An ethylene response factor AcERF116 identified from A. catechu is involved in fruitlet abscission.

Procedural abscission of outer reproductive organs during flower and fruit development occurs in most plant lineages. Undesired abscission, such as fruitlet shedding causes considerable yield loss in many fruit-producing species. Ethylene is one of the key factors regulating organ abscission. However, the participants involved in the ethylene-mediated abscission pathway remains largely unidentified. In this study, we focused on the ethylene response transcription factors (ERFs) regulating fruitlet abscission in an industrial tree species, A. catechu. A total of 165 ERF genes have been found in the A. catechu genome and eight of these showed distinct expression between the "about-to-abscise" and "non-abscised" samples. An AcERF116 gene with high expression level in the fruit abscission zone (FAZ) was selected for further study. Overexpression of the AcERF116 gene accelerated cell separation in the abscission zone (AZ) and promoted pedicel abscission in transgenic tomato lines. The PG (ploygalacturonase) activity was enhanced in the FAZs of A. catechu fruitlets during ethylene-induced fruitlet abscission, while the PME (pectin methylesterase) activity was suppressed. In addition, cytosolic alkalization was observed in the AZs during abscission in both tomato and A. catechu. Our results suggest that AcERF116 plays a critical role in the crosstalk of ethylene and fruitlet abscission in A. catechu.

Unlocking a Dual-Channel Pathway in CO2 Hydrogenation to Methanol over Single-Site Zirconium on Amorphous Silica.

Converting CO2 into methanol on a large scale is of great significance in the sustainable methanol economy. Zirconia species are considered to be an essential support in Cu-based catalysts due to their excellent properties for CO2 adsorption and activation. However, the evolution of Zr species during the reaction and the effect of their structure on the reaction pathways remain unclear. Herein, single-site Zr species in an amorphous SiO2 matrix are created by enhancing the Zr-Si interaction in Cu/ZrO2 -SiO2 catalysts. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) reveals that the coordination environment of single-site Zr is sensitive to the atmosphere and reaction conditions. We demonstrate that the CO2 adsorption occurs preferably on the interface of Cu and single-site Zr rather than on ZrO2 nanoparticles. Methanol synthesis in reverse water-gas-shift (RWGS)+CO-hydro pathway is verified only over single-dispersed Zr sites, whereas the ordinary formate pathway occurs on ZrO2 nanoparticles. Thus, it expands a non-competitive parallel pathway as a supplement to the dominant formate pathway, resulting in the enhancement of Cu activity sixfold and twofold based on Cu/SiO2 and Cu/ZrO2 catalysts, respectively. The establishment of this dual-channel pathway by single-site Zr species in this work opens new horizons for understanding the role of atomically dispersed oxides in catalysis science.

Diversity and Surgical Management of Intracranial Fungal Infections.

Intracranial fungal infection is a rare entity. This disease is mainly concentrated in dry and hot climates, such as India, Africa, California, and usually occurs in patients with immune deficiency. Now, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical manifestations, pathologic manifestations, imaging features, surgical methods, and prognosis of 4 patients with fungal infection who were confirmed by postoperative pathology. Intermittent pricking on the right face was presented in 2 patients, headache in 2 patients, orbital apex syndrome in 2 patients, and 1 patient presented with fever. Imaging showed the lesions of all patients were located in the right temporal, including 2 patients involving the right orbital, 1 patient involving the right trigeminal semilunar ganglion, 1 patient involving the right brainstem and tentorium cerebellum, 1 patient involving the right internal carotid artery. Craniotomy was performed in 2 patients, endoscopic biopsy in 1 patient, and stereotactic surgery in 1 patien. Aspergilloma was the most common pathogenic bacteria. One patient relapsed repeatedly and died. Secondary aneurysm complicated with subarachnoid hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient. Therefore, the author confirmed that intracranial fungal infection has diverse clinical, imaging, and pathologic manifestations. Neurosurgeons should be aware of the possibility of intracranial fungal infection when they find abnormal intracranial lesions, neurologic deficits, and inflammation of paranasal sinuses. Combining multiple clinical data may help doctors to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Individualized and diversified surgical protocols should be selected for diverse lesions. Notably, secondary intracranial fungal vasculitis is common, with high mortality and disability rates.

Does air pollution exposure affect semen quality? Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis of 93,996 Chinese men.

Background: Air pollution may impair male fertility, but it remains controversial whether air pollution affects semen quality until now. Objectives: We undertake a meta-analysis to explore potential impacts of six pollutants exposure during the entire window (0-90 days prior to ejaculation) and critical windows (0-9, 10-14, and 70-90 days prior to ejaculation) on semen quality. Methods: Seven databases were retrieved for original studies on the effects of six pollutants exposure for 90 days prior to ejaculation on semen quality. The search process does not limit the language and search date. We only included original studies that reported regression coefficients (ß) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The ß and 95% CIs were pooled using the DerSimonian-Laird random effect models. Results: PM2.5 exposure was related with decreased total sperm number (10-14 lag days) and total motility (10-14, 70-90, and 0-90 lag days). PM10 exposure was related with reduced total sperm number (70-90 and 0-90 lag days) and total motility (0-90 lag days). NO2 exposure was related with reduced total sperm number (70-90 and 0-90 lag days). SO2 exposure was related with declined total motility (0-9, 10-14, 0-90 lag days) and total sperm number (0-90 lag days). Conclusion: Air pollution affects semen quality making it necessary to limit exposure to air pollution for Chinese men. When implementing protective measures, it is necessary to consider the key period of sperm development.

Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia Characterized by Otalgia: A Retrospective Study.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is an uncommon facial pain syndrome and is characterized by paroxysms of excruciating pain in the distributions of the auricular and pharyngeal branches of cranial nerves IX and X. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia characterized by otalgia alone is rare. Herein, the authors analyzed 2 patients with GPN with otalgia as the main clinical manifestation. The clinical features and prognosis of this rare group of patients with GPN were discussed. They both presented with paroxysmal pain in the external auditory meatus and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging suggested the vertebral artery were closely related to the glossopharyngeal nerves. In both patients, compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve was confirmed during microvascular decompression, and the symptoms were relieved immediately after surgery. At 11 to 15 months follow-up, there was no recurrence of pain. A variety of reasons can cause otalgia. The possibility of GPN is a clinical concern in patients with otalgia as the main complaint. The authors think the involvement of the glossopharyngeal nerve fibers in the tympanic plexus via Jacobson nerve may provide an important anatomic basis for GPN with predominant otalgia. Surface anesthesia test of the pharynx and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging is helpful for diagnosis. Microvascular decompression is effective in the treatment of GPN with predominant otalgia.

Bilateral Transient Dilated and Fixed Pupils After Microvascular Decompression: Rare Clinical Experience.

Microvascular decompression (MVD) has a satisfactory safety, and it is the only surgical treatment for neurovascular compression diseases, such as hemifacial spasm, trigeminal neuralgia, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia, from the perspective of etiology. Bilateral dilated and fixed pupils have long been regarded as a sign of life threatening, which is common in patients with cerebral herniation due to cranial hypertension. However, transient dilated pupils after MVD have not been previously reported. Here, we presented 2 patients with bilateral transient dilated and fixed pupils after MVD and discussed the possible etiologies through the literature review. Physical examination of both patients showed bilateral pupils were normal and without a medical history of pupil dilation. They underwent MVD under general anesthesia and used propofol and sevoflurane. In both cases, the vertebral artery was displaced, and Teflon pads were inserted between the vertebral artery and the brain stem. Postoperation, we found transient bilateral mydriasis without light reflection in both patients. The emergency head computed tomography revealed no obvious signs of hemorrhage and cerebral herniation. About 1 hour later, this phenomenon disappeared. Therefore, the authors think if MVD is successfully carried out, bilateral transient mydriasis may not necessarily indicate brain stem hemorrhage, cerebral herniation, and other emergency conditions, which can be recovered within a short time. The causes could be related to stimulation of the sympathetic pathway in the brain stem during MVD and side effects of anesthetics.

Hemifacial Spasm Caused by Distal Neurovascular Compression Confirmed by Lateral Spread Response Monitoring.

Primary hemifacial spasm (HFS) is likely related to a vascular compression of the facial nerve at its distal cisternal portion root exit Zone that has been reported during recent years. Most of these cases were found during secondary surgery or intraoperative monitoring of lateral spread response (LSR). Here we reported 2 patients with typical HFS caused by distal neurovascular compression that were successfully treated with microvascular decompression. Magnetic resonance imaging in both cases suggested that there was a contact between the vessel in cisternal segment and the facial nerve. LSR immediately disappeared after decompression of distal neurovascular compression. Resolution of spasm after the operation was achieved in both of these cases, with a short duration of vertigo and mild facial paralysis in case 1. Reviewing the literature, the majority of cases of distal neurovascular compression are found under the following 2 conditions:(1) When patients underwent a second operation. (2) When surgeons explored the distal part, the cisternal portion, after exploring the traditional root exit Zone without LSR disappearing. Therefore, it is the distal neurovascular compression at cisternal segment that may also be the cause of HFS. As for this kind of special HFS, these patients may also present with cranial nerve symptoms of VIII. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging can provide some information about compression sites. When we perform microvascular decompression, we should carefully pay attention to having an entire-root-exploration with intraoperative electrophysiology to find and decompress the real neurovascular compression.

Genome-Wide Identification of the DOF Gene Family Involved in Fruitlet Abscission in Areca catechu L.

Fruitlet abscission frequently occurs in Areca catechu L. and causes considerable production loss. However, the inducement mechanism of fruitlet abscission remains mysterious. In this study, we observed that the cell architecture in the abscission zone (AZ) was distinct with surrounding tissues, and varied obviously before and after abscission. Transcriptome analysis of the "about-to-abscise" and "non-abscised" AZs were performed in A. catechu, and the genes encoding the plant-specific DOF (DNA-binding with one finger) transcription factors showed a uniform up-regulation in AZ, suggesting a role of the DOF transcription in A. catechu fruitlet abscission. In total, 36 members of the DOF gene family distributed in 13 chromosomes were identified from the A. catechu genome. The 36 AcDOF genes were classified into nine subgroups based on phylogenic analysis. Six of them showed an AZ-specific expression pattern, and their expression levels varied according to the abscission process. In total, nine types of phytohormone response cis-elements and five types of abiotic stress related cis-elements were identified in the promoter regions of the AcDOF genes. In addition, histochemical staining showed that lignin accumulation of vascular bundles in AZ was significantly lower than that in pedicel and mesocarp, indicating the specific characteristics of the cell architecture in AZ. Our data suggests that the DOF transcription factors might play a role in fruitlet abscission regulation in A. catechu.

Transsphenoidal Surgery of Giant Pituitary Adenoma: Results and Experience of 239 Cases in A Single Center.

Background: Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is first-line treatment for giant pituitary adenomas (PAs). Although PA is a benign neuroendocrine tumor that originates from adenohypophysial cells, the surgical outcomes and prognosis of giant PAs differ significantly due to multiple factors such as tumor morphology, invasion site, pathological characteristics and so on. The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes of giant PAs in a single-center cohort. Methods: The clinical features and outcomes of 239 patients with giant PA who underwent sphenoidal surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2015 to October 2021 were collected from medical records. The basic clinical information (age, gender, function etc.), surgical procedure, imaging features (maximum diameter, invasion characteristics, tumor shape etc.) and histopathological characteristics (pathological results, Ki-67, P53 etc.) were retrospectively reviewed. SPSS 25.0 and Stata 12.0 software were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 239 patients with giant PAs underwent TSS, of which 168 surgeries (70.29%) were endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal (EETS) and 71 (29.71%) were microscopic transsphenoidal (MTS). The mean preoperative maximum diameter in the cohort was 45.64 mm. Gross-total resection was achieved in 46 patients (19.25%), near-total in 56 (23.43%), subtotal in 68 (28.45%), and partial in 69 (28.87%) patients. The maximum tumor diameter and Knosp grade were the significant factors that limited the extent of the resection of giant PAs. A total of 193 patients (80.75%) experienced surgical complications, and the most common complications were postoperative diabetes insipidus (DI) (91, 38.08%), intracranial infection (36, 15.06%) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks (37, 15.48%). In addition, there was a significant difference in the incidence of CSF leaks between the neuroendoscopy group and the microscopic group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The management of giant PAs remains a therapeutic challenge due to their large size and postoperative complications. The maximum diameter and Knosp grade of giant PAs significantly limited the extent of resection, which warrants a reasonable surgical plan.

Hormone analysis and candidate genes identification associated with seed size in Camellia oleifera.

Camellia oleifera is an important woody oil species in China. Its seed oil has been widely used as a cooking oil. Seed size is a crucial factor influencing the yield of seed oil. In this study, the horizontal diameter, vertical diameter and volume of C. oleifera seeds showed a rapid growth tendency from 235 days after pollination (DAP) to 258 DAP but had a slight increase at seed maturity. During seed development, the expression of genes related to cell proliferation and expansion differ greatly. Auxin plays an important role in C. oleifera seeds; YUC4 and IAA17 were significantly downregulated. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis screened 21 hub transcription factors for C. oleifera seed horizontal diameter, vertical diameter and volume. Among them, SPL4 was significantly decreased and associated with all these three traits, while ABI4 and YAB1 were significantly increased and associated with horizontal diameter of C. oleifera seeds. Additionally, KLU significantly decreased (2040-fold). Collectively, our data advances the knowledge of factors related to seed size and provides a theoretical basis for improving the yield of C. oleifera seeds.

Chromosome-level genome of Camellia lanceoleosa provides a valuable resource for understanding genome evolution and self-incompatibility.

The section Oleifera (Theaceae) has attracted attention for the high levels of unsaturated fatty acids found in its seeds. Here, we report the chromosome-scale genome of the sect. Oleifera using diploid wild Camellia lanceoleosa with a final size of 3.00 Gb and an N50 scaffold size of 186.43 Mb. Repetitive sequences accounted for 80.63% and were distributed unevenly across the genome. Camellia lanceoleosa underwent a whole-genome duplication event approximately 65 million years ago (65 Mya), prior to the divergence of C. lanceoleosa and Camellia sinensis (approx. 6-7 Mya). Syntenic comparisons of these two species elucidated the genomic rearrangement, appearing to be driven in part by the activity of transposable elements. The expanded and positively selected genes in C. lanceoleosa were significantly enriched in oil biosynthesis, and the expansion of homomeric acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACCase) genes and the seed-biased expression of genes encoding heteromeric ACCase, diacylglycerol acyltransferase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and stearoyl-ACP desaturase could be of primary importance for the high oil and oleic acid content found in C. lanceoleosa. Theanine and catechins were present in the leaves of C. lanceoleosa. However, caffeine can not be dectected in the leaves but was abundant in the seeds and roots. The functional and transcriptional divergence of genes encoding SAM-dependent N-methyltransferases may be associated with caffeine accumulation and distribution. Gene expression profiles, structural composition and chromosomal location suggest that the late-acting self-incompatibility of C. lanceoleosa is likely to have favoured a novel mechanism co-occurring with gametophytic self-incompatibility. This study provides valuable resources for quantitative and qualitative improvements and genome assembly of polyploid plants in sect. Oleifera.

Age-specific and sex-specific reference intervals for non-fasting lipids and apolipoproteins in 7260 healthy Chinese children and adolescents measured with an Olympus AU5400 analyser: a cross-sectional study.

AIMS: Ethnic, demographic, lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors influence lipids and apolipoproteins. The aim of this study was to establish age-specific and gender-specific reference intervals for non-fasting lipids and apolipoproteins in healthy Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: This study followed the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute EP28-A3c guidelines. Non-fasting samples were collected from 7260 healthy Chinese children and adolescents, and they were analysed using the Olympus AU5400 analyser for: triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 and apolipoprotein B (ApoB). The age-related and gender-related reference intervals were partitioned using the Harris-Boyd method. The non-parametric method was used to establish the lower limit (2.5th percentile) and the upper limit (97.5th percentile) for the reference intervals. The 90% CIs for the lower and upper limits were also calculated. RESULTS: Based on the Harris-Boyd method, gender partitions were required for TC, LDL-C and ApoB. Age differences were observed for all analytes. Paediatric reference intervals were established for non-fasting lipids and apolipoproteins based on a large population of healthy children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Previously used reference intervals did not take age and gender into account. These age-specific and gender-specific reference intervals established in this study may contribute to improved management and assessment of paediatric diseases.

Paediatric reference intervals for common coagulation assays in Chinese children as performed on the STA-R coagulation analyzer.

INTRODUCTION: In order to correctly manage the paediatric patients affected with haemostatic disorders, age-appropriate reference intervals should be used. The purpose of this study was to establish age-specific reference intervals for prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and fibrinogen (Fg). METHODS: In this study, a total of 34 234 apparently healthy children and adolescents aged 0-15 years were chosen as reference individuals. PT, TT, aPTT and Fg were performed on the STA-R coagulation analyzer. Outliers were eliminated using the Dixon D/R ratio rule. Partitioning by age was achieved using Harris and Boyd's standard normal deviate test. The lower (2.5th percentiles) and upper (97.5 percentiles) reference intervals were established using the nonparametric method. RESULTS: Compared with the adult group, the median time of PT was significantly different in the groups consisting of children aged 0-15 days, 15 days-1 month, 1-6 months and 11-15 years. The median time of APTT and TT was significantly prolonged in all paediatric age groups than in the adult group (P < .05). Compared with the adult group, the median values of Fg were significantly different in the groups consisting of children aged 0-15 days and 2-15 years. Our results showed that all coagulation assays required partitioning by age. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that results of coagulation assays are highly dependent on age, and that age-specific reference intervals must be used to ensure proper evaluation of paediatric coagulation assays.

Pediatric reference intervals of liver and renal function tests from birth to adolescence in Chinese children as performed on the Olympus AU5400.

BACKGROUND: The growth and development of children and adolescents influence values of liver and renal function tests. The purpose of this study was to determine age- and gender-specific reference intervals for liver and renal function tests in apparently healthy Chinese children and adolescents. METHODS: A total of 63,086 apparently healthy children and adolescents (0-15 y) were chosen as reference individuals in this study. The 15 biochemical analytes relating to liver and renal function were measured using an Olympus AU5400 analyzer. Reference intervals were partitioned according to age and/or gender subgroups using the Harris and Boyd's method and established using non-parametric methods. RESULTS: Our results showed that all analytes except for cholinesterase (ChE) and α1-microglobulin (α1-MG) required partitioning by age. Gender partitions were also required for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (Cre), and uric acid (UA). Age- and gender-appropriate reference intervals for liver and renal function tests were established for apparently healthy Chinese children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: When establishing pediatric reference intervals, partitioning by age and/or gender is essential. Those reference intervals can be adopted in other clinical laboratories after appropriate validation.

Gestational age-specific reference intervals for 15 biochemical measurands during normal pregnancy in China.

Aims Physiological changes that occur during pregnancy can influence biochemical parameters. Therefore, using reference intervals based on specimens from non-pregnant women to interpret laboratory results during pregnancy may be inappropriate. This study aimed to establish the essential reference intervals for a range of analytes during pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in 13,656 healthy pregnant and 2634 non-pregnant women. Fifteen biochemical measurands relating to renal and hepatic function were analysed using an Olympus AU5400 analyzer (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan). All the laboratory results were checked for outliers using Dixon's test. Reference intervals were established using a non-parametric method. Results Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, cholinesterase, creatinine, direct bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, total bile acid and total protein showed a decrease during the whole gestational period, while alkaline phosphatase and uric acid increased. Urea nitrogen, ß2-microglobulin and cystatin-C fell significantly during the first trimester and then remained relatively stable until third trimester. Reference intervals of all the measurands during normal pregnancy have been established. Conclusions The reference intervals established here can be adopted in other clinical laboratories after appropriate validation. We verified the importance, for some measurands, of partitioning by gestational age when establishing reference intervals during pregnancy.

[Expressions of SLC22A14 and SPAG6 proteins in the ejaculated sperm of idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients.]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expressions of solute carrier family 22 member 14 (SLC22A14) and sperm-associated antigen 6 (SPAG6) in the sperm of idiopathic asthenospermia men. METHODS: We collected semen samples from 50 idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients and another 50 normal sperm donors, purified the sperm by discontinuous density centrifugation on Percoll gradients, and then determined the mRNA and protein expressions of SLC22A14 and SPAG6 by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, the idiopathic asthenozoospermia patients showed significantly decreased mRNA expressions of SLC22A14 (0.77 ± 0.08 vs 0.53 ± 0.10, P<0.01) and SPAG6 (0.78 ± 0.09 vs0.52 ± 0.10 , P<0.01) and protein expressions of SLC22A14 (0.80 ± 0.09 vs 0.55 ± 0.10 , P<0.01) and SPAG6 (0.78 ± 0.09 vs 0.56 ± 0.09, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: T The expressions of SLC22A14 and SPAG6 are reduced in the sperm of the patients with idiopathic asthenospermia, which may be one of the important causes of asthenospermia.