Quality evaluation and geographical classification of immature rape and acacia honeys in China.

BACKGROUND: To reflect and understand the real situation regarding immature honey, the quality parameters of 141 honey samples from different regions of China were evaluated. The possibility of classifying Chinese honey from different geographical origins was also considered. RESULTS: The results revealed that the values of diastase, sucrose, proline and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) met the international honey standard, although moisture, total glucose and fructose, and invertase content in most of the honey samples failed to meet the standards. In addition, honey from different geographical locations could be well separated based on the contents of maltose, sucrose, HMF and glucose oxidase. CONCLUSION: The maturity of honey has a great impact on its quality, and the geographical origin of immature honey could be classified according to the physicochemical parameters. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Loganetin and 5-fluorouracil synergistically inhibit the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer cells via down-regulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Although most gastrointestinal tumours are sensitive to 5-fluorouracil (5FU), drug resistance is commonly occurred after 5FU therapy in gastric cancer (GC). Loganetin is the primary active compound in Cornus officinali. However, the synergetic effects of loganetin and 5FU on GC remain unknown. Here, we investigated the synergetic effects and the underlying mechanism of loganetin and 5FU on proliferation, stem-like properties, migration, and invasion of GC both in vitro and in vivo. We found that loganetin alone inhibited the proliferation, stem-like properties, migration and invasion of GC cells in vitro. Importantly, the loganetin remarkably enhanced the anti-cancer effect of 5FU on GC cells and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway might be involved in this process. Animal experiments further confirmed the synergistic effects of 5FU and loganetin on inhibiting cell growth and metastasis of GC. These results suggested that loganetin could synergistically increase the effect of 5FU against GC, which sheds light on effective combinational drug strategies for GC treatment.

Acid invertase confers heat tolerance in rice plants by maintaining energy homoeostasis of spikelets.

Heat stress impairs both pollen germination and pollen tube elongation, resulting in pollination failure caused by energy imbalance. Invertase plays a critical role in the maintenance of energy homoeostasis; however, few studies investigated this during heat stress. Two rice cultivars with different heat tolerance, namely, TLY83 (heat tolerant) and LLY722 (heat susceptible), were subjected to heat stress. At anthesis, heat stress significantly decreased spikelet fertility, accompanied by notable reductions in pollen germination on stigma and pollen tube elongation in ovule, especially in LLY722. Acid invertase (INV), rather than sucrose synthase, contributed to sucrose metabolism, which explains the different tolerances of both cultivars. Under heat stress, larger enhancements in NAD(H), ATP, and antioxidant capacity were found in TLY83 compared with LLY722, whereas a sharp reduction in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity was found in the former compared with the latter. Importantly, exogenous INV, 3-aminobenzamide (a PARP inhibitor), sucrose, glucose, and fructose significantly increased spikelet fertility under heat stress, where INV activity was enhanced and PARP activity was inhibited. Therefore, INV can balance the energy production and consumption to provide sufficient energy for pollen germination and pollen tube growth under heat stress.

CircRBMS3 promotes gastric cancer tumorigenesis by regulating miR-153-SNAI1 axis.

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Mounting evidence showed that circular RNAs (circRNAs) play critical roles in human malignancy. However, the knowledge about circRNAs in GC is still unclear. In the current study, high throughput microarray assay showed that circRBMS3 was upregulated in GC tissues, which was further confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Correlation analysis revealed that high circRBMS3 expression was associated with advanced TNM stage, depth of invasion, and lymph-node metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that GC patients with high circRBMS3 expression have a poor overall survival (OS). Function assays showed that circRBMS3 silencing reduced GC cells proliferation and invasion in vitro, and inhibited the tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that miR-153 could act as a target of circRBMS3. Subsequently, we showed that circRBMS3 promoted snail family zinc finger 1 (SNAI1) expression via inhibiting miR-153 in GC cells. Collectively, these results suggested that circRBMS3 promoted GC cells proliferation and invasion via regulating miR-153/SNAI1 axis.

Abscisic acid synergizes with sucrose to enhance grain yield and quality of rice by improving the source-sink relationship.

BACKGROUND: Abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose act as molecular signals in response to abiotic stress. However, how their synergy regulates the source-sink relationship has rarely been studied. This study aimed to reveal the mechanism underlying the synergy between ABA and sucrose on assimilates allocation to improve grain yield and quality of rice. The early indica rice cultivar Zhefu802 was selected and planted in an artificial climate chamber at 32/24 °C (day/night) under natural sunlight conditions. Sucrose and ABA were exogenously sprayed (either alone or in combination) onto rice plants at flowering and 10 days after flowering. RESULTS: ABA plus sucrose significantly improved both the grain yield and quality of rice, which was mainly a result of the higher proportion of dry matter accumulation and non-structural carbohydrates in panicles. These results were mainly ascribed to the large improvement in sucrose transport in the sheath-stems in response to the ABA plus sucrose treatment. In this process, ABA plus sucrose significantly enhanced the contents of starch, gibberellic acids, and zeatin ribosides as well as the activities and gene expression of enzymes involved in starch synthesis in grains. Additionally, remarkable increases in trehalose content and expression levels of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase1, trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase7, and sucrose non-fermenting related protein kinase 1A were also found in grains treated with ABA plus sucrose. CONCLUSION: The synergy between ABA and sucrose increased grain yield and quality by improving the source-sink relationship through sucrose and trehalose metabolism in grains.

hsa_circ_0081143 promotes cisplatin resistance in gastric cancer by targeting miR-646/CDK6 pathway.

BACKGROUND: Increasing studies indicated that circRNAs play critical roles in tumor progression. However, the roles and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unclear. METHODS: Microarray assay was used to screen the abnormally expressed circRNAs in GC. Cell viability assay, transwell assay and in vivo assay were performed to assess the effects of hsa_circ_0081143 on GC cells. Next, interaction between hsa_circ_0081143 and miR-646 was detected by luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. RESULTS: High throughput microarray assay showed that hsa_circ_0081143 was upregulated in GC tissues, which was further confirmed by qRT-PCR. Correlation analysis showed that high hsa_circ_0081143 expression was associated with the advanced TNM stage, lymphnode metastases, and poor overall survival of GC patients. Hsa_circ_0081143 inhibition decreased GC cells viability, invasion ability and induced the sensitivity of GC cells to cisplatin (DDP) in vitro. Mechanistically, we showed that hsa_circ_0081143 could act as an endogenous sponge by directly binding to miR-646 and downregulation of miR-646 efficiently reversed the inhibition of CDK6 induced by hsa_circ_008114 knockdown. Additionally, hsa_circ_0081143 silencing suppressed the tumorigenesis and remarkably enhance DDP inhibitory effects of GC cells in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated a novel regulatory loop that hsa_circ_0081143/miR-646/CDK6 axis in GC progression. These data suggested that hsa_circ_0081143 might act as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for GC treatment.

The molecular landscape of synchronous colorectal cancer reveals genetic heterogeneity.

Synchronous colorectal cancers (syCRCs), which present two or more lesions at diagnosis, are rare and pose a great challenge for clinical management. Although some predisposing factors associated with syCRCs have been studied with limited accession, the full repertoire of genomic events among the lesions within an individual and the causes of syCRCs remain unclear. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 40 surgical tumour samples of paired lesions from 20 patients to characterize the genetic alterations. Lesions from same patient showed distinct landscapes of somatic aberrations and shared few mutations, which suggests that they originate and develop independently, although they shared the similar genetic background. Canonical genes, such as APC, KRAS, TP53 and PIK3CA, were frequently mutated in the syCRCs, and most of them show different mutation profile compared with solitary colorectal cancer. We identified a recurrent somatic alteration (K15fs) in RPL22 in 25% of the syCRCs. Functional analysis indicated that mutated RPL22 may suppress cell apoptosis and promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Potential drug targets were identified in several signalling pathways, and they present great discrepancy between lesions from the same patient. Our data show that the syCRCs within the same patient present great genetic heterogeneity, and they may be driven by distinct molecular events and develop independently. The discrepancy of potential drug targets and mutation burden in lesions from one patient provides valuable information in clinical management for patients with syCRCs.

Upregulation of miR-199a/b contributes to cisplatin resistance via Wnt/ß-catenin-ABCG2 signaling pathway in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells.

Cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer largely results from the colorectal cancer stem cells which could be targeted to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy. MicroRNAs are possible modulators of cancer stem cell characteristics and maybe involved in the retention of cancer stem cell chemoresistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the biological function of miR-199a/b on cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer stem cells and its related mechanisms. Here, ALDHA1+ cells from primary colorectal cancer tissues behaved similar to cancer stem cells and were chemoresistant to cisplatin. The presence of a variable fraction of ALDHA1 was detected in 9 out of 10 colorectal cancer specimens. Significantly, increased miR-199a/b expression was detected in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells, accompanied by a downregulation of Gsk3ß and an overexpression of ß-catenin and ABCG2. In patient cohort, enhanced miR-199a/b expression in colorectal cancer tissues was associated with cisplatin response and poor patient survival. In addition, 80% of colorectal cancer samples showed lower level of Gsk3ß than their adjacent normal counterparts. Furthermore, Gsk3ß was the direct target of miR-199a/b. MiR-199a/b regulated Wnt/ß-catenin pathway by targeting Gsk3ß in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells. By blocking Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, we implied that ABCG2 lies downstream of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. ABCG2 was further demonstrated to contribute cisplatin resistance in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells and can be regulated by miR-199a/b. Thus, our data suggested that upregulation of miR-199a/b in ALDHA1+ colorectal cancer stem cells contributed to cisplatin resistance via Wnt/ß-catenin-ABCG2 signaling, which sheds new light on understanding the mechanism of cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer stem cells and facilitates the development of potential therapeutics against colorectal cancer.

Evaluation of an experimental electrohydraulic discharge device for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: Pressure field of sparker array.

In this paper, an extracorporeal shock wave source composed of small ellipsoidal sparker units is described. The sparker units were arranged in an array designed to produce a coherent shock wave of sufficient strength to fracture kidney stones. The objective of this paper was to measure the acoustical output of this array of 18 individual sparker units and compare this array to commercial lithotripters. Representative waveforms acquired with a fiber-optic probe hydrophone at the geometric focus of the sparker array indicated that the sparker array produces a shock wave (P+ ∼40-47 MPa, P- ∼2.5-5.0 MPa) similar to shock waves produced by a Dornier HM-3 or Dornier Compact S. The sparker array's pressure field map also appeared similar to the measurements from a HM-3 and Compact S. Compared to the HM-3, the electrohydraulic technology of the sparker array produced a more consistent SW pulse (shot-to-shot positive pressure value standard deviation of ±4.7 MPa vs ±3.3 MPa).

The care dependency of patients after laparoscopic abdominal surgery and associated factors in China.

PURPOSE: The outcome after laparoscopic surgery is dependent on self-care behaviors. Whether or not the patients after laparoscopic abdominal surgery in China are care-dependent is still unclear. Thus, the studies try to analyze influence factors of care dependence on patients with laparoscopic abdominal surgery, to provide reference for personalized care for the patient. METHODS: In our study, two hundreds and forty-two cases were selected and investigated by using the exercise of self-care agency scale and care dependency scale. And correlation analyses between care dependency and self-care agency, age or hospital stay duration was made by Spearman correlation analysis. The analysis of associated factors was made by multivariable linear regression model. RESULTS: The mean age of participants is 42.12±12.67 (ranged from 18 to 73years), and 134 patients (55.37%) in the study were older than 50years. Among the 242 participants, 59.09% is male. Our data found that the average self-care agency score was 115.72±30.13. And 64.88% participates are in the median level of self-care agency. Care dependency correlated with self-care agency (r=-0.85, P=0.009), age (r=-0.71, P=0.001) and hospital stay duration (r=-0.69, P=0.003) negatively. The linear regression was found between gender, age, educational level, days of hospital stay and care dependency. The model is care dependency=99.533+5.02×(gender)-0.795×(age)+0.512×(educational level)-0.239×(days of hospital stay). CONCLUSION: Patients after laparoscopic surgery take notice of self-care. Gender, age, educational level and days of hospital stay affect care dependence.

Correlation between Helicobacter pylori infection and polymorphism of adiponectin gene promoter-11391G/A, superoxide dismutase gene innonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori) infection and polymorphism of adiponectin gene promoter -11391G/A, extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) gene in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
 METHODS: From June, 2010 to July, 2014, a hospital-based 1:1 matched case-control study was carried out, with 600 cases of NAFLD and 600 healthy people in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University. The genetic polymorphisms of adiponectin gene promoter -11391G/A and EC-SOD were analyzed by polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique in peripheral blood leukocytes of the subjects. 14C-urea breath test (14C-UBT) was used to test 14C disntegration per minute (DPM) for evaluating the infections status of H. Pylori. The synergistic effect between the two mutants and the gene-environment interaction of the genotypes with H. Pylori infection were analyzed.
 RESULTS: The frequencies of -11391G/A (AA) and EC-SOD (CG+GG) were 50.67% and 50.33% in NAFLD cases, 23.83% and 24.17% in healthy controls, respectively. Statistical tests showed significantly higher frequencies of -11391G/A (AA) and EC-SOD (CG+GG) in the NAFLD group (-11391G/A: P=0.0051; EC-SOD: P=0.0057). The risk of NAFLD with -11391G/A (AA) was significantly higher than those with -11391G/A(GG+GA) (OR=3.2822, 95% CI 1.9170 to 5.2039). The individuals who carried EC-SOD (CG+GG) had a high risk of NAFLD (OR=3.1800, 95% CI 1.7974 to 5.2391). Combined analysis of the polymorphisms showed that percentage of -11391G/A (AA)/EC-SOD (CG+GG) in the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that in the control groups (25.50% vs 5.83%, P=0.0039). The people who carried with -11391G/A (AA)/EC-SOD (CG+GG) had a high risk of NAFLD (OR=10.3190, 95% CI 8.1869 to 20.5102). The H. Pylori infection rate in the NAFLD group was significantly higher than that in the control group (OR=3.1667, 95% CI 1.9139 to 5.7443, P=0.0062), and statistical analysis suggested a positive correlation between H. Pylori infection and NAFLD with -11391G/A (AA) and EC-SOD (CG+GG) (-11391G/A: γ=1.8532; EC-SOD: γ=1.7899).
 CONCLUSION: These carriers of -11391G/A(AA) and EC-SOD (CG+GG) genotypes may have a high risk of NAFLD, and the gene genotypes can interact with H. Pylori infection in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Therefore, effective prevention measures for NAFLD should consider eradicating H. Pylori or regulating gene expression.

[Interaction between polymorphisms of TLR4 gene G11367C in 3' untranslated region and IκB-α Hae III in acute pancreatitis and the degree of severity].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interaction between polymorphism of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene G11367C in 3' untranslated region (UTR) and inhibitor of nuclear factor kappaB (IκB)-α Hae III in acute pancreatitis (AP) and the degree of severity.
 METHODS: A total of 450 patients with confirmed AP (AP group), who came from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical College from May 2013 to June 2015, were divided into a mild AP subgroup (MAP subgroup), a moderately severe AP (MSAP subgroup), and a severe acute AP (SAP subgroup) (n=150 in each group). One hundred fifty healthy persons were served as a control group. There was no significant difference in age, gender, ethnicity and birthplace among all groups. The genetic polymorphisms of TLR4 gene G11367C in 3' untranslated region and IκB-α Hae III were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Eligible participants were personally interviewed by a questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression model and single factor analysis were performed to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of G11367C and IκB-α Hae III polymorphisms, respectively. The interaction of nucleotide polymorphisms was analyzed.
 RESULTS: The frequencies of G11367C (GC), IκB-α Hae III (AG) and IκB-α Hae III (GG) were 69.56%, 33.78% and 36.22% in the AP group; 49.33%, 24.67% and 26.00% in the MAP subgroup; 70.67%, 34.67% and 36.67% in the MSAP subgroup; 88.67%, 42.00% and 46.00% in the SAP subgroup and 26.67%, 14.00% and 14.67% in the control group, respectively. There was significant difference in the frequencies betweenc the AP group and the control group, or among each AP subgroup (all P<0.01). The risk of AP was significantly increased in the subjects with G11367C (GC) genotype (ORAP=6.2828, ORMAP=2.6776, ORMSAP=6.6250, ORSAP=21.5147), which was also increased in those with IκB-α Hae III (AG) genotype (ORAP=5.7369, ORMAP=2.5277, ORMSAP=6.1824, ORSAP=17.8572) and in those with IκB-α Hae III (GG) genotype (ORAP=5.8724, ORMAP=2.5902, ORMSAP=6.4027, ORSAP=18.9022). The combined analysis of the polymorphisms showed that the percentage of G11367C (GC)/ IκB-α Hae III (GG) in the AP group, the MAP subgroup, the MSAP subgroup, the SAP subgroup and the control groups was 26.44%, 12.67%, 26.00%, 40.67% and 4.00%, respectively, with significant difference in the frequency among all groups (all P<0.01). The people who carried with Pro12Ala (AA)/Pro198Leu (LL) had a high risk of AP (ORAP=30.1314, ORMAP=6.7612, ORMSAP=39.5000, ORSAP=401.5833), and the statistical analysis suggested a positive interaction between Pro12Ala (AA) and Pro198Leu (LL) in increasing the risk of AP (All γ>1). Similarly, there were also positive interactions in the pathogenesis of AP between G11367C (GC) and IκB-α Hae III (AG) (All γ>1). 
 CONCLUSION: These carriers of G11367C(GC), IκB-α Hae III(AG) and IκB-α Hae III (GG) genotypes may have a high risk of AP occurency, and there are significant interactions between genetic polymorphisms of G11367C and IκB-α Hae III, which increaes the risk of the occurrence and development of AP.

A prognostic nomogram based on least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression in patients with pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Background: Pulmonary large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is a rare subtype of breast cancer with a poor prognosis. Despite its rarity, it is important to gain a better understanding of the epidemiological, clinical, and prognostic features of pulmonary LCNEC. The purpose of this study was to design, construct, and validate a new nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) in patients with pulmonary LCNEC. Methods: In total, the data of 1,864 LCNEC patients were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which is maintained by the National Cancer Institute in the United States and serves as a comprehensive source of cancer-related information. Of these patients, 556 served as the validation group and 1,308 served as the training cohort. We constructed a new nomogram with the training cohort that included the independent factors for OS as identified by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression. Five independent factors were ultimately selected by the stepwise regression. Every factor of the Cox regression was included in the nomogram. Analyses of the calibration curve, decision curve, area under the curve, and concordance index (C-index) values were performed to assess the effectiveness and discriminative ability of the nomogram. Results: Five optimal predictive factors for OS were selected and merged to construct a 3- and 5-year OS nomogram. The nomogram had C-index values of 0.716 and 0.708 in the training cohort and validation cohort, respectively. The actual OS rates and the calibration curves showing the predictions of the nomogram were in good agreement. Conclusions: The prognostic nomogram may be very helpful in estimating the OS of patients with pulmonary LCNEC.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of lung cancer screening and associated factors among high-risk population in Lanzhou, China: A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of high-risk populations toward lung cancer screening in Lanzhou, China. Using convenience sampling, this cross-sectional study enrolled outpatients at high-risk for lung cancer at Lanzhou University Second Hospital between November 2022 and March 2023. An anonymous, self-administered online questionnaire was distributed to each participant via the Sojump website (https://www.wjx.cn/), comprising 40 items to collect demographic information and evaluate KAP toward lung cancer screening. The analyses were descriptive. A total of 577 participants (average age of 61.8 ±â€…7.1 years; 306 males) were included in the study. The participants' scores for KAP were 4.9 ±â€…2.2, 27.4 ±â€…3.0, and 7.0 ±â€…2.1, respectively. Participants with occupational exposure had significantly lower knowledge score (3.3 ±â€…2.4 vs 5.2 ±â€…2.1, P < .001), and practice score (5.6 ±â€…2.4 vs 7.3 ±â€…1.9, P < .001) than those without occupational exposure. Participants with smoking or passive smoking history had significantly higher attitude scores (27.6 ±â€…2.9 vs 25.8 ±â€…3.2, P < .001) and practice scores (7.1 ±â€…2.0 vs 6.5 ±â€…2.5, P = .014) than those without smoking history. A total of 360 (62.4%) participants endorsed the doctors' counseling on lung cancer screening, and 355 (61.5%) participants were willing to have screening for lung cancer as doctors advised. The study revealed that 390 (67.6%) participants identified low-dose computed tomography as the appropriate method for lung cancer screening, while 356 (61.7%) participants believed that X-rays were a reliable screening method for lung cancer. However, 365 (63.3%) participants thought that the treatment outcomes for early and late-diagnosed lung cancer were the same. Additionally, 416 (72.10%) participants believed that annual lung cancer CT scanning is unnecessary. On the other hand, 339 (58.8%) participants expressed concerns about exposure to radiation from CT scans, while 349 (60.5%) participants were worried about the cost of lung cancer screening. Only 142 (24.6%) participants reported having undergone annual lung cancer screening. The high-risk population had limited knowledge and insufficient attitude and practice toward lung cancer screening in Lanzhou, China.

Effect of starch and protein on eating quality of japonica rice in Yangtze River Delta.

This study examined four types of japonica rice from Yangtze River Delta, categorized based on amylose content (AC) and protein content (PC): high AC with high PC, high AC with low PC, low AC with high PC, and low AC with low PC. It systematically explored the effect of starch, protein and their interactions on eating quality of japonica rice. Rheological analysis revealed that increased amylose, long chains amylopectin or protein levels during cooking strengthen starch-protein interactions (hydrogen bonding), forming a firm gel network. Scanning electron microscopy showed that increased amylose, long chains amylopectin or protein levels made protein and starch more stable in combination during cooking, limiting starch structure cleavage. Therefore, the eating quality of high AC in similar PC japonica rice and high PC in similar AC japonica rice were poor. Further, correlation and random-forest analysis (RFA) identified amylose as the most influential factor in starch-protein interactions affecting rice eating quality, followed by amylopectin and protein. RFA also revealed that in high AC japonica rice, the interactions of Fb3 and albumin with amylose were more conducive to forming good eating quality. In low AC japonica rice, the interactions of Fb2 and prolamin with amylose were more beneficial.

in silico transcriptome dissection of neocortical excitatory neurogenesis via joint matrix decomposition and transfer learning.

The rising quality and amount of multi-omic data across biomedical science demands that we build innovative solutions to harness their collective discovery potential. From publicly available repositories, we have assembled and curated a compendium of gene-level transcriptomic data focused on mammalian excitatory neurogenesis in the neocortex. This collection is open for exploration by both computational and cell biologists at nemoanalytics.org, and this report forms a demonstration of its utility. Applying our novel structured joint decomposition approach to mouse, macaque and human data from the collection, we define transcriptome dynamics that are conserved across mammalian excitatory neurogenesis and which map onto the genetics of human brain structure and disease. Leveraging additional data within NeMO Analytics via projection methods, we chart the dynamics of these fundamental molecular elements of neurogenesis across developmental time and space and into postnatal life. Reversing the direction of our investigation, we use transcriptomic data from laminar-specific dissection of adult human neocortex to define molecular signatures specific to excitatory neuronal cell types resident in individual layers of the mature neocortex, and trace their emergence across development. We show that while many lineage defining transcription factors are most highly expressed at early fetal ages, the laminar neuronal identities which they drive take years to decades to reach full maturity. Finally, we interrogated data from stem-cell derived cerebral organoid systems demonstrating that many fundamental elements of in vivo development are recapitulated with high-fidelity in vitro, while specific transcriptomic programs in neuronal maturation are absent. We propose these analyses as specific applications of the general approach of combining joint decomposition with large curated collections of analysis-ready multi-omics data matrices focused on particular cell and disease contexts. Importantly, these open environments are accessible to, and must be fueled with emerging data by, cell biologists with and without coding expertise.

Glutathione S-transferase P1 Ile105Val polymorphism contributes to increased risk of gastric cancer in East Asians.

Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) is an important enzyme playing critical roles in the phase II detoxification pathway. There were many studies investigating the association between GSTP1 gene Ile105Val polymorphism and gastric cancer risk, but studies from East Asians reported inconsistent findings. We performed a meta-analysis to investigate the association in East Asians. Published literature from PubMed and Chinese Biomedical Literature databases were searched for eligible publications. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (95 %CIs) were calculated using random or fixed-effect model according the between-study heterogeneity. A total of 12 studies with 2,552 cases and 5,474 controls were finally included into the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of those 12 studies showed that there was an obvious association between GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism and gastric cancer risk in East Asians under three genetic models (for valine vs. isoleucine, OR=1.32, 95 %CI 1.05-1.66, P=0.015; for ValVal vs. IleIle, OR=2.00, 95 %CI 1.34-2.98, P=0.001; for the recessive model, OR=1.96, 95 %CI 1.35-2.83, P<0.001). Sensitivity analysis by removing one study at a time suggested the pooled results were stable under the three genetic models above. There was no risk of publication bias. In conclusion, the meta-analysis suggests that there is a strong evidence for the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism and increased risk of gastric cancer in East Asians and contributes to increased risk of gastric cancer in East Asians.

Association analysis between MDR1 gene polymorphisms and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese population.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between MDR1 gene polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. Genomic DNA of 1431 subjects was extracted from peripheral blood and genotyping was performed using the created restriction site-polymerase chain reaction (CRS-PCR). We found that the c.1465C > T single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) increased HCC risk in all genetic models (p < 0.05) and the allele-T of c.1465C > T may contribute to the risk of HCC. No significantly increased HCC risk was detected in c.159G > T SNP. Our data indicated that the genetic variants of MDR1 gene may be a valuable molecular marker for HCC.

Short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi mixture with acupuncture in treatment of functional constipation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the short and long-term efficacy of combining Fuzhengliqi mixture (FLM) with acupuncture in treating functional constipation (FC). METHODS: The 560 patients with confirmed diagnosis of FC were randomly assigned to four groups: FLM group, acupuncture group, combined therapy group, and control group. There were 140 cases in each group. The FLM group was administered FLM 60 mL twice a day, while the acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at acupoints Tianshu (ST 25), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Zusanli (ST 36), Dachangshu (BL 25), and Zhigou (TE 6) twice a day, the combined therapy group with FLM and acupuncture, and the control group was administered mosapride (5 mg thrice a day) and Macrogol 4000 (10 g twice a day). The treatment lasted 6 weeks. The defecation interval, stool property, constipation symptoms, and accompanying symptoms were recorded, graded, and scored. The gastrointestinal transit time (GITT) and motilin (MTL) level in serum and life quality score were detected at three time points (pre-treatment, at the end of treatment, and 60 weeks post-treatment). Moreover, the adverse reactions were also observed. RESULTS: In the FLM group 2 cases were eliminated for not taking medication strictly according to the research plan and 1 case was lost to follow-up, while 2 cases in the acupuncture group and 2 cases in the combined therapy group were lost to follow-up. Compared with those detected pre-treatment, the defecation interval, stool property, constipation symptom grade, accompanying symptom grade, and GITT were all decreased markedly at the end of treatment in every group, while the MTL levels in serum and life quality score were increased markedly (P < 0.01), the above-mentioned detecting indices were better in the combined therapy group than those in other groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the end of treatment, above-mentioned detecting indices all recurred significantly in the FLM group and control group 60 weeks post-treatment (P > 0.05), but these indices recurred insignificantly in the acupuncture and combined therapy groups (P > 0.05). The short and long-term total effective rates in the combined therapy group were significantly different from those in other groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No serious adverse reactions were found in four groups. CONCLUSION: Both FLM and acupuncture can significantly shorten the defecation interval and GITT, increase MTL levels in serum, decrease the scores of stool property, constipation symptoms, and accompanying symptoms in patients with FC to increase their life quality. The combined therapy is much better in long-term efficacy and the safety is also good, worth spreading in clinical practice.

Impact of particle size on the nutrition release and antioxidant activity of rape, buckwheat and rose bee pollens.

In this study, the effects of particle size on the microstructure, nutrient components and antioxidant activities of bee pollen were evaluated. Moreover, the in vitro simulated digestion model was used to explore whether there was a size effect on the release behavior of phenolic compounds from the bee pollen matrix. Results showed that the greater the damage degree of the bee pollen wall, the smaller the bee pollen particle became. The decrease in the bee pollen particle size promoted the release and extractability of sugar, protein, phenolics and flavonoids, and improved their antioxidant activities. In addition, during simulated digestion, the dissolution of total phenolics and flavonoids, as well as the antioxidant activities of bee pollen, increased with the decrease in the particle size. Results showed that minimizing the particle size of bee pollen was not always beneficial for bioaccessible phenolic compounds because their content and bioavailability decreased when the particle size became smaller than 200 µm.