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Improving genetic resistance is a preferred method to manage Verticillium wilt of cotton and other hosts. Identifying host resistance is difficult because of the dearth of resistance genes against this pathogen. Previously, a novel candidate gene involved in Verticillium wilt resistance was identified by a genome-wide association study using a panel of Gossypium hirsutum accessions. In this study, we cloned the candidate resistance gene from cotton that encodes a protein sharing homology with the TIR-NBS-LRR receptor-like defence protein DSC1 in Arabidopsis thaliana (hereafter named GhDSC1). GhDSC1 expressed at higher levels in response to Verticillium wilt and jasmonic acid (JA) treatment in resistant cotton cultivars as compared to susceptible cultivars and its product was localized to nucleus. The transfer of GhDSC1 to Arabidopsis conferred Verticillium resistance in an A. thaliana dsc1 mutant. This resistance response was associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and increased expression of JA-signalling-related genes. Furthermore, the expression of GhDSC1 in response to Verticillium wilt and JA signalling in A. thaliana displayed expression patterns similar to GhCAMTA3 in cotton under identical conditions, suggesting a coordinated DSC1 and CAMTA3 response in A. thaliana to Verticillium wilt. Analyses of GhDSC1 sequence polymorphism revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) difference between resistant and susceptible cotton accessions, within the P-loop motif encoded by GhDSC1. This SNP difference causes ineffective activation of defence response in susceptible cultivars. These results demonstrated that GhDSC1 confers Verticillium resistance in the model plant system of A. thaliana, and therefore represents a suitable candidate for the genetic engineering of Verticillium wilt resistance in cotton.

Chemotherapy is one of the main ways to treat breast cancer clinically. However, the multidrug resistance to anti-tumor drugs limits their clinical use. To overcome these drawbacks, development of drug delivery systems (DDSs) has attracted more and more attention in cancer therapy. At present, the preparation and purification process are complicated for many reported DDSs, while clinic calls for new DDSs that are more convenient for preparation. Here, a new pH-responsive supramolecular organic framework drug delivery complex loading doxorubicin (DOX) is fabricated. Anti-tumor activity of the system in vitro was investigated by cell cytotoxicity, uptake assay, and cell apoptosis analysis. The anti-tumor activity in vivo was investigated by inspecting nude mice body weight, tumor volume, and weight, also a preliminary mechanism probe was conducted by HE and TUNEL staining. The DOX@SOF displayed high stability, good biocompatibility, and pH regulated drug release. At acid condition, the hydrazone bonds would be broken, which result in the dissociation of SOF, and then the drugs would be released from the system. Furthermore, DOX@SOF enhanced cellular internalization. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments reflected that DOX@SOF could enhance the anti-tumor activity of DOX for the MCF-7/ADR tumor cells and tumors. This study provides a highly efficient strategy to prepare stimulus-responsive supramolecular drug delivery complex for treatment of drug-resistant cancer, the results presented inspiring scientific interests in exploring new drug delivery strategy and reversing multi-drug resistance for clinical chemotherapy.

A dynamic model of herd behaviour with delay time and media is established and analysed to discover the latent mechanism that represents how capital flows in the stock market. We prove that solutions of the model are uniformly bounded, and the contagion threshold [Formula: see text] is obtained. The stability of positive equilibrium points of the model with zero and nonzero delay is discussed. An optimal control problem with media is formulated, and Pontryagin's maximum principle is applied to find an optimal strategy to control herding. Several numerical simulations show the effect of media and delay on herd behaviour. Finally, the practical meaning of the presented model is briefly discussed.

Recently, increasing attention has been paid to antibiotic resistance in stormwater runoff. However, there is no available literature about the control of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) through 365 nm ultraviolet light-emitting diode (UVA/LED). In this study, batch experiments were conducted to investigate ARB inactivation kinetics, effects of light intensity and water matrix (including suspended solid (SS) concentration, initial pH and bacteria concentration), and potential transmission risks after UVA/LED irradiation. Results showed that ARB inactivation efficiencies reached 6.31 log reduction at 8 mW/cm2 (86 J/cm2) of UVA/LED for 180 min. ARB inactivation efficiencies increased with the increase of light intensity, and showed a linear relationship. ARB inactivation decreased with increasing SS levels, and the largest inactivation efficiencies was 3.56 log reduction at 50 mg/L of SS. Initial pH had slight effect on ARB inactivation through UVA/LED irradiation. A low initial bacteria concentration (105 CFU/mL) was not necessarily associated with good ARB inactivation (3.59 log reduction). After UVA/LED irradiation, ARB was hardly detected during 12 hr of dark repair, and the transfer frequency of kanamycin resistance gene was increased to 5.43 × 10−4. These suggested that the application of UVA/LED to inactivate ARB in stormwater runoff was feasible and desirable in this study. HIGHLIGHTS ARB inactivation reached 6.31 log reduction at 8 mW/cm2 of UVA/LED for 180 min.; UVA/LED inactivation kinetics could be well described by the first-order model.; Initial pH and bacteria levels had weak effects for ARB inactivation.; Potential risks of ARB could be blocked after 60 min of UVA/LED disinfection.;

Abstract There are many trillions of bacteria in the gastrointestinal microbiome (GM). Their ecological dysregulation can contribute to the development of certain neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is common dementia and its incidence is increasing year by year. However, the relationship between GM and AD is unclear. Therefore, this review discusses the relationship between GM and AD, elaborates on the possible factors that can affect this relationship through the inflammation of the brain induced by blood−brain damage and accumulation of amyloid deposit, and proposes feasible ways to treat AD through GM‐related substances, such as probiotics, Mega‐3, and gut hormones, including their shortcomings as well.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is primarily transmitted through mosquito bites and sexual contact, and vertical transmission of ZIKV has also been observed in humans. In addition, ZIKV infection via unknown transmission routes has been frequently reported in clinical settings. However, whether ZIKV can be transmitted via aerosol routes remains unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that aerosolized ZIKV is fully infectious in vitro and in vivo. Remarkably, intratracheal (i.t.) inoculation with aerosolized ZIKV led to rapid viremia and viral secretion in saliva, as well as robust humoral and innate immune responses in guinea pigs. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that the expression of genes related to viral processes, biological regulation and the immune response was significantly changed. Together, our results confirm that aerosolized ZIKV can result in systemic infection and induce both innate and adaptive immune responses in guinea pigs, highlighting the possibility of ZIKV transmission via aerosols.

Abstract Natural plant extracts (NPEs) may offer an effective alternative to minimize the consequences caused by antibiotic resistance in the marine industry. In this study, the anti‐Vibrio parahaemolyticus activities of several antibiotics and NPEs alone and in combinations were evaluated. The results indicated that the best combination was the 1/4 minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) oxytetracycline +1/4 MIC hawthorn extract with fractional inhibitory concentration of 0.50. As a result, the survival rate of Exopalaemon carinicauda challenged by V. parahaemolyticus was improved to 53.3 ± 4.7% (as compared to 23.3 ± 2.3% in control) because of exposure to the combination of oxytetracycline +1/4 MIC hawthorn extract. Furthermore, the combination of upregulated digestive enzyme activities (cellulose, lipase, and pepsin), Toll receptor expressions, and immune parameters (alkaline phosphatase, and lysozyme) improved tolerance of E. carinicauda to V. parahaemolyticus infection. The synergistic anti‐V. parahaemolyticus functions may be associated with improved digestibility and immunity of E. carinicauda. Therefore, as a supplementary therapy to inhibit V. parahaemolyticus, the combinations of NPEs + antibiotics will hold better application potential for reducing antibiotic dosage and resistance.

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation are essential aspects of biology. Wang et al., report that Toxoplasma gondiiprotein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) mediated dephosphorylation is critical for starch metabolism and bradyzoite differentiation.

Abstract Background To explore the correlation of the severity of preoperative anemia with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Methods A total of 2461 TJA patients were classified into anemia and non-anemia groups or DVT and non-DVT groups. A logistic regression model was established using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis with preoperative anemia of TJA patients as a dependent variable and DVT-related variables as covariates. The caliper value was set as 0.01, and the anemia and non-anemia groups were matched based on the ratio of 1:1 (835 pairs). Finally, data of all patients were analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results Preoperative anemia was observed in 872 cases (35.43%) and DVT in 170 cases (6.91%). Binary logistic regression after PSM revealed that the DVT risk of patients with preoperative, moderate and severe anemia increased by 1.82 [P = 0.00, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) (1.32–2.48)], 2.77 [P = 0.00, 95% CI (1.72–4.45)], and 8.26 [P = 0.00, 95% CI (3.22–21.16)] times, respectively. The risks of blood transfusion in the perioperative period in patients with anemia, mild anemia, moderate anemia, and severe anemia increased by 3.52 times [P = 0.00, 95% CI (2.78–4.47)], 2.13 [P = 0.00, 95% CI (1.63–2.79)], 7.22 [P = 0.00, 95% CI (5.30–9.83)], and 61.37 [P = 0.00, 95% CI (14.21–265.04)] times, respectively. Conclusion Preoperative anemia is an independent risk factor for preoperative DVT and blood transfusion in the perioperative period for TJA patients. The more severe the preoperative anemia, the greater the risk of preoperative DVT and perioperative blood transfusion in TJA patients. Therefore, patients with preoperative anemia, especially with moderate and severe anemia, should be screened for DVT formation before undergoing TJA. Trial registration ChiCRT2100054844.

AbstractThe MADS-box transcription factor family plays an important role in regulating growth and signal transduction in animals and plants. TaMADS32 encodes a type II MADS-box transcription factor which is mainly expressed in wheat root system. In this study, we used bioinformatics methods to analyse TaMADS32, and investigate its function in plant root development and response to various abiotic stresses. We mapped TaMADS32 on chromosome 2B of wheat. Both TaMADS32 and its orthologs contained 7 exons and 6 introns and all the orthologous proteins have the MADS domains. Prokaryotic experiments showed that TaMADS32 could be expressed in prokaryotic cells. The predicted subcellular localization of TaMADS32 in plant cells was in the nucleus and in the cell membrane. Abiotic stresses (drought, heat and cold) can alter the expression of TaMADS32 in transgenic Arabidopsis. Phenotypic analysis showed that overexpression of TaMADS32 enhanced the tolerance of Arabidopsis to abiotic stresses. These results indicate that TaMADS32 is probably involved in the adaptation of plants to abiotic stress environments.

In this paper, skew-symmetric games and a symmetric-based decomposition of finite games are investigated. First, necessary and sufficient conditions for testing skew-symmetric games are obtained by the semi-tensor product method based on adjacent transpositions. By using the obtained conditions for skew-symmetric games, a basis of the skew-symmetric game subspace is constructed. Then, the discriminant equations for a skew-symmetric game with the minimum number are derived. Furthermore, based on the basis of the skew-symmetric game subspace and that of the symmetric game subspace, a basis of the asymmetric game subspace is constructed, which completely solves the problem of symmetric-based decomposition of finite games. Finally, an illustrative example is provided to validate the obtained theoretical results.

By analyzing the damage mechanism of the cage, the paper classified the damage level and risk early warning level of the deep-water cage according to the three damage forms of deformation and fracture of the floating frame, broken anchor rope and off anchor, and excessive volume loss of the cage. For the six cage farming enterprises in Nanji Island, the damage levels of cages under different scenarios were calculated, the quantitative database was established, the input items of risk early warning system were simplified, the wave height threshold corresponding to the risk early warning levels was analyzed and determined, and the refined storm surge nearshore wave coupling numerical prediction model was used to make cage disaster risk early warning products, which were verified by typhoon 1808 "Maria" and typhoon 1909 "Lekima" . The predicted results were consistent with the actual damage, which could provide technical support and services for local cage aquaculture enterprises to deal with wave disasters in the future.

To solve the problem of inaccurate prediction of the stack life of proton exchange membrane fuel cells, this paper first proposed a fuel-cell aging prediction method based on method Savitzky–Golay Smoothing and Group Method of Data, which was based on the data drive. Savitzky–Golay Smoothing is an optimal piecewise fitting method based on polynomial in the time domain and using the least square method through moving window, which is widely used in data flow smoothing and denoising. Group Method of Data is a modeling method of the complex nonlinear dynamic system. The inner criterion and outer criterion are used in the training set and test set respectively, and the optimal solution is finally solved by iterative screening. The method presented in this paper was verified by 1020 h fuel cell aging experiment. The experimental results show that: the MSE, RMSE, R of the test data are respectively 6.3935e−05, 0.0079959, and 0.99616. The data-driven prediction method proposed in this paper can be used for fuel cell aging prediction and fault warning.

Abstract Methyl-CpG-binding protein 2(MeCP2) is an important epigenetic regulatory factor that promotes many tumor developments, such as liver cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. So far, no pan-cancer analysis has been reported. Therefore, this study aims to explore pan-cancer's prognostic value, immune infiltration pattern, and biological function. We used bioinformatics methods to analyze the expression and prognostic significance of MeCP2, and the relationship between MeCP2 and clinicopathological parameters, genetic variation, methylation, phosphorylation, immune cell infiltration, and biological function in pan-cancer from using a public database. The results showed that expression of MeCP2 was up-regulated in 8 cancers and down-regulated in 2 cancers, which was remarkably correlated with the prognosis, pathological stage, grade and subtype of cancers. The promoter methylation level of MeCP2 DNA was decreased in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD), uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), and stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD);decreased phosphorylation of S25, S90, S92, S241, S286, S325 and S435 was found in MeCP2, such as UCEC, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). Furthermore, MeCP2 expression was significantly associated with multiple immunomodulators and immune cell infiltration levels across most tumors. Therefore, our pan-cancer explored the prognostic markers and immunotherapeutic value of MeCP2 in different cancers.

Objectives To present a new method consisting of cable cerclage and hook plate for fixating the comminuted inferior patellar pole fracture and evaluate the outcomes. Methods A total of 16 consecutive patients who were treated with the construct of a cable cerclage in combination with a hook plate between January 2018 and September 2020 were included in the study. Mechanism of injury, duration, and technical details of the operation were reviewed. Plain radiographs and computerized tomography (CT) scans were routinely taken to evaluate the fracture pattern. The primary outcome measures included bony healing time, pain intensity‐numerical rating scale (PI‐NRS), range of motion (ROM), and the Bostman score at the final follow‐up. Results Eight males and eight females with an average age of 55.6 ± 12.0 years (range, 41 to 73 years) were included. Bony union was achieved in all the patients, with an average healing time of 10.8 ± 2.4 weeks (range, 8–16 weeks). With the average follow‐up of 20.1 ± 5.3 months, 12 patients (75%) had no pain (PI‐NRS score of 0), and the remaining four patients (25%) reported mild pain (three with a PI‐NRS score of 1 and one with a score of 2). The final Bostman score was 27.8 ± 3.0 (range, 20–30) on average, and all the patients showed excellent or good results. The average range of motion was 127.5° ± 13.9° (range, 90°–140°). No implant failure or hardware irritation was found during the follow‐up. Conclusion The fixation of cable cerclage combined with hook plate resulted as a reliable method for managing the inferior patellar pole fractures, allowing immediate rehabilitation and weight‐bearing.

Abstract Background The bacterial mechanisms responsible for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) scavenging have been well-reported, yet little is known about how bacteria isolated from cold-environments respond to H2O2 stress. Therefore, we investigated the transcriptional profiling of the Planomicrobium strain AX6 strain isolated from the cold-desert ecosystem in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, in response to H2O2 stress aiming to uncover the molecular mechanisms associated with H2O2 scavenging potential. Methods We investigated the H2O2-scavenging potential of the bacterial Planomicrobium strain AX6 isolated from the cold-desert ecosystem in the Qaidam Basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China. Furthermore, we used high-throughput RNA-sequencing to unravel the molecular aspects associated with the H2O2 scavenging potential of the Planomicrobium strain AX6 isolate. Results In total, 3,427 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in Planomicrobium strain AX6 isolate in response to 4 h of H2O2 (1.5 mM) exposure. Besides, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway and Gene Ontology analyses revealed the down- and/or up-regulated pathways following H2O2 treatment. Our study not only identified the H2O2 scavenging capability of the strain nevertheless also a range of mechanisms to cope with the toxic effect of H2O2 through genes involved in oxidative stress response. Compared to control, several genes coding for antioxidant proteins, including glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), Coproporphyrinogen III oxidase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were relatively up-regulated in Planomicrobium strain AX6, when exposed to H2O2. Conclusions Overall, the results suggest that the up-regulated genes responsible for antioxidant defense pathways serve as essential regulatory mechanisms for removing H2O2 in Planomicrobium strain AX6. The DEGs identified here could provide a competitive advantage for the existence of Planomicrobium strain AX6 in H2O2-polluted environments.

Abstract Background Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is an appealing target for anticancer therapy, and IDH (IDH1/2) inhibitors have been approved for targeted therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and Cholangiocarcinoma. The therapeutic potential of IDH inhibitors for non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is under active clinical investigation. Thus, it would be necessary and meaningful to study the molecular and clinical characteristics of IDH mutation in NSCLC patients, especially in the Chinese population. Methods A total of 17,978 Chinese patients with NSCLC who underwent next ‐generation sequencing (NGS) testing were retrospectively reviewed. Results We identified 161 unique IDH mutations in 361 of 17,978 patients (2.01%). Common active‐site mutations, including IDH1R100, IDH1R132, IDH2R140, and IDH2R172, were detected in 154 patients (0.86%) and were associated with male sex (p = 0.004) and older age (p = 0.02). The IDH mutation spectra observed in NSCLC were quite different from those in glioma or AML. Patients with IDH active‐site mutations exhibited significantly higher coalterations in KRAS (p. G12/13/61, 22.1% vs. 8.2%, p

Studying the cell composition of acral melanoma at the single-cell level could provide some clues about its poor response to immunotherapy. Here, the authors analyse acral and cutaneous melanoma patient samples using single-cell RNA-sequencing, and reveal a severe immunosuppressive state in acral melanomas

Abstract Background: Preterm birth is one of the main causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality and imposes a heavy burden on families and society. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors and analyze birth conditions and complications of newborns born at

Abstract Background Esophageal fistula is one of the most serious complications of chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for advanced esophageal cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of quantitative computed tomography (CT) analysis and to establish a practical imaging model for predicting esophageal fistula in esophageal cancer patients treated with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Methods This study retrospectively enrolled 204 esophageal cancer patients (54 patients with fistula, 150 patients without fistula) and all patients were allocated to the primary and validation cohorts according to the time of inclusion in a 1:1 ratio. Ulcer depth, tumor thickness and length, and minimum and maximum enhanced CT values of esophageal cancer were measured in pretreatment CT imaging. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the associations of CT quantitative measurements with esophageal fistula. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was also used. Results Logistic regression analysis showed that independent predictors of esophageal fistula included tumor thickness [odds ratio (OR) = 1.167; p = 0.037], the ratio of ulcer depth to adjacent tumor thickness (OR = 164.947; p

Abstract Background: Grain size is a direct determinant of grain weight and yield in rice; however, the genetic and molecular mechanisms determining grain size remain largely unknown. Findings: We identified a mutant, wide grain 3 (wg3), which exhibited significantly increased grain width and 1000-grain weight. Cytological analysis showed that WG3 regulates grain size by affecting cell proliferation. MutMap-based gene cloning and a transgenic experiment demonstrated that WG3 encodes a GRAS protein. Moreover, we found that WG3 directly interacts with DWARF AND LOW-TILLERING (DLT), a previously reported GRAS protein, and a genetic experiment demonstrated that WG3 and DLT function in a common pathway to regulate grain size. Additionally, a brassinosteroid (BR) sensitivity test suggested that WG3 has a positive role in BR signaling in rice. Collectively, our results reveal a new genetic and molecular mechanism for the regulation of grain size in rice by the WG3-DLT complex, and highlight the important functions of the GRAS protein complex in plants. Conclusion: WG3 functions directly in regulating grain size and BR signaling in rice.

Abstract Background Selecting the correct size of head component is challenging in radial head arthroplasty, particularly in comminuted fractures. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between measurements of the ipsilateral capitellum and the prosthetic radial head size, which may be used to predict the size of the radial head prosthesis preoperatively. Methods Our study enrolled all patients who underwent radial head arthroplasty at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital. Demographic, injury-related and radiographic data were collected. The prosthetic radial head size was recorded from the surgical notes. Three-dimensional models of preoperative CT scans were reconstructed, on which the lateral capitellar diameter, the capitellar width and the width between the capitellum and trochlea were measured. The correlations between measurements of the ipsilateral capitellum and the prosthetic radial head size were evaluated, and linear regression equations were established. Results The study enrolled 37 patients, with an average age of 42.8 ± 11.5 years and a male–female ratio of 20:17. The median diameter of the radial head prostheses was 22 (20, 22) mm. The average lateral capitellar diameter was 20.71 ± 1.93 mm, the mean capitellar width was 14.90 ± 1.40 mm, and the mean width between the capitellum and trochlea was 19.29 ± 1.78 mm. The lateral capitellar diameter (R = 0.820, P

Photoelectrodes constructed with photoactive materials are of great significance for the performance of photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors. In this study, a facile and efficacious non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on the Cu2O/TiO2 heterojunction was successfully constructed for quantitative determination of glucose concentration. The Cu2O/TiO2 heterojunction was generated by first obtaining TiO2 nanofibers via electrostatic spinning and high-temperature calcination, and then synthesizing Cu2O nanoparticles via a one-step hydrothermal reaction. By introducing the narrow band gap semiconductor Cu2O, the defect that pure TiO2 could not absorb visible light was improved, resulting in the improved photoelectrochemical performance of the composite material compared to the single component semiconductor. The sensor exhibited favorable PEC non-enzymatic glucose sensing performance under simulated sunlight irradiation with a wide linear response range from 1 mM to 14 mM (R2 = 0.9991) and a low detection limit of 14.4 μM (S/N = 3), along with good selectivity, stability and reproducibility. This also provided more ideas and possibilities for preparing photoelectrode materials by constructing heterojunctions.