Transcriptional networks orchestrating red and pink testa color in peanut.

BACKGROUND: Testa color is an important trait of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) which is closely related with the nutritional and commercial value. Pink and red are main color of peanut testa. However, the genetic mechanism of testa color regulation in peanut is not fully understood. To elucidate a clear picture of peanut testa regulatory model, samples of pink cultivar (Y9102), red cultivar (ZH12), and two RNA pools (bulk red and bulk pink) constructed from F4 lines of Y9102 x ZH12 were compared through a bulk RNA-seq approach. RESULTS: A total of 2992 differential expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among which 317 and 1334 were up-regulated and 225 and 1116 were down-regulated in the bulk red-vs-bulk pink RNA pools and Y9102-vs-ZH12, respectively. KEGG analysis indicates that these genes were divided into significantly enriched metabolic pathways including phenylpropanoid, flavonoid/anthocyanin, isoflavonoid and lignin biosynthetic pathways. Notably, the expression of the anthocyanin upstream regulatory genes PAL, CHS, and CHI was upregulated in pink and red testa peanuts, indicating that their regulation may occur before to the advent of testa pigmentation. However, the differential expression of down-stream regulatory genes including F3H, DFR, and ANS revealed that deepening of testa color not only depends on their gene expression bias, but also linked with FLS inhibition. In addition, the down-regulation of HCT, IFS, HID, 7-IOMT, and I2'H genes provided an alternative mechanism for promoting anthocyanin accumulation via perturbation of lignin and isoflavone pathways. Furthermore, the co-expression module of MYB, bHLH, and WRKY transcription factors also suggested a fascinating transcriptional activation complex, where MYB-bHLH could utilize WRKY as a co-option during the testa color regulation by augmenting anthocyanin biosynthesis in peanut. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal candidate functional genes and potential strategies for the manipulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis to improve peanut varieties with desirable testa color.

BSA­seq and genetic mapping identified candidate genes for branching habit in peanut.

KEY MESSAGE: The candidate gene AhLBA1 controlling lateral branch angel of peanut was fine-mapped to a 136.65-kb physical region on chromosome 15 using the BSA-seq and QTL mapping. Lateral branch angel (LBA) is an important plant architecture trait of peanut, which plays key role in lodging, peg soil penetration and pod yield. However, there are few reports of fine mapping and quantitative trait loci (QTLs)/cloned genes for LBA in peanut. In this project, a mapping population was constructed using a spreading variety Tifrunner and the erect variety Fuhuasheng. Through bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq), a major gene related to LBA, named as AhLBA1, was preliminarily mapped at the region of Chr.15: 150-160 Mb. Then, using traditional QTL approach, AhLBA1 was narrowed to a 1.12 cM region, corresponding to a 136.65-kb physical interval of the reference genome. Of the nine genes housed in this region, three of them were involved in hormone metabolism and regulation, including one "F-box protein" and two "2-oxoglutarate (2OG) and Fe(II)-dependent oxygenase (2OG oxygenase)" encoding genes. In addition, we found that the level of some classes of cytokinin (CK), auxin and ethylene showed significant differences between spreading and erect peanuts at the junction of main stem and lateral branch. These findings will aid further elucidation of the genetic mechanism of LBA in peanut and facilitating marker-assisted selection (MAS) in the future breeding program.

The utility of hierarchical genetic testing in paediatric liver disease.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Genetic factors underlie a substantial proportion of paediatric liver diseases. Hereditary liver diseases have considerable genetic heterogeneity and variable clinical manifestations, which bring great challenges to clinical and molecular diagnoses. In this study, we investigated a group of paediatric patients with varying degrees of liver dysfunction using a hierarchical genetic testing strategy. METHODS: We first applied a panel encompassing 166 known causal genes of liver disease. We then used exome sequencing (ES) in those patients whose cases remained undiagnosed to identify the genetic aetiology of their symptoms. RESULTS: In total, we enrolled 131 unrelated paediatric patients with liver disease of Chinese Han ethnicity. We first applied targeted gene sequencing of 166 genes to all patients and yielded a diagnostic rate of 35.9% (47 of 131). Eighty-four patients who remained undiagnosed after target gene sequencing were subjected to ES. As a result, eight (8/84, 9.5%) of them obtained molecular diagnoses, including four patients suspected of abnormal bilirubin metabolism and four idiopathic cases. Non-typical genetic findings, including digenic inheritance and dual molecular diagnosis, were also identified. Through a comprehensive assessment of novel candidate variants of uncertain disease association, 11 patients of the remaining undiagnosed patients were able to obtain likely molecular diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study presents evidence for the diagnostic utility of sequential genetic testing in a cohort of patients with paediatric liver disease. Our findings expand the understanding of the phenotypic and mutational spectrum underlying this heterogeneous group of diseases.

Biopsy-proven liver cirrhosis in young children: A 10-year cohort study.

Young children with liver cirrhosis have a significantly high risk of mortality. However, there are few studies regarding early childhood-onset cirrhosis. This study aims to explore the causes, clinical findings and prognosis of biopsy-proven cirrhosis in infants, toddlers and preschoolers. We enroled young children with biopsy-proven cirrhosis from January 2010. Till January 2020, the study has been going on for 10 years. A total of 139 cirrhotic children were enrolled, including 87 boys and 52 girls. The median age at initially histological diagnosis of cirrhosis was 2 years old (range: 1 month-6 years). Sixty-two patients reported yellowish discoloration of sclera and/or skin as an initial symptom. Ninety-three patients had definite aetiologies while 46 had indeterminate causes. Among the confirmed cases, 31 had hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, accounting for 33.3%. Subsequently, glycogen storage disease was diagnosed in 16 cases and Wilson disease in 14 cases. In these patients with HBV infection, nine finally achieved hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) loss (29.0%) after effective antiviral therapy during the follow-up. Logistic regression revealed that baseline alanine aminotransferase (odds ratio 1.008, p = 0.028) was the independent predictor of HBsAg loss. Furthermore, one patient who underwent second biopsies showed histological reverse. HBV infection is an important cause of paediatric cirrhosis in our study. The pathogenesis of HBV-related cirrhosis in early childhood deserves further studies.

Integrated small RNA and mRNA expression profiles reveal miRNAs and their target genes in response to Aspergillus flavus growth in peanut seeds.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs are important gene expression regulators in plants immune system. Aspergillus flavus is the most common causal agents of aflatoxin contamination in peanuts, but information on the function of miRNA in peanut-A. flavus interaction is lacking. In this study, the resistant cultivar (GT-C20) and susceptible cultivar (Tifrunner) were used to investigate regulatory roles of miRNAs in response to A. flavus growth. RESULTS: A total of 30 miRNAs, 447 genes and 21 potential miRNA/mRNA pairs were differentially expressed significantly when treated with A. flavus. A total of 62 miRNAs, 451 genes and 44 potential miRNA/mRNA pairs exhibited differential expression profiles between two peanut varieties. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that metabolic-process related GO terms were enriched. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses further supported the GO results, in which many enriched pathways were related with biosynthesis and metabolism, such as biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways. Correlation analysis of small RNA, transcriptome and degradome indicated that miR156/SPL pairs might regulate the accumulation of flavonoids in resistant and susceptible genotypes. The miR482/2118 family might regulate NBS-LRR gene which had the higher expression level in resistant genotype. These results provided useful information for further understanding the roles of miR156/157/SPL and miR482/2118/NBS-LRR pairs. CONCLUSIONS: Integration analysis of the transcriptome, miRNAome and degradome of resistant and susceptible peanut varieties were performed in this study. The knowledge gained will help to understand the roles of miRNAs of peanut in response to A. flavus.

Matrix metalloprotein-triggered, cell penetrating peptide-modified star-shaped nanoparticles for tumor targeting and cancer therapy.

BACKGROUND: Specific targeting ability and good cell penetration are two critical requirements of tumor-targeted delivery systems. In the present work, we developed a novel matrix metalloprotein-triggered, cell-penetrating, peptide-modified, star-shaped nanoparticle (NP) based on a functionalized copolymer (MePEG-Peptide-Tri-CL), with the peptide composed of GPLGIAG (matrix metalloprotein-triggered peptide for targeted delivery) and r9 (cell-penetrating peptide for penetration improvement) to enhance its biological specificity and therapeutic effect. RESULTS: Based on the in vitro release study, a sustained release profile was achieved for curcumin (Cur) release from the Cur-P-NPs at pH 7.4. Furthermore, the release rate of Cur was accelerated in the enzymatic reaction. MTT assay results indicated that the biocompatibility of polymer NPs (P-NPs) was inversely related to the NP concentration, while the efficiency toward tumor cell inhibition was positively related to the Cur-P-NP concentration. In addition, Cur-P-NPs showed higher fluorescence intensity than Cur-NPs in tumor cells, indicating improved penetration of tumor cells. An in vivo biodistribution study further demonstrated that Cur-P-NPs exhibited stronger targeting to A549 xenografts than to normal tissue. Furthermore, the strongest tumor growth inhibition (76.95%) was observed in Cur-P-NP-treated A549 tumor xenograft nude mice, with slight pulmonary toxicity. CONCLUSION: All results demonstrated that Cur-P-NP is a promising drug delivery system that possesses specific enzyme responsiveness for use in anti-tumor therapy.

Concordance Study Between IBM Watson for Oncology and Clinical Practice for Patients with Cancer in China.

BACKGROUND: IBM Watson for Oncology (WFO), which can use natural language processing to evaluate data in structured and unstructured formats, has begun to be used in China. It provides physicians with evidence-based treatment options and ranks them in three categories for treatment decision support. This study was designed to examine the concordance between the treatment recommendation proposed by WFO and actual clinical decisions by oncologists in our cancer center, which would reflect the differences of cancer treatment between China and the U.S. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective data from 362 patients with cancer were ingested into WFO from April 2017 to October 2017. WFO recommendations were provided in three categories: recommended, for consideration, and not recommended. Concordance was analyzed by comparing the treatment decisions proposed by WFO with those of the multidisciplinary tumor board. Concordance was achieved when the oncologists' treatment decisions were in the recommended or for consideration categories in WFO. RESULTS: Ovarian cancer showed the highest concordance, which was 96%. Lung cancer and breast cancer obtained a concordance of slightly above 80%. The concordance of rectal cancer was 74%, whereas colon cancer and cervical cancer showed the same concordance of 64%. In particular, the concordance of gastric cancer was very low, only 12%, and 88% of cases were under physicians choice. CONCLUSION: Different cancer types showed different concordances, and only gastric cancers were significantly less likely to be concordant. Incidence and pharmaceuticals may be the major cause of discordance. To be comprehensively and rapidly applied in China, WFO needs to accelerate localization. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03400514. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: IBM Watson for Oncology (WFO) has begun to be used in China. In this study, concordance was examined between the treatment recommendation proposed by WFO and clinical decisions for 362 patients in our cancer center, which could reflect the differences of cancer treatment between China and the U.S. Different cancer types showed different concordances, and only gastric cancers were significantly less likely to be concordant. Incidence and pharmaceuticals may be the major causes of discordance. To be comprehensively and rapidly applied in China, WFO needs to accelerate localization. This study may have a significant effect on application of artificial intelligence systems in China.

Clinical characterization and mutation spectrum in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis in China.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is the most common adenomatous polyposis syndrome. Patients with FAP are screened for germline mutations of two genes, APC and MUTYH. However, limited data exist on the clinical characterization and genotypic spectrum of FAP in China. This study was aimed to determine APC and MUTYH mutational status in a small cohort of FAP probands in China and to characterize the genotype-phenotype correlation in mutated patients. METHODS: Mutation screening of 46 unrelated probands was performed using multigene panels by next-generation sequencing. Clinical data of the index were used to assess genotype-phenotype correlations. RESULTS: Overall, 42 out of 46 (91.30%) unrelated probands found mutations, including 35 (76.09%) with APC mutations, 3 (6.52%) with MUTYH mutations, and 4 (8.70%) with both APC and MUTYH mutations. Ten APC genetic alterations variants were novel. The hereditary pattern of the family with both APC and MUTYH mutations was autosomal dominant inheritance. Upper gastrointestinal polyp was the most common extracolonic manifestations. The onset time for patients with both APC and MUTYH mutations was earlier than MUTYH mutation carriers and similar to APC mutation carriers. But the age of carcinogenesis for patients with both APC and MUTYH mutations was later than APC mutation carriers and similar to MUTYH mutation carriers. CONCLUSION: In this study, we show the importance of using multigene panels that allow for a parallel comprehensive screening. We suggest that genetic testing of patients with suspected adenomatous polyposis syndromes should include APC and MUTYH gene mutation analyses simultaneously.

Vitamin K2 inhibits rat vascular smooth muscle cell calcification by restoring the Gas6/Axl/Akt anti-apoptotic pathway.

Vascular calcification is associated with cardiovascular disease as a complication of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease. Vitamin K2 (VK2) delays vascular calcification by an unclear mechanism. Moreover, apoptosis modulates vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification. This paper aimed to study VK2-modified VSMC calcification and survival cell signaling mediated by growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) and its tyrosine kinase receptor Axl. Primary-cultured VSMCs were dose-dependently treated with VK2 in the presence of calcification medium for 8 days, or pre-treated for 1 h with/without the Axl inhibitor R428 (2 µmol/L) or the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk (20 µmol/L) followed by treatment with VK2 (10 µmol/L) or rmGas6 (200 nmol/L) in calcification medium for 8 days. Calcium deposition was determined by the o-cresolphthalein complexone assay and Alizarin Red S staining. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL and flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining. Western blotting detected the expressions of Axl, Gas6, p-Akt, Akt, and Bcl2. VK2 significantly inhibited CaCl2- and ß-sodium glycerophosphate (ß-GP)-induced VSMC calcification and apoptosis, which was dependent on restored Gas6 expression and activated downstream signaling by Axl, p-Akt, and Bcl2. Z-VAD-fmk significantly inhibited CaCl2- and ß-GP-induced VSMC calcification and apoptosis. Augmented recombinant mouse Gas6 protein (rmGas6) expression significantly reduced VSMC calcification and apoptosis. Furthermore, the Gas6/Axl interaction was inhibited by R428, which abolished the preventive effect of VK2 on CaCl2- and ß-GP-induced apoptosis and calcification. These results suggest that Gas6 is critical in VK2-mediated functions that attenuate CaCl2- and ß-GP-induced VSMC calcification by blocking apoptosis.

Polymorphism-801G/A in the 3'-untranslated region of CXCL12 is not associated with preeclampsia in Chinese Han population.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether the CXCL12-801G/A polymorphism was associated with preeclampsia (PE) susceptibility in a Chinese Han population. METHODS: We examined 912 PE women and 1025 controls for the CXCL12-801G/A polymorphism by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and correlations with clinical characteristics were examined. RESULTS: No significant differences in genotypic and allelic frequencies of CXCL12-G801A were found between cases and controls (genotype: χ2 = 2.095, p = 0.351; allele: χ2 = 1.713, p = 0.191). There were also no significant differences between early/late-onset or mild/severe PE and control groups. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that 801G/A in CXCL12 may not play a major role in pathogenesis of PE in a Chinese Han population.

Activation of Nrf2 contributes to the protective effect of Exendin-4 against angiotensin II-induced vascular smooth muscle cell senescence.

Oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense are believed to be contributors to the cardiovascular aging process. The transcription factor nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays a key role in orchestrating cellular antioxidant defenses and maintaining redox homeostasis. Our previous study showed that Exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide-1 analog, alleviates angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) senescence by inhibiting Rac1 activation via cAMP/PKA (Zhao L, Li AQ, Zhou TF, Zhang MQ, Qin XM. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 307: C1130-C1141, 2014). The objective of this study is to investigate if Nrf2 mediates the antisenescent effect of Exendin-4 in ANG II-induced VSMCs. Here we report that Exendin-4 triggered Nrf2 nuclear translocation, a downstream target of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) and expressions of antioxidant genes heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In addition, knock-down of Nrf2 attenuated the inhibitory effects of Exendin-4 on ANG II-induced superoxidant generation and VSMC senescence. PKA/CREB pathway participated in the upregulations of HO-1 and NQO-1 induced by Exendin-4. Notably, our study revealed that Exendin-4 dose-dependently increased the acetylation of Nrf2 and the recruitment of transcriptional coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP) to Nrf2. The Exendin-4-induced Nrf2 transactivation was diminished in the presence of CBP small interfering RNA. Microscope imaging of Nrf2, as well as immunoblotting for Nrf2, showed that the Exendin-4-evoked Nrf2 acetylation favored its nuclear retention. Importantly, CBP silencing attenuated the suppressing effects of Exendin-4 on ANG II-induced VSMC senescence and superoxidant production. In conclusion, these results provide a mechanistic insight into how Nrf2 signaling mediates the antisenescent and antioxidative effects induced by Exendin-4 in VSMCs.

Effects of GSTP1 and GPX1 Polymorphisms on the Risk of Preeclampsia in Chinese Han Women.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increasing evidence shows that oxidative stress plays an important part in the pathophysiological mechanisms of preeclampsia (PE). Polymorphic variants of oxidative stress-related candidate genes GST1 and GPX1 can affect the antioxidant activities of their encoded enzymes. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the associational analysis between GSTP1 and GPX1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and susceptibility to PE in Chinese Han women. METHODS: DNA from 1130 PE patients and 1226 healthy individuals was genotyped for SNPs rs1695 in GSTP1 and rs1050450 in GPX1 using a predesigned TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. The χ2 test compared differences in genetic distributions between the two groups in a case-control study. RESULTS: No significant differences in allelic or genotypic frequencies of GSTP1 rs1695 or GPX1 rs1050450 were detected between cases and controls (GSTP1 rs1695: χ2=1.122, p=0.571 by genotype, χ2=0.138, p=0.710, odds ratio=1.027, 95% confidence interval 0.892-1.183 by allele; GPX1 rs1050450: χ2=0.036, p=0.982 by genotype, χ2=0.002, p=0.960, odds ratio=1.005, 95% confidence interval 0.822-1.229 by allele). Moreover, no significant differences in genetic distribution were found between early/late-onset PE or mild/severe PE and control subgroups. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that GSTP1 rs1695 and GPX1 rs1050450 SNPs have no effects on the risk of PE in the Chinese Han population. However, these results should be confirmed by replication in different populations.

Genome-wide high-resolution mapping of DNA methylation identifies epigenetic variation across embryo and endosperm in Maize (Zea may).

BACKGROUND: Epigenetic modifications play important roles in plant and animal development. DNA methylation impacts the transposable element (TE) silencing, gene imprinting and expression regulation. RESULTS: Through a genome-wide analysis, DNA methylation peaks were characterized and mapped in maize embryo and endosperm genome, respectively. Distinct methylation level was observed across maize embryo and endosperm. The maize embryo genome contained more DNA methylation than endosperm. Totally, 985,478 CG islands (CGIs) were identified and most of them were unmethylated. More CGI shores were methylated than CGIs in maize suggested that DNA methylation level was not positively correlated with CpG density. The promoter sequence and transcriptional termination region (TTR) were more methylated than the gene body (intron and exon) region based on peak number and methylated depth. Result showed that 99% TEs were methylated in maize embryo, but a large portion of them (34.8%) were not methylated in endosperm. Maize embryo and endosperm exhibit distinct pattern/level of methylation. The most differentially methylated region between embryo and endosperm are CGI shores. Our results indicated that DNA methylation is associated with both gene silencing and gene activation in maize. Many genes involved in embryogenesis and seed development were found differentially methylated in embryo and endosperm. We found 41.5% imprinting genes were similarly methylated and 58.5% imprinting genes were differentially methylated between embryo and endosperm. Methylation level was associated with allelic silencing of only a small number of imprinting genes. The expression of maize DEMETER-like (DME-like) gene and MBD101 gene (MBD4 homolog) were higher in endosperm than in embryo. These two genes may be associated with distinct methylation levels across maize embryo and endosperm. CONCLUSIONS: Through MeDIP-seq we systematically analyzed the methylomes of maize embryo and endosperm and results indicated that the global methylation status of embryo was more than that of the endosperm. Differences could be observed at the total number of methylation peaks, DMRs and specific methylated genes which were tightly associated with development of embryo and endosperm. Our results also revealed that many DNA methylation regions didn't affect transcription of the corresponding genes.

Proteomics analysis reveals differentially activated pathways that operate in peanut gynophores at different developmental stages.

BACKGROUND: Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea. L) is one of the most important oil crops in the world. After flowering, the peanut plant forms aboveground pegs (gynophores) that penetrate the soil, giving rise to underground pods. This means of reproduction, referred to as geocarpy, distinguishes peanuts from most other plants. The molecular mechanism underlying geocarpic pod development in peanut is poorly understood. RESULTS: To gain insight into the mechanism of geocarpy, we extracted proteins from aerial gynophores, subterranean unswollen gynophores, and gynophores that had just started to swell into pods. We analyzed the protein profiles in each of these samples by combining 1 DE with nanoLC-MS/MS approaches. In total, 2766, 2518, and 2280 proteins were identified from the three samples, respectively. An integrated analysis of proteome and transcriptome data revealed specifically or differentially expressed genes in the different developmental stages at both the mRNA and protein levels. A total of 69 proteins involved in the gravity response, light and mechanical stimulus, hormone biosynthesis, and transport were identified as being involved in geocarpy. Furthermore, we identified 91 genes that were specifically or abundantly expressed in aerial gynophores, including pectin methylesterase and expansin, which were presumed to promote the elongation of aerial gynophores. In addition, we identified 35 proteins involved in metabolism, defense, hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, nitrogen fixation, and transport that accumulated in subterranean unswellen gynophores. Furthermore, 26 specific or highly abundant proteins related to fatty acid metabolism, starch synthesis, and lignin synthesis were identified in the early swelling pods. CONCLUSIONS: We identified thousands of proteins in the aerial gynophores, subterranean gynophores, and early swelling pods of peanut. This study provides the basis for examining the molecular mechanisms underlying peanut geocarpy pod development.

[Risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori infection in army and navy recruits].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection rate among army and navy recruits, examine its associated risk factors and provide theoretic rationales for Hp control. METHODS: A cross-sectionalstudy was performed for 1 732 subjects (aged 17-24 years) selected from 18 new recruit populations in Inner Mongolia and Zhoushan area from September 2013 to November 2013.Hp infection was detected by (13)C-urea breath test. Meanwhile, a questionnaire containing 62 potential factors related to Hp infection was surveyed. In addition, (13)C-urea breath test was performed in 513 navy veterans (aged 19-51 years) in Zhoushan area from April 2013 to October 2013. The data of risk factors were analyzed by χ(2) test and multivariate Logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 2 162 soldiers were enrolled and 1 649 new recruits completed two surveys. The overall Hp infection rate was 46.5% (768/1 649), which is lower than the previous studies (52.9%). And it was 47.0% (377/802) in army new recruits and 46.0% (390/847) in navy new recruits. For new recruits, Hp infection was associated with number of family members, washing tableware with detergents, first drinking age and paring fruits before eating (all P < 0.05). However, there was no association with age, education level or washing hands before meal (all P > 0.05). The Hp infection rate was higher in recruits from the West China and North China.In addition, the infection rate was 60.8% (312/513) in a population of 513 veterans. It was 46.6% (768/1 649) in recruits less than onemonth of service, 59.2% (180/304) in recruits less than two years of service and 63.2% (132/209) in recruits more than two years of service, the difference had statistical significance(P < 0.05). Logistic analysis of multiple variables showed that number of family members, washing tableware with detergents, first drinking age and paring fruits before eating were independent risk factors (OR = 1.574, 0.538, 0.638, 0.855; 95%CI:1.077-2.301, 0.362-0.798, 0.486-0.837, 0.457-0.961). CONCLUSIONS: The Hp infection rate is similar between army and navy recruits. It has dropped significantly and its epidemic region changed in new male recruits compared to a decade ago in china. Hp infection clustered within families. The factors including fewer family members, washing tableware without detergents, first drinking at young age and no paring fruits before eating are risk factors of Hpinfection. And a longer service time is associated with higher Hp infection rate in recruits.

Safety and efficacy of a novel disposable sheathed gastroscopic system in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Endoscopic examinations carry a potential risk of cross-infection, and the traditional reprocessing method is time consuming. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel disposable sheathed gastroscope system in clinical practice in comparison with the conventional gastroscope. METHODS: There were two phases in the study. In phase 1, 20 patients with hepatitis B were randomized into two groups: the sheathed group was examined with the novel disposable sheathed gastroscope (n = 10) and the conventional group with the conventional gastroscope (n = 10). Microbiologic tests were performed on each endoscope afterwards. In the second phase, 1120 patients were randomized again into the same two groups with 568 and 552 patients in the sheathed group and the conventional group, respectively. The time duration of the endoscopic procedure and reprocessing were measured. The pathology detection rate of endoscopic examinations, the patients' subjective feelings, and problems occurred during procedures were also recorded. RESULTS: The total instrument turn-around time in the phase 2 sheathed group (9.9 ± 1.3 min) was significantly shorter than the conventional group (39.0 ± 1.4 min, P = 0.000). The mean procedural time was slightly longer in the sheathed group than in the conventional group (4.9 ± 1.4 vs 4.1 ± 1.3 min, P = 0.000). However, the duration of endoscopic reprocessing was much shorter (4.9 ± 0.2 vs 35 ± 0.2 min, P = 0.000). No significant differences were observed in patient discomfort, optical clarity, or pathology detection rate. There were no complications in either group, and no microbial contamination was detected in phase 1 of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the conventional gastroscope, the novel disposable sheathed gastroendoscope is safe and more efficient in clinical practice.

Synthesis of ß-acids loaded chitosan-sodium tripolyphosphate nanoparticle towards controlled release, antibacterial and anticancer activity.

The development of nanoparticles loaded with natural active ingredients is one of the hot trends in the pharmaceutical industry. Herein, chitosan was selected as the base material, and sodium tripolyphosphate was chosen as the cross-linking agent. Chitosan nanoparticles loaded with ß-acids from hops were prepared by the ionic cross-linking method. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that chitosan nanoparticles successfully encapsulated ß-acids. The loading capacity of chitosan nanoparticles with ß-acids was 2.00 %-18.26 %, and the encapsulation efficiency was 0.58 %-55.94 %. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), particle size, and zeta potential results displayed that the nanoparticles revealed a sphere-like distribution with a particle size range of 241-261 nm, and the potential exhibited positive potential (+14.47-+16.27 mV). The chitosan nanoparticles could slowly release ß-acids from different simulated release media. Notably, the ß-acids-loaded nanoparticles significantly inhibited Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli ATCC25922 (E. coli). Besides, ß-acids-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were cytotoxic to colorectal cancer cells (HT-29 and HCT-116). Therefore, applying chitosan nanoparticles can further expand the application of ß-acids in biomedical fields.

Chitosan-based injectable hydrogel with multifunction for wound healing: A critical review.

Different types of clinical wounds are difficult to treat while infected by bacteria. Wound repair involves multiple cellular and molecular interactions, which is a complicated process. However, wound repair often suffers from abnormal cellular functions or pathways that result in unavoidable side effects, so there is an urgent need for a material that can heal wounds quickly and with few side effects. Based on these needs, hydrogels with injectable properties have been confirmed to be able to undergo self-healing, which provides favorable conditions for wound healing. Notably, as a biopolymer with excellent easy-to-modify properties from a wide range of natural sources, chitosan can be used to prepare injectable hydrogel with multifunction for wound healing because of its outstanding flowability and injectability. Especially, chitosan-based hydrogels with marked biocompatibility, non-toxicity, and bio-adhesion properties are ideal for facilitating wound healing. In this review, the characteristics and healing mechanisms of different wounds are briefly summarized. In addition, the preparation and characterization of injectable chitosan hydrogels in recent years are classified. Additionally, the bioactive properties of this type of hydrogel in vitro and in vivo are demonstrated, and future trend in wound healing is prospected.

Responses of photosynthesis-related genes in Sargassum horneri to high temperature stress.

Golden tide outbreak threatened the marine ecological environment. Sargassum horneri is a single dominant species of the Yellow Sea golden tide, which growth and development are affected by changes in sea water temperature. This study investigated the photosynthetic physiology of copper algae and found that the growth rate, chlorophyll a content, carotenoid content, Fv/Fm, and maximum electron transfer efficiency were significantly reduced, indicating that Sargassum horneri was under stress under high temperature. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the response mechanisms of photosynthesis-related genes in S. horneri under high temperature stress. The results showed that most of the photosynthesis-related genes in S. horneri were downregulated and photosynthesis was inhibited under high temperature stress. However, the expression levels of ferredoxin, ferredoxin-NADP reductase, light-harvesting protein complexes, and oxygen-evolving complex genes were significantly upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) after five days of high temperature treatment. This study found that photosynthesis related genes play a crucial role in regulating the photosynthetic response of S. horneri to high temperature stress.

Overwintering and summer survival of Ulva prolifera in sediments: Indoor simulation of temperature impacts.

Green tides, a globally prevalent marine ecological anomaly observed in coastal regions, have received substantial attention. However, there is limited research on the burial of Ulva prolifera in sediments during the late stages of green tide outbreaks. This study investigates the effect of temperature on U. prolifera buried in sediment over 30 days. The measurements included the length, biomass, relative growth rate, chlorophyll composition and maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) of PS II at different stages. The results indicate that at -20 °C, numerous seedlings emerged after 14 days of recovery culture, suggesting the release of spores or gametes; survival was possible from -2 °C to 15 °C; but at 20 °C and 30 °C, all U. prolifera died. The U. prolifera buried in sediment during the late stage of green tide outbreaks may serve as one of the sources for the subsequent year's green tide eruption. This research provides insights into the origins of green tide outbreaks in the southern Yellow Sea.