Auxin guides germ-cell specification in Arabidopsis anthers.

Germ cells (GCs) are the key carriers delivering genetic information from one generation to the next. In a majority of animals, GCs segregate from somatic cells during embryogenesis by forming germlines. In land plants, GCs segregate from somatic cells during postembryonic development. In a majority of angiosperms, male GCs (archesporial cells) initiate at the four corners of the anther primordia. Little is known about the mechanism underlying this initiation. Here, we discovered that the dynamic auxin distribution in developing anthers coincided with GC initiation. A centripetal auxin gradient gradually formed toward the four corners where GCs will initiate. Local auxin biosynthesis was necessary for this patterning and for GC specification. The GC determinant protein SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE (SPL/NZZ) mediated the effect of auxin on GC specification and modified auxin biosynthesis to maintain a centripetal auxin distribution. Our work reveals that auxin is a key factor guiding GC specification in Arabidopsis anthers. Moreover, we demonstrate that the GC segregation from somatic cells is not a simple switch on/off event but rather a complicated process that involves a dynamic feedback circuit among local auxin biosynthesis, transcription of SPL/NZZ, and a progressive GC specification. This finding sheds light on the mystery of how zygote-derived somatic cells diverge into GCs in plants.

Diagnostic value of plasma and blood cells metagenomic next-generation sequencing in patients with sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have investigated the detection of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). However, to our knowledge, no study has evaluated the diagnostic value of mNGS detection using blood cells. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the performance of a whole blood mNGS assay which includes the results of plasma and blood cells mNGS detection. METHODS: We selected a panel of seven microorganisms to validate both the plasma and blood cells assay for their limits of detection (LoD), linearity, precision, and robustness to interference. In a multicentered prospective study conducted from January 2021 to April 2022, we tested 253 septic patients with plasma and blood cells mNGS and compared it with blood cultures (BCs). The performance of pathogen detection was compared between mNGS and BCs. RESULTS: The LoD for plasma and blood cells mNGS was 8.3-140 genome equivalents (GE)/mL and 26 to 534 colony-forming units (CFU) or copies/mL, respectively. The inter- and intra-assay reproducibility of both plasma and blood cells mNGS was 100%. Compared to plasma mNGS alone, the sensitivity of whole blood mNGS was increased by 18.04% when using BCs as the standard (67.21% vs 85.25%). Furthermore, the sensitivity of whole blood mNGS in diagnosing bloodstream infections (BSIs) was 85.21%, which was significantly higher than that of BCs (36.09%, P＜0.0001) and plasma mNGS (69.82%; P = 0.0007). Additional analysis showed that blood cells mNGS was able to detect bacteria missed by plasma mNGS, while plasma mNGS was effective at detecting viruses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that whole blood mNGS shows great potential as a promising diagnostic technique for BSIs owing to its ability to identify pathogens with higher sensitivity.

Sequential fed-batch fermentation of 1,3-propanediol from glycerol by Clostridium butyricum DL07.

The demand for 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) has increased sharply due to its role as a monomer for the synthesis of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). Although Clostridium butyricum is considered to be one of the most promising bioproducers for 1,3-PDO, its low productivity hinders its application on industrial scale because of the longer time needed for anaerobic cultivation. In this study, an excellent C. butyricum (DL07) strain was obtained with high-level titer and productivity of 1,3-PDO, i.e., 104.8 g/L and 3.38 g/(L•h) vs. 94.2 g/L and 3.04 g/(L•h) using pure or crude glycerol as substrate in fed-batch fermentation, respectively. Furthermore, a novel sequential fed-batch fermentation was investigated, in which the next bioreactor was inoculated by C. butyricum DL07 cells growing at exponential phase in the prior bioreactor. It could run steadily for at least eight cycles. The average concentration of 1,3-PDO in eight cycles was 85 g/L with the average productivity of 3.1 g/(L•h). The sequential fed-batch fermentation could achieve semi-continuous production of 1,3-PDO with higher productivity than repeated fed-batch fermentation and would greatly contribute to the industrial production of 1,3-PDO by C. butyricum. KEY POINTS: • A novel C. butyricum strain was screened to produce 104.8 g/L 1,3-PDO from glycerol. • Corn steep liquor powder was used as a cheap nitrogen source for 1,3-PDO production. • A sequential fed-batch fermentation process was established for 1,3-PDO production. • An automatic glycerol feeding strategy was applied in the production of 1,3-PDO.

Phosphorylation of SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE by the MPK3/6 Kinase Is Required for Anther Development.

Germ cells are indispensable carriers of genetic information from one generation to the next. In contrast to the well-understood process in animals, information on the mechanism of germ cell initiation in plants is very limited. SPOROCYTELESS/NOZZLE was previously identified as an essential regulator of diploid germ cell (archesporial cell) differentiation in the stamens and ovules of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Although SPOROCYTELESS (SPL) transcription is activated by the floral organ identity regulator AGAMOUS and epigenetically regulated by SET DOMAIN GROUP2, little is known about the regulation of the SPL protein. Here, we report that the protein kinases MPK3 and MPK6 can both interact with SPL in vitro and in vivo and can phosphorylate the SPL protein in vitro. In addition, phosphorylation of the SPL protein by MPK3/6 is required for SPL function in the Arabidopsis anther, as measured by its effect on archesporial cell differentiation. We further demonstrate that phosphorylation enhances SPL protein stability. This work not only uncovers the importance of SPL phosphorylation for its regulatory role in Arabidopsis anther development, but also supports the hypothesis that the regulation of precise spatiotemporal patterning of germ cell initiation and that differentiation is achieved progressively through multiple levels of regulation, including transcriptional and posttranslational modification.

A Review on Konjac Glucomannan Gels: Microstructure and Application.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) has attracted extensive attention because of its biodegradable, non-toxic, harmless, and biocompatible features. Its gelation performance is one of its most significant characteristics and enables wide applications of KGM gels in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, materials, and other fields. Herein, different preparation methods of KGM gels and their microstructures were reviewed. In addition, KGM applications have been theoretically modeled for future uses.

Characterization and Prebiotic Effect of the Resistant Starch from Purple Sweet Potato.

Purple sweet potato starch is a potential resource for resistant starch production. The effects of heat-moisture treatment (HMT) and enzyme debranching combined heat-moisture treatment (EHMT) on the morphological, crystallinity and thermal properties of PSP starches were investigated. The results indicated that, after HMT or EHMT treatments, native starch granules with smooth surface was destroyed to form a more compact, irregular and sheet-like structure. The crystalline pattern was transformed from C-type to B-type with decreasing relative crystallinity. Due to stronger crystallites formed in modified starches, the swelling power and solubility of HMT and EHMT starch were decreased, while the transition temperatures and gelatinization enthalpy were significantly increased. In addition, HMT and EHMT exhibited greater effects on the proliferation of bifidobacteria compared with either glucose or high amylose maize starch.

Cytotoxic, Antitumor and Immunomodulatory Effects of the Water-Soluble Polysaccharides from Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) Seeds.

Lotus is an edible and medicinal plant, and the extracts from its different parts exhibit various bioactivities. In the present study, the hot water-soluble polysaccharides from lotus seeds (LSPS) were evaluated for their cancer cell cytotoxicity, immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. LSPS showed significant inhibitory effects on the mouse gastric cancer MFC cells, human liver cancer HuH-7 cells and mouse hepatocarcinoma H22 cells. The animal studies showed that LSPS inhibited tumor growth in H22 tumor-bearing mice with the highest inhibition rate of 45.36%, which is comparable to that induced by cyclophosphamide (30 mg/kg) treatment (50.79%). The concentrations of white blood cells were significantly reduced in cyclophosphamide-treated groups (p < 0.01), while LSPS showed much fewer side effects according to the hematology analysis. LSPS improved the immune response in H22 tumor-bearing mice by enhancing the spleen and thymus indexes, and increasing the levels of serum cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-2. Moreover, LSPS also showed in vivo antioxidant activity by increasing superoxide dismutase activity, thus reducing the malondialdehyde level in the liver tissue. These results suggested that LSPS can be used as an antitumor and immunomodulatory agent.

The Role of EGG in Identifying Prevocalic Glottal Stop.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to investigate the use of incidences and characteristics of Prevocalic Electroglottographic Signal (PVES) derived from electroglottography (EGG) in characterizing glottal stops (GS) in cleft palate speech. METHODS: Mandarin nonaspirated monosyllabic first-tone words were used for the speech sampling procedure. A total of 1680 utterances (from 83 patients with repaired cleft palates) were divided into three categories based on the results of auditory-perceptual evaluation of recorded speech sounds by three independent reviewers: [Category A (absence of GS agreed by all three reviewers) (n = 1192 tokens), Category B (two out of three reviewers agreed on the presence of a GS) (n = 181 tokens) and Category C (all three reviewers agreed on the presence of a GS) (n = 307 tokens)]. The EGG signals of the 1680 utterances were analyzed using a MATLAB program to automatically mark the instances of PVES (amplitude and time-interval) in the GS utterances. RESULTS: The result showed that the incidence of EGG PVES presented good positive correlation with auditory-perceptual evaluation (r = 0.703, P＜0.000). Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in mean PVES amplitude among different groups (P＜0.05). There was a significant distinction in the time interval between groups A and B, as well as in groups A and C (P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests PVES can be an objective means of identifying GS in cleft palate speech. It also indicates that proportion of amplitude and time interval of PVES tend to be positively correlate with subjective assessment.

Triglycerides Mediate the Influence of Body Mass Index on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Non-Obese Chinese Population with Normal Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels.

INTRODUCTION: Over 25% of the world's population has non-obese or lean non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and the prevalence is higher than average in Asia. The present study focused on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and non-obese NAFLD in non-overweight people in China, particularly the influence of triglycerides (TG) in the pathogenesis of non-obese NAFLD. The findings suggest new treatments for NAFLD patients with normal BMI, as well as provide an early warning system for the understanding and prevention of NAFLD in non-obese patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 159,959 Chinese subjects with BMI <24 kg/m2 and normal levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c). The average age was 40.21 ± 13.88 years, and males accounted for 45.7%. A total of 15,907 (9.94%) patients with NAFLD were diagnosed by ultrasonography. Biochemical indicators were measured using an automated analyzer (Abbott AxSYM). The BMI (kg/m2) was calculated from the weight (kg)/height in square meters (m2). The BMI quartile was used as the column-stratified variable to determine the baseline distribution, and logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between NAFLD and its risk factors, with multiple logistic regression used to assess the relationships between BMI or TG and NAFLD and multivariate linear regression used to analyze the association between BMI and TG, while mediation analysis was used to assess the mediation effect of TG. RESULTS: After adjustment of all covariates, the odds ratios were 1.788 (95% CI: 1.749-1.829; p < 0.00001) and 1.491 (95% CI: 1.451-1.532; p < 0.00001) for the association between BMI and TG with NAFLD incidence. The multivariate linear regression coefficient of BMI and TG was ß = 0.027 (95% CI: 0.023-0.030; p < 0.00001). Mediation analysis showed that BMI contributed to 10.81% of lean NAFLD with a mediation effect of 2.98%. CONCLUSION: In a Chinese population with BMI <24 kg/m2 and normal LDL-c levels, BMI and TG were found to be independent predictors of NAFLD. The direct effect of BMI on non-obese NAFLD was 10.41%. The TG level was found to partially mediate the association.

A Simplified GBR Treatment and Evaluation of Posterior Seibert Class I Ridge Defects via Bio-collagen and Platelet-Rich Fibrin: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Classical guided bone regeneration (GBR) treatments can achieve favorable clinical results for ridge defects. However, extensive bone augmentation in the non-esthetic area in the posterior region for minor ridge defects is unnecessary. Therefore, this study used a collagen and Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) mixture for bone augmentation on minor posterior ridge defects and evaluated the effects. METHODS: 22 Seibert Class I ridge defects were treated with BC and covered with a PRF membrane (simplified guided bone regeneration, simplified GBR) and other 22 were treated with Bio-Oss and covered with Bio-Gide (classical GBR). Cone-beam computed tomography imaging was conducted 6 months post-surgery to compare the ridge's horizontal width (HW) and buccal ridge's horizontal width to assess the osteogenic effect. In addition, the buccal ridge contour morphology was studied and classified. RESULTS: The buccal ridge contour of simplified GBR was Type A in 14 cases, Type B in 7 cases, and Type C in 1 case and it of classical GBR was Type A in 11 cases, Type B in 8 cases, and Type C in 3 cases. The mean HW significantly increased by 1.50 mm of simplified GBR treatment, while it increased by 1.83 mm in classical GBR treatment. CONCLUSION: The combined use of BC and PRF had a significant effect on bone augmentation and this treatment exhibited promising clinical results for correcting posterior Seibert Class I ridge defects. The morphological classification of the reconstructive effect in this study can be utilized in future clinical work.

Characterization and safety assessment of bamboo shoot shell cellulose nanofiber: Prepared by acidolysis combined with dynamic high-pressure microfluidization.

The preparation of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) using traditional methods is currently facing challenges due to concerns regarding environmental pollution and safety. Herein, a novel CNF was obtained from bamboo shoot shell (BSS) by low-concentration acid and dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) treatment. The resulting CNF was then characterized, followed by in vitro and in vivo safety assessments. Compared to insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), the diameters of HIDF (IDF after low-concentration acid hydrolysis) and CNF were significantly decreased to 167.13 nm and 70.97 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, HIDF and CNF showed a higher crystallinity index (71.32 % and 74.35 %). Structural analysis results indicated the successful removal of lignin and hemicellulose of HIDF and CNF, with CNF demonstrating improved thermostability. In vitro, a high dose of CNF (1500 µg/mL) did not show any signs of cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. In vivo, no death was observed in the experimental mice, and there was no significant difference between CNF (1000 mg/kg·bw) and control group in hematological index and histopathological analysis. Overall, this study presents an environmentally friendly method for preparing CNF from BSS while providing evidence regarding its safety through in vitro and in vivo assessments, laying the foundation for its potential application in food.

Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae Mediated Hepatic Infarction Septic Shock After Rectal Cancer Surgery: A Case Report.

The liver receives blood from both the hepatic artery and portal vein. Hepatic infarction is rare in clinical practice as both the hepatic artery and portal vein can supply blood to the liver. Here, we reported a case of a 75-year-old man who underwent radical laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer and subsequently developed hepatic infarction. The patient experienced severe infection, as well as circulatory and respiratory failure on the third day after surgery. The patient presented with high fever, chest tightness, shortness of breath, decreased blood oxygen saturation and blood pressure. The leukocyte count decreased from 8.10 × 10^9/L to 1.75 × 10^9/L. Procalcitonin (PCT) levels increased from 1.02 ng/mL to 67.14 ng/mL, and eventually reaching levels over 200 ng/mL. Enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) confirmed the presence of hepatic infarction, but no thrombosis was observed in the hepatic artery or portal vein. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) identified hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae (hvKp) in the patient's blood and ascites, one day earlier than the detection results using traditional culture methods. The patient was diagnosed with hepatic infarction combined with septic shock caused by hvKp. This case emphasizes that in the high-risk group of thrombosis, infection can trigger exacerbated hepatic infarction events, particularly in cases after surgical procedures. For severely ill patients with infectious diseases who are admitted to the ICU with worsening symptoms, it is important to collect appropriate samples and send them for pathogen detection using mNGS in a timely manner. This may aid in early intervention and improve clinical outcomes.

Clinical evaluation of cell-free and cellular metagenomic next-generation sequencing of infected body fluids.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have evaluated metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) for pathogen detection in blood and body fluid samples. However, no study has assessed the diagnostic efficacy of mNGS using cellular DNA. OBJECTIVES: This is the first study to systematically evaluate the efficacy of cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS for pathogen detection. METHODS: A panel of seven microorganisms was used to compare cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS assays concerning limits of detection (LoD), linearity, robustness to interference, and precision. In total, 248 specimens were collected between December 2020 and December 2021. The medical records of all the patients were reviewed. These specimens were analysed using cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS assays, and the mNGS results were confirmed using viral qPCR, 16S rRNA, and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: The LoD of cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS was 9.3 to 149 genome equivalents (GE)/mL and 27 to 466 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, respectively. The intra- and inter-assay reproducibility of cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS was 100%. Clinical evaluation revealed that cfDNA mNGS was good at detecting the virus in blood samples (receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC), 0.9814). In contrast, the performance of cellular DNA mNGS was better than that of cfDNA mNGS in high host background samples. Overall, the diagnostic efficacy of cfDNA combined with cellular DNA mNGS (ROC AUC, 0.8583) was higher than that of cfDNA (ROC AUC, 0.8041) or cellular DNA alone (ROC AUC, 0.7545). CONCLUSION: Overall, cfDNA mNGS is good for detecting viruses, and cellular DNA mNGS is suitable for high host background samples. The diagnostic efficacy was higher when cfDNA and cellular DNA mNGS were combined.

A robust transformer-based pipeline of 3D cell alignment, denoise and instance segmentation on electron microscopy sequence images.

Germline cells are critical for transmitting genetic information to subsequent generations in biological organisms. While their differentiation from somatic cells during embryonic development is well-documented in most animals, the regulatory mechanisms initiating plant germline cells are not well understood. To thoroughly investigate the complex morphological transformations of their ultrastructure over developmental time, nanoscale 3D reconstruction of entire plant tissues is necessary, achievable exclusively through electron microscopy imaging. This paper presents a full-process framework designed for reconstructing large-volume plant tissue from serial electron microscopy images. The framework ensures end-to-end direct output of reconstruction results, including topological networks and morphological analysis. The proposed 3D cell alignment, denoise, and instance segmentation pipeline (3DCADS) leverages deep learning to provide a cell instance segmentation workflow for electron microscopy image series, ensuring accurate and robust 3D cell reconstructions with high computational efficiency. The pipeline involves five stages: the registration of electron microscopy serial images; image enhancement and denoising; semantic segmentation using a Transformer-based neural network; instance segmentation through a supervoxel-based clustering algorithm; and an automated analysis and statistical assessment of the reconstruction results, with the mapping of topological connections. The 3DCADS model's precision was validated on a plant tissue ground-truth dataset, outperforming traditional baseline models and deep learning baselines in overall accuracy. The framework was applied to the reconstruction of early meiosis stages in the anthers of Arabidopsis thaliana, resulting in a topological connectivity network and analysis of morphological parameters and characteristics of cell distribution. The experiment underscores the 3DCADS model's potential for biological tissue identification and its significance in quantitative analysis of plant cell development, crucial for examining samples across different genetic phenotypes and mutations in plant development. Additionally, the paper discusses the regulatory mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana's germline cells and the development of stamen cells before meiosis, offering new insights into the transition from somatic to germline cell fate in plants.

Clinical performance of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for diagnosis of pulmonary Aspergillus infection and colonization.

Background: Investigations assessing the value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for distinguish Aspergillus infection from colonization are currently insufficient. Methods: The performance of mNGS in distinguishing Aspergillus infection from colonization, along with the differences in patients' characteristics, antibiotic adjustment, and lung microbiota, were analyzed. Results: The abundance of Aspergillus significantly differed between patients with Aspergillus infection (n=36) and colonization (n=32) (P < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve result for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) mNGS indicated an area under the curve of 0.894 (95%CI: 0.811-0.976), with an optimal threshold value of 23 for discriminating between Aspergillus infection and colonization. The infection group exhibited a higher proportion of antibiotic adjustments in comparison to the colonization group (50% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.001), with antibiotic escalation being more dominant. Age, length of hospital stay, hemoglobin, cough and chest distress were significantly positively correlated with Aspergillus infection. The abundance of A. fumigatus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) significantly increased in the infection group, whereas the colonization group exhibited higher abundance of A. niger. Conclusion: BALF mNGS is a valuable tool for differentiating between colonization and infection of Aspergillus. Variations in patients' age, length of hospital stay, hemoglobin, cough and chest distress are observable between patients with Aspergillus infection and colonization.

Sea cucumber peptides positively regulate sexual hormones in male mice with acute exhaustive swimming: possibly through the Ca2+/PKA signaling pathway.

Sea cucumber peptides (SCPs) have been proven to have many active functions; however, their impact on testosterone synthesis and the corresponding mechanism are not yet clear. This study attempts to explore the effects of SCPs on sex hormone regulation in acute exhaustive swimming (AES) male mice and the possible mechanisms. In the present study, SCP intervention significantly prolonged exhaustive swimming time and reduced exercise metabolite accumulation. The reproductive ability-related parameters including penile index, mating ability, testicular morphology, and sperm storage were dramatically improved by SCP intervention. Notably, SCPs markedly reversed the AES-induced decrease in serum testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. Moreover, treatment with a high dose of SCP (0.6 mg per g bw) significantly enhanced the expression of testosterone synthesis-related proteins in testis, meanwhile markedly increasing the gene expression of StAR, Hsd17b3, Hsd17b2, Ldlr, and Cyp19a1. Serum metabolomics results indicated that SCP intervention notably upregulated the expression of 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol but downregulated the concentrations of succinate and DL-lactate. Furthermore, serum metabolomics combined with testicular transcriptome, western blot, and correlation analyses demonstrated that SCPs may regulate testosterone synthesis via the Ca2+/PKA signaling pathway. This study indicated that the SCP could be a potential dietary supplement to improve the symptoms of decreased sex hormones related to exercise fatigue.

Curcumin-Loaded Bamboo Shoot Cellulose Nanofibers: Characterization and In Vitro Studies.

Given its high biological and pharmacological activities, curcumin (CUR) offers promising applications in functional foods. However, its low stability and bioavailability have greatly hindered its application in the food industry. The present study prepared cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from bamboo shoot processing byproducts and investigated its potential as a low-cost carrier. Our results showed that CUR was immobilized on CNF surfaces mainly through hydrogen bonding and eventually encapsulated in CNF matrices, forming a CNF-CUR complex with an encapsulation efficiency of 88.34% and a loading capacity of 67.95%. The CUR encapsulated in the complex showed improved stability after thermal and UV light treatments. Moreover, a slow and extended release pattern of CUR in a simulated gastrointestinal tract was observed, which could be appropriately described using the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. These results revealed that CNF is a promising protective carrier for the slow release of CUR, making it a better candidate for functional foods.

Preparation, characterization and biological activity of phosphorylated surface deacetylated chitin nanofibers.

Phosphorylation is a key route to achieve varieties of biological activities for polysaccharides. Here, we report the phosphorylated surface deacetylated chitin nanofibers (PS-ChNFs) using the sodium tripolyphosphate/sodium trimetaphosphate (STPP/STMP) method. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize in this study. Under optimal conditions, a maximum degree of substitution (DS) of 0.13 was obtained. In addition, the structures of PS-ChNFs were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectra (NMR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy-mapping) EDS-mapping. The findings revealed that the FT-IR spectroscopy and XPS analysis confirmed the appearance of phosphate groups in PS-ChNFs. The 31P NMR results indicate that the PS-ChNFs structure has characteristic peaks of P elements. SEM images showed that PS-ChNFs had a rough surface with many cavities, but the P elements on the surface of the EDS-mapping are uniformly distributed throughout the sample without any enrichment. Antioxidant and antibacterial test showed that PS-ChNFs had significant scavenging effect on free radicals and antibacterial effect. The above results indicate that the chemical modification of PS-ChNFs was successful.

Optimization of microwave vacuum drying of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) seeds by response surface methodology.

Drying is the main process used to treat lotus seeds for storage. In this study, response surface methodology was used to optimize processing methods for microwave vacuum (MWV) drying of lotus seeds and to create a desirable product. A central composite design with three important factors: microwave output power (2.0-4.0 kW), vacuum degree (-0.070 to -0.090 MPa) and on/off ratio (68/52 s to 99/21 s) was used to study the response variables of drying time, shrinkage ratio, rehydration ratio and whiteness index. The optimum conditions for MWV drying of lotus seeds were determined to obtain a minimal drying time, minimal shrinkage ratio, maximum rehydration ratio and maximum whiteness index. The optimum drying conditions were found to be: microwave output power 3.2 kW, vacuum degree -0.083 MPa and on/off ratio 94/26 s. Under these optimal conditions, drying time, shrinkage ratio, rehydration ratio and whiteness index were found to be 10 min, 37.66%, 157.1% and 68.83, respectively.

Circ_0000745 Promotes the Progression of Cervical Cancer by Regulating miR-409-3p/ATF1 Axis.

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is a common gynecological malignancy with a high risk of recurrence and death. Circular RNAs play a crucial role in the occurrence and development of tumors. This study aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of circ_0000745 in CC. Materials and Methods: The levels of circ_0000745, miR-409-3p, and activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot assay. Cell proliferation was assessed by colony formation assay. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated by transwell assay. Glycolysis was analyzed by measuring extracellular acidification rate, glucose uptake, and lactate production. Also, the protein levels of glucose transporter 1 and lactate dehydrogenase A were detected using Western blot. The relationship among circ_0000745, miR-409-3p, and ATF1 were confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, xenograft assay was performed to analyze tumor growth in vivo. Results: Circ_0000745 and ATF1 were upregulated, whereas miR-409-3p was downregulated in CC tissues and cells. Knockdown of circ_0000745 repressed proliferation, migration, invasion, and glycolysis of CC cells. Circ_0000745 regulated CC progression by targeting miR-409-3p. Circ_0000745 modulated ATF1 expression through sponging miR-409-3p. MiR-409-3p hindered CC progression by targeting ATF1. Furthermore, depletion of circ_0000745 impeded tumor growth in vivo. Conclusion: Circ_0000745 promoted the progression of CC through modulating miR-409-3p/ATF1 axis, indicating a promising biomarker for CC therapy.