Virulence and community dynamics of fungal species with vertical and horizontal transmission on a plant with multiple infections.

The virulence evolution of multiple infections of parasites from the same species has been modeled widely in evolution theory. However, experimental studies on this topic remain scarce, particularly regarding multiple infections by different parasite species. Here, we characterized the virulence and community dynamics of fungal pathogens on the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora to verify the predictions made by the model. We observed that A. adenophora was highly susceptible to diverse foliar pathogens with mixed vertical and horizontal transmission within leaf spots. The transmission mode mainly determined the pathogen community structure at the leaf spot level. Over time, the pathogen community within a leaf spot showed decreased Shannon diversity; moreover, the vertically transmitted pathogens exhibited decreased virulence to the host A. adenophora, but the horizontally transmitted pathogens exhibited increased virulence to the host. Our results demonstrate that the predictions of classical models for the virulence evolution of multiple infections are still valid in a complex realistic environment and highlight the impact of transmission mode on disease epidemics of foliar fungal pathogens. We also propose that seedborne fungi play an important role in structuring the foliar pathogen community from multiple infections within a leaf spot.

Native plants change the endophyte assembly and growth of an invasive plant in response to climatic factors.

Climate change, microbial endophytes, and local plants can affect the establishment and expansion of invasive species, yet no study has been performed to assess these interactions. Using a growth chamber, we integrated the belowground (rhizosphere soils) and aboveground (mixture of mature leaf and leaf litter) microbiota into an experimental framework to evaluate the impacts of four native plants acting as microbial inoculation sources on endophyte assembly and growth of the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora in response to drought stress and temperature change. We found that fungal and bacterial enrichment in the leaves and roots of A. adenophora exhibited distinct patterns in response to climatic factors. Many fungi were enriched in roots in response to high temperature and drought stress; in contrast, many bacteria were enriched in leaves in response to low temperature and drought stress. Inoculation of microbiota from phylogenetically close native plant species (i.e., Asteraceae Artemisia atrovirens) causes the recipient plant A. adenophora (Asteraceae) to enrich dominant microbial species from inoculation sources, which commonly results in a lower dissimilar endophytic microbiota and thus produces more negative growth effects when compared to non-Asteraceae inoculations. Drought, microbial inoculation source, and temperature directly impacted the growth of A. adenophora. Both drought and inoculation also indirectly impacted the growth of A. adenophora by changing the root endophytic fungal assembly. Our data indicate that native plant identity can greatly impact the endophyte assembly and host growth of invasive plants, which is regulated by drought and temperature.IMPORTANCEThere has been increasing interest in the interactions between global changes and plant invasions; however, it remains to quantify the role of microbial endophytes in plant invasion with a consideration of their variation in the root vs leaf of hosts, as well as the linkages between microbial inoculations, such as native plant species, and climatic factors, such as temperature and drought. Our study found that local plants acting as microbial inoculants can impact fungal and bacterial enrichment in the leaves and roots of the invasive plant Ageratina adenophora and thus produce distinct growth effects in response to climatic factors; endophyte-mediated invasion of A. adenophora is expected to operate more effectively under favorable moisture. Our study is important for understanding the interactions between climate change, microbial endophytes, and local plant identity in the establishment and expansion of invasive species.

[Risk factors for massive hemorrhage after radical nephrectomy and removal of venous tumor thrombus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate and analyze the risk factors of massive hemorrhage in patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous tumor thrombus undergoing radical nephrectomy and removal of venous tumor thrombus. METHODS: From January 2014 to June 2020, 241 patients with renal cancer and tumor thrombus in a single center of urology at Peking University Third Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent radical nephrectomy and removal of venous tumor thrombus. The relevant preoperative indicators, intraoperative conditions, and postoperative data were statistically analyzed by using statistical software of SPSS 18.0. The main end point of the study was intraoperative bleeding volume greater than 2 000 mL. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the relevant influencing factors. First, single factor Logistic regression was used for preliminary screening of influencing factors, and variables with single factor Logistic regression analysis P < 0.05 were included in multivariate Logistic regression. In all statistical analyses, P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Among the 241 patients included, there were 60 cases of massive hemorrhage, 48 males and 12 females, with a median age of 62 years. The number of non-massive hemorrhage was 181. There were 136 males and 45 females, with a median age of 59 years. Univariate analysis showed that the clinical symptoms (both systemic and local symptoms, OR 2.794, 95%CI 1.087-7.181, P=0.033), surgical approach (open surgery, OR 9.365, 95%CI 4.447-19.72, P < 0.001), Mayo grade (Mayo 3-4, OR 5.257, 95%CI 2.806-10.886, P < 0.001), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score (ASA level 3, OR 2.842, 95%CI 1.338-6.036, P=0.007), preoperative hemoglobin (OR 0.978, 95%CI 0.965-0.991, P=0.001), preoperative platelet count (OR 0.996, 95%CI 0.992-1.000, P=0.037), maximum tumor thrombus width (OR 1.061, 95%CI 1.033-1.091, P < 0.001), Complicated with bland thrombus (OR 4.493, 95%CI 2.264-8.915, P < 0.001), adrenalectomy (OR 3.101, 95%CI 1.614-5.958, P=0.001), segmental resection of the inferior vena cava (OR 2.857, 95%CI 1.395-5.852, P=0.004). There was a statistically significant difference in these aspects(P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that there was a statistically significant difference in surgical approach (open surgery, OR 6.730, 95%CI 2.947-15.368;P < 0.001), Mayo grade (Mayo 3-4, OR 2.294, 95%CI 1.064-4.948, P=0.034), Complicated with bland thrombus (OR 3.236, 95%CI 1.492-7.020, P=0.003). CONCLUSION: Combining the results of univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis, the surgical approach, Mayo grade, and tumor thrombus combined with conventional thrombus were associated risk factors for massive hemorrhage during surgery for renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus. Patients who undergo open surgery, high Mayo grade, and tumor thrombus combined with conventional thrombus are at a relatively higher risk of massive hemorrhage.

Remotididymella ageratinae sp. nov. and Remotididymella anemophila sp. nov., two novel species isolated from the invasive weed Ageratina adenophora in PR China.

To determine if Ageratina adenophora can accumulate diverse pathogens from surrounding native plants, we intensively sampled fungal communities, including endophytes, leaf spot pathogens and canopy air fungi, associated with Ag. adenophora as well as native plants in its invasive range. In total, we collected 4542 foliar fungal strains from 10 geographic sites, including 1340 from healthy leaves of Ag. adenophora, 2051 from leaf spots of Ag. adenophora and 1151 from leaf spots of 56 species of native plants and crops. Taxonomically, the common fungal genera included Colletotrichum, Diaporthe, Alternaria, Nemania, Xylaria, Neofusicoccum, Nigrospora, Epicoccum, Gibberella, Pestalotiopsis, Irpex, Schizophyllum and Clonostachys. We also isolated the cultivable fungi from 12 air samples collected from six areas in Yunnan Province, PR China. Among the total of 1255 air fungal isolates, the most common genera were Cladosporium, Trichoderma and Epicoccum. Among them, two new Remotididymella species, Remotididymella ageratinae from leaf spot of Ag. adenophora and Remotididymella anemophila from canopy air of Ag. adenophora were found. The two species showed both asexual and sexual reproductive structures. The conidia of R. ageratinae and R. anemophila are larger than those of R. anthropophila and R. destructiva. The size of ascospores of R. ageratinae and R. anemophila also differ from R. bauhiniae. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined ITS, LSU rRNA, rpb2 and tub2 sequences showed that R. ageratinae and R. anemophila each formed a distinct clade, separated from all species previously described in Remotididymella and confirmed them as new species belonging to Remotididymella. Full descriptions of R. ageratinae and R. anemophila are provided in this study.

De Ritis Ratio as a Significant Prognostic Factor in Patients with Sepsis: A Retrospective Analysis.

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the aspartate transaminase and/or alanine transaminase ratio (DRR) and long-term mortality of patients diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study among adult septic patients who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital from January 2014 to December 2018. Baseline characteristics were compared between survivors and non survivors. We performed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to evaluate the relation of DRR with 180-day mortality. The potential prognostic value of DRR in predicting mortality rate was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. In addition, we conducted subgroup analysis by the optimal DRR cutoff value. RESULTS: We included a total of 183 patients in the current study, and 44 (24%) patients died within 180 days of hospitalization. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses revealed that DRR was an independent predictor of 180-day mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.421, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.073-1.883, P = 0.014). The predictive accuracy of DRR for 180-day mortality was presented as an ROC curve, which had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.708 (95% CI 0.629-0.786, P < 0.001). After we stratified all enrolled patients into two groups by using the optimal cutoff value of 1.29, we observed a significantly higher mortality in patients with a relatively high DRR. CONCLUSIONS: An elevated DRR was associated with higher 180-day mortality among septic patients, and DRR might be an optimal marker for predicting the long-term mortality of sepsis. More prospective and randomized trials are needed to confirm the prognostic value of DRR.

In Situ Construction of Dye-Sensitized BiOCl/Rutile-TiO2 Nanorod Heterojunctions with Highly Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity for Treating Persistent Organic Pollutants.

The construction of efficient and stable heterojunction photocatalysts with a controllable close contact interface and visible-light response is a challenging research topic in the field of photocatalysis. Herein, a series of BiOCl/rutile-TiO2 (R-TiO2) nanorod heterojunctions were constructed using R-TiO2 nanorods as supporting frameworks followed by selective adsorption of Cl- on R-TiO2(110) facets and in situ growth of BiOCl on the surface of TiO2 nanorods. The strong affinity of rhodamine B (RhB) as a photosensitizer for BiOCl allowed the prepared BiOCl/R-TiO2 heterojunctions to work efficiently under visible-light irradiation. The dye-sensitized BiOCl/R-TiO2 nanorod heterojunctions displayed promising photocatalytic performance for simultaneously treating RhB and the persistent organic pollutant 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (DNBP). The highly enhanced photodegradation activity of the BiOCl/R-TiO2 system was mainly attributed to the efficient RhB-photosensitization effect, the enhanced heterojunction effect, and the suitable conduction band match between BiOCl and R-TiO2, which facilitated electron transfer from the excited RhB to the catalyst surface and charge separation across the BiOCl/R-TiO2 interface, thus promoting the formation of •O2- and h+ as dominant active species in the reaction system for degradation of pollutants. The results demonstrate that the construction of a dye-sensitized BiOCl/R-TiO2 heterojunction system is an effective strategy for improving the photocatalytic potential.

Robust Cr(VI) reduction over hydroxyl modified UiO-66 photocatalyst constructed from mixed ligands: Performances and mechanism insight with or without tartaric acid.

Hydroxyl modified UiO-66 ((OH)2-UiO-66-X%, X represents the mass content ratio of introduced 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid) was prepared via a solvothermal reaction between zirconium tetrachloride, benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (H2BDC), as well as 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (H2BDC-(OH)2). It was found that hydroxyl groups can act as the intramolecular hole scavenger to boost the photo-induced charge carrier separation to enhance Cr(VI) reduction. The photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction activities of (OH)2-UiO-66-X% were investigated upon the irradiation of low-power ultraviolet LED light. The findings demonstrated that (OH)2-UiO-66-20% with good cyclicity and stability exhibited superior photocatalytic performances to both UiO-66 and (OH)2-UiO-66. The introduction of hydroxyl groups can also extend the light absorption region to longer wavelength in visible range, which provides possibility for displaying photocatalytic activities under sunlight. The effect of small molecule organic acid (SOAs), pH value, and co-existing inorganic ions on photocatalytic performances of (OH)2-UiO-66-20% were investigated. Tartaric acid (TA) as typical SOAs was introduced to the reaction system to further boost the photocatalytic Cr(VI) reduction via acting as hole scavenger, constructing charge-transfer-complex for quick electron transportation, and producing COO·- radicals. This work opened a new opportunity for modified MOFs for boosted elimination activities for environmental pollutants.

Thin-film nanocomposite NF membrane with GO on macroporous hollow fiber ceramic substrate for efficient heavy metals removal.

The ceramic membrane has been widely used in the wastewater treatment based on the chemical resistance and superior separation performance. A robust and defect-free thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) nanofiltration (NF) membrane on the macroporous hollow fiber ceramic (HFC) substrate was novelly developed for heavy metals removal. Before interfacial polymerization (IP), the aqueous solution of graphene oxide (GO) grafted with ethylenediamine (EDA) was deposited on the HFC substrate by vacuum filtration. Then, a thin polyamide (PA) film was fabricated by EDA and 1,3,5-trimesoyl chloride (TMC), followed by heat treatment. The effects of GO content and EDA concentration on the performance of the NF membrane have been systematically investigated. The results showed that when the GO content was 0.015 mg·mL-1 and the EDA concentration was 0.75 wt.%, the as-prepared eGO3/PA-HFC membrane had a rejection rate of 94.12% for MgCl2 and a pure water flux of 18.03 L·m-2·h-1. Additionally, the removal ability of eGO3/PA-HFC membranes for heavy metal ions was satisfactory (93.33%, 92.73%, 90.45% and 88.35% for Zn2+, Cu2+, Ni2+ and Pb2+, respectively). The study explored further that it was efficient and stable for heavy metal ions removal during 30 h in the simulated tap water and mining wastewater, which indicated that the eGO/PA-HFC membrane has great application potential in wastewater treatment.

The influence process of sarcopenia on female cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is one of the early pathological manifestations of cancer cachexia. This change in quality and function has a general and special impact on the prognosis of many types of tumors. However, there are few studies to evaluate the overall impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of gynecological tumors in sufficient follow-up period. METHODS: This study systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, web of science, and MEDLINE databases for related studies and related references since April 15, 2021. The 1-year, 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), hazard ratio (HR), and 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed by Stata 14.0.(CRD 42021236036). RESULTS: A total of 23 observational studies involving 3495 female patients were included in the analysis, with an average prevalence of 46.9% (38.5%-55.3%). Meta-analysis showed that the 1-year OS (RR: 1.60, 95% CI = [1.04, 2.46]) of patients with sarcopenia was significantly lower than that of patients without sarcopenia, and then this effect gradually decreased. The results showed that sarcopenia was an independent predictor of OS (HR: 1.78, 95% CI = [1.38, 2.30]) and PFS (HR: 1.32, 95% CI = [1.02, 1.70]) in gynecological cancer patients. Subgroup analysis showed that sarcopenia was significant in Asian population (HR: 1.93, 95% CI = [1.18, 3.17]) and cervical cancer patients (HR: 5.07, 95% CI = [2.82, 9.56]). CONCLUSION: The survival and recurrence outcome of patients with sarcopenia independently related to surgery, and its impact is very obvious in the short term. In addition, Asian participants with sarcopenia face a greater risk of death than Western participants.

The impact of COVID-19 on gastric cancer surgery: a single-center retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Patients with cancer are more likely to incur poor clinical outcomes. Due to the prevailing pandemic, we propose some surgical strategies for gastric cancer patients. METHODS: The 'COVID-19' period was defined as occurring between 2020 and 01-20 and 2020-03-20. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups, pre-COVID-19 group (PCG) and COVID-19 group (CG). A total of 109 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled in this study. RESULTS: The waiting time before admission increased by 4 days in the CG (PCG: 4.5 [IQR: 2, 7.8] vs. CG: 8.0 [IQR: 2,20]; p = 0.006). More patients had performed chest CT scans besides abdominal CT before admission during the COVID-19 period (PCG: 22 [32%] vs. CG: 30 [73%], p = 0.001). After admission during the COVID period, the waiting time before surgery was longer (PCG: 3[IQR: 2,5] vs. CG: 7[IQR: 5,9]; p < 0.001), more laparoscopic surgeries were performed (PCG: 51[75%] vs. CG: 38[92%], p = 0.021), and hospital stay period after surgery was longer (7[IQR: 6,8] vs.9[IQR:7,11]; p < 0.001). In addition, the total cost of hospitalization increased during this period, (PCG: 9.22[IQR:7.82,10.97] vs. CG: 10.42[IQR:8.99,12.57]; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: This study provides an opportunity for our surgical colleagues to reflect on their own services and any contingency plans they may have to tackle the COVID-19 crisis.

In vivo and in vitro effects of microRNA-221 on hepatocellular carcinoma development and progression through the JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway by targeting SOCS3.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as the third leading cancer-caused deaths, prevails with high mortality, and affects more than half a million individuals per year worldwide. A former study revealed that microRNA-221 (miR-221) was involved in cell proliferation of liver cancer and HCC development. The current study aims to evaluate whether miR-221 targeting SOCS3 affects HCC through JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway. A series of miR-221 mimic, miR-221 inhibitor, siRNA against SOCS3, and SOCS3 plasmids were introduced to SMMC7721 cells with the highest miR-221 expression assessed. The expression of JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway-related genes and proteins was determined by Western blot analysis. Cell apoptosis, viability, migration, and invasion were evaluated by means of flow cytometry, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, and transwell assays, respectively. HCC xenograft in nude mice was performed to measure HCC tumor growth. miR-221 was found to be highly expressed but SOCS3 was poorly expressed in HCC tissues. miR-221 expression was correlated with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and tumor node metastasis (TNM) of HCC, and SOCS3 expression was correlated with LNM, differentiation and TNM of HCC. SOCS3 is a target gene of miR-221. MiR-221 mimic or si-SOCS3 exposure was found to induce cell viability, migration, and invasion, and reduce apoptosis. MiR-221 inhibitor was observed to have inhibitory effects on HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, the expression of JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway was suppressed by miR-221 inhibitor. Downregulated miR-221 expression could promote its target gene SOCS3 to inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of HCC cells by repressing JAK-STAT3 signaling pathway.

Synthesis, Luminescence, and Structure of a Polymorphic Polyfluorinated Diiodoplatinum(II) Diimine Complex.

PtI2(5,5'-bis(HCF2CH2OCH2)-2,2'-bpy)], 55-2FH-PtI2, is the first example of a substituted fluorinated diiodoplatinum diimine complex that exhibits polymorphism. The complex, upon recrystallization, forms two different polymorphs, denoted as α and ß forms. The luminescence of the α and ß forms are the same in glassy solution at 77 K; however, in the solid state, they differ significantly. The major difference between them lies in the solid-state packing of the crystalline structure. The α form is a square planar polyfluorinated PtI2-containing complex. Its extended herringbone structure consists of two neighboring stacked bipyridyl planes that do not overlap. The α form emits stronger than its parent molecule, [PtI2bpy], and much stronger than the ß polymorph. The ß form has a slight tetrahedral distortion about the metal center that ultimately changes the geometry of the complex and decreases the d-orbital splitting from square planar. Furthermore, overlapping bipyridine rings in the extended structure of the ß form quench the emission thus resulting in a lower energy emission. Additionally, the ß form shows only one type of C-H···O intermolecular stacking interaction that can cause the moderate distortion of the metal core.

Synthesis of Fluorescent Carbon Dots as Selective and Sensitive Probes for Cupric Ions and Cell Imaging.

A novel sensing system has been designed for the detection of cupric ions. It is based on the quenched fluorescence signal of carbon dots (CDs), which were carbonized from poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) and L-Cysteine (CYS). Cupric ions interact with the nitrogen and sulfur atoms on surface of the CDs to form an absorbed complex; this results in strong quenching of the fluorescence of the CDs via a fast metal-to-ligand binding affinity. The synthesized water-soluble CDs also exhibited a quantum yield of 7.6%, with favorable photoluminescent properties and good photostability. The fluorescence intensity of the CDs was very stable in high ionic strength (up to 1.0 M NaCl) and over a wide range of pH levels (2.0-12.0). This facile method can therefore develop a sensor that offers reliable, fast, and selective detection of cupric ions with a detection limit down to 0.15 µM and a linear range from 0.5 to 7.0 µM (R2 = 0.980). The CDs were used for cell imaging, observed that they were low toxicity to Tramp C1 cells and exhibited blue and green and red fluorescence under a fluorescence microscope. In summary, the CDs exhibited excellent fluorescence properties, and could be applied to the selective and sensitive detection of cupric ion and multicolor cell imaging.

Ferritin-Based Nanocomposite Hydrogel Promotes Tumor Penetration and Enhances Cancer Chemoimmunotherapy.

Hydrogels are prevailing drug delivery depots to improve antitumor efficacy and reduce systemic toxicity. However, the application of conventional free drug-loaded hydrogel is hindered by poor drug penetration in solid tumors. Here, an injectable ferritin-based nanocomposite hydrogel is constructed to facilitate tumor penetration and improve cancer chemoimmunotherapy. Specifically, doxorubicin-loaded human ferritin (Dox@HFn) and oxidized dextran (Dex-CHO) are used to construct the injectable hydrogel (Dox@HFn Gel) through the formation of pH-sensitive Schiff-base bonds. After peritumoral injection, the Dox@HFn Gel is retained locally for up to three weeks, and released intact Dox@HFn gradually, which can not only facilitate tumor penetration through active transcytosis but also induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) to tumor cells to generate an antitumor immune response. Combining with anti-programmed death-1 antibody (αPD-1), Dox@HFn Gel induces remarkable regression of orthotopic 4T1 breast tumors, further elicits a strong systemic anti-tumor immune response to effectively suppress tumor recurrence and lung metastasis of 4T1 tumors after surgical resection. Besides, the combination of Dox@HFn GelL with anti-CD47 antibody (αCD47) inhibits postsurgical tumor recurrence of aggressive orthotopic glioblastoma tumor model and significantly extends mice survival. This work sheds light on the construction of local hydrogels to potentiate antitumor immune response for improved cancer therapy.

The expression of ProBDNF and its high affinity receptor P75NTR in the neurons of emotion-related brain regions of post-stroke depression rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of the precursor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) and its high-affinity receptor p75NTR in neurons of emotion-related brain areas (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala) in rats with post-stroke depression (PSD), and to explore the expression levels of proBDNF and p75NTR in neurons of emotion-related brain areas by injecting tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) into the lateral ventricle of PSD rats, this significantly improved the stress-induced depression-like behavior,thus further validating the above results. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into four groups: a normal control group (n = 8), a depression group (n = 8), a stroke group (n = 8), and a PSD group (n = 8). The rat model of stroke was established by thread embolism, and the PSD animal model was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and solitary feeding. Behavioral tests were conducted, including weight measurement, open field tests, and sucrose preference tests. Immunofluorescence double labeling was used to detect the expression of proBDNF and p75NTR in neurons of emotion-related brain regions in the PSD rat model. Four weeks after CUMS treatment, the PSD group was selected. Rats were infused with t-PA (3 µg dissolved in 6 µL saline, Boehringer Ingelheim), proBDNF (3 µg dissolved in 6 µL saline, Abcam), or equal-volume NS once per day for 7 consecutive days using the syringe pump connecting to injection needles. After 7 days of continuous administration, animal behavior was assessed through scoring, and the expression of proBDNF and p75NTR in the emotion-related brain regions of the PSD rat model was detected using immunofluorescence double labeling. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group and the stroke group, the body weight, sucrose water consumption, and vertical movement distance in the PSD group were significantly lower (P < 0.05). In contrast, when compared with the proBDNF injection group and saline injection group, the weight, sucrose water consumption, field horizontal movement, and vertical movement distance of the t-PA injection group significantly increased after PSD lateral ventricle intubation.Double immunofluorescence revealed a higher neuronal expression of proBDNF as well as p75NTR in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of PSD rats compared to control animals (P < 0.05). In the amygdala, the expression levels of proBDNF and P75NTR were significantly reduced in the PSD group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The results of the expression levels of proBDNF and P75NTR in the emotion-related brain regions of PSD rats injected with t-PA showed that proBDNF and P75NTR was significantly reduced in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala of PSD rats compared to those of the NS and proBDNF groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor proBDNF and its receptor p75NTR in neurons of emotion-related brain regions may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PSD.t-PA reduced the expression of proBDNF and its receptor p75NTR in neurons emotion-related brain regions and significantly improved the stress-induced depression-like behavior. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that exogenous injection of t-PA may alleviate the depressive symptoms of PSD patients.Reducing the expression of proBDNF by injecting t-PA may provide a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of stress-related mood disorders.

Distinct effects of phyllosphere and rhizosphere microbes on invader Ageratina adenophora during its early life stages.

Microbes strongly affect invasive plant growth. However, how phyllosphere and rhizosphere soil microbes distinctively affect seedling mortality and growth of invaders across ontogeny under varying soil nutrient levels remains unclear. In this study, we used the invader Ageratina adenophora to evaluate these effects. We found that higher proportions of potential pathogens were detected in core microbial taxa in leaf litter than rhizosphere soil and thus leaf inoculation had more adverse effects on seed germination and seedling survival than soil inoculation. Microbial inoculation at different growth stages altered the microbial community and functions of seedlings, and earlier inoculation had a more adverse effect on seedling survival and growth. The soil nutrient level did not affect microbe-mediated seedling growth and the relative abundance of the microbial community and functions involved in seedling growth. The effects of some microbial genera on seedling survival are distinct from those on growth. Moreover, the A. adenophora seedling-killing effects of fungal strains isolated from dead seedlings by non-sterile leaf inoculation exhibited significant phylogenetic signals, by which strains of Allophoma and Alternaria generally caused high seedling mortality. Our study stresses the essential role of A. adenophora litter microbes in population establishment by regulating seedling density and growth.

Ferritinophagy: A novel insight into the double-edged sword in ferritinophagy-ferroptosis axis and human diseases.

Nuclear receptor coactive 4 (NCOA4), which functions as a selective cargo receptor, is a critical regulator of the particularly autophagic degradation of ferritin, a process known as ferritinophagy. Mechanistically, NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy performs an increasingly vital role in the maintenance of intracellular iron homeostasis by promoting ferritin transport and iron release as needed. Ferritinophagy is not only involved in iron-dependent responses but also in the pathogenesis and progression of various human diseases, including metabolism-related, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Therefore, ferritinophagy is of great importance in maintaining cell viability and function and represents a potential therapeutic target. Recent studies indicated that ferritinophagy regulates the signalling pathway associated with ferroptosis, a newly discovered type of cell death characterised by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Although accumulating evidence clearly demonstrates the importance of the interplay between dysfunction in iron metabolism and ferroptosis, a deeper understanding of the double-edged sword effect of ferritinophagy in ferroptosis has remained elusive. Details of the mechanisms underlying the ferritinophagy-ferroptosis axis in regulating relevant human diseases remain to be elucidated. In this review, we discuss the latest research findings regarding the mechanisms that regulate the biological function of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy and its contribution to the pathophysiology of ferroptosis. The important role of the ferritinophagy-ferroptosis axis in human diseases will be discussed in detail, highlighting the great potential of targeting ferritinophagy in the treatment of diseases.

Advances of research on mechanisms of acupuncture underlying improvement of ischemic stroke by regulating neuronal mitochondria. / é’ˆåˆºè°ƒæŽ§ç¼ºè¡€æ€§å’ä¸­åŽç¥žç»å ƒçº¿ç²’ä½“çš„ä½œç”¨æœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Acupuncture has a positive effect in the treatment of ischemic stroke (IS). A number of studies have confirmed that the role of acupuncture in the treatment of IS, which is closely related to its functions of regulating mitochondrial functions. In the present article, we review the mechanisms of acupuncture underlying improvement of mitochondria in the treatment of IS from 4 aspects： 1) protecting mitochondrial structure integrity, 2) regulative effect on mitochondrial functional activities, including regulating energy metabolism, reducing oxidative stress, suppressing calcium overload, and regulating mitochondrial membrane potential changes, 3) regulating mitochondrial quality control system, including promoting mitochondrial biosynthesis, regulating mitochondrial dynamics and apoptosis, and 4) regula-ting mitochondria-related apoptosis pathways. All of these may provide a theoretical basis for acupuncture in the treatment of IS and a reference for further research.

Unraveling the efficacy network: A network meta-analysis of adjuvant external beam radiation therapy methods after hepatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Primary liver cancer is a malignant tumor with a high recurrence rate that significantly affects patient prognosis. Postoperative adjuvant external radiation therapy (RT) has been shown to effectively prevent recurrence after liver cancer resection. However, there are multiple RT techniques available, and the differential effects of these techniques in preventing postoperative liver cancer recurrence require further investigation. AIM: To assess the advantages and disadvantages of various adjuvant external RT methods after liver resection based on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) and to determine the optimal strategy. METHODS: This study involved network meta-analyses and followed the PRISMA guidelines. The data of qualified studies published before July 10, 2023, were collected from PubMed, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. We included relevant studies on postoperative external beam RT after liver resection that had OS and DFS as the primary endpoints. The magnitudes of the effects were determined using risk ratios with 95% confidential intervals. The results were analyzed using R software and STATA software. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies, including 1265 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after liver resection, were included in this study. There was no significant heterogeneity in the direct paired comparisons, and there were no significant differences in the inclusion or exclusion criteria, intervention measures, or outcome indicators, meeting the assumptions of heterogeneity and transitivity. OS analysis revealed that patients who underwent stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) after resection had longer OS than those who underwent intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) or 3-dimensional conformal RT (3D-CRT). DFS analysis revealed that patients who underwent 3D-CRT after resection had the longest DFS. Patients who underwent IMRT after resection had longer OS than those who underwent 3D-CRT and longer DFS than those who underwent SBRT. CONCLUSION: HCC patients who undergo liver cancer resection must consider distinct advantages and disadvantages when choosing between SBRT and 3D-CRT. IMRT, a RT technique that is associated with longer OS than 3D-CRT and longer DFS than SBRT, may be a preferred option.

Mobilizing endogenous neuroprotection: the mechanism of the protective effect of acupuncture on the brain after stroke.

Given its high morbidity, disability, and mortality rates, ischemic stroke (IS) is a severe disease posing a substantial public health threat. Although early thrombolytic therapy is effective in IS treatment, the limited time frame for its administration presents a formidable challenge. Upon occurrence, IS triggers an ischemic cascade response, inducing the brain to generate endogenous protective mechanisms against excitotoxicity and inflammation, among other pathological processes. Stroke patients often experience limited recovery stages. As a result, activating their innate self-protective capacity [endogenous brain protection (EBP)] is essential for neurological function recovery. Acupuncture has exhibited clinical efficacy in cerebral ischemic stroke (CIS) treatment by promoting the human body's self-preservation and "Zheng Qi" (a term in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) describing positive capabilities such as self-immunity, self-recovery, and disease prevention). According to research, acupuncture can modulate astrocyte activity, decrease oxidative stress (OS), and protect neurons by inhibiting excitotoxicity, inflammation, and apoptosis via activating endogenous protective mechanisms within the brain. Furthermore, acupuncture was found to modulate microglia transformation, thereby reducing inflammation and autoimmune responses, as well as promoting blood flow restoration by regulating the vasculature or the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, the precise mechanism underlying these processes remains unclear. Consequently, this review aims to shed light on the potential acupuncture-induced endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms by critically examining experimental evidence on the preventive and therapeutic effects exerted by acupuncture on CIS. This review offers a theoretical foundation for acupuncture-based stroke treatment.