Effect of ambient ozone pollution on disease burden globally: A systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to ambient ozone pollution causes health loss and even death, and both are the main risk factors for the disease burden worldwide. We comprehensively evaluated the ozone pollution-related disease burden. METHODS: First, numbers and age-standardized rates of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were assessed globally and by sub-types in 2019. Furthermore, the temporal trend of the disease burden was explored by the linear regression model from 1990 to 2019. The cluster analysis was used to evaluate the changing pattern of related disease burden across Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) regions. Finally, the age-period-cohort (APC) model and the Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model were used to predict the future disease burden in the next 25 years. RESULT: Exposure to ozone pollution contributed to 365,222 deaths and 6,210,145 DALYs globally in 2019, which accounted for 0.65 % of deaths globally and 0.24 % of DALYs globally. The disease burden was consistently increasing with age. Males were high-risk populations and low-middle socio-demographic index (SDI) regions were high-risk areas. The disease burden of ozone pollution varied considerably across the GBD regions and the countries. In 2019, the number of deaths and DALYs cases increased by 76.11 % and 56.37 %, respectively compared to those in 1990. The predicted results showed that the number of deaths cases and DALYs cases for both genders would still increase from 2020 to 2044. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, ambient ozone pollution has threatened public health globally. More proactive and effective strategic measures should be developed after considering global-specific circumstances.

Overexpression of malic enzyme is involved in breast cancer growth and is correlated with poor prognosis.

Malic enzyme (ME) genes are key functional metabolic enzymes playing a crucial role in carcinogenesis. However, the detailed effects of ME gene expression on breast cancer progression remain unclear. Here, our results revealed ME1 expression was significantly upregulated in breast cancer, especially in patients with oestrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer. Furthermore, upregulation of ME1 was significantly associated with more advanced pathological stages (p < 0.001), pT stage (p < 0.001) and tumour grade (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed ME1 upregulation was associated with poor disease-specific survival (DSS: p = 0.002) and disease-free survival (DFS: p = 0.003). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed ME1 upregulation was significantly correlated with poor DSS (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.08-2.52; p = 0.021) and DFS (AHR, 1.57; 95% CI: 1.03-2.41; p = 0.038). Stratification analysis indicated ME1 upregulation was significantly associated with poor DSS (p = 0.039) and DFS (p = 0.038) in patients with non-triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, ME1 expression did not affect the DSS of patients with TNBC. Biological function analysis revealed ME1 knockdown could significantly suppress the growth of breast cancer cells and influence its migration ability. Furthermore, the infiltration of immune cells was significantly reduced when they were co-cultured with breast cancer cells with ME1 knockdown. In summary, ME1 plays an oncogenic role in the growth of breast cancer; it may serve as a potential biomarker of progression and constitute a therapeutic target in patients with breast cancer.

Health-related quality of life in Chinese SLE patients: evidence from 1568 SLE patients and 2610 healthy controls.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), the relationship between disease activity and HRQOL, and potential factors affecting HRQOL in Chinese SLE patients. METHODS: This study recruited 1568 patients and 2610 controls to explore the effects of SLE on HRQOL. The association between disease activity and HRQOL, and the influencing factors of HRQOL were determined in 1568 patients. Then, we prospectively followed 1096 patients to explore the association between reduced disease activity and improved HRQOL, and the influencing factors of improved HRQOL. The Short-Form 36 (SF-36) and SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) were used to evaluate HRQOL and disease activity. RESULTS: Chinese SLE patients had lower HRQOL than controls in all domains (P < 0.001), especially in role-physical (RP) and role-emotional (RE). Compared with SLE patients from outside China, the HRQOL of Chinese patients appeared to be higher in mental component summary (MCS) but lower in RP and RE. SLEDAI was negatively correlated with HRQOL, which was validated using the results of a follow-up study, where SLEDAI reduction was positively associated with HRQOL improvements (P < 0.05). Furthermore, personality, life nervous and experiences of adverse life events may influence HRQOL and HRQOL improvements. CONCLUSION: SLE significantly affected the HRQOL of Chinese patients, especially in RP and RE. Disease activity was negatively correlated with HRQOL. We also found for the first time some factors affecting HRQOL, which can be regarded as the basis for improving the HRQOL of SLE patients.

Meteorological factors cannot be ignored in machine learning-based methods for predicting dengue, a systematic review.

In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the application of machine learning methods about predicting the incidence of dengue fever. However, the predictive factors and models employed in different studies vary greatly. Hence, we conducted a systematic review to summarize machine learning methods and predictors in previous studies. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases for articles published up to July 2023. The selected papers included not only the forecast of dengue incidence but also machine learning methods. A total of 23 papers were included in this study. Predictive factors included meteorological factors (22, 95.7%), historical dengue data (14, 60.9%), environmental factors (4, 17.4%), socioeconomic factors (4, 17.4%), vector surveillance data (2, 8.7%), and internet search data (3, 13.0%). Among meteorological factors, temperature (20, 87.0%), rainfall (20, 87.0%), and relative humidity (14, 60.9%) were the most commonly used. We found that Support Vector Machine (SVM) (6, 26.1%), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) (5, 21.7%), Random Forest (RF) (4, 17.4%), Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) (2, 8.7%), ensemble model (2, 8.7%), and other models (4, 17.4%) were identified as the best models based on evaluation metrics used in each article. These results indicate that meteorological factors are important predictors that cannot be ignored and SVM and LSTM algorithms are the most commonly used models in dengue fever prediction with good predictive performance. This review will contribute to the development of more robust early dengue warning systems and promote the application of machine learning methods in predicting climate-related infectious diseases.

Risk Factors Associated with Postoperative Outcomes in Diverticular Disease Undergoing Elective Colectomy-A Retrospective Cohort Study from the ACS-NSQIP Database.

Recommendations for elective colectomies after recovery from uncomplicated acute diverticulitis should be individualized. The kinds of associated risk factors that should be considered for this approach remain undetermined. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors associated with postoperative outcomes in patients with diverticular disease after receiving an elective colectomy. This is a retrospective study using the multi-institutional, nationally validated database of the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP). The patients who were diagnosed with diverticular disease and received an elective colectomy were included in our risk factor analyses. Postoperative mortality, morbidity, and overall complications were measured. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to demonstrate the risk factors. We analyzed 30,468 patients with diverticular disease, 67% of whom received an elective colectomy. The rate of 30-day mortality was 0.2%, and superficial surgical site infection was the most common postoperative morbidity (7.2%) in the elective colectomies. The independent risk factors associated with overall complications were age ≥ 75, BMI ≥ 30, smoking status, dyspnea, hypertension, current kidney dialysis, chronic steroid use, ASA III, and open colectomy. In laparoscopic colectomy, 67.5% of the elective colectomies, the associated risk factors associated with overall complications still included age ≥ 75, smoking, hypertension, chronic steroid use, and ASA III. Identification of patient-specific risk factors may inform the decision-making process for elective colectomy and reduce the postoperative complications after mitigation of those risk factors.

Associations of family income and healthy lifestyle with all-cause mortality.

Background: There is a lack of evidence on whether combined lifestyle factors mediate the association between family income and all-cause mortality, as well as the joint relations between family income and lifestyle factors with mortality. Methods: Using data on family income and lifestyle factors of participants in the US National Health Interview Survey 2016-2018, we performed multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of all-cause mortality with said data. Results: We included 73 729 participants with a mean age of 47.1 years (standard deviation (SD) = 18.0), 51% of whom were women and 65% of whom were non-Hispanic Whites. There were 2284 deaths documented. After multivariable adjustment, middle-income participants had an OR of 0.73 (95% CI = 0.61-0.88) for mortality, while high-income participants had an OR of 0.47 (95% CI = 0.37-0.60) compared with low-income participants. We found that lower all-cause mortality was related to higher lifestyle scores. Adults from high-income families with lifestyle scores of 3 and 4 had an OR for mortality of 0.44 (95% CI = 0.30-0.65) compared to those from low-income families and lifestyle scores of 0 or 1. When comparing those in highest vs lowest income groups in the mediation analysis, 9.8% (95% CI = 7.4-13.0) of the relation for all-cause mortality was mediated by lifestyles. Adults from high-income families with lifestyle scores of 3 or 4 had an OR of 0.23 (95% CI = 0.17-0.33) for mortality compared with those from low-income families and lifestyle scores of 0 or 1. Conclusions: A lower risk of all-cause mortality was linked to higher family income and healthier lifestyles. Furthermore, lifestyle factors mediated a small proportion of the association between family income and mortality among US adults. Economic disparity in health may not be eliminated by changing only one's lifestyle. Therefore, besides promoting a healthy lifestyle, we should stress how family income inequality affects health outcomes.

Differentiation of Morphological Traits and Genome-Wide Expression Patterns between Rice Subspecies Indica and Japonica.

Changes in gene expression patterns can lead to the variation of morphological traits. This phenomenon is particularly evident in recent evolution events such as crop domestication and responses to environmental stress, where alterations in expression levels can efficiently give rise to domesticated syndromes and adaptive phenotypes. Rice (Oryza sativa L.), one of the world's most crucial cereal crops, comprises two morphologically distinct subspecies, Indica and Japonica. To investigate the morphological divergence between these two rice subspecies, this study planted a total of 315 landrace individuals of both Indica and Japonica under identical cultivation conditions. Out of the 16 quantitative traits measured in this study, 12 exhibited significant differences between the subspecies. To determine the genetic divergence between Indica and Japonica at the whole-genome sequence level, we constructed a phylogenetic tree using a resequencing dataset encompassing 95 rice landrace accessions. The samples formed two major groups that neatly corresponded to the two subspecies, Indica and Japonica. Furthermore, neighbor-joining (NJ) trees based on the expression quantity of effectively expressed genes (EEGs) across five different tissues categorized 12 representative samples into two major clades aligning with the two subspecies. These results imply that divergence in genome-wide expression levels undergoes stabilizing selection under non-stressful conditions, with evolutionary trends in expression levels mirroring sequence variation levels. This study further supports the pivotal role of changes in genome-wide expression regulation in the divergence of the two rice subspecies, Indica and Japonica.

Response to programmed cell death protein 1 antibody in patients with Epstein-Barr virus-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

AIM: Epstein-Barr virus-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EBVaICC) has a distinct genomic profile and increased CD3+ and CD8+ T cells infiltration. However, the efficacy of immunotherapy in EBVaICC remains largely unknown. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody therapy in EBVaICC. METHODS: Patients with metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC) diagnosed at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2016 to December 2021 were identified. In situ hybridisation was performed to detect EBV. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were measured. RESULTS: A total of 698 patients with metastatic BTC were identified, of whom 39 (5.6%) had EBVaICC. Among the 136 patients who were not administered PD-1 antibody, the OS was similar between patients with EBVaICC and EBV-negative ICC (median OS 12.5 versus 9.5 months, respectively; P = 0.692). For the 205 patients who were administered PD-1 antibody, patients with EBVaICC had significantly longer OS than patients with EBV-negative ICC (median OS 24.9 versus 11.9 months, respectively; P = 0.004). Seventeen patients with EBVaICC were administered PD-1 antibody. Eight patients (47%) achieved a partial response, and 17 patients achieved disease control. The median PFS was 17.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a clinically actionable subset of patients with EBVaICC with a promising response to the PD-1 antibody.

Free triiodothyronine predicts the risk of developing diabetic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of Free Triiodothyronine (FT3) are associated with poor survival in chronic kidney disease, and the aim of this study was to further assess the relationship between changes in FT3 levels and renal damage in patients with type 2 diabetes based on glomerular and tubular markers. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 452 type 2 diabetic patients, measured glomerular damage markers (UACR, eGFR) and tubular damage markers (NAG/Cr,ß2-MG), analyzed the relationship between FT3 and renal damage by logistic regression models, and plotted restrictive cubic splines. RESULTS: 41.6% of subjects had diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and the prevalence of DKD decreased progressively with increasing FT3 levels in the third quartile. Spearman correlation analysis showed that FT3 was negatively associated with UACR, NAG/Cr and ß2-MG, while eGFR was positively associated with FT3. Multifactorial analysis, after adjusting for relevant confounders, revealed that compared with the lowest quartile of FT3, the highest quartile reduced the risk of developing urinary albumin (OR = 0.499,95% CI:0.289-0.856), moderate to severe impairment of glomerular filtration rate (OR = 0.106,95% CI:0.032-0.354), renal tubular marker ß2 -MG positive (OR = 0.516,95% CI:0.299 to 0.883) and the risk of DKD occurrence (OR = 0.450,95% CI:0.260 to 0.774). In the sample model, FT3 levels below 4.39 pmol/L were associated with an increased risk of glomerular tubule injury and DKD occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: FT3 is closely associated with glomerular tubular injury and is a protective factor. As FT3 levels (< 4.39 pmol/L) decrease, the risk of developing DKD becomes higher, and FT3 can be used as an independent predictor of developing DKD.

Survival Evidence of Local Control for Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases by Hepatectomy and/or Radiofrequency Ablation.

Hepatectomy and/or local ablation therapy have been recommended for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRLM). However, they still lack strong evidence for their survival benefits, in addition to systemic therapy. This study aims to evaluate the survival evidence of hepatectomy and/or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) therapy in CRLM patients from a large multi-institutional database. A total of 20,251 patients with colorectal cancer, 4521 of whom were with CRLM, were screened for eligibility. Finally, 2612 patients (637 hepatectomy, 93 RFA, 92 combined hepatectomy and RFA, and 1790 non-aggressive treatment) were enrolled. Frequency matching analysis was used to adjust for baseline differences. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was as follows: hepatectomy alone was 47.8%, combined hepatectomy plus RFA was 35.9%, RFA alone was 29.2%, and the non-aggressive treatment group was 7.4%. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that hepatectomy, RFA, and combination were significantly associated with a better OS compared to those without aggressive local therapy (p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that male gender (hazard ratio (HR) 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.81-0.97; p = 0.011), old age (≥60 years) (HR 1.20; 95% CI, 1.09-1.32; p < 0.001), high CEA level (>5 ng/mL) (HR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.89-2.42; p < 0.001), primary right-sided cancer (HR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.22-1.51; p < 0.001), extrahepatic metastasis (HR 1.46; 95% CI, 1.33-1.60; p < 0.001), systemic therapy (HR 0.7; 95% CI, 0.62-0.79; p < 0.001), and aggressive local therapy (hepatectomy vs. non-local therapy HR 0.22; 95% CI, 0.20-0.26; p < 0.001; RFA vs. non-local therapy HR 0.29; 95% CI, 0.29-0.41; p < 0.001) were independent factors associated with OS. In the frequency matching analysis, patients receiving hepatectomy and/or RFA resulted in a better OS than those without (p < 0.001). In conclusion, aggressive local treatment provides survival advantages over systemic therapy alone among CRLM patients.

Interplay of Chemokines Receptors, Toll-like Receptors, and Host Immunological Pathways.

A comprehensive framework has been established for understanding immunological pathways, which can be categorized into eradicated and tolerable immune responses. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are associated with specific immune responses. TH1 immunity is related to TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9, while TH2 immunity is associated with TLR1, TLR2, and TLR6. TH22 immunity is linked to TLR2, TLR4, and TLR5, and THαß (Tr1) immunity is related to TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9. The chemokine receptor CXCR5 is a marker of follicular helper T cells, and other chemokine receptors can also be classified within a framework based on host immunological pathways. On the basis of a literature review on chemokines and immunological pathways, the following associations were identified: CCR5 with TH1 responses, CCR1 with TH1-like responses, CCR4 (basophils) and CCR3 (eosinophils) with TH2 and TH9 responses, CCR10 with TH22 responses, CCR6 with TH17 responses, CXCR3 with THαß responses, CCR8 with regulatory T cells (Treg), and CCR2 with TH3 responses. These findings contribute to the identification of biomarkers for immune cells and provide insights into host immunological pathways. Understanding the chemokine and Toll-like receptor system is crucial for comprehending the function of the innate immune system, as well as adaptive immune responses.

PD98059 protects SH-SY5Y cells against oxidative stress in oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion.

Mitochondria play a key role in the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Although the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (PD) is a selective and reversible flavonoid that can protect the mitochondria in a rat model of cardiac arrest/cardiopulmonary resuscitation, its role requires further confirmation. In this study, we investigated whether PD could maintain mitochondrial homeostasis and decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R). PD improved the mitochondrial morphology and function, reversed the increase in ROS production and cell apoptosis, and reduced total-superoxide dismutase and Mn-superoxide dismutase activities induced by OGD/R. PD decreases ROS production and improves mitochondrial morphology and function, protecting SH-SY5Y cells against OGD/R-induced injury.

Traffic-related air pollution, adherence to healthy lifestyles, and risk of cognitive impairment: A nationwide population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is a risk factor for cognitive function, whereas healthy lifestyles are associated with better cognition. We aimed to examine their joint effects on cognition among the Chinese elderly. METHODS: The data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey was used. Participants' cognitive performance was assessed by the Chinese version of the mini-mental state examination. Residential proximity to major roadways was obtained through self-report and categorized into five categories: > 300 m, 201-300 m, 101-200 m, 50-100 m, and < 50 m, serving as a surrogate for TRAP. Six lifestyle behaviors (smoking, drinking, exercise, body mass index, sleep duration, and dietary diversity) were taken into account to calculate healthy lifestyle scores. The scores ranged from zero to six and were then divided into three groups: healthy (5-6), intermediate (2-4), and unhealthy (0-1). Logistic regression models were applied to investigate the joint effects of TRAP and healthy lifestyle scores on cognition. RESULTS: Compared to participants living < 50 m from major roadways and adopting an unhealthy lifestyle, those living > 300 m from major roadways and adopting a healthy lifestyle had a significantly decreased risk of cognitive impairment. Stratified analysis indicated that the associations between TRAP and cognitive impairment were more pronounced among participants adopting an unhealthy lifestyle compared to the participants adopting a healthy lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: TRAP may impair cognitive function, and its detrimental impacts may be lessened by healthy lifestyles.

Identification of an immunodominant IgE epitope of Der f 40, a novel allergen of Dermatophagoides farinae.

Background: House dust mites (HDMs), including Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der p) and Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) species, represent a major source of inhalant allergens that induce IgE-mediated anaphylactic reactions. HDM allergen identification is important to the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. Here, we report the identification of a novel HDM allergen, which we suggest naming Der f 40, and its immunodominant IgE epitopes. Methods: The recombinant protein Der f 40 was expressed using a pET prokaryotic expression system and purified with Ni-NTA resins. IgE binding activity was evaluated by IgE-western blot, dot-blot, and ELISA. Mast cell activation testing was performed to assess the cellular effects of IgE binding in mouse bone marrow derived mast cells (BMMCs) expressing human FcεRI. IgE binding assays were performed with truncated and hybrid Der f 40 protein molecules to find immunodominant IgE epitopes. Results: A 106-amino acid (aa) recombinant Der f Group 40 protein (rDer f 40) was obtained (GenBank accession No. XP_046915420.1) as thiredoxin-like protein. Der f 40 was shown to bind IgE from HDM allergic serum in vitro (9.68%; 12/124 in IgE-ELISA), and shown to promote the release of ß-hexosaminidase from BMMCs dose-dependently when administered with HDM allergic sera. The Der f Group 40 protein was named Der f 40 and listed in the World Health Organization and International Union of Immunological Societies (WHO/IUIS) Allergen Nomenclature Sub-committee. IgE binding assays with Der f 40-based truncated and hybrid proteins indicated that IgE binding epitopes are likely located in the C-terminal region and dependent on conformational structure. The 76-106-aa region of C-terminus was identified as an immunodominant IgE epitope of Der f 40. Conclusion: A novel HDM allergen with robust IgE binding activity was identified and named Der f 40. An immunodominant IgE epitope of Der f 40 with conformational dependency was identified in the C-terminus (aa 76-106). These findings provide new information that may be useful in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents for HDM allergy.

The Description and Prediction of Incidence, Prevalence, Mortality, Disability-Adjusted Life Years Cases, and Corresponding Age-Standardized Rates for Global Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes is a life-long disease that poses a serious threat to safety and health. We aimed to assess the disease burden attributable to diabetes globally and by different subgroups, and to predict future disease burden using statistical models. METHODS: This study was divided into three stages. Firstly, we evaluated the disease burden attributable to diabetes globally and by different subgroups in 2019. Second, we assessed the trends from 1990 to 2019. We estimated the annual percentage change of disease burden by applying a linear regression model. Finally, the age-period-cohort model was used to predict the disease burden from 2020 to 2044. Sensitivity analysis was performed with time-series models. RESULTS: In 2019, the number of incidence cases of diabetes globally was 22239396 (95% uncertainty interval (UI): 20599519-24058945). The number of prevalence cases was 459875371 (95% UI 423474244-497980624) the number of deaths cases was 1551170 (95% UI 1445555-1650675) and the number of disability-adjusted life years cases was 70880155 (95% UI 59707574-84174005). The disease burden was lower in females than males and increased with age. The disease burden associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus was greater than that with type 1; the burden also varied across different socio-demographic index regions and different countries. The global disease burden of diabetes increased significantly over the past 30 years and will continue to increase in the future. CONCLUSION: The disease burden of diabetes contributed significantly to the global disease burden. It is important to improve treatment and diagnosis to halt the growth in disease burden.

Isolation of three MiDi19-4 genes from mango, the ectopic expression of which confers early flowering and enhances stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Three Di19-4 genes were identified in mango. Overexpression of MiDi19-4B in A. thaliana promoted earlier flowering and enhanced drought, salt, and ABA resistance. Drought-induced protein 19 (Di19) is a drought-induced protein that is mainly involved in multiple stress responses. Here, three Di19-4 genes (MiDi19-4A/B/C) in mango (Mangifera indica L.) were identified, and the coding sequences (CDS) had lengths of 684, 666, and 672 bp and encoded proteins with 228, 222, and 224 amino acids, respectively. The promoters of the MiDi19-4 genes contained phytohormone-, light-, and abiotic stress-responsive elements. The MiDi19-4 genes were expressed in every tissue and highly expressed in leaves. Moreover, MiDi19-4 genes were highly correlated with the vegetative growth period and induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) or salt stress. MiDi19-4B displayed the highest expression during the vegetative growth period and then showed decreased expression, and MiDi19-4B was highly expressed at both the late stage of the vegetative growth period and the initial stage of the flowering induction period. The 35S::GFP-MiDi19-4B fusion protein was located in the cell nucleus. The transgenic plants ectopically expressing MiDi19-4B exhibited earlier flowering and increased expression patterns of FRUITFULL (AtFUL), APETALA1 (AtAP1), and FLOWERING LOCUS T (AtFT). The drought and salt tolerance of MiDi19-4B transgenic plants was significantly increased, and these plants showed decreased sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) and considerably increased expression levels of drought- and salt-related genes and ABA signalling pathway genes. Additionally, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments revealed that the MiDi19-4B protein interacted with CAULIFLOWER (MiCAL1), MiCAL2, MiAP1-1, and MiAP1-2. Taken together, these results highlighted the important regulatory roles of MiDi19-4B in tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses and in flowering.

[Characterization and identification of chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine Psoraleae Fructus based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS].

This study was designed to comprehensively characterize and identify the chemical components in traditional Chinese medicine Psoraleae Fructus by establishing an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) method in combination with in-house library. The chromatographic separation conditions(stationary phase, column temperature, mobile phase, and elution gradient) and key MS monitoring parameters(capillary voltage, nozzle voltage, and fragmentor) were sequentially optimized via single-factor experiments. A BEH C_(18) column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.7 µm) was finally adopted, with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% formic acid in water(A) and acetonitrile(B) at the flow rate of 0.4 mL·min~(-1) and column temperature of 30 ℃. Auto MS/MS was utilized for data acquisition in both positive and negative ion modes. By comparison with reference compounds, analysis of the MS~2 fragments, in-house library retrieval and literature research, 83 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized from Psoraleae Fructus, including 58 flavonoids, 11 coumarins, 4 terpenoid phenols, and 10 others. Sixteen of them were identified by comparison with reference compounds, and ten compounds may have not been reported from Psoraleae Fructus. This study achieved a rapid qualitative analysis on the chemical components in Psoraleae Fructus, which provided useful reference for elucidating its material basis and promoting the quality control.

Interaction between home and community-based services and PM2.5 on cognition: A prospective cohort study of Chinese elderly.

PM2.5 and home and community-based services (HCBSs) had been shown to affect cognition, but the evidence on their joint effects was limited. Aimed to study the joint effects of HCBSs and PM2.5 on cognition, we utilized the follow-up data of participants in the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS) who were 65 years of age or older and had normal cognitive function at baseline for the 2008-2018, 2011-2018, and 2014-2018 waves. 16,954, 9,765, and 7192 participants from each of these three waves were initially recruited, respectively. The PM2.5 concentration data of each province in China from 2008 to 2018 was obtained from the Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group. Participants were asked what kind of HCBSs were available in their community. The cognitive status of the participants was evaluated by the Chinese version of Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE). We applied the Cox proportional hazard regression model to investigate the joint effects of HCBSs and PM2.5 on cognition and further stratified the analysis according to HCBSs. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated based on Cox models. During a median follow-up period of 5.2 years, 911 (8.8%) participants with normal baseline cognitive function developed cognitive impairment. Compared to participants without HCBSs and exposed to the highest level of PM2.5, those with HCBSs and exposed to the lowest level of PM2.5 had a significantly reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment (HR = 0.428, 95% CI: 0.303-0.605). The results from the stratified analysis revealed that the detrimental effect of PM2.5 on cognition was more pronounced in participants without HCBSs (HR = 3.44, 95% CI: 2.18-5.41) compared with those with HCBSs (HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.77-2.61). HCBSs may attenuate the harmful impact of PM2.5 on cognitive status in the elderly Chinese and the government should further promote the application of HCBSs.