Genome-wide expression analysis of LACS gene family implies GhLACS25 functional responding to salt stress in cotton.

BACKGROUND: Long-chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetase (LACS) is a type of acylating enzyme with AMP-binding, playing an important role in the growth, development, and stress response processes of plants. RESULTS: The research team identified different numbers of LACS in four cotton species (Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium barbadense, Gossypium raimondii, and Gossypium arboreum). By analyzing the structure and evolutionary characteristics of the LACS, the GhLACS were divided into six subgroups, and a chromosome distribution map of the family members was drawn, providing a basis for further research classification and positioning. Promoter cis-acting element analysis showed that most GhLACS contain plant hormones (GA, MeJA) or non-biological stress-related cis-elements. The expression patterns of GhLACS under salt stress treatment were analyzed, and the results showed that GhLACS may significantly participate in salt stress response through different mechanisms. The research team selected 12 GhLACSs responsive to salt stress for tissue expression analysis and found that these genes are expressed in different tissues. CONCLUSIONS: There is a certain diversity of LACS among different cotton species. Analysis of promoter cis-acting elements suggests that GhLACS may be involved in regulating plant growth, development and stress response processes. GhLACS25 was selected for in-depth study, which confirmed its significant role in salt stress response through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) and induced expression in yeast cells.

Lint percentage and boll weight QTLs in three excellent upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum): ZR014121, CCRI60, and EZ60.

BACKGROUND: Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is the most economically important species in the cotton genus (Gossypium spp.). Enhancing the cotton yield is a major goal in cotton breeding programs. Lint percentage (LP) and boll weight (BW) are the two most important components of cotton lint yield. The identification of stable and effective quantitative trait loci (QTLs) will aid the molecular breeding of cotton cultivars with high yield. RESULTS: Genotyping by target sequencing (GBTS) and genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 3VmrMLM were used to identify LP and BW related QTLs from two recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations derived from high lint yield and fiber quality lines (ZR014121, CCRI60 and EZ60). The average call rate of a single locus was 94.35%, and the average call rate of an individual was 92.10% in GBTS. A total of 100 QTLs were identified; 22 of them were overlapping with the reported QTLs, and 78 were novel QTLs. Of the 100 QTLs, 51 QTLs were for LP, and they explained 0.29-9.96% of the phenotypic variation; 49 QTLs were for BW, and they explained 0.41-6.31% of the phenotypic variation. One QTL (qBW-E-A10-1, qBW-C-A10-1) was identified in both populations. Six key QTLs were identified in multiple-environments; three were for LP, and three were for BW. A total of 108 candidate genes were identified in the regions of the six key QTLs. Several candidate genes were positively related to the developments of LP and BW, such as genes involved in gene transcription, protein synthesis, calcium signaling, carbon metabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Seven major candidate genes were predicted to form a co-expression network. Six significantly highly expressed candidate genes of the six QTLs after anthesis were the key genes regulating LP and BW and affecting cotton yield formation. CONCLUSIONS: A total of 100 stable QTLs for LP and BW in upland cotton were identified in this study; these QTLs could be used in cotton molecular breeding programs. Putative candidate genes of the six key QTLs were identified; this result provided clues for future studies on the mechanisms of LP and BW developments.

The role of seashell wastes in TiO2/Seashell composites: Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye under sunlight.

This paper proposes a sustainable and facile approach for the synthesis of photocatalysts in which shell waste is used as support material. The synthesized photocatalysts exhibited a significant performance in the mineralization of organic substances under solar irradiation or artificial lighting. Calcined abalone shell with a TiO2 loading of 23.4% led to a significant improvement in optical absorption: the degradation efficiencies of methylene blue (MB) after 140 min under UV light, vis light, UV-vis light, and natural sunlight were 93%, 96%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Notably, the byproducts obtained after the degradation by commercial P25 TiO2 disappeared with the utilization of shell waste as support material. The Na, Sr, S present in the calcined abalone shell were doped into the substitutional sites of TiO2 and were indispensable to achieve the desired band-gap narrowing and photocatalytic performance; moreover, the Ti and Zn oxides in the calcined abalone shell acted as semiconductors and improved the charge separation efficiency of TiO2. Above all, this paper describes a green synthesis based on the use of waste seashell. This material acts as an excellent photocatalyst support for environmental pollution treatments, leading to the 'control of waste by waste' and opening up new possibilities for shell waste reutilization and sustainable chemistry.

Changes in Hospital Referral Patterns to Skilled Nursing Facilities Under the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program.

BACKGROUND: The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) penalizes hospitals for higher-than-expected readmission rates. Almost 20% of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients receive postacute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) after hospitalization. SNF patients have high readmission rates. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the association between changes in hospital referral patterns to SNFs and HRRP penalty pressure. DESIGN: We examined changes in the relationship between penalty pressure and outcomes before versus after HRRP announcement among 2698 hospitals serving 6,936,393 Medicare FFS patients admitted for target conditions: acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, or pneumonia. Hospital-level penalty pressure was the expected penalty rate in the first year of the HRRP multiplied by Medicare discharge share. OUTCOMES: Informal integration measured by the percentage of referrals to hospitals' most referred SNF; formal integration measured by SNF acquisition; readmission-based quality index of the SNFs to which a hospital referred discharged patients; referral rate to any SNF. RESULTS: Hospitals facing the median level of penalty pressure had modest differential increases of 0.3 percentage points in the proportion of referrals to the most referred SNF and a 0.006 SD increase in the average quality index of SNFs referred to. There were no statistically significant differential increases in formal acquisition of SNFs or referral rate to SNF. CONCLUSIONS: HRRP did not prompt substantial changes in hospital referral patterns to SNFs, although readmissions for patients referred to SNF differentially decreased more than for other patients, warranting investigation of other mechanisms underlying readmissions reduction.

Genomic divergence in cotton germplasm related to maturity and heterosis.

Commercial varieties of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) have undergone extensive breeding for agronomic traits, such as fiber quality, disease resistance, and yield. Cotton breeding programs have widely used Chinese upland cotton source germplasm (CUCSG) with excellent agronomic traits. A better understanding of the genetic diversity and genomic characteristics of these accessions could accelerate the identification of desirable alleles. Here, we analyzed 10,522 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with the CottonSNP63K microarray in 137 cotton accessions (including 12 hybrids of upland cotton). These data were used to investigate the genetic diversity, population structure, and genomic characteristics of each population and the contribution of these loci to heterosis. Three subgroups were identified, in agreement with their known pedigrees, geographical distributions, and times since introduction. For each group, we identified lineage-specific genomic divergence regions, which potentially harbor key alleles that determine the characteristics of each group, such as early maturity-related loci. Investigation of the distribution of heterozygous loci, among 12 commercial cotton hybrids, revealed a potential role for these regions in heterosis. Our study provides insight into the population structure of upland cotton germplasm. Furthermore, the overlap between lineage-specific regions and heterozygous loci, in the high-yield hybrids, suggests a role for these regions in cotton heterosis.

Global analysis of the developmental dynamics of Gossypium hirsutum based on strand-specific transcriptome.

Cotton is an economically important crop that provides both natural fiber and by-products such as oil and protein. Its global gene expression could provide insight into the biological processes underlying growth and development, which involve suites of genes expressed with temporal and spatial control by regulatory networks. Generally, the goal for cotton breeding is improvement of the fiber; thus, most previous research has focused on identifying genes specific to the fiber. However, seeds may also play an important role in fiber development. In this study, we constructed and systematically analyzed 21 strand-specific RNA-Seq libraries for Gossypium hirsutum, covering different tissues, organs and development stages, from which approximately 970 million reads were generated to provide a global view of gene expression during cotton development. The organ (tissue)-specific gene expression patterns were investigated, providing further insight into the dynamic programming associated with developmental processes and a way to study the coordination of development between fiber cells and ovules. Series of transcription factors and seed-specific genes have been identified as candidate genes that could elucidate key mechanisms and regulatory networks in nutrient accumulation during ovule development and in fiber development. This study reports comprehensive transcriptome dynamics at various stages of cotton development and will serve as a valuable genome-wide transcriptome resource for initial gene discovery and functional characterization of genes in cotton.

Simultaneous determination of six synthetic phenolic antioxidants in edible oils using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection.

A simple, rapid, organic-solvent- and sample-saving pretreatment technique, called dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, was developed for the determination of six synthetic phenolic antioxidants from edible oils before high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. The entire procedure was composed of a two-step microextraction and a centrifugal process and could be finished in about 5 min, only consuming only 25 mg of sample and 1 mL of the organic solvent for each extraction. The influences of several important parameters on the microextraction efficiency were thoroughly investigated. Recovery assays for oil samples were spiked at three concentration levels, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, and provided recoveries in the 86.3-102.5% range with a relative standard deviation below 3.5%. The intra-day and inter-day precisions for the analysis were less than 3.8%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of synthetic phenolic antioxidants in different oil samples, and satisfactory results were obtained. Thus, the developed method represents a viable alternative for the quality control of synthetic phenolic antioxidant concentrations in edible oils.

Gemcitabine plus S-1: a hopeful frontline treatment for Asian patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy is widely used for unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer which contains locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. We performed meta-analysis to examine whether gemcitabine plus S-1 could improve treatment efficacy as first-line chemotherapy for those patients when compared with gemcitabine alone. METHODS: STATA was used to estimate the summary hazard ratios or odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity among trials was examined by Cochran's χ(2) test. Publication bias was evaluated by Begg's and Egger's tests. Subgroup analysis based on the extent of disease was performed. RESULTS: Four randomized controlled trials including 878 Asian patients were analyzed. In total meta-analysis, gemcitabine plus S-1 significantly improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.96; P = 0.015), progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.74; P < 0.001), overall response rate (odds ratio, 3.00; 95% confidence interval, 2.04-4.41; P < 0.001) and disease control rate (odds ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.32 to 2.39; P < 0.001), and was associated with more but manageable hematologic (leukocytopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia) and non-hematologic (diarrhea, stomatitis, nausea, rash) adverse events. In subgroup analysis, gemcitabine plus S-1, comparing with gemcitabine, significantly improved overall survival in locally advanced patients (hazard ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.48 to 0.99; P = 0.022) but not in metastatic patients (hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-1.23; P = 0.256). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis confirmed the survival benefits of gemcitabine plus S-1 as first-line treatment for unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer at least in Asia, while good Eastern Cooperative Oncology group performance status was warranted. Importantly, we highlighted the significant overall survival benefit of gemcitabine plus S-1 in locally advanced patients but not in metastatic patients.

Survival benefit from S-1 as compared to Fluorouracil in Asian patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer: a meta-analysis.

Whether S-1 could replace 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) or not in the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer (including advanced gastric cancer [AGS] and metastatic colorectal cancer [mCRC]) in Asian patients has been controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the activity, efficacy and toxicity of S-1-based versus 5-Fu-based chemotherapy in those Asian patients. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified by electronic search of Pubmed. Relevant abstracts were manually searched to identify relevant trials. A total of 2182 patients from eight RCTs were included, and our results demonstrated that S-1-based chemotherapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-1.00) and overall response rate (ORR) (odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.09-2.70), but no significant progression-free survival (PFS) benefit was found between arms (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.72-1.06). Subgroup analyses revealed that S-1-based chemotherapy significantly improved OS and ORR in subgroups of patients with non-platinum containing regimens (P = 0.041; P = 0.034) and patients with no prior chemotherapy history (P = 0.025; P = 0.016). Statistically significant improvements of PFS and ORR in the S-1-based chemotherapy were observed in the subgroup of patients with AGC (P < 0.001; P = 0.005). S-1-based chemotherapy was characterized by significantly higher incidences of diarrhea, fatigue and thrombocytopenia, and a lower incidence of nausea. This analysis provided strong evidence for survival benefits of S-1, and S-1-based chemotherapy could be considered to replace 5-Fu-based therapy for the treatment of advanced GI cancer in Asian patients.

Associations of NR5A2 gene polymorphisms with the clinicopathological characteristics and survival of gastric cancer.

The orphan nuclear receptor (NR5A2), which belongs to the NR5A subfamily of nuclear receptors, is expressed in developing and adult tissues of endodermal origin, and can contribute to the development of several cancers through regulating cell proliferation. NR5A2 (rs3790843 and rs3790844) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyping were examined in DNA samples, extracted from paraffin-embedded cancer tissue. Clinicopathologic and follow-up data were collected from 944 patients with gastric cancer (GC). Associations of the 2 SNPs with the progression and prognosis in gastric cancer patients were analyzed using the SPSS version 18.0. We found that NR5A2 rs3790843 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of GC which had regional lymph node metastasis (p = 0.044) or distant metastasis (p = 0.020). Our results also indicated that rs3790844 polymorphism was associated with the increased overall survival (OS) of GC patients in the dominant model (GG vs. GA/AA, HR (hazard ratio) = 0.823, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 0.679-0.997), suggesting a potential protective role of the variant A allele. Additionally, in the stratified analysis, both NR5A2 rs3790843 and rs3790844 polymorphism were associated with significantly lower risk of death in the groups of female, tumor size >5 cm in a dominant model. Our results represent the first demonstration that the NR5A2 rs3790844 polymorphism is associated with increased OS of GC patients in the dominant model, and similar results were found among the female group and tumor size >5 cm group for NR5A2 rs3790843 polymorphism. Further validation in other larger studies with different ethnic populations and functional evaluations are needed.

Sulfonated cottonseed hydrolysates with adjustable amphiphilicity as environmental -Stress stable emulsifiers.

Cottonseed protein isolate (CPI) is a valuable agro-industrial waste with potential biotechnological applications. However, inadequate stability in water due to its characteristic hinders its widespread use. Therefore, a new sulfonation modification approach was developed to improve the amphiphilicity and structural flexibility of CPI. Structural characterizations confirmed the successful incorporation of sulfonate groups with structural and conformational changes. This significantly unfolded molecular-chain, and improved amphiphilicity, flexibility, and surface-hydrophobicity while reducing pI (5.1-1.7), and molecular-weight (5745-2089 g/mol). The modified samples exhibited improved emulsification with higher amounts of absorbed proteins on the droplet interface, smaller droplet size, and a higher zeta-potential. Additionally, they possessed good emulsification ability under acidic conditions. The nano-emulsions exhibited long-term stability (≥70 days) under different environmental conditions, with excellent fluidity. This study contributes to understanding sulfonation as a viable approach for improving protein properties, thus, opening up new possibilities for their application and maximizing their economic benefits.

Plant polyphenol surfactant construction with strong surface activity and chelation properties as efficient decontamination of UO22+ on cotton fabric.

Chemically synthesized surfactants have promising applications in the treatment of uranium, however, their hazardous environmental effects, non-biodegradability, and numerous drawbacks prevent them from being widely used in practice. Herein, we successfully synthesized a green chelating and foaming integrated surfactant (BTBS) by Mannich reaction and acylation of bayberry tannin for the effective removal of UO22+ from aqueous environments or solid surfaces. The as-prepared surfactant was systematically characterized by FT-IR, showing that the hydrophobic groups were successfully grafted onto tannin. The modified material showed better foaming and emulsifying properties, which proved this method could improve the amphiphilicity of tannin. Moreover, for the first time, a foam fractionation method in conjunction with a tannin-based surfactant was applied for UO22+ removal from water. This surfactant was used as a co-surfactant and could readily remove 90 % of UO22+ (20 mg L-1) from water. The removal of UO22+ could be completed in a short time (30 min), and the maximum adsorption capacity was determined as 175.9 mg g-1. This surfactant can also be used for efficient decontamination of uranium-contaminated cotton cloth with a high removal rate of 94.55 %. In addition, the mechanism studies show that the adsorption of BTBS for UO22+ can be mainly attributed to a chelating mechanism between UO22+ and the adjacent phenolic hydroxyls. The novel biomass-derived BTBS with advantages such as high capture capacity, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness suggests that it plays an important role in the remediation of radionuclide pollution.

Modern interpretation of the traditional application of Shihu - A comprehensive review on phytochemistry and pharmacology progress of Dendrobium officinale.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) "Shihu" has a long history of medicinal use in China from some species of Dendrobium. D. officinale is a major source of "Shihu" and is widely cultivated in south of China and listed separately as "Tiepi Shihu" by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in now time. Traditionally, D. officinale has been widely used in daily health care and the treatment of diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: In order to better develop and utilize D. officinale, we conducted this systematic review of previous studies, showed clear structure of all isolates from D. officinale together with pharmacological progress, hoping to provide references for further research and utilization. In addition, specific display of the chemical components and the research progress of related activities can help to better understand the traditional records and modern pharmaceutical applications of the plant medicine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Information on phytochemistry and pharmacological studies of D. officinale was collected from various scientific databases including Web of Science, SciFinder, ACS, Springer, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and CNKI. RESULTS: More than 180 compounds isolated from D. officinale, including bibenzyls, phenols, phenylpropanoids, lignans, flavonoids and polysaccharides are listed in this review. Furthermore, modern pharmacological researches such as hypoglycemia, immune regulation, antioxidant, cardiovascular regulation and gastrointestinal protection are summarized. CONCLUSION: Based on the summary of the research work of D. officinale, we systematically show the chemical composition of the plant, and concluded the relationship of those composition with plant habitat together with the relationship between the structure of chemical components and pharmacological activity. Moreover, we suggest that some of small molecule compounds could also be quality control of D. officinale besides polysaccharides.

Improvement of amphipathic properties with molecular structure unfolding and activation of cottonseed protein as ultra stable and safe emulsifier by deamidation.

By-product cottonseed proteins are excellent options for numerous applications due to their superior properties and lower cost. However, its complex folded structure and large molecular weight lead to lower reactivity and insufficient amphiphilicity. Cottonseed protein isolate (CPI) is less-soluble in water. Therefore, we improved the amphiphilicity of CPI with associated hydrolysis, molecular structure unfolding, and activation by alkaline-induced deamidation (at 24, 36, and 72 h) and produced three cottonseed protein hydrolysates CPH 24, 36, and 72. FTIR/UV-CD measurements confirmed the conformational changes and conversion of the structural content. Particle size decreased 2503.4-771.8 nm, while surface hydrophobicity (133.5-326.7), carboxyl content (1.13 × 10Ö¾3-2.09 × 10Ö¾3), and flexibility increased, signifying hydrolysis, unfolding, and amphiphilicity improvement. Longer deamidation (CPH 72) exhibited the best properties, its prepared emulsions were long-term stable under all the environmental stresses without visible phase separation after at least 40 days of storage except at pH 4. Compared to CPI, it had smaller droplets (939.3-264.9 nm) and larger absolute ζ-potential (-26.5 to -58.0 mV). From the in-vitro cytotoxicity test, deamidated CPI is extremely safer than commonly used synthetic surfactants. This research provides a new method for producing multifunctional emulsifiers from CPI, which could be utilized in the development of functional foods/non-foods.

Serum basic fibroblast growth factor and interleukin-1ß predict the effect of first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The incidence and mortality rates of gastric cancer in China are the second-highest in the world, and most patients with gastric cancer lose their chance of surgery by the time of their diagnosis. AIM: To explore the predictive potential of serum basic fibroblast growth factor and interleukin-1ß levels for the effect of first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: From the gastric cancer patients admitted to our hospital from May 2019 to April 2023, 84 patients were selected and randomly and equally assigned to the experimental or control group. The FLOT group received the FLOT chemotherapy regimen (composed of oxaliplatin + calcium folinate + fluorouracil + paclitaxel), while the SOX group received the SOX chemotherapy regimen (composed of oxaliplatin + tiga capsules). The clinical efficacy, tumor marker levels, adverse reactions, and survival rates of the two groups were compared 7 days after the end of the relevant treatments. RESULTS: The target effective rate of the FLOT group was 54.76%, which was much higher than that of the SOX group (33.33%; P < 0.05). After treatment, both the groups demonstrated lower levels of cancer antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 199 (CA199), and peptide tissue antigen (TPS). For several patients before treatment (P < 0.05). Third and fourth grades. In terms of adverse reactions, the level of white blood cells in both the groups was lower. Moreover, the incidence of hand-foot skin reactions in these two study groups was lower (P < 0.05), while those of peripheral neuritis, vomiting, diarrhea, and abnormal liver function were significant (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was noted between the two groups (P < 0.05). The 1-year survival rate was higher in the FLOT group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The FLOT regimen was effective in reducing the serum CEA, CA199, and TPS levels as well as in improving the 1-year survival rate of patients with good tolerability, making it worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Sensitization of Mn2+ luminescence via efficient energy transfer to suit the application of high color rendering WLEDs.

Developing novel luminescent materials with ideal properties is an endless project, urged by growing requirements of advances in energy saving, healthy lighting and environmental friendliness. Herein, a series of ScCaOBO3:Ce3+,Mn2+ phosphors with excellent luminescence properties were synthesized by the high temperature solid state method. X-ray diffraction was applied to analyse the phase composition of the obtained phosphors. The morphology and dopant distribution were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), respectively. The Rietveld refinements and luminescence spectra indicate that Ce3+ preferentially occupies the Sc3+ site and produces a blue emission band at around 460 nm, which originates from the characteristic 5d-4f transitions, while Mn2+ preferentially occupies the Ca2+ site and emits red light due to its characteristic 4T1(4G)-6A1(6S) transitions. Upon excitation at 354 nm, both Ce3+ and Mn2+ emissions can be obtained and further investigations evidenced that the broad and intense light emission of Mn2+ located in the red spectral region is the result of energy transfer from Ce3+ to Mn2+. Theoretical calculations reveal that the energy transfer process from Ce3+ to Mn2+ is of the resonance type and is governed by electric dipole-dipole interactions. Since the ScCaOBO3:Ce3+,Mn2+ phosphors are capable of producing broadband emissions that widely cover the blue and red spectral regions, the introduction of a green light-emitting phosphor CMA:Tb3+ can conveniently generate high quality white light. Therefore, a white light-emitting diode device with extremely high color rendering indices, Ra = 93.7 and R9 = 91.9, was successfully obtained.

Purification, structural characterization and immunomodulatory activities of a polysaccharide from the fruiting body of Morchella sextelata.

A novel polysaccharide (MSP-1) was isolated from the fruiting body of Morchella sextelata and purified using DEAE-52 and Sephadex G-75. The molecular weight of MSP-1 was 1.17 × 104 Da, as detected by HPLC analysis. The monosaccharide composition of MSP-1 was mannose and glucose at a ratio of 1.00: 1.25. Methylation and NMR results revealed that the backbone of MSP-1 was composed of →4)-ß-D-Manp-(1→, →4)-ß-D-Glcp-(1→, →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, and →4, 6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→. SEM images of MSP-1 presented a dense network structure with porous characterizations. The immunomodulatory activities of MSP-1 were evaluated using RAW264.7 cells, and the results showed that MSP-1 promoted proliferative and phagocytic activity and increased the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-6. These results indicated that MSP-1 exhibited significant immunomodulatory activities.

Improvement of plant tolerance to drought stress by cotton tubby-like protein 30 through stomatal movement regulation.

INTRODUCTION: Cotton is a vital industrial crop that is gradually shifting to planting in arid areas. However, tubby-like proteins (TULPs) involved in plant response to various stresses are rarely reported in cotton. The present study exhibited that GhTULP30 transcription in cotton was induced by drought stress. OBJECTIVE: The present study demonstrated the improvement of plant tolerance to drought stress by GhTULP30 through regulation of stomatal movement. METHODS: GhTULP30 response to drought and salt stress was preliminarily confirmed by qRT-PCR and yeast stress experiments. Ectopic expression in Arabidopsis and endogenous gene silencing in cotton were used to determine stomatal movement. Yeast two-hybrid and spilt-luciferase were used to screen the interacting proteins. RESULTS: Ectopic expression of GhTULP30 in yeast markedly improved yeast cell tolerance to salt and drought. Overexpression of GhTULP30 made Arabidopsis seeds more resistant to drought and salt stress during seed germination and increased the stomata closing speed of the plant under drought stress conditions. Silencing of GhTULP30 in cotton by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology slowed down the closure speed of stomata under drought stress and decreased the length and width of the stomata. The trypan blue and diaminobenzidine staining exhibited the severity of leaf cell necrosis of GhTULP30-silenced plants. Additionally, the contents of proline, malondialdehyde, and catalase of GhTULP30-silenced plants exhibited significant variations, with obvious leaf wilting. Protein interaction experiments exhibited the interaction of GhTULP30 with GhSKP1B and GhXERICO. CONCLUSION: GhTULP30 participates in plant response to drought stress. The present study provides a reference and direction for further exploration of TULP functions in cotton plants.

Establishment of a risk assessment system for peptic ulcer recurrence and its value in individualized intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the establishment of a risk assessment system for peptic ulcer (PU) recurrence and implement an individualized intervention for PU patients with a moderate to high recurrence risk to reduce the recurrence of PU in patients with a moderate to high recurrence risk. METHODS: The factors for PU recurrence were collected through consulting the literature, and a risk prediction model for PU recurrence was established using the univariate binary and multivariate multinomial Logistic stepwise regression analysis. According to the model, a total of 235 PU patients were divided into patients with high, moderate and low recurrence risks. A total of 71 PU patients with moderate to high recurrence risks were selected as the study subjects, and further divided into the control group (n=35) and the experimental group (n=36). The control group was not treated with intervention, while the experimental group was treated with individualized intervention. The PU recurrence, adverse emotions and changes of pain degree were assessed in the two groups at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after intervention. RESULTS: The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that drinking alcohol, smoking, chronic diseases, oral NSAIDS and depression were associated with the recurrence of PU. Individualized intervention improved the recurrence rate, anxiety, depression, pain degree and quality of life of patients with moderate to high PU recurrence risk. CONCLUSION: Drinking alcohol, smoking, chronic diseases, oral NSAIDS and depression were associated with the recurrence of PU. Individualized intervention can improve the quality of prognosis and the recurrence risk of PU in patients, which has positive clinical significance.

Outbreak of the South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta, in the Chinese mainland: geographic and potential host range expansion.

BACKGROUND: In 2017 Tuta absoluta was identified as an invasive species in China. Due to its rapid geographic expansion and the severe crop damage it causes, T. absoluta poses a serious threat to China's tomato production industry. To determine its geographic distribution and host range, intensive surveys and routine monitoring were conducted across the Chinese mainland between 2018 and 2019. The population colonization coefficient (PCC; ratio of colonized sites and prefectures) and population occurrence index (POI; ratio of infested host species and PCCs) were calculated. RESULTS: In northwestern China, T. absoluta populations established in Xinjiang exhibited a medium PCC value (~0.03). In southwestern China, populations in Yunnan and its five neighboring provinces exhibited high (~0.50 in Yunnan and Guizhou), or low (<0.02 in Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, and Chongqing) PCC values. In the Chinese mainland, infestations of four crop plant species (tomato, eggplant, potato, and Chinese lantern) and two wild plant species (black nightshade and Dutch eggplant) were identified; tomatoes were infested in every colonized province. Chinese lantern and Dutch eggplant are potentially novel hosts. Yunnan, Guizhou, and Xinjiang experienced the most serious damage (POI). In southwestern China, observed damage significantly decreased with increased distance from the first discovery site of T. absoluta to the farthest county of an infested province increased. CONCLUSION: T. absoluta populations are well-established and could potentially spread to other regions of China. The present study helps to inform the establishment of better pest management guidelines and strategies in China and tomato-producing regions worldwide. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.