Knockout of miR396 genes increases seed size and yield in soybean.

Yield improvement has long been an important task for soybean breeding in the world in order to meet the increasing demand for food and animal feed. miR396 genes have been shown to negatively regulate grain size in rice, but whether miR396 family members may function in a similar manner in soybean is unknown. Here, we generated eight soybean mutants harboring different combinations of homozygous mutations in the six soybean miR396 genes through genome editing with clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease (Cas)12SF01 in the elite soybean cultivar Zhonghuang 302 (ZH302). Four triple mutants (mir396aci, mir396acd, mir396adf, and mir396cdf), two quadruple mutants (mir396abcd and mir396acfi), and two quintuple mutants (mir396abcdf and mir396bcdfi) were characterized. We found that plants of all the mir396 mutants produced larger seeds compared to ZH302 plants. Field tests showed that mir396adf and mir396cdf plants have significantly increased yield in growth zones with relatively high latitude which are suited for ZH302 and moderately increased yield in lower latitude. In contrast, mir396abcdf and mir396bcdfi plants have increased plant height and decreased yield in growth zones with relatively high latitude due to lodging issues, but they are suited for low latitude growth zones with increased yield without lodging problems. Taken together, our study demonstrated that loss-of-function of miR396 genes leads to significantly enlarged seed size and increased yield in soybean, providing valuable germplasms for breeding high-yield soybean.

Laparoscopic continuous seromuscular circumsuture for myomectomy: a real-world, retrospective, East-Asian cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to introduce a novel laparoscopic haemostasis for myomectomy and investigate the independent risk factors for uterine fibroid recurrence. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Following strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology (STROBE) criteria, a retrospective study of prospectively collected available data of the consecutive patients who underwent the myomectomy in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology of the single centre between February 2018 and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 177 patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy resection were enrolled in the present cohort study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were classified into two groups according to their different methods of haemostasis in laparoscopic surgery. Recurrence-free survival was compared between the groups during an average follow-up of nearly 2 years. RESULTS: Of the 177 patients from 672 consecutive patients in the retrospective cohort, laparoscopic circular suture and baseball suture were carried out in 102 (57.6%) and 75 (42.4%) patients, respectively. The total amount of blood lost during surgery varied significantly (37.6 vs 99.5 mL) (p<0.001). Univariable analyses identified that age ≥40 years, position at intramural myoma, multiple fibroids and largest fibroid volume ≥50 mm3 (HR 2.222, 95% CI 1.376 to 3.977, p=0.039; HR 3.625, 95% CI 1.526 to 6.985, p=0.003; HR 3.139, 95% CI 1.651 to 5.968, p<0.001; HR 2.328, 95% CI 0.869 to 3.244, p=0.040, respectively) are independent risk factor of the recurrence of uterine fibroids. The formula of the nomogram prediction model was established as the practical clinical tool. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic continuous seromuscular circumsuture for myomectomy can effectively reduce the amount of surgical bleeding and accelerate the perioperative recovery for surgical safety. The main factors affecting the recurrence of uterine fibroids were age, location, number and volume of uterine fibroids. The nomogram can more straightforwardly assist clinicians to determine the risk of recurrence after laparoscopic myomectomy.

Iron nanoparticles surface decorated MXene via molten salts etching as selenium host for ultrafast sodium ion storage.

Sodium-selenium (Na-Se) batteries have gained attention due to their high energy density and power density, resulting from the liquid-liquid reaction at the interface in the dimethoxyethane electrolyte. Nevertheless, the pronounced shuttle effect of polyselenides causes low coulomb efficiency and inadequate cycling stability for Na-Se batteries. Herein, the iron nanoparticles surface modified accordion-like Ti3C2Tx MXene (MXene/Fe) synthesized via the molten salt etching is utilized as the host of Se species for high-performance Na-Se battery cathode. Benefiting from the layered structure and chemical adsorption of accordion-like MXene, the shuttle effect of the cathode is effectively inhibited. Simultaneously, electrochemical kinetics is boosted due to the catalytic effect of Fe nanoparticles, which facilitate the transformation of polyselenide from long-chain to short-chain, contributing to pseudocapacitive capacity. Consequently, the Se-based cathode delivers a steady capacity of 575.0 mA h g-1 at 0.2 A/g, and even a high capacity of 500 mAh/g at 50 A/g based on the mass of Se@MXene/Fe electrode, indicating the ultrafast Na+ ion storage. Most notably, this structure demonstrated remarkable long-term cycling stability for 5000 cycles with a high capacity retention of 97.4 %. The electrochemical energy storage mechanism is further revealed by in situ Raman. Herein, the confinement-catalysis structure shines light on inhibiting shuttling and facilitating ultrafast ion storage.

Comprehensive assessment of risk factors and pathogenic characteristics of wound infections following thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer.

Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with surgical resection as a primary treatment modality. However, postoperative wound infections (PWIs) pose significant risks following thoracoscopic radical resection. This study aims to identify the risk factors and pathogenetic characteristics associated with PWIs in lung cancer surgery. A comprehensive retrospective study was conducted from August 2021 to June 2023 at our institution. The study included 30 patients who developed PWIs and 60 controls who did not, following thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer. We evaluated various factors including age, hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, body mass index (BMI), operation time, prophylactic antibiotic use, diabetes mellitus and tumour staging. Diagnostic criteria for PWIs were based on clinical signs and microbiological confirmation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, utilizing chi-square tests, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. The predominant pathogens identified in PWIs were Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Univariate analysis revealed operation time (≥4 h) and diabetes mellitus as significant risk factors for PWIs, while prophylactic antibiotic use was associated with a lower incidence of PWIs. Multivariate analysis further confirmed these findings, highlighting prolonged operation time and diabetes as significant predictors of PWIs, and antibiotic use as a protective factor. Prolonged operation time and diabetes mellitus significantly increase the risk of PWIs following thoracoscopic radical resection for lung cancer, whereas prophylactic antibiotics play a protective role. These findings underscore the importance of tailored preventive strategies in clinical practice to minimize the occurrence of postoperative infections and improve surgical outcomes in lung cancer patients.

Breeding exceptionally fragrant soybeans for soy milk with strong aroma.

Knockout of the soybean (Glycine max) betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase genes GmBADH1 and GmBADH2 using CRISPR/Cas12i3 enhances the aroma of soybeans. Soy milk made from the gmbadh1/2 double mutant seeds exhibits a much stronger aroma, which consumers prefer; this mutant has potential for enhancing quality in soy-based products.

Dynamic DNA Methylation Regulates Season-Dependent Secondary Metabolism in the New Shoots of Tea Plants.

Plant secondary metabolites are critical quality-conferring compositions of plant-derived beverages, medicines, and industrial materials. The accumulations of secondary metabolites are highly variable among seasons; however, the underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear, especially in epigenetic regulation. Here, we used tea plants to explore an important epigenetic mark DNA methylation (5mC)-mediated regulation of plant secondary metabolism in different seasons. Multiple omics analyses were performed on spring and summer new shoots. The results showed that flavonoids and theanine metabolism dominated in the metabolic response to seasons in the new shoots. In summer new shoots, the genes encoding DNA methyltransferases and demethylases were up-regulated, and the global CG and CHG methylation reduced and CHH methylation increased. 5mC methylation in promoter and gene body regions influenced the seasonal response of gene expression; the amplitude of 5mC methylation was highly correlated with that of gene transcriptions. These differentially methylated genes included those encoding enzymes and transcription factors which play important roles in flavonoid and theanine metabolic pathways. The regulatory role of 5mC methylation was further verified by applying a DNA methylation inhibitor. These findings highlight that dynamic DNA methylation plays an important role in seasonal-dependent secondary metabolism and provide new insights for improving tea quality.

MoP quantum dots based multifunctional efficient electrocatalyst for stable and long-life flexible lithium-sulfur batteries.

The commercialization of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is challenging, owing to factors like the poor conductivity of S, the 'shuttle effect', and the slow reaction kinetics. To address these challenges, MoP quantum dots were decorated on hollow carbon spheres (MoPQDs/C) in this study and used as an efficient lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) adsorbents and catalysts. In this approach polysulfides are effectively trapped through strong chemisorption and physical adsorption while simultaneously facilitating LiPSs conversion by enhancing the reaction kinetics. MXene serves as a flexible physical barrier (MoPQDs/C@MXene), further enhancing the confinement of LiPSs. Moreover, both materials are conductive, significantly facilitating electron and charge transfer. Additionally, the flexible MoPQDs/C@MXene-S electrode offers a large specific surface area for sulfur loading and withstand volume expansion during electrochemical processes. As a result, the MoPQDs/C@MXene-S electrode exhibits excellent long-term cyclability and maintains a robust specific capacity of 992 mA h g-1 even after 800cycles at a rate of 1.0C (1C = 1675 mA g-1), with a minimal capacity decay rate of 0.034 % per cycle. This work proposes an efficient strategy to fabricate highly efficient electrocatalysts for advanced Li-S batteries.

Proteomic Analysis Revealed the Potential Role of MAGE-D2 in the Therapeutic Targeting of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Among all the molecular subtypes of breast cancer, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive one. Currently, the clinical prognosis of TNBC is poor because there is still no effective therapeutic target. Here, we carried out a combined proteomic analysis involving bioinformatic analysis of the proteome database, label-free quantitative proteomics, and immunoprecipitation (IP) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) to explore potential therapeutic targets for TNBC. The results of bioinformatic analysis showed an overexpression of MAGE-D2 (melanoma antigen family D2) in TNBC. In vivo and in vitro experiments revealed that MAGE-D2 overexpression could promote cell proliferation and metastasis. Furthermore, label-free quantitative proteomics revealed that MAGE-D2 acted as a cancer-promoting factor by activating the PI3K-AKT pathway. Moreover, the outcomes of IP-MS and cross-linking IP-MS demonstrated that MAGE-D2 could interact with Hsp70 and prevent Hsp70 degradation, but evidence for their direct interaction is still lacking. Nevertheless, MAGE-D2 is a potential therapeutic target for TNBC, and blocking MAGE-D2 may have important therapeutic implications.

Clinical role of serum microRNA-155 in early diagnosis and prognosis of septic patients with acute kidney injury.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in patients with sepsis, and early detection and timely treatment are crucial. This article aims to explore the clinical role of microRNA-155 (miR-155) in early diagnosis and prognosis evaluation of septic patients with acute kidney injury. METHODS: We collected the blood samples of septic patients and measured the relative expression of serum miR-155 by RT-qPCR, and drew the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate its early diagnosis for septic AKI. RESULTS: The relative expression of miR-155 in the septic AKI was significantly higher than that in the septic non-AKI, and increased with the aggravation of renal function damage. The ROC curve of miR-155 for the diagnosis of septic AKI was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.61-2.19). When the optimal cut-off value of miR-155 expression was 2.37, its sensitivity for diagnosing septic AKI was 91.12% (95% CI: 80.41-95.07%), and its specificity was 84.52% (95% CI: 71.74-89.36%). Furthermore, the severity of kidney injury, SOFA score, APACHE II score and miR-155 were the risk factors affecting the prognosis of septic patients with AKI. CONCLUSION: Serum miR-155 can be used as a novel biomarker for the early diagnosis of septic AKI, and also has important clinical value in the prognosis evaluation of septic patients with AKI.

Long-Term Temporospatial Complementary Relationship between Degradation and Bone Regeneration of Mg-Al Alloy.

The utilization of guided tissue regeneration membranes is a significant approach for enhancing bone tissue growth in areas with bone defects. Biodegradable magnesium alloys are increasingly being used as guided tissue regeneration membranes due to their outstanding osteogenic properties. However, the degradation rates of magnesium alloy bone implants documented in the literature tend to be rapid. Moreover, many studies focus only on the initial 3-month period post-implantation, limiting their applicability and impeding clinical adoption. Furthermore, scant attention has been given to the interplay between the degradation of magnesium alloy implants and the adjacent tissues. To address these gaps, this study employs a well-studied magnesium-aluminum (Mg-Al) alloy membrane with a slow degradation rate. This membrane is implanted into rat skull bone defects and monitored over an extended period of up to 48 weeks. Observations are conducted at various intervals (2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 weeks) following the implantation. Assessment of degradation behavior and tissue regeneration response is carried out using histological sections, micro-CT scans, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The findings reveal that the magnesium alloy membranes demonstrate remarkable biocompatibility and osteogenic capability over the entire observation duration. Specifically, the Mg-Al alloy membranes sustain their structural integrity for 8 weeks. Notably, their osteogenic ability is further enhanced as a corrosion product layer forms during the later stages of implantation. Additionally, our in vitro experiments employing extracts from the magnesium alloy display a significant osteogenic effect, accompanied by a notable increase in the expression of osteogenic-related genes. Collectively, these results strongly indicate the substantial potential of Mg-Al alloy membranes in the context of guided tissue regeneration.

Volatile Organic Compounds of Scheffersomyces spartinae W9 Have Antifungal Effect against Botrytis cinerea on Strawberry Fruit.

This study aims to evaluate the antifungal effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by a marine biocontrol yeast, Scheffersomyces spartinae W9. The results showed that the VOCs from the yeast inhibited the growth of Botrytis cinerea mycelium and spore germination by 77.8% and 58.3%, respectively. Additionally, it reduced the disease incidence and lesion diameter of gray mold on the strawberry fruit surface by 20.7% and 67.4%, respectively. Electronic micrographs showed that VOCs caused damage to the morphology and ultrastructure of the hyphae. Based on headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS), S. spartinae W9 emitted 18 main VOCs, and the pure substance of VOCs, such as 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2-phenylethanol, and isoamyl acetate, showed antifungal effects against B. cinerea mycelium growth. Among them, 2-phenylethanol exhibited the strongest antifungal activity. It has been concluded that VOCs are the key antifungal mechanism of S. spartinae W9, and a promising strategy for controlling gray mold on strawberry fruit.

Effects of gravel on the evaluation of soil organic carbon density in Pinus massoniana plantations.

Gravel (>2 mm) is one of the main parameters for estimating soil carbon pool. To assess the effects of gravel on soil bulk density (BD) and organic carbon density (SOCD) in Pinus massoniana plantations, we estimated the BD and SOCD at the 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm soil depths of 131 plots under two different conditions, with and without removing gravel. The BD of each soil layer after removing gravel was 0.58-1.57, 0.60-1.67, and 0.59-1.75 g·cm-3, respectively, which was significantly lower than that before removing gravel. Gravel increased the BD by 6.5%-6.8%. The SOCD of each soil layer before removing gravel was 8.93-65.97, 7.63-59.08, and 8.79-94.53 t·hm-2, respectively, which was higher than that after removing gravel. Overall, by neglecting the effect of gravel, SOCD was overestimated by 4.9%-11.8%. As gravel content increased, the relative deviation in the estimated BD and SOCD among different methods increased. When the gravel content was higher than 20%, the estimated SOCD at soil layer of 0-40 cm showed a significant difference between neglecting gravel and removing gravel, with the former being 29.7%-47.4% higher than the latter. In conclusion, gravel markedly affected the estimations of BD and SOCD. It was recommended that SOCD should be estimated by the method that not only uses the BD after removing gravel but also considers gravel as a correction factor (especially when gravel content is above 20.0%) to avoid overestimation of soil carbon pool.

A filter-electrochemical microfluidic chip for multiple surface protein analysis of exosomes to detect and classify breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is a complex disease with high variability and no specific tumor markers available for diagnosis. Exosomes contain rich maternal tumor information and are a novel non-invasive biomarker with the potential for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, analysis of exosomal protein markers in blood samples is challenging due to lengthy sample workups and insufficient sensitivity. To address this difficulty, we developed a novel filter-electrochemical microfluidic chip (FEMC) to detect and classify BC directly in whole blood without requiring heavy purification methods. In our system, exosome enrichment was performed using a dual filtration system. The target was directed through a curved channel onto four screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), where it was captured by the previously modified antibodies. Simultaneously, Zr-MOFs encapsulated with a large number of methylene blue molecules (MB@UiO-66) were absorbed on the surface of exosomes due to the high affinity for phosphate groups. This process leads to the amplification of electrical signals. The approach demonstrated that the utilization of BC exosome-associated tumor biomarkers (i.e., PMSA, EGFR, CD81, and CEA), enabled the classification of various BC mouse models samples and clinical BC samples. The entire FEMC assay was completed in 1 h with a limit of detection of 1 × 104 particles/mL. Thus, the FEMC assay can provide real-time detection information, allowing timely and better-informed opportunities for clinical BC diagnosis and typing.

A novel heteropolysaccharide isolated from custard apple pulp and its immunomodulatory activity in mouse macrophages and dendritic cells.

In this study, a novel heteropolysaccharide (ASPA80-1) with an average molecular weight of 5.48 × 104 Da was isolated and structurally elucidated from custard apple pulp (Annona squamosa) through DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-100 and Sephacryl S-300 HR chromatography and spectral analysis. ASPA80-1 is a water-soluble polysaccharide and it is a polymer consisting of predominant amounts of (1 â†’ 3)-linked-L-arabinose (Ara) residues, small amounts of (1 â†’ 6)-linked-D-galactose (Gal), (1 â†’ 3,5)-linked-L-arabinose (Ara) residues and terminal linked-L-arabinose (Ara) residues, trace amount of (1 â†’ 4)-linked-D-glucose (Glc) residues and (1 â†’ 2)-linked-L-rhamnose (Rham) residues. ASPA80-1 showed significant effect on antigen-presenting cells (APCs) activation. On the one hand, ASPA80-1 activated RAW264.7 macrophage cells by inducing morphology change, enhancing phagocytic ability, increasing nitric oxide (NO) secretion and promoting expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) and cluster of differentiation 86 (CD 86). On the other hand, ASPA80-1 promoted the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) by inducing longer dendrites, decreasing phagocytic ability and increasing MHC II and CD86 expression. Furthermore, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways were activated after the intervention of ASPA80-1 on RAW264.7 cells or DCs. Thus, the novel heteropolysaccharide ASPA80-1 has the potential to be used as an immunoenhancing component in functional foods.

Improvement of delivery properties of soybean 7S protein by high-pressure homogenization: In the case of curcumin.

In this study, curcumin@high-pressure homogenization-soybean 7S protein/nanoparticles (CUR@HPH-7S-NPs) were prepared by an anti-solvent method. The physicochemical properties results showed at a CUR concentration of 4 mg/mL, CUR@HPH-7S-NPs had better size, encapsulation efficiency (EE), and zeta-potential values of 151.9 nm, 88.80 %, and -23.1 mV, respectively. Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) and endogenous fluorescence spectroscopy results indicated CUR bound to HPH-7S through hydrophobic interactions, and the force between HPH-7S and CUR molecules was greater than that between untreated 7S protein and CUR. Furthermore, the pH stability results showed the size of CUR@HPH-7S-NPs was barely affected by pH away from adjacent area of the isoelectric point of 7S protein. The physical thermal stability and bio-accessibility results suggested that HPH-7S was more effective in delaying the degradation, had more physical thermal stability, and had a significant improvement in the bio-accessibility of CUR than that of untreated 7S protein. What's more, the antioxidant activity results showed at a CUR equivalent concentration of 40 µg/mL, the DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activity of CUR@HPH-7S-NPs was 85.10 % and 96.64 %, respectively, both of which were significantly higher than that of free CUR. Finally, this study aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the delivery of other hydrophobic bioactive substances.

S-Nitrosoglutathione protects acute kidney injury in septic rats by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Objectives: We aimed to study the effect of S-nitroso glutathione (SNG) on acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic rats by regulating nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3). Materials and Methods: Sprague Dawley rats were used to construct the AKI model, and biochemical methods were used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors and anti-oxidant enzymes in renal tissue. We observed the ultrastructural changes of renal tissue by transmission electron microscopy and detected the protein and mRNA levels of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain foci (ASC) and caspase-1 by western-blotting and RT-qPCR. Results: Cecal ligation and puncture induced renal tubular epithelial tissue damage in septic rats, resulting in decreased renal function, increased levels of inflammation and decreased levels of anti-oxidant enzymes in renal tissue, and aggravated mitochondrial damage, significantly decreased mitochondrial density and enzyme complex I/II/III/IV levels (all P<0.001), and increased the protein and mRNA expression of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 (all P<0.001). However, after pretreatment with SNG, the pathological damage of renal tubular epithelial tissue was reduced, the renal function was improved, the level of inflammation in renal tissue decreased and the level of anti-oxidant enzymes increased, the density of mitochondria and the level of enzyme complex I/II/III/IV were significantly increased (all P<0.001), meanwhile the protein and mRNA levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 were all decreased significantly (all P<0.05). Conclusion: SNG protects AKI in septic rats by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation.

Simple and Rapid Discrimination of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Based on Gram Staining and Machine Vision.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a clinical threat with high morbidity and mortality. Here, we describe a new simple, rapid identification method for MRSA using oxacillin sodium salt, a cell wall synthesis inhibitor, combined with Gram staining and machine vision (MV) analysis. Gram staining classifies bacteria as positive (purple) or negative (pink) according to the cell wall structure and chemical composition. In the presence of oxacillin, the integrity of the cell wall for methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) was destroyed immediately and appeared Gram negative. In contrast, MRSA was relatively stable and appeared Gram positive. This color change can be detected by MV. The feasibility of this method was demonstrated in 150 images of the staining results for 50 clinical S. aureus strains. Based on effective feature extraction and machine learning, the accuracies of the linear linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model and nonlinear artificial neural network (ANN) model for MRSA identification were 96.7% and 97.3%, respectively. Combined with MV analysis, this simple strategy improved the detection efficiency and significantly shortened the time needed to detect antibiotic resistance. The whole process can be completed within 1 h. Unlike the traditional antibiotic susceptibility test, overnight incubation is avoided. This new strategy could be used for other bacteria and represents a new rapid method for detection of clinical antibiotic resistance. IMPORTANCE Oxacillin sodium salt destroys the integrity of the cell wall of MSSA immediately, appearing Gram negative, whereas MRSA is relatively stable and still appears Gram positive. This color change can be detected by microscopic examination and MV analysis. This new strategy has significantly reduced the time to detect resistance. The results show that using oxacillin sodium salt combined with Gram staining and MV analysis is a new, simple and rapid method for identification of MRSA.