Plexin B3 guides axons to cross the midline in vivo.

During the development of neural circuits, axons are guided by a variety of molecular cues to navigate through the brain and establish precise connections with correct partners at the right time and place. Many axon guidance cues have been identified and they play pleiotropic roles in not only axon guidance but also axon fasciculation, axon pruning, and synaptogenesis as well as cell migration, angiogenesis, and bone formation. In search of receptors for Sema3E in axon guidance, we unexpectedly found that Plexin B3 is highly expressed in retinal ganglion cells of zebrafish embryos when retinal axons are crossing the midline to form the chiasm. Plexin B3 has been characterized to be related to neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the investigation of its pathological mechanisms is hampered by the lack of appropriate animal model. We provide evidence that Plexin B3 is critical for axon guidance in vivo. Plexin B3 might function as a receptor for Sema3E while Neuropilin1 could be a co-receptor. The intracellular domain of Plexin B3 is required for Semaphorin signaling transduction. Our data suggest that zebrafish could be an ideal animal model for investigating the role and mechanisms of Sema3E and Plexin B3 in vivo.

Clinicopathological role of Cyclin A2 in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma: Integration of tissue microarrays and ScRNA-Seq.

BACKGROUND: The comprehensive expression level and potential molecular role of Cyclin A2 (CCNA2) in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) remains undiscovered. METHODS: UCEC and normal endometrium tissues from in-house and public databases were collected for investigating protein and messenger RNA expression of CCNA2. The transcription factors of CCNA2 were identified by the Cistrome database. The prognostic significance of CCNA2 in UCEC was evaluated through univariate and multivariate Cox regression as well as Kaplan-Meier curve analysis. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis was performed to explore cell types in UCEC, and the AUCell algorithm was used to investigate the activity of CCNA2 in different cell types. RESULTS: A total of 32 in-house UCEC and 30 normal endometrial tissues as well as 720 UCEC and 165 control samples from public databases were eligible and collected. Integrated calculation showed that the CCNA2 expression was up-regulated in the UCEC tissues (SMD = 2.43, 95% confidence interval 2.23∼2.64). E2F1 and FOXM1 were identified as transcription factors due to the presence of binding peaks on transcription site of CCNA2. CCNA2 predicted worse prognosis in UCEC. However, CCNA2 was not an independent prognostic factor in UCEC. The scRNA-seq analysis disclosed five cell types: B cells, T cells, monocytes, natural killer cells, and epithelial cells in UCEC. The expression of CCNA2 was mainly located in B cells and T cells. Moreover, CCNA2 was active in T cells and B cells using the AUCell algorithm. CONCLUSION: CCNA2 was up-regulated and mainly located in T cells and B cells in UCEC. Overexpression of CCNA2 predicted unfavorable prognosis of UCEC.

Intravitreal injection of conbercept for diabetic macular edema complicated with diabetic nephropathy.

AIM: To observe the therapeutic effect of conbercept on diabetic macular edema (DME) complicated with diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 54 patients (54 eyes) that diagnosed as DME from January 2017 to October 2021 were collected. The patients were divided into two groups: DME patients with DN (25 eyes), and DME patients without DN (29 eyes). General conditions were collected before treatment, laboratory tests include fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, microalbumin/creatinine, serum creatinine. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to check the ellipsoidal zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM) integrity. Central macular thickness (CMT), best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and retinal hyperreflective foci (HF) as well as numbers of injections were recorded. RESULTS: There were significant differences between fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, serum creatinine, urinary microalbumin/creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) between the two groups (all P<0.05). EZ and ELM continuity in the DME+DN group was worse than that in the DME group (P<0.05). BCVA (logMAR) in the DME group was significantly better than that in the DME+DN group at the same time points during treatment (all P<0.05). CMT and HF values were significantly higher in the DME+DN group than that in the DME group at the all time points (all P<0.05) and significantly decreased in both groups with time during treatment. At 6mo after treatment, the mean number of injections in the DME+DN and DME group was 4.84±0.94 and 3.79±0.86, respectively. CONCLUSION: Conbercept has a significant effect in short-term treatment of DME patients with or without DN, and can significantly ameliorate BCVA, CMT and the number of HF, treatment efficacy of DME patients without DN is better than that of DME patients with DN.

ThermomiR-377-3p-induced suppression of Cirbp expression is required for effective elimination of cancer cells and cancer stem-like cells by hyperthermia.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the development of adjunctive therapeutic hyperthermia for cancer therapy has received considerable attention. However, the mechanisms underlying hyperthermia resistance are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of cold­inducible RNA binding protein (Cirbp) in regulating hyperthermia resistance and underlying mechanisms in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumor sphere formation assay, qRT-PCR, Western blot were employed to examine the effects of hyperthermia (HT), HT + oridonin(Ori) or HT + radiotherapy (RT) on the proliferation and stemness of NPC cells. RNA sequencing was applied to gain differentially expressed genes upon hyperthermia. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments were used to evaluate the effects of RNAi-mediated Cirbp silencing or Cirbp overexpression on the sensitivity or resistance of NPC cells and cancer stem-like cells to hyperthermia by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, tumorsphere formation assay and apoptosis assay, and in subcutaneous xenograft animal model. miRNA transient transfection and luciferase reporter assay were used to demonstrate that Cirbp is a direct target of miR-377-3p. The phosphorylation levels of key members in ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Our results firstly revealed that hyperthermia significantly attenuated the stemness of NPC cells, while combination treatment of hyperthermia and oridonin dramatically increased the killing effect on NPC cells and cancer stem cell (CSC)­like population. Moreover, hyperthermia substantially improved the sensitivity of radiation­resistant NPC cells and CSC­like cells to radiotherapy. Hyperthermia noticeably suppressed Cirbp expression in NPC cells and xenograft tumor tissues. Furthermore, Cirbp inhibition remarkably boosted anti­tumor­killing activity of hyperthermia against NPC cells and CSC­like cells, whereas ectopic expression of Cirbp compromised tumor­killing effect of hyperthermia on these cells, indicating that Cirbp overexpression induces hyperthermia resistance. ThermomiR-377-3p improved the sensitivity of NPC cells and CSC­like cells to hyperthermia in vitro by directly suppressing Cirbp expression. More importantly, our results displayed the significantly boosted sensitization of tumor xenografts to hyperthermia by Cirbp silencing in vivo, but ectopic expression of Cirbp almost completely counteracted hyperthermia-mediated tumor cell-killing effect against tumor xenografts in vivo. Mechanistically, Cirbp silencing-induced inhibition of DNA damage repair by inactivating ATM-Chk2 and ATR-Chk1 pathways, decrease in stemness and increase in cell death contributed to hyperthermic sensitization; conversely, Cirbp overexpression-induced promotion of DNA damage repair, increase in stemness and decrease in cell apoptosis contributed to hyperthermia resistance. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these findings reveal a previously unrecognized role for Cirbp in positively regulating hyperthermia resistance and suggest that thermomiR-377-3p and its target gene Cirbp represent promising targets for therapeutic hyperthermia.

[Quality evaluation of Compound Cheqian Tablets based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, network pharmacology and "double external standards" QAMS].

The Compound Cheqian Tablets are derived from Cheqian Power in Comprehensive Recording of Divine Assistance, and they are made by modern technology with the combination of Plantago asiatica and Coptis chinensis. To investigate the material basis of Compound Cheqian Tablets in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, in this study, the chemical components of Compound Cheqian Tablets were characterized and analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and a total of 48 chemical components were identified. The identified chemical compounds were analyzed by network pharmacology. By validating with previous literature, six bioactive compounds including acteoside, isoacteoside, coptisine, magnoflorine, palmatine, and berberine were confirmed as the index components for qua-lity evaluation. Furthermore, the content of the six components in the Compound Cheqian Tablets was determined by the "double external standards" quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS), and the relative correction factor of isoacteoside was calculated as 1.118 by using acteoside as the control; the relative correction factors of magnoflorine, palmatine, and berberine were calculated as 0.729, 1.065, and 1.126, respectively, by using coptisine as the control, indicating that the established method had excellent stability under different conditions. The results obtained by the "double external standards" QAMS approximated those obtained by the external standard method. This study qualitatively characterized the chemical components in the Compound Cheqian Tablets by applying UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and screened the pharmacodynamic substance basis for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy via network pharmacology, and primary pharmacodynamic substance groups were quantitatively analyzed by the "double external stan-dards" QAMS method, which provided a scientific basis for clarifying the pharmacodynamic substance basis and quality control of Compound Cheqian Tablets.

Structural Characterization and Anticomplement Activity of an Acidic Heteropolysaccharide from Lysimachia christinae Hance.

A novel acidic heteropolysaccharide (LCP-90-1) was isolated and purified from a traditional "heat-clearing" Chinese medicine, Lysimachia christinae Hance. LCP-90-1 (Mw, 20.65 kDa) was composed of Man, Rha, GlcA, Glc, Gal, and Ara, with relative molar ratios of 1.00: 3.00: 11.62: 1.31: 1.64: 5.24. The backbone consisted of 1,4-α-D-GlcpA, 1,4-α-D-Glcp, 1,4-ß-L-Rhap, and 1,3,5-α-L-Araf, with three branches of ß-D-Galp-(1 → 4)-ß-L-Rhap-(1→, α-L-Araf-(1→ and α-D-Manp-(1→ attached to the C-5 position of 1,3,5-α-L-Araf. LCP-90-1 exhibited potent anticomplement activity (CH50: 135.01 ± 0.68 µg/mL) in vitro, which was significantly enhanced with increased glucuronic acid (GlcA) content in its degradation production (LCP-90-1-A, CH50: 28.26 ± 0.39 µg/mL). However, both LCP-90-1 and LCP90-1-A were inactivated after reduction or complete acid hydrolysis. These observations indicated the important role of GlcA in LCP-90-1 and associated derivatives with respect to anticomplement activity. Similarly, compared with LCP-90-1, the antioxidant activity of LCP-90-1-A was also enhanced. Thus, polysaccharides with a high content of GlcA might be important and effective substances of L. christinae.

[Retracted] Downregulation of miR­29b targets DNMT3b to suppress cellular apoptosis and enhance proliferation in pancreatic cancer.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that certain of the Hoechst staining data shown in Fig. 4E were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in another article by different authors at a different research institute; moreover, an unexpectedly high degree of similarity was noted with the data featured in a couple of different data panels showing the results of apoptosis experiments in Fig. 4D. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Molecular Medicine Reports 17: 2113­2120, 2018; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.8145].

Structural Characterization and Anti-inflammatory Activities of Anticomplementary Polysaccharides from Rhododendron principis.

Rhododendron principis leaves have been used as "Dama", a Traditional Tibetan Medicine for treating inflammatory diseases. R. principis crude polysaccharides with anticomplementary activity demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory effects on acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide. R. principis crude polysaccharides significantly decreased the levels of TNF-α and interleukin-6 in both serum and blood and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury mice by intragastric administration (100 mg/kg). A heteropolysaccharide, ZNDHP, was obtained from R. principis crude polysaccharides with successive anticomplementary activity-guided separation. ZNDHP was characterized as a branched neutral polysaccharide with a backbone composed of → 2)-ß-Glcp-(1→, → 2,6)-α-Glcp-(1→, → 6,3)-ß-Galp-(1→, → 2,6)-α-Galp-(1→, → 6,2)-ß-Glcp-(1→, → 4)-α-Glcp-(1→, → 5)-ß-Araf-(1→, → 3,5)-α-Araf-(1→, and → 4,6)-ß-Manp-(1→, and the backbone structure was further confirmed by partial acid hydrolysis. In addition to anticomplementary and antioxidant activities, ZNDHP exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity by significantly inhibiting the secretion of nitric oxide, TNF-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1ß of lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW 264.7 cells. However, all of these activities decreased greatly after partially hydrolyzing, indicating the importance of the multibranched structure for its bioactivity. Therefore, ZNDHP might be an important component of R. principis for treating inflammation.

Tailoring enzymatic loading capacity on CdS nanorods@ZnIn2S4 nanosheets 1D/2D heterojunctions: Toward ultrasensitive photoelectrochemical bioassay of tobramycin.

Despite advances in the development of photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor, modulating the PEC response of assembled heterostructure interface is still a great challenge. Here, an ultrasensitive PEC aptasensor for tobramycin (TOB) assay was conducted based on one-dimensional/two-dimensional CdS nanorods@ZnIn2S4 nanosheets (1D/2D CdS NRs@ZnIn2S4 NSs) heterojunctions by tailoring enzymatic loading capacity. Firstly, alkaline phosphatase modified TOB aptamer (ALP-Apt) was linked via specific base complementary pairing, and insoluble precipitations were then produced through the ALP-triggered catalytic reaction with the aid of Ag+, which prevented the charge transfer and resulted in the decrement of photocurrent. In the presence of TOB, partial ALP-Apt detached from the electrode surface due to the strong affinity between TOB and its aptamer, leading to a reduction in the amount of ALP and insoluble precipitate, in turn the PEC response partially recovered. The photocurrents exhibited a wider linear range towards the TOB concentration of 1.0-5.0 × 104 pg mL-1, with a low detection limit of 0.96 pg mL-1. The constructed PEC aptasensor gained satisfactory results for TOB assay in milk samples as well, which also offered significant promise for other pollutants in environmental analysis.

A new gene family (BAPs) of Cotesia bracovirus induces apoptosis of host hemocytes.

Polydnaviruses (PDVs), obligatory symbionts with parasitoid wasps, function as host immune suppressors and growth and development regulator. PDVs can induce host haemocyte apoptosis, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we provided evidence that, during the early stages of parasitism, the activated Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV) reduced the overall number of host haemocytes by inducing apoptosis. We found that one haemocyte-highly expressed CvBV gene, CvBV-26-4, could induce haemocyte apoptosis. Further analyses showed that CvBV-26-4 has four homologs from other Cotesia bracoviruses and BV from wasps in the genus Glyptapanteles, and all four of them possessed a similar structure containing 3 copies of a well-conserved motif (Gly-Tyr-Pro-Tyr, GYPY). Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that CvBV-26-4 was secreted into plasma by haemocytes and then degraded into peptides that induced the apoptosis of haemocytes. Moreover, ectopic expression of CvBV-26-4 caused fly haemocyte apoptosis and increased the susceptibility of flies to bacteria. Based on this research, a new family of bracovirus genes, Bracovirus apoptosis-inducing proteins (BAPs), was proposed. Furthermore, it was discovered that the development of wasp larvae was affected when the function of CvBV BAP was obstructed in the parasitized hosts. The results of our study indicate that the BAP gene family from the bracoviruses group is crucial for immunosuppression during the early stages of parasitism.

Quality evaluation of Compound Cheqian Tablets based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, network pharmacology and "double external standards" QAMS / 中国中药杂志

The Compound Cheqian Tablets are derived from Cheqian Power in Comprehensive Recording of Divine Assistance, and they are made by modern technology with the combination of Plantago asiatica and Coptis chinensis. To investigate the material basis of Compound Cheqian Tablets in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy, in this study, the chemical components of Compound Cheqian Tablets were characterized and analyzed by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS, and a total of 48 chemical components were identified. The identified chemical compounds were analyzed by network pharmacology. By validating with previous literature, six bioactive compounds including acteoside, isoacteoside, coptisine, magnoflorine, palmatine, and berberine were confirmed as the index components for qua-lity evaluation. Furthermore, the content of the six components in the Compound Cheqian Tablets was determined by the "double external standards" quantitative analysis of multi-components by single marker(QAMS), and the relative correction factor of isoacteoside was calculated as 1.118 by using acteoside as the control; the relative correction factors of magnoflorine, palmatine, and berberine were calculated as 0.729, 1.065, and 1.126, respectively, by using coptisine as the control, indicating that the established method had excellent stability under different conditions. The results obtained by the "double external standards" QAMS approximated those obtained by the external standard method. This study qualitatively characterized the chemical components in the Compound Cheqian Tablets by applying UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and screened the pharmacodynamic substance basis for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy via network pharmacology, and primary pharmacodynamic substance groups were quantitatively analyzed by the "double external stan-dards" QAMS method, which provided a scientific basis for clarifying the pharmacodynamic substance basis and quality control of Compound Cheqian Tablets.

Could fertility-sparing surgery be considered for stage I ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors? A comparison of the Fine-Gray model with Cox model.

Objective: To evaluate the oncologic outcomes in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) who underwent fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) and the independent risk factors affecting overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Methods: Data were acquired from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 1973 and 2018. A total of 240 patients diagnosed with stage I ovarian SCSTs were divided into the definitive surgery group (N=116) and FSS group (N=124). The Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox model were used to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the two groups and assess the independent risk factors respectively. The Fine-Gray model evaluated cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and the independent risk factors that affected CSM. Results: Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed no statistically significant differences in OS and CSS between the two groups (P>0.05). Univariate analysis of the Fine-Gray model also showed that there was no difference in the CSS between the two groups (P>0.05). However, from the 15th year postoperatively, the CSS of the FSS group decreased by 13.21% compared with that of the control group and by 17.49% in the 20th and 25th years postoperatively. The Cox proportional hazards model found that surgical methods ("defined surgery" vs "FSS"; HR=0.03259, P=0.0196) and FIGO stage ("stage IA" vs "stage IC"; HR=0.03073, P=0.0300) were independent risk factors for OS. The multivariate analysis of Fine-Gray model showed that the cancer-specific mortality of patients receiving definitive surgery was 40.1% lower than that of patients receiving FSS ("definitive surgery" vs "FSS"; HR=0.599, P=0.005), indicating that FSS might lead to higher tumor-specific mortality and lower CSS. However, age, race, laterality, history, FIGO stage, and tumor size had no significant influence on the tumor-specific mortality (P>0.05). Conclusions: FSS is considered for patients with stage I SCSTs with reproductive needs, but the follow-up period should not be less than 15 years. For patients with stage IC disease, FSS should be selected carefully, and close follow-up is necessary. Perhaps, definitive surgery after birth is a means to improve long-term survival rates.

Unravelling the key aroma compounds in the characteristic fragrance of Dendrobium officinale flowers for potential industrial application.

Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, one of the most important orchids because of its medicinal and edible value, has a typical Dendrobium Sw. flora scent, which has great application potential and commercial value to be characterized. The aroma-active compounds originating from D. officinale fresh flowers (DFF) were investigated using a sensomics approach. A combined solid phase microextraction and solvent-assisted flavor evaporation method were used to accurately capture the overall aromatic profile. Exactly 34 odorants were detected and identified by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) coupled with gas chromatography/olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC/O-MS) in DFF, of which nine odorants had a flavor dilution (FD) factor ≥27. All 34 odorants were further quantified. The odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated with the highest value of 7444, in which 18 compounds were confirmed to be key odorants, including 1-octen-3-ol, hexanal, nonanal, phenylacetaldehyde, linalool, 4-oxoisophorone, theaspirane, methyl salicylate, etc. Among the studies above, 42 out of 78 volatiles and 14 out of 34 odorants were identified in DFF for the first time. Then, the aroma profile of the DFF was simulated successfully by aroma recombination experiments based on the quantitation results, and the omission test suggested that alcohols are the decisive type of compounds in the DFF key odorants. In addition, a progressive addition test showed that the aroma recombinate prepared with 18 reference key odorants was able to reconstruct the characteristic aroma of DFF. In comparison, the recombinate constituted by mixing all 34 reference odorants in the same concentrations as determined in the DDF sample could mimic the flower scent and closely match the sensory attributes of the original D. officinale fresh flower.

Sensory-guided isolation and identification of new sweet-tasting dammarane-type saponins from Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) herbal tea.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the chemical basis for the sweet property produced by Gynostemma pentaphyllum and find new natural high-potency (HP) sweeteners. Sixteen new compounds (gypenosides YN 1-16) were obtained by sensory-guided isolation and identification, in which fifteen of them were sweet-tasting constituents with sweetness intensities 10-100 times higher than that of sucrose evaluated by human sensory panel test. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, mass spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, and chemical method. Gypenoside YN 4 was the sweetest compound with a concentration of 15.504 ± 1.343 mg/kg, while gypenoside YN 12 has the highest concentration (1397.674 ± 12.948 mg/kg), as shown by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Structure-activity relationship analysis implied that the compounds' sweetness intensity was associated with side-chain substitutions at C-20 or the number of glucosyl groups at C-3. These new plant-derived natural products may be potential natural sweeteners.

Efficacy of intravitreal conbercept injection on short- and long-term macular edema in branch retinal vein occlusion.

AIM: To observe the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) repeatedly after the intravitreal injection of conbercept (IVC) for treating cystoid macular edema (CME) in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and explore the relationship between the duration of CME and visual outcome. METHODS: Subgroup analysis was performed to compare short-term (within 90d of CME onset) and long-term (over 90d of CME onset) macular edema in BRVO. After an initial IVC, a pro re nata (PRN) strategy was performed according to the recurrence of CFT or decrease of BCVA. Analysis of variance using repeated measurements, statistical analysis following indicators including BCVA and CFT collected at baseline and 1, 3, and 6mo after IVC. RESULTS: Among the 60 cases included in this retrospective study, 36 were short-term CME, and 24 were long-term CME. There were statistical significances between and within groups of the BCVAs at different time points (P<0.001). The interaction was found between group and time (P=0.006), indicating the difference in the speed of BCVA improvement between groups. In particular, the improvement speed of BCVA in the short-term CME group was faster than that in the long-term CME group. There were significant differences between and with groups of the CFT at different time points (P<0.001). However, the interaction between group and time in relation to CFT had no significant differences (P=0.59). CONCLUSION: IVC treatment for CME following BRVO is effective and safe. The duration of CME before treatment is a significant predictor of the visual outcomes of patients with BRVO. The improvement of vision might be faster with early IVC treatment than with delayed treatment.

Virus and endogenous viral element-derived small non-coding RNAs and their roles in insect-virus interaction.

RNA interference pathways mediated by different types of small non-coding RNAs (siRNAs, miRNAs and piRNAs) are conserved biological responses to exotic stresses, including viral infection. Aside from the well-established siRNA pathway, the miRNA pathway and the piRNA pathway process viral sequences, exogenously or endogenously, into miRNAs and piRNAs, respectively. During the host-virus interaction, viral sequences, including both coding and non-coding sequences, can be integrated as endogenous viral elements (EVEs) and thereby become present within the germline of a non-viral organism. In recent years, significant progress has been made in characterizing the biogenesis and function of viruses and EVEs associated with snRNAs. Overall, the siRNA pathway acts as the primarily antiviral defense against a wide range of exogenous viruses; the miRNA pathways associated with viruses or EVEs function in antiviral response and host gene regulation; EVE derived piRNAs with a ping-pong signature have the potential to limit cognate viral infection.

[Analysis on Diversity of Plankton Microbial Community in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Section of the North Canal River].

Reclaimed water plays an important role in alleviating the shortage of urban water resources; however, the trace pollutants and pathogens in reclaimed water have an effect on the plankton community in the receiving water. This study investigated the spatial variation mechanism of microbial community diversity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei reach of the Nordkanal River based on the OTUs and phylum level fragment number and fragment abundance data matrix. The results showed that the physical and chemical disturbance caused by the frequent inflow of reclaimed water changed the hydrology and water quality of the water body, and the plankton community could be divided into two different groups along the geographical scale:the medium and upstream clustering (MUC) and the downstream clustering (DC). The analysis of diversity index based on the OTUs data matrix showed that the species diversity of the DC group was significantly higher than that of the MUC group, and the abundance distribution and evenness showed the opposite trend. The species richness was mainly determined by the fragment diversity of the occasional microflora; the evenness was mainly determined by the variation of the abundance of the dominant microflora; the sensitivity of the subcommunity structure with different abundance levels to spatial change was in the order of non-dominant microflora > occasional microflora > dominant microflora. The diversity analysis of the data matrix based on phylum level also showed that the species diversity of the DC group was significantly higher than that of the MUC group, and the change trend of abundance was the opposite; the most sensitive microflora group was the non-dominant phyla, followed by the occasional phyla, and the dominant phyla group was the least sensitive. The data matrix based on the number of level segments of the gate was more sensitive to environmental changes than the multi-degree data matrix based on the level of the gate. The environmental factors significantly related to microbial community were turbidity; permanganate index; oxidation-reduction potential (ORP); macrolide (MLs); tetracycline antibiotic (TCs); and regional response factors of salt ions, carbon, and inorganic nitrogen. In the aspect of abundance and diversity, these phylas that the DC group was significantly more than the MUC group were more significantly negatively correlated with MLs, whereas they were positively correlated with TCs, and these phylas that the MUC group was significantly more than the DC group was more significantly positively correlated with MLs. The research results can provide a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the ecological rehabilitation of urban river courses with reclaimed water as their main water supply source.

People with aphasia share their views on self-management and the role of technology to support self-management of aphasia.

PURPOSE: Self-management can lead to increased self-efficacy and improved quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions; however, there is little research exploring how self-management approaches can be used for chronic communication disorders, such as aphasia. Modifications to self-management approaches would be required to accommodate for aphasia; therefore, the input of people with aphasia (PwA) should be sought. The aims of the present study were: (1) To investigate and document the experiences and perspectives of PwA regarding self-management; (2) To explore how technology can be used to support aphasia self-management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 PwA living in Australia. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse interview data. RESULTS: Analysis resulted in six themes: (1) In self-management, PwA take control of life with aphasia and assume responsibility for engaging in opportunities to improve overall communication; (2) Community aphasia groups are important enablers of self-management because they facilitate peer support; (3) Communication partners (CPs) provide multifaceted support in aphasia self-management; (4) SLPs provide integrated support and coordination in aphasia self-management; (5) Technology supports PwA to self-manage speech therapy and communication in daily life; (6) Psychological and physical health issues and societal factors may impact aphasia self-management abilities. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of PwA, aphasia self-management involves enhancing skills enabling communication and life participation. PwA are central to aphasia self-management, with support provided by CPs, peers, and SLPs. Technology has a range of applications in aphasia self-management. PwA identified potential personal and contextual barriers that may impact self-management.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONFor people with aphasia, engaging in conversation and social interaction are primary means of managing/improving communicative life participation; therefore, this should be a key focus of aphasia self-management programs.Aphasia self-management approaches should maximise the use of available support and provide tailored information, education, and training in the area of self-management to key stakeholders (people with aphasia, communication partners, and speech-language pathologists).People with aphasia should be supported to use technology for aphasia self-management, encompassing communication specific and daily life use.People with aphasia should be heavily involved in the development of structured aphasia self-management approaches.

A Polydnavirus Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Negatively Regulates the Host Phenoloxidase Pathway.

Polydnavirus (PDV) is a parasitic factor of endoparasitic wasps and contributes greatly to overcoming the immune response of parasitized hosts. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate a wide variety of biological processes at the post-transcriptional level in mammals, but knowledge of PDV PTP action during a parasitoid−host interaction is limited. In this study, we characterized a PTP gene, CvBV_12-6, derived from Cotesia vestalis bracovirus (CvBV), and explored its possible regulatory role in the immune response of the host Plutella xylostella. Our results from qPCR show that CvBV_12-6 was highly expressed in hemocytes at an early stage of parasitization. To explore CvBV_12-6 function, we specifically expressed CvBV_12-6 in Drosophila melanogaster hemocytes. The results show that Hml-Gal4 > CvBV_12-6 suppressed the phenoloxidase activity of hemolymph in D. melanogaster, but exerted no effect on the total count or the viability of the hemocytes. In addition, the Hml-Gal4 > CvBV_12-6 flies exhibited decreased antibacterial abilities against Staphylococcus aureus. Similarly, we found that CvBV_12-6 significantly suppressed the melanization of the host P. xylostella 24 h post parasitization and reduced the viability, but not the number, of hemocytes. In conclusion, CvBV_12-6 negatively regulated both cellular and humoral immunity in P. xylostella, and the related molecular mechanism may be universal to insects.