Intermittent fasting and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.

Background: Benefits of Intermittent fasting (IF) on health-related outcomes have been found in a range of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Our umbrella review aimed to systematically analyze and synthesize the available causal evidence on IF and its impact on specific health-related outcomes while evaluating its evidence quality. Methods: We comprehensively searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases (from inception up to 8 January 2024) to identify related systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs investigating the association between IF and human health outcomes. We recalculated the effect sizes for each meta-analysis as mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were performed for populations based on three specific status: diabetes, overweight or obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The quality of systematic reviews was evaluated using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR), and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023382004). Findings: A total of 351 associations from 23 meta-analyses with 34 health outcomes were included in the study. A wide range of outcomes were investigated, including anthropometric measures (n = 155), lipid profiles (n = 83), glycemic profiles (n = 57), circulatory system index (n = 41), appetite (n = 9), and others (n = 6). Twenty-one (91%) meta-analyses with 346 associations were rated as high confidence according to the AMSTAR criteria. The summary effects estimates were significant at p < 0.05 in 103 associations, of which 10 (10%) were supported by high certainty of evidence according to GRADE. Specifically, compared with non-intervention diet in adults with overweight or obesity, IF reduced waist circumference (WC) (MD = -1.02 cm; 95% CI: -1.99 to -0.06; p = 0.038), fat mass (MD = -0.72 kg; 95% CI: -1.32 to -0.12; p = 0.019), fasting insulin (SMD = -0.21; 95% CI: -0.40 to -0.02; p = 0.030), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -0.38 to -0.02; p = 0.027), total cholesterol (TC) (SMD = -0.29; 95% CI: -0.48 to -0.10; p = 0.003), and triacylglycerols (TG) (SMD = -0.23; 95% CI: -0.39 to -0.06; p = 0.007), but increased fat free mass (FFM) (MD = 0.98 kg; 95% CI: 0.18-1.78; p = 0.016). Of note, compared with the non-intervention diet, modified alternate-day fasting (MADF) reduced fat mass (MD = -0.70 kg; 95% CI: -1.38 to -0.02; p = 0.044). In people with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes, IF increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels compared to continuous energy restriction (CER) (MD = 0.03 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.01-0.05; p = 0.010). However, IF was less effective at reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) than a CER diet in adults with overweight or obesity (SMD = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.05-0.36; p = 0.008). Interpretation: Our findings suggest that IF may have beneficial effects on a range of health outcomes for adults with overweight or obesity, compared to CER or non-intervention diet. Specifically, IF may decreased WC, fat mass, LDL-C, TG, TC, fasting insulin, and SBP, while increasing HDL-C and FFM. Notably, it is worth noting that the SBP lowering effect of IF appears to be weaker than that of CER. Funding: This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Q-JW), the Natural Science Foundation of China (Q-JW and T-TG), Outstanding Scientific Fund of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (Q-JW), and 345 Talent Project of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (T-TG).

Immune cells: potential carriers or agents for drug delivery to the central nervous system.

Drug delivery systems (DDS) have recently emerged as a promising approach for the unique advantages of drug protection and targeted delivery. However, the access of nanoparticles/drugs to the central nervous system (CNS) remains a challenge mainly due to the obstruction from brain barriers. Immune cells infiltrating the CNS in the pathological state have inspired the development of strategies for CNS foundation drug delivery. Herein, we outline the three major brain barriers in the CNS and the mechanisms by which immune cells migrate across the blood-brain barrier. We subsequently review biomimetic strategies utilizing immune cell-based nanoparticles for the delivery of nanoparticles/drugs to the CNS, as well as recent progress in rationally engineering immune cell-based DDS for CNS diseases. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of immune cell-based DDS in CNS diseases to promote their clinical development.

Macro CD5L+ deteriorates CD8+T cells exhaustion and impairs combination of Gemcitabine-Oxaliplatin-Lenvatinib-anti-PD1 therapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Intratumoral immune status influences tumor therapeutic response, but it remains largely unclear how the status determines therapies for patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Here, we examine the single-cell transcriptional and TCR profiles of 18 tumor tissues pre- and post- therapy of gemcitabine plus oxaliplatin, in combination with lenvatinib and anti-PD1 antibody for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. We find that high CD8 GZMB+ and CD8 proliferating proportions and a low Macro CD5L+ proportion predict good response to the therapy. In patients with a poor response, the CD8 GZMB+ and CD8 proliferating proportions are increased, but the CD8 GZMK+ proportion is decreased after the therapy. Transition of CD8 proliferating and CD8 GZMB+ to CD8 GZMK+ facilitates good response to the therapy, while Macro CD5L+-CD8 GZMB+ crosstalk impairs the response by increasing CTLA4 in CD8 GZMB+. Anti-CTLA4 antibody reverses resistance of the therapy in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Our data provide a resource for predicting response of the combination therapy and highlight the importance of CD8+T-cell status conversion and exhaustion induced by Macro CD5L+ in influencing the response, suggesting future avenues for cancer treatment optimization.

Effect of different non-pharmacologic placebo treatments on migraine prevention: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Placebo control plays an important role in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions. Specifying differential effects of various placebo controls on migraine prevention would be essential in the explanation of preventive treatment for migraine and the indirect comparison between different prophylactic therapeutics. OBJECTIVES: To access the impact of different non-pharmacologic placebo types on different outcomes in migraine patients. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials, Embase, and Web of Science databases from the date of creation to June 19, 2023. Randomized controlled trials of migraine that included sham intervention of acupuncture or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) or repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) or transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) were conducted. The primary outcome was the migraine days, and the secondary outcomes were the number of migraine attacks, headache days, headache frequency, and responder's rate. Placebo effects were assessed using five individual placebos for network meta-analysis, using mean differences to measure the relative effect of pair-wise comparisons between interventions. RESULT: A total of 50 trials with 4880 subjects were included. Twenty-seven trials were evaluated for low risk of bias. The results of indirect comparisons show that sham rTMS and sham tDCS had optimal and similar effects in reducing migraine days; sham acupuncture has the greatest effect on reducing the number of migraine attacks and relieving headache frequency; sham rTMS had a highly significant advantage in reducing headache days compared with the other placebo controls. CONCLUSION: Based on the network meta-analysis results, we found that sham acupuncture had the greatest effect on migraine prophylaxis. The strong placebo effect of sham acupuncture should be considered when assessing the therapeutic effect.

Crystallographic and functional studies of a plant temperature-induced lipocalin.

Arabidopsis thaliana temperature-induced lipocalin (AtTIL) is a prototypical member of plant lipocalins and participates in a variety of cellular processes, particularly stress responses. Bioinformatical and physiological studies have proposed its promiscuous ligand-binding ability, but the molecular basis is yet unclear. Here, we report the 1.9-Šcrystal structure of AtTIL in complex with heme. Spectrophotometric absorbance titration with heme yields a dissociation constant of ∼2 micromolar, indicating the relatively weak interaction between AtTIL and heme, which is confirmed by the AtTIL-heme structure. Although binding to retinal or biliverdin is not detected, such possibility can not be precluded as suggested by comparison with other lipocalin structures. These results show that AtTIL is a structural and functional homolog of the bacterial lipocalin Blc.

[Diagnostic efficacy of prostate cancer using targeted biopsy with 6-core systematic biopsy for patients with PI-RADS 5].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic efficacy of targeted biopsy (TBx), systematic biopsy (SBx), TBx+6-core SBx in prostate cancer (PCa) / clinically significant prostate cancer (cs-PCa) for patients with prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score of 5, and thereby to explore an optimal sampling scheme. METHODS: The data of 585 patients who underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) with at least one lesion of PI-RADS score 5 at Peking University First Hospital from January 2019 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent mpMRI / transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) cognitive guided biopsy (TBx+SBx). With the pathological results of combined biopsy as the gold standard, we compared the diagnostic efficacy of TBx only, SBx only, and TBx+6-core SBx for PCa/csPCa. The patients were grouped according to mpMRI T-stage (cT2, cT3, cT4) and the detection rates of different biopsy schemes for PCa/csPCa were compared using Cochran's Q and McNemar tests. RESULTS: Among 585 patients with a PI-RADS score of 5, 560 (95.7%) were positive and 25(4.3%) were negative via TBx+SBx. After stratified according to mpMRI T-stage, 233 patients (39.8%) were found in cT2 stage, 214 patients (36.6%) in cT3 stage, and 138 patients (23.6%) in cT4 stage. There was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate of PCa/csPCa between TBx+6-core SBx and TBx+SBx (all P>0.999). Also, there was no statistically significant difference in the detection rate of PCa/csPCa between TBx and TBx+SBx in the cT2, cT3, and cT4 subgroups (PCa: P=0.203, P=0.250, P>0.999; csPCa: P=0.700, P=0.250, P>0.999). The missed diagnosis rate of SBx for PCa and csPCa was 2.1% (12/560) and 1.8% (10/549), and that of TBx for PCa and csPCa was 1.8% (10/560) and 1.4% (8/549), respectively. However, the detection rate of TBx+6-core SBx for PCa and csPCa was 100%. Compared with TBx+SBx, TBx and TBx+6-core SBx had a fewer number of cores and a higher detection rate per core (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: For patients with a PI-RADS score of 5, TBx and TBx+6-core SBx showed the same PCa/csPCa detection rates and a high detection rates per core as that of TBx+SBx, which can be considered as an optimal scheme for prostate biopsy.

International experts consensus guidelines on robotic liver resection in 2023.

The robotic liver resection (RLR) has been increasingly applied in recent years and its benefits shown in some aspects owing to the technical advancement of robotic surgical system, however, controversies still exist. Based on the foundation of the previous consensus statement, this new consensus document aimed to update clinical recommendations and provide guidance to improve the outcomes of RLR clinical practice. The guideline steering group and guideline expert group were formed by 29 international experts of liver surgery and evidence-based medicine (EBM). Relevant literature was reviewed and analyzed by the evidence evaluation group. According to the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, the Guidance Principles of Development and Amendment of the Guidelines for Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment in China 2022, a total of 14 recommendations were generated. Among them were 8 recommendations formulated by the GRADE method, and the remaining 6 recommendations were formulated based on literature review and experts' opinion due to insufficient EBM results. This international experts consensus guideline offered guidance for the safe and effective clinical practice and the research direction of RLR in future.

AI-predicted mpMRI image features for the prediction of clinically significant prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of using mpMRI image features predicted by AI algorithms in the prediction of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed patients who underwent prostate mpMRI and radical prostatectomy (RP) at the Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University between November 2017 and December 2022. The clinical data collected included age, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and biopsy pathology. The reference standard was the prostatectomy pathology, and a Gleason Score (GS) of 3 + 3 = 6 was considered non-clinically significant prostate cancer (non-csPCa), while a GS ≥ 3 + 4 was considered csPCa. A pre-trained AI algorithm was used to extract the lesion on mpMRI, and the image features of the lesion and the prostate gland were analyzed. Two logistic regression models were developed to predict csPCa: an MR model and a combined model. The MR model used age, PSA, PSA density (PSAD), and the AI-predicted MR image features as predictor variables. The combined model used biopsy pathology and the aforementioned variables as predictor variables. The model's effectiveness was evaluated by comparing it to biopsy pathology using the area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operation characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: A total of 315 eligible patients were enrolled with an average age of 70.8 ± 5.9. Based on RP pathology, 18 had non-csPCa, and 297 had csPCa. PSA, PSAD, biopsy pathology, and ADC value of the prostate outside the lesion (ADCprostate) varied significantly across different ISUP grade groups of RP pathology (P < 0.001). Other clinical variables and image features did not vary significantly across different ISUP grade groups (P > 0.05). The MR model included PSAD, the ratio of ADC value between the lesion and the prostate outside the lesion (ADClesion/prostate), the signal intensity ratio of DWI between the lesion and the prostate outside the lesion (DWIlesion/prostate), and the ratio of DWIlesion/prostate to ADClesion/prostate. The combined model included biopsy pathology, ADClesion/prostate, mean signal intensity of the lesion on DWI (DWIlesion), DWI signal intensity of the prostate outside the lesion (DWIprostate), and signal intensity ratio of DWI between the lesion and the prostate outside the lesion (DWIlesion/prostate). The AUC of the MR model (0.830, 95% CI 0.743, 0.916) was not significantly different from that of biopsy pathology (0.820, 95% CI 0.728, 0.912, P = 0.884). The AUC of the combined model (0.915, 95% CI 0.849, 0.980) was higher than that of the biopsy pathology (P = 0.042) and MR model (P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: The aggressiveness of prostate cancer can be effectively predicted using AI-extracted image features from mpMRI images, similar to biopsy pathology. The prediction accuracy was improved by combining the AI-extracted mpMRI image features with biopsy pathology, surpassing the performance of biopsy pathology alone.

Probiotics for the management of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Previous systematic reviews demonstrated a potentially beneficial effect of probiotics on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, these studies are either affected by the inclusion of insufficient trials or by the problem of dependent data across multiple outcomes, and an overall effect size has not been provided. We aimed to determine the effect of probiotics on IBS through a three-level meta-analysis and clarify potential effect moderators. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science, screening for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examine the effect of probiotics on IBS. The primary outcome was the improvement in the severity of global IBS symptoms at the end of treatment. The secondary outcomes were the improvement in abdominal pain and the quality of life. The effect sizes of the probiotics were measured by using the standardized mean difference (SMD) and pooled by a three-level meta-analysis model. RESULTS: We included 72 RCTs in the analysis. The meta-analysis showed significantly better overall effect of probiotics than placebo on the global IBS symptoms (SMD -0.55, 95% CI -0.76 to -0.34, P <0.001), abdominal pain (SMD -0.89, 95% CI -1.29 to -0.5, P <0.001) and quality of life (SMD 0.99, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.54, P <0.001), respectively. Moderator analysis found that a treatment duration shorter than 4 weeks was associated with a larger effect size in all the outcomes, and Bacillus probiotics had better improvement on the abdominal pain. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics had a short-term effect and a medium effect size on the global IBS symptoms. Treatment duration and types of probiotics affected the effect size of probiotics, and shorter durations and Bacillus probiotics were associated with better treatment effects. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework.

From Centrosymmetry to Noncentrosymmetry: Precise Structural Regulation and Characterization on ZnHPO3·2H2O Polymorphs.

Polymorphs of ZnHPO3·2H2O with centrosymmetry (Cmcm) and noncentrosymmetry (C2) structures were prepared by modified solution evaporation and seed-crystal-induced secondary nucleation methods. In Cmcm-ZnHPO3·2H2O, the zinc atoms are only octahedrally coordinated, while in C2-ZnHPO3·2H2O, they feature both tetrahedral and octahedral coordination. As a result, Cmcm-ZnHPO3·2H2O features a 2D layered structure with lattice water molecules located in the interlayer space, while C2-ZnHPO3·2H2O features a 3D electroneutral framework of tfa topology connected by Zn(1)O4, Zn(2)O6, and HPO3 units. The UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra associated with Tauc's analyses give a direct bandgap of 4.24 and 4.33 eV for Cmcm-ZnHPO3·2H2O and C2-ZnHPO3·2H2O, respectively. Moreover, C2-ZnHPO3·2H2O exhibits a weak second harmonic generation (SHG) response and a moderate birefringence for phase matching, indicating its potential as a nonlinear optical material. Detailed dipole moment calculation and analysis confirmed that the SHG response mainly derived from the HPO3 pseudo-tetrahedra.

[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.

Efficacy of acupuncture for tension-type headache prophylaxis: systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture has been shown to reduce tension-type headache (TTH) frequency in previous studies. Nevertheless, repeated significance testing might inflate type I error. We aimed to verify the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in reducing TTH frequency by meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA). METHODS: Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched until September 29, 2022. Randomized controlled trials comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture, no acupuncture, or other active therapies in adults with TTH were included. The primary outcome was TTH frequency. The secondary outcomes were responder rate and adverse event. RESULTS: Fourteen studies involving 2795 participants were included. Acupuncture had more reduction than sham acupuncture in TTH frequency, both after treatment (standardized mean difference [SMD] - 0.80, 95% CI - 1.36 to - 0.24, P = 0.005) and at the follow-up period (SMD - 1.33, 95% CI - 2.18 to - 0.49, P = 0.002), while TSA showed the included sample size did not exceed required information size (RIS). Acupuncture was superior over no acupuncture after treatment (SMD - 0.52, 95% CI - 0.63 to - 0.41, P < 0.001), and cumulative sample size reached RIS. In terms of responder rate, acupuncture had a higher responder rate compared with sham acupuncture both after treatment (relative ratio [RR] 1.28, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.46, P = 0.0003) and the follow-up period (RR 1.37, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.58, P < 0.0001), but the sample size is inadequate. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture is an efficacious and safe treatment for TTH prevention, but this conclusion might be limited by the generally very low to low quality evidence. TSA suggested that high-quality trials are needed to verify the efficacy and safety of acupuncture compared to sham acupuncture.

Clinical factors affecting the long-term survival of breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: The average 5-year survival rate of breast cancer (BC) patients has been significantly prolonged with new therapeutic methods. However, their effects on BC patient long-term survival rates are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the specific clinical factors that can affect BC long-term survival. METHODS: Here, we conducted a retrospective study and analyzed long-term survival using data of 3,240 BC patients from 1977 to 2005 from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Breast tumor size and stage were negatively correlated with long-term survival, but age showed no significant correlation. Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression were each positively correlated with patient survival time, while ERBB2 receptor (HER2) expression was negatively correlated with survival time. Patients with high Nottingham prognostic index (NPI) values did not benefit from available therapies. Furthermore, breast-conserving surgery is more conducive to BC patient long-term survival than mastectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Early detection and breast-conserving surgery may support long-term survival for BC patients. Elevated expression of ER and PR were both associated with longer patient survival time, while positive expression of HER2 showed the opposite trend. The long-term survival rates of patients with high NPI values can potentially be increased.

Perioperative and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic versus open liver resection for combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has now been established as a safe and minimally invasive technique that is deemed feasible for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, the role of LLR in treating combined hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) patients has been rarely reported. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of LLR when compared with open liver resection (OLR) procedure for patients with cHCC-CC. METHODS: A total of 229 cHCC-CC patients who underwent hepatic resection (34 LLR and 195 OLR patients) from January 2014 to December 2018 in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were enrolled and underwent a 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) analysis between the LLR and OLR groups to compare perioperative and oncologic outcomes. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) parameters were assessed by the log-rank test and the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: A total of 34 LLR and 68 OLR patients were included after PSM analysis. The LLR group displayed a shorter postoperative hospital stay (6.61 vs. 8.26 days; p value < 0.001) when compared with the OLR group. No significant differences were observed in the postoperative complications' incidence or a negative surgical margin rate between the two groups (p value = 0.409 and p value = 1.000, respectively). The aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and inflammatory indicators in the LLR group were significantly lower than those in the OLR group on the first and third postoperative days. Additionally, OS and RFS were comparable in both the LLR and OLR groups (p value = 0.700 and p value = 0.780, respectively), and similar results were obtained by conducting a sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSION: LLR can impart less liver function damage, better inflammatory response attenuation contributing to a faster recovery, and parallel oncologic outcomes when compared with OLR. Therefore, LLR can be recommended as a safe and effective therapeutic modality for treating selected cHCC-CC patients, especially for those with small tumors in favorable location.

[Structure and diversity of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community in marsh soils at different invasion stages of Spartina alterniflora in the Minjiang River estuary, China.] / é—½æ±Ÿæ²³å£äº’èŠ±ç±³è‰ä¸åŒå ¥ä¾µé˜¶æ®µæ¹¿åœ°åœŸå£¤nirKåž‹åç¡åŒ–å¾®ç”Ÿç‰©ç¾¤è½ç»“æž„åŠå¤šæ ·æ€§.

To explore the differences in structure and diversity of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community in marsh soils at different invasion stages of Spartina alterniflora, the mudflat (MF, before invasion) and the S. alterniflora marsh after seaward invasion for 1-2 years (SAN) and 6-7 years (SA) in Shanyutan of the Minjiang River estuary were investigated by high-through put sequencing method. Results showed that the seaward invasion of S. alterniflora reduced the richness and diversity of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community in marsh soils. The nirK-type denitrifying microbial community in soils at different invasion stages included Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, with Proteobacteria as the dominant one. The seaward invasion of S. alterniflora greatly altered the composition of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community in marsh soils. The highest relative abundance of genus in soils from different invasion stages were Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium and Alcaligenes, respectively. The seaward invasion of S. alterniflora increased the spatial heterogeneity of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community composition in marsh soils. In SAN plot, the enhancement of spatial heterogeneity was primarily due to higher environmental disturbances in plots and the increased spatial heterogeneity of environmental variables caused by the seaward invasion of S. alterniflora. The seaward invasion of S. alterniflora altered the physico-chemical properties (e.g., grain composition, pH and moisture) and N nutrient conditions (total N, NH4+-N and NO3--N) in marsh soils, which greatly altered the structure and diversity of nirK-type denitrifying microbial community. Our findings reveal the microbial mechanism of denitrification process in marsh soils during the seaward invasion of S. alterniflora.

[Effects of long-term no-tillage and stover mulching on maize yield and its stability.] / é•¿æœŸå è€•ä¸åŒç§¸ç§†è¦†ç›–é‡å¯¹çŽ‰ç±³äº§é‡åŠå ¶ç¨³å®šæ€§çš„å½±å“.

Clarifying the differences of maize yield and its stability under long-term no-tillage with different stover mulching amounts can provide theoretical and technical supports for establishing and evaluating long-term conservation tillage pattern and promoting grain production. Based on a long-term conservation tillage field experiment in the mollisol area of Northeast China since 2007, we analyzed the interannual variation, variation coefficient and stability of maize yield during 2013 and 2019 across five treatments, i.e., no-tillage stover-free mulching (NT0), no-tillage with 33% stover mulching (NT33), no-tillage with 67% stover mulching (NT67) and no-tillage with 100% stover mulching (NT100), with the traditional ridge cropping (RT) as the control. The results showed that compared with RT, long-term no-tillage with stover mulching treatments could increase maize yield. NT100 had the highest increasing rate of 11.4%, followed by NT67 and NT0, with the increasing rate of 11.0% and 10.4%, respectively. Maize yield exhibited a nonlinear relationship with the amount of stover mulch. The variation coefficient of maize yield under multi-year no-tillage with different stover mulching could be sorted as NT67NT0>NT100>RT>NT33, indicating that NT67 treatment could significantly reduce the interannual fluctuation of maize yield and had better sustainability of yield. No-tillage stover mulching significantly increased soil total carbon and total nitrogen contents, which were significantly positively correlated with maize yield. In conclusion, compared with traditional tillage, no-tillage stover mulching could increase maize yield and soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Appropriate stover mulching (NT67)had the potential to improve the stability and sustainability of maize yield.

[Phosphorus forms in marsh soils with different years of Spartina alterniflora invasion in the Minjiang River estuary, China]. / é—½æ±Ÿæ²³å£äº’èŠ±ç±³è‰ä¸åŒå ¥ä¾µå¹´é™æ¹¿åœ°åœŸå£¤ç£·èµ‹å­˜å½¢æ€.

We examined the effects of Spartina alterniflora invasion on phosphorus forms of marsh soils, based on the method of space-for-time substitution by selecting S. alterniflora marshes with different invasion years (SA1, 5-6 years; SA2, 8-10 years; and SA3, 12-14 years) in Shanyutan of the Minjiang River estuary. The results showed that in marsh soils of different invasion years, the proportion of hardly decomposable phosphorus (HCl-Pi and Residual-P) was the highest (46.4%-46.7%), followed by moderately decomposable phosphorus (NaOH-Pi, NaOH-Po and Sonic-Pi) (40.0%-44.0%), and the easily decomposable phosphorus (Resin-Pi, NaHCO3-Pi and NaHCO3-Po) was the lowest (9.5%-13.3%). With increasing invasion years of S. alterniflora, soil phosphorus forms and their spatial distributions were greatly altered. The contents of moderately decomposable phosphorus, hardly decomposable phosphorus, and total phosphorus (TP) generally increased, while easily decomposable phosphorus content generally decreased. Compared with SA1, the contents of moderately decomposable phosphorus, hardly decomposable phosphorus and TP in SA2 increased by 11.5%, 9.7% and 10.5%, while those in SA3 increased by 24.8%, 13.2% and 13.5%, respectively. The distribution of phosphorus forms was greatly altered with increasing invasion years, which was dependent on the variations of key factors such as EC, pH value and grain composition. The implementation of regular mowing activities for S. alterniflora in the Minjiang River estuary in recent years, to some extent, reduced the return of phosphorus from residues to soils and decreased the availability of the easily decomposable phosphorus in soils.

A dual-channel "on-off-on" fluorescent probe for the detection and discrimination of Fe3+ and Hg2+ in piggery feed and swine wastewater.

Blue-fluorescent blood-CDs were synthesized through a one-pot hydrothermal method using a mixture of chicken blood and trisodium citrate and then explored as a fluorescent probe for detecting Fe3+ and Hg2+. The probe showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards Fe3+ and Hg2+ with a dramatic "on-off" fluorescence response. F- recovered the fluorescence quenching by Fe3+, and Al3+ recovered the fluorescence quenching by Hg2+, showing an "off-on" fluorescence response. The blood-CDs were used as an "on-off-on" dual-channel fluorescent sensor for the detection and discrimination of Fe3+ and Hg2+ ions. The probe showed wide linear ranges for determination of Fe3+ (0-100 µM) and Hg2+ (0-120 µM) with low detection limits of 0.23 µM for Fe3+ and 0.17 µM for Hg2+. This probe was practically applied for the determination of Fe3+ and Hg2+ in piggery feed and wastewater with good recoveries. This work provides a fluorescent probe for the quantification of Fe3+ and Hg2+ in livestock feed and environmental water samples.

A luminescent Eu3+-functionalized MOF for sensitive and rapid detection of tetracycline antibiotics in swine wastewater and pig kidney.

Tetracyclines (TCs), a type of antibiotics, are widely used in human therapy and animal husbandry. Public concerns about tetracyclines residues have been raised due to their negative impact on the environment and food, causing bacterias drug resistance and human health concerns. In this work, a luminescent europium MOF (EuUCBA) is constructed via post-synthetic attachment of Eu3+ into a UiO-66 type MOF. The luminescent of EuUCBA exhibits high stability in aqueous media in the pH range of 4-11. Among 36 common veterinary drugs, the synthesized probe is highly selective and sensitive to six tetracyclines with low detection limits of 0.118 µM, 0.228 µM, 0.102 µM, 0.138 µM, 0.206 µM, and 0.078 µM for oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC), methylenetetracycline (MTC), minocycline (MOC), tetracycline (TC), and doxycycline (DOXY), respectively. Furthermore, the probe shows good anti-interference ability and fast response. Finally, EuUCBA was successfully to detect DOXY in swine wastewater and pig kidney with good recoveries. This work provides an excellent fluorescent sensor for highly selective and rapid detection of TCs residues in wastewater and complex biological samples.

LncRNA SNHG1 promotes renal cell carcinoma progression through regulation of HMGA2 via sponging miR-103a.

BACKGROUND: Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) plays a vital role in tumorigenesis and development. The molecular mechanism of SNHG1 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been illustrated. The aim of this research was to explore the expression and function of LncRNA SNHG1 in RCC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The expression of SNHG1 in clinical tissues and RCC cell lines was detected. Luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the correlation between SNHG1, miR-103a, and HMGA2. CCK-8 assay was performed to examine cell viability. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using flow cytometry. Cell invasion capacity was determined by Transwell assays. The protein level of HMGA2 was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: The expression of SNHG1 markedly increased in RCC tissues and cell lines. Subsequent studies identified SNHG1 as a miRNA sponge for miR-103a. In addition, SNHG1 knockdown and miR-103a overexpression significantly inhibited progression of RCC. miR-103a also regulated HMGA2 levels. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that SNHG1 was upregulated in RCC cells and tissues. SNHG1 promoted the malignant characteristics of RCC cells. Its regulatory effect may be regulation of HMGA2 by sponging miR-103a. Therefore, Our study facilitates the understanding of SNHG1 function in RCC.