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Introduction: Ciprofol, a new candidate drug, is effective and safe for the maintenance of anesthesia in non-cardiothoracic and non-neurological elective surgery. However, few studies have been conducted on general anesthesia using ciprofol in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. Therefore, this study aims to observe the effects of ciprofol on hemodynamics and on postoperative recovery in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods and analysis: This randomized controlled trial will include 136 patients aged 18–65 years undergoing elective thoracoscopic lobectomy between April 2023 and December 2024. The participants will be randomly assigned to the propofol or ciprofol group. The primary outcome to be assessed is the hemodynamic fluctuation during the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The secondary outcomes involve quality of anesthesia induction and quality of recovery from anesthesia. The former includes TLOC (time to loss of consciousness), the use of vasoactive agents, the incidence of injection pain, body movement, muscle twitching and coughing during induction of anesthesia. The latter includes TROC (time to recovery of consciousness), post anesthesia care unit (PACU) time, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), postoperative agitation, intraoperative awareness and quality of recovery (QoR) score. Discussion: A number of clinical trials have confirmed that ciprofol, as a new sedative-hypnotic agent, has advantages of better tolerance, higher sedation satisfaction score, and lower incidence of adverse reactions, especially in reducing the incidence of injection pain. But considering that ciprofol was recently developed, limited data are available regarding its use for general anesthesia. This study aims to investigate the effects of ciprofol on hemodynamics and on postoperative recovery of patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy. The results of this study may provide evidence for the safe application of ciprofol, a new choice of general anesthetic for thoracic surgery. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05664386). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine whether the age at menarche (AAM) and the age at menopause (ANM) are causally related to the development of sepsis. Methods: We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis by utilizing summary statistics from genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets for both the exposure and outcome variables. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that exhibited significant associations with AAM and ANM were chosen as instrumental variables to estimate the causal effects on sepsis. Our study employed a variety of methods, including MR-Egger regression, weighted median estimation, inverse variance weighting, a simple model, and a weighted model. Odds ratios (ORs) along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as the primary indicators for assessing causality. Furthermore, we conducted sensitivity analyses to explore the presence of genetic heterogeneity and validate the robustness of the tools employed. Result: Our analysis revealed a significant negative causal relationship between AAM and the risk of sepsis (IVW: OR = 0.870, 95% CI = 0.793–0.955, P = 0.003). However, our Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis did not yield sufficient evidence to support a causal link between ANM and sepsis (IVW: OR = 0.987, 95% CI = 0.971–1.004, P = 0.129). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that an earlier AAM may be associated with an increased risk of sepsis. However, we did not find sufficient evidence to support a causal relationship between ANM and sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A smart packaging film was developed employing the pH-indicating activity of elderberry anthocyanins to solve the problem of refrigerated food freshness monitoring. The effect of elderberry anthocyanins on the properties of gellan gum, gelatin composite films and preservation of fresh shrimp as an indicator of freshness was investigated. The results showed that the elderberry anthocyanin-gellan gum/gelatin film had improved on film thickness (7.8×10−2 mm), TS (tensile strength) (14.57×103 MPa), WVP (water vapor permeability) (36.96×10−8 g/m·s·Pa), and a reduced EAB (elongation at break) (17.92%), and water solubility (water-soluble time of 60.5 s). SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and FTIR (infrared spectrum analysis) showed excellent compatibility between its components. Moreover, the elderberry anthocyanin film exhibited good mechanical properties and pH indication effects. Therefore, the film can be considered suitable for maintaining the quality of fresh shrimp. The results could provide a reference for research and development into new active intelligent packaging films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With globalization, the cases of Chinese enterprises' cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are increasing rapidly. The institutional environment of the host country has become an important factor influencing M&A performance, which has a profound impact on the success or failure of cross-border M&A. Based on this, for our study, we selected cases of cross-border M&A of listed companies in China from 2007 to 2018 as research samples to empirically test the impact of the host country's governance capacity on the cross-border M&A performance of acquirers. It was found that the host country's governance capacity has a negative effect on the M&A performance in the short term, but in the long term, it can effectively improve the cross-border M&A performance of acquirers. At the same time, specific to the relationship between the governmental governance capacity of six different dimensions and long-term M&A performance, the government effectiveness, regulation quality, and rule of law have the most significant promotional effect on long-term M&A performance. This implies that acquirers should focus on the long-term impact of governmental governance capacity on M&A, and consciously lean toward countries with strong governance capacity in order to obtain long-term value growth when arranging overseas M&A activities. The conclusion of this paper provides a reliable basis on which for companies to achieve sustainable growth in complex economic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean root rot is a typical soil-borne disease that severely affects the yield of soybean. Funneliformis mosseae is one of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF) dominant strains in soybean continuous cropping soil. The aim of this study was to providing an experimental basis for the study of the molecular mechanism underlying the alleviation of the obstacles associated with the continuous cropping of soybean by AMF. In this study, F. mosseae was inoculated in soil planted with soybean infected with Fusarium oxysporum. The results showed that the incidence of soybean root rot was significantly reduced after inoculation with F. mosseae. In F. mosseae-treated samples, the significantly upregulated genes encoded transmembrane protein in fungal cell membrane. The significantly downregulated genes encoded some proteins, which took part in composition of essential component of fungal cell wall; hydrolyse cellulose and hemicellulose. The DEGs in each treatment were enriched in antigen processing and presentation, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the MAPK signalling pathway, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and RNA degradation. Inoculation with F. mosseae could in a variety of ways to promote the growth, development of soybean and improve disease resistance. Such as help fungal build barriers to the disease resistance of host plant and enhance their pathogenicity; damaging the structure of the pathogen; protect plant tissues and so on. This study provides an experimental basis for further research on the molecular mechanism underlying the alleviation of challenges associated with the continuous cropping of soybean by AMF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic cancer has been found with abnormal expression or mutation in Ras proteins. Oncogenic Ras activation exploits their extensive signaling reach to affect multiple cellular processes, in which the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling exerts important roles in tumorigenesis. Therapies targeted Ras are thus of major benefit for pancreatic cancer. Although small molecule APY606 has been successfully picked out by virtual drug screening based on Ras target receptor, its in-depth mechanism remains to be elucidated. We herein assessed the antitumor activity of APY606 against human pancreatic cancer Capan-1 and SW1990 cell lines and explored the effect of Ras-MAPK and apoptosis-related signaling pathway on the activity of APY606. APY606 treatment resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cancer cell viability. Additionally, APY606 exhibited strong antitumor activity, as evidenced not only by reduction in tumor cell invasion, migration and mitochondrial membrane potential but also by alteration in several apoptotic indexes. Furthermore, APY606 treatment directly inhibited Ras-GTP and the downstream activation of MAPK, which resulted in the down-regulation of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, leading to the up-regulation of mitochondrial apoptosis pathway-related proteins (Bax, cytosolic Cytochrome c and Caspase 3) and of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and Cyclin A, E. These data suggest that impairing Ras-MAPK signaling is a novel mechanism of action for APY606 during therapeutic intervention in pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonallergic hypersensitivity reaction (NHR) accounts for more than 77% of all immune-mediated immediate hypersensitivity reactions and has become a serious threat to public health. Here, proteomics was used to study the NHR mechanism of two typical substances, the compound 4880 and ovalbumin. Twelve different proteins were suggested as potential biomarkers for examining the NHR mechanism, and our results revealed that the mechanism mainly encompassed 2 processes, i.e., generation and effect processes. The generation process could be classified as direct stimulation, complement (classical and alternative), coagulation, kallikrein-kinin, and integrated pathways. Thus glutathione peroxidase 1, terminal complement complex (complement factor 4d and Bb), coagulation 13, kininogen-1, and IgE could be used as candidate biomarkers for the indication of the corresponding pathways respectively, the proteins were further confirmed by ELISA. And the effect process was mainly composed of histamine as well as proteins such as DCD and MYLPF, which could be used as important indices for the symptoms of NHR. Our study differs from previous studies in that C4880 was found to not only be involved in the direct stimulation pathway, but also in the activated complement and kallikrein-kinin pathways through the coagulation pathway. We also report for the first time that ovalbumin-induced NHR could be a combination of the coagulation, classical complement, and integrated pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salidroside is one of the major phenolic glycosides in Rhodiola, which has been reported to possess various biological activities. In the present study the in vivo deglycosylation metabolism of salidroside was investigated and its aglycone p-tyrosol but not the original salidroside was identified as the main form in rat tissues following the administration of salidroside. After the i.v. administration of salidroside at a dose of 50 mg/kg in rats, salidroside was quantified only in the liver, kidney and heart tissues. The highest level of p-tyrosol was detected in the heart, followed by the spleen, kidney, liver and lungs, in order. Salidroside was detected only in the liver, in contrast, p-tyrosol was detectable in most tissues except the brain, and the kidney tissues contained a significant amount of p-tyrosol compared to the other tissues after the i.g. administration of 100 mg/kg salidroside. The excretion behaviour revealed that the administrated salidroside mainly eliminated in the form of salidroside but not its aglycone metabolite p-tyrosol through urine. After i.v. and i.g. administration in rats, 64.00% and 23.80% of the total dose was excreted through urine in the form of salidroside, respectively. In addition, 0.19% and 2.25% of the dose was excreted in the form of p-tyrosol through urine after i.v. and i.g. administration, respectively. The faecal salidroside and p-tyrosol concentrations were 0.3% and 1.48% of the total dose after i.v. administration, respectively. After the i.g. administration of salidroside, trace salidroside and p-tyrosol were quantified in faeces within 72 h. In addition, the biliary excretion levels of salidroside after i.v. and i.g. administration were 2.86% and 0.02% of the dose, respectively. The obtained results show that salidroside was extensively metabolised to its aglycone p-tyrosol and distributed to various organs and the orginal salidroside was cleared rapidly through urine following the administration of salidroside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp90 is one of the most conserved and abundant molecular chaperones and is an essential component of the protective stress response; however, its roles in abiotic stress responses in soybean (Glycine max) remain obscure. Here, 12 GmHsp90 genes from soybean were identified and found to be expressed and to function differentially under abiotic stresses. The 12 GmHsp90 genes were isolated and named GmHsp90A1–GmHsp90A6, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90B2, GmHsp90C1.1, GmHsp90C1.2, GmHsp90C2.1 and GmHsp90C2.2 based on their characteristics and high homology to other Hsp90s according to a new nomenclature system. Quantitative real-time PCR expression data revealed that all the genes exhibited higher transcript levels in leaves and could be strongly induced under heat, osmotic and salt stress but not cold stress. Overexpression of five typical genes (GmHsp90A2, GmHsp90A4, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90C1.1 and GmHsp90C2.1) in Arabidopsis thaliana provided useful evidences that GmHsp90 genes can decrease damage of abiotic stresses. In addition, an abnormal accumulation of proline was detected in some transgenic Arabidopsis plants suggested overexpressing GmHsp90s may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. Our work represents a systematic determination of soybean genes encoding Hsp90s, and provides useful evidence that GmHsp90 genes function differently in response to abiotic stresses and may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp90 is one of the most conserved and abundant molecular chaperones and is an essential component of the protective stress response; however, its roles in abiotic stress responses in soybean (Glycine max) remain obscure. Here, 12 GmHsp90 genes from soybean were identified and found to be expressed and to function differentially under abiotic stresses. The 12 GmHsp90 genes were isolated and named GmHsp90A1–GmHsp90A6, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90B2, GmHsp90C1.1, GmHsp90C1.2, GmHsp90C2.1 and GmHsp90C2.2 based on their characteristics and high homology to other Hsp90s according to a new nomenclature system. Quantitative real-time PCR expression data revealed that all the genes exhibited higher transcript levels in leaves and could be strongly induced under heat, osmotic and salt stress but not cold stress. Overexpression of five typical genes (GmHsp90A2, GmHsp90A4, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90C1.1 and GmHsp90C2.1) in Arabidopsis thaliana provided useful evidences that GmHsp90 genes can decrease damage of abiotic stresses. In addition, an abnormal accumulation of proline was detected in some transgenic Arabidopsis plants suggested overexpressing GmHsp90s may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. Our work represents a systematic determination of soybean genes encoding Hsp90s, and provides useful evidence that GmHsp90 genes function differently in response to abiotic stresses and may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hsp90 is one of the most conserved and abundant molecular chaperones and is an essential component of the protective stress response; however, its roles in abiotic stress responses in soybean (Glycine max) remain obscure. Here, 12 GmHsp90 genes from soybean were identified and found to be expressed and to function differentially under abiotic stresses. The 12 GmHsp90 genes were isolated and named GmHsp90A1-GmHsp90A6, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90B2, GmHsp90C1.1, GmHsp90C1.2, GmHsp90C2.1 and GmHsp90C2.2 based on their characteristics and high homology to other Hsp90s according to a new nomenclature system. Quantitative real-time PCR expression data revealed that all the genes exhibited higher transcript levels in leaves and could be strongly induced under heat, osmotic and salt stress but not cold stress. Overexpression of five typical genes (GmHsp90A2, GmHsp90A4, GmHsp90B1, GmHsp90C1.1 and GmHsp90C2.1) in Arabidopsis thaliana provided useful evidences that GmHsp90 genes can decrease damage of abiotic stresses. In addition, an abnormal accumulation of proline was detected in some transgenic Arabidopsis plants suggested overexpressing GmHsp90s may affect the synthesis and response system of proline. Our work represents a systematic determination of soybean genes encoding Hsp90s, and provides useful evidence that GmHsp90 genes function differently in response to abiotic stresses and may affect the synthesis and response system of proline.

Background: The targeting of Staphylococcus aureus biofilm structures are now gaining interest as an alternative strategy for developing new types of antimicrobial agents. Magnolol (MOL) shows inhibitory activity against S. aureus biofilms and Triton X-100-induced autolysis in vitro, although there are no data regarding the molecular mechanisms of MOL action in bacteria., Methodology/principal Findings: The molecular basis of the markedly reduced autolytic phenotype and biofilm inhibition triggered by MOL were explored using transcriptomic analysis, and the transcription of important genes were verified by real-time RT-PCR. The inhibition of autolysis by MOL was evaluated using quantitative bacteriolytic assays and zymographic analysis, and antibiofilm activity assays and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to elucidate the inhibition of biofilm formation caused by MOL in 20 clinical isolates or standard strains. The reduction in cidA, atl, sle1, and lytN transcript levels following MOL treatment was consistent with the induced expression of their autolytic repressors lrgA, lrgB, arlR, and sarA. MOL generally inhibited or reversed the expression of most of the genes involved in biofilm production. The growth of S. aureus strain ATCC 25923 in the presence of MOL dose-dependently led to decreases in Triton X-100-induced autolysis, extracellular murein hydrolase activity, and the amount of extracellular DNA (eDNA). MOL may impede biofilm formation by reducing the expression of cidA, a murein hydrolase regulator, to inhibit autolysis and eDNA release, or MOL may directly repress biofilm formation., Conclusions/significance: MOL shows in vitro antimicrobial activity against clinical and standard S. aureus strains grown in planktonic and biofilm cultures, suggesting that the structure of MOL may potentially be used as a basis for the development of drugs targeting biofilms.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but aggressive skin cancer involving Merkel cells. Recently, a new human polyomavirus was implicated in MCC, being present in 80% of the samples analyzed. In virus-positive MCC, the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is clonally integrated into the patients DNA, and carries mutations in its large T antigen, leading to a truncated protein. In non-symptomatic tissue MCPyV can reside at very low levels. MCC is also associated with older age, immunosuppression and sun exposure. However, the link with solar exposure remains unknown, as the precise mechanism and steps involved between time of infection by MCPyV and the development of MCC. We thus investigated the potential impact of solar simulated radiation (SSR) on MCPyV transcriptional activity. We screened skin samples of 20 healthy patients enrolled in a photodermatological protocol based on in vivo-administered 2 and 4 J/cm(2) SSR. Two patients were infected with two new variants of MCPyV, present in their episomal form and RT-QPCR analyses on SSR-irradiated skin samples showed a specific and unique dose-dependent increase of MCPyV small t antigen transcript. A luciferase based in vitro assay confirmed that small t promoter is indeed UV-inducible. These findings demonstrate that solar radiation has an impact on MCPyV mRNA levels that may explain the association between MCC and solar exposure.