Effect of LRRC15 on autophagy in A549 cells.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, chronic, and irreversible interstitial lung disease with unknown cause. To explore the role and regulatory mechanism of leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15 (LRRC15) in IPF, bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mouse and A549 cells were constructed, and the expression of LRRC15 were detected. Then, MTT, GFP-RFP-LC3 dual fluorescent labeling system and Western blotting were used to investigate the effects of LRRC15 on cell activity and autophagy after transfection of siLRRC15, respectively. The results indicated that the expression of LRRC15 was significantly increased after the BLM treatment in mouse lung tissue and A549 cells. The designed and synthesized siLRRC15 followed by transfection into A549 cells resulted in a dramatic reduction in LRRC15 expression and partially restored the cell damage induced by BLM. Moreover, the expression of LC3-II and P62 were up-regulated, the amount of autophagosome were increased by GFP-RFP-LC3 dual fluorescent labeling assay after BLM treatment. Meanwhile, this study also showed that the key autophagy proteins LC3-II, ATG5 and ATG7 were up-regulated, P62 was down-regulated and autophagic flux were enhanced after further treatment of A549 cells with siLRRC15. The above findings suggest that LRRC15 is an indicator of epithelial cell damage and may participate in the regulation of fibrosis through autophagy mechanism in IPF. This study provides necessary theoretical basis for further elucidating the mechanism of IPF.

First Report of Xanthomonas perforans Causing Bacterial Spot of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) in North Carolina.

North Carolina (NC) is the fifth largest producer of bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the US with an estimated 2,400 acres in production (NASS-USDA, 2022). A survey of bacterial diseases of peppers was initiated in 2020 after numerous bacterial spot outbreaks were reported in NC. Bacterial spot is caused by a complex of four Xanthomonads: X. euvesicatoria, X. vesicatoria, X. perforans, and X. hortorum pv. gardneri (Larrahondo-Rodríguez et al., 2022). If not preemptively managed, bacterial spot can cause up to 40% yield loss (Kousik and Ritchie, 1998). During the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons, 103 yellow mucoid colonies were isolated from plants representing 51 pepper cultivars symptomatic of bacterial spot, i.e., water-soaked leaf lesions that become necrotic spots on leaves and fruits across 22 commercial fields in NC following published methods (Klein-Gordon et al., 2021). All colonies were characterized to species using the qPCR species-specific primers and probes described by Strayer et al. 2016. Of the 103 colonies, 12 isolates tested positive for X. perforans. To confirm qPCR results, a Multi-Locus Sequence Analysis (MLSA) was run using fusA, gapA, gltA, gyrB, and lacF following previously described methods (Almeida et al., 2010) on three representative isolates: AHX61, collected in September 2020 from a field with 20% disease severity in Wake County on cv. Canary Bell; AHX261, collected in July 2021 from a field with 50% disease severity in Sampson County on Jalapeño; and AHX426, collected in August 2021 from a field with 50% disease severity in Dublin County on Jalapeño. All gene sequences were deposited to NCBI (GenBank Accessions: OQ799538-OQ799552) and compared to those from X. euvesicatoria, X. hortorum pv. gardneri, X. perforans, and X. vesicatoria type strains (Almeida et al., 2010). The MLSA showed AHX61, AHX261, and AHX426 cluster with X. perforans ICMP16690T, sharing 99-100% nucleotide similarity. Koch's postulates were performed with the three strains, Xp1484T [ X. perforans type strain, (Wilson 1987)], and water as a negative control. Three 10-week-old bell pepper plants (cv. Early Cal Wonder) were dip-inoculated in 600 mL of a bacterial suspension at an OD600 of 0.3 (~5x108 CFU/mL) and 0.04% Silwet L-77 per strain or water. All 18 plants were individually incubated in a plastic bag for 48 h post-inoculation at 28°C, 80% relative humidity, and 14 h:10 h light-dark cycle in a growth chamber, after which plastic bags were removed. Water-soaking and necrotic spots characteristic of bacterial spot were first observed at six days post-inoculation (dpi). At 14 dpi, symptomatic leaves were removed from treated plants to attempt pathogen re-isolation. Yellow mucoid colonies similar in morphology to those originally inoculated were recovered from all plants and confirmed to be X. perforans through sequencing; no isolates were recovered from water-treated plants. To our knowledge, this is the first time X. perforans is isolated in commercial bell pepper and specialty pepper fields in the state. This is an indication that the Xanthomonas population on peppers in the state is more diverse than previously reported and that pathogen populations will require monitoring for possible species shifts for this crop in NC.

Endoluminal Sigmoid Sinus Occlusion During Jugular Foramen Tumor Surgery: Novel Technique, Operative Nuances, and Clinical Experience With 33 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Surgery of jugular foramen tumors (JFTs) often requires vascular control by means of ligating the internal jugular vein and sigmoid sinus (SS) to allow intrabulbar access. Occlusion of the SS traditionally involves presigmoid and retrosigmoid durotomies allowing introduction of ligature devices, predisposing to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage and pseudomeningoceles. We describe a simple and novel endoluminal sigmoid sinus occlusion (ESSO) technique with Gelfoam that is entirely extradural. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: An extended anterolateral infralabyrinthine approach with ESSO was performed in 33 patients with JFTs. After ligating the internal jugular vein, the SS is opened and Gelfoam is placed endoluminally into the proximal SS. Care is taken to avoid occlusion of the venous outflow of the vein of Labbe to avoid temporal lobe venous infarction. Hemostatic gelatin matrix is injected distally to stop venous backflow from the inferior petrosal sinus. The jugular venous system is isolated, and the outer jugular wall can be opened to expose the JFT for resection. There were no complications of temporal lobe venous infarction or postoperative hematoma observed. Four patients with intradural tumor extension developed pseudomeningoceles. For patients with purely extradural JFTs, none developed postoperative incisional CSF leaks and one had pseudomeningocele. CONCLUSION: This ESSO technique is fast and effective, permitting occlusion of the SS during JFT surgery. It has the advantage of being entirely extradural, avoiding durotomy which can result in postoperative CSF leak. It is important to keep the Gelfoam distal to the transverse-sigmoid junction to avoid occlusion of the vein of Labbe inlet and temporal lobe venous infarction.

Spiritual Needs and Influencing Factors of Postoperative Breast Cancer Women Undergoing Chemotherapy: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the status of spiritual needs and influencing factors of postoperative breast cancer (BC) women undergoing chemotherapy. Participants and Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study. A total of 173 participants completed a general information questionnaire and a Chinese version of the Spiritual Needs Scale at the Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital. Data were collected by purposive sampling from December 2022 to April 2023. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, non-parametric test, and logistic regression analysis. Results: The spiritual needs of postoperative BC women undergoing chemotherapy were at a high level (84.20 ± 12.86). The need for "hope and peace" was considered paramount and the need for a "relationship with transcendence" was considered the least important. Significant differences were found in the following: spiritual needs total score (P=0.040) and "hope and peace" (P=0.021) in education level; "love and connection" in disease stage (P=0.021); "meaning and purpose" in education level (P=0.013), household income (P=0.012), and payment method (P=0.015); "relationship with transcendence" in religion (P<0.001); and "acceptance of dying" in marital status (P=0.023). The level of education was the influencing factor of spiritual needs (OR=1.50, P=0.005), especially for "hope and peace" (OR=1.50, P=0.012). Conclusion: The spiritual need of postoperative BC Chinese women undergoing chemotherapy is at a high level and should receive more attention. In clinical work, nurses should fully assess the spiritual needs of patients and meet their specific needs. Results may help nurses to develop targeted and comprehensive spiritual intervention strategies according to the characteristics of patients.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) with Refractive and Diffractive Extended Depth of Focus (EDOF) Intraocular Lenses.

BACKGROUND: Extended depth of focus intraocular lenses (EDOF-IOLs) provide unaided far- and mid-range vision. Refractive IOLs, in contrast to diffractive designs, are associated with a lower depth of focus and absence of dysphotopsia. The aim of this study was to assess spectacle independence for far-range, mid-range, and near-vision activities in patients after implantation of refractive or diffractive EDOF-IOLs using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in a real-world setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 2021 and 2022, all patients in a single center referred for bilateral cataract surgery were assigned to 7 experienced cataract surgeons who either bilaterally implanted only a diffractive EDOF-IOL (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, AT LARA Jena, Germany, three surgeons) or refractive EDOF-IOL (Johnson & Johnson Vision Inc., Tecnis Eyhance Irvine, California, USA, four surgeons) at the surgeon's discretion, with the aim of bilateral emmetropia. Six months after both cataract surgeries, all patients were contacted by telephone and asked to report their outcomes using a structured questionnaire investigating their spectacle usage for various daily activities and their experience with night glare or halos. Inclusion criteria were a normal postoperative visual potential based on the preoperative examination and completion of the questionnaire regarding postoperative visual experience. RESULTS: Of the patients, 514 underwent bilateral cataract surgery aiming for bilateral emmetropia with the implantation of EDOF-IOLs (422 with Tecnis Eyhance and 92 with AT LARA). A complete questionnaire was obtained from 472 (92%) patients, who were included in the study (393 vs. 79). Comparing Tecnis Eyhance with AT LARA IOL, 54 vs. 57% patients were able to perform most of their daily activities without spectacles, 9 vs. 19% reported not being dependent on spectacles at all, 25 vs. 29% reported using their smartphones without spectacles, 15 vs. 49% patients reported experiencing glares or halos at night, and 1 vs.15% with driving disturbance. Overall, 95 vs. 93% patients described themselves as "satisfied" or "highly satisfied" with their IOL. CONCLUSIONS: With both types of EDOF-IOLs, the majority of patients could perform most of their daily activities without spectacles, except reading, and were highly satisfied with their IOLs. Patients with diffractive Zeiss AT LARA EDOF-IOLs were more likely to accomplish unaided near-range visual tasks; however, they were also at a higher risk of experiencing glares or halos at night.

Five-Year Risk and Safety Profile of Autologous Serum Eye Drop Therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk and safety profile of autologous serum eye drop therapy in clinical routine over a period of 5 years. METHODS: This retrospective study involved all patients treated with autologous serum between July 2014 and December 2019 at a tertiary ophthalmic referral center. The electronic patient record system was searched for all patients with autologous serum eye drop therapy at any time point. These records were subsequently searched for keywords such as infectious keratitis, corneal ulcer, conjunctivitis, or endophthalmitis at any recorded contact. The probability of an association between the therapy with autologous serum eye drops and infectious complications was investigated independently by three corneal specialists and rated as likely, potential, or unlikely. RESULTS: In total, 752 patients were treated with autologous serum eye drops between July 2014 and December 2019. There were 5 384 batches with a total of 107 680 bottles of serum eye drops that had been produced and dispensed for these patients during this period. The records of 291 patient showed a combination of autologous serum therapy and at least one keyword for infectious diseases. In 288 patients, individual case analyses revealed an unlikely association between the therapy and infection, as their infectious episodes occurred either before the start of the therapy, more than 1 month after the therapy ceased, or in the contralateral untreated eye in the case of unilateral therapy. Three cases of infectious keratitis were classified as potentially associated with autologous serum therapy. However, all three patients suffered from chronic anterior eye diseases with a high risk of spontaneous infectious complications independent of therapy with autologous eye drops. None of the infectious events was rated as being likely due to the serum eye drops. CONCLUSIONS: Serum eye drops are often used in patients with severe or chronic anterior eye diseases with an intrinsic risk of infectious diseases. Despite these preexisting risk factors, autologous serum eye drops can be considered safe, even in patients with a compromised ocular surface.

Pathologically successful conversion hepatectomy for advanced giant hepatocellular carcinoma after multidisciplinary therapy: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of death due to its complexity, heterogeneity, rapid metastasis and easy recurrence after surgical resection. We demonstrated that combination therapy with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE), hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), Epclusa, Lenvatinib and Sintilimab is useful for patients with advanced HCC. CASE SUMMARY: A 69-year-old man who was infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) 30 years previously was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a low-density mass in the right lobe of the liver, with a volume of 12.9 cm × 9.4 cm × 15 cm, and the mass exhibited a "fast-in/fast-out" pattern, with extensive filling defect areas in the right branch of the portal vein and an alpha-fetoprotein level as high as 657 ng/mL. Therefore, he was judged to have advanced HCC. During treatment, the patient received three months of Epclusa, three TACE treatments, two HAIC treatments, three courses of sintilimab, and twenty-one months of lenvatinib. In the third month of treatment, the patient developed severe side effects and had to stop immunotherapy, and the Lenvatinib dose had to be halved. Postoperative pathological diagnosis indicated a complete response. The patient recovered well after the operation, and no tumor recurrence was found. CONCLUSION: Multidisciplinary conversion therapy for advanced enormous HCC caused by HCV infection has a significant effect. Individualized drug adjustments should be made during any treatment according to the patient's tolerance to treatment.

Inflammatory marker profiles and in-hospital neurological deterioration in patients with acute minor ischemic stroke.

AIM: The aim of the study was to analyze the association between inflammatory marker profiles and in-hospital neurological deterioration (ND) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. METHODS: Data from patients with minor AIS from the Third China National Stroke Registry were analyzed. Inflammatory cytokine levels within 24 h of admission were measured. The primary outcome was in-hospital ND (an increase in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score ≥4 from admission to discharge). Associations were evaluated using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) derived from logistic regression models. Net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to evaluate incremental predictive values. RESULTS: A total of 4031 patients (1246 women, 30.9%) with a median age of 62 years were included. In-hospital ND occurred in 121 patients (3%). Each standard-deviation increase in interleukin (IL)-6 (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 1.06-1.31]) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (OR, 1.43 [95% CI, 1.24-1.66]) levels was associated with increased in-hospital ND risk. Incremental predictive values for adding IL-6 (IDI, 0.012; NRI, 0.329) but not hsCRP levels to the conventional risk factors were found. CONCLUSION: In minor AIS, hsCRP and IL-6 levels were associated with in-hospital ND, including IL-6 levels in prognostic models improved risk classification.

Household Dependence on Forest Resources in the Luki Biosphere Reserve, Democratic Republic of CONGO.

This study was aimed at examining the contribution of forest products to rural livelihoods and the socio-economic factors that influence household forest dependence in the Luki Biosphere Reserve. A structured questionnaire poll of 193 households randomly chosen from two enclaves in the Luki Biosphere Reserve, and focus group discussions were used to gather the data. For data analysis, a binary logistic regression model was used. The study revealed a substantial contribution of forest products to household livelihood based on household wealth strata and the gender of the household head. The contribution of forest income has been found to be higher for poor households than to other wealth categories, although their mean income from forest was low. However, the present research further revealed that household forest dependence was significantly determined by socioeconomic factors such as length of residency, age, sex, education, employment and household size. Compared to their elderly counterparts, the youth were probably more dependent on forest products. Therefore, there should be increased capacity-building efforts among the young people to enable them enlighten the local communities about the need for sustainable forest management. Meanwhile, highly educated people were observed to be less dependent on forests. The findings of this research provides empirical evidence from the Mayombe tropical forest, thus contributing to the growth of knowledge on the impact of socioeconomic factors on the household dependence on forest resources, especially in the tropical forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo where the complexity of the relationship between local communities and their environment is still being studied.

Epstein-Barr virus-positive iris diffuse large B-cell lymphoma detected by metagenomic next-generation sequencing.

PURPOSE: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a relatively rare subtype of DLBCL. Herein, we report a case of a patient with EBV-positive iris DLBCL after undergoing penetrating keratoplasty and discuss its possible pathogenesis. METHODS: A 72-year-old male patient presented to our hospital with progressive blurring of vision in the left eye for the past 4 months. Small white nodular lesions were observed on the iris and retinal surface of the left eye, with a white cloud-like opacity in the vitreous cavity. RESULTS: The patient was eventually diagnosed with EBV-positive iris DLBCL after undergoing pathological and metagenomic tests. After injecting methotrexate in the left vitreous cavity and administering systemic and local antiviral treatments, the ocular lesions disappeared. CONCLUSION: EBV infection, drug immunosuppression, and aging-related immune deterioration may play significant roles in the pathogenesis of EBV-positive iris DLBCL. SYNOPSIS: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a new subtype of DLBCL, which rarely occurs. Herein, we report a case of a patient with EBV-positive iris DLBCL after undergoing penetrating keratoplasty and discuss its possible pathogenesis.

Noninvasive hemoglobin quantification across different cohorts using a wearable diffuse reflectance spectroscopy system.

Quantifying hemoglobin is vital yet invasive through blood draws. We developed a wearable diffuse reflectance spectroscopy device comprising control and sensor boards with photodiodes and light-emitting diodes to noninvasively determine hemoglobin. Neural networks enabled recovery of optical parameters for chromophore fitting to calculate hemoglobin. Testing healthy and elderly subjects revealed strong correlation (r=0.9) between our system and invasive methods after data conversion. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated tight 95% limits of agreement from -1.98 to 1.98 g/dL between the DRS and invasive hemoglobin concentrations. By spectroscopically isolating hemoglobin absorption, interference from melanin was overcome. Our device has the potential for future integration into wearable technology, enabling hemoglobin level tracking.

Insights into optimal surgical fixation for posterior malleolar fractures.

Aims: The optimal management of posterior malleolar ankle fractures, a prevalent type of ankle trauma, is essential for improved prognosis. However, there remains a debate over the most effective surgical approach, particularly between screw and plate fixation methods. This study aims to investigate the differences in outcomes associated with these fixation techniques. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of clinical trials comparing anteroposterior (A-P) screws, posteroanterior (P-A) screws, and plate fixation. Two investigators validated the data sourced from multiple databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Web of Science). Following PRISMA guidelines, we carried out a network meta-analysis (NMA) using visual analogue scale and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included range of motion limitations, radiological outcomes, and complication rates. Results: The NMA encompassed 13 studies, consisting of four randomized trials and eight retrospective ones. According to the surface under the cumulative ranking curve-based ranking, the A-P screw was ranked highest for improvements in AOFAS and exhibited lowest in infection and peroneal nerve injury incidence. The P-A screws, on the other hand, excelled in terms of VAS score improvements. Conversely, posterior buttress plate fixation showed the least incidence of osteoarthritis grade progression, postoperative articular step-off ≥ 2 mm, nonunions, and loss of ankle dorsiflexion ≥ 5°, though it underperformed in most other clinical outcomes. Conclusion: The NMA suggests that open plating is more likely to provide better radiological outcomes, while screw fixation may have a greater potential for superior functional and pain results. Nevertheless, clinicians should still consider the fragment size and fracture pattern, weighing the advantages of rigid biomechanical fixation against the possibility of soft-tissue damage, to optimize treatment results.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester suppresses the expression of androgen receptor variant 7 via inhibition of CDK1 and AKT.

Androgen receptor (AR) splice variant 7 (AR-V7) is capable to enter nucleus and activate downstream signaling without ligand. AR-V7 assists the tumor growth, cancer metastasis, cancer stemness, and the evolvement of therapy-resistant prostate cancer (PCa). We discovered that caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) can repress the expression and downstream signaling of AR-V7 in PCa cells. CAPE blocked the gene transcription, nuclear localization, and protein abundance of AR-V7. CAPE inhibited the expression of U2AF65, SF2 and hnRNPF, which were splicing factors for AR-V7 intron. Additionally, CAPE decreased protein stability of AR-V7 and enhanced the proteosome-degradation of AR-V7. We observed that CDK1 and AKT regulated the expression and stability of AR-V7 via phosphorylation of Ser81 and Ser213, respectively. CAPE decreased the expression of CDK1 and AKT. Overexpression of CDK1 restored the abundance of AR-V7 in CAPE-treated PCa cells. Overexpression of AR-V7, AKT or CDK1 rescued the proliferation of PCa cells under CAPE treatment. Intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg CAPE retarded the growth of 22Rv1 xenografts in nude mice and suppressed the protein levels of AR-V7, CDK1 and AKT in 22Rv1 xenografts. Our study provided the rationale of applying CAPE for inhibition of AR-V7 in prostate tumors.

Deep learning using contrast-enhanced ultrasound images to predict the nuclear grade of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To assess the effectiveness of a deep learning model using contrastenhanced ultrasound (CEUS) images in distinguishing between low-grade (grade I and II) and high-grade (grade III and IV) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted using CEUS images of 177 Fuhrmangraded ccRCCs (93 low-grade and 84 high-grade) from May 2017 to December 2020. A total of 6412 CEUS images were captured from the videos and normalized for subsequent analysis. A deep learning model using the RepVGG architecture was proposed to differentiate between low-grade and high-grade ccRCC. The model's performance was evaluated based on sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Class activation mapping (CAM) was used to visualize the specific areas that contribute to the model's predictions. RESULTS: For discriminating high-grade ccRCC from low-grade, the deep learning model achieved a sensitivity of 74.8%, specificity of 79.1%, accuracy of 77.0%, and an AUC of 0.852 in the test set. CONCLUSION: The deep learning model based on CEUS images can accurately differentiate between low-grade and high-grade ccRCC in a non-invasive manner.

Tunable Single-Photon Emission with Wafer-Scale Plasmonic Array.

Bright, scalable, and deterministic single-photon emission (SPE) is essential for quantum optics, nanophotonics, and optical information systems. Recently, SPE from hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted intense interest because it is optically active and stable at room temperature. Here, we demonstrate a tunable quantum emitter array in h-BN at room temperature by integrating a wafer-scale plasmonic array. The transient voltage electrophoretic deposition (EPD) reaction is developed to effectively enhance the filling of single-crystal nanometals in the designed patterns without aggregation, which ensures the fabricated array for tunable performances of these single-photon emitters. An enhancement of ∼500% of the SPE intensity of the h-BN emitter array is observed with a radiative quantum efficiency of up to 20% and a saturated count rate of more than 4.5 × 106 counts/s. These results suggest the integrated h-BN-plasmonic array as a promising platform for scalable and controllable SPE photonics at room temperature.

Identification of ARF genes in Cucurbita pepo L and analysis of expression patterns, and functional analysis of CpARF22 under drought, salt stress.

BACKGROUND: Auxin transcription factor (ARF) is an important transcription factor that transmits auxin signals and is involved in plant growth and development as well as stress response. However, genome-wide identification and responses to abiotic and pathogen stresses of the ARF gene family in Cucurbita pepo L, especially pathogen stresses, have not been reported. RESULTS: Finally, 33 ARF genes (CpARF01 to CpARF33) were identified in C.pepo from the Cucurbitaceae genome database using bioinformatics methods. The putative protein contains 438 to 1071 amino acids, the isoelectric point is 4.99 to 8.54, and the molecular weight is 47759.36 to 117813.27 Da, the instability index ranged from 40.74 to 68.94, and the liposoluble index ranged from 62.56 to 76.18. The 33 genes were mainly localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm, and distributed on 16 chromosomes unevenly. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 33 CpARF proteins were divided into 6 groups. According to the amino acid sequence of CpARF proteins, 10 motifs were identified, and 1,3,6,8,10 motifs were highly conserved in most of the CpARF proteins. At the same time, it was found that genes in the same subfamily have similar gene structures. Cis-elements and protein interaction networks predicted that CpARF may be involved in abiotic factors related to the stress response. QRT-PCR analysis showed that most of the CpARF genes were upregulated under NaCl, PEG, and pathogen treatment compared to the control. Subcellular localization showed that CpARF22 was localized in the nucleus. The transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines with the CpARF22 gene enhanced their tolerance to salt and drought stress. CONCLUSION: In this study, we systematically analyzed the CpARF gene family and its expression patterns under drought, salt, and pathogen stress, which improved our understanding of the ARF protein of zucchini, and laid a solid foundation for functional analysis of the CpARF gene.

Gualou xiebai decoction ameliorates cardiorenal syndrome type II by regulation of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signalling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cardiorenal syndromes type II (CRS2) is a multi-organ ailment that manifests as a combination of cardiac and renal dysfunction, resulting in chronic kidney disease due to chronic cardiac insufficiency. It affects at least 26 million people worldwide, and its prevalence is increasing. Gualou Xiebai Decoction (GXD), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with a rich history of application in the management of coronary artery disease, has been explored for its potential therapeutic benefits in CRS2. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which GXD alleviates CRS2 remains obscure, necessitating further investigation. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the ethanolic extract of GXD on CRS2 and to elucidate the underlying mechanism in a rat model of myocardial infarction, offering a potential target for clinical treatment for CRS2. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A rat model of CRS2 was induced by surgical myocardial infarction and treated with GXD for 10 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed using echocardiography, while serum and urine biochemistry were analyzed to evaluate potential cardiac and renal damage. Furthermore, tissue samples were obtained for histological, protein, and genetic investigations. In addition, network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking were utilized to predict the primary active compounds, potential therapeutic targets, and interventional pathways through which GXD could potentially exert its effects on CRS2. Subsequently, these predictions were confirmed in vivo and vitro through various analyses. RESULTS: The current investigation employed echocardiography to exhibit the apparent cardiac remodeling following the induction of myocardial infarction. Damage to the heart and kidneys of CRS2 rats was effectively ameliorated by administration of GXD. The outcomes derived from the analyses of HE and Masson staining indicated that the pathological damage to the heart and kidney tissues of rats in the GXD groups was considerably alleviated. Using network pharmacology analysis, AKT1, IL-6, and TNF-α were identified as plausible therapeutic targets for the treatment of CRS with GXD. Subsequent functional and pathway enrichment analysis of the underlying targets disclosed that the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway may be involved in the mechanism of GXD in the treatment of CRS2. Immunohistochemical, western blot, RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining were employed to demonstrate that GXD can regulate the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in the CRS2 rat model. Ultimately, administration of the PI3K/AKT agonist 740Y-P counteracted the effect of diosmetin, which was one of the potential active components of GXD analysed by compound-target-disease network, on p-PI3K and p-AKT in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that GXD improves cardiac and renal function in CRS2 rats and that the underlying mechanism involves inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway.

Organic-Inorganic Rare-Earth Double Perovskite Ferroelectric with Large Piezoelectric Response and Ferroelasticity for Flexible Composite Energy Harvesters.

Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite (HOIP) ferroelectric materials have great potential for developing self-powered electronic transducers owing to their impressive piezoelectric performance, structural tunability and low processing temperatures. Nevertheless, their inherent brittle and low elastic moduli limit their application in electromechanical conversion. Integration of HOIP ferroelectrics and soft polymers is a promising solution. In this work, a hybrid organic-inorganic rare-earth double perovskite ferroelectric, [RM3HQ]2RbPr(NO3)6 (RM3HQ = (R)-N-methyl-3-hydroxylquinuclidinium) is presented, which possesses multiaxial nature, ferroelasticity and satisfactory piezoelectric properties, including piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) of 102.3 pC N-1 and piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g33) of 680 × 10-3 V m N-1. The piezoelectric generators (PEG) based on composite films of [RM3HQ]2RbPr(NO3)6@polyurethane (PU) can generate an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 30 V and short-circuit current (Isc) of 18 µA, representing one of the state-of-the-art PEGs to date. This work has promoted the exploration of new HOIP ferroelectrics and their development of applications in electromechanical conversion devices.

Transcriptome profiling of type VI secretion system core gene tssM mutant of Xanthomonas perforans highlights regulators controlling diverse functions ranging from virulence to metabolism.

IMPORTANCE: T6SS has received attention due to its significance in mediating interorganismal competition through contact-dependent release of effector molecules into prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Reverse-genetic studies have indicated the role of T6SS in virulence in a variety of plant pathogenic bacteria, including the one studied here, Xanthomonas. However, it is not clear whether such effect on virulence is merely due to a shift in the microbiome-mediated protection or if T6SS is involved in a complex virulence regulatory network. In this study, we conducted in vitro transcriptome profiling in minimal medium to decipher the signaling pathways regulated by tssM-i3* in X. perforans AL65. We show that TssM-i3* regulates the expression of a suite of genes associated with virulence and metabolism either directly or indirectly by altering the transcription of several regulators. These findings further expand our knowledge on the intricate molecular circuits regulated by T6SS in phytopathogenic bacteria.