Rapid detection of human cytomegalovirus by multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification and lateral flow dipsticks.

Introduction: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is the most common viral infection seen in newborns. The major route of transmission for acquired human cytomegalovirus infection is breast milk from mothers who are HCMV seropositive to the infants. Thus, a rapid, economical, and simple method to perform HCMV test in breast milk is crucial and necessary for preventing acquired HCMV infection, especially in underdeveloped regions with limited laboratory resources. Methods: In this study, an effective technique for the detection of HCMV was constructed by combining multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA) and lateral flow chromatography strip (LFD). Primers for the conserved HCMV sequence UL83 were utilized for MIRA-LFD testing. Results: Our results showed that the entire MIRA reaction could be completed in 12 minutes at 37°C, and LFD outcomes could be observed visibly after 10 minutes. The detection sensitivity of this method reached 50 copy/µl. Samples of breast milk were examined to compare MIRA-LFD and conventional qPCR. The accuracy of MIRA-LFD was 100%. Discussion: The straightforward, rapid, economic features of the test can provide the significant advantages for the prevention of breast milk-acquired cytomegalovirus infection, particularly in resource-limited locations with high seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus.

Asymmetric Intramolecular Amination Catalyzed with Cp*Ir-SPDO via Nitrene Transfer for Synthesis of Spiro-Quaternary Indolinone.

An asymmetric intramolecular spiro-amination to high steric hindering α-C-H bond of 1,3-dicarbonyl via nitrene transfer using inactive aryl azides has been carried out by developing a novel Cp*Ir(III)-SPDO (spiro-pyrrolidine oxazoline) catalyst, thereby enabling the first successful construction of structurally rigid spiro-quaternary indolinone cores with moderate to high yields and excellent enantioselectivities. DFT computations support the presence of double bridging H-F bonds between [SbF6]- and both the ligand and substrate, which favors the plane-differentiation of the enol π-bond for nitrenoid attacking. These findings open up numerous opportunities for the development of new asymmetric nitrene transfer systems.

Metabolomics efficiently discriminates monozygotic twins in peripheral blood.

Monozygotic (MZ) twins cannot be distinguished using conventional forensic STR typing because they present identical STR genotypings. However, MZ twins do not always live in the same environment and often have different dietary and other lifestyle habits. Metabolic profiles are deyermined by individual characteristics and are also influenced by the environment in which they live. Therefore, they are potential markers capable of identifying MZ twins. Moreover, the production of proteins varies from organism to organism and is influenced by both the physiological state of the body and the external environment. Hence, we used metabolomics and proteomics to identify metabolites and proteins in peripheral blood to discriminate MZ twins. We identified 1749 known metabolites and 622 proteins in proteomic analysis. The metabolic profiles of four pairs of MZ twins revealed minor differences in intra-MZ twins and major differences in inter-MZ twins. Each pair of MZ twins exhibited distinct characteristics, and four metabolites-methyl picolinate, acesulfame, paraxanthine, and phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid-were observed in all four MZ twin pairs. These four differential exogenous metabolites conincidently show that the different external environments and life styles can be well distinguished by metabolites, considering that twins do not all have the same eating habits and living environments. Moreover, MZ twins showed different protein profiles in serum but not in whole blood. Thus, our results indicate that differential metabolites provide potential biomarkers for the personal identification of MZ twins in forensic medicine.

Green space exposure and Chinese residents' physical activity participation: empirical evidence from a health geography perspective.

Background: With continuous efforts made to promote the strategic goals of carbon neutrality and carbon peak, it is crucial to meet the growing and diversified needs of the public for fitness by practicing the concept of green development and promote the combination of national fitness and ecological civilization. Methods: To achieve this purpose, an OLS regression model was applied to estimate the role of green space exposure in Chinese residents' participation in physical activity and its underlying mechanisms, using the microdata from the China General Social Survey (CGSS) data and the Provincial Vegetation Cover Index (NDVI) matched macrostatistical data. Results: The empirical results show that green space exposure significantly increases the probability of residents' physical activity participation, and creating a green environment is conducive to creating a favorable physical activity environment for residents. Also, the core conclusions still hold after the year-by-year regression test is passed and the endogeneity problem is addressed. As revealed by mechanistic studies, green space exposure has indirect effects on the physical activity participation of residents through the independent mediating roles of reducing carbon emissions and promoting social interaction. According to heterogeneity results, males, those in marriage, and urban dweller groups are more inclined to perform physical activity in green spaces. Conclusion: The results show that the exposure of green space can help increase the probability of residents' participation in physical exercise, and can that it achieved through two channels: reducing carbon emissions and enhancing social interaction. It is necessary to further strengthen the protection of the ecological lifestyle, give full play to the advantages of greenness and low-carbon, and create favorable conditions for the green development of a new model of national fitness.

Association of histone modification with the development of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, influenced by genetic and environmental factors, may involve epigenetic alterations, notably histone modifications, in its pathogenesis. This review summarizes various histone modifications including acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, serotonylation, lactylation, palmitoylation, and dopaminylation, and their implications in schizophrenia. Current research predominantly focuses on histone acetylation and methylation, though other modifications also play significant roles. These modifications are crucial in regulating transcription through chromatin remodeling, which is vital for understanding schizophrenia's development. For instance, histone acetylation enhances transcriptional efficiency by loosening chromatin, while increased histone methyltransferase activity on H3K9 and altered histone phosphorylation, which reduces DNA affinity and destabilizes chromatin structure, are significant markers of schizophrenia.

Rosmarinic acid activates the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway to regulate CD8+ T cells and autophagy to clear Chlamydia trachomatis in reproductive tract-infected mice.

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, which can cause diseases such as pelvic inflammatory disease, and cervical and fallopian tube inflammation, and poses a threat to human health. Rosmarinic acid (RosA) is an active ingredient of natural products with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This study aimed to investigate the role of RosA in inhibiting autophagy-regulated immune cells-CD8+ T cells via the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway in a CT-infected mouse model. Mice were inoculated with CT infection solution vaginally, and the mechanistic basis of RosA treatment was established using H&E staining, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, transmission electron microscopy, and western blot. The key factors involved in RosA treatment were further validated using the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib. Experimental results showed that both RosA and the reference drug azithromycin could attenuate the pathological damage to the endometrium caused by CT infection; flow cytometry showed that peripheral blood CD8+ T cells increased after CT infection and decreased after treatment with RosA and the positive drug azithromycin (positive control); immunofluorescence showed that endometrial CD8 and LC3 increased after CT infection and decreased after RosA and positive drug treatment; the results of transmission electron microscopy showed that RosA and the positive drug azithromycin inhibited the accumulation of autophagosomes; western bolt experiments confirmed the activation of autophagy proteins LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ, ATG5, Beclin-1, and p62 after CT infection, as well as the inhibition of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling. RosA and azithromycin inhibition of autophagy proteins activates Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling. In addition, the MEK inhibitor cobimetinib attenuated RosA's protective effect on endometrium by further activating CD8+ T cells on a CT-induced basis, while transmission electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and western blots showed that cobimetinib blocked ERK signals activation and further induced phagocytosis on a CT-induced basis. These data indicated that RosA can activate the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway to inhibit autophagy, and RosA could also regulate the activation of immune cells-CD8+T cells to protect the reproductive tract of CT-infected mice.

Integrated analysis of the DNA methylome and RNA transcriptome during the development of skeletal muscle in Duroc pigs.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle development plays a crucial role in yield and quality of pork; however, this process is influenced by various factors. In this study, we employed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and transcriptome sequencing to comprehensively investigate the longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM), aiming to identify key genes that impact the growth and development of Duroc pigs with different average daily gains (ADGs). RESULTS: Eight pigs were selected and divided into two groups based on ADGs: H (774.89 g) group and L (658.77 g) group. Each pair of the H and L groups were half-siblings. The results of methylation sequencing revealed 2631 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) involved in metabolic processes, signalling, insulin secretion, and other biological activities. Furthermore, a joint analysis was conducted on these DMGs and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) obtained from transcriptome sequencing of the same individual. This analysis identified 316 differentially methylated and differentially expressed genes (DMEGs), including 18 DMEGs in promoter regions and 294 DMEGs in gene body regions. Finally, LPAR1 and MEF2C were selected as candidate genes associated with muscle development. Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that the promoter region of LPAR1 exhibited significantly lower methylation levels (P < 0.05) and greater expression levels (P < 0.05) in the H group than in the L group. Additionally, hypermethylation was observed in the gene body region of MEF2C, as was a low expression level, in the H group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the differences in the ADGs of Duroc pigs fed the same diet may be influenced by the methylation levels and expression levels of genes related to skeletal muscle development.

Acupuncture versus tricyclic antidepressants in the prophylactic treatment of tension-type headaches: an indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture showed better improvement than sham acupuncture in reducing attack frequency of tension-type headache (TTH), but its effectiveness relative to first-line drugs for TTH is unknown, which impedes the recommendation of acupuncture for patients who are intolerant to drugs for TTH. We aimed to estimate the relative effectiveness between acupuncture and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) through indirect treatment comparison (ITC) meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library from database inception until April 13, 2023. Randomized controlled trials of TCAs or acupuncture in the prevention of TTH in adults were included. The primary outcome was headache frequency. The secondary outcomes were headache intensity, responder rate, and adverse event rate. Bayesian random-effect models were used to perform ITC meta-analysis, and confidence of evidence was evaluated by using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: A total of 34 trials involving 4426 participants were included. Acupuncture had similar effect with TCAs in decreasing TTH frequency (amitriptyline: mean difference [MD] -1.29, 95% CI -5.28 to 3.02; amitriptylinoxide: MD -0.05, 95% CI -6.86 to 7.06) and reducing TTH intensity (amitriptyline: MD 2.35, 95% CI -1.20 to 5.78; clomipramine: MD 1.83, 95% CI -4.23 to 8.20). Amitriptyline had a higher rate of adverse events than acupuncture (OR 4.73, 95% CI 1.42 to 14.23). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture had similar effect as TCAs in reducing headache frequency of TTH, and acupuncture had a lower adverse events rate than amitriptyline, as shown by very low certainty of evidence.

Disease-Related Factors Associated with Acupuncture Response in Patients with Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Secondary Analysis of A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the demographic and disease-related factors associated with acupuncture response in patients with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH). METHODS: Using data from a randomized clinical trial (218 cases) consisting of 4 weeks of baseline assessment, 8 weeks of treatment, and 24 weeks of follow-up, participants were regrouped into responders (at least a 50% reduction in monthly headache days at week 16 compared with baseline) and non-responders. Twenty-three demographic and disease-related factors associated with acupuncture response in 183 participants were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: One hundred and nineteen (65.0%) participants were classified as responders. Four factors were significantly independently associated with acupuncture response, including treatment assignment, headache intensity at baseline, and 2 domains [general health (GH) and social functioning (SF)] from the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey quality of life questionnaire. Treatment assignment was associated with non-response: participants receiving true acupuncture were 3-time more likely to achieve a CTTH response than those receiving superficial acupuncture [odds ratio (OR) 0.322, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.162 to 0.625, P=0.001]. Compared with patients with mild-intensity headache, patients with moderate-intensity headache were twice as likely to respond to acupuncture (OR 2.001, 95% CI 1.020 to 4.011, P=0.046). The likelihood of non-response increased by 4.5% with each unit increase in the GH grade (OR 0.955, 95% CI 0.917 to 0.993, P=0.024) while decreased by 3.8% with each unit increase in the SF grade (OR 1.038, 95% CI 1.009 to 1.069, P=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Greater headache intensity, lower GH score, and higher SF score were associated with better acupuncture responses in CTTH patients. These 3 factors require independent validation as predictors of acupuncture effectiveness in CTTH.

Diagnostic efficacy of combining diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with serum Mucin 1, Mucin 13, and Mucin 16 in distinguishing borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors.

AIMS: To enhance ovarian tumor diagnosis beyond conventional methods, this study explored combining diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI) and serum biomarkers (Mucin 1 [MUC1], MUC13, and MUC16) for distinguishing borderline from malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. METHODS: A total of 126 patients, including 71 diagnosed with borderline (BEOTs) and 55 with malignant epithelial ovarian tumors (MEOTs), underwent preoperative DWI-MRI. Region of interest (ROI) was manually drawn along the solid component's boundary of the largest tumor, focusing on areas with potentially the lowest apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). For entirely cystic tumors, a free-form ROI enclosed the maximum number of septa while targeting the lowest ADC. Serum biomarkers were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Basic morphological traits proved inadequate for malignancy diagnosis, warranting this investigation. BEOTs had an ADC mean of (1.670 ± 0.250) × 103 mm2 /s, while MEOTs had a lower ADC mean of (1.332 ± 0.481) × 103 mm2 /s, with a sensitivity of 63.6% and specificity of 90.1%. Median MUC1 (167.0 U/mL vs. 87.3 U/mL), MUC13 (12.44 ng/mL vs. 7.77 ng/mL), and MUC16 (180.6 U/mL vs. 36.1 U/mL) levels were higher in MEOTs patients. The biomarker performance was: MUC1, sensitivity 50.9%, specificity 100%; MUC13, sensitivity 56.4%, specificity 78.9%; MUC16, sensitivity 83.64%, specificity 100%. Combining serum biomarkers and ADC mean resulted in a sensitivity of 96.4% and specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION: The integration of DWI-MRI with serum biomarkers (MUC1, MUC13, and MUC16) achieves exceptional diagnostic accuracy, offering a powerful tool for the precise differentiation between borderline and malignant epithelial ovarian tumors.

Simple and field-adapted species identification of biological specimens combining multiplex multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification, lateral flow dipsticks, and universal primers for initial rapid screening without standard PCR laboratory.

Species identification of biological specimens can provide the valuable clues and accelerate the speed of prosecution material processing for forensic investigation, especially when the case scene is inaccessible and the physical evidence is cumbersome. Thus, establishing a rapid, simple, and field-adapted species identification method is crucial for forensic scientists, particularly as first-line technology at the crime scene for initial rapid screening. In this study, we established a new field-adapted species identification method by combining multiplex multienzyme isothermal rapid amplification (MIRA), lateral flow dipstick (LFD) system, and universal primers. Universal primers targeting COX I and COX II genes were used in multiplex MIRA-LFD system for seven species identification, and a dedicated MIRA-LFD system primer targeting CYT B gene was used to detect the human material. DNA extraction was performed by collecting DNA directly from the centrifuged supernatant. Our study found that the entire amplification process took only 15 min at 37 °C and the results of LFDs could be visually observed after 10 min. The detection sensitivity of human material could reach 10 pg, which is equivalent to the detection of single cell. Different common animal samples mixed at the ratio of 1 ng:1 ng, 10 ng:1 ng, and 1 ng:10 ng could be detected successfully. Furthermore, the damaged and degraded samples could also be detected. Therefore, the convenient, feasible, and rapid approach for species identification is suitable for popularization as first-line technology at the crime scene for initial rapid screening and provides a great convenient for forensic application.

Correlation between long-term use of aspirin and Helicobacter pylori infection in elderly people and its effectiveness on Helicobacter pylori eradication / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation between long-term use of low-dose aspirin and Helicobacter pylori(HP)infection in elderly people and its effectiveness on HP eradication and recurrence.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 2 834 elderly people aged 60 and above who underwent the C 13-or C 14-urea breath test(UBT)for the first time in the Physical Examination Center of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between March 2010 and December 2019.According to the results of UBT, people were divided into an HP infection group with 1 510 patients and a non-HP infection group with 1 324 patients.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the relationship between aspirin use and HP infection.Additionally, in a prospective case-control analysis, 544 elderly hypertensive patients diagnosed with HP infection between March 2015 and December 2020 were selected and divided into an aspirin group(402 cases)and an observation group(142 cases), based on whether aspirin was used.The aspirin group was further divided into a 1 to <2 years group(134 cases), a ≥2 to <5 years group(142 cases)and a ≥5 years group(126 cases)based on the duration of aspirin treatment.The rates of HP eradication, safety and one-year post-treatment HP recurrence with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy were compared. Results:The overall HP infection rate was 53.28%(1 510/2 834).Univariate analysis showed that the infection rate in women was higher than in men[56.86%(584/1 027) vs.51.25%(926/1 807), χ2=8.307, P=0.004].The infection rate in aspirin users was higher than in non-aspirin users[57.29%(920/1 606) vs.48.05%(590/1 228), χ2=23.866, P<0.001], with no significant difference between aspirin use for 1-<2 years, ≥2-<5 years and ≥5 years[60.22%(162/269) vs.56.4%(273/484) vs.56.86%(485/853), χ2=1.166, P=0.558].Fasting blood glucose levels in the HP infection group were higher than in the non-HP infection group[(5.92±1.78)mmol/L vs.(5.77±1.40)mmol/L, t=2.317, P=0.021].Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed the risk of HP infection in women was higher than in men( OR=1.254, 95% CI: 1.075-1.464, P=0.004).Long-term aspirin use increased the risk of HP infection( OR=1.450, 95% CI: 1.249-1.684, P<0.001).Among the 544 cases selected for eradication therapy, 522 completed the treatment protocol, with 479 achieving successful eradication.The overall eradication rate was 91.76%(479/522)according to per-protocol(PP)analysis and 88.05%(479/544)according to intention-to-treat(ITT).After 1 year, 472 cases underwent reexamination, with an overall recurrence rate of 3.6%(17/472).There was no statistical significance in the eradication rate and recurrence rate among the groups with different durations of aspirin treatment and the observation group. Conclusions:Long-term use of low-dose aspirin increases the risk of HP infection in the elderly, but does not affect the eradication rate and one-year recurrence rate of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy.Therefore, periodic screening and eradication of HP should be performed.

Research progress of D-dimer and kidney diseases / 中华肾脏病杂志

D-dimer is a fibrin degradation product. The increased D-dimer indicates hypercoagulability and secondary hyperfibrinolysis, which can be used as a biomarker for activation of coagulation and fibrinolysis system. D-dimer is routinely used in the diagnosis of thrombotic diseases. D-dimer level is affected by age, pregnancy, blood glucose, infection, liver failure, cancer and stroke. The increased D-dimer is closely related to kidney diseases. The paper reviews the formation mechanism and influencing factors of D-dimer, the relationship between D-dimer and kidney diseases, and the prognostic value of D-dimer in kidney diseases, to provide references for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Efficacy of Acupuncture for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria : A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of acupuncture for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), reported in a few small-scale studies, is not convincing. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether acupuncture leads to better effects on CSU than sham acupuncture or waitlist control. DESIGN: A multicenter, randomized, sham-controlled trial. (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR1900022994). SETTING: Three teaching hospitals in China from 27 May 2019 to 30 July 2022. PARTICIPANTS: 330 participants diagnosed with CSU. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or waitlist control over an 8-week study period (4 weeks for treatment and another 4 weeks for follow-up). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the mean change from baseline in the Weekly Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7) at week 4. Secondary outcomes included itch severity scores, self-rated improvement, and Dermatology Life Quality Index scores. RESULTS: The mean change in UAS7 (range, 0 to 42) for acupuncture from baseline (mean score, 23.5 [95% CI, 21.8 to 25.2]) to week 4 (mean score, 15.3 [CI, 13.6 to 16.9]) was -8.2 (CI, -9.9 to -6.6). The mean changes in UAS7 for sham acupuncture and waitlist control from baseline (mean scores, 21.9 [CI, 20.2 to 23.6] and 22.1 [CI, 20.4 to 23.8], respectively) to week 4 (mean scores, 17.8 [CI, 16.1 to 19.5] and 20.0 [CI, 18.3 to 21.6], respectively) were -4.1 (CI, -5.8 to -2.4) and -2.2 (CI, -3.8 to -0.5), respectively. The mean differences between acupuncture and sham acupuncture and waitlist control were -4.1 (CI, -6.5 to -1.8) and -6.1 (CI, -8.4 to -3.7), respectively, which did not meet the threshold for minimal clinically important difference. Fifteen participants (13.6%) in the acupuncture group and none in the other groups reported adverse events. Adverse events were mild or transient. LIMITATION: Lack of complete blinding, self-reported outcomes, limited generalizability because antihistamine use was disallowed, and short follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Compared with sham acupuncture and waitlist control, acupuncture produced a greater improvement in UAS7, although the difference from control was not clinically significant. Increased adverse events were mild or transient. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: The National Key R&D Program of China and the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province.

The psoas muscle density as a predictor of postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing rectal cancer resection.

Background: Muscle depletion that impairs normal physiological function in elderly patients leads to poor prognosis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between total abdominal muscle area (TAMA), total psoas area (TPA), psoas muscle density (PMD), and short-term postoperative complications in elderly patients with rectal cancer. Methods: All elderly patients underwent rectal cancer resection with perioperative abdominal computed tomography (CT). Complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Severe complications were defined as grade III-V following the Clavien-Dindo classification. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors of short-term severe postoperative complications. Results: The cohort consisted of 191 patients with a mean age of 73.60 ± 8.81 years. Among them, 138 (72.25%) patients had Clavien-Dindo 0- II, 53 (27.75%) patients had severe postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo III-V), and 1(0.52%) patient died within 30 days of surgery. PMD was significantly higher in the Clavien-Dindo 0-II cohort compared to the Clavien-Dindo III-V cohort (p=0.004). Nevertheless, TAMA and TPA failed to exhibit significant differences. Moreover, the multivariate regression analysis implied that advanced age [OR 1.07 95%CI (1.02-1.13) p=0.013], male [OR 5.03 95%CI (1.76-14.41) p=0.003], high charlson comorbidity index (CCI) score [OR 3.60 95%CI (1.44-9.00) p=0.006], and low PMD [OR 0.94 95%CI (0.88-0.99) p=0.04] were independent risk factors of Clavien-Dindo III-V. Conclusion: Preoperative assessment of the PMD on CT can be a simple and practical method for identifying elderly patients with rectal cancer at risk for severe postoperative complications.

Interaction between SlMAPK3 and SlASR4 regulates drought resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).

Tomato is a leading vegetable in modern agriculture, and with global warming, drought has become an important factor threatening tomato production. Mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3) plays an important role in plant disease and stress resistance. To clarify the downstream target proteins of SlMAPK3 and the mechanism of stress resistance in tomato, this study was conducted with the SlMAPK3-overexpressing lines OE-1 and OE-2 and the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutant lines slmapk3-1 and slmapk3-2 under PEG 6000-simulated drought. The results of yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), pull-down, and coimmunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assays confirmed that SlASR4 (NP_001269248.1) interacted with SlMAPK3. Analyses of the SlASR4 protein structure and SlASR4 expression under PEG 6000 and BTH stress revealed that SlASR4 has a highly conserved protein structural domain involved in the drought stress response under PEG 6000 treatment. The function of the SlASR4 and SlMAPK3 downstream target protein, in drought resistance in tomato plants, was identified by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). This study clarified that SlMAPK3 interacts with SlASR4 to positively regulate drought resistance in tomato plants.

Body mass index, neck circumference, and hypertension: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between BMI combined with neck circumference and the risk of hypertension. Methods: We selected participants from the Kailuan study in 2014 who were normotensive as our research subjects. We compared the risk of hypertension among individuals in group 1 (non-obese with low neck circumference), group 2 (non-obese with high neck circumference), group 3 (obese with low neck circumference), and group 4 (obese with high neck circumference). Results: After a median observation period of 3.86 years, hypertension occurred in 13,383 participants. Subjects in Group 2, 3, and 4 had significantly higher risks of hypertension compared to Group 1, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.066 (95% CI: 1.025, 1.110), 1.322 (95% CI: 1.235, 1.415), and 1.422 (95% CI: 1.337, 1.512), respectively. Additionally, adding BMI to a conventional model had a greater incremental effect on predicting hypertension compared to adding neck circumference alone. However, considering both BMI and neck circumference together further improved the prediction of hypertension. Conclusion: Individuals with both high BMI and high neck circumference face a higher risk of hypertension. Moreover, BMI is a superior predictor of hypertension risk compared to neck circumference, but using both of these measures can further enhance the accuracy of hypertension risk prediction.