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Yousheng Mo,1,* Wei Liu,2,* Piaoxue Liu,2 Qiao Liu,3 Zhongyu Yuan,4 Qi Wang,2 Dongsheng Yuan,2 Xiao-Jia Chen,3 Tongkai Chen2 1The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510120, People’s Republic of China; 2Science and Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510405, People’s Republic of China; 3State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, 999078, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Medical Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, the State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiao-Jia Chen; Tongkai Chen, Email xiaojiachen@um.edu.mo; chentongkai@gzucm.edu.cnBackground: Breast cancer (BC) has the highest global prevalence among all malignancies in women and the second highest prevalence in the overall population. Paclitaxel (PTX), a tricyclic diterpenoid, is effective against BC. However, its poor solubility in water and the allergenicity of its dissolution medium limited its clinical application.Methods: In this work, we established a multifunctional graphene oxide (GO) tumor-targeting drug delivery system using nanosized graphene oxide (nGO) modified with D-tocopherol polyethylene glycol succinate (TPGS) and arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) for PTX loading.Results: The obtained RGD-TPGS-nGO-PTX was 310.20± 19.86 nm in size; the polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential were 0.21± 0.020 and − 23.42 mV, respectively. The mean drug loading capacity of RGD-TPGS-nGO-PTX was 48.78%. RGD-TPGS-nGO-PTX showed satisfactory biocompatibility and biosafety and had no significant toxic effects on zebrafish embryos. Importantly, it exerted excellent cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells, reversed multi-drug resistance (MDR) in MCF-7/ADR cells, and showed significant anti-tumor efficacy in tumor-bearing nude mice.Conclusion: These findings strongly suggested that the multifunctional GO tumor-targeting drug delivery system RGD-TPGS-nGO-PTX could be used in clinical settings to improve PTX delivery, reverse MDR and increase the therapeutic efficacy of BC treatment.Keywords: breast cancer, paclitaxel, targeted delivery, multidrug resistance

Xing-Kun Zeng,&ast; Shan-Shan Shen,&ast; Hui-Lan Guan, Ling-Yan Chen, Xu-Jiao Chen Department of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xu-Jiao Chen, Department of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Lingyin Road &num;12, Hangzhou, 310013, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 180 6989 7567, Fax +86 571 8798 5100, Email lily197459@163.comPurpose: This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of frailty and cognitive impairment on adverse outcomes, including new falls and new activities of daily living (ADL) dependency over a 1-year follow-up.Patients and Methods: A total of 311 older hospitalized patients participated in this retrospective observational study and completed a 1-year follow-up. Frailty was assessed by the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS). Cognitive function was evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). All participants were classified into four groups: 1) the healthy group (n=180); 2) the cognitive impairment group only (n=38); 3) the frailty group only (n=44); and 4) coexisting frailty and cognitive impairment group (n=49). The follow-up data of adverse outcomes include the incidences of new falls and new ADL dependence. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the associations of frailty and/or cognitive impairment with adverse outcomes.Results: The prevalence rates of frailty, cognitive impairment, and co-occurring frailty with cognitive impairment were 29.9%, 28%, and 15.8%, respectively. Among these four groups, there was a statistical difference in the incidence of new ADL dependence during the follow-up period (9.5% vs 11.4% vs 35.9% vs 61.9%, P < 0.001). After adjusting the confounding variables, older hospitalized patients with frailty and cognitive impairment had a higher risk of new ADL dependence when compared with the healthy group (OR: 4.786, 95% CI: 1.492– 15.355), but frailty only or cognitive impairment only was not associated with new ADL dependency.Conclusion: Elderly inpatients with comorbid frailty and cognitive impairment on admission were significantly associated with an increased risk of new ADL dependency 1 year after discharge. Therefore, it is necessary for the early identification of frailty and cognitive impairment, and effective interventions should be implemented.Keywords: cognitive impairment, frailty, older adults, ADL dependency, fall

Wen Yin,&ast; Si-Qi Zhang,&ast; Wen-Lin Pang,&ast; Xiao-Jiao Chen, Jing Wen, Jiong Hou, Cui Wang, Li-Yun Song, Zhen-Ming Qiu, Peng-Tao Liang, Jia-Li Yuan, Zhong-Shan Yang, Yao Bian Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Sinomedicine, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Zhong-Shan Yang; Yao Bian, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-871-65919932, Email yangzhongshan@ynutcm.edu.cn; 1345538930@qq.comPurpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex genetic disease associated with genetic and environmental factors. Previous studies have shown that changes in the gut microbiota may affect the development of host metabolic diseases and promote the progression of T2DM. Tang-ping-san (TPS) decoction can effectively treat T2DM. However, its specific mechanisms must be evaluated.Patients and Methods: In the present study, we established an animal model of T2DM using a high‑fat diet (HFD) with intraperitoneal injection streptozotocin injection.Results: The therapeutic effect of TPS decoction on T2DM in mice was initially evaluated. TPS decoction was found to improve hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and pathological liver, pancreatic, and colon changes. Moreover, it reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. Based on 16SrRNA sequencing, TPS decoction reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level. At the genus level, it increased the relative abundances of Akkermansia, Muribaculaceae, and the Eubacterium coprostanoligenes group and decreased the relative abundance of Fusobacterium, Escherichia coli, Dubosiella, and Helicobacter.Conclusion: TPS decoction improves T2DM and liver function and reduces the risk of hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, pathological organ changes, and inflammatory reactions. The mechanism of TPS decoction in T2DM can be correlated with the reversal of gut microbiota dysfunction and repair of the intestinal mucosal barrier.Keywords: type 2 diabetes mellitus, tang-ping-san decoction, gut microbiota, glycolipid metabolism, insulin resistance

Xiao-Qi Chen,&ast; Yun-Xia Zhao,&ast; Chuan-Lei Zhang, Xin-Ting Wang, Xin Zhang, Xi Chen, Chang-Wei Yuan, Qing Zhao, Xin-Ju Chen Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xin-Ju Chen, Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 19, Renmin Road, Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13700867158, Email chxj888@163.comPurpose: Anlotinib, a novel multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has shown encouraging antitumor effects in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of anlotinib with or without programmed death-1 (PD-1) blockades for patients with advanced primary HCC in a real-world setting in China.Patients and Methods: Between July 2019 and May 2021, 27 patients with advanced primary HCC who received at least 2 cycles of anlotinib were included in this retrospective study. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.Results: Of the 27 patients, ORR and DCR were 25.93% and 74.07%, respectively. The median follow-up time was 6.27 months (range: 1.30– 17.40) with a median PFS and OS of 3.29 months (95% CI: 1.31– 15.47) and 6.21 months (95% CI: 2.23– 15.87), respectively. A total of 14 patients received anlotinib and PD-1 blockade combination therapy, and 13 received anlotinib monotherapy. No significant differences were observed in ORR (28.57 vs 23.08%), DCR (71.43 vs 76.92%), PFS (3.38 [95% CI: 2.66– 13.14] vs 11.86 months [95% CI: 4.27– 15.93]) and OS (4.90 [95% CI: 2.56– 13.60] vs 11.04 months [95% CI: 1.31– 17.18]) between the two groups (all p> 0.05). Treatment-related AEs were reported in 88.89% of patients. Grade 3 AE was bleeding, which occurred in 3 patients (11.11%).Conclusion: Anlotinib yielded a promising efficacy and manageable safety in patients with advanced primary HCC irrespective of whether patients received PD-1 blockades, indicating that anlotinib might be a promising treatment option for this patient population.Keywords: anlotinib, objective response rate, PD-1 blockades, primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Yuan-Run Deng,1* Xiao-Jing Chen,2* Wei Chen,1 Lan-Fang Wu,1 Hui-Ping Jiang,1 Dan Lin,1 Li-Jing Wang,1 Wei Wang*,2,3 Sui-Qun Guo1,1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this work Background/aims: Radioresistance remains a significant obstacle in the therapy of cervical cancer, and the mechanism of it is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the role of specificity protein 1 (Sp1) in radioresistance of cervical cancer.Methods: Sp1 was examined immunohistochemically on tissues from 36 human cervical cancer patients. We used RT-qPCR and Western blot to examine the expression of Sp1 in irradiated cervical cancer cell lines SiHa and HeLa. The role of Sp1 in radioresistance of cervical cancer cells was assessed by colony-formation assay and cell cycle analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to detect the downstream of Sp1.Results: High Sp1 expression was positively correlated with advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, lymph node metastasis, and lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) of cervical cancer. The expression of Sp1 was dose-dependently increased in irradiated cervical cancer cell lines at both mRNA and protein levels. Colony-formation assay showed that alteration of Sp1 expression affected the survival of cervical cancer cells with radiotherapy (RT) treatment. Knockdown of Sp1 significantly strengthened the cellular response to radiation by inducing G2/M arrest in cervical cancer cells. Overexpression of Sp1 significantly decreased G2/M arrest in cervical cancer cells, which was related to upregulation of CDK1 expression. Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed the direct effect of Sp1 on the transcriptional activation of CDK1.Conclusion: Sp1 may contribute to radioresistance through inhibiting G2/M phase arrest by targeting CDK1, and be considered as a potential therapeutic target to promote the effect of RT for patients with cervical cancer.Keywords: cervical cancer, Sp1, radioresistance, G2/M phase, CDK1

Deng YR, Chen XJ, Chen W, et al. Cancer Manag Res. 2019;11:5835–5844. The authors have advised due to an error at the time of figure assembly, Figure 3A on page 5840 is incorrect. The correct Figure 3 is shown in Download Article. The authors apologize for this error and advise it does not affect the results of the paper. Read the original article

Guanyu Ruan,1,* Yiyi Song,2,* Binhua Dong,1 Xiaodan Mao,1 Fen Lin,1 Yafang Kang,1 Shuxia Xu,3 Xianjing Chen,2 Qibin Wu,2 Pengming Sun1,2 1Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; 2Department of Gynecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; 3Department of Pathology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China *These authors have contributed equally to this work Objectives: The Cervista® high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) test was evaluated as a primary screening method for cervical cancer in women aged ≥21 years and was compared with different screening and triage combinations.Materials and methods: A nested case–control study within the Fujian provincial Cervical Lesion Screening Cohorts was used to evaluate the Cervista test as the primary cervical screening method in a hospital-based population. Strategy 1 primarily screened using a cytology screen with HR-HPV testing used for triage. Strategy 2 primarily screened using cytology and HR-HPV co-testing. Strategy 3 primarily screened using HR-HPV testing and triaged HPV-positive women based on cytology. Strategy 4 primarily screened using HR-HPV testing and referred A9 pool HPV-positive women to colposcopy directly, whereas non-A9 HPV-positive women were triaged using cytology.Results: There were 10,183 women included in this study; 16.49% (1677/10,183) were HR-HPV‑positive, 9.52% had abnormal cytology, and 9907 women were normal during follow-up. A total of 276 women were diagnosed with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or worse (CIN2+), 197 with CIN3 or worse (CIN3+), and 70 with cervical cancer. Moreover, 10.15% (20/197) women who were CIN3+ were identified as cytology-negative, while 8.63% (17/197) were HR-HPV negative (P>0.05). The cumulative risk rate for HPV–/cytology– was 0.836 (95% CI, 0.424–1.648) in CIN3+ cases. Strategy 4 yielded the highest sensitivity for CIN2+ or CIN3+ and the lowest positive predictive value for CIN2+ or CIN3+ among the four screening strategies.Conclusion: The Cervista HR-HPV test can provide a reliable and sensitive clinical reference for the cervical cancer primary screen. Keywords: human papillomavirus, primary screen, A9 pool, liquid-based cytology, histology

Chengming Jia,1,2,* Hui Chen,3,* Mengying Wei,2,* Xiangjie Chen,4 Yajun Zhang,5 Liang Cao,1 Ping Yuan,1 Fangyuan Wang,1 Guodong Yang,2 Jing Ma1 1Department of Chinese Medicine, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China; 2Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China; 3Department of Plastic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China; 4Department of Mathematics, Southeast University, Nanjing, China; 5Department of Ultrasound Diagnosis, Tangdu Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a common disease in postmenopausal women, in whom the estrogen deficiency aggravates the pathology. In this study, we have found that estrogen deficiency due to ovariectomy aggravates the inflammation in the hearts of diabetic mice, as depicted by excessive proinflammatory type 1 macrophages (M1) over anti-inflammatory type 2 macrophages (M2). Accordingly, an additional increase of reactive oxygen species, cell apoptosis, cardiac hypertrophy, and fibrosis was observed in the hearts of ovariectomized diabetic mice, in comparison with the diabetes-only group. Significantly, miR155, a potent promoter of M1 polarization, was found to be additionally enhanced in the macrophages and hearts by ovariectomy. Tail vein injection of miR155-AuNP, in which thiol-modified antago-miR155 was covalently conjugated with gold nanoparticle (AuNP), preferentially delivered the nucleic acids into the macrophages via phagocytosis. Together with the increased M2 ratio and reduced inflammation, in vivo delivery of antago-miR155 reduced cell apoptosis and restored the cardiac function. The restoration efficacy of miR155-AuNP was much better than general macrophage depletion by clodrosome. In summary, we revealed that M1/M2 imbalance contributes to the aggravated cardiomyopathy in ovariectomized diabetic mice, and therapeutically reducing miR155 in macrophages by AuNP serves as a promising strategy in improving cardiac function. Keywords: gold nanoparticle, miR155, cardiac function, macrophage, ovariectomized diabetic mouse model, targeted delivery

Ning He,1–3 Xiaohong Chen,2 Luo Zhang,2 Xuejun Chen,2 Zhigang Huang,2 Qi Zhong,2 Hongzhi Ma,2 Ling Feng,2 Lizhen Hou,2 Jugao Fang1,2,4 1Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 2Key Laboratory of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ministry of Education, Beijing Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Beijing, 3Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Oncology, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Head and Neck Molecular Diagnostic Pathology, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Purpose: The role of minimally invasive endoscopic resection (MIER) in the treatment of sinonasal malignancy is controversial. Herein, we performed a retrospective review of a large case series of sinonasal malignancy patients treated with MIER aimed at evaluating the outcomes and identifying the risk factors for recurrence.Methods: Patients with sinonasal malignancy who underwent MIER from March 2000 to May 2015 were enrolled, and their clinical data were collected. The clinical outcomes were evaluated by determining the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The predictive factors for survival and potential independent risk factors for recurrence were explored.Results: A total of 120 patients were enrolled, including 62 males and 58 females. The mean follow-up period was 51.4 (95% confidence interval: 44.0–59.1) months. The most frequent histological type was mucosal malignant melanoma. The positive margin rate was 19.2% (23/120). Seventy-one patients had the safety anatomic plane (SAP). Age ≥50 years, nodal metastasis, and not having the SAP were found to be predictive factors for survival, and absence of SAP was found to be an independent risk factor for recurrence.Conclusion: Our study indicated that MIER is an effective and safe surgical procedure in appropriately selected patients. Tumor resection with a safety anatomic boundary is likely to lead to improved survival and decreased recurrence. However, a larger sample and long-term prospective observation are still required to establish the role of MIER in treatment of sinonasal malignancy. Keywords: minimally invasive endoscopic resection, sinonasal skull base, malignancy, outcome, recurrence

Xiufang Hong,1,2 Xujiao Chen,2 Jiaojiao Chu,2 Shanshan Shen,2 Qichen Chai,2 Gaobo Lou,2 Lingyan Chen2 1Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 2Department of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China Objective: To investigate whether there is a difference in balance function between older persons with and without diabetes mellitus (DM), and to identify whether mediating factors, such as diabetic complications, Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) score, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, as well as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), are associated with balance function in older persons with DM.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 208 older persons were divided into a DM group (n=80) and a control group who did not have DM (n=128). Balance function was evaluated with the Tinetti performance-oriented mobility assessment (POMA), which includes balance and gait subscales. Activities of daily living (ADL), IADL, and the MMSE were also measured. Fall incidents in last 12 months, the use of walking aids, fear of falling, comorbidities, and polypharmacy were recorded. Diabetic complications were recorded, and HbA1c, FPG, TC, TG, and LDL were measured in the patients of the DM group.Results: Fall incidents in last 12 months were higher in the DM group than in the control group (P

Shanshan Shen,1 Ting He,1 Jiaojiao Chu,1 Jin He,2 Xujiao Chen1 1Department of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, 2Department of Neurology, Fuyuan Hospital of Yiwu, Jinhua, People’s Republic of China Objective: To investigate the associations among uncontrolled hypertension, orthostatic hypotension (OH), and standing balance impairment in the elderly hypertensive patients referred to comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a total of 176 elderly hypertensive patients who underwent CGA were divided into OH group (n=36) and non-OH group (n=140) according to blood pressure measurement in the supine position, after immediate standing up, and after 1 minute and 3 minutes of standing position. Uncontrolled hypertension was defined as blood pressure of ≥140/90 mmHg if accompanied by diabetes mellitus (DM) or chronic kidney disease (CKD), or ≥150/90 mmHg if no DM and no CKD. Standing balance, including immediate standing balance and prolonged standing balance, was assessed in side-by-side and tandem stance.Results: Neither uncontrolled hypertension nor OH was associated with prolonged standing balance impairment in elderly hypertensive patients (P>0.05). Blood pressure decrease after postural change was significantly associated with immediate standing balance impairment in side-by-side and tandem stance (P

Xujiao Chen,1 Genxiang Mao,1 Sean X Leng2 1Department of Geriatrics, Zhejiang Hospital, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China; 2Division of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Frailty is a common and important geriatric syndrome characterized by age-associated declines in physiologic reserve and function across multiorgan systems, leading to increased vulnerability for adverse health outcomes. Two major frailty models have been described in the literature. The frailty phenotype defines frailty as a distinct clinical syndrome meeting three or more of five phenotypic criteria: weakness, slowness, low level of physical activity, self-reported exhaustion, and unintentional weight loss. The frailty index defines frailty as cumulative deficits identified in a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Significant progress has recently been made in understanding the pathogenesis of frailty. Chronic inflammation is likely a key pathophysiologic process that contributes to the frailty syndrome directly and indirectly through other intermediate physiologic systems, such as the musculoskeletal, endocrine, and hematologic systems. The complex multifactorial etiologies of frailty also include obesity and specific diseases. Major clinical applications include risk assessment and stratification. This can be applied to the elderly population in the community and in a variety of care settings. Frailty may also be useful for risk assessment in surgical patients and those with cardiovascular diseases, cancer, or human immunodeficiency virus infection, as well as for assessment of vaccine effectiveness in older adults. Currently, exercise and comprehensive geriatric interdisciplinary assessment and treatment are key interventions for frailty. As understanding of the biologic basis and complexity of frailty further improves, more effective and targeted interventional strategies and innovative geriatric-care models will likely be developed. Keywords: frailty, inflammation, IL-6, aging, older adults

[beta],[beta]-Dimethylacrylshikonin is one of the most abundant naphthoquinones in the root extracts of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb. et Zucc. (Boraginaceae), which have been reported to have antitumor effects. This study evaluated the antiproliferative activity of [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the MTT assay showed that [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin inhibited the proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells in both dose- and time-dependent manners with its 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50) ) at 48 h being 15.01 ± 0.76 ug/mL. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and Hoechst staining detected the characteristics of cell apoptosis in [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin-treated cells and the apoptotic rates of treated groups were increased in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin could block the cell cycle arrest at G2 phase. Furthermore, [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin down-regulated the mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 but up-regulated that of Bax. The cleaved caspase-3 protein was also detected in treated cells. The experiment in vivo showed that [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin significantly suppressed the growth of H(22) transplantable hepatoma, and induced the activation of caspase-3 determined by immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that [beta],[beta]-dimethylacrylshikonin has significant antitumor effects on hepatocellular carcinoma both in vitro and in vivo. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feel of films, wrapping paper, cardboards, and other packaging materials are important to the commercial success of foods. It is known from people's self-report studies that different surfaces provoke different subjective responses. There are several mechanical parameters, including friction, roughness, compliance, and thermal properties, which are important to the sensory feel. This paper describes the design, construction, and use of a multisensory measurement system for tactile sensation that can be used to evaluate the feel of different packaging materials. The experiments were conducted by sliding or pressing an artificial fingertip with embedded sensors against the surfaces of different samples which were fixed on a force table. The roughness, friction coefficients, compliance, and rate of change in the temperature were obtained. Forty volunteers were asked to touch and rate the samples by filling in questionnaires about how they felt. Strong correlations were found between people's feelings and the physical measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the experiments was to study the suitability of using a faecal suspension of sheep for the estimation of the utilizable crude protein (uCP) of feeds for sheep by an in vitro incubation. Twenty-four single feeds and eight feed mixtures were used as incubation substrates. In Experiment 1, the gas production after the in vitro incubation with rumen fluid or with a faecal suspension of a sheep were compared using the Hohenheim gas test. It was found that there were significant linear regression between the 24, 48 and 72 h gas production with rumen fluid and those with faecal suspensions of 35, 50, 100 and 150 g wet faeces of sheep (which were 18.6, 23.5, 52.0 and 70.5 g faeces DM, respectively) per litre McDougall's buffer (P < 0.0001). The highest regression coefficient (r² )was calculated between the gas production after inoculation with a suspension of 100 g wet faeces per litre McDougall's buffer (x, ml · mg -1 feed DM) for 48 h and the gas production after inoculation with rumen fluid (y ,ml · mg 7 1 feed DM) for 24 h: ... Based on these results, in Experiment 2 the estimation of utilizable crude protein (uCP) of feeds was compared by using the in vitro incubation technique of Zhao and Lebzien (2000), where feeds were inoculated either with rumen fluid or with a faecal suspension (100 g wet faeces of sheep, i.e. 52 g faeces DM per litre McDougall's buffer). The results indicated that there were no significant differences of the estimated uCP after inoculation with rumen fluid or the faecal suspension (P > 0.05). A significant regression was found between the uCP after incubation for 48 h with 100 g wet faeces (x , g · 7 1 DM) and the uCP after incubation for 24 h with rumen ... Although this regression was significant, the coefficient r² was not high. Therefore, further research is needed before sheep faeces could replace rumen fluid as an inocula for the estimation of uCP by the in vitro ... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This prospective, nonrandomized, open-label phase 2 trial (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2200061906) aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adding the PD-1 antibody tislelizumab to perioperative chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (GEJA). This study enrolled patients with GEJA clinically staged as cT3-4aNanyM0 or cT1-2N+M0 from October 2022 to June 2023. Eligible patients were administered three preoperative and five postoperative 3-week cycles of treatment with PD-1 antibody tislelizumab plus SOX (S-1 and oxaliplatin) regimen. The primary endpoint was major pathological response (MPR) rate. Thirty-two patients were enrolled. The median age was 60 years (range: 28-74 years), and 53.1% (17/32) patients were Siewert III type. All patients received at least one cycle of assigned preoperative treatment, and 93.8% (30/32) patients completed three cycles of assigned preoperative tislelizumab and SOX. The R0 resection rate was 96.9% (31/32). MPR, pathological complete response (pCR) of primary tumors and ypT0N0 rates were 50.0% (16/32, 95% CI: 31.9-68.1%), 28.1% (9/32, 95% CI: 13.7-46.7%) and 25.0% (8/32, 95% CI: 11.5-43.4%), respectively. The surgical morbidity rate was 15.6% (5/32), and no 30-day mortality was observed. In the preoperative and postoperative treatment periods, the rate of treatment-related grade 3-4 adverse events was 31.2% (10/32). At the date of 7 th Jan 2025, 8 (25.0%) patients occurred recurrence. Therefore, perioperative tislelizumab plus chemotherapy demonstrated significantly improved pathological regression and might be a promising option for patients with locally advanced resectable GEJA., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

Piezoelectric catalysis possesses the potential to convert ocean wave energy into and holds broad prospects for extracting uranium from seawater. Herein, the Z-type ZnO@COF heterostructure composite with excellent piezoelectric properties was synthesized through in situ growth of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) on the surface of ZnO and used for efficient uranium extraction. The designed COFs shell enables ZnO with stability, abundant active sites and high-speed electron transport channels. Meanwhile, the interface electric field established in the heterojunctions stimulates electron transfer from COFs to ZnO, which break the edge shielding effect of the ZnO's metallic state. Additionally, the polarization of ZnO is enhanced by heterogeneous engineering, which ensures the excellent piezocatalytic performance. As a result, ZnO@COF achieves an ultra-high efficiency of 7.56 mg g -1 d -1 for uranium extraction from natural seawater driven by waves. In this work, we open an avenue for developing efficient catalysts for uranium extraction from seawater., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

The irreversibility and low utilization of Zn anode stemming from the corrosion and dendrite growth have largely limited the commercialization of aqueous zinc batteries. Here, a carbonyl-rich polymer interphase of zinc polyacrylate (ZPAA) is spontaneously in-situ constructed on Zn anode to address the above-mentioned dilemmas. The ZPAA interlayer enables fast transport kinetics of Zn 2+ and tailors the interfacial electric field for realizing the uniform Zn deposition due to superior zincophilicity, high Zn 2+ transference number and inherent ion-diffusion channel. Importantly, acting as a buffer interphase with strong adhesion and isolation of electrolytes, this functional layer effectively protects the Zn electrode against the water-induced erosion and passivation. Remarkably, the ZPAA@Zn electrode realizes an enhanced Coulombic efficiency of 99.71 % within 2200 cycles, delivers an ultra-long cycling stability over 7660 h (>319 days, 1 mA cm -2 ) and 2460 h (5 mA cm -2 ) with lower voltage hysteresis. Also, the ZPAA@Zn/MnO 2 full cell maintains a high capacity of 114 mAh/g after 2000 cycles, much better that of untreated Zn/MnO 2 cell (25 mAh/g). This concept of in-situ fabricating ion-sieve-like polymer interphase provides a facile approach to stabilize Zn anode and further paves a way for high-performance aqueous batteries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zn anodes suffer from poor reversibility and stability owing to nonuniform dendrite growth and self-corrosion. Here, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMImAc) is introduced to reconstruct interfacial electrical double layer with simultaneously manipulating the solvation environment and the adsorption situation on Zn anode. The acetate anions with high nucleophilicity can effectively alter the solvation shell around Zn 2+ ions and immobilize the H 2 O molecules, thus weakening water activity and alleviating water-related parasitic reactions. Concomitantly, both the imidazolium cation and acetate anion are inclined to gather on Zn anode surface for constructing an electrostatic shielding layer, and meanwhile the chemisorbed acetate anions also contribute to accelerate the Zn(H 2 O) 6 2+ desolvation process. Such a synergistic effect enables uniform electric field distribution and facilitates Zn ion flux, which mitigates the random diffusion of Zn 2+ and finally promotes the dendrite-free deposition. As a result, the Zn/Zn symmetric cells with EMImAc-integrated aqueous electrolyte realize an excellent cycling lifespan of 7000 h (0.5 mA cm -2 /0.25 mAh cm -2 ) and high Zn utilization of 61.3 % (15 mA cm -2 /20 mAh cm -2 ). Furthermore, the effective of EMImAc additive is demonstrated in Zn/V 2 O 5 cells. This work offers insights into the ionic liquid-integrated aqueous electrolytes to enhance the interface stability of Zn anode for rechargeable zinc batteries., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been increasingly acknowledged for their performance in sustainable Fenton-like catalysis. However, SACs face a trade-off between activity and stability in peroxymonosulfate (PMS)-based systems. Herein, we design a nano-island encapsulated single cobalt atom (Co SA/Zn.O -ZnO) catalyst to enhance the activity and stability of PMS activation for contaminant degradation via an "island-sea" synergistic effect. In this configuration, small carrier-based ZnO nanoparticles (the "islands") are utilized to confine and stabilize Co single atoms. The expansive ZnO substrate (the "sea") upholds a neutral microenvironment within the reaction system. The Co SA/Zn.O -ZnO/PMS system exhibits a remarkable selectivity in exclusively generating sulfate radicals (SO 4 •- ), leading to a complete removal of various recalcitrant pollutants within a shorter period. Characterized by minimal leaching of active sites, robust catalytic performance, and low-toxicity decontamination, this system proves highly efficient in multiple treatment cycles and complex water matrices. The design effectively breaks the activity-stability trade-off typically associated with SACs., Competing Interests: Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Piezoelectric catalysis is an emerging green strategy, but the existing piezoelectric heterostructures are not sufficient in performance for catalytic reduction of low-reduction potential uranium under harsh conditions. This study innovatively employs a defect heterogeneous engineering strategy, wherein covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are grown in situ on the surface of zinc oxide (ZnO) via Schiff base reactions, and defects are introduced into the COF shell layer via imine exchange reactions to construct D-COF@ZnO for piezoelectric catalytic uranium removal. The comprehensive study shows that defect heterogeneous engineering increases the asymmetry induced polarization of the material to promote charge redistribution, and thus significantly improves the activity of piezoelectric catalysis. In addition, defect engineering optimizes the nanosize of D-COF@ZnO to expose a richer array of active sites, resulting in ultra-fast U(VI) removal kinetics and ultra-high removal capacity. In the actual nuclear wastewater settings, D-COF@ZnO demonstrates outstanding selective removal efficacy for uranium, manifesting its considerable application potential and efficiency superiority. This strategy holds profound implications for facilitating the application of piezoelectric catalytic technology in environmental protection domains such as uranium removal, manifesting its considerable potential and value., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of combined complete preservation of chordal structure mitral valve replacement (C-MVR) with total anatomical arterial myocardial revascularization (TACR) in coronary patients with moderate-to-severe or severe ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Methods: This is a retrospective multi-center case series study. Data were retrospectively collected from 127 patients with coronary artery disease with moderate to severe or severe IMR who received TACR with C-MVR from July 2015 to April 2024 in 13 hospitals in China. There were 90 males and 37 females, aged (56.5±10.7) years (range: 33 to 74 years). Perioperative data and follow-up data including left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, and patency rate of arterial grafts of patients were collected. Comparisons were made using paired sample t -test or χ 2 test. Results: In this cohort of 127 patients, 67 underwent concurrent tricuspid valve repair. During surgery, 113 grafts of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA), 127 grafts of the left radial artery, 80 grafts of the right radial artery, and 110 grafts of the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) were harvested. The number of the distal anastomosis was 4.2±0.4 (range: 3 to 5). The aortic cross-clamp time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were (97.5±23.4) minutes (range: 90 to 161 minutes) and (145.4±19.2) minutes (range: 101 to 210 minutes), respectively. There was one operative death. Intraoperative placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump was performed in 21 patients to improve the left ventricular ejection. No sternal ischemic occurred. All patients completed follow-up, with a follow-up period of (64.3±7.5) months (range: 4 to 110 months). No major cerebrovascular events occurred during the follow-up period, and all patients survived. Left ventricular ejection fraction improved postoperatively (55.0%±5.3% vs . 41.0%±15.3%, t =17.23, P <0.01). The proportion of patients with New York Heart Association functional class ≤2 increased postoperatively (23.6% (30/127) vs . 87.3% (110/126), χ ²=103.77, P <0.01). The proportion of patients with Canadian Cardiovascular Society Angina Classification ≤3 decreased postoperatively (4.8% (6/126) vs. 78.7% (100/127), χ ²=142.19, P <0.01). The left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased postoperatively ((5.70±4.50) cm vs. (6.10±0.23) cm, t =12.15, P <0.01). Coronary multi-detector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) follow-up was conducted for (60.5±11.7) months (range: 6 to 109 months) postoperatively and showed the patency rates of the grafts: 96.4% (108/112) for the LIMA grafts, 88.9% (112/126) for the left radial artery grafts, 93.7% (74/79) for the right radial artery grafts, and 90.9% (100/110) for the free RIMA grafts. No significant differences in graft patency rates were observed between the arterial grafts ( χ ²=5.24, P =0.155). Conclusion: The results of this multi-centre study demonstrate satisfactory mid-term results of C-MVR with TACR for the treatment of coronary artery disease with moderate to severe or severe IMR.

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in gastric cancer (GC) progression and metastasis. However, research comprehensively exploring tissue-derived lncRNAs for predicting peritoneal recurrence in patients with GC remains limited. This study aims to investigate the transcriptional landscape of lncRNAs in GC with peritoneal metastasis (PM) and to develop an integrated lncRNA-based score to predict peritoneal recurrence in patients with GC after radical gastrectomy., Methods: We analyzed the transcriptome profile of lncRNAs in paired peritoneal, primary gastric tumor, and normal tissue specimens from 12 patients with GC in the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC) discovery cohort. Key lncRNAs were identified via interactive analysis with the TCGA database and SYSUCC validation cohort. A score model was constructed using the LASSO regression model and nomogram COX regression and evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. The role of lncRNAs in the PM of GC was then examined through wound healing, Transwell, 3D multicellular tumor spheroid invasion, and peritoneal cavity xenograft tumorigenicity assays in mice., Result: Five essential lncRNAs were screened and incorporated into the PM risk score to predict peritoneal recurrence-free survival (pRFS). We developed a comprehensive, integrated nomogram score, including the PM risk score, pT, pN, and tumor size, which could effectively predict the 5-year pRFS with an Area under the curve of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.88). Subsequently, we demonstrated that one of these lncRNAs, CASC15, promoted the invasion and migration of GC cells in vitro and facilitated the PM of GC cells in vivo, initially verifying that lncRNAs contribute to the PM of GC. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that CASC15 promoted EMT and metastasis by activating the JNK and p38 pathways., Conclusion: A lncRNA-based integrated score was constructed in this study to predict peritoneal recurrence in patients clinically., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC, Guangzhou, China) with the IRB number of G2021-036. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The peroxone reaction, a promising alternative technology for water treatment, is traditionally hampered by its restricted pH operational range and suboptimal oxidant utilization. In this study, we introduced a novel amphoteric metal oxide (ZnO)-regulated peroxone system that transcended the pH limitations of conventional peroxone processes. Our innovative approach exploited the unique properties of ZnO to regulate the reaction pathway of the traditional O 3 /H 2 O 2 (or peroxymonosulfate, PMS) processes, resulting in a 52.4 % (64.9 %) increase in the removal efficiency of electron-deficient pollutant atrazine under acidic conditions (pH=5.8). This was achieved through the facilitated generation of hydroxyl radicals ( • OH) and sulfate radicals (SO 4 •- ), alongside a marked increase in the utilization efficiency of O 3 , thus reducing the requisite amount of oxidant. The primary active sites within this system were identified as zinc-oxidant sites, with the critical interfacial interactions between ZnO and oxidants elucidated through comprehensive analytical techniques. These studies reveal that ZnO acted as an electron acceptor, with H 2 O 2 (or PMS) serving as the electron donor, leading to the formation of a reactive intermediate. This intermediate subsequently engaged with O 3 , producing secondary radicals such as HO 2 • (SO 5 •- ) and O 3 •- , which were instrumental in generating the final radical species, • OH and SO 4 •- . The efficacy of this ZnO-regulated peroxone process was validated through resistance to interference tests, treatment of pilot-scale coking wastewater (mineralization rate of over 70 %), and extensive biological toxicity evaluations, all of which validated the system's robust degradation capability, stability, and significant detoxification potential. A detailed comparison of reaction systems with conventional technologies using Electrical Energy per Order (EE/O) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) further highlighted the advantages. This investigation offers a groundbreaking solution for the treatment of complex wastewater, showcasing the substantial promise of ZnO-catalyzed peroxone for practical wastewater treatment applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

HOP-graphene is a graphene structural derivative consisting of 5-, 6-, and 8-membered carbon rings with distinctive electrical properties. This paper presents a systematic investigation of the effects of varying sizes, strain rates, temperatures, and defects on the mechanical properties of HOP-graphene, utilizing molecular dynamics simulations. The results revealed that Young's modulus of HOP-graphene in the armchair direction is 21.5% higher than that in the zigzag direction, indicating that it exhibits greater rigidity in the former direction. The reliability of the tensile simulations was contingent upon the size and strain rate. An increase in temperature from 100 K to 900 K resulted in a decrease in Young's modulus by 7.8% and 2.9% for stretching along the armchair and zigzag directions, respectively. An increase in the concentration of introduced void defects from 0% to 3% resulted in a decrease in Young's modulus by 24.7% and 23.1% for stretching along the armchair and zigzag directions, respectively. An increase in the length of rectangular crack defects from 0 nm to 4 nm resulted in a decrease in Young's modulus for stretching along the armchair and zigzag directions by 6.7% and 5.7%, respectively. Similarly, an increase in the diameter of the circular hole defect from 0 nm to 4 nm resulted in a decrease in Young's modulus along both the armchair and zigzag directions, with a corresponding reduction of 11.0% and 10.4%, respectively. At the late stage of tensile fracture along the zigzag direction, HOP-graphene undergoes a transformation to an amorphous state under tensile stress. Our results might contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanical properties of HOP-graphene under different test conditions, helping to land it in potential practical applications.

Introduction: Perianal abscesses pose a considerable obstacle in the realm of postoperative wound treatment owing to their elevated susceptibility to infection and associated consequences. Polymyxin B Ointment, a compound renowned for its antibacterial qualities, has the potential to provide therapeutic advantages by promoting wound healing and mitigating postoperative problems., Methods: Our institution conducted a thorough retrospective analysis spanning from December 2020 to December 2023 to assess the effectiveness of Compound Polymyxin B Ointment in the management of surgical wounds in patients diagnosed with perianal abscesses. The research encompassed a cohort of 100 individuals, who were classified into two groups: a control group that received conventional postoperative care, and an observation group that received supplementary treatment with Compound Polymyxin B Ointment. The evaluation of clinical outcomes involved measuring wound healing effectiveness, pain intensity using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), tissue swelling, exudation, necrotic tissue shedding time, duration of hospital stays, and rate of reduction in wound area., Results: The group that received Compound Polymyxin B Ointment had significant enhancements in wound healing, as seen by a noteworthy 46% of participants completing complete healing, in contrast to the control group's 32%. The VAS was used to quantify pain levels, and the observation group reported a substantial reduction of almost 50% in ratings. Furthermore, this cohort exhibited a 45% decrease in edema and a 50% decline in exudation rates, in addition to a 50% acceleration in the shedding of necrotic tissue. The duration of the hospital stay was reduced by 40%, and the reduction in wound area was 18% higher, suggesting a more effective healing process. In addition, it is worth noting that the observation group had a lower incidence of problems, so underscoring the effectiveness of the ointment in facilitating wound healing and mitigating postoperative difficulties., Discussion: The utilization of Compound Polymyxin B Ointment as an adjuvant measure in the surgical treatment of perianal abscesses has been found to have a substantial positive impact on wound healing, pain relief, and complication reduction. This finding provides evidence for the possibility of the ointment as a helpful inclusion in post-surgical wound care procedures among this specific group of patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Li, Zhou, Chen and Liu.)

This case report presents a patient with pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with RUNX1∷MTG16, admitted to the Blood Disease Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in October 2023. He was 13 years old, with a chief complaint of fatigue for 20 days. Bone marrow smear revealed 17.0% blasts, the karyotype was 46,XY,t (16; 21) (q24; q22), molecular biology demonstrated RUNX1∷MTG16 fusion gene, combined with FLT3-ITD mutation. The child was diagnosed with AML (with RUNX1 ∷ MTG16). Complete remission was achieved after chemotherapy induction. The induction therapy regimen was mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposomes combined with cytarabine (MA). The RUNX1 ∷ MTG16 and FLT3-ITD were negative after another MA treatment course. However, the RUNX1 ∷ MTG16 and FLT3-ITD were turning positive during the following intensive treatment, and he then successfully underwent matched sibling donor umbilical cord blood transplantation.

Impaired bone quality and increased fracture risk are cardinal features of the skeleton in diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress is proposed as a potential underlying mechanism, but the precise pathogenic mechanism remains incompletely understood. In this investigation, osteoblasts under high glucose exhibited heightened levels of reactive oxygen species, impaired mitochondrial membrane potential, and profound inhibition of late-stage osteoblast differentiation. Further analyses uncovered that high glucose resulted in the downregulation of the PINK1/Drp1 pathway in osteoblasts, consequently leading to impaired mitophagy. Conversely, the upregulation of PINK1/Drp1 pathway activated mitophagy, which restored the differentiation capacity of osteoblasts. Notably, in an STZ-induced diabetic mouse model, BMP9 upregulated the expression of PINK1/Drp1 in the bone tissue, leading to an improvement in bone quality and bone mineral density. These findings suggest that the PINK1/Drp1 pathway might be a potential therapeutic target to enhance osteogenic differentiation and treat diabetic osteoporosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Wild species of domesticated crops provide valuable genetic resources for resistance breeding. Prunus davidiana, a wild relative of peach with high heterozygosity and diverse stress tolerance, exhibits high resistance against aphids. However, the highly heterozygous genome of P. davidiana makes determining the underlying factors influencing resistance traits challenging. Here, we present the 501.7 Mb haplotype-resolved genome assembly of P. davidiana. Genomic comparisons of the two haplotypes revealed 18,152 structural variations, 2,699 Pda&#95;hap1-specific and 2,702 Pda&#95;hap2-specific genes, and 1,118 allele-specific expressed genes. Genome composition indicated 4.1% of the P. davidiana genome was non-peach origin, out of which 94.5% was derived from almond. Based on the haplotype genome, the aphid resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL) was mapped at the end of Pda03. From the aphid resistance QTL, PdaWRKY4 was identified as the major dominant gene, with a 9-bp deletion in its promoter of the resistant phenotype. Specifically, PdaWRKY4 regulates aphid resistance by promoting PdaCYP716A1-mediated anti-aphid metabolite betulin biosynthesis. Moreover, we employed a genome design to develop a breeding workflow for rapidly and precisely producing aphid-resistant peaches. In conclusion, this study identifies a novel aphid resistance gene and provides insights into genome design for the development of resistant fruit cultivars., (© 2024 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)

Biofilms are indispensable ecological habitats for microbes that have garnered global attention and play a potential role in influencing the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen. However, the biogeochemical significance of biofilms and the mechanisms by which they regulate nitrogen cycling remain elusive. In this study, we utilized DNA-stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) labelling techniques in conjunction with metagenomics to reveal a nitrifying ecological niche in biofilms taken from the Yangtze Estuary, with those from sediment and water samples for comparison. Quantitative analysis showed that the amoA gene abundance of comammox Nitrospira (2.3 × 10 3 copies ng -1 DNA) was significantly higher than that of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA-amoA, 62.4 copies ng -1 DNA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB-amoA, 218.1 copies ng -1 DNA) in biofilms, and the average abundance of comammox Nitrospira showed the following order: water > biofilm > sediment. Moreover, the NOB nxrB gene was more abundant than the amoA gene of ammonia oxidizers in all three media. DNA-SIP further revealed that the active comammox Nitrospira clade A mediates the nitrification process in biofilms with peak abundance at a buoyant density of 1.715 g mL -1 . Active nitrifying bacteria exhibit metabolic diversity in both biofilms and sediments, and occupy unique nitrifying ecological niches. Additionally, the co-occurrence network showed that chlorophyll a, NO 3 - and salinity emerged as the predominant physicochemical factors affecting the nitrogen transformation genes in biofilms. Taken together, this study indicates that biofilms constitute an emerging nitrifying ecological niche in estuarine environments and deepens our understanding of the mechanisms by which biofilms function in marine biogeochemistry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Jiaogulan herbal tea, known for its pharmacological benefits, is derived from various species within the genus Gynostemma, particular for G. pentaphyllum (GP) and G. longipes (GL). Herein, a global approach integrating chemometrics with qualitative and quantitative methods was utilized to investigate the chemical profiles and variations in GP and GL from different geographic origins. A total of 227 triterpenoid saponins were identified in two Gynostemma species, among which 23 differential markers ware screened out by multivariate statistical analysis. Furthermore, the contents of significant markers were determined after the demalonylation process. The chemical composition of GP samples sourced from diverse regions were firstly summarized into three chemotypes (I-III), along with an additional chemotype (IV) for GL. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of Gynostemma plants and provides valuable theoretical basis for the quality control in the production of Jiaogulan herbal tea., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of Rhinogobius shennongensis , sequenced using the Illumina HiSeq platform. The result is a circular mitogenome of 16,500 base pairs (bp) with a pronounced A + T nucleotide bias. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using both Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) methods, utilizing the complete mitochondrial genomes of R. shennongensis and 19 additional Rhinogobius species. The analysis indicated a close mitochondrial relationship between R. maculagenys and R. shennongensis . This research not only enriches genetic resources but also supports phylogenetic studies within the genus Rhinogobius . To further clarify evolutionary dynamics, additional mitochondrial genome sequencing of other Rhinogobius species is essential., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)