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In mammals, imprinted genes are characterised by a monoallelic expression, which is based on parental origin and is essential for both foetal and placental development. The ZFAT gene encodes a transcriptional factor, and its non‐coding antisense RNA, ZFAT‐AS1, overlaps with the ZFAT locus. Both ZFAT and ZFAT‐AS1 are maternally imprinted in human placentas. In bovines, the imprinting status of the ZFAT and ZFAT‐AS1 genes has yet to be reported. In this study, we analysed the allelic expression of three transcript variants (X1–X3) of the bovine ZFAT and ZFAT‐AS1 genes in somatic tissues and placentas using a single nucleotide polymorphism‐based method. The results showed that bovine ZFAT exhibited isoform‐specific paternal expression. The ZFAT X2 variant exhibited monoallelic expression in the bovine placentas and biallelic expression in the six bovine somatic tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and brain). However, the ZFAT X1 and X3 variants were biallelically expressed in both bovine tissues and placentas. A 311 bp bovine ZFAT‐AS1 complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence was obtained by aligning the human ZFAT‐AS1 cDNA sequence with the bovine genome and conducting reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction amplification. Bovine ZFAT‐AS1 have monoallelic expression in bovine placentas and somatic tissues. In addition, the DNA methylation of two regions was characterised, including the partial promoter, and exon 1 and intron 1 regions of ZFAT, and there were no differentially methylated regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the responses of periodontal environment to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women with or without periodontitis. Background: HRT is a common and effective strategy for controlling menopausal symptoms, while the changes of periodontal environment under it, particularly in postmenopausal women with periodontitis, remain unclear. Methods: As a prospective cohort study, a total of 97 postmenopausal women receiving HRT were screened, including 47 with and 50 without periodontitis. Correspondingly, 97 women did not receiving HRT were screened as controls during the same period. The full‐mouth sulcus bleeding index (SBI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured using periodontal probes. The levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) in the gingival crevicular fluid were measured using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. In addition, cone beam computed tomography was performed to measure the alveolar bone height (ABH) and bone mineral density (BMD). Results: In postmenopausal women without periodontitis, no significantly changes on periodontal parameters were observed after HRT. In women with stage II periodontitis, SBI, BOP, IL‐6, and TNF‐α were significant decreased after one year and two years of HRT. Compared to the controls, women with stage II periodontitis who underwent HRT had significantly lower CAL and ABH and higher BMD in the second year. The incidence of at least one site with CAL increase ≥1 mm between baseline and 2 years was significantly lower in the HRT group than in the control group in women with stage II periodontitis. In addition, HRT was significantly associated with a decrease in SBI, BOP, IL‐6, and TNF‐α in the first year and with a decrease in CAL, SBI, BOP, IL‐6, and ABH and an increase in BMD in the second year. Conclusions: In postmenopausal women with stage II periodontitis, HRT is associated with the alleviation of inflammation within two years and the remission of alveolar bone loss in the second year. HRT appears to decrease the incidence of CAL increase ≥1 mm within 2 years in women with periodontitis by inhibiting inflammation and alveolar bone loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of wheat globally. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between F. graminearum and wheat remain unclear. Here, we identified a secreted effector protein, FgEC1, that is induced during wheat infection and is required for F. graminearum virulence. FgEC1 suppressed flg22‐ and chitin‐induced callose deposition and reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst in Nicotiana benthamiana. FgEC1 directly interacts with TaGF14b, which is upregulated in wheat heads during F. graminearum infection. Overexpression of TaGF14b increases FHB resistance in wheat without compromising yield. TaGF14b interacts with NADPH oxidase respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (TaRBOHD) and protects it against degradation by the 26S proteasome. FgEC1 inhibited the interaction of TaGF14b with TaRBOHD and promoted TaRBOHD degradation, thereby reducing TaRBOHD‐mediated ROS production. Our findings reveal a novel pathogenic mechanism in which a fungal pathogen acts via an effector to reduce TaRBOHD‐mediated ROS production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial tryptophan (Trp) metabolites acting as aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands are shown to effectively improve metabolic diseases via regulating microbial community. However, the underlying mechanisms by which Trp metabolites ameliorate bone loss via gut‐bone crosstalk are largely unknown. In this study, supplementation with Trp metabolites, indole acetic acid (IAA), and indole‐3‐propionic acid (IPA), markedly ameliorate bone loss by repairing intestinal barrier integrity in ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced postmenopausal osteoporosis mice in an AhR‐dependent manner. Mechanistically, intestinal AhR activation by Trp metabolites, especially IAA, effectively repairs intestinal barrier function by stimulating Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Consequently, enhanced M2 macrophage by supplementation with IAA and IPA secrete large amount of IL‐10 that expands from intestinal lamina propria to bone marrow, thereby simultaneously promoting osteoblastogenesis and inhibiting osteoclastogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Interestingly, supplementation with Trp metabolites exhibit negligible ameliorative effects on both gut homeostasis and bone loss of OVX mice with intestinal AhR knockout (VillinCreAhrfl/fl). These findings suggest that microbial Trp metabolites may be potential therapeutic candidates against osteoporosis via regulating AhR‐mediated gut‐bone axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decarbonylative and dehydrogenative cascade annulation of aldehydes with N‐(o‐cyanobiaryl)acrylamides was developed for the synthesis of a broad spectrum of alkyl‐ and carbonyl‐substituted pyrido[4,3,2‐gh]phenanthridines. Secondary and tertiary aldehydes can undergo the decarbonylative cascade under DTBP/malonic acid conditions, while aryl, primary, and secondary aldehydes can undergo dehydrogenative reaction under TBHP system. Such transformations were triggered by alkyl and acyl radicals, and the annulations were accomplished through intramolecular additions of carbon‐centered radical to nitrile group and iminyl radical to aromatic ring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic regulation in mammals in which a small subset of genes is monoallelically expressed dependent on their parental origin. A large imprinted domain, SGCE/PEG10 locus, is located on human chromosome 7q21s and mouse proximal chromosome 6. However, genomic imprinting of bovine SGCE/PEG10 cluster has not been systematically studied. In this study, we investigated allele expression of 14 genes of the SGCE/PEG10 locus in bovine somatic tissues and term placenta using a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐based sequencing method. In addition to SGCE and PEG10, two conserved paternally expressed genes in human and mice, five other genes (TFPI2, GNG11, ASB4, PON1, and PON3) were paternally expressed. Three genes, BET1, COL1A2, and CASD1, exhibited tissue‐specific monoallelic expression. CALCR showed monoallelic expression in tissues but biallelic expression in the placenta. Three genes, GNGT1, PPP1R9A, and PON2, showed biallelic expression in cattle. Five differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found to be associated with the allelic expression of TFPI2, COL1A2, SGCE/PEG10, PON3, and ASB4 genes, respectively. The SGCE/PEG10 DMR is a maternally hypermethylated germline DMR, but TFPI2, COL1A2, PON3, and ASB4 DMRs are secondary DMRs. In summary, we identified five novel bovine imprinted genes (GNG11, BET1, COL1A2, CASD1, and PON1) and four secondary DMRs at the SGCE/PEG10 locus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroplasts play a vital role in plant growth and development, which are the main sites of photosynthesis and the production of hormones and metabolites. Despite their significance, the regulatory mechanisms governing chloroplast development remain unclear. In our investigation, we identified a rice mutant with defective chloroplasts in rice (Oryza sativa L.), named albino lethal 13 (osal13), which displayed a distinct albino phenotype in leaves, ultimately resulting in seedling lethality. Molecular cloning revealed that OsAL13 encodes a novel rice protein with no homologous gene or known conserved domain. This gene was located in the chloroplast and exhibited constitutive expression in various tissues, particularly in green tissues and regions of active cell growth. Our study's findings reveal that RNAi‐mediated knockdown of OsAL13 led to a pronounced albino phenotype, reduced chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, a vesicle chloroplast structure, and a decrease in the expression of chloroplast‐associated genes. Consequently, the pollen fertility and seed setting rate were lower compared with the wild type. In contrast, the overexpression of OsAL13 resulted in an increased photosynthetic rate, a higher total grain number per panicle, and enhanced levels of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) in the roots and gibberellin A3 (GA3) in the shoot. These outcomes provide new insights on the role of OsAL13 in regulating chloroplast development in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure ulcers (PUs) are a common complication in postoperative patients with traumatic brain injury, and this study used a meta‐analysis to assess the effects of comprehensive nursing applied in PUs intervention in postoperative patients with traumatic brain injury. A computerised systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), VIP and Wanfang databases was performed to collect publicly available articles on randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of comprehensive nursing interventions in postoperative patients with traumatic brain injury published up to August 2023. Two researchers independently completed the search and screening of the literature, extraction of data and quality assessment of the included literature based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta‐analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Twenty‐eight articles were finally included, for a cumulative count of 2641 patients, of which 1324 were in the intervention group and 1317 in the control group. The results of the meta‐analysis showed that, compared with conventional nursing, comprehensive nursing intervention helped to reduce the incidence of PUs in postoperative patients with traumatic brain injury (5.14% vs. 19.67%, odds ratio [OR]: 0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16–0.29, p < 0.00001) and reduced the incidence of postoperative complications (7.87% vs. 25.84%, OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.11–0.43, p < 0.0001), while increasing patient satisfaction (96.67% vs. 75.33%, OR: 9.5, 95% CI: 3.63–24.88, p < 0.00001). This study concludes that a comprehensive nursing intervention applied to postoperative patients with traumatic brain injury can significantly reduce the incidence of PUs and postoperative complications as well as improve nursing satisfaction, and it is recommended for clinical promotion. However, due to the limitations of the studies' number and quality, more high‐quality, large‐sample RCTs are needed to further validate the conclusions of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the nonlinear Schrödinger‐type equation −(∇+iA)2u+u+λIα∗K|u|2Ku=af(|u|)|u|uinℝ3$$ -{\left(\nabla &#x0002B; iA\right)}&#x0005E;2u&#x0002B;u+\lambda \left[{I}_{\alpha}\ast \left(K{\left&#x0007C;u\right&#x0007C;}&#x0005E;2\right)\right] Ku&#x0003D;a\frac{f\left(&#x0007C;u|\right)}{\mid u\mid }u\kern.5em \mathrm{in}\kern.5em {\mathrm{\mathbb{R}}}&#x0005E;3 $$is considered in the presence of magnetic field, where A∈C1(ℝ3,ℝ3)$$ A\in {C}&#x0005E;1\left({\mathrm{\mathbb{R}}}&#x0005E;3,{\mathrm{\mathbb{R}}}&#x0005E;3\right) $$, α∈(0,3)$$ \alpha \in \left(0,3\right) $$, Iα$$ {I}_{\alpha } $$ denotes the Riesz potential, K∈Lp(ℝ3)$$ K\in {L}&#x0005E;p\left({\mathrm{\mathbb{R}}}&#x0005E;3\right) $$ is a positive potential for some p∈(6/(1+α),∞]$$ p\in \left(6/\left(1&#x0002B;\alpha \right),\infty \right] $$, a∈Lq(ℝ3)\{0}$$ a\in {L}&#x0005E;q\left({\mathrm{\mathbb{R}}}&#x0005E;3\right)\backslash \left\{0\right\} $$ is a nonnegative potential for some q∈(3/2,∞]$$ q\in \left(3/2,\infty \right] $$, and f∈C(ℝ,[0,∞))$$ f\in C\left(\mathrm{\mathbb{R}},\right[0,\infty \left)\right) $$ is assumed to be asymptotically linear at infinity. Under suitable assumptions regarding A$$ A $$, K$$ K $$, a$$ a $$, and f$$ f $$, variational methods are used to establish the existence of ground‐state solutions of the above equation for sufficiently small values of the parameter λ$$ \lambda $$. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success in the identification of the two enantioisomeric surfaces of electrophiles by dinuclear zinc catalysts is disclosed. This protocol realizes a dinuclear zinc‐cocatalyzed desymmetrization of cyclopentendiones using α‐hydroxy aryl ketones as nucleophiles through Michael addition reaction. Under mild conditions, a series of functional cyclopentanediones bearing multiple stereogenic centers including an all‐carbon quaternary stereocenter, were obtained in moderate to good yields with excellent stereoselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Functional ankle instability (FAI) is a common condition that affects individuals who have experienced previous ankle sprains. Textured insoles and elastic ankle braces have been previously used as interventions to improve stability in FAI patients. However, the optimal combination of these interventions has not been fully explored. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different types of textured insoles and elastic ankle braces on the dynamic stability of individuals diagnosed with FAI. Methods: The study involved 18 FAI patients who performed single-leg landing tasks with and without wearing an eight-band elastic ankle brace while wearing textured insoles with protrusion heights of 0 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm. The dynamic posture stability index (DPSI) and its components in the anterior-posterior (APSI), mediolateral (MLSI) and vertical (VSI) directions were calculated from the ground reaction force collected from the Kistler force plate during the first three seconds of the landing tasks. Results: A significant interaction was found between textured insole type and ankle brace for DPSI (P = 0.026), APSI (P = 0.001), and VSI (P = 0.021). However, no significant interaction was observed for MLSI (P = 0.555). With elastic ankle braces, textured insoles with 1-mm protrusions significantly enhanced anterior-posterior, mediolateral, vertical, and overall stability compared to textured insoles with no and 2 mm protrusions (P < 0.05). Without elastic ankle braces, textured insoles with 1-mm protrusions significantly improved the anterior-posterior (P = 0.012) and overall stability (P = 0.014) of FAI patients compared to smooth insoles. Conclusions: The combination of textured insoles with 1-mm protrusion heights and an elastic ankle brace could enhance the dynamic stability of individuals with FAI, potentially mitigating the risk of ankle sprains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy of fucoidan‐assisted standard quadruple therapy (SQT) in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and the improvement of gut microbiota. Methods: An open‐label randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University in Shandong Province, China. Ninety patients who tested positive for H. pylori were randomized to the standard quadruple therapy (SQT) group (SQ), SQT + fucoidan combination group (SF), and fucoidan + sequential SQT group (FS), respectively. Stool samples were collected for gut microbiota composition at baseline and after treatment. Results: After H. pylori eradication, the relative abundances of most conditional pathogens in the SQ decreased, while those of several beneficial bacteria increased or decreased (P < 0.05). In FS, the abundances of most beneficial bacteria increased gradually from baseline to week 12, while those of the conditional pathogens decreased (P < 0.05). The abundance of Bifidobacterium had a decreasing trend in SQ, but remained unchanged in SF and increased in FS (P < 0.05). The abundances of most beneficial bacteria were significantly higher in FS than in SQ and SF (P < 0.05). Addition of fucoidan enhanced symptom improvement during H. pylori eradication compared with SQT alone. Conclusions: Fucoidan considerably improved gut dysbiosis during SQT for H. pylori eradication. Gut microbiota can be maintained by the addition of fucoidan before eradication therapy with SQT rather than by concomitant addition with therapy. Fucoidan‐assisted SQT could relieve gastrointestinal symptoms during H. pylori eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treadmill training is useful for racewalking training; however, it may affect gait characteristics and lead to non-legal techniques. The aim of this study was to determine the kinematic differences between treadmill and overground conditions during racewalking at different speeds. Twenty-two elite racewalkers participated in this study. They racewalked under treadmill and overground conditions at high and medium speeds. A 12-camera motion analysis system was used to record the racewalking trials. Significant condition by speed interactions were detected in step frequency and pelvis rotation angle; step frequency decreased while pelvis rotation angle increased from overground to treadmill conditions at high speed. Compared to overground conditions, racewalkers decreased the ankle dorsiflexion angle at heel strike and increased hip flexion, shoulder hyperextension, and elbow flexion angles at heel strike and hip and shoulder extension angles at toe-off under treadmill conditions. Compared to medium speed, racewalkers decreased the contact time, hip flexion, and shoulder hyperextension at heel strike, and ankle plantarflexion and shoulder extension angles at toe-off, and increased flight time, step length, and elbow flexion angle at heel strike at high speed. Several kinematic differences during racewalking were detected between treadmill and overground conditions, with more differences detected at high speed, indicating that treadmill racewalking, especially at high speed, has different gait characteristics. However, no differences were detected in flight time and knee angle under treadmill conditions compared to overground conditions, indicating that racewalking on a treadmill does not increase the risk of disqualification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactants, that can reduce the interfacial tension between crude oil and formation water to ultra‐low, are needed in tertiary oil recovery. A bio‐based zwitterionic surfactant, N‐phenylpropanaldehyde epoxy acetal octadecanoicamido propyl‐N, N‐dimethyl hydroxy sulfonate (PADS), was derived from methyl oleate. In the process of synthesizing PADS, a new reactive site was introduced by epoxidizing methyl oleate and then the benzene ring was introduced by acetalization, which was a greener new method of introducing benzene ring into hydrophobic chains of surfactants. PADS was identified by ESI‐MS and NMR, and its interfacial activity was measured by interfacial tensiometer. The results showed that PADS possessed excellent interfacial activity and potential for low‐dose application. Under alkali‐free conditions, it could reduce the interfacial tension between crude oil and simulated formation water to ultra‐low in a wide concentration range (0.005–3 g/L). In addition, although the NaCl concentration was 230 g/L in the system, PADS still had good interfacial activity and could maintain ultra‐low oil–water interfacial tension. The protocol of epoxidation and acetalization provides a new feasible path to preparing bio‐based surfactants with high interfacial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevailing oral malignancy. The lncRNA HOXA11‐AS shows prominent roles in OSCC. This study explored the effects of lncRNA HOXA11‐AS on regulating OSCC stem cell stemness and radiosensitivity by targeting miR‐518a‐3p/PDK1. Methods: Human OSCC cell lines SCC9 and SCC15 were selected. CD133+ cancer stem cells (CSCs) were sorted by immunomagnetic beads. CD133 expression in cells and HOXA11‐AS expression in SCC9, SCC15, and CD133+ SCC9, CD133+ SCC15 cells were assessed by flow cytometry and RT‐qPCR. HOXA11‐AS was silenced/overexpressed in SCC9, SCC15, CD133+ SCC9, and CD133+ SCC15 cells. Cell proliferation, radiosensitivity, invasion, and stem cell sphere formation ability were examined by CCK‐8, colony formation, Transwell, and stem cell sphere formation. The levels of stemness‐related genes (Oct4, Nanog, Sox2), miR‐518a‐3p, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)‐related proteins (E‐cadherin, Vimentin, N‐cadherin), and PDK1 were assessed by RT‐qPCR and Western blot assay. Results: HOXA11‐AS was up‐regulated in SCC9, SCC15, CD133+ SCC9, and CD133+ SCC15 cells. HOXA11‐AS silencing inhibited OSCC proliferation and invasion and enhanced radiosensitivity. HOXA11‐AS maintained CSC stemness in OSCC. HOXA11‐AS silencing reduced CD133+ SCC9 and CD133+ SCC15 stem cell sphere formation ability, reduced stem cell stemness‐related gene levels, and inhibited EMT. HOXA11‐AS regulated OSCC stem cell stemness and radiosensitivity by targeting miR‐518a‐3p. PDK1 overexpression annulled the regulatory effects of HOXA11‐AS silencing on OSCC cell stem cell stemness and radiosensitivity. Conclusion: In vitro lncRNA HOXA11‐AS silencing inhibited OSCC stem cell stemness by targeting the miR‐518a‐3p/PDK1 axis, thus enhancing OSCC cell radiosensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of malt protein removal by Neutrase using Canadian and French commercial malts (Malt 1 and Malt 2) on mashing efficiency, and production of violate compounds during fermentation were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), headspace‐solid‐phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis (HS‐SMPE‐GC–MS). HPLC results showed that for Malt 1 containing lower free‐ and total‐β‐amylase but higher α‐amylase enzyme activity, Neutrase significantly increased the content of maltose, glucose and maltotriose, whereas for Malt 2, only glucose content increased. For Malt 1, the increased glucose/maltose ratio after Neutrase addition led to higher ethanol concentration than that with no Neutrase (4.06% vs. 2.09%), whereas for Malt 2, no significant differences were observed (2.92% vs. 3.09%). HS‐SPME‐GC–MS showed that for Malt 1 and Malt 2, Neutrase not influenced the violate compounds composition, whereas reduced their contents. This suggests that malt protein removal by Neutrase impairs the production of volatile compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Fructus Corni has been reported to contain a wide variety of pharmacological effects and previous studies had revealed that Fructus Corni might protect the cardiac indices. However, the all‐encompassing metabolic profile of Fructus Corni has not been well illuminated. In this research, high‐sensitivity ultra‐performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry method was adopted to identify the metabolic profile after oral administration of Fructus Corni extract, especially the metabolic characterization of serum and heart, for which the targets and signaling pathways about heart failure were hunted through compound‐target‐disease‐pathway intersection network. Ultimately, 37 ingredients were identified in Fructus Corni extract, and 22 prototypes and 134 metabolites that were identified in serum, heart, feces, and urine were tentatively characterized, which contained iridoids, flavonoids, tannins, organic acids, and others. Additionally, 10 putative key compounds including four prototypes and six phase I metabolites were screened by network pharmacology and molecular docking, among which, secoxyloganin (P7), loganin (P14), cornuside III (P17) and cornuside (P20) were the absorbed compounds to represent the potential active ingredients of Fructus Corni engaged in heart failure condition. In general, this method provided the combined strategy to preliminarily settle the complex of Fructus Corni's metabolic profiling and anti‐heart failure pharmacologic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mammals, imprinted genes are required for both fetal development and postnatal growth. A novel candidate imprinted locus was found on human chromosome 16, and maternal uniparental disomy of this locus can cause a lethal developmental lung disease in human newborns. The PMM2 and NARFL genes are located in this region and its homologous region in cattle is on chromosome 25. Currently, there is no report on the genomic imprinting of the PMM2 and NARFL genes. In this study, we demonstrated that PMM2 and NARFL are two paternally imprinted genes in bovines using an SNP‐based method. In addition, two differentially methylated regions of paternal methylation were found in the promoter region and the third intron of the bovine NARFL gene, which may be involved in regulating its imprinted expression. However, we did not find differential methylation in the promoter region or the seventh intron of the bovine PMM2 gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated restoration of Tamyb10 to create pre-harvest sprouting-resistant red wheat (a) Gene structures of Tamyb10-B1b in red wheat and Tamyb10-B1a in white wheat. Keywords: CRISPR/Cas9; functional recovery; Tamyb10; pre-harvest sprouting; red wheat EN CRISPR/Cas9 functional recovery Tamyb10 pre-harvest sprouting red wheat 665 667 3 03/28/23 20230401 NES 230401 Wheat pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) reduces yield and grain quality and occurs in almost every wheat-growing region around the world (Vetch I et al i ., [4]). [Extracted from the article]

Background. Even though nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling has been associated with the pathogenesis of multiple heart conditions, data on roles of Nrf2 within atrial fibrillation (AF) still remain scant. The present investigation had the aim of analyzing Nrf2-overexpressing role/s upon bone mesenchymal stem cell- (BMSC-) derived exosomes in rats with AF. Methods. Exosomes were collected from control or Nrf2 lentivirus-transduced BMSCs and then injected into rats with AF through the tail vein. AF duration was observed using electrocardiography. Immunohistochemical staining was then employed for assessing Nrf2, HO-1, α-SMA, collagen I, or TGF-β1 expression profiles within atrial myocardium tissues. Conversely, Masson staining was utilized to evaluate atrial fibrosis whereas apoptosis within myocardia was evaluated through TUNEL assays. In addition, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4, or IL-10 serum expression was assessed through ELISA. Results. Results of the current study showed significant downregulation of Nrf2/HO-1 within AF rat myocardia. It was found that injection of the control or Lv-Nrf2 exosomes significantly alleviated and lowered AF timespans together with reducing cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Moreover, injection of Lv-Nrf2 exosomes essentially lowered AF-driven atrial fibrosis and also inhibited inflammatory responses in the rats with AF. Conclusion. Delivery of BMSC-derived exosomes using overexpressed Nrf2 inhibited AF-induced arrhythmias, myocardial fibrosis, apoptosis, and inflammation via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway triggering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In eukaryotes, histone acetylation is a major modification on histone N‐terminal tails that is tightly connected to transcriptional activation. HDA6 is a histone deacetylase involved in the transcriptional regulation of genes and transposable elements (TEs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. HDA6 has been shown to participate in several complexes in plants, including a conserved SIN3 complex. Here, we uncover a novel protein complex containing HDA6, several Harbinger transposon‐derived proteins (HHP1, SANT1, SANT2, SANT3, and SANT4), and MBD domain‐containing proteins (MBD1, MBD2, and MBD4). We show that mutations of all four SANT genes in the sant‐null mutant cause increased expression of the flowering repressors FLC, MAF4, and MAF5, resulting in a late flowering phenotype. Transcriptome deep sequencing reveals that while the SANT proteins and HDA6 regulate the expression of largely overlapping sets of genes, TE silencing is unaffected in sant‐null mutants. Our global histone H3 acetylation profiling shows that SANT proteins and HDA6 modulate gene expression through deacetylation. Collectively, our findings suggest that Harbinger transposon‐derived SANT domain‐containing proteins are required for histone deacetylation and flowering time control in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: So far, few approaches have been described to reduce inadvertent injury to structure of the heart and nearby organs in percutaneous pericardiocentesis. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that an in‐plane high frequency ultrasound‐guided apical approach, performed in the sitting position, would provide additional benefits in terms of feasibility and safety for draining malignant pericardial effusion (MPE). Methods: The authors selected 53 consecutive patients with moderate or large symptomatic MPE who underwent high frequency ultrasound‐guided pericardiocentesis. After the procedure, all patients were followed for 90 days with the main purpose of detecting procedure success, procedure‐related complications, and recurrent PE. Results: Procedure success rate for pericardiocentesis was 100%. All patients were placed in the sitting position with their left hands extended above the heads. An apical puncture approach was performed in all cases (100%). The mean duration of catheter drainage was 8.1 ± 3.2 days. The mean initial amount of pericardial fluid drained was 956.3 ± 687.5 ml. Overall, six patients (11%) had recurrent PE; 3 (6%) had repeated percutaneous pericardiocentesis. There was no major complication and minor complications occurred in four patients (8%). Conclusion: This novel in‐plane high frequency US‐guided apical approach has several advantages for percutaneous pericardiocentesis of MPE: performed in the sitting position; a benefit for patients with orthopnea; a maximum inserted wide angle to prevent damage to the myocardium; local enlargement of the PE region; high procedure success rate of pericardiocentesis; and excellent clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The restoration of surface mining (open‐cast) sites is key to meeting global ecosystem restoration targets. With the improving of data availabilities and technologies, it has become possible to expand restoration monitoring from single to multiple mine sites on a large scale. Based on the MODIS global disturbance index (MGDI), this study proposes a mine landscape restoration index (MLRI), by coupling the LST and EVI to simultaneously monitor the restoration of multiple mine sites. Restoration areas were identified by MLRI time‐series analysis and classified into significant consistent increase (SCI) and significant anti‐consistent increase (SAI) areas. The restoration effects of 46 surface coal mine sites located in the ecologically fragile northwestern region of China from 2000 to 2019 were assessed based on 3,675 LANDSAT images from the Google Earth Engine. Results show that the MLRI was effective at identifying restoration areas and processes, and this effectiveness was validated by high‐resolution images and field investigations of mine samples. The overall percentage of restored area for mines that started mining before 2000 was 55.01% ; for mines that starting mining after 2000, 33.68%. According to the differences of SCI and SAI area percentages, 46 mine sites were classified into three clusters, with 13, 11, and 22 mine sites, respectively. The mine sites with high restoration percentage are located mainly in Hailar and Shanbeimengnan regions. This study provides a new approach for monitoring the restoration effects of multiple mine sites and informs government managers about developing mine restoration programs and sustainable mining development plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main observation and conclusion: Four new chlorinated carbazole alkaloids, chlocarbazomycins (CCBs) A—D, were isolated from sponge associated bacterium Streptomyces diacarni LHW51701. Their structures were elucidated via spectroscopic techniques (including HRESIMS, 1D & 2D NMR), and X‐ray crystallographic analysis. Structurally, the 4‐chloro coupled with 3‐methoxyl substituents in the tricycle nucleus of CCBs A—D and the N‐methoxyl group of CCB‐D are rare in naturally occurred tricyclic carbazole alkaloids. Moreover, CCBs A—D do not bear the typical C1 para‐alkyl and C2 meta‐methyl side chains of bacterial tricycle carbazoles, suggesting a novel mechanism of aromatic ring formation in biosynthesis. The biological evaluation showed that CCB‐C possessed inhibitory activities against pathogenic microorganisms including methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Mycobacterium smegmatis, Bacillus mycoides, and Candida albicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past decades have witnessed the success of ground‐state density functional theory capturing static electronic properties of various materials. However, for time dependent processes especially those involving excited states, real‐time time‐dependent density functional theory (rt‐TDDFT) and advanced nonadiabatic algorithms are essential, especially for practical simulations of molecules and materials under the occurrence of ultrafast laser field. Here we summarize the recent progresses in developing rt‐TDDFT approaches within numerical atomic orbitals and planewave formalisms, as well as the efforts combining rt‐TDDFT and ring polymer molecular dynamics to take into account nuclear quantum effects in quantum electronic‐nuclear dynamic simulations. Typical applications of first‐principles dynamics of excited electronic states including high harmonic generation, charge density wave, photocatalytic water splitting, as well as quantum nuclear motions in ozone and graphene, are presented to demonstrate the features and advantages of these methods. The progresses in method developments and practical applications provide unprecedented insights into nonadiabatic dynamics of excited states in the Ehrenfest scheme and beyond, towards a comprehensive understanding of excited electronic structure, electron–phonon interactions, photoinduced charge transfer and chemical reactions, as well as quantum nuclear motions in excited states. This article is categorized under:Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure MethodsElectronic Structure Theory > Density Functional TheoryMolecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte‐Carlo Methods [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monocyte chemotactic protein 1-induced protein 1 (MCPIP-1) is highly expressed in activated immune cells and plays an important role in negatively regulating immune responses. However, its role in regulating neutrophil functions in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is still unclear. Here, we found that MCPIP-1 was markedly increased at both the transcriptional and translational levels in inflamed mucosa of IBD patients compared with healthy controls, which was mainly expressed in neutrophils. Interestingly, MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor reducing the degradation of MCPIP-1, further facilitated neutrophils to express MCPIP-1 in vitro. Importantly, MCPIP-1 markedly downregulated the production of ROS, MPO, and proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-8, and interferon-γ) and suppressed the migration of IBD neutrophils. Consistently, the same functional changes were observed in neutrophils from mice with myeloid-targeted overexpression of MCPIP-1 as MG-132 did. Altogether, these findings suggest that MCPIP-1 plays a negative role in regulating neutrophil activities through suppressing the production of ROS, MPO, and proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting the migration. MG-132 may partially modulate the function of neutrophils via the induction of MCPIP-1. Therefore, targeting MCPIP-1 or exogenous supplementation of MG-132 may provide a therapeutic approach in the treatment of IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imitation Switch (ISWI) chromatin remodelers are known to function in diverse multi‐subunit complexes in yeast and animals. However, the constitution and function of ISWI complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana remain unclear. In this study, we identified forkhead‐associated domain 2 (FHA2) as a plant‐specific subunit of an ISWI chromatin‐remodeling complex in Arabidopsis. By in vivo and in vitro analyses, we demonstrated that FHA2 directly binds to RLT1 and RLT2, two redundant subunits of the ISWI complex in Arabidopsis. The stamen filament is shorter in the fha2 and rlt1/2 mutants than in the wild type, whereas their pistil lengths are comparable. The shorter filament, which is due to reduced cell size, results in insufficient pollination and reduced fertility. The rlt1/2 mutant shows an early‐flowering phenotype, whereas the phenotype is not shared by the fha2 mutant. Consistent with the functional specificity of FHA2, our RNA‐seq analysis indicated that the fha2 mutant affects a subset of RLT1/2‐regulated genes that does not include genes involved in the regulation of flowering time. This study demonstrates that FHA2 functions as a previously uncharacterized subunit of the Arabidopsis ISWI complex and is exclusively involved in regulating stamen development and plant fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common disease that causes pain and limits functionality in the elderly during daily activities, especially during stair descent. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) practices promote multiple‐plane joint movements, which relieve pain and increase joint range of motion (ROM). This study aims to examine the effects of a 12‐week PNF intervention on pain relief, passive and active joint ROM, external knee adduction moment (KAM), and hip adduction moment (HAM) in the elderly with KOA during stair descent. Materials and Methods: Seventy‐six elderly who were diagnosed with KOA were assessed for eligibility and, 36 of them met the inclusive criteria, were randomly divided into two groups: the twelve‐week PNF intervention group and the control group. Pain score was measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC). Passive joint ROM was measured using a goniometer. Active joint ROM, KAM, and HAM during stair descent were measured using a motion analysis system with a force platform. All the data were recorded at weeks 0, 6, and 12. Results: Compared to the control group, the PNF group showed a decreased pain score; increased passive hip, knee, and ankle ROM; a decreased minimum knee flexion angle, and increased HAM during stair descent. Perspective: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation intervention is a successful method to relieve symptoms of KOA. It relieves pain without increasing KAM, enhances passive ROM, increases active knee flexion ROM, and increases HAM during stair descent in the elderly with KOA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TRPM7 is a member of the transient receptor potential cation channel (TRP channel) subfamily M and possesses both an ion channel domain and a functional serine/threonine α-kinase domain. It has been proven to play an essential role in the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). However, the signaling pathway and molecular mechanism for TRPM7 in regulating osteogenic differentiation remain largely unknown. In this study, the potential role and mechanism of TRPM7 in the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs were investigated. The results showed that the expression of TRPM7 mRNA and protein increased, as did the osteogenic induction time. Upregulation or inhibition of TRPM7 could promote or inhibit the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs for 14 days. It was also found that the upregulation or inhibition of TRPM7 promoted or inhibited the activity of PLC and SMAD1, respectively, during osteogenic differentiation. PLC could promote osteogenic differentiation by upregulating the activity of SMAD1. However, inhibition of PLC alone could reduce the activity of SMAD1 but not inhibit completely the activation of SMAD1. Therefore, we inferred that it is an important signaling pathway for TRPM7 to upregulate the activity of SMAD1 through PLC and thereby promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, but it is not a singular pathway. TRPM7 may also regulate the activation of SMAD1 through other ways, except for PLC, during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecologic malignancy in western countries and has been reported to account for about 7% of female malignant tumours and 20% to 30% of female genital system malignant tumours. Accumulating evidence showed the expression of human trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (Trop2) was abnormal in many cancers; however, the expression and role of Trop2 in EC are not clear. The Trop‐2 protein expression was detected by western blot in EC cells. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and migration were measured by CCK‐8, flow cytometry, and Transwell assay, respectively. The epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and AKT/β‐catenin signalling pathway–related proteins in EC cell lines were detected by western blot assay following Trop2 gene silencing. The present study revealed that the Trop2 protein was highly expressed in EC cell lines compared with human endometrial epithelial cells. The Trop2 mRNA and protein were obviously decreased following transfection with Trop2‐siRNA sequence in KLE and Ishikawa cells. Meanwhile, Trop2 gene silencing in KLE and Ishikawa cells strongly inhibited cell proliferation and migration and increased cell apoptosis. Investigation into the molecular mechanism indicated that the Trop2 gene silencing suppressed EMT and AKT/β‐catenin signalling pathway activation. Significance of the study: These findings suggested that Trop2 silencing inhibited EC cell proliferation and migration and promoted cell apoptosis. The mechanism might be related to the inhibition of the AKT/β‐catenin signalling pathway in EC cells. Therefore, Trop2 may be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the help of ethylenediamine (EN), we built through hydrothermal synthesis a multiple‐level NiMn layered double hydroxide nanostructure consisting of ultrathin nanosheets (UNML) with plenty buffer spaces. Such porous structure provides more active sites, shortens the diffusion path of electrolyte ions, and creates massive "live volume" to ensure structural integrity during long‐term cycling. The UNML possesses high specific capacitance (1513 F g−1 at 1 A g−1). Moreover, the hybrid supercapacitor employing UNML and AC as positive and negative electrode delivers enhanced energy density up to 59 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 808 W kg−1 and robust cycling stability with capacitance degradation of 8.7 % after 5000 cycles. This simple strategy is expected to cope with the prevalent issues facing battery‐type electrode materials, ensuring improvement of the overall electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper studies the event‐triggered practical finite‐time output feedback stabilization problem for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems with unknown control gains. First, a reduced‐dimensional observer is employed to implement the reconstruction of the unavailable states. Furthermore, a novel event‐triggered output feedback control strategy is proposed based on the idea of backstepping design and sign function techniques. It is shown that the practical finite‐time stability of the closed‐loop systems is ensured by Lyapunov analysis and related stability criterion. Compared with the existing methods, the main advantage of this strategy is that the observer errors and event‐trigger errors can be processed simultaneously to achieve the practical finite‐time stability. Finally, an example is adopted to demonstrate the validity of the proposed scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been shown recently that there is premature mitochondria biosynthesis in blastocysts from older women whose egg or embryo quality is poor and that aneuploid blastocysts also have a high number of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copies. Whether nondiploidy/aneuploidy or reduced egg or embryo quality causes premature mitochondrial biosynthesis is not known. This study constructed haploid, diploid, triploid, and tetraploid blastocysts by parthenogenetic activation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection with one or two sperm heads, blastomere electrofusion, respectively, and generated reduced cytoplasm quality embryos from diabetic mouse and in vitro fertilization of aged oocytes, and examined whether nondiploidy or reduced cytoplasm quality causes premature mitochondrial biosynthesis. MtDNA numbers of each blastocyst from different models were tested by absolute quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. It was found that mtDNA content in preimplantation embryos was not associated with their chromosome ploidy, while mtDNA copy numbers in embryos with suboptimal quality were increased. Therefore, it might be the reduced cytoplasmic quality, and not chromosome nondiploidy, that causes premature mitochondria biosynthesis in blastocysts. Mitochondria prematurely replicate in blastocysts from aged women and in nondiploidy blastocysts, which have decreased developmental potential. Here, we show that the cytoplasmic quality, and not chromosome ploidy, causes premature mitochondrial biogenesis in early embryo development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Context: Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is recommended as the gold standard for subtype classification in primary aldosteronism (PA); however, this approach has limited availability. Objective: We aimed to develop a novel clinical nomogram to predict PA subtype based on routine variables, thereby reducing the number of candidates for AVS. Patients and method: Patients were randomly divided into a training set (n = 185) and a validation set (n = 79). Risk factors for idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) differentiating from aldosterone‐producing adenoma (APA) were identified using logistic regression analysis. A nomogram was constructed to predict the probability of IHA. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and a calibration plot were applied to assess the predictive value. Then, 115 patients were prospectively enrolled, and a nomogram was used to predict the subtypes before AVS. Results: Body mass index (BMI), serum potassium and computed tomography (CT) finding were adopted in the nomogram. The nomogram presented an area under the ROC (AUC) of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.875‐0.957), sensitivity of 86.59% and specificity of 87.38% in the training set and an AUC of 0.894 (95% CI: 0.804‐0.952), sensitivity of 82.86% and specificity of 84.09% in the validation set. Predicted probability and actual probability matched well in the nomogram (Hosmer‐Lemeshow test: P > 0.05). Using the nomogram as a surrogate to predict IHA in the prospective set before AVS, the specificity reached 100% when we increased the threshold to a probability of 90%. Conclusion: We have developed a tool that is able to predict IHA in patients with PA and potentially avoid AVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper is concerned with the event‐triggered control problem for a class of strict feedback nonlinear networked systems. Different from the existing design methods, a novel user‐adjustable event‐triggered mechanism is first developed to determine the sampling state instants using the negative definite property of the derivatives of Lyapunov functions. Then, an event‐triggered control strategy is devised based on the sampled state vectors and backstepping techniques. It is proved that the proposed control scheme ensures the global convergence of the closed‐loop systems via Lyapunov analyses and the correlation criteria of real variable functions. Finally, two examples are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the provided control approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the extent to which cultural diversity induced by internal migration affects urban innovation in China. We measure cultural diversity by an index of "plurality" of provinces of origin. Using the 2000 and 2005 population census data, we find that innovative activities are higher in cities with a higher degree of cultural diversity. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that cultural diversity, not only of the highly skilled, but also of the low skilled, has a positive effect on innovation. Our study contributes to the scarce evidence on the effect of cultural diversity on innovation in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]