Fangchinoline inhibits mouse oocyte meiosis by disturbing MPF activity.

Fangchinoline (FA) is an alkaloid derived from the traditional Chinese medicine Fangji. Numerous studies have shown that FA has a toxic effect on various cancer cells, but little is known about its toxic effects on germ cells, especially oocytes. In this study, we investigated the effects of FA on mouse oocyte maturation and its potential mechanisms. Our results showed that FA did not affect meiosis resumption but inhibited the first polar body extrusion. This inhibition is not due to abnormalities at the organelle level, such as chromosomes and mitochondrial, which was proved by detection of DNA damage and reactive oxygen species. Further studies revealed that FA arrested the oocyte at the metaphase I stage, and this arrest was not caused by abnormal kinetochore-microtubule attachment or spindle assembly checkpoint activation. Instead, FA inhibits the activity of anaphase-promoting complexes (APC/C), as evidenced by the inhibition of CCNB1 degeneration. The decreased activity of APC/C may be due to a reduction in CDC25B activity as indicated by the high phosphorylation level of CDC25B (Ser323). This may further enhance Maturation-Promoting Factor (MPF) activity, which plays a critical role in meiosis. In conclusion, our study suggests that the metaphase I arrest caused by FA may be due to abnormalities in MPF and APC/C activity.

[A fluorescence method based on malachite green/aptamer for detection of ochratoxin A in traditional Chinese medicines].

A label-free fluorescence method based on malachite green/aptamer was developed for the detection of ochratoxin A(OTA) in traditional Chinese medicines. Malachite green itself exhibits weak fluorescence. Upon interaction with the aptamer specific to OTA, the G-quadruplex structure of the aptamer provides a protective microenvironment for malachite green, which significantly enhances its fluorescence signal. After OTA is added, preferential binding occurs between the aptamer and OTA, and malachite green will be released from the aptamer, which weakens the fluorescence signal. According to this principle, this paper established a fluorescence method with the aptamer of OTA as the recognition element and malachite green as the fluorescent probe for the detection of OTA in traditional Chinese medicines. The key experimental factors such as the concentrations of metal ions, aptamer, and malachite green were optimized to improve the performance of the method. OTA was detected under the optimal experimental conditions, and the results showed that with the increase in OTA concentration, the fluorescence signal gradually weakened. Within the range of 20-1 000 nmol·L~(-1), the OTA concentration was linearly correlated with the fluorescence signal ratio ΔF/F(ΔF=F_0-F, where F_0 is the fluorescence signal of aptamer/malachite green, and F is the fluorescence signal of OTA/aptamer/malachite green), with R~2 of 0.995. The limit of detection of the established method was 7.1 nmol·L~(-1). Furthermore, three substances structurally similar to OTA and two mycotoxins that may coexist with OTA were selected for experiments, which aimed to examine the cross-reactivity and specificity of the established method. The cross-reactivity experiments demonstrated that the interferers did not significantly affect the fluorescence signal of the detection system. The specificity experiments revealed that when mycotoxins were mixed with OTA, the fluorescence signal generated by the mixture closely resembled that of OTA itself. The results indicated that even in the presence of interferents, the established method remained unaffected and demonstrated excellent specificity. Additionally, this method exhibited remarkable reproducibility and stability. In the case of simple centrifugation and dilution of traditional Chinese medicine samples(Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Sophorae Flavescentis Radix, and Periplocae Cortex), the OTA detection method was applicable, with recovery rates ranging from 91.5% to 121.3%. Notably, this approach does not need complex pretreatment of traditional Chinese medicines while offering simple operation, low detection costs, and short detection time. Furthermore, by incorporating aptamers into the quality evaluation of traditional Chinese medicines, this method expands the application scope of aptamers.

The efficacy and safety of ciprofol and propofol in patients undergoing colonoscopy: A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Propofol is a commonly utilized anesthetic for painless colonoscopy, but its usage is occasionally limited due to its potential side effects, including cardiopulmonary suppression and injection pain. To address this limitation, the novel compound ciprofol has been proposed as a possible alternative for propofol. This study sought to determine whether there are any differences in the safety and efficacy of propofol and ciprofol for painless colonoscopy. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial. SETTING: Single-centre, class A tertiary hospital, November 2021 to November 2022. PATIENTS: Adult, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status I to II and body mass index of 18 to 30 kg m-2 patients scheduled to undergo colonoscopy. INTERVENTIONS: Consecutive patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive sedation for colonoscopy with ciprofol (group C) or propofol (group P). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the success rate of colonoscopy. The secondary outcomes were onset time of sedation, operation time, recovery time and discharge time, patients and endoscopists satisfaction, side effects (e.g. injection pain, myoclonus, drowsiness, dizziness, procedure recall, nausea and vomiting) and incidence rate of cardiopulmonary adverse events. MAIN RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the success rate of colonoscopy between the two groups (ciprofol 96.3% vs. propofol 97.6%; mean difference - 1.2%, 95% CI: -6.5% to 4.0%, P = 0.650). However, group C showed prolonged sedation (63.4 vs. 54.8 s, P < 0.001) and fully alert times (9 vs 8 min, P = 0.013), as well as reduced incidences of injection pain (0 vs. 40.2%, P < 0.001), respiratory depression (2.4% vs. 13.4%, P = 0.021) and hypotension (65.9% vs. 80.5%, P = 0.034). Patients satisfaction was also higher in Group C (10 vs 9, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Ciprofol can be used independently for colonoscopy. When comparing the sedation efficacy of ciprofol and propofol, a 0.4 mg kg-1 dose of ciprofol proved to be equal to a 2.0 mg kg-1 dose of propofol, with fewer side effects and greater patient satisfaction during the procedure.

A Multiplex Recombinase-Aided qPCR Assay for Highly Sensitive and Rapid Detection of khe, blaKPC -2, and blaNDM -1 Genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish a highly sensitive and rapid single-tube, two-stage, multiplex recombinase-aided qPCR (mRAP) assay to specifically detect the khe, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 genes in Klebsiella pneumoniae. METHODS: mRAP was carried out in a qPCR instrument within 1 h. The analytical sensitivities of mRAP for khe, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 genes were tested using recombinant plasmids and dilutions of reference strains. A total of 137 clinical isolates and 86 sputum samples were used to validate the clinical performance of mRAP. RESULTS: mRAP achieved the sensitivities of 10, 8, and 14 copies/reaction for khe, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 genes, respectively, superior to qPCR. The Kappa value of qPCR and mRAP for detecting khe, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 genes was 1, 0.855, and 1, respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: mRAP is a rapid and highly sensitive assay for potential clinical identification of khe, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 genes in K. pneumoniae.

Comparative Analysis of Diagnostic Efficacy in Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Comparison Analysis of 11C-Choline PET/CT, Neck Ultrasonography, 99mTc-MIBI Dual-Phase Planar Scintigraphy, and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT Imaging.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic efficacy of 11C-choline PET/CT, neck ultrasonography, 99mTc-MIBI dual-phase planar scintigraphy, and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging in the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 32 patients with PHPT who visited the Nuclear Medicine Department of Jilin University China-Japan Union Hospital between January 2019 and December 2022. All patients underwent 11C-choline PET/CT, neck ultrasonography, 99mTc-MIBI dual-phase planar scintigraphy, and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT examinations within two months before surgery. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of each imaging study were compared using postoperative pathology and follow-up results. Diagnostic efficacy was further analyzed using ROC curve analysis. Factors influencing on 99mTc-MIBI imaging were also investigated. Results: A total of 35 lesions were resected in the 32 patients. The diagnostic sensitivity of 11C-choline PET/CT, neck ultrasonography, 99mTc-MIBI dual-phase planar scintigraphy, and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT was 88.2%, 52.9%, 58.8%, and 67.6%, respectively. Specificity was 96.8%, 95.7%, 96.8%, and 95.7%, respectively. Positive predictive values were 90.9%, 81.8%, 86.9%, and 85.2%, respectively, and negative predictive values were 95.7%, 84.9%, 86.7%, and 89.1%, respectively. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) were 0.925, 0.743, 0.778, and 0.817, respectively. Among them, 11C-choline PET/CT had higher sensitivity and AUC than other imaging studies (p<0.05), while specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were similar (p>0.05). The positive group in 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT imaging had significantly larger lesion diameters than the negative group (P<0.05), while preoperative blood calcium and PTH showed no statistical differences (P>0.05). Conclusion: 11C-choline PET/CT demonstrates superior preoperative diagnostic efficacy for PHPT compared to neck ultrasonography, 99mTc-MIBI dual-phase planar scintigraphy, and 99mTc-MIBI SPECT/CT. Lesion size may be the primary factor affecting the sensitivity of 99mTc-MIBI imaging.

Argon non-thermal plasma treatment promotes the development of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in saline alkali environments.

Soil salinization leads to a reduction in arable land area, which seriously endangers food security. Developing saline-alkali land has become a key measure to address the contradiction between population growth and limited arable land. Rice is the most important global food crop, feeding half of the world's population and making it a suitable choice for planting on saline-alkali lands. The traditional salt-alkali improvement method has several drawbacks. Currently, non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology is being increasingly applied in agriculture. However, there are few reports on the cultivation of salt/alkali-tolerant rice. Under alkaline stress, argon NTP treatment significantly increased the germination rate of Longdao 5 (LD5) rice seeds. In addition, at 15 kV and 120 s, NTP treatment significantly increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and SOD. NTP treatment induced changes in genes related to salt-alkali stress in rice seedlings, such as chitinase and xylanase inhibitor proteins, which increased the tolerance of the seeds to salt-alkali stress. This experiment has expanded the application scope of NTP in agriculture, providing a more cost-effective, less harmful, and faster method for developing salt-alkali-tolerant rice and laying a theoretical foundation for cultivating NTP-enhanced salt-alkali-tolerant rice.

Preparation and Peculiar Magnetic Properties at Low Temperatures of La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 Nanofibers.

Herein, the preparation process, morphology, structure, and magnetic properties of La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 (LSCO) cobweb-like nanofibers are reported. LSCO nanofibers with a regular grain size distribution are successfully prepared via electrospinning, followed by calcination. We conducted morphology analysis and elemental distribution using electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. Additionally, magnetic property testing was performed using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) to confirm the superconducting properties of the samples. Interestingly, our samples exhibited a superconducting transition temperature, Tc, of 25.21 K, which showed some disparity compared to similar works. Furthermore, we observed a ferromagnetic response at low temperatures in the superconducting nanofibers. We attribute these phenomena to the effects generated by surface states of nanoscale superconducting materials.

PET/CT-aided biopsy of lung lesions enhances diagnostic efficacy, especially for lesions >3cm.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic efficacy of PET/CT-aided CT-guided and routine CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy for lung lesions. Methods: A total of 458 patients with suspicious lung lesions were referred for CT-guided biopsy, with 227 patients assigned to the PET/CT group and 231 patients assigned to the CT group. The clinical characteristics and diagnostic yield were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, conducting subgroup analysis to evaluate the differences of diagnostic success or failure between the two groups. Results: The sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy rate differed significantly (P = 0.035, P = 0.048). In the PET/CT group, the values were 95.7% and 96.3%, respectively, while in the CT group, they were 90.1% and 91.9%. When considering non-diagnostic cases, the overall diagnostic success rate increased markedly in PET/CT group (93.0% vs. 83.1%, P = 0.001). In our subgroup analysis, the PET/CT group demonstrated superiority in detecting lesions larger than 3 cm (OR, 4.81; 95CI%, 2.03 - 11.36), while showing a moderate effect in lesions smaller than 3 cm (OR, 1.09; 95CI%, 0.42 - 2.81). Significant effect modification was observed in large lesions in the PET/CT group (P for interaction = 0.023). Conclusions: 18F-FDG-PET/CT enhances the diagnostic efficacy of CT-guided transthoracic needle biopsy for lung lesions, and the incremental value can be modified by lesion size, particularly when the diameter is larger than 3 cm.

Synthesis and Preliminary Study of 99mTc-Labeled HYNIC-FAPi for Imaging of Fibroblast Activation Proteins in Tumors.

Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is an emerging target for cancer diagnosis. Different types of FAP inhibitor (FAPI)-based radiotracers have been developed and applied for tumor imaging. However, few FAPI tracers for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging have been reported. SPECT imaging is less expensive and more widely distributed than positron emission tomography (PET), and thus, 99mTc-labeled FAPIs would be more available to patients in developing regions. Herein, we developed a FAPI-04-derived radiotracer, HYNIC-FAPi-04 (HFAPi), for SPECT imaging. 99mTc-HFAPi, with a radiochemical purity of >98%, was prepared using a kit formula within 30 min. The specificity of 99mTc-HFAPi for FAP was validated by a cell binding assay in vitro and SPECT/CT imaging in vivo. The binding affinity (Kd value) of 99mTc-HFAPi for human FAP and murine FAP was 4.49 and 2.07 nmol/L, respectively. SPECT/CT imaging in HT1080-hFAP tumor-bearing mice showed the specific FAP targeting ability of 99mTc-HFAPi in vivo. In U87MG tumor-bearing mice, 99mTc-HFAPi had a higher tumor uptake compared with that of HT1080-hFAP and 4T1-mFAP tumor models. Interestingly, 99mTc-HFAPi showed a relatively high uptake in some murine joints. 99mTc-HFAPi accumulated in tumor lesions with a high tumor-to-background ratio. A preliminary clinical study was also performed in breast cancer patients. Additionally, 99mTc-HFAPi exhibited an advantage over 18F-FDG in the detection of lymph node metastatic lesions in breast cancer patients, which is helpful in improving treatment strategies. In short, 99mTc-HFAPi showed excellent affinity and specificity for FAP and is a promising SPECT radiotracer for (re)staging and treatment planning of breast cancers.

High-Selectivity Laminated Gas Sensor Based on Characteristic Peak under Temperature Modulation.

Aiming at the bottleneck problem of insufficient selectivity of metal oxide gas sensors, a reliable scheme to improve selectivity is proposed, that is, a laminated sensor structure of a gas-sensitive membrane plus catalytic membrane combined with the temperature modulation technology. It is presented as a highly selective ethanol sensor as an example for verification. The laminated gas sensor is made of Sr@SnO2 as the gas-sensing membrane and ZSM-5 as the catalytic membrane by the microelectro mechanical system. The results indicate that in temperature modulation mode, the Sr@SnO2/ZSM-5-laminated sensor has good resistance gas-sensing response to most different types of gases but only shows a characteristic peak on the time-resistance and temperature-resistance curves of ethanol gas response. By defining and calculating this characteristic peak, the selectivity of ethanol gas response signal is improved. The Sr@SnO2/ZSM-5 sensor also exhibits high sensitivity to ethanol gas at the parts per billion level, fast response/recovery time in seconds, excellent anti-interference, and stability, indicating the reliability and practicality of this highly selective scheme. This scheme is of great significance for the study of high selectivity of a metal oxide gas sensor and promotes its wide application.

Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation Attenuates Cognitive Deficits and Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathologies via ISCA1-Mediated Mitochondrial Modulation in APP/PS1 Mice.

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS), a time-saving and cost-effective repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regime, has been shown to improve cognition in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the specific mechanism underlying iTBS-induced cognitive enhancement remains unknown. Previous studies suggested that mitochondrial functions are modulated by magnetic stimulation. Here, we showed that iTBS upregulates the expression of iron-sulfur cluster assembly 1 (ISCA1, an essential regulatory factor for mitochondrial respiration) in the brain of APP/PS1 mice. In vivo and in vitro studies revealed that iTBS modulates mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster assembly to facilitate mitochondrial respiration and function, which is required for ISCA1. Moreover, iTBS rescues cognitive decline and attenuates AD-type pathologies in APP/PS1 mice. The present study uncovers a novel mechanism by which iTBS modulates mitochondrial respiration and function via ISCA1-mediated iron-sulfur cluster assembly to alleviate cognitive impairments and pathologies in AD. We provide the mechanistic target of iTBS that warrants its therapeutic potential for AD patients.

Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation for Stroke: Primary Motor Cortex Versus Cerebellar Stimulation: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors with impaired balance and motor function tend to have relatively poor functional outcomes. The cerebellum and primary motor cortex (M1) have been suggested as targets for neuromodulation of balance and motor recovery after stroke. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) to the cerebellum or M1 on balance and motor recovery in patients with stroke. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial, patients with subacute stroke were randomly divided into 3 groups: M1-, cerebellar-, and sham-iTBS (n=12 per group; 15 sessions, 3 weeks). All outcomes were evaluated before intervention (T0), after 1 week of intervention (T1), after 3 weeks of intervention (T2), and at follow-up (T3). The primary outcome was the Berg balance scale score at T2. Secondary outcomes include the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for lower extremities, the trunk impairment scale, the Barthel index, the modified Rankin Scale, the functional ambulation categories, and cortical excitability. RESULTS: A total of 167 inpatients were screened, 36 patients (age, 57.50±2.41 years; 10 women, 12 ischemic) were enrolled between December 2020 and January 2023. At T2, M1- or cerebellar-iTBS significantly improved Berg balance scale scores by 10.7 points ([95% CI, 2.7-18.6], P=0.009) and 14.2 points ([95% CI, 1.2-27.2], P=0.032) compared with the sham-iTBS group. Moreover, the cerebellar-iTBS group showed a significantly greater improvement in Fugl-Meyer assessment scale for lower extremities scores by 5.6 points than the M1-iTBS ([95% CI, 0.3-10.9], P=0.037) and by 7.8 points than the sham-iTBS ([95% CI, 1.1-14.5], P=0.021) groups at T2. The motor-evoked potential amplitudes of the M1- and cerebellar-iTBS groups were higher than those of the sham-iTBS group (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Both M1- and cerebellar-iTBS could improve balance function. Moreover, cerebellar-iTBS, but not M1-iTBS, induced significant effects on motor recovery. Thus, cerebellar-iTBS may be a valuable new therapeutic option in stroke rehabilitation programs. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.chictr.org.cn/; Unique identifier: ChiCTR2100047002.

Safety and effectiveness of remdesivir for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with end-stage renal disease: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Remdesivir has been used to treat severe coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19); however, its safety and effectiveness in patients remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of remdesivir in patients with COVID-19 with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS: This retrospective study used the Chang Gung Research Database (CGRD) and extracted data from 21,621 adult patients with COVID-19 diagnosed between April 2021 and September 2022. The patients were divided into groups based on their remdesivir use and the presence of ESRD. The adverse effects of remdesivir and their outcomes were analyzed after propensity score matching. RESULTS: To compare the adverse effects of remdesivir, propensity scores were used for one-to-one matching between patients with and without ESRD treated with remdesivir (N = 110). There were no statistically significant differences in heart rates, blood glucose levels, variations in hemoglobin levels before and after remdesivir use, or liver function between the two groups after remdesivir use. A comparison was made between patients with ESRD using remdesivir and those not using remdesivir after propensity score matching (N = 44). Although a shorter length of stay (LOS), lower intensive care unit (ICU) admission rate, and lower intubation rate were noted in the ESRD group treated with remdesivir, the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Remdesivir is safe for use in patients with COVID-19 and ESRD; no increased adverse effects were noted compared with patients without ESRD. However, the effectiveness of remdesivir use in patients with COVID-19 and ESRD remains uncertain.

Quality appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for the management of Dysphagia after acute stroke.

Objectives: Dysphagia is a common complication in stroke patients, widely affecting recovery and quality of life after stroke. The objective of this systematic review is to identify the gaps that between evidence and practice by critically assessing the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for management of dysphagia in stroke. Methods: We systematically searched academic databases and guideline repositories between January 1, 2014, and August 1, 2023. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument was used by two authors to independently assess CPG quality. Results: In a total of 14 CPGs included, we identified that three CPGs obtained a final evaluation of "high quality," nine CPGs achieved "moderate quality" and two CPGs received "low quality." The domain of "scope and purpose" achieved the highest mean score (91.1%) and the highest median (IQR) of 91.7% (86.1, 94.4%), while the domain of "applicability" received the lowest mean score (55.8%) and the lowest median (IQR) of 55.4% (43.2, 75.5%). Conclusion: The CPG development group should pay more attention to improving the methodological quality according to the AGREE II instrument, especially in the domain of "applicability" and "stakeholder involvement;" and each item should be refined as much as possible.

On the error performance and channel capacity of a uniquely decodable coded FSO system over Malaga turbulence with pointing errors.

Our previous work has proved that the uniquely decodable code (UDC) has the ability of enhancing the throughput of a free space optical communication (FSO) system. This paper quantitatively analyzes the error performance and channel capacity of the UDC-FSO system under Malaga turbulence and pointing errors. We first propose the minimum distance of the superimposed patterns (MDSP) approximation to reveal the universal symbol error rate (SER) for UDC-FSO systems. A closed form expression of SER is further deduced for a special case of 2 TXs. Based on the deduced SER, the upper and lower bounds of bit error rate (BER) can be obtained. Additionally, the discrete channel capacity of the UDC-FSO system is defined and deduced according to different superposition patterns, as well as the channel capacity gain. Both simulation and experiment verify the accuracy of the MDSP and SER's expressions. It's also discovered that the channel capacity of the UDC-FSO system is superior to the conventional end-to-end (E2E) link, where maximal channel capacity is limited by the UDC codebooks.

Application of negative pressure wound therapy after skin grafting in the treatment of skin cancer: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer is a common malignant tumor in dermatology. A large area must be excised to ensure a negative incisal margin on huge frontotemporal skin cancer, and it is difficult to treat the wound. In the past, treatment with skin grafting and pressure dressing was easy to cause complications such as wound infections, subcutaneous effusion, skin necrosis, and contracture. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has been applied to treat huge frontotemporal skin cancer. CASE SUMMARY: Herein, we report the case of a 92-year-old woman with huge frontotemporal skin cancer. The patient presented to the surgery department complaining of ruptured bleeding and pain in a right frontal mass. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as highly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The patient underwent skin cancer surgery and skin grafting, after which NPWT was used. She did not experience a relapse during the three-year follow-up period. CONCLUSION: NPWT is of great clinical value in the postoperative treatment of skin cancer. It is not only inexpensive but also can effectively reduce the risk of surgical effusion, infection, and flap necrosis.

[Contamination Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil around the Coal-fired Power Plant Using APCS-MLR and PMF Models].

To investigate the characteristics and sources of potentially toxic elemental contamination in soils around the coal-fired power plant, we selected the soil around the Jingyuan power plant as the object of investigation. Thirty-six and 27 soil samples collected from the urban and farmland areas were analyzed for PTEs (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn), respectively. We employed the geoaccumulation index, single-factor pollution index, and improved Nemerow integrated pollution index to evaluate the contamination characteristics of PTEs, and combined correlation analysis with absolute principal component scores-multiple linear regression (APCS-MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) receptor models were used to quantitatively analyze the pollution sources of PTEs. The results revealed that all the average concentrations of other soil metals around Jingyuan power plant exceeded their corresponding background values of Gansu Province, except for As, in agricultural soil, and Hg exhibited significant spatial non-homogeneity, and thus it was visibly affected by anthropogenic activities. The values of the single-factor pollution and geoaccumulation indices indicated that the soils of both sites were mainly contaminated with Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb, and Hg contamination was reflected in wide areas for both sites. Additionally, the results of the improved Nemerow index demonstrated that the investigated soil was between moderately contaminated and heavily contaminated. Further, the comprehensive pollution degree of urban soil was higher than that of agricultural soil. Moreover, source apportionment revealed that PTEs in urban soil were derived from mixed sources of traffic activities and coal combustion, mixed sources of traffic activities and industrial and mining activities, and atmospheric deposition from industrial activities, with contribution rates of APCS-MLR of 35.2%, 25.1%, and 23.4%, respectively. The PMF contribution rates were 40.2%, 12.4%, and 47.7%, respectively. PTEs in agricultural soil were from one mixture source of industrial, mining, agricultural, and traffic sources, and the other mixed source was of traffic activities and coal combustion, with a APCS-MLR contribution rate of 40.3% and 35.9% and a contribution rate of PMF of 36.2% and 18.0%, respectively. In addition, another mixed source of agricultural activities and coal combustion was obtained using the PMF model, with a contribution rate of 48.5%.

Macrophage CARD9 mediates cardiac injury following myocardial infarction through regulation of lipocalin 2 expression.

Immune cell infiltration in response to myocyte death regulates extracellular matrix remodeling and scar formation after myocardial infarction (MI). Caspase-recruitment domain family member 9 (CARD9) acts as an adapter that mediates the transduction of pro-inflammatory signaling cascades in innate immunity; however, its role in cardiac injury and repair post-MI remains unclear. We found that Card9 was one of the most upregulated Card genes in the ischemic myocardium of mice. CARD9 expression increased considerably 1 day post-MI and declined by day 7 post-MI. Moreover, CARD9 was mainly expressed in F4/80-positive macrophages. Card9 knockout (KO) led to left ventricular function improvement and infarct scar size reduction in mice 28 days post-MI. Additionally, Card9 KO suppressed cardiomyocyte apoptosis in the border region and attenuated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. RNA sequencing revealed that Card9 KO significantly suppressed lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) expression post-MI. Both LCN2 and the receptor solute carrier family 22 member 17 (SL22A17) were detected in macrophages. Subsequently, we demonstrated that Card9 overexpression increased LCN2 expression, while Card9 KO inhibited necrotic cell-induced LCN2 upregulation in macrophages, likely through NF-κB. Lcn2 KO showed beneficial effects post-MI, and recombinant LCN2 diminished the protective effects of Card9 KO in vivo. Lcn2 KO reduced MMP9 post-MI, and Lcn2 overexpression increased Mmp9 expression in macrophages. Slc22a17 knockdown in macrophages reduced MMP9 release with recombinant LCN2 treatment. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that macrophage CARD9 mediates the deterioration of cardiac function and adverse remodeling post-MI via LCN2.

First Report of Bacterial Leaf Spot on Muskmelon Caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae in China.

Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the most widely cultivated and economically important fruit crops in the world. In January 2023, muskmelon leaves of cultivar 'Sheng Gu' were observed with irregularly shaped spots in four nurseries in Wanxiang Village, Pudong District of Shanghai, China. Initial symptoms were irregular soaking on the leaves, which progressed to rotting and necrotic spots. The disease incidence of melon seedlings in different nurseries ranged from 10 to 25%. To isolate and identify the causal agent, the small pieces of lesion tissues (5×5 mm) from symptomatic leaves were sterilized in 75% ethanol for 30 s and rinsed three times with sterile water. Following that, tissues were crushed with sterile glass rod in a sterile 2.0 mL centrifuge tube containing 100 µl of sterile water. The suspension was serially diluted before being spread on Luria-Bertani (LB) medium. After 48 h of incubation at 28°C, the cream-colored bacterial colonies from the 10-4 dilution were tiny and purified by streaking on new LB plates. To confirm the species identity of the bacterial isolates, genomic DNA was extracted from four independent representative colonies from different diseased plants, and several conserved genes were amplified and sequenced, including the 16S rRNA gene with primers 27F/1492R, gyrB gene with primers gyrBFor2/gyrBRev2, and rpoD gene with primers rpoDFor2/rpoDRev2 (Lelliot et al. 1966; Murillo et al. 2011). The results showed that the four colonies were identical. Using BLAST analysis in GenBank, the 16S rDNA (accession no. OQ659765, 1,402 bp), the gyrB (accession no. OQ708618, 911 bp), and rpoD sequences (accession no. OQ708619, 798 bp) showed 99.86-100% homology with 99-100% coveage as the corresponding gene sequences in the P. syringae pv. syringae strain HS191 (accession no. CP006256.1). The bacterial isolate was designated as P. syringae pv. syringae strain PDTG. Phylogenetic tree analysis of 16S rDNA, gyrB and rpoD genes further verified that the bacteria isolate was in close proximity to P. syringae pv. syringae. Additionally, all four isolates were detected in PCR with P. syringae pv. syringae specific primers, PsyF/ PsyR (Borschinger et al. 2016; Guilbaud et al. 2016). Ten two weeks old healthy 'Sheng Gu' muskmelon seedlings were inoculated by spraying with a bacterial suspension of 108 CFU/ml, and ten additional healthy plants treated with sterilized water served as the control. The inoculated plants were maintained at 25°C and 75% relative humidity for 7 days in artificial climate room. Water-soaked rot, similar as those seen in the nurseries, appeared on leaves 7 days after inoculation (dai), while the leaves of control plants remained healthy. The bacteria were re-isolated from rot of inoculated leaves and confirmed as the original pathogen by PCR with the PsyF/ PsyR primers and the 16S rRNA gene sequences. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. syringae pv. syringae causing bacterial leaf spot on muskmelon in China, and this report expands the host range of P. syringae pv. syringae.