Taming Janus-Faced Quinoline-Derived Fluorescent Probes for Dual-Channel Distinguishable Visualization of HSO3- and HClO in Dried Foods and Living Cells.

With the booming development of food manufacturing, developing ideal analytical tools to precisely quantify food additives is highly sought after in the food science field. Herein, a new series of quinoline-derived multifunctional fluorescent probes has been synthesized. Bearing double reactive sites, these compounds display fluorescence response toward both bisulfite (HSO3-) and hypochlorous acid (HClO). Among these compact structures, compound ethyl-2-cyano-3-(6-(methylthio)quinolin-2-yl)acrylate (QTE) was screened out. Probe QTE not only shows ratiometric variation toward HSO3- with little cross talk but also performs turn-off signal toward HClO. In addition, probe QTE has been utilized for bioimaging of HClO in living cells. Furthermore, the HSO3- content in dried food samples has been appraised by QTE with satisfactory results. Meanwhile, relying on the apparent chromaticity change, a flexible dark-box device has been elaborated for chromatic analysis, promoting visualization of HSO3- in the field.

Recessively Inherited Deficiency of Secreted WFDC2 (HE4) Causes Nasal Polyposis and Bronchiectasis.

RATIONALE: Bronchiectasis is a pathological dilatation of the bronchi in the respiratory airways associated with environmental or genetic causes (e.g., cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia and primary immunodeficiency disorders), but most cases remain idiopathic. OBJECTIVES: To identify novel genetic defects in unsolved cases of bronchiectasis presenting with severe rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, and pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. METHODS: DNA was analyzed by next-generation or targeted Sanger sequencing. RNA was analyzed by quantitative PCR and single-cell RNA sequencing. Patient-derived, cells, cell cultures and secretions (mucus, saliva, seminal fluid) were analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy, and mucociliary activity was measured. Blood serum was analyzed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Protein structure and proteomic analyses were used to assess the impact of a disease-causing founder variant. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We identified bi-allelic pathogenic variants in WFDC2 in 11 individuals from 10 unrelated families originating from the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Expression of WFDC2 was detected predominantly in secretory cells of control airway epithelium and also in submucosal glands. We demonstrate that WFDC2 is below the limit of detection in blood serum and hardly detectable in samples of saliva, seminal fluid, and airway surface liquid from WFDC2-deficient individuals. Computer simulations and deglycosylation assays indicate that the disease-causing founder variant p.Cys49Arg structurally hampers glycosylation and thus secretion of mature WFDC2. CONCLUSIONS: WFDC2 dysfunction defines a novel molecular etiology of bronchiectasis characterized by the deficiency of a secreted component of the airways. A commercially available blood test combined with genetic testing allows its diagnosis. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

[Spatial-temporal Evolution and Quantitative Attribution of Habitat Quality in Typical Karst Counties of Guizhou Plateau].

The purpose of this study was to reveal the spatial and temporal evolution patterns of habitat quality in karst counties of Guizhou plateau and its driving factors and to provide scientific basis for balanced ecological conservation and sustainable development of karst regions. Using DEM data, meteorological data, socio-economic data, and four periods of land use data in 1989, 2003, 2010, and 2020, the InVEST model was used to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in Puding County from 1989 to 2020 and to quantitatively detect the driving forces of its spatial divergence. The results were as follows:① Arable land and forest land were the main land use types in Puding County, which constituted the surface cover landscape matrix. Land use changes from 2003-2010 were the most significant, among which forest land had the largest increase of 86.42%; arable land was the most severely lost land use type, with an area decrease of 157.57 km2, mainly flowing to forest land and construction land. ② From 1989 to 2020, the average value of habitat quality index in Puding County increased from 0.60 to 0.73. Spatially, the distribution pattern of "high-low-high" was generally from northeast to southwest, with the high value areas of habitat quality mainly distributed in the woodland and grassland areas in the northeast and the low value areas concentrated in the construction land in the central and south areas. ③ Land use type was the primary factor affecting the spatial and temporal distribution of habitat quality, with an explanation of 91.00%. In the interaction detection, the interaction of any two influencing factors was greater than that of individual factors alone, and the interaction between land use type and average annual precipitation was the strongest, reaching 96.00%; the interaction with lithological factors reached 94.00%, with natural and human factors jointly dominating the spatial and temporal changes in habitat quality. From the results of this study, we concluded that the habitat quality of Puding County was generally good from 1989 to 2020, and the relationship between land use type changes and habitat quality was close. Optimizing the land use structure and reducing the influence of human activities are important to improve the habitat quality of Puding County.

CEUS in prediction of early recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection and to stratify the risk of early recurrence: a retrospective observational study.

PURPOSE: Early recurrence (ER) after surgery is related to early death in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radical resection. To explore the role of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in predicting ER of HCC after curative resection and to stratify the risk of ER. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study evaluated consecutive 556 patients with HCC who were examined by CEUS during the 2 weeks before curative resection between January 2011 and December 2018. ER was defined as intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic recurrence within 2 year after resection of HCC. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for ER after surgical resection of HCC. Recurrence-free time (RFS) rates were analyzed and compared by log-rank test. RESULTS: ER occurred in 307 (55.2%) of the 556 patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that a tumor size ≥ 30 mm and satellite nodules seen on CEUS, DL(deep learning) radiomics reoccurrence score based on the frame of image with the maximum intensity of CEUS and an elevated alpha-fetoprotein level were significantly associated with ER (P < .05). Based on the number of predictors present, patients with CEUS LR-5 HCC were stratified into three risk subgroups: risk group 3 (high-risk patients, 4 predictors), risk group 2 (medium-risk patients, 2-3 predictors), and risk group 1 (low-risk patients, 0-1 predictor). The 2-year RFS rate was 19.4% in risk group 3, 40.9% in risk group 2, and 48.1% in risk group 1; the corresponding mean RFS times were 14.0 ± 2.9 months, 43.7 ± 6.6 months, and 55.5 ± 2.8 months, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Tumor size ≥ 30 mm and satellite nodules seen on CEUS, DL radiomics reoccurrence score based on the frame of image with the maximum intensity of CEUS and an elevated alpha-fetoprotein level can predict ER of HCC.

Plant genomic resources at National Genomics Data Center: assisting in data-driven breeding applications.

Genomic data serve as an invaluable resource for unraveling the intricacies of the higher plant systems, including the constituent elements within and among species. Through various efforts in genomic data archiving, integrative analysis and value-added curation, the National Genomics Data Center (NGDC), which is a part of the China National Center for Bioinformation (CNCB), has successfully established and currently maintains a vast amount of database resources. This dedicated initiative of the NGDC facilitates a data-rich ecosystem that greatly strengthens and supports genomic research efforts. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of central repositories dedicated to archiving, presenting, and sharing plant omics data, introduce knowledgebases focused on variants or gene-based functional insights, highlight species-specific multiple omics database resources, and briefly review the online application tools. We intend that this review can be used as a guide map for plant researchers wishing to select effective data resources from the NGDC for their specific areas of study. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-023-00134-4.

Construction of a novel flavonol fluorescent probe for copper (II) ion detection and its application in actual samples.

Copper is an essential trace element in the human body, and its level is directly related to many diseases. While the source of copper in human body is mainly intake from food, then the detection of copper ions (Cu2+) in food becomes crucial. Here, we synthesized a novel probe (E)-3-hydroxy-2-styryl-4H-benzo[h]chromen-4-one (NSHF) and explored the binding ability of NSHF for Cu2+ using nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy (1H NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), Job's plot method and density functional theory (DFT). NSHF shows the advantages of fast response time, good selectivity and high sensitivity for Cu2+. The fluorescence intensity ratio (F/F0) of NSHF shows a good linear relationship with the concentration of Cu2+ and the detection limit is 0.061 µM. NSHF was successfully applied to the detection of Cu2+ in real samples. In addition, a simple and convenient Cu2+ detection platform was constructed by combining NSHF with a smartphone and a UV lamp, which can realize the rapid detection of Cu2+. This work provides an effective tool for the real-time detection of Cu2+.

Hepatic Klf10-Fh1 axis promotes exercise-mediated amelioration of NASH in mice.

Exercise is an effective non-pharmacological strategy for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), but the underlying mechanism needs further investigation. Kruppel-like factor 10 (Klf10) is a transcriptional factor that is expressed in multiple tissues including liver, whose role in NASH is not well defined. In our study, exercise induces hepatic Klf10 expression through the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. Hepatocyte-specific knockout of Klf10 (Klf10LKO) increases lipid accumulation, cell death, inflammation and fibrosis in NASH diet-fed mice and reduces the protective effects of treadmill exercise against NASH, while hepatocyte-specific overexpression of Klf10 (Klf10LTG) works in concert with exercise to reduce NASH in mice. Mechanistically, Klf10 promotes the expression of fumarate hydratase 1 (Fh1), thereby reducing fumarate accumulation in hepatocytes. This decreases the trimethyl (me3) levels of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) on lipogenic genes promoters to attenuate lipogenesis, thus ameliorating free fatty acids (FFAs)-induced hepatocytes steatosis, apoptosis, insulin resistance and blunting dysfunctional hepatocytes-mediated activation of macrophages and hepatic stellate cells. Therefore, by regulating the Fh1/fumarate/H3K4me3 pathway, Klf10 acts as a downstream effector of exercise to combat NASH.

Mediating sequential turn-on and turn-off fluorescence signals for discriminative detection of Ag+ and Hg2+ via readily available CdSe quantum dots.

Realizing the accurate recognition and quantification of heavy metal ions is pivotal but challenging in the environmental, biological, and physiological science fields. In this work, orange fluorescence emitting quantum dots (OQDs) have been facilely synthesized by one-step method. The participation of silver ion (Ag+) can evoke the unique aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of OQDs, resulting in prominent fluorescence enhancement, which is scarcely reported previously. Moreover, the Ag+-triggered turn-on fluorescence can be continuously shut down by mercury ion (Hg2+). This intriguing sequential fluorescence variation exhibits great sensing potency for discrimination and quantification of Ag+ and Hg2+. Meanwhile, our OQDs also exhibit good selectivity, sensitivity, and rapid response toward Ag+ and Hg2+ detection. Due to their high performance, OQDs have been applied to the determination of Ag+ and Hg2+ levels in daily necessities and water samples with satisfactory results. Moreover, a portable smartphone-assisted sensing platform based on chromatic change has been constructed, facilitating the real-time and naked-eye visualization in the resource-confined scene. We anticipate that the discovery of these OQDs would be advantageous for exploring novel QDs materials for fluorescence detection.

Efficacy and executive function of solution-focused brief therapy on adolescent depression.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and impact on executive function of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adolescents. Methods: A total of 129 adolescents diagnosed with MDD were enrolled in the study. Out of these, 28 adolescents were assigned to the SFBT group, while 25 were part of the Active Control group (AC group), receiving psychodynamic psychotherapy. Executive function, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed at baseline, at the time of the third intervention, the sixth intervention, and the 10th intervention. Results: After the third intervention, the scores of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) of the participants in the SFBT group decreased significantly, which had the cumulative effect at the 6th and 10th interventions. The verbal fluency task (VFT) performances of the SFBT group participants yielded significantly higher scores after the third intervention and remained increasing at the 6th and 10th interventions. The AC group steadily decreased after the intervention. Analysis of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data revealed a progressive and significant increase in the average oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) levels in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in the SFBT group compared to the AC group after the 10th intervention. Conclusions: SFBT might improve depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as executive function of adolescent depression. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2300067909.

A self-amplifying loop of TP53INP1 and P53 drives oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation is a promising regenerative therapy; however, the survival rate of BMSCs after transplantation is low. Oxidative stress is one of the main reasons for the high apoptosis rate of BMSCs after transplantation, so there is an urgent need to explore the mechanism of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of BMSCs. Our previous transcriptome sequencing results suggested that the expression of P53-induced nuclear protein 1 (TP53INP1) and the tumor suppressor P53 (P53) was significantly upregulated during the process of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of BMSCs. The present study further revealed the role and mechanism of TP53INP1 and P53 in oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in BMSCs. Overexpression of TP53INP1 induced apoptosis of BMSCs, knockdown of TP53INP1 alleviated oxidative stress apoptosis of BMSCs. Under oxidative stress conditions, P53 is regulated by TP53INP1, while P53 can positively regulate the expression of TP53INP1, so the two form a positive feedback loop. To clarify the mechanism of feedback loop formation. We found that TP53INP1 inhibited the ubiquitination and degradation of P53 by increasing the phosphorylation level of P53, leading to the accumulation of P53 protein. P53 can act on the promoter of the TP53INP1 gene and increase the expression of TP53INP1 through transcriptional activation. This is the first report on a positive feedback loop formed by TP53INP1 and P53 under oxidative stress. The present study clarified the formation mechanism of the positive feedback loop. The TP53INP1-P53 positive feedback loop may serve as a potential target for inhibiting oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in BMSCs.

Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children.

BACKGROUND: The detection rate of peptic ulcer in children is improving, with development of diagnostic procedures. Gastroscopy is the gold standard for the diagnosis of peptic ulcer, but it is an invasive procedure. Gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) has the advantages of being painless, noninvasive, nonradioactive, easy to use, and safe. AIM: To investigate the clinical value of CEUS for diagnosis and treatment of peptic ulcer in children. METHODS: We investigated 43 children with digestive tract symptoms in our hospital from January 2021 to June 2022. All children were examined by routine ultrasound, gastrointestinal CEUS, and gastroscopy. The pathological results of gastroscopy were taken as the gold standard. Routine ultrasonography was performed before gastrointestinal CEUS. Conventional ultrasound showed the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall, gastric peristalsis, and the adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity. Gastrointestinal CEUS recorded the thickness of the gastroduodenal wall; the size, location and shape of the ulcer; gastric peristalsis; and adjacent organs and tissues around the abdominal cavity. The results of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal ultrasound were compared with those of gastroscopy to evaluate the diagnostic results and coincidence rate of routine ultrasound and gastrointestinal CEUS. All children received informed consent from their guardians for CEUS. This study was reviewed and approved by the hospital medical ethics committee. RESULTS: Among the 43 children, 17 (15 male, 2 female) were diagnosed with peptic ulcer by gastroscopy. There were 26 children with nonpeptic ulcer. There were eight cases of peptic ulcer and 35 of nonpeptic ulcer diagnosed by conventional ultrasound. The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children diagnosed by conventional ultrasound was 79.1% (34/43), which was significantly different from that of gastroscopy (P = 0.033). It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is low. Fifteen cases of peptic ulcer and 28 of nonpeptic ulcer were diagnosed by CEUS. The diagnostic coincidence rate of peptic ulcer in children was 95.3% (41/43). There was no significant difference between CEUS and gastroscopy (P = 0.655). It indicates that the coincidence rate of gastrointestinal contrast-enhanced ultrasound and gastroscope is high. CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal CEUS has a high coincidence rate in the diagnosis of peptic ulcer in children, and can be used as a preliminary examination method.

Arsenic field test kits based on solid-phase fluorescence filter effect induced by silver nanoparticle formation.

Millions of people worldwide are affected by naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater. The development of a low-cost, highly sensitive, portable assay for rapid field detection of arsenic in water is important to identify areas for safe wells and to help prioritize testing. Herein, a novel paper-based fluorescence assay was developed for the on-site analysis of arsenic, which was constructed by the solid-phase fluorescence filter effect (SPFFE) of AsH3-induced the generation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) toward carbon dots. The proposed SPFFE-based assay achieves a low arsenic detection limit of 0.36 µg/L due to the efficient reduction of Ag+ by AsH3 and the high molar extinction coefficient of AgNPs. In conjunction with a smartphone and an integrated sample processing and sensing platform, field-sensitive detection of arsenic could be achieved. The accuracy of the portable assay was validated by successfully analyzing surface and groundwater samples, with no significant difference from the results obtained through mass spectrometry. Compared to other methods for arsenic analysis, this developed system offers excellent sensitivity, portability, and low cost. It holds promising potential for on-site analysis of arsenic in groundwater to identify safe well locations and quickly obtain output from the global map of groundwater arsenic.

Low TYROBP expression predicts poor prognosis in multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common refractory hematologic cancer. Searching for new targets and prognostic markers for MM is significant. METHODS: GSE39754, GSE6477 and GSE24080 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MM versus healthy people from GSE39754 and GSE6477 were screened using limma package, and MM-related module genes were chosen with the use of Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and the two were intersected using ggVennDiagram for obtaining MM-related DEGs. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were carried out. Then, protein-protein interactions (PPI) analysis in String database was used to obtain hub genes, while prognosis was analyzed by survival package in GSE24080. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was adopted for evaluating diagnostic value of hub genes. Besides, univariable/multivariable Cox regression were employed to screen independent prognostic biomarkers. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to find possible mechanism. Finally, western-blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) verify TYROBP expression within MM and healthy people. We performed cell adhesion and transwell assays for investigating TYROBP function in MM cell adhesion and migration. RESULTS: Through differential analyses, 92 MM-related DEGs were obtained. 10 hub genes were identified by PPI and CytoHubba. Their diagnostic and prognostic significance was analyzed. Down-regulation of genes like TYROBP, ELANE, MNDA, and MPO related to dismal MM prognosis. Upon univariable/multivariable Cox regression, TYROBP independently predicted MM prognosis. GSEA pathway was enriched, indicating that TYROBP expression affected MM development via cell adhesion molecular pathway. Upon Western-blotting and RT-PCR assays, TYROBP expression among MM patients decreased relative to healthy donors. Cell adhesion and transwell migration assays revealed increased MM cell adhesion and decreased migration upon TYROBP up-regulation. CONCLUSION: In summary, TYROBP is a potential prognostic marker for MM.

HSFA3 functions as a positive regulator of HSFA2a to enhance thermotolerance in perennial ryegrass.

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) is a widely used cool season turfgrass with outstanding turf quality and grazing tolerance. High temperature is the key factor restricting the distribution of perennial ryegrass in temperate and sub-tropic regions. In this study, we found that one HEAT SHCOK TRANSCRIPTION FACOTR (HSF) class A gene from perennial ryegrass, LpHSFA3, was highly induced by heat stress. LpHSFA3 is localized in nucleus and functions as a transcription factor. Ectopic overexpression of LpHSFA3 in Arabidopsis improved thermotolerance and rescued heat sensitive deficiency of athsfa3 mutant. Overexpression of LpHSFA3 in perennial ryegrass enhanced heat tolerance and increased survival rate in summer season as evidenced by decreased EL and MDA, increased number of green leaves and total chlorophyll content. LpHSFA3 binds to the HSE region in LpHSFA2a promoter to constitutively activate the expression of LpHSFA2a and downstream heat stress responsive genes. Ectopic overexpression of LpHSFA2a consequently rescued thermal sensitivity of athsfa3 mutant and enhanced thermotolerance of athsfa2 mutant. Perennial ryegrass protoplasts with overexpression of LpHSFA3 and LpHSFA2a exhibited induction of similar subsets of heat responsive genes. These results indicated that transcription factor LpHSFA3 functions as positive regulator of LpHSFA2a to improve thermotolerance of perennial ryegrass, providing further evidence to understand the regulatory networks of plant heat stress response.

Portable purge and trap-microplasma optical emission spectrometric device for field detection of iodine in water.

Iodine is essential for human growth and can enter the body through food, water, and air. Analyzing its presence in the environment is crucial for ensuring healthy human development. However, current large-scale instruments have limitations in the field analysis of iodine. Herein, a miniaturized purge and trap point discharge microplasma optical emission spectrometric (P&T-µPD-OES) device was developed for the field analysis of iodine in water. Volatile iodine molecules were produced from total inorganic iodine (TII) through a basic redox reaction under acidic conditions, then the purge and trap module effectively separated and preconcentrated iodine molecules. The iodine molecules were subsequently atomized and excited by the integrated point discharge microplasma and an iodine atomic emission line at 206.24 nm was monitored by the spectrometer. Under optimal conditions, this proposed method had a detection limit of 16.2 µg L-1 for iodine and a precision better than 4.8%. Besides, the accuracy of the portable device was validated by successful analysis of surface and groundwater samples and a comparison of the mass spectrometry method. This proposed portable, low-power device is expected to support rapid access to iodine levels and distribution in water.

[Spatio-temporal Evolution and Multi-scenario Simulation of Carbon Storage in Karst Regions of Central Guizhou Province：Taking Puding County as An Example].

Regional land use change is the main cause for the change in karst carbon storage. It is important to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution and future spatial distribution trends of carbon storage in typical counties in central Guizhou's karst region， such as Puding County， to improve regional carbon storage， optimize land ecological security patterns， and promote low-carbon sustainable urban development. The PLUS-InVEST model was coupled， based on the interpreted land use data and future land prediction， the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of land use change and carbon storage in Puding County from 1973 to 2020 were inverted， and the spatial pattern evolution of land use and carbon storage change under different scenarios in 2060 were simulated and predicted. The results showed： ① from 1973 to 2020， the overall carbon storage in Puding County increased by 6.61×105 t， showing an upward trend. The spatial distribution showed a significant increase in the northeastern and southwestern parts of Puding County and a significant decrease in the south-central parts. The change was due to the increase in carbon storage in dryland to shrubland and forest land and the decrease in carbon storage in areas where paddy fields are converted to construction land. ② The land use change in Puding County in the historical period was mainly reflected in the continuous expansion of construction land and the increased fluctuation of the proportion of forest land and shrub forest land， and the change in land use in different scenarios projected in 2060 retained the change characteristics of the historical period. ③ In 2060， the carbon storage in Puding County under the scenarios of natural evolution， ecological protection， and economic development increased by 2.93×105， 5.40×105， and 1.11×105 t， respectively， compared with that in 2020. Of these， the increase in ecological protection scenarios was the most significant， with the transfer of dryland to shrubland being the main reason for the increase in regional carbon sequestration capacity. These results can serve as a scientific reference for land use management decisions and the formulation of emission reduction and sink increase policies in Puding County. The future land use planning of karst areas should be guided by the goal of "carbon neutrality" in 2060， take appropriate ecological protection measures， strictly control the rapid expansion of construction land to paddy fields， optimize the land use structure， and effectively improve the level of regional carbon storage.

Olfactory ensheathing cells as candidate cells for chronic pain treatment.

Chronic pain is often accompanied by tissue damage and pain hypersensitivity. It easily relapses and is challenging to cure, which seriously affects the patients' quality of life and is an urgent problem to be solved. Current treatment methods primarily rely on morphine drugs, which do not address the underlying nerve injury and may cause adverse reactions. Therefore, in recent years, scientists have shifted their focus from chronic pain treatment to cell transplantation. This review describes the classification and mechanism of chronic pain through the introduction of the characteristics of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), an in-depth discussion of special glial cells through the phagocytosis of nerve debris, receptor-ligand interactions, providing nutrition, and other inhibition of neuroinflammation, and ultimately supporting axon regeneration and mitigation of chronic pain. This review summarizes the potential and limitations of OECs for treating chronic pain by objectively analyzing relevant clinical trials and methods to enhance efficacy and future development prospects.

Climate-driven mitochondrial selection in lacertid lizards.

The mitochondrion, which is an intracellular organelle responsible for most of the energy-producing pathways, can have its genome targeted for climate-driven selection. However, climate-driven mitochondrial selection remains a sparsely studied area in reptiles. Here, we reported the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of a lacertid lizard (Takydromus intermedius) and used mitogenomes from 54 species of lacertid lizards to study their phylogenetic relationships and to identify the mitochondrial genes under positive selection by climate. The length of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of T. intermedius was 17,713 bp, which was within the range of lengths (17,224-18,943) ever reported for Takydromus species. The arrangement of mitochondrial genes in T. intermedius was the same as in other congeneric species. The 54 lacertid species could be divided into three geographically and climatically different clades. We identified three mitochondrial genes (ATP6, ATP8, and ND3) under positive selection by climate, and found that isothermality, temperature seasonality, precipitation of wettest month, and precipitation seasonality were the most important climatic variables contributing to the gene selection.

Efficacy and safety of Pien Tze Huang capsules in patients with herpes zoster: A multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a common medical condition accompanied by several distressing symptoms, including acute pain. Pien Tze Huang (PZH) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with numerous pharmacological effects, including antiviral properties, neuroprotection, and immunity regulation. PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of PZH capsules in patients with HZ. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter, double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial from 8 hospitals in 5 cities of China. METHODS: Eligible participants were randomly assigned to the PZH capsule and placebo group at a 1:1 ratio. Treatment was conducted for 14 days with a window period of no more than 2 days. For the first 7 days, participants received antiviral drugs combined with PZH capsules (0.6 g/time, 3 times a day) or placebos. For the remaining 7 days, they were only treated with PZH capsules (0.6 g/time, 3 times a day) or placebos. RESULTS: We included 222 patients in the full analysis set (FAS), and 187 patients in the per protocol set (PPS). The change of numeric rating scale pain scores from baseline to the seventh day (±1 day) after treatment in the PZH capsule group was statistically superior to the placebo group (FAS: 2.33 vs. 1.71, 97.5%CI: 0.03 ∼ 1.19; PPS: 2.29 vs. 1.51, 97.5%CI: 0.18 ∼ 1.38). In the PPS, there was a significant difference in the time (days) of pain relief between the placebo group and the PZH capsule group (Mean (SD): 5.71 (3.76) vs. 4.69 (3.57), p = 0.046). On the seventh day (±1 day) after treatment, the level of CD8+ cells in the PZH capsule group were higher than those of the placebo group (FAS: Mean (SD): 24.08 (6.81) vs. 21.93 (8.19), p = 0.007; PPS: Mean (SD): 24.26 (6.93) vs. 22.15 (8.51), p = 0.012). The level of cytotoxic lymphocyte cells found similar results on the seventh day (±1 day) (FAS: Mean (SD): 12.17 (4.65) vs. 10.55 (4.15), p = 0.018; PPS: Mean (SD): 12.25 (4.65) vs. 10.11 (3.93), p = 0.002). No serious adverse events were noted and PZH capsules were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: PZH capsules confer therapeutic effects on HZ with the TCM symptom of stagnated heat of liver channel by substantially reducing the pain intensity, shortening the time of pain relief as well as regulating the immune function. On the basis of the efficacy and safety profiles, PZH capsules may be a promising complementary therapy for the treatment of HZ.