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Abstract: Let be a complete hypersurface in with constant mean curvature. Assume that has principal curvatures with the same sign everywhere. We prove that if , either or or the fundamental group of is infinite, then S is constant, and is isometric to a Clifford torus with . These rigidity theorems are still valid for compact hypersurface without constancy condition on the mean curvature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To investigate the role played by transforming growth factor beta receptor II (TGFβRII) in cryptorchidism-induced spermatocyte apoptosis. Methods: A unilateral cryptorchidism rat model was surgically established in 20-day-old male SD rats. Testis samples were collected 0, 4, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. Histologic changes, apoptosis, TGFβRII/smad, and TGFβRII/mitogen-activated protein kinase activation were explored by hematoxylin-eosin staining, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay, and western blot analysis, respectively. TGFβRII was knocked down in GC-2 spg cells and the cells were then treated with hyperthermia. Western blot analysis was performed to detect TGFβRII, the phosphorylation status of smad2, smad3, and p38 and the cleavage status of caspase-3. Results: Surgically induced cryptorchidism significantly impaired testis growth and spermatogenesis in unilateral undescended testes (UUTs) compared with contralateral descended testes 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery. The mean apoptotic index was significantly higher in UUTs than in contralateral descended testes. Western blot analysis showed that TGFβRII and smad2 expression increased. Phosphorylation of smad2, smad3, and p38 and cleavage of caspase-3 increased in UUTs. TGFβRII knockdown in GC-2 spg cells reduced hyperthermia-induced apoptosis by inhibiting smad2, smad3, and p38 phosphorylation as well as downstream caspase-3 cleavage. Conclusions: Cryptorchidism lowered the growth rate of testes by inducing apoptosis, via a mechanism involving the activation of the TGFβR/smad and TGFβR/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The binding of dl-tetrahydropalmatine (dl-THP) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, synchronous fluorescence and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy under physiological conditions. The spectroscopic analysis of the emission quenching at different temperatures revealed that the quenching mechanism of bovine serum albumin by dl-THP was dynamic quenching mechanism, and the hydrophobic interaction was the predominant intermolecular force stabilizing the complex. The binding sites number n and apparent binding K were obtained at various temperatures. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated according to the Vant’t Hoff equation and the result indicated that ΔH 0 and ΔS 0 are positive value 133.34kJmol−1 and 519.13Jmol−1K−1, respectively. The distance r between dl-THP and the protein was evaluated according to the theory of Forster energy transfer. The results of synchronous fluorescence spectra and UV–vis absorption spectra show that the conformation of BSA has been changed at the presence of dl-THP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study employs an optimized and environmentally friendly method to extract and purify chondroitin sulfate (CS) from bovine nasal cartilage using enzymatic hydrolysis, ethanol precipitation, and DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow column chromatography. The extracted CS, representing 44.67 % ± 0.0016 of the cartilage, has a molecular weight of 7.62 kDa. Characterization through UV, FT-IR, NMR spectroscopy, and 2-aminoacridone derivatization HPLC revealed a high content of sulfated disaccharides, particularly ΔDi4S (73.59 %) and ΔDi6S (20.61 %). Interaction studies with bovine serum albumin (BSA) using fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular docking confirmed a high-affinity, static quenching interaction with a single binding site, primarily mediated by van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding. The interaction did not significantly alter the polarity or hydrophobicity of BSA aromatic amino acids. These findings provide a strong foundation for exploring the application of CS in tissue engineering and drug delivery systems, leveraging its unique interaction with BSA for targeted delivery and enhanced efficacy. • CS structural characterization using UV, FT-IR, NMR, CD, and HPLC. • Bovine nasal cartilage CS with ΔDi4S (73.59%) and ΔDi6S (20.61%). • CS-BSA interaction via Sudlow site II and H-bonds/salt bridges explored. • Fluorescence spectroscopy enhances CS-BSA interaction understanding and application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry cultivation is constantly increasing all over the world thanks to the varietal innovations obtained by numerous breeding and biotechnology projects and to the studies performed to discover new knowledge on plant’s physiology to develop innovative cultivation systems. Genetic resources remain crucial for breeding activities that can now be integrated with new genomic and molecular knowledge and technologies. Several research groups are dominating the development and control of these technologies, but there are also many emerging companies capable of developing innovations that can have important local and even global impacts. These activities are supported by important public research projects, also of international importance, but the link with the companies that must have access to the results to improve their innovation capacity remains important. The ultimate aim is to continue to expand the cultivation of the strawberry with the development of new cultivars with high adaptability to different environments and growing systems (field, greenhouse above ground) with less environmental impact and increased safety and quality for the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies have detected associations between mitochondrial haplogroups and schizophrenia (SZ). However, no study has examined the relationship between major mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups and SZ in the Chinese population. The aim of this study was to assess the association between mtDNA haplogroups and SZ genesis in the Chinese Han population. We used a case-control study and sequenced the mtDNA hypervariable regions (HVR1, HVR2, and HVR3) in the Han population. We analyzed mtDNA haplogroups and HVR polymorphisms in 298 SZ patients and 298 controls. The haplotypes were classified into 10 major haplogroups: A, B, CZ, D, F, G, M, N, N9a, and R. Statistical analysis revealed that only N9a showed a nominally significant association with protection from SZ [1.68% vs. 6.38%, p=0.004, OR=0.251 (0.092–0.680); after adjustment for age and sex: p=0.006, OR=0.246 (0.090–0.669)]. Three HVR polymorphisms were found to be nominally significantly different between subjects with SZ and controls, and all except one (m.204T>C) are linked to the N9a haplogroup. Our results indicate that mtDNA haplogroup N9a might be a protective factor for SZ. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Reduced sensitivity of prostate cancer (PC) cells to radiation therapy poses a significant challenge in the clinic. Activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF1R), and crosstalk between these two signaling pathways have been implicated in the development of radiation resistance in PC. This study assessed the effects of targeting both receptors on the regulation of radio-sensitivity in PC cells. Specific inhibitors of EGFR and IGF1R, Erlotinib and AG1024, as well as siRNA targeting EGFR and IGF1R, were used to radio-sensitize PC cells. Our results showed that co-inhibiting both receptors significantly dampened cellular growth and DNA damage repair, and increased radio-sensitivity in PC cells. These effects were carried out through synergistic inhibition of homologous recombination-directed DNA repair (HRR), but not via inhibition of non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Furthermore, the compromised HRR capacity was caused by reduced phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and its subsequent interaction with Rad51. The synergistic effect of the EGFR and IGF1R inhibitors was also confirmed in nude mouse xenograft assay. This is the first study testing co-inhibiting EGFR and IGF1R signaling in the context of radio-sensitivity in PC and it may provide a promising adjuvant therapeutic approach to improve the outcome of PC patients to radiation treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) was extracted and purified from shark cartilage, and its interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied. The content of chondroitin sulfate in shark cartilage was 29.97 % using the 1,9-dimethyl-methylene blue method. The molecular weight of CS was determined to be 62.464 kDa by high-performance gel permeation chromatography. UV and FT-IR spectroscopy identified the characteristics of CS and its functional group information. NMR spectroscopy and disaccharide derivatization revealed that CS was predominantly composed of disulfated disaccharides, specifically ΔDi4,6S. Fluorescence quenching experiments indicated that the interaction between CS and BSA exhibited static quenching, with a binding site number of 1. The binding process was primarily mediated by van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds. Furthermore, synchronous and 3D fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that CS had minimal impact on the polarity and hydrophobicity of the microenvironment surrounding Tyr and Trp residues. UV–vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy demonstrated the altered structure of BSA. The molecular docking analysis revealed that CS formed hydrogen bonds and salt bridges with BSA, predominantly binding to the IIA substructure domain of BSA. Investigating the interaction between CS and BSA holds the potential for enhancing its applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering endeavors. • The structure of chondroitin sulfate was analyzed using UV, FT-IR, NMR spectroscopy, and HPLC. • The chondroitin sulfate purified from shark cartilage has its high degree of sulfation. • The interaction between chondroitin sulfate and bovine serum albumin has been studied using fluorescence spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In strawberry cultivation, continuous cropping (CC) obstacles seriously threaten production. A patented soil amendment (SA) can effectively relieve the CC obstacles to strawberry cultivation, but knowledge of the recovery mechanisms underlying this phenomenon is limited. Results: In this study, transcriptomic profiling of strawberry roots in soil with and without the SA was conducted using RNA-Seq technology to reveal gene expression changes in response to SA treatment. In total, 188 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 144 upregulated and 44 downregulated DEGs, were identified. SA treatment resulted in genotype-dependent responses, and the response pattern, including an overall increase in the expression of nutrient transport genes and a decrease in the expression of defense response genes, may be a possible mechanism underlying recovery strategies in strawberry roots after the application of the SA to CC soil. We also found that 9 Hsp genes involved in plant defense pathways were all downregulated in the SA-treated roots. Conclusions: This research indicated that strawberry plants reallocated defense resources to development when SA treatment alleviated the stress caused by a CC soil environment. The present study provides an opportunity to reveal the fundamental mechanisms of the tradeoff between growth and defense in strawberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Recent reports have characterized virological and clinical features of the novel reassortant avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus. However, cardiovascular involvement during H7N9 infection is still unclear. In this study, we evaluate cardiac injury among H7N9-infected patients. Materials and Methods A total of 40 patients who were laboratory-confirmed with H7N9 infection were retrospectively included and grouped by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II ( APACHE II) score into four subgroups I(0-10), II(11-20), III(21-30) and IV(31-71). Cardiovascular complications and markers of cardiac injury including creatinine kinase ( CK), CK iso-enzyme ( CK- MB), cardiac troponin I ( cTNI) and brain natriuretic peptide ( BNP) were assessed. Electrocardiogram ( ECG) and echocardiography ( ECHO) were also performed. Results Half of patients manifested with cardiovascular complications, with hypotension (47·5%) and heart failure (40·0%) the most prevalent. CK, CK- MB and cTNI showed marked increase with H7N9 virus infection but significantly decreased after H7N9 viral tests turned negative. More than half of patients presented with an abnormal ECG, but most of them are benign changes. ECHO examination showed different degree of impairment of cardiac function. Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was increased in all groups. Cardiac damage was more evident in patients with higher APACHE II score. Conclusions H7N9 virus exerts a transient impairment on the cardiovascular system. Patients with a higher APACHE II score are more susceptible to cardiac damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Determine chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate and keratan sulfate in pancreatic cancer for the first time. • The contents of ΔDi-4S and ΔDi-6S are significantly high in pancreatic cancer. • CHST3, CHST12, CHST13, and CHST15 are responsible for sulfation at C4 and C6 of GalNAc residues. • The proliferation and metastasis of pancreatic cancer might be related with chondroitin sulfate and sulfotransferases. This study was designed to explore the sulfation patterns of chondroitin sulfate (CS)/dermatan sulfate (DS), and keratan sulfate (KS) and the expression of carbohydrate sulfotransferases (CHSTs) in 26 pancreatic tumor and normal tissues. CS/DS and KS profiles were simultaneously determined. Pancreatic tumor tissues exhibited increased ΔDi-0S, ΔDi-4S, and ΔDi-6S levels, with absolute ΔDi-4S content being highest, followed by ΔDi-6S. However, as for the contents of KS-6S and KS-6S,6'S, there were no significant regular change. The expression levels of CHST1 and CHST4 were 37 and 15 times higher than those in normal tissues. PCA and OPLS-DA revealed that ΔDi-4S and ΔDi-6S levels could be reliably used to differentiate between healthy and cancerous tissues. The up-regulation of CHST3, CHST12, CHST13, and CHST15 was directly correlated with C-4 and C-6 sulfation. These data provide a foundation for future studies of the role of ΔDi-4S and ΔDi-6S in the progression of pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil ecology plays an important role in the growth and health of plants. Research suggests that long-term monocropping may lead to soil ecological disorders. In this study, we aimed to understand the reasons for the decrease in plant productivity stemming from long-term monoculture cropping. Greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the cause of continuous cropping (CC) obstacles in soils under 12 years of continuous strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) production. The data suggested that CC led to three phases of changes in abiotic and biotic soil factors. In phase I (CC for 2–6 years), significant changes were observed only in soil physicochemical properties, such as the pH, total nitrogen (TN), ammonium nitrogen (NH 4 +-N), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK) and soil organic matter (SOM), which obviously changed from the second year to the sixth year. In phase II (CC for 6–8 years), two biotic factors, key fungi such as Fusarium , Humicola and Arthrobotrys and soil nematodes, i.e., populations and communities of nematodes, started to change significantly in terms of their abundance. In phase III (CC for >8 years), the accumulation of phenolic acids, i.e., p-hydroxybenzoic acid (p-HBA), ferulic acid (FA), p-coumaric acid (p-CA) and cinnamic acid (CA), significantly inhibited crop growth, and the abundance of key bacteria, including Bacillus , Sphingomonas and Sphingopyxis , started to change significantly from the eighth CC year. The results in this study provide useful information for solving CC obstacles in strawberry production. Unlabelled Image • Continuous cropping led to changes in abiotic and biotic factors in the soil. • This is the first attempt to comprehensively interpret continuous cropping obstacles. • The continuous cropping soil changes could be divided into three main phases: Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III. • This research provides useful information to solve strawberry continuous cropping problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pink-flowered strawberry is a promising new ornamental flower derived from intergeneric hybridization (Fragaria × Potentilla) with bright color, a prolonged flowering period and edible fruits. Its flower color ranges from light pink to red. Pigment compounds accumulated in its fruits were the same as in cultivated strawberry fruits, but different from that in its flowers. However, the transcriptional events underlying the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway have not been fully characterized in petal coloration. To gain insights into the regulatory networks related to anthocyanin biosynthesis and identify the key genes, we performed an integrated analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome in petals of pink-flowered strawberry. Results: The main pigments of red and dark pink petals were anthocyanins, among which cyanidins were the main compound. There were no anthocyanins detected in the white-flowered hybrids. A total of 50,285 non-redundant unigenes were obtained from the transcriptome databases involved in red petals of pink-flowered strawberry cultivar Sijihong at three development stages. Amongst the unigenes found to show significant differential expression, 57 were associated with anthocyanin or other flavonoid biosynthesis, in which they were regulated by 241 differentially expressed members of transcription factor families, such as 40 MYBs, 47 bHLHs, and 41 NACs. Based on a comprehensive analysis relating pigment compounds to gene expression profiles, the mechanism of flower coloration was examined in pink-flowered strawberry. A new hypothesis was proposed to explain the lack of color phenotype of the white-flowered strawberry hybrids based on the transcriptome analysis. The expression patterns of FpDFR and FpANS genes corresponded to the accumulation patterns of cyanidin contents in pink-flowered strawberry hybrids with different shades of pink. Moreover, FpANS, FpBZ1 and FpUGT75C1 genes were the major factors that led to the absence of anthocyanins in the white petals of pink-flowered strawberry hybrids. Meanwhile, the competitive effect of FpFLS and FpDFR genes might further inhibit anthocyanin synthesis. Conclusions: The data presented herein are important for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the petal pigmentation and will be powerful for integrating novel potential target genes to breed valuable pink-flowered strawberry cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]