The effect of health literacy on health investment intention: a cross-sectional study among petrochemical employees in China.

Backgrounds: In the petrochemical industry, employees are exposed to various health hazards, which pose serious challenges to their health and hinder the sustainable development of the petrochemical industry. Investing in health has proved a potential strategy to enhance general health. However, global health investment is notably insufficient, mainly due to the public's limited intention to invest in their health. While past research has identified various determinants of health investment intentions, the relationship between health literacy and health investment intention remains somewhat controversial and needs more empirical validation. Objectives: This study aims to assess the level of health literacy and health investment intention among employees in one of China's largest petrochemical companies and to explore the effect of health literacy on health investment intention. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a petrochemical company. The valid sample size for this study was 39,911 respondents. Data were collected using a designed questionnaire, including socio-demographic information, questions about health investment intention, and the "2020 National Health Literacy Monitoring Questionnaire." Several statistical analysis methods were employed, including descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression. Results: The study disclosed an average health literacy score of 56.11 (SD = 10.34) among employees, with 52.1% surpassing the qualification threshold. The "Chronic Disease" dimension exhibited the lowest qualification rate at 33.0%. Furthermore, 71.5% of the employees expressed an intention to invest in health, yet a significant portion (34.5%) opted for the minimal investment choice, less than 2,000 RMB. Logistic regression analysis indicated a positive correlation between health literacy and health investment intention (OR = 1.474; p < 0.001). This association's robustness was further indicated by multiple linear regression analyses (ß = 0.086, p<0.001). Conclusion: The employees' health literacy significantly exceeds the national average for Chinese citizens, yet the qualified rate in the "Chronic Disease" dimension remains notably low. A majority of employees have the intention to invest in health, albeit modestly. Furthermore, while health literacy does positively influence health investment intention, this effect is somewhat limited. Accordingly, personalized Health education should be prioritized, with a focus on improving chronic disease knowledge and facilitating the internalization of health knowledge into health beliefs.

Effect of electroacupuncture on expression of protein phosphorylation in hippocampus tissues of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome. / ç”µé’ˆå¹²é¢„å¯¹æ ¢æ€§ç–²åŠ³ç»¼åˆå¾å¤§é¼ æµ·é©¬ç»„ç»‡è›‹ç™½è´¨ç£·é ¸åŒ–è¡¨è¾¾çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on behavior and hippocampal protein phosphorylation in rats with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of CFS. METHODS: Male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model and EA groups (n=12 rats in each group). The CFS model was established by chronic multifactor combined with stress stimulation (treadmill training + restraint stress + sleep disturbance + crowded environment). For rats of the EA group, EA (1 mA, frequency of 10 Hz) was applied to "Shenting" (GV24) (with an acupuncture needle penetrated from GV24 to "Baihui" ï¼»GV20ï¼½) and "Dazhui" (GV14) for 15 min, once daily for 28 days. After treatment, the body weight, food intake and water intake of rats in each group were observed. The fatigue degree of rats was evaluated by Semi-quantitative score observation table of the general condition of experimental rats.The open field test (OFT) was used to assess the rats'anxiety severity by detecting the total number of grid-crossing and the times of the central area entered in 5 min, and Morris water maze test was employed to assess the rats' learning-memory ability by detecting the escape latency in 1 min, and the times of the original platform quadrant crossing in 1 min. The hippocampaus was taken for phosphorylated Label-free quantitative proteomics analysis by using Maxquant technology based on full scan mode to calculate the integral of each peptide signal of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS). The differentially-expressed proteins (>1.5 folds for up-regulation or <0.67 folds for down-regulation) were evaluated by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the body weight, food intake, and the times of original-platform quadrant crossing of spatial exploring of Morris water maze test were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05) , and the score of general conditions, times of grid-crossing and center area-entering of OFT, and the escape latency of navigation task were apparently increased (P<0.01) in rats of the model group. After EA intervention, the decreased original-platform quadrant crossing, and the increased score of general conditions, times of grid-crossing and the escape latency of navigation task were all reversed (P<0.01, P<0.05). Outcomes of proteomics analysis indicated that compared with the model group, there were 297 differentially expressed peptide (48 up-regulated and 249 down-regulated) segments in the control group, and there were 245 differentially expressed peptide (185 up-regulated and 60 down-regulated) segments in the EA group, in which, 25 overlapping peptide segments were reversed after EA treatment, corresponding to 24 proteins, mainly involving cytoskeletal structure. GO function annotation analysis showed that the top three differentially expressed phosphorylated proteins involved in the effect of EA intervention were the actin filament polymerization, protein depolymerization and cytoskeletal tissue in the biological process, the actin binding, structural molecular activity and cytoskeletal protein binding in the molecular function, and the cytoskeleton, dendrites and dendritic trees in the cellular component, respectively. The KEGG pathway annotation analysis for differentially expressed phosphorylated proteins showed that theinsulin secretion, axon guidance, phosphatidylinositol signaling system and lysine biosynthesis, etc. were involved in the effect of EA intervention. CONCLUSIONS: EA of GV24-GV20 and GV14 can improve the general state, anxiety and learning-memory ability of CFS model rats, which may be related to its functions in regulating the hippocampal protein phosphorylation level, and repairing the structure and function of synapses in hippocampus.

Multi-cohort study on cytokine and chemokine profiles in the progression of COVID-19.

Various substances in the blood plasma serve as prognostic indicators of the progression of COVID-19. Consequently, multi-omics studies, such as proteomic and metabolomics, are ongoing to identify accurate biomarkers. Cytokines and chemokines, which are crucial components of immune and inflammatory responses, play pivotal roles in the transition from mild to severe illness. To determine the relationship between plasma cytokines and the progression of COVID-19, we used four study cohorts to perform a systematic study of cytokine levels in patients with different disease stages. We observed differential cytokine expression between patients with persistent-mild disease and patients with mild-to-severe transformation. For instance, IL-4 and IL-17 levels significantly increased in patients with mild-to-severe transformation, indicating differences within the mild disease group. Subsequently, we analysed the changes in cytokine and chemokine expression in the plasma of patients undergoing two opposing processes: the transition from mild to severe illness and the transition from severe to mild illness. We identified several factors, such as reduced expression of IL-16 and IL-18 during the severe phase of the disease and up-regulated expression of IL-10, IP-10, and SCGF-ß during the same period, indicative of the deterioration or improvement of patients' conditions. These factors obtained from fine-tuned research cohorts could provide auxiliary indications for changes in the condition of COVID-19 patients.

Long non-coding RNA NORAD regulates megakaryocyte differentiation and proplatelet formation via the DUSP6/ERK signaling pathway.

Megakaryopoiesis and platelet production is a complex process that is underpotential regulation at multiple stages. Many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are distributed in hematopoietic stem cells and platelets. lncRNAs may play important roles as key epigenetic regulators in megakaryocyte differentiation and proplatelet formation. lncRNA NORAD can affect cell ploidy by sequestering PUMILIO proteins, although its direct effect on megakaryocyte differentiation and thrombopoiesis is still unknown. In this study, we demonstrate NORAD RNA is highly expressed in the cytoplasm during megakaryocyte differentiation. Interestingly, we identified for the first time that NORAD has a strong inhibitory effect on megakaryocyte differentiation and proplatelet formation from cultured megakaryocytes. DUSP6/ERK1/2 pathway is activated in response to NORAD knockdown during megakaryocytopoiesis, which is achieved by sequestering PUM2 proteins. Finally, compared with the wild-type control mice, NORAD knockout mice show a faster platelet recovery after severe thrombocytopenia induced by 6 Gy total body irradiation. These findings demonstrate lncRNA NORAD has a key role in regulating megakaryocyte differentiation and thrombopoiesis, which provides a promising molecular target for the treatment of platelet-related diseases such as severe thrombocytopenia.

Genome-wide characterization of DNA methyltransferase family genes implies GhDMT6 improving tolerance of salt and drought on cotton.

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mode of genomic DNA modification and plays a vital role in maintaining epigenetic content and regulating gene expression. Cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase (C5-MTase) are the key enzymes in the process of DNA methylation. However, there is no systematic analysis of the C5-MTase in cotton so far, and the function of DNMT2 genes has not been studied. METHODS: In this study, the whole genome of cotton C5-MTase coding genes was identified and analyzed using a bioinformatics method based on information from the cotton genome, and the function of GhDMT6 was further validated by VIGS experiments and subcellular localization analysis. RESULTS: 33 C5-MTases were identified from three cotton genomes, and were divided into four subfamilies by systematic evolutionary analysis. After the protein domain alignment of C5-MTases in cotton, 6 highly conserved motifs were found in the C-terminus of 33 proteins involved in methylation modification, which indicated that C5-MTases had a basic catalytic methylation function. These proteins were divided into four classes based on the N-terminal difference, of which DNMT2 lacks the N-terminal regulatory domain. The expression of C5-MTases in different parts of cotton was different under different stress treatments, which indicated the functional diversity of cotton C5-MTase gene family. Among the C5-MTases, the GhDMT6 had a obvious up-regulated expression. After silencing GhDMT6 with VIGS, the phenotype of cotton seedlings under different stress treatments showed a significant difference. Compared with cotton seedlings that did not silence GhDMT6, cotton seedlings silencing GhDMT6 showed significant stress resistance. CONCLUSION: The results show that C5-MTases plays an important role in cotton stress response, which is beneficial to further explore the function of DNMT2 subfamily genes.

Prognosis of patients with coexisting obesity and malnutrition after ischemic stroke: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The double burden of malnutrition, defined as the coexistence of obesity and malnutrition, is an increasing global health concern and is unclear in patients after ischemic stroke. The current study explored the combined impacts of obesity and malnutrition on patients with ischemic stroke. METHODS: We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study with patients with ischemic stroke enrolled in Minhang Hospital in China between January 2018 and December 2022. Patients were stratified into four categories based on their obesity (defined by body mass index) and nutritional status (classified according to the Controlling Nutritional Status score): (1) nourished nonobese, (2) malnourished nonobese, (3) nourished obese, and (4) malnourished obese. The primary end points were poor outcomes and all-cause mortality at 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 3160 participants with ischemic stroke were included in our study, of which 64.7% were male and the mean age was 69 years. Over 50% of patients were malnourished. At 3-month follow-up, the malnourished nonobese had the worst outcomes (34.4%), followed by the malnourished obese (33.2%), nourished nonobese (25.1%), and nourished obese (21.8%; P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, with nourished nonobese group as the reference, the malnourished nonobese group displayed poorer outcomes (odds ratio [OR], 1.395 [95% CI, 1.169-1.664], P < 0.001) and higher all-cause mortality (OR, 1.541 [95% CI, 1.054-2.253], P = 0.026), but only a nonsignificant increase in poor prognosis rate (33.2% vs. 25.1%, P = 0.102) and mortality (4.2% vs. 3.6%, P = 0.902) were observed in the malnourished obese group. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of malnutrition is observed in the large population suffering from ischemic attack, even in the obese. Malnourished patients have the worst prognosis particularly in those with severe nutritional status regardless of obesity, while the best functional outcomes and the lowest mortality are demonstrated in nourished obese participants.

A Study of the Superplastic Deformation Behavior of Low-Cost Ti-2Fe-0.1B Alloys.

Titanium alloys have high specific strength and corrosion resistance, which have promising applications in industry. However, the machinability of titanium alloys is limited due to their crystal lattice and physical properties. Thus, in recent years, the superplastic forming of titanium alloys has been intensively developing, in particular, forming at low temperatures and/or high strain rates. In this work, a tensile test of low-cost Ti-2Fe-0.1B alloys was carried out at a temperature of 550~750 °C and a strain rate of 1 × 10-3 s-1~1 × 10-2 s-1. The results showed that the alloy exhibited good superplasticity even at a high strain rate (1 × 10-2 s-1) and a low deformation temperature of 550 °C; the elongation of the alloy in this state reached 137.5%. The high strain rate sensitivity coefficient m (0.3) and the maximum elongation (452%) were obtained at a strain rate of 1 × 10-3 s-1 and a temperature of 750 °C. Characteristics of the microstructure showed that during superplastic deformation, the recrystallization and grain boundary sliding of the alloy phases were accelerated, which could be ascribed to the effect of the element Fe. At the same time, the TiB phase located around the primary elongated α grains could also induce dynamic recrystallization and dynamic globularization during deformation.

Systematic analysis and expression of Gossypium ATG8 family reveals the roles of GhATG8f responding to salt stress in cotton.

KEY MESSAGE: Comprehensive analysis of Gossypium ATG8 family indicates that GhATG8f could improve salt tolerance of cotton by increasing SOD, POD and CAT activity and proline accumulation. In plants, autophagy is regulated by several genes that play important roles in initiating and controlling the process. ATG8, functioning as a protein similar to ubiquitin, is involved in crucial tasks throughout the autophagosome formation process. In this research, we conducted an extensive and all-encompassing investigation of 64 ATG8 genes across four varieties of cotton. According to the subcellular localization prediction results, 49 genes were found in the cytoplasm, 6 genes in the chloroplast, 1 gene in the peroxisome, 5 genes in the nucleus, and 3 genes in the extracellular region. Phylogenetic analysis categorized a total of 5 subfamilies containing sixty-four ATG8 genes. The expression of the majority of GhATG8 genes was induced by salt, drought, cold, and heat stresses, as revealed by RNA-seq and real-time PCR. Analysis of cis-elements in the promoters of GhATG8 genes revealed the predominant presence of responsive elements for plant hormones and abiotic stress, suggesting that GhATG8 genes might have significant functions in abiotic stress response. Furthermore, we additionally performed a gene interaction network analysis for the GhATG8 proteins. The salt stress resistance of cotton was reduced due to the downregulation of GhATG8f expression, resulting in decreased activity of CAT, SOD, and POD enzymes, as well as decreased fresh weight and proline accumulation. In summary, our research is the initial exploration of ATG8 gene components in cotton, providing a basis for future investigations into the regulatory mechanisms of ATG8 genes in autophagy and their response to abiotic stress.

Chelation of the Optimal Antifungal Pogostone Analogue with Copper(II) to Explore the Dual Antifungal and Antibacterial Agent.

In an ongoing effort to explore more potent antifungal pogostone (Po) analogues, we maintained the previously identified 3-acetyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone core motif while synthesizing a series of Po analogues with variations in the alkyl side chain. The in vitro bioassay results revealed that compound 21 was the most potent antifungal analogue with an EC50 value of 1.1 µg/mL against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. Meanwhile, its Cu(II) complex 34 manifested significantly enhanced antibacterial activity against Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris (Xcc) with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 300 µg/mL compared with 21 (MIC = 700 µg/mL). Complex 34 exhibited a striking preventive effect against S. sclerotiorum and Xcc in rape leaves, with control efficacies of 98.8% (50 µg/mL) and 80.7% (1000 µg/mL), respectively. The 3D-QSAR models generated using Topomer comparative molecular field analysis indicated that a shorter alkyl chain (carbon atom number <8), terminal rings, or electron-deficient groups on the alkyl side chain are beneficial for antifungal potency. Further, bioassay results revealed that the component of 21 in complex 34 dominated the antifungal activity, but the introduction of Cu(II) significantly enhanced its antibacterial activity. The toxicological observations demonstrated that 21 could induce abnormal mitochondrial morphology, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in S. sclerotiorum. The enzyme assay results showed that 21 is a moderate promiscuous inhibitor of mitochondrial complexes II and III. Besides, the introduction of Cu(II) to 34 could promote the disruption of the cell membrane and intracellular proteins and the ROS level in Xcc compared with 21. In summary, these results highlight the potential of 34 as a dual antifungal and antibacterial biocide for controlling rape diseases or as a promising candidate for further optimization.

High serum lactate dehydrogenase to albumin ratio is associated with increased risk of poor prognosis after ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Lactate dehydrogenase to albumin ratio (LAR) is a comprehensive biomarker for anaerobiosis, inflammation, and nutritional status, but its prognostic value for ischemic stroke has rarely been reported. We aimed to prospectively investigate whether serum LAR is associated with the prognosis of ischemic stroke patients in a large-scale cohort study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum LAR levels were measured among 6634 patients with ischemic stroke admitted at Minhang hospital from January 2018 to December 2022. The primary outcome was the composite of major disability and death (modified Rankin Scale score [mRS] ≥ 3) at 3-month follow up. Secondary outcomes included death and the ordered 7-level category score of mRS. Multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic splines were adopted to evaluate the associations between serum LAR levels and adverse clinical outcomes of ischemic stroke. RESULTS: During 3 months of follow-up period, a total of 2125 patients experienced primary outcome. After multivariate adjustment, the highest quartile of serum LAR was associated with an increased risk of primary outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-1.83; P for trend < 0.001). Each standard deviation higher log-transformed serum LAR resulted in a 20% (95% CI, 12%-28%) increased risk of primary outcome. Furthermore, multivariable-adjusted restricted cubic spline analyses showed a linear association between the serum LAR level with primary outcome (P for linearity < 0.001). Finally, the addition of serum LAR to conventional risk factors significantly improved risk predictive abilities for the primary outcome (net reclassification improvement [NRI]: 18.35%, P < 0.001; integrated discrimination improvement [IDI]: 0.35%, P < 0.001) at 3-month follow up in patients with ischemic stroke. CONCLUSION: High serum LAR level was independently associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes among patients with ischemic stroke, indicating that serum LAR may be a valuable prognostic biomarker for ischemic stroke.

Exploring the role of gut microbiota in migraine risk: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVES: The presence of intestinal flora in the gut has been linked to migraines in recent studies, but whether the association is causal or due to bias remains to be clarified. We aimed to explore whether there is a potential causal relationship between gut microbiota and migraine risk with this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomized analysis study to explore whether gut microbiota has a causal relationship with migraine using publicly available data from large-scale genome-wide association studies. The inverse variance weighting was used as the main method, and weighted median and MR-Egger were used as supplementary methods for causal inference. Sensitivity analyses, including leave-one-out analysis, Cochran Q test, and MR-Egger intercept test, were used to verify the robustness of the results. RESULTS: After rigorous quality control of the results, we identified that genetic predisposition towards a higher abundance of genus.Lactobacillus was causally associated with higher of migraine (IVW OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.03 - 1.18, p = .004), whereas the higher abundance of family.Prvotellaceae predicted a decreased risk of migraine (IVW OR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.80 - 0.98, p = .02). Sensitivity analyses indicated the results were not biased by pleiotropy. CONCLUSION: According to our research, there is evidence showing that gut microbiota may be involved in migraine development, which suggested that a stool examination might be helpful to recognize those with a higher risk of migraine. Further mechanisms remained to be elucidated in future studies.

Value of the stroke 1-2-0 prehospital stroke education system: the experience of a general practitioner team.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in developing countries. In China, there is an urgent need to educate people about stroke awareness and the importance of using emergency medical services (EMS) quickly after a stroke has occurred. OBJECTIVE: We sought to explore the effects of the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System based on the experience of a general practitioner team. METHOD: We prospectively enrolled 119 community general practitioners to be trained in the procedures advocated by the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System. The training content included early detection of ischemic stroke, first aid for stroke, and intravenous thrombolysis; The effects of the training were later evaluated via a before-and-after comparison. The 119 enrolled physicians formed a Stroke 1-2-0 lecturer group and taught stroke knowledge to community residents. The group remained active for 6 months, during which the medical treatment data of stroke patients (i.e., stroke onset time, prehospital delay, whether an ambulance was called, and whether thrombolytic therapy was performed) in each of 5 jurisdictions were recorded for the month before (January 2021) and that after (August 2021) the 6-month community education program. Finally, the effects of the community education program were evaluated. RESULTS: The participants' understanding of intravenous thrombolysis in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke improved significantly after the training as compared with their earlier understanding (96% vs. 78.99%; P < .001), and their understanding of the time window for intravenous thrombolysis increased from 26.05% before to 72% (P < .001) after the training. Most of the participants (90% vs. 67.23%; P < .001) said that they would immediately call the 120 emergency number of China's emergency phone system if they encountered individuals who appeared to be victims of acute stroke. A total of 82 stroke patients were seen before and 67 after the community education program. As for the use of the emergency call system, more patients with stroke activated that system after the program versus before (21.95% vs. 37.31%; P = .04). The 3-hour arrival rate after the program was nearly three times higher than that before the program (62.69% vs. 19.51%; P < .001). Also, regarding receiving thrombolysis after the occurrence of a stroke, the program triggered a substantial increase compared with the total earlier (19.4% vs. 6.1%; P = .013). CONCLUSION: We found that the Stroke 1-2-0 Prehospital Stroke Education System significantly improved community residents' knowledge regarding stroke.

Early antithrombotic therapy in patients with postinterventional cerebral hyperdensity reduces early neurological deterioration after mechanical thrombectomy.

BACKGROUND: Initiation of early antithrombotic therapy after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is crucial. We aimed to investigate whether early antithrombotic therapy influences early neurological deterioration (END) in AIS patients with postinterventional cerebral hyperdensity (PCHD) immediately after mechanical thrombectomy (MT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 108 consecutive anterior circulation AIS patients with PCHD immediately after MT. All patients were divided into END group and non-END group and END was defined as an increase of four points or more on the postinterventional National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score within the first 72 h after MT. Early antithrombotic therapy was defined as patients with PCHD who received antithrombotic therapy within 24 h after MT. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the association between early antithrombotic therapy and the risk of END. RESULTS: Among 108 patients, 27 (25%) patients developed END. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that early use of antithrombotic therapy (OR = 0.229, 95%CI = 0.083-0.626, P = 0.004) was an independent protector of END and postinterventional low density shadow exceeding 1/3 of the vascular territory (OR = 4.000, 95%CI = 1.157-13.834, P = 0.029) was an independent risk factor for END. CONCLUSION: Antithrombotic therapy within 24 h after MT maybe associated with the reduced risk of END in anterior circulation AIS patients with PCHD.

Enhancing stimulation of cyaniding, GhLDOX3 activates reactive oxygen species to regulate tolerance of alkalinity negatively in cotton.

Anthocyanins belong to flavonoid secondary metabolites that act as plant pigments to give flowers and fruits different colors and as "scavengers" of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to protect plants from abiotic and biotic stresses. Few studies linked anthocyanins to alkaline resistance so far. In this study, anthocyanin synthesis-related gene leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX) was screened as a candidate gene to explore its relationship with alkali stress. The results found that pYL156: GhLDOX3 lines treated with 50 mM Na2CO3 (pH 11.11) for 24 h showed a significant increase in peroxidase (POD) activity, a decrease in total anthocyanin content and an increase in cyanidin content and a decrease in ROS accumulation compared to pYL156. The overexpressed (OE) lines, ldox mutant and wild-type (WT) lines in Arabidopsis were treated with 50 mM Na2CO3, 100 mM Na2CO3 and 150 mM Na2CO3 for 8 d, respectively. The wilted degree of the OE lines was more severe than WT lines, and less severe in the mutant lines in the 150 mM Na2CO3 treatment. After treatment, the expression levels of AtCAT and AtGSH genes related to antioxidant system in OE lines were significantly lower than in WT, and the expression levels of AtCAT and AtGSH in mutant lines were significantly higher than in WT. In conclusion, the above results suggest GhLDOX3 played a negative regulatory role in the mechanism of resisting Na2CO3 stress. Therefore, it can be considered in cotton breeding to improve the alkali tolerance of cotton by regulating the expression of related genes.

Selective COX-2 Inhibitor Is Beneficial in Suppressing Chronic Postsurgical Pain in Esophageal Cancer Patients and May Prolong Patient Survival.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a common complication after surgical procedures. Radical resection of esophageal cancer is a complex procedure, one of the most extensive and traumatic surgical procedures in oncological surgery, and the incidence of postoperative chronic pain is high, seriously affecting patients' postoperative recovery. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the incidence of CPSP in patients with esophageal cancer and to analyze the risk factors associated with its occurrence in order to provide certain prevention and treatment ideas for clinical prevention and reduction of CPSP. METHODS: Patients with radical esophageal cancer resection were selected as the study subjects, and the clinical data regarding to patients' preoperative comorbidities, ASA grading, surgical method, use of selective COX-2 inhibitors, postoperative analgesic pump use, and patients' postoperative tumor recurrence time were collected. The differences in clinical data between the CPSP group and no-CPSP group were compared to analyze the risk factors for the occurrence of CPSP. RESULTS: A total of 262 patients were included; 57 (21.76%) developed CPSP, and there were statistical differences between the two groups in terms of selective COX-2 inhibitor and postoperative analgesic pump use rates and surgical modality (p < 0.05), and logistic regression analysis showed that age and length of surgery increased the risk of CPSP, perioperative selective COX-2 inhibitor use decreased the risk of CPSP occurrence (p < 0.05), the extent of tumor infiltration and regional lymph node metastasis were risk factors for shortening tumor-free survival (TFS), and age and use of selective COX-2 inhibitor were influential factors for prolonging TFS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with esophageal cancer have a high incidence of postoperative chronic pain, with youth and length of surgery being risk factors for CPSP, and perioperative pain management with selective COX-2 inhibitors can reduce the incidence of CPSP and is associated with prolonged TFS.

Analysis of the histidine kinase gene family and the role of GhHK8 in response to drought tolerance in cotton.

As an important member of the two-component system (TCS), histidine kinases (HKs) play important roles in various plant developmental processes and signal transduction in response to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. So far, the HK gene family has not been investigated in Gossypium. In this study, a total of 177 HK gene family members were identified in cotton. They were further divided into seven groups, and the protein characteristics, genetic relationship, gene structure, chromosome location, collinearity, and cis-elements identification were comprehensively analyzed. Whole genome duplication (WGD) / segmental duplication may be the reason why the number of HK genes doubled in tetraploid Gossypium species. Expression analysis revealed that most cotton HK genes were mainly expressed in the reproductive organs and the fiber at initial stage. Gene expression analysis revealed that HK family genes are involved in cotton abiotic stress, especially drought stress and salt stress. In addition, gene interaction networks showed that HKs were involved in the regulation of cotton abiotic stress, especially drought stress. VIGS experiments have shown that GhHK8 is a negative regulatory factor in response to drought stress. Our systematic analysis provided insights into the characteristics of the HK genes in cotton and laid a foundation for further exploring their potential in drought stress resistance in cotton.

Melatonin receptor, GhCAND2-D5 motivated responding to NaCl signaling in cotton.

As a receptor for plant melatonin, CAND2/PMTR plays an important role in melatonin signaling. Most of the CANDs are membrane proteins and play indispensable roles in signal transduction. In this study, the CANDs from four cotton species were characterized, and the phylogenetic relationships, expression patterns, stress responses of cotton CANDs were analyzed by bioinformatics. Through the analysis of phylogenetic and protein structure, it was found that the CANDs in clade Ⅱ might function as cotton melatonin receptors, and most of the GhCANDs in clade Ⅱ were induced by melatonin. A putative cotton melatonin receptor, GhCAND2-D5, was functionally probed by gene silencing. The plants with silenced expression of this gene exhibited decreased salt tolerance. Protein interaction prediction identified that GhCAND2-D5 interacted with several membrane proteins and played an important role in melatonin signaling. This study provided a theoretical reference for further investigation of melatonin signaling in cotton.

GhIMP10D, an inositol monophosphates family gene, enhances ascorbic acid and antioxidant enzyme activities to confer alkaline tolerance in Gossypium hirsutum L.

BACKGROUND: Inositol monophosphates (IMP) are key enzymes in the ascorbic acid (AsA) synthesis pathways, which play vital roles in regulating plant growth and development and stresses tolerance. To date, no comprehensive analysis of the expression profile of IMP genes and their functions under abiotic stress in cotton has been reported. RESULTS: In this study, the genetic characteristics, phylogenetic evolution, cis-acting elements and expression patterns of IMP gene family in cotton were systematically analyzed. A total of 28, 27, 13 and 13 IMP genes were identified in Gossypium hirsutum (G. hirsutum), Gossypium barbadense (G. barbadense), Gossypium arboreum (G. arboreum), and Gossypium raimondii (G. raimondii), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that IMP family genes could cluster into 3 clades. Structure analysis of genes showed that GhIMP genes from the same subgroup had similar genetic structure and exon number. And most GhIMP family members contained hormone-related elements (abscisic acid response element, MeJA response element, gibberellin response element) and stress-related elements (low temperature response element, defense and stress response element, wound response element). After exogenous application of abscisic acid (ABA), some GhIMP genes containing ABA response elements positively responded to alkaline stress, indicating that ABA response elements played an important role in response to alkaline stress. qRT-PCR showed that most of GhIMP genes responded positively to alkaline stress, and GhIMP10D significantly upregulated under alkaline stress, with the highest up-regulated expression level. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) experiment showed that compared with 156 plants, MDA content of pYL156:GhIMP10D plants increased significantly, while POD, SOD, chlorophyII and AsA content decreased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a thorough overview of the IMP gene family and presents a new perspective on the evolution of this gene family. In particular, some IMP genes may be involved in alkaline stress tolerance regulation, and GhIMP10D showed high expression levels in leaves, stems and roots under alkaline stress, and preliminary functional verification of GhIMP10D gene suggested that it may regulate tolerance to alkaline stress by regulating the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the content of AsA. This study contributes to the subsequent broader discussion of the structure and alkaline resistance of IMP genes in cotton.

GhCYS2 governs the tolerance against cadmium stress by regulating cell viability and photosynthesis in cotton.

Cysteine, an early sulfur-containing compound in plants, is of significant importance in sulfur metabolism. CYS encodes cysteine synthetase that further catalyzes cysteine synthesis. In this investigation, CYS genes, identified from genome-wide analysis of Gossypium hirsutum bioinformatically, led to the discovery of GhCYS2 as the pivotal gene responsible for Cd2+ response. The silencing of GhCYS2 through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) rendered plants highly susceptible to Cd2+ stress. Silencing GhCYS2 in plants resulted in diminished levels of cysteine and glutathione while leading to the accumulation of MDA and ROS within cells, thereby impeding the regular process of photosynthesis. Consequently, the stomatal aperture of leaves decreased, epidermal cells underwent distortion and deformation, intercellular connections are dramatically disrupted, and fissures manifested between cells. Ultimately, these detrimental effected culminating in plant wilting and a substantial reduction in biomass. The association established between Cd2+ and cysteine in this investigation offered a valuable reference point for further inquiry into the functional and regulatory mechanisms of cysteine synthesis genes.

[Research progress on the effect mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion for pressure injuries].

Evidence shows that acupuncture-moxibustion could promote the healing of pressure injuries (PI), but its action mechanism is not fully understood. This review summarizes the basic research literature of acupuncture-moxibustion for PI and identifies that the mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion for PI is related with regulation of related signaling pathway target proteins, improvement of inflammatory response, modulation of vascular microenvironment, attenuation of oxidative stress damage, and inhibition of cell apoptosis. The review also points out the current limitations and future research directions. It emphasizes the need for further exploration of the upstream regulatory mechanism, specific cellular molecules, and the interactions among these molecules. A multi-level, multi-target, and multi-dimensional approach is required to fully understand the mechanism underlying the promotion of PI healing by acupuncture-moxibustion.