Radiomics analysis for prediction and classification of submucosal tumors based on gastrointestinal endoscopic ultrasonography.

Objectives: To identify and classify submucosal tumors by building and validating a radiomics model with gastrointestinal endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) images. Methods: A total of 144 patients diagnosed with submucosal tumors through gastrointestinal EUS were collected between January 2019 and October 2020. There are 1952 radiomic features extracted from each patient's EUS images. The statistical test and the customized least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used for feature selection. Subsequently, an extremely randomized trees algorithm was utilized to construct a robust radiomics classification model specifically tailored for gastrointestinal EUS images. The performance of the model was measured by evaluating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: The radiomics model comprised 30 selected features that showed good discrimination performance in the validation cohorts. During validation, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated as 0.9203 and the mean value after 10-fold cross-validation was 0.9260, indicating excellent stability and calibration. These results confirm the clinical utility of the model. Conclusions: Utilizing the dataset provided curated from gastrointestinal EUS examinations at our collaborating hospital, we have developed a well-performing radiomics model. It can be used for personalized and non-invasive prediction of the type of submucosal tumors, providing physicians with aid for early treatment and management of tumor progression.

Milk fat globule membrane proteins are crucial in regulating lipid digestion during simulated in vitro infant gastrointestinal digestion.

Products of lipolysis released during digestion positively affect the metabolism of newborns. In contrast to the 3-layer biological membranes covering human milk (HM) fat, the lipid droplets in infant milk formula (IMF) are covered by a single membrane composed of casein and whey proteins. To reduce the differences in lipid structure between IMF and HM, studies have used milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) components such as milk polar lipids (MPL) to prepare emulsions mimicking HM fat globules However, few studies have elucidated the effect of membrane proteins (MP) on lipid digestion in infants. In this study, 3 kinds of emulsions were prepared: One with MPL as the interfaced of lipid droplets (RE-1), one with membrane protein concentrate (MPC) (RE-2) as the interface of lipid droplets, and one with both MPL and MPC (1:2) as the co-interface of lipid droplets (RE-3). The interfacial coverage of the emulsions was confirmed by measuring the contents of MPL and MPC at the lipid droplet interface, and by confocal laser scanning microscopy analyzed. By controlling the homogenization intensity, the specific surface area of lipid droplets was controlled at the same level among the 3 emulsions. The stability constants of the emulsions varied, and RE-1 was the most stable. During simulated in vitro infant gastrointestinal digestion, the amount of free fatty acids (FFA) released from the lipid droplets was significantly higher from those with MPC at the interface (RE-2, RE-3) than from that with MPL at the interface (RE-1). The amount of FFA released at the end of intestinal digestion of RE-1, RE-2, and RE-3 was 255.00 ± 3.54 µmol,328.75 ± 5.30 µmol, 298.50 ± 9.19 µmol, respectively. Compared with the lipid droplets in RE-2, those with MPL at the interface (RE-1, RE-3) released more unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs) during digestion. The emulsifying activity index was highest in RE-3 (MPL and MPC co-interface). The presence of MPL at the emulsion interface increased the release of USFAs, while the presence of MPC increased the release of FFA. These results show that both MPL and MP are indispensable in the construction of MFGM. Understanding their effects on digestion can provide new strategies for the development of infant foods.

Downregulation of OATP2B1 by proinflammatory cytokines leads to 5-ASA hyposensitivity in Ulcerative colitis.

5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) is a first-line agent in both remission and maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the mucosal concentration of 5-ASA was significantly lower in patients with severe histological inflammation, which further led to a poor response to 5-ASA treatment. Our study aimed to clarify the mechanism of 5-ASA uptake into colonic epithelial cells and to further explore the reason for the decreased colonic mucosal 5-ASA concentration in UC patients. Our results demonstrated that the colonic 5-ASA concentration was notably reduced in DSS-induced colitis mice and inversely correlated with colonic inflammation. 5-ASA was not a substrate of carnitine/organic cation transporter 1/2 (OCTN1/2) or multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1), whereas organic anion transporting polypeptide 2B1 (OATP2B1) and sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SMCT1) mediated the uptake of 5-ASA, with a greater contribution from OATP2B1 than SMCT1. Inhibitors and siRNAs targeting OATP2B1 significantly reduced 5-ASA absorption in colonic cell lines. Moreover, OATP2B1 expression was dramatically downregulated in colon tissues from UC patients and dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis mice, and was also negatively correlated with colonic inflammation. Mechanistically, mixed proinflammatory cytokines downregulated the expression of OATP2B1 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner through the hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (HNF4α) pathway. In conclusion, OATP2B1 was the pivotal transporter involved in colonic 5-ASA uptake, which indicated that inducing OATP2B1 expression may be a strategy to promote 5-ASA uptake and further improve the concentration and anti-inflammatory efficacy of 5-ASA in UC.

Whole-exome sequencing in a cohort of Chinese patients with isolated cervical dystonia.

Background: Dystonia is a kind of movement disorder but its pathophysiological mechanisms are still largely unknown. Recent evidence reveals that genetical defects may play important roles in the pathogenesis of dystonia. Objectives and Methods: -To explore possible causative genes in Chinese dystonia patients, DNA samples from 42 sporadic patients with isolated cervical dystonia were subjected to whole-exome sequencing. Rare deleterious variants associated with dystonia phenotype were screened out and then classified according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) criteria. Phenolyzer was used for analyzing the most probable candidates correlated with dystonia phenotype, and SWISS-MODEL server was for predicting the 3D structures of variant proteins. Results: Among 42 patients (17 male and 25 female) recruited, a total of 36 potentially deleterious variants of dystonia-associated genes were found in 30 patients (30/42, 71.4 %). Four disease-causing variants including a pathogenic variant in PLA2G6 (c.797G > C) and three likely pathogenic variants in DCTN1 (c.73C > T), SPR (c.1A > C) and TH (c.56C > G) were found in four patients separately. Other 32 variants were classified as uncertain significance in 26 patients. Phenolyzer prioritized genes TH, PLA2G6 and DCTN1 as the most probable candidates correlated with dystonia phenotype. Although 3D prediction of DCTN1 and PLA2G6 variant proteins detected no obvious structural alterations, the mutation in DCTN1 (c.73C > T:p.Arg25Trp) was closely adjacent to its key functional domain. Conclusion: Our whole-exome sequencing results identified a novel variant in DCTN1 in sporadic Chinese patients with isolated cervical dystonia, which however, needs our further study on its exact role in dystonia pathogenesis.

The PCNA-Pol δ complex couples lagging strand DNA synthesis to parental histone transfer for epigenetic inheritance.

Inheritance of epigenetic information is critical for maintaining cell identity. The transfer of parental histone H3-H4 tetramers, the primary carrier of epigenetic modifications on histone proteins, represents a crucial yet poorly understood step in the inheritance of epigenetic information. Here, we show the lagging strand DNA polymerase, Pol δ, interacts directly with H3-H4 and that the interaction between Pol δ and the sliding clamp PCNA regulates parental histone transfer to lagging strands, most likely independent of their roles in DNA synthesis. When combined, mutations at Pol δ and Mcm2 that compromise parental histone transfer result in a greater reduction in nucleosome occupancy at nascent chromatin than mutations in either alone. Last, PCNA contributes to nucleosome positioning on nascent chromatin. On the basis of these results, we suggest that the PCNA-Pol δ complex couples lagging strand DNA synthesis to parental H3-H4 transfer, facilitating epigenetic inheritance.

Efficacy of real-time artificial intelligence-aid endoscopic ultrasonography diagnostic system in discriminating gastrointestinal stromal tumors and leiomyomas: a multicenter diagnostic study.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) represent the most prevalent type of subepithelial lesions (SELs) with malignant potential. Current imaging tools struggle to differentiate GISTs from leiomyomas. This study aimed to create and assess a real-time artificial intelligence (AI) system using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) images to differentiate between GISTs and leiomyomas. Methods: The AI system underwent development and evaluation using EUS images from 5 endoscopic centers in China between January 2020 and August 2023. EUS images of 1101 participants with SELs were retrospectively collected for AI system development. A cohort of 241 participants with SELs was recruited for external AI system evaluation. Another cohort of 59 participants with SELs was prospectively enrolled to assess the real-time clinical application of the AI system. The AI system's performance was compared to that of endoscopists. This study is registered with Chictr.org.cn, Number ChiCT2000035787. Findings: The AI system displayed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.948 (95% CI: 0.921-0.969) for discriminating GISTs and leiomyomas. The AI system's accuracy (ACC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) reached 91.7% (95% CI 87.5%-94.6%), 90.3% (95% CI 83.4%-94.5%), 93.0% (95% CI 87.2%-96.3%), 91.9% (95% CI 85.3%-95.7%), and 91.5% (95% CI 85.5%-95.2%), respectively. Moreover, the AI system exhibited excellent performance in diagnosing ≤20 mm SELs (ACC 93.5%, 95% CI 0.900-0.969). In a prospective real-time clinical application trial, the AI system achieved an AUC of 0.865 (95% CI 0.764-0.966) and 0.864 (95% CI 0.762-0.966) for GISTs and leiomyomas diagnosis, respectively, markedly surpassing endoscopists [AUC 0.698 (95% CI 0.562-0.834) for GISTs and AUC 0.695 (95% CI 0.546-0.825) for leiomyomas]. Interpretation: We successfully developed a real-time AI-assisted EUS diagnostic system. The incorporation of the real-time AI system during EUS examinations can assist endoscopists in rapidly and accurately differentiating various types of SELs in clinical practice, facilitating improved diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. Funding: Science and Technology Commission Foundation of Shanghai Municipality, Science and Technology Commission Foundation of the Xuhui District, the Interdisciplinary Program of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Research Funds of Shanghai Sixth people's Hospital.

The mechanical characteristics of an aluminum foam winding CFRP composite structure under axial compression.

To enhance the energy absorption properties of the energy-absorbing structure, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRPs) with higher specific energy absorption and porous material aluminum foam with better compressive characteristics were organically combined, and a lighter aluminum foam winding carbon fiber-reinforced polymer structure (CFRP-FA-FW) was designed. Through quasi-static compression testing, the deformation mode and energy absorption properties of CFRP-FA-FW under axial load were examined. The energy absorption and specific energy absorption of CFRP-FA-FW are both increased by 113.55 % and 60.73 %, respectively, compared to the simple composite structure CFRP-FA. Finite element simulation was used for the parametric analysis of the CFRP-FA-FW structure to assess the effects of the relative density of the aluminum foam, the fiber lay-up angle, and the thickness. The results reveal that the change in the relative density of aluminum foam has little impact on the failure deformation mode of CFRP-FA-FW under axial load; the structure has a higher energy absorption capacity and a smoother energy absorption process when the fiber lay-up angle is [0°/90°]ns and [45°]ns; the energy absorption capacity of CFRP-FA-FW is significantly improved by increasing the thickness of the carbon fiber lay-up, and the procedure is also more efficient.

Application of Medical Statistical and Machine Learning Methods in the Age Estimation of Living Individuals.

In the study of age estimation in living individuals, a lot of data needs to be analyzed by mathematical statistics, and reasonable medical statistical methods play an important role in data design and analysis. The selection of accurate and appropriate statistical methods is one of the key factors affecting the quality of research results. This paper reviews the principles and applicable principles of the commonly used medical statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, difference analysis, consistency test and multivariate statistical analysis, as well as machine learning methods such as shallow learning and deep learning in the age estimation research of living individuals, and summarizes the relevance and application prospects between medical statistical methods and machine learning methods. This paper aims to provide technical guidance for the age estimation research of living individuals to obtain more scientific and accurate results.

White matter integrity of right frontostriatal circuit predicts internet addiction severity among internet gamers.

Excessive use of the internet, which is a typical scenario of self-control failure, could lead to potential consequences such as anxiety, depression, and diminished academic performance. However, the underlying neuropsychological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the structural basis of self-control and internet addiction. In a cohort of 96 internet gamers, we examined the relationships among grey matter volume and white matter integrity within the frontostriatal circuits and internet addiction severity, as well as self-control measures. The results showed a significant and negative correlation between dACC grey matter volume and internet addiction severity (p < 0.001), but not with self-control. Subsequent tractography from the dACC to the bilateral ventral striatum (VS) was conducted. The fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity of dACC-right VS pathway was negatively (p = 0.011) and positively (p = 0.020) correlated with internet addiction severity, respectively, and the FA was also positively correlated with self-control (p = 0.036). These associations were not observed for the dACC-left VS pathway. Further mediation analysis demonstrated a significant complete mediation effect of self-control on the relationship between FA of the dACC-right VS pathway and internet addiction severity. Our findings suggest that the dACC-right VS pathway is a critical neural substrate for both internet addiction and self-control. Deficits in this pathway may lead to impaired self-regulation over internet usage, exacerbating the severity of internet addiction.

Effects of fermented sweet potato residue on nutrient digestibility, meat quality, and intestinal microbes in broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different proportions of dietary fermented sweet potato residue (FSPR) supplementation as a substitute for corn on the nutrient digestibility, meat quality, and intestinal microbes of yellow-feathered broilers. Experiment 1 (force-feeding) evaluated the nutrient composition and digestibility of mixtures with different proportions of sweet potato residue (70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%) before and after fermentation. In Experiment 2 (metabolic growth), a total of 420 one-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly allocated to 4 groups and fed corn-soybean meal-based diets with 0, 5%, 8%, and 10% FSPR as a substitute for corn. The force-feeding and metabolic growth experiments were performed for 9 and 70 d, respectively. The treatment of 70% sweet potato residue (after fermentation) had the highest levels of crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber and improved the digestibility of crude protein and amino acids (P < 0.05). Although dietary FSPR supplementation at different levels had no significant effect on growth performance and intestinal morphology, it improved slaughter rate, half-chamber rate, full clearance rate, and meat color, as well as reduced cooking loss in the breast and thigh muscles (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 8% and 10% FSPR increased the serum immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G levels in broilers (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 10% FSPR increased the Shannon index and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 and Romboutsia abundances and decreased Sutterella and Megamonas abundances (P < 0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis showed that meat color was positively correlated with Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with Megamonas (P < 0.05). Collectively, 70% sweet potato residue (after fermentation) had the best nutritional value and nutrient digestibility. Dietary supplementation with 8% to 10% FSPR as a substitute for corn can improve the slaughter performance, meat quality, and intestinal microbe profiles of broilers. Our findings suggest that FSPR has the potential to be used as a substitute for corn-soybean meals to improve the meat quality and intestinal health of broilers.

Efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab versus trifluridine/tipiracil monotherapy for refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Several studies demonstrated trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) plus bevacizumab (BEV) had better efficacy than the monotherapy of TAS-102 in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, it remains unclear whether Chinese population can benefit from this combination or not. Hence, we conducted this retrospective cohort study to compare the efficacy and safety between TAS-102 plus BEV with TAS-102 monotherapy in refractory mCRC. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients (any age) with refractory mCRC from Hunan Cancer Hospital. The main inclusion criteria were histopathologically and/or radiographically confirmed refractory mCRC, World Health Organization (WHO) performance status of 0 to 2, adequate organ function, and initial treatment of TAS-102 with or without BEV between November 2020 and October 2022. Previous therapy with fruquintinib or regorafenib was allowed but not mandatory. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were collected appropriately. Every 2 or 3 treatment cycles, the patients were assessed by computed tomography (CT) scans and clinical assessments until disease progression or loss to follow-up. The National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 5.0 (NCI-CTCAE 5.0) were presented as n (%). The primary endpoint was investigator-evaluated overall survival (OS). As this is a retrospective cohort study, sample size calculation was not performed. Eligible patients would be enrolled as many as possible. Results: A total of 90 patients were enrolled, including 58 patients who received TAS-102 plus BEV and another 32 patients who received TAS-102 monotherapy. The known baseline characteristics were comparable (P<0.05). With a median follow-up of 4.60 months (range, 0.20-22.80), the median OS (mOS) time in the TAS-102 plus BEV group was longer than that in the TAS-102 monotherapy group (10.83 vs. 7.43 months), but the difference was not significant (P=0.79). The median progression-free survival (mPFS) time was comparable between the two groups (4.67 vs. 4.30 months, P=0.96). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that undergoing therapy after TAS-102 either with or without BEV was an independent risk factor for OS [hazard ratio (HR) =0.25; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.09-0.71, P<0.01], and previous treatment with cetuximab was an independent protective factor for PFS (HR =0.17; 95% CI: 0.03-0.91, P=0.04). Of the 70 patients who were evaluated, those receiving TAS-102 plus BEV showed trend of a higher objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) than those who received TAS-102 monotherapy (P=0.16 and P=0.29, respectively). Adverse events (AEs) were similar between the two groups, except that the incidence of platelet count decrease (grade ≥3) was significantly higher in the TAS-102 plus BEV group. Conclusions: There was a trend in favor of the combination of BEV plus TAS-102 regarding OS and DCR, without reaching statistical significance, and it means that there was no clear advantage of one over the other in terms of efficacy. Further prospective studies are still necessary to draw a definite conclusion.

Dynamic changes of tenderness, moisture and protein in marinated chicken: the effect of different steaming temperatures.

BACKGROUND: The steam processing characteristics of chicken are a key factor in the simplicity and versatility of steamed chicken dishes. The aim of this study was to investigate in depth the changes in tenderness and water retention of marinated chicken at different slow steaming endpoint temperatures, and to further explore the effect of the evolution of protein conformations on the water status. RESULTS: The results showed that chicken samples' shear force peaked at 80 °C and decreased rapidly at 90 °C. As the steaming endpoint temperature increased between 50 and 90 °C, T21, T22, moisture content and centrifugal loss decreased, but P21, P22 and myofibril water-holding capacity showed regular changes. The electrophoretic bands and protein conformation changes showed that protein in marinated chicken underwent different degrees of denaturation, degradation and aggregation. And at 70 °C, with an increase of hydrophobic groups and crosslinking of disulfide bonds as well as an increase in the number of denatured sarcoplasmic proteins, the intermolecular network was enhanced, thus affecting the water retention. CONCLUSION: Water status of chicken meat heated at different steaming temperatures is closely related to the evolution of protein conformations. The present study serves as a robust theoretical foundation for enhancing the quality of steamed chicken products at an industrial scale. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

CHD2 Regulates Neuron-glioma Interactions in Pediatric Glioma.

High-grade gliomas (HGG) are deadly diseases for both adult and pediatric patients. Recently, it has been shown that neuronal activity promotes progression of multiple subgroups of HGG. However, epigenetic mechanisms that govern this process remain elusive. Here we report that the chromatin remodeler CHD2 regulates neuron-glioma interactions in diffuse midline glioma (DMG) characterized by onco-histone H3.1K27M. Depletion of CHD2 in H3.1K27M DMG cells compromises cell viability and neuron-to-glioma synaptic connections in vitro, neuron-induced proliferation of H3.1K27M DMG cells in vitro and in vivo, activity-dependent calcium transients in vivo, and extends the survival of H3.1K27M DMG-bearing mice. Mechanistically, CHD2 coordinates with the transcription factor FOSL1 to control the expression of axon-guidance and synaptic genes in H3.1K27M DMG cells. Together, our study reveals a mechanism whereby CHD2 controls the intrinsic gene program of the H3.1K27M DMG subtype, which in turn regulates the tumor growth-promoting interactions of glioma cells with neurons.

Revealing the pharmacological mechanisms of nao-an dropping pill in preventing and treating ischemic stroke via the PI3K/Akt/eNOS and Nrf2/HO-1 pathways.

Nao-an Dropping Pill (NADP) is a Chinese patent medicine which commonly used in clinic for ischemic stroke (IS). However, the material basis and mechanism of its prevention or treatment of IS are unclear, then we carried out this study. 52 incoming blood components were resolved by UHPLC-MS/MS from rat serum, including 45 prototype components. The potential active prototype components hydroxysafflor yellow A, ginsenoside F1, quercetin, ferulic acid and caffeic acid screened by network pharmacology showed strongly binding ability with PIK3CA, AKT1, NOS3, NFE2L2 and HMOX1 by molecular docking. In vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) experimental results showed that NADP protected HA1800 cells from OGD/R-induced apoptosis by affecting the release of LDH, production of NO, and content of SOD and MDA. Meanwhile, NADP could improve behavioral of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) rats, reduce ischemic area of cerebral cortex, decrease brain water and glutamate (Glu) content, and improve oxidative stress response. Immunohistochemical results showed that NADP significantly regulated the expression of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, eNOS, p-eNOS, Nrf2 and HO-1 in cerebral ischemic tissues. The results suggested that NADP protects brain tissues and ameliorates oxidative stress damage to brain tissues from IS by regulating PI3K/Akt/eNOS and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.

Increased coexpression of PD-L1 and IDO1 is associated with poor overall survival in patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma.

Immunotherapy with programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) blockade was effective in patients with NK/T-cell lymphoma. In addition to PD-L1, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1 (IDO1) is one of the most promising immunotherapeutic targets. High proportions of PD-L1 and IDO1 proteins were observed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) from 230 newly diagnosed patients with NK/T lymphoma with tissue samples from three cancer centers and were associated with poor overall survival (OS) in patients with NK/T lymphoma. Importantly, the coexpression of PD-L1 and IDO1 was related to poor OS and short restricted mean survival time in patients with NK/T lymphoma and was an independent prognostic factor in the training cohorts, and which was also validated in 58 NK/T lymphoma patients (GSE90597). Moreover, a nomogram model constructed with PD-L1 and IDO1 expression together with age could provide concise and precise predictions of OS rates and median survival time. The high-risk group in the nomogram model had a positive correlation with CD4 + T-cell infiltration in the validation cohort, as did the immunosuppressive factor level. Therefore, high PD-L1 and IDO1 expression was associated with poor OS in patients with NK/T lymphoma. PD-L1 and IDO1 might be potential targets for future immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy for NK/T lymphoma.

Insight into the evolution of textural properties and juiciness of ready-to-eat chicken breasts upon different thermal sterilization: From the perspective of protein degradation.

Texture deterioration of meat products upon high-temperature sterilization is a pressing issue in the meat industry. This study evaluated the effect of different thermal sterilization temperatures on the textural and juiciness of ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken breast. In this study, by dynamically monitoring the texture and juiciness of chicken meat products during the process of thermal sterilization, it has been observed that excessively high sterilization temperatures (above 100°C) significantly diminish the shear force, springiness and water-holding capacity of the products. Furthermore, from the perspective of myofibrillar protein degradation, molecular mechanisms have been elucidated, unveiling that the thermal sterilization treatment at 121°C/10 min triggers the degradation of myosin heavy chains and F-actin, disrupting the lattice arrangement of myofilaments, compromising the integrity of sarcomeres, and resulting in an increase of approximately 40.66% in the myofibrillar fragmentation index, thus diminishing the quality characteristics of the products. This study unravels the underlying mechanisms governing the dynamic changes in quality of chicken meat products during the process of thermal sterilization, thereby providing theoretical guidance for the development of high-quality chicken products.

Abscisic acid induces PpeKIL1 to terminate fruit growth and promote fruit abortion in peach (Prunus persica).

Abnormal pollination from chance events or hybridization between species leads to unusual embryo development, resulting in fruit abortion. To elucidate the mechanism underlying fruit abortion, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the transcriptome and hormone profiles in aborting fruits (AF) derived from an interspecific cross between the peach cultivar 'Huangjinmi 3' and the Prunus mume cultivar 'Jiangmei', as well as in normal-seeded fruits (NF) resulting from an intraspecific cross of 'Huangjinmi 3' with the 'Manyuanhong' peach cultivars. Growth of AF was inhibited during the exponential growth phase, with up-regulation of oxidative stress related genes and down-regulation of DNA replication and cell cycle genes. Accumulation of the tissue growth-related hormones auxin and cytokinin was reduced in AF, while levels of the growth inhibiting hormone abscisic acid (ABA) were higher compared to NF. The increased ABA concentration aligned with down-regulation of the ABA catabolism gene CYP707A2, which encodes abscisic acid 8'-hydroxylase. Correlation analysis showed ABA could explain the maximum proportion of differently expressed genes between NF and AF. We also showed that expression of KIRA1-LIKE1 (PpeKIL1), a peach ortholog of the Arabidopsis KIRA1 gene, was up-regulated in AF. PpeKIL1 promotes senescence or delays normal growth in tobacco and Arabidopsis, and its promoter activity increases with exogenous ABA treatment. Our study demonstrates a candidate mechanism where ABA induces expression of PpeKIL1, which further blocks normal fruit growth and triggers fruit abscission.

The patients with multiple myeloma were infected with COVID-19 during autologous stem cell transplantation: case report and literature review.

This paper introduces two cases of multiple myeloma, COVID-19 infection during autologous stem cell transplantation, the treatment process, and different results of the two patients, which provides a reference for how to carry out ASCT safely during the COVID-19 normalization stage.

Molecular mechanism of MLCK1 inducing 5-Fu resistance in colorectal cancer cells through activation of TNFR2/NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Chemotherapy resistance in colorectal cancer have been faced with significant challenges in recent years. Particular interest is directed to tumor microenvironment function. Recent work has, identified a small molecule named Divertin that prevents myosin light chain kinase 1(MLCK1) recruitment to the perijunctional actomyosin ring(PAMR), restores barrier function after tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-induced barrier loss and prevents disease progression in experimental inflammatory bowel disease. Studies have shown that MLCK is a potential target for affecting intestinal barrier function, as well as for tumor therapy. However, the relative contributions of MLCK expression and chemotherapy resistance in colorectal cancers have not been defined. METHODS: Statistical analysis of MYLK gene expression differences in colorectal cancer patients and normal population and prognosis results from The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) data. Cell activity was detected by Cell counting Kit-8. Cell proliferation was detected by monoclonal plate. The apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry and western blot. Determine the role of MLCK1 in inducing 5-Fluorouracil(5-Fu) resistance in colorectal cancer cells was detected by overexpression of MLCK1 and knock-down expression of MLCK1. RESULTS: MLCK1 is expressed at different levels in different colorectal cancer cells, high MLCK1 expressing cell lines are less sensitive to 5-Fu, and low MLCK1 expressing cell lines are more sensitive to 5-Fu. MLCK1 high expression enhances resistance to 5-Fu in colorectal cancer cells and the sensitivity to 5-Fu was increased after knocking down the expression of MLCK1, that might be closely correlated to TNFR2/NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS: MLCK1 high expression can enhance resistance to 5-Fu in colorectal cancer cells and the sensitivity to 5-Fu was increased after knocking down the expression of MLCK1, that might be closely correlated to TNFR2/NF-κB pathway, which will provide a new method for the treatment of colorectal cancer patients who are resistant to 5-Fu chemotherapy.