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A multi-omics quantitative integrative analysis of lignin biosynthesis can advance the strategic engineering of wood for timber, pulp, and biofuels. Lignin is polymerized from three monomers (monolignols) produced by a grid-like pathway. The pathway in wood formation of Populus trichocarpa has at least 21 genes, encoding enzymes that mediate 37 reactions on 24 metabolites, leading to lignin and affecting wood properties. We perturb these 21 pathway genes and integrate transcriptomic, proteomic, fluxomic and phenomic data from 221 lines selected from ~2000 transgenics (6-month-old). The integrative analysis estimates how changing expression of pathway gene or gene combination affects protein abundance, metabolic-flux, metabolite concentrations, and 25 wood traits, including lignin, tree-growth, density, strength, and saccharification. The analysis then predicts improvements in any of these 25 traits individually or in combinations, through engineering expression of specific monolignol genes. The analysis may lead to greater understanding of other pathways for improved growth and adaptation. A systematic analysis of lignin biosynthetic genes to quantitatively understand their effect on wood properties is still lacking. Here, the authors integrate transcriptomic, proteomic, fluxomic and phenomic data to quantify the impact of perturbations of transcript abundance on lignin biosynthesis and wood properties.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is a gynecological cancer with high mortality. OC‐derived exosomal circRNAs can regulate angiogenesis. This study aims to explore the role and mechanism of exosomal circRNA nuclear factor I X (CircNFIX) derived from OC cells in angiogenesis. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction was employed to evaluate the levels of circNFIX, miR‐518a‐3p, and tripartite motif protein 44 (TRIM44) in OC and adjacent tissues. Exosomes from the ovarian surface epithelial cell (HOSEpiC) and OC cells (SKOV3 or OVCAR3) were isolated by differential centrifugation. Exosomes were cocultured with the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The angiogenesis capacity was analyzed by Tube formation assay. 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2‐H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Transwell assays were used to determine the cell viability and migration ability. The dual‐luciferase report, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), and RNA pull‐down assays were applied to validate the gene's interaction. CircNFIX and TRIM44 expression were higher and miR‐518a‐3p was lower in OC tissues than in the adjacent tissues. Upregulated circNFIX and TRIM44 were significantly correlated with the tumor size and International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage of OC patients. HUVECs treated OC‐derived exosomes had higher proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis capacities than the control group. While OC‐derived exosomal circNFIX silencing restrained HUVECs' proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, compared with the OC‐derived exosomes group. OC‐derived exosomal circNFIX positively regulated TRIM44 expression by targeting miR‐518a‐3p in HUVECs. OC‐derived exosomal circNFIX promoted angiogenesis by regulating the Janus‐activated kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (JAK/STAT1) pathway via miR‐518a‐3p/TRIM44 axis in HUVECs.

Quantum private comparison (QPC) represents a cryptographic approach that enables two parties to determine whether their confidential data are equivalent, without disclosing the actual values. Most existing QPC protocols utilizing single photons or Bell states are considered highly feasible, but they suffer from inefficiency. To address this issue, we present a novel QPC protocol that capitalizes on the entanglement property of Bell states and local operations to meet the requirements of efficiency. In the proposed protocol, two participants with private inputs perform local operations on shared Bell states received from a semi-honest third party (STP). Afterward, the modified qubits are returned to the STP, who can then determine the equality of the private inputs and relay the results to the participants. A simulation on the IBM Quantum Cloud Platform confirmed the feasibility of our protocol, and a security analysis further demonstrated that the STP and both participants were unable to learn anything about the individual private inputs. In comparison to other QPC protocols, our proposed solution offers superior performance in terms of efficiency.

A quantitative approach to characterize lignin—carbohydrate complex (LCC) linkages using a combination of quantitative 13C NMR and HSQC 2D NMR techniques has been developed. Crude milled wood lignin (MWLc), LCC extracted from MWLc with acetic acid (LCC-AcOH) and cellulolytic enzyme lignin (CEL) preparations were isolated from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and white birch (Betula pendula) woods and characterized using this methodology on a routine 300 MHz NMR spectrometer and on a 950 MHz spectrometer equipped with a cryogenic probe. Structural variations in the pine and birch LCC preparations of different types (MWL, CEL and LCC-AcOH) were elucidated. The use of the high field NMR spectrometer equipped with the cryogenic probe resulted in a remarkable improvement in the resolution of the LCC signals and, therefore, is of primary importance for an accurate quantification of LCC linkages. The preparations investigated showed the presence of different amounts of benzyl ether, γ-ester and phenyl glycoside LCC bonds. Benzyl ester moieties were not detected. Pine LCC-AcOH and birch MWLc preparations were preferable for the analysis of phenyl glycoside and ester LCC linkages in pine and birch, correspondingly, whereas CEL preparations were the best to study benzyl ether LCC structures. The data obtained indicate that pinewood contains higher amounts of benzyl ether LCC linkages, but lower amounts of phenyl glycoside and γ-ester LCC moieties as compared to birch wood.

Previous studies reported that controlled low central venous pressure (CVP) can reduce blood loss during liver resection. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to explore the efficacy and safety of low CVP in patients undergoing hepatectomy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs were searched in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese BioMedical database, Chinese Scientific Journals Database, and Wanfang database from inception to April 30, 2021. Subgroup analyses were performed based on different surgical methods (open hepatectomy vs laparoscopic hepatectomy) and published countries (China vs other countries). The quality of evidence was assessed by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Eighteen RCTs containing 1285 participants (626 patients in the low CVP group and 659 patients in the control group) were included in this study. The forest plot showed that low CVP effectively reduced blood loss during liver resection compared with the control group (MD = −311.92 mL, 95% CI [−429.03, −194.81]; P < 0.001, I2 = 96%). Furthermore, blood transfusion volume (MD = −158.85 mL, 95% CI [−218.30, −99.40]; P < 0.001, I2 = 55%) and the number of patients requiring transfusion (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.27–0.65, P < 0.001, I2 = 0%) were decreased in the low CVP group. Subgroup analyses showed similar results. Notably, the alanine transaminase level was significantly lower in the low CVP group during the first five postoperative days. However, no significant differences were observed for other postoperative liver function indicators (aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, serum albumin, and prothrombin time), renal function indicators (blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine) and perfusion parameters (heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and urine volume). The incidence of complications was similar between the two groups. The findings of this study showed that low CVP is effective and safe during hepatectomy. Therefore, this technique is recommended to reduce blood loss during hepatectomy. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021232829. •Controlled low central venous pressure significantly reduce intraoperative blood loss during liver resection.•Controlled low central venous pressure had no negative impact on liver and renal function.•Controlled low central venous pressure did not increase postoperative complications.

We aimed to study the regulatory roles and mechanism of circular nuclear factor IX (circNFIX) in cancer growth and stemness properties of ovarian cancer (OC). CircNFIX and SH3RF3 levels in OC tissues and cells were tested by quantitative real‐time PCR. RNase R treatment quantified circNFIX RNA stability. Molecular interaction among circNFIX, LIN28B, and SH3RF3 was predicted by bioinformatics software and validated through RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The gain‐ or loss‐experiments of circNFIX on capabilities of metastasis and stemness in vitro were assessed using Cell Counting Kit‐8, Transwell, western blot, and sphere‐formation assays. CircNFIX and SH3RF3 were markedly elevated in OC tissues and OC cells. Knocking down circNFIX repressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness properties of A2780 and SKOV3 cells. The RIP assay verified the direct binding relationship between LIN28B, circNFIX, and SH3RF3. Additionally, overexpression of circNFIX elevated the SH3RF3 expression, while this effect was reversed by LIN28B silence. Rescue experiments demonstrated that the overexpression of SH3RF3 reversed the knockdown of circNFIX on OC cells' proliferation, metastasis, and stemness properties. CircNFIX improved the mRNA stability and translation of SH3RF3 via recruiting LIN28B, thus promoting the proliferation, invasion, and stemness properties of OC cells in vitro.

Alternations in gut microbiota and a number of genes have been implicated as risk factors for the development of Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the interactions between the altered bacteria and risk genetic variants remain unclear. We aimed to explore associations of the risk genetic variants with altered gut bacteria in the onset of AD. We collected baseline data and stool and blood samples from 30 AD patients and 47 healthy controls in a case-control study. The rs42358/rs4512 ( ), rs3851179 ( ), rs744373 ( ), rs9331888 ( ), rs670139 ( ), rs3764650 ( ), rs3865444 ( ), rs9349407 ( ), rs11771145 ( ), and rs3818361/rs6656401 ( ) were sequenced, and microbiota composition was characterized using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The associations of the altered gut bacteria with the risk genetics were analyzed. Apolipoprotein ε4 allele and rs744373 were risk loci for the AD among 12 genetic variants. Phylum Proteobacteria; orders Enterobacteriales, Deltaproteobacteria, and Desulfovibrionales; families Enterobacteriaceae and Desulfovibrionaceae; and genera , , , , , , and were increased in AD subjects, whereas family Enterococcaceae and genera , , and were more abundant in controls ( < 0.05). Among the altered microbiota, APOE ε4 allele was positively associated with pathogens: Proteobacteria. The interaction of APOE ε4 gene and the AD-promoting pathogens might be an important factor requiring for the promotion of AD. Targeting to microbiota might be an effective therapeutic strategy for AD susceptible to APOE ε4 allele. This needs further investigation.

Lignin has shown a great potential to produce fuels, value-added chemicals, and functional materials due to its high-energy density and intrinsic aromatic-based structure. Yet, the lignin precipitation of different biomasses needs investigation because most of the work has been performed on softwood and much less is known about hardwoods. In fact, the lignin from these two wooden biomasses vary in composition and pulping performance, which can reflect on lignin precipitation. Therefore, the present study investigated the precipitation and composition of 40 distinct kraft lignins obtained from pine, acacia, sweetgum, and eucalyptus black liquors. Two lignin fractions were precipitated at different pHs, according to known industrial lignin separation practices (pH = 9.5 and 2.5) from black liquors taken at different levels of pulping. Overall, lignin recovery increased with increasing lignin concentration in the black liquor, i.e., higher amounts of lignin were obtained at higher levels of delignification. In addition, pine lignins showed superior yields than the hardwoods and were around five times purer. Among the hardwoods, lignin recovery increased with the S–G ratio of the native lignin, and eucalyptus showed the best performance by achieving the highest yields and purities. Finally, the present work compared the lignin recovery yield and the purity of softwood and different hardwood lignins in a systematic way, which will increase awareness of this underutilized green material and could potentially increase the interest in establishing new lignin plants across the globe.

Background Rhomboid intercostal block (RIB) and Rhomboid intercostal block with sub-serratus plane block (RISS) are the two types of plane blocks used for postoperative analgesia after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). This prospective randomized controlled trial was performed to analyze the postoperative analgesic effects of ultrasound-guided RIB block and RISS block after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Methods Ninety patients aged between 18 and 80 years, with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Classes I–II and scheduled for elective unilateral VATS were randomly allocated into three groups. In group C, no block intervention was performed. Patients in group RIB received ultrasound-guided RIB with 20-mL 0.375% ropivacaine and those in group RISS received ultrasound-guided RIB and serratus plane block using a total of 40-mL 0.375% ropivacaine. All patients received intravenous sufentanil patient-controlled analgesia upon arrival in the recovery room. Postoperative sufentanil consumption and pain scores were compared among the groups. Results The dosages of sufentanil consumption at 24 h after the surgery in the RIB and RISS groups were significantly lower than that in group C ( p  < 0.001 and p  < 0.001 for all comparisons, respectively), the postoperative Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores in the RIB and RISS groups at 0.5, 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h after surgery when patients were at rest or active were significantly lower than that in group C ( p  < 0.05 for all comparisons). The required dosage of sufentanil and time to first postoperative analgesic request in groupRISS were less than those in the group RIB at 24 h after the surgery ( p  < 0.001 and p  < 0.001 for all comparisons, respectively). Similarly, the Numerical Rating Scale scores for group RISS at 12, 18, and 24 h after the surgery when the patients were active were significantly lower than those for group RIB ( p  < 0.05 for all comparisons). Conclusion Both ultrasound-guided RIB block and RISS block can effectively reduce the demand for sufentanil within 24 h after VATS, and less sufentanil dosage is needed in patient with RISS block. Ultrasound-guided RIB block and RISS block can effectively relieve pain within 24 h after VATS, and RISS block is more effective.

The chemoselectivity of organic reactions is a fundamental topic in organic chemistry. In the long history of chemical synthesis, achieving chemoselectivity is mainly limited to thermodynamic conditions by an exogenous activation strategy. Here, we design an endogenous activation method, which can be used to control the chemoselectivity of phenol and naphthol through the photo-induced excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). A wavelength-tuned glycosylation is developed to showcase the penitential of this new strategy. Traditionally, an exogenous activator (electrophilic promoters) is essential to induce the cleave of a polar single bond, and this strategy has been extensively studied and used in the glycosylation chemistry, for the formation of oxocarbenium cation intermediate. In our systems, the oxocarbenium cation intermediates can be selectively formed from glycosyl donors bearing tunable chromophoric groups under mild conditions of acid-base free and redox neutrality, which enables continuous synthesis of oligosaccharides. Achieving chemoselectivity for chemical synthesis is mainly limited to thermodynamic conditions by an exogenous activation strategy. Here, the authors report an endogenous activation method, which can be used to control the chemoselectivity of phenol and naphthol through the photo-induced excited-state intramolecular proton transfer.