaluated the transcription and mRNA levels of DTWD2 using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Besides, we tested its mRNA and protein expression in our enrolled retrospective cohort. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess its prognostic value. Cellular experiments and xenografts were also performed to validate the role of DTWD2 in colon cancer progression. Results: DTWD2 was downregulated in colon adenocarcinoma and associated with poor prognosis. Lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and advanced tumor stage are all characterized by lower DTWD2 levels. Furthermore, Cox regression analysis demonstrated that DTWD2 is a novel independent prognostic factor for colon cancer patients. Finally, cellular and xenograft data demonstrated that silencing DTWD2 significantly enhanced colon cancer growth. Conclusion: Low expression of DTWD2 may be a potential molecular marker for poor prognosis in colon cancer.

Basic leucine zipper gene VvbZIP61 is expressed at a quantitative trait locus for high monoterpene content in grape berries.

The widely appreciated muscat flavor of grapes and wine is mainly attributable to the monoterpenes that accumulate in ripe grape berries. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for grape berry monoterpene content, an F1 mapping population was constructed by a cross between two grapevine genotypes, one with neutral aroma berries (cv. 'Beifeng') and the other with a pronounced muscat aroma (elite Vitis vinifera line '3-34'). A high-density genetic linkage map spanning 1563.7 cM was constructed using 3332 SNP markers that were assigned to 19 linkage groups. Monoterpenes were extracted from the berry of the F1 progeny, then identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Twelve stable QTLs associated with the amounts of 11 monoterpenes in berries were thus identified. In parallel, the levels of RNA in berries from 34 diverse cultivars were estimated by RNA sequencing and compared to the monoterpene content of the berries. The expression of five genes mapping to stable QTLs correlated well with the monoterpene content of berries. These genes, including the basic leucine zipper VvbZIP61 gene on chromosome 12, are therefore considered as potentially being involved in monoterpene metabolism. Overexpression of VvbZIP61 in Vitis amurensis callus through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation significantly increased the accumulation of several monoterpenes in the callus, including nerol, linalool, geranial, geraniol, ß-myrcene, and D-limonene. It is hypothesized that VvbZIP61 expression acts to increase muscat flavor in grapes. These results advance our understanding of the genetic control of monoterpene biosynthesis in grapes and provide important information for the marker-assisted selection of aroma compounds in grape breeding.

Influence of cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of Spirulina platensis slurry over biomass characteristics.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) technique is an innovative non-thermal approach for food preservation and decontamination. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CAPP power density on microorganism inactivation and quality of Spirulina platensis (S. platensis) slurry. 91.31 ± 1.61% of microorganism were inactivated within 2.02 ± 0.11 min by 26.67 W/g CAPP treatment under 50 ℃. Total phenolic, Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and carotenoids contents were increased by 20.51%, 63.55%, and 70.04% after 20.00 W/g CAPP treatment. Phycobiliproteins (PBPs), protein, intracellular polysaccharide, and moisture content of S. platensis was decreased, while vividness, lightness, color of yellow and green, antioxidant activity, Essential Amino Acid Index were enhanced after CAPP treatment. The nutrient release and filaments breakage of CAPP-treated S. platensis improved its bio-accessibility. The findings provided a deep understanding and insight into the influence of CAPP treatment on S. platensis, which were meaningful for optimizing its sterilization and drying processing condition.

In Situ Synthesis of 3D BiOCl-Graphene Aerogel and Synergistic Effect by Photo-Assisted Activation of Persulfate for Methyl Orange Degradation.

BiOCl/graphene aerogel graphene (BGA) was successfully obtained by in situ hydrothermal synthesis, and the chemical, structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties were systematically characterized. BGA with the doping amount of BiOCl at 20% (BGA-4) exhibited the optimal activation efficiency for persulfate (PDS) on the degradation of methyl orange (MO) under simulated sunlight (SSL) illumination as compared to the pure graphene (GA) and aerogel composites with different BiOCl content. The influence of various reaction parameters on the MO removal efficiency, such as the reaction system, catalyst activator dose, PDS concentration, BiOCl doping amount, and the initial pH of the solution, was investigated. Under optimum conditions, the catalytic efficiency of BiOCl-doped GA with the mass ratio of 20% (BGA-4) was 5.61 times that of GA. The strengthening effect of BGA-4 benefited from the synergistic effect of 1O2, O2·- and the generation and rapid electron transfer of photo-induced electron (e-) in the BGA-4/SSL/PDS system. Considering the superior stability and recyclability of BGA-4, the BGA-4/SSL/PDS system exhibits great potential in actual wastewater treatment.

A case of subclinical immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis in non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in the treatment of cancer. Moreover, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have become a new clinical challenge. ICI-associated myocarditis is a rare but fatal condition among diverse organ injuries, and early recognition and effective interventions are critical for patients. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we present the case of a healthy 60-year-old male who was diagnosed with lung squamous cell carcinomas following chemotherapy and received ICIs. The patient presented with asymptomatic cardiac biomarker elevation followed by immune-related myocarditis. Fortunately, the patient achieved a good clinical result after receiving high-dose steroids. The treatment with ICIs was discontinued because of recurrent increases in troponin T. CONCLUSION: ICI-mediated associated myocarditis is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening adverse event. The current data suggest that clinicians need to be cautious about reinitiation in low-grade patients; however, further study of the diagnosis and treatment is necessary.

N4BP3 promotes angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma by binding with KAT2B.

Although angiogenesis is a critical event in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and this process provides the tumor with sufficient oxygen and nutrients, the precise molecular mechanism by which it occurs is not fully understood. NEDD4 binding protein 3 (N4BP3) was identified in this study as a novel pro-angiogenic factor in HCC cell lines and tissues. We discovered that N4BP3 was significantly expressed in HCC and that its level of expression was positively correlated with the density of tumor microvessels in HCC tissues. Cell biology experiments have shown that N4BP3 knockdown in HCC cells significantly inhibits the formation of complete tubular structures by HUVECs in vitro and HCC angiogenesis in vivo. In HCC cells, overexpression of N4BP3 has the opposite effects. Further cell and molecular biology experiments have revealed that N4BP3 interacts with KAT2B (lysine acetyltransferase 2B), increasing signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) expression by regulating the distribution of acetyl-histone H3 (Lys27) (H3K27ac) in its promoter region. This, in addition, regulates the activity of the STAT3 signaling pathway, which promotes the proliferation of microvessels in HCC and accelerates the malignant process of the tumor. In vivo experiments in nude mice have confirmed our findings, and also suggested that N4BP3 could be a potential target for the treatment of HCC in combination with sorafenib.

Elevated Expression of SATB1 Predicts Unfavorable Clinical Outcomes in Colon Adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUNDS: Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) belongs to the chromatin-remodeling protein which regulates different genes expression. High expression of SATB1 was found to be associated with the development of certain carcinomas. However, the functions of SATB1 in colon adenocarcinoma (CAC) remains unclear yet. Our study aims to investigate the potential role of SATB1 in CAC and whether it is associated with the unfavorable symptoms of CAC patients. METHODS: The expression pattern of SATB1 was measured in CAC samples and adjacent noncancerous samples through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry staining. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses to evaluate the clinical role of SATB1 in enrolled patients. The Kaplan-Meier analyses and log-rank tests were carried out to assess the clinicopathologic characteristics. The effect of SATB1 in human colon cancer cells was examined through cellular experiments. RESULTS: The expression level of SATB1 in CAC tissues was significantly elevated compared with adjacent control tissues. High expression of SATB1 in tumor tissue was found to be associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM stage. Higher SATB1 level in CAC patients indicated a worse 5-year survival time. Moreover, high SATB1 was defined as an independent poor prognostic factor. Cellular experiments showed that inhibition of the SATB1 protein level in human colon cells could suppress the migration and invasion capabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that high expression of SATB1 was significantly correlated with the poor clinical features and prognosis of CAC patients. It indicated that SATB1 might serve as a potential prognostic predictor and novel drug target for CAC treatment.

Evaluation of Membrane Fouling Control for Brackish Water Treatment Using a Modified Polyamide Composite Nanofiltration Membrane.

In northwest China, the limited amount of water resources are classified mostly as brackish water. Nanofiltration is a widely applied desalination technology used for brackish water treatment; however, membrane fouling restricts its application. Herein, we modified the membrane with triethanolamine (TEOA) and optimized the operating conditions (transmembrane pressure, temperature, and crossflow velocity) to control the nanofiltration membrane fouling by brackish water. Based on the physiochemical characteristics and desalination performance of the prepared membranes, the membrane modified with 2% TEOA (MPCM2) was identified as the optimal membrane, and 0.5 MPa, 25 °C, and 7 cm/s were identified as the optimal operating conditions through a series of nanofiltration experiments. Moreover, the membrane cleaning procedure for fouled MPCM2 was further determined, and a two-step cleaning procedure using ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid disodium followed by HCl with a permeance recovery rate of 98.77% was identified as the optimal cleaning procedure. Furthermore, the characterizations of the fouled and cleaned MPCM2 showed that the optimized cleaning procedure could recover the properties of MPCM2 to near virgin. This study is of great significance for the long-term stable operation of nanofiltration processes in brackish water treatment to ensure the supply of healthy water in the water-deficient areas of northwest China.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy on Stigma in Female Patients With Schizophrenia.

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) has been increasingly recognized as effective in different mental illnesses, but these effects are limited in schizophrenia. For patients with schizophrenia, stigma is one of the most negative factors that affects treatment, rehabilitation and social function. This research aimed to determine the effects of MBCT on stigma in patients with schizophrenia. In total, 62 inpatients with schizophrenia were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental group or control group. The experimental group received an 8-week MBCT intervention, and the control group were treated as usual. Link's Stigma Scales (with three subscales, including perceived devaluation-discrimination (PDD), stigma-coping orientation, and stigma-related feeling), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and Insight and Treatment Attitudes Questionnaire (ITAQ) were used to collect data before and after intervention. After intervention, the post-test score of PDD, stigma-coping orientation, FFMQ, and ITAQ were significantly different between the experimental group and the control group. In the experimental group, the PDD and stigma-coping orientation scores significantly decreased, and FFMQ and ITAQ scores increased remarkably (P < 0.05). In addition, correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between mindfulness and stigma. MBCT was effective in reducing stigma in patients with schizophrenia, which mainly manifested as changes in the patients' perception of stigma as well as the withdrawal and avoidance caused by schizophrenia. Enhancing mindfulness will help reduce the stigma level. MBCT is worthy of promotion and application in patients with schizophrenia.

Persulfidation-induced structural change in SnRK2.6 establishes intramolecular interaction between phosphorylation and persulfidation.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs), including phosphorylation and persulfidation, regulate the activity of SNF1-RELATED PROTEIN KINASE2.6 (SnRK2.6). Here, we report how persulfidations and phosphorylations of SnRK2.6 influence each other. The persulfidation of cysteine C131/C137 alters SnRK2.6 structure and brings the serine S175 residue closer to the aspartic acid D140 that acts as ATP-γ-phosphate proton acceptor, thereby improving the transfer efficiency of phosphate groups to S175 to enhance the phosphorylation level of S175. Interestingly, we predicted that S267 and C137 were predicted to lie in close proximity on the protein surface and found that the phosphorylation status of S267 positively regulates the persulfidation level at C137. Analyses of the responses of dephosphorylated and depersulfidated mutants to abscisic acid and the H2S-donor NaHS during stomatal closure, water loss, gas exchange, Ca2+ influx, and drought stress revealed that S175/S267-associated phosphorylation and C131/137-associated persulfidation are essential for SnRK2.6 function in vivo. In light of these findings, we propose a mechanistic model in which certain phosphorylations facilitate persulfidation, thereby changing the structure of SnRK2.6 and increasing its activity.

Design of abnormal data detection system for protein gene library based on data mining technology.

In view of the shortcomings of the current abnormal data detection system of the protein gene library, such as low detection rate and high error detection rate, the abnormal data detection system of the protein gene library based on data mining technology is designed. The protein gene enters the firewall module of the system, and enters the immune module when it does not match the firewall rules; the memory detector in the immune module presents the protein gene, if the memory detector does not match the protein gene, the mature detector presents the protein gene, if the mature detector does not match the protein gene, it is determined as the normal protein gene data package, if it matches, it is considered that The abnormal data of protein gene was processed by the collaborative stimulation module, and the control module controlled by C8051F060 chip to detect the abnormal data of protein gene library. The immune module generates new protein gene sequences through an immature detector, simulates the immune mechanism of protein gene through a mature detector module, and simulates the secondary response in the abnormal data detection system of protein gene library through memory detector. The system introduces data mining technology into the detection and uses a two-level dynamic optimization algorithm to calculate the ASG similarity value of protein gene secondary structure arrangement. According to this value, the abnormal data detection of the protein gene library is realized by randomly generating protein genes, negative selection, clone selection and copying memory cells through gene expression. The experimental results show that the system can quickly detect abnormal data of the protein gene library, ensure the detection efficiency, and the detection accuracy reaches 97.1%. The system can reduce the error rate of normal protein gene detection as an abnormal protein gene.

Hydrogen sulfide regulates the activity of antioxidant enzymes through persulfidation and improves the resistance of tomato seedling to Copper Oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs)-induced oxidative stress.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a small gaseous signaling molecule, regulates antioxidase activity and improves plant tolerance to oxidative stress. The phytotoxic effect of Copper Oxide (II) nanoparticles (CuO NPs) is due to oxidative stress. Here, we show that H2S-mediated persulfidation of antioxidase is essential for an effective stress response of tomato exposed to CuO NPs. The CuO NP-induced increase in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels was significantly reduced by treatment with the H2S donor NaHS. In vivo, NaHS increased superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and peroxidase (POD) activities under CuO NP stress. In vitro, NaHS increased APX and POD activities but decreased catalase (CAT) activity. Persulfidation existed in recombinant SlCAT1, SlcAPX1 and SlPOD5 proteins. The persulfidatied cysteine (Cys) residues were verified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), revealing their position on the protein surface. Cys234 of SlCAT1 is located in the immune-responsive domain and close to the enzyme activity domain. Cys234 of SlcAPX1 and Cys 61 SlPOD5 are located in the enzyme activity domain. Persulfidation increased SlcAPX1 and SlPOD5 activities but decreased SlCAT1 activity. These data indicate that H2S-mediated persulfidation posttranslationally regulates the activities of CAT, APX and POD, thereby enhancing the plant's response to oxidative stress. Additionally, this work provides an experimental approach for the study of persulfidation in plants.

Hydrogen sulfide induces Ca2+ signal in guard cells by regulating reactive oxygen species accumulation.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an important gas signal molecule, but little is known about its signal mechanism. Ca2+ is an important second messenger in plant cells, and its fluctuation in the cytoplasm causes downstream physiological responses. Our previous study found that H2S can induce the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). We also found that reactive oxygen species (ROS) can further induce the Ca2+ influx in guard cells by noninvasive micro-teat technology (NMT). This study confirmed that the accumulation of reactive oxygen species to induce Ca2+ signal in guard cells, resulting in stomatal closure. Thus, revealing a novel mechanism of H2S promoting stomatal closure.

High Fibrinogen and Platelets Correlate with Poor Survival in Gastric Cancer Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, and its incidence rate ranks the fourth in the world. Hyperfibrinogenemia and hyperthrombocytopaemia are often associated with malignancy and poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between high levels of fibrinogen and platelets and the clinicopathologic features and overall survival (OS) of gastric cancer. METHODS: We enrolled a total of 341 gastric cancer patients from our hospital between January 2014 and January 2015. GC patients were retrospectively assessed using a Kaplan-Meier method and chi-squared to confirm a correlation between patient survival and levels of fibrinogen (FIB) and platelets (PLT). RESULTS: Our results show that FIB levels were associated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and depth of invasion (P<0.05). Platelet (PLT) levels were associated with tumor size (P<0.05). High FIB and PLT levels were associated with poor survival (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High platelets and fibrinogen may have synergistic effects on patients with gastric cancer.

Small-Molecule Antagonist Targeting Exportin-1 via Rational Structure-Based Discovery.

Exportin-1 (also named as CRM1) plays a prominent role in autoimmune disorders and has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for colitis. Here we report on the rational structure-based discovery of a small-molecule antagonist of exportin-1, LFS-829, with low-range nanomolar activities. The co-crystallographic structure, surface plasmon resonance binding assay, and cell-based phenotypic nuclear export functional assay validated that exportin-1 is a key target of LFS-829. Moreover, we demonstrated that the C528S mutation or the knockdown on exportin-1 can abolish the cellular activities of LFS-829. Strikingly, oral administration of LFS-829 can significantly reverse the pathological features of colitis model mice. We revealed that LFS-829 can attenuate dual NF-κB signaling and the Nrf2 cytoprotection pathway via targeting exportin-1 in colitis mice. Moreover, LFS-829 has a very low risk of cardiotoxicity and acute toxicity. Therefore, LFS-829 holds great promise for the treatment of colitis and may warrant translation for use in clinical trials.

Deformation mechanism in Al0.1CoCrFeNi Σ3(111)[11̄0] high entropy alloys - molecular dynamics simulations.

High entropy alloys (HEAs), composed of multiple components with equal or near atomic proportions, have extraordinary mechanical properties and are expected to bear the impact of high-speed forces in armor protection structure materials. In order to understand the deformation behaviour of HEAs under tensile and compressive loading, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to reveal the deformation mechanism and mechanical properties of three crystal structures: Al0.1CoCrFeNi HEAs without grain boundaries (perfect HEAs), Al0.1CoCrFeNi HEAs with grain boundaries of Σ3(111)[11̄0] (GBs HEAs) and grain boundaries of Σ3(111)[11̄0] with chemical cluster HEAs (cluster-GBs HEAs). The mechanical properties of the three models at the same strain rate were discussed. Then, the mechanical properties at different strain rates were analyzed. The movement and direction of internal dislocations during the deformation process were investigated. The simulation results show that the GBs HEAs and the cluster-GBs both play an important role in the deformation and failure of the HEAs. Under tensile loading, three behaviour stages of deformation were observed. Cluster-GBs HEAs have a larger yield strength and Young's modulus than that of GBs and perfect HEAs. The higher the strain rate is, the greater the stress reduction rate. Under compressive loading, there are only two behaviour stages of deformation. Cluster-GBs HEAs also have the largest yield strength. Under tensile and compressive deformation, Shockley partial dislocations of 1/6 <112> are dominant and their moving direction and effect on mechanical properties are discussed.