Establishing the role of BRCA1 in the diagnosis, prognosis and immune infiltrates of breast invasive cancer by bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) is a well-known gene that acts a vital role in suppressing the growth of tumors. Previous studies have primarily focused on the genetic mutations of BRCA1 and its association with hereditary breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA). However, little research has been done to investigate the relationship between BRCA1 and immune infiltrates and prognosis in BRCA. METHODS: We obtained the expression profiles and clinical information of patients with BRCA from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The levels of the BRCA1 gene between BRCA tissues and normal breast tissues were compared through the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Additionally, we performed WB and RT-qPCR techniques to detect the expression of BRCA1. We conducted functional enrichment analyses. Furthermore, we assessed immune cell infiltration using a single-sample gene set enrichment analysis. The methylation status of the BRCA1 gene was analyzed using the UALCAN and MethSurv databases. The Cox regression analysis and (KM) Kaplan-Meier method were employed to determine the prognostic value of BRCA1. In order to provide a practical tool for predicting the overall survival rates at different time points, we also constructed a nomogram. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed that the expression of BRCA1 was significantly higher in BRCA tissues compared to normal tissues. Furthermore, this increased level of BRCA1 was found to be associated with specific BRCA subtypes, including T2, stage II, ER positive, ect. Importantly, the overexpression of BRCA1 was shown to be a negative prognostic marker for the overall survival rates of BRCA patients. Moreover, low methylation status of the BRCA1 gene was related to a poorer prognosis. Furthermore, our results indicated that high levels of BRCA1 are related to a decrease in level of killer immune cells, such as natural killer (NK) cells, macrophages, CD8+ T cells, and plasma-like dendritic cells (pDCs) within the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to provide evidence indicating that the presence of BRCA1 can serve as a reliable marker for both diagnosing and determining the prognosis of BRCA. Moreover, BRCA1 acts as a crucial indicator of the cancer's potential to infiltrate and invade the immune system, which has important implications for developing targeted therapies in BRCA.

[Effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on activation of astrocytes in acute cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury].

This study investigated the effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction(XXMD) on the activation of astrocytes after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion(I/R) injury. The model of cerebral IR injury was established using the middle cerebral artery occlusion method. Fluorocitrate(FC), an inhibitor of astrocyte activation, was applied to inhibit astrocyte activation. Rats were randomly divided into a sham group, a model group, a XXMD group, a XXMD+FC group, and a XXMD+Vehicle group. Neurobehavioral changes at 24 hours after cerebral IR injury, cerebral infarction, histopathological changes observed through HE staining, submicroscopic structure of astrocytes observed through transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence intensity of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP) and thrombospondin 1(TSP1) measured through immunofluorescence, and expression of GFAP and TSP1 in brain tissue measured through Western blot were evaluated in rats from each group. The experimental results showed that neurobehavioral scores and cerebral infarct area significantly increased in the model group. The XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and the XXMD+Vehicle group all alleviated neurobehavioral changes in rats. The pathological changes in the brain were evident in the model group, while the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and the XXMD+Vehicle group exhibited milder cerebral IR injury in rats. The submicroscopic structure of astrocytes in the model group showed significant swelling, whereas the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and XXMD+Vehicle group protected the submicroscopic structure of astrocytes. The fluorescence intensity and protein expression of GFAP and TSP1 increased in the model group compared with those in the sham group. However, the XXMD group, the XXMD+FC group, and XXMD+Vehicle group all down-regulated the expression of GFAP and TSP1. The combination of XXMD and FC showed a more pronounced effect. These results indicate that XXMD can improve cerebral IR injury, possibly by inhibiting astrocyte activation and down-regulating the expression of GFAP and TSP1.

Natural variants of molybdate transporters contribute to yield traits of soybean by affecting auxin synthesis.

Soybean (Glycine max) is a crop with high demand for molybdenum (Mo) and typically requires Mo fertilization to achieve maximum yield potential. However, the genetic basis underlying the natural variation of Mo concentration in soybean and its impact on soybean agronomic performance is still poorly understood. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify GmMOT1.1 and GmMOT1.2 that drive the natural variation of soybean Mo concentration and confer agronomic traits by affecting auxin synthesis. The soybean population exhibits five haplotypes of the two genes, with the haplotype 5 demonstrating the highest expression of GmMOT1.1 and GmMOT1.2, as well as the highest transport activities of their proteins. Further studies showed that GmMOT1.1 and GmMOT1.2 improve soybean yield, especially when cultivated in acidic or slightly acidic soil. Surprisingly, these two genes contribute to soybean growth by enhancing the activity of indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAld) aldehyde oxidase (AO), leading to increased indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis, rather than being involved in symbiotic nitrogen fixation or nitrogen assimilation. Furthermore, the geographical distribution of five haplotypes in China and their correlation with soil pH suggest the potential significance of GmMOT1.1 and GmMOT1.2 in soybean breeding strategies.

Influencing factors and mechanism of Cr(VI) reduction by facultative anaerobic Exiguobacterium sp. PY14.

Microbial reduction is an effective way to deal with hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] contamination in the environment, which can significantly mitigate the biotoxicity and migration of this pollutant. The present study investigated the influence of environmental factors on aqueous Cr(VI) removal by a newly isolated facultative anaerobic bacterium, Exiguobacterium sp. PY14, and revealed the reduction mechanism. This strain with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 400 mg/L showed the strongest Cr(VI) removal capacity at pH 8.0 because of its basophilic nature, which was obviously depressed by increasing the Cr(VI) initial concentration under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In contrast, the removal rate constant for 50 mg/L of Cr(VI) under anaerobic conditions (1.82 × 10-2 h-1) was 3.3 times that under aerobic conditions. The co-existence of Fe(III) and Cu(II) significantly promoted the removal of Cr(VI), while Ag(I), Pb(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II) inhibited it. Electron-shuttling organics such as riboflavin, humic acid, and anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate promoted the Cr(VI) removal to varying degrees, and the enhancement was more significant under anaerobic conditions. The removal of aqueous Cr(VI) by strain PY14 was demonstrated to be due to cytoplasmic rather than extracellular reduction by analyzing the contributions of different cell components, and the end products existed in the aqueous solution in the form of organo-Cr(III) complexes. Several possible genes involved in Cr(VI) metabolism, including chrR and chrA that encode well-known Chr family proteins responsible for chromate reduction and transport, respectively, were identified in the genome of PY14, which further clarified the Cr(VI) reduction pathway of this strain. The research progress in the influence of crucial environmental factors and biological reduction mechanisms will help promote the potential application of Exiguobacterium sp. PY14 with high adaptability to environmental stress in Cr(VI) removal in the actual environment.

[Effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity following acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

This study aims to explore the effect of Xiaoxuming Decoction on synaptic plasticity in rats with acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. A rat model of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO). Rats were randomly assigned into a sham group, a MCAO group, and a Xiaoxuming Decoction(60 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) group. The Longa score was rated to assess the neurological function of rats with cerebral ischemia for 1.5 h and reperfusion for 24 h. The 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride(TTC) staining and hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining were employed to observe the cerebral infarction and the pathological changes of brain tissue after cerebral ischemia, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to detect the structural changes of neurons and synapses in the ischemic penumbra, and immunofluorescence, Western blot to determine the expression of synaptophysin(SYN), neuronal nuclei(NEUN), and postsynaptic density 95(PSD95) in the ischemic penumbra. The experimental results showed that the modeling increased the Longa score and led to cerebral infarction after 24 h of ischemia-reperfusion. Compared with the model group, Xiaoxuming Decoction intervention significantly decreased the Longa score and reduced the formation of cerebral infarction area. The modeling led to the shrinking and vacuolar changes of nuclei in the brain tissue, disordered cell arrangement, and severe cortical ischemia-reperfusion injury, while the pathological damage in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group was mild. The modeling blurred the synaptic boundaries and broadened the synaptic gap, while such changes were recovered in the Xiaoxuming Decoction group. The modeling decreased the fluorescence intensity of NEUN and SYN, while the intensity in Xiaoxuming Decoction group was significantly higher than that in the model group. The expression of SYN and PSD95 in the ischemic penumbra was down-regulated in the model group, while such down-regulation can be alleviated by Xiaoxuming Decoction. In summary, Xiaoxuming Decoction may improve the synaptic plasticity of ischemic penumbra during acute cerebral ischemia-reperfusion by up-regulating the expression of SYN and PSD95.

Deciphering the Atlas of Post-Translational Modification in Sugarcane.

In plants, lysine acetylation (Kac), 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib), and lysine lactylation (Kla), the three new types of post-translational modification (PTM), play very important roles in growth, development, and resistance to adverse environmental stresses. Herein, we report the first global acetylome, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylome, and lactylome in sugarcane. A total of 8573 Kac, 4637 Khib, and 215 Kla sites across 3903, 1507, and 139 modified proteins were identified. Besides, homology analyses revealed the Kac, Khib, and Kla sites on histones were conserved between sugarcane and rice or poplar. Functional annotations demonstrated that the Kac, Khib, and Kla proteins were mainly involved in energy metabolism. In addition, a number of modified transcription factors and stress-related proteins, which were constitutively expressed in different tissues of sugarcane and induced by drought, cold or Sporisorium scitamineum stress, were identified. Finally, a proposed working mode on how PTM functions in sugarcane was depicted. We thus concluded that PTM should play a role in sugarcane growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses, but the mechanisms require further investigation. The present study provided the all-new comprehensive profile of proteins Kac, Khib, and Kla and a new perspective to understand the molecular mechanisms of protein PTMs in sugarcane.

Application of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in men over 75 years: an analysis of comparative outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to summarize the current evidence regarding the feasibility of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in men aged over 75 years. METHOD: A comprehensive search of four electronic databases (China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) was performed to identify eligible comparative studies as of April 2022. Parameters, including perioperative results and oncological and functional outcomes, were evaluated. RESULTS: Seven articles with 7575 patients undergoing RARP were included in this study. Patients with prostate cancer were grouped by age ≥ 75 years versus < 75 years. Our results demonstrated that compared with the older group, the younger group had better potency (p < .00001). However, there were no significant differences in operation time (p = .29), estimated blood loss (p = .13), length of hospital stay (p = .48), complications (p = .22), continence (p = .21), positive surgical margin (p = .28), and biochemical recurrence (p = .74) between the groups. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that the perioperative, oncological, and functional outcomes in men aged over 75 years undergoing RARP were not significantly different from those of their younger counterparts. RARP is feasible in men aged over 75 years.

Serum albumin to globulin ratio prior to treatment as a potential non-invasive prognostic indicator for urological cancers.

Background: Numerous clinical studies have reported an association between the pretreatment albumin to globulin ratio (AGR) and survival outcomes of urological cancers. However, these conclusions remain controversial. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to explore the prognostic value of the AGR in urinary system tumors. Methods: We retrieved eligible studies published up to June 2022 through a comprehensive search of multiple databases. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) were used to evaluated the predictive effect of the AGR before treatment in urinary system tumors. Heterogeneity test, random-effects models, fixed-effects models and sensitivity tests were used for analyses. Results: A total of 21 studies with 18,269 patients were enrolled in our meta-analysis. We found that patients with urinary system cancer with low AGR prior to treatment had poor OS [HR = 1.93, 95% CI (1.56-2.39), p < 0.001], CSS [HR = 2.22, 95% CI (1.67-2.96), p < 0.001], RFS [HR = 1.69, 95% CI (1.29-2.22), p < 0.001], and PFS [HR = 1.29, 95% CI (0.54-3.07), p < 0.001]. For prostate cancer (PCa), a low pretreatment AGR was associated with poor BRFS [HR = 1.46, 95% CI (1.28-1.67), p < 0.001]. Also, a subgroup analysis, stratified by ethnicity, cancer type, cutoff value, sample size and publication year, was conducted. The results showed that worse OS and CSS were significantly associated with these factors. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis revealed that the AGR before treatment could be used as a non-invasive predictive biomarker to evaluate the prognosis of urological cancer patients in clinical practice.

Prognostic value of pretreatment serum albumin-globulin ratio in urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate whether pretreatment albumin-globulin ratio (AGR) can be used as a biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC). Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Google Scholar and Cochrane Library; the search time was up to May 2022. Stata 16.0 was used for data processing and statistical analysis. Results: We identified 12 studies with 5,727 patients from 317 unique citations during the meta-analysis. Our results suggested that a low AGR before treatment was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.45-2.75, P < 0.001], cancer-specific survival (CSS) [HR=2.01, 95% CI = 1.50-2.69, P < 0.001] and recurrence-free survival (RFS) [HR=1.39, 95% CI = 1.12-1.72, P = 0.002]. Furthermore, we defined different subgroups according to ethnicity, cancer type, cut-off value, sample size and stage. Similar prognostic outcomes for OS and CSS were observed in most subgroups. However, for subgroup of stage, the low pretreatment AGR only predicted the poor survival of patients with non-metastatic UC. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis revealed that the AGR before treatment could be used as a predictive biomarker to indicate the prognosis of UC patients during clinical practice, especially in patients with non-metastatic UC.

Early prevention and risk factors analysis of portal vein system thrombosis after laparoscopic splenectomy and pericardial devascularization.

BACKGROUND: Portal vein system thrombosis (PVST) is a common postoperative complication brought by laparoscopic splenectomy and pericardial disconnection (LSD) among patients who suffered from portal hypertension and hypersplenism. This research lies mainly in probing into the risk factors of PVST and evaluating the effects of warfarin on PVST prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We took 131 individuals who have carried out LSD from January 2015 to January 2021. Patients were divided into warfarin group (n = 68) and aspirin group (n = 63). Meanwhile, thrombosis factors were analyzed in PVST arm (n = 48) and non-PVST arm (n = 83). RESULTS: We analyzed the early postoperative anticoagulation effect, 20 patients (29.4%) in the warfarin group developed PVST, and 28 patients (44.4%) in the aspirin group. The chance to PVST during the first year after operation was lower in the warfarin group than in the aspirin group (F = 13.43, P = 0.006). Risk factors for PVST were analyzed, and diabetes, the diameter of the portal vein and splenic vein, and the velocity of portal blood flow were statistically significant between the PVST arm and non-PVST arm (P < < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analyses have shown that diabetes, portal vein diameter, splenic vein diameter, and the velocity of portal blood flow were the risk factors of PVST. CONCLUSIONS: The portal vein diameter, splenic vein diameter, portal vein flow velocity, and diabetes are risk factors for the PVST after LSD. The prophylactic use of warfarin anticoagulation markedly decreases the probability of occurrence of the PVST in patients with portal hypertension after LSD compared to aspirin.

FAM126A interacted with ENO1 mediates proliferation and metastasis in pancreatic cancer via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a common digestive system carcinoma with high mortality rate mostly due to aberrant growth and distant metastasis. Current researches demonstrated that Family Sequence Similarities (FAMs) have been involving in tumor development, and which subfamily has the function of promoting or inhibiting tumors and its in-depth molecular mechanism remains unclear. Based on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA2), we observed that FAM126A is in high expressed level among PC tissues and contributes to worse progression of PC, which was validated by PC tissue microarray. Function assay indicated that overexpression of FAM126A accelerates PC cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro, as well as liver cancer metastasis in vivo. Further, we found that FAM126A induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including the downregulation of E-cadherin epithelial marker expression, and the upregulation of N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, mesenchymal marker expression. By co-localization and co-immunoprecipitation assays, we confirmed that FAM126A directly interacts with ENO1, which was a key activator of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Furthermore, ENO1 knockdown reversed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of PC cells promoted by FAM126A overexpression in vitro and in vivo. In general, these results verified FAM126A is an oncogene interacting with ENO1 in PC by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

A sugarcane smut fungus effector simulates the host endogenous elicitor peptide to suppress plant immunity.

The smut fungus Sporisorium scitamineum causes the most prevalent disease on sugarcane. The mechanism of its pathogenesis, especially the functions and host targets of its effector proteins, are unknown. In order to identify putative effectors involving in S. scitamineum infection, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis was conducted based on the transcriptome profiles of both smut fungus and sugarcane using a customized microarray. A smut effector gene, termed SsPele1, showed strong co-expression with sugarcane PLANT ELICITOR PEPTIDE RECEPTOR1 (ScPEPR1), which encodes a receptor like kinase for perception of plant elicitor peptide1 (ScPep1). The relationship between SsPele1 and ScPEPR1, and the biological function of SsPele1 were characterized in this study. The SsPele1 C-terminus contains a plant elicitor peptide-like motif, by which SsPele1 interacts strongly with ScPEPR1. Strikingly, the perception of ScPep1 on ScPEPR1 is competed by SsPele1 association, leading to the suppression of ScPEPR1-mediated immune responses. Moreover, the Ustilago maydis effector UmPele1, an ortholog of SsPele1, promotes fungal virulence using the same strategy. This study reveals a novel strategy by which a fungal effector can mimic the plant elicitor peptide to complete its perception and attenuate receptor-activated immunity.

Characteristics and Effectiveness of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Prevention and Control in a Representative City in China.

BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 has caused a pandemic. Control measures differ among countries. It is necessary to assess the effectiveness of these control measures. MATERIAL AND METHODS We collected the data of COVID-19 patients and control measures between January 18, 2020 and September 18, 2020 from the Changshou District and analyzed the clinical characteristics, epidemiological data, and the adjustment of policies to assess the effectiveness of control measures. The control of COVID-19 was divided into 2 stages, with the lifting of lockdown in Hubei province (March 25, 2020) as a dividing line. RESULTS We identified 32 patients through different means in the first stage. All the imported patients entered this area before the lockdown. In 93.1% of patients, the last exposure occurred before the implementation of the stay-at-home order and centralized isolation. Tracing of high-risk people and RT-PCR screening identified 56.3% of cases. In the second stage, all the high-risk people were under centralized isolation. Nine asymptomatic patients were identified. City lockdown and stay-at-home orders were not issued again, and no second-generation patients were found. CONCLUSIONS We have provided a successful model to control the transmission of COVID-19 in a short period.

New insights into the evolution and functional divergence of the CIPK gene family in Saccharum.

BACKGROUND: Calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) are the primary components of calcium sensors, and play crucial roles in plant developmental processes, hormone signaling transduction, and in the response to exogenous stresses. RESULTS: In this study, 48 CIPK genes (SsCIPKs) were identified from the genome of Saccharum spontaneum. Phylogenetic reconstruction suggested that the SsCIPK gene family may have undergone six gene duplication events from the last common ancestor (LCA) of SsCIPKs. Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) served as the driving force for the amplification of SsCIPKs. The Nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution ratio (Ka/Ks) analysis showed that the duplicated genes were possibly under strong purifying selection pressure. The divergence time of these duplicated genes had an average duplication time of approximately 35.66 Mya, suggesting that these duplication events occurred after the divergence of the monocots and eudicots (165 Mya). The evolution of gene structure analysis showed that the SsCIPK family genes may involve intron losses. Ten ScCIPK genes were amplified from sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids). The results of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) demonstrated that these ten ScCIPK genes had different expression patterns under abscisic acid (ABA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and sodium chloride (NaCl) stresses. Prokaryotic expression implied that the recombinant proteins of ScCIPK3, - 15 and - 17 could only slightly enhance growth under salinity stress conditions, but the ScCIPK21 did not. Transient N. benthamiana plants overexpressing ScCIPKs demonstrated that the ScCIPK genes were involved in responding to external stressors through the ethylene synthesis pathway as well as to bacterial infections. CONCLUSIONS: In generally, a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of evolutionary relationship, gene structure, motif composition, and gene duplications of SsCIPK family genes were performed in S. spontaneum. The functional study of expression patterns in sugarcane and allogenic expressions in E. coli and N. benthamiana showed that ScCIPKs played various roles in response to different stresses. Thus, these results improve our understanding of the evolution of the CIPK gene family in sugarcane as well as provide a basis for in-depth functional studies of CIPK genes in sugarcane.

Definition and retrospective application of a clinical scoring system for COVID-19 triage at presentation.

BACKGROUND: A simple scoring system for triage of suspected patients with COVID-19 is lacking. METHODS: A multi-disciplinary team developed a screening score taking into account epidemiology history, clinical feature, radiographic feature, and routine blood test. At fever clinics, the screening score was used to identify the patients with moderate to high probability of COVID-19 among all the suspected patients. The patients with moderate to high probability of COVID-19 were allocated to a single room in an isolation ward with level-3 protection. And those with low probability were allocated to a single room in a general ward with level-2 protection. At the isolation ward, the screening score was used to identify the confirmed and probable cases after two consecutive real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests. The data in the People's Hospital of Changshou District were used for internal validation and those in the People's Hospital of Yubei District for external validation. RESULTS: We enrolled 76 and 40 patients for internal and external validation, respectively. In the internal validation cohort, the area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics (AUC) was 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-0.99] for the diagnosis of moderate to high probability of cases among all the suspected patients. Using 60 as cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity were 88% and 93%, respectively. In the isolation ward, the AUC was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.83-0.99) for the diagnosis of confirmed and probable cases. Using 90 as cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity were 78% and 100%, respectively. These results were confirmed in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: The scoring system provides a reference on COVID-19 triage in fever clinics to reduce misdiagnosis and consumption of protective supplies.The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

Pan-genome analysis of Paenibacillus polymyxa strains reveals the mechanism of plant growth promotion and biocontrol.

Rapid development of gene sequencing technologies has led to an exponential increase in microbial sequencing data. Genome research of a single organism does not capture the changes in the characteristics of genetic information within a species. Pan-genome analysis gives us a broader perspective to study the complete genetic information of a species. Paenibacillus polymyxa is a Gram-positive bacterium and an important plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium with the ability to produce multiple antibiotics, such as fusaricidin, lantibiotic, paenilan, and polymyxin. Our study explores the pan-genome of 14 representative P. polymyxa strains isolated from around the world. Heap's law model and curve fitting confirmed an open pan-genome of P. polymyxa. The phylogenetic and collinearity analyses reflected that the evolutionary classification of P. polymyxa strains are not associated with geographical area and ecological niches. Few genes related to phytohormone synthesis and phosphate solubilization were conserved; however, the nif cluster gene associated with nitrogen fixation exists only in some strains. This finding is indicative of nitrogen fixing ability is not stable in P. polymyxa. Analysis of antibiotic gene clusters in P. polymyxa revealed the presence of these genes in both core and accessory genomes. This observation indicates that the difference in living environment led to loss of ability to synthesize antibiotics in some strains. The current pan-genomic analysis of P. polymyxa will help us understand the mechanisms of biological control and plant growth promotion. It will also promote the use of P. polymyxa in agriculture.

Efficacy of 3% hypertonic saline in bronchiolitis: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis was performed to analyze the efficacy of 3% hypertonic saline (HS) in bronchiolitis. Pubmed and MEDLINE databases were searched for relevant articles. A total of 2 authors selected the articles according to the inclusion criteria and then data were carefully extracted. Weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) values were used to pool continuous data, including length of stay and clinical severity score (CSS). Relative risk (RR) with 95% CI was calculated to determine the association between 3% HS and re-admission. The pooled data revealed that infants treated with 3% HS exhibited shorter durations of hospitalization compared with those treated with normal saline (NS; WMD=-0.43; 95% CI=-0.70, -0.15). Subgroup analysis examining the combination of HS or NS with additional medication demonstrated that 3% HS with epinephrine significantly decreased the length of hospital stay, with a WMD=-0.62 (95% CI=-0.90, -0.33). The results indicated a lower CSS score in the 3% HS group compared with the NS group (SMD=-0.80; 95% CI=-1.06, -0.54). The pooled outcome indicated a beneficial effect of 3% HS on decreasing re-admission rates compared with NS (RR=0.93; 95% CI=0.70, 1.23). No potential publication bias was observed (Begg's, P=0.133; Egger's, P=0.576). In conclusion, 3% HS was demonstrated to be a more successful therapy compared with NS for infants with bronchiolitis.

Association between interleukin-10 gene promoter polymorphisms and susceptibility to liver cirrhosis.

We conducted a case-control study to investigate the association between three common SNPs in IL-10 gene (rs1800896, rs1800871 and rs1800872) and the development of liver cirrhosis in a Chinese population. Between January 2013 and December 2014, a total of 318 patients with liver cirrhosis and 318 health control subjects were enrolled into our study. The IL-10 rs1800896, rs1800871 and rs1800872 polymorphisms were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, we found that individuals with the AA genotype and GA+AA genotype of IL-10 rs1800896 were more likely to have an increased risk of liver cirrhosis when compared with the GG genotype, and the ORs (95% CI) for the AA genotype and GA+AA genotype were 2.04 (1.20-3.50) and 1.41 (1.02-1.96), respectively. We found that the GA+AA genotype of IL-10 rs1800896 had higher risk of liver cirrhosis in individuals with chronic hepatitis B when compared with the GG genotype (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.01-3.59). In conclusion, we found that IL-10 rs1800896 polymorphism was correlated with an increased risk of liver cirrhosis, especially in individuals with chronic hepatitis B.

Effects of gastric cancer cells on the differentiation of Treg cells.

The aim of this study was evaluated the prevalence of Treg cells in peripheral blood in patients with gastric cancer, and investigate the effect of gastric cancer cells on their differentiation. ELISA was employed to assess the concentrations of TGF-ß and IL-10 in gastric cancer patients' serum. Then, mouse gastric cancer cells were co-cultured with T lymphocytes or T lymphocytes + anti-TGF-ß. Flow cytometric analysis and RT-PCR were then performed to detect Treg cells and TGF-ß and IL-10 expression in gastric cancer cells. Our data showed that the expression of TGF-ß and IL-10 in the patients with gastric cancer was increased compared to the case with healthy donors. The population of Treg cells and the expression levels of TGF-ß and IL-10 in the co-culture group were much higher than in the control group (18.6% vs 9.5%) (P<0.05). Moreover, the population of Treg cells and the expression levels of TGF-ß and IL-10 in the co-culture systerm were clearly decreased after addition of anti-TGF-ß (7.7% vs 19.6%) (P<0.01). In conclusion, gastric cancer cells may induce Treg cell differentiation through TGF-ß, and further promote immunosuppression.

[Drought resistance evaluation system for backcross lines of Dongxiang common wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.)].

A total of 79 rice materials containing Dongxiang wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff. ) backcross lines (Dwr)/Xie-qingzao B (Xqz B)//Xqz B and their parents were chosen as the test objects to study the relationships between the drought resistance of these materials and the 31 drought resistance indices at germinating stage, seedling stage, booting stage, and mature stage. The results showed that the drought resistance index or the drought resistance coefficient of these materials were significantly correlated to the relative germination energy (RGE) under 15% PEG-6000 drought stress, the germination drought resistance index (GDRI) and relative germination energy (RGE) under 20% PEG-6000 drought stress, and the relative value of maximum root length (MRL), seeding height (SH), fresh root mass (FRM), dry root mass (DRM), root relative water content (RRWC), wilting rate (WR), leaf soluble sugar content (LSSC), leaf proline content (LPC), leaf MDA content (LMDAC), leaf relative water content (LRWC), level of rolling leaf (RL), plant height (PH), tiller number per plant (TNP), productive tiller number per plant (PTNP), filled spikelets per panicle (FSP), panicle density (PD), seed setting rate (SR), and 1000-grain mass (TGM) under water stress. Through stepwise regression analysis, nine drought resistance indices including the RGE under 20% PEG-6000 drought stress and the relative values of DRM, RRWC, LSSC, LPC, LMDAC, ETNP, SR, and TGM under water stress were selected. Base on these indices and their partial correlation coefficients, the drought resistance evaluation equation (D value) and evaluation system were established, which could well assess the drought resistance of the Dongxiang common wild rice backcross lines at different growth stages.