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Background Microwave ablation (MWA) is widely used to treat unresectable primary and secondary malignancies of the liver, and a limited number of studies indicate that ablation can cause not only necrosis at the in situ site but also an immunoreaction of the whole body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MWA on cytokines in patients who underwent MWA for a hepatic malignancy. Methods Patients admitted to the Oncology Department in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between June 2015 and February 2019 were selected. Peripheral blood was collected from patients with a hepatic malignancy treated with MWA. The levels of cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) were detected with a Milliplex® MAP Kit. The comparison times were as follows: before ablation, 24 h after ablation, 15 days after ablation, and 30 days after ablation. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-tests and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results A total of 43 patients with hepatic malignancies were assessed. There were significant differences in IL-2, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α at 24 h after MWA. Significant increases (> 2-fold vs. before ablation) were observed in IL-2, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α after MWA. Elevated IL-2 and IL-6 levels after ablation were positively correlated with energy output during the MWA procedure. Conclusions WA treatment for hepatic malignancies can alter the serum levels of several cytokines such as IL-2 and IL-6.

Currently, little is understood about the role of different anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) pathways and their relative contributions in reducing CH4 emissions from rice fields. The potential rates of AOM caused by nitrate-, iron-, and sulfate-reduction, as well as the anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME-2d) archaeal absolute abundance and community composition were investigated across varying rice growth periods (tillering, jointing, flowering, and maturing) and soil layers (0–10, 10–20, 20–30, and 30–40 cm). The average potential rate of nitrate-AOM (2.73 nmol 13CO2 g-1 d-1) was significantly higher than those of iron- (1.15 nmol 13CO2 g-1 d-1) and sulfate-AOM (0.42 nmol 13CO2 g-1 d-1) across growth periods and soil layers. The AOM rates in surface soils (0–20 cm) and earlier periods (tillering and jointing) were significantly higher than those in deep soils (20–40 cm) and later periods (flowering and maturing), respectively. Differently, ANME-2d archaeal absolute abundance and community compositions were only significantly affected by soil layers, with the highest absolute abundance in the 10–20 cm layer. The organic carbon content and availability of electron acceptor were the primary factors governing the rates of different AOM pathways and community of ANME-2d archaea. Overall, this study provided the variation in AOM rates driven via multiple electron acceptors and ANME-2d archaeal community across rice growth periods and soil layers, and provided an important scientific basis for precise quantification of AOM as a potential CH4 sink in rice fields.

Candidatus Methylomirabilis-related bacteria conduct anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupling with NO 2 − reduction, and Candidatus Methanoperedens-related archaea perform AOM coupling with reduction of diverse electron acceptors, including NO 3 − , Fe (III), Mn (IV) and SO 4 2− . Application of nitrogen fertilization favors the growth of these methanotrophs in agricultural fields. Here, we explored the vertical variations in community structure and abundance of the two groups of methanotrophs in a nitrogen-rich vegetable field via using illumina MiSeq sequencing and quantitative PCR. The retrieved Methylomirabilis -related sequences had 91.12%-97.32% identity to the genomes of known Methylomirabilis species, and Methanoperedens -related sequences showed 85.49%-97.48% identity to the genomes of known Methanoperedens species which are capable of conducting AOM coupling with reduction of NO 3 − or Fe (III). The Methanoperedens -related archaeal diversity was significantly higher than Methylomirabilis- related bacteria, with totally 74 and 16 operational taxonomic units, respectively. In contrast, no significant difference in abundance between the bacteria (9.19 × 10 3 –3.83 × 10 5 copies g −1 dry soil) and the archaea (1.55 × 10 4 –3.24 × 10 5 copies g −1 dry soil) was observed. Furthermore, the abundance of both groups of methanotrophs exhibited a strong vertical variation, which peaked at 30–40 and 20–30 cm layers, respectively. Soil water content and pH were the key factors influencing Methylomirabilis -related bacterial diversity and abundance, respectively. For the Methanoperedens -related archaea, both soil pH and ammonium content contributed significantly to the changes of these archaeal diversity and abundance. Overall, we provide the first insights into the vertical distribution and regulation of Methylomirabilis -related bacteria and Methanoperedens -related archaea in vegetable soils. Key points • The archaeal diversity was significantly higher than bacterial. • There was no significant difference in the abundance between bacteria and archaea. • The abundance of bacteria and archaea peaked at 30–40 and 20–30 cm, respectively.

Tumour cells possess a multitude of chemoresistance mechanisms, which could plausibly contribute to the ineffectiveness of chemotherapy. O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is an important effector protein associated with Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in various tumours. To some extent, the expression level of MGMT determines the sensitivity of cells to TMZ, but the mechanism of its expression regulation has not been fully elucidated. Cultured malignant melanoma cell lines A375 and Sk‐MEL28 were employed. A luciferase assay was used to detect the transcriptional activity of the MGMT promoter. Western blotting was used to compare the expression levels of phosphorylated ERK1/2 (P‐ERK1/2) after TMZ treatment. Immunofluorescent staining was used to detect TMZ‐induced DNA damage protein levels. The sensitivity of melanoma cells to TMZ was detected by MTT assay and animal experiments. The expression of MGMT mRNA was tested by Quantitative real‐time PCR (RT‐qPCR). Flow cytometry was used to measure the apoptosis of TMZ‐treated cells. TMZ enhanced the transcription of MGMT through activating the ERK pathway. ERK inhibitors U0126 and vemurafenib (vMF) inhibited the TMZ induced transcription of MGMT. The expression of MGMT and p‐ERK1/2 was closely related in human MM tissues. vMF increased the sensitivity of melanoma (MM) to TMZ in vitro and in vivo through downregulating MGMT and promoting the TMZ induced DNA damage in MM. TMZ‐promoted MGMT transcription contributed to instinctive chemoresistance by activating the ERK signalling pathway in malignant melanoma. Our study indicates that the use of the ERK inhibitor in combination with TMZ could potentially enhance the effectiveness of clinical treatment for malignant melanoma.

Background Microwave ablation (MWA) is widely used to treat unresectable primary and secondary malignancies of the liver, and a limited number of studies indicate that ablation can cause not only necrosis at the in situ site but also an immunoreaction of the whole body. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MWA on cytokines in patients who underwent MWA against a hepatic malignancy. Methods Patients admitted to the Oncology Department in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between June 2015 and February 2019 were selected. Peripheral blood was collected from patients with a hepatic malignancy treated with MWA. The levels of cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)) were detected with a MILLIPLEX® MAP Kit. The comparison times were as follows: before ablation, 24 hours after ablation, 15 days after ablation, and 30 days after ablation. Data were analyzed using a paired sample t-test and Spearman’s correlation analysis. Results A total of 43 patients with hepatic malignancies were recorded. There were significant differences in IL-2, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α at 24 hours after MWA. Significant increases (>2-fold vs. before ablation) were observed in IL-2, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α after MWA. Elevated IL-2 and IL-6 levels after ablation were positively correlated with energy output during the MWA procedure. Conclusions MWA treatment for hepatic malignancies can alter the serum levels of several cytokines and affect the tumor status.

ObjectiveTo characterise the oral microbiome, gut microbiome and serum lipid profiles in patients with active COVID-19 and recovered patients; evaluate the potential of the microbiome as a non-invasive biomarker for COVID-19; and explore correlations between the microbiome and lipid profile.DesignWe collected and sequenced 392 tongue-coating samples, 172 faecal samples and 155 serum samples from Central China and East China. We characterised microbiome and lipid molecules, constructed microbial classifiers in discovery cohort and verified their diagnostic potential in 74 confirmed patients (CPs) from East China and 37 suspected patients (SPs) with IgG positivity.ResultsOral and faecal microbial diversity was significantly decreased in CPs versus healthy controls (HCs). Compared with HCs, butyric acid-producing bacteria were decreased and lipopolysaccharide-producing bacteria were increased in CPs in oral cavity. The classifiers based on 8 optimal oral microbial markers (7 faecal microbial markers) achieved good diagnostic efficiency in different cohorts. Importantly, diagnostic efficacy reached 87.24% in the cross-regional cohort. Moreover, the classifiers successfully diagnosed SPs with IgG antibody positivity as CPs, and diagnostic efficacy reached 92.11% (98.01% of faecal microbiome). Compared with CPs, 47 lipid molecules, including sphingomyelin (SM)(d40:4), SM(d38:5) and monoglyceride(33:5), were depleted, and 122 lipid molecules, including phosphatidylcholine(36:4p), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)(16:0p/20:5) and diglyceride(20:1/18:2), were enriched in confirmed patients recovery.ConclusionThis study is the first to characterise the oral microbiome in COVID-19, and oral microbiomes and lipid alterations in recovered patients, to explore their correlations and to report the successful establishment and validation of a diagnostic model for COVID-19.

Organic-inorganic molecular assembly has led to numerous nano/mesostructured materials with fantastic properties, but it is dependent on and limited to the direct interaction between host organic structure-directing molecules and guest inorganic species. Here, we report a “solvent-pair surfactants” enabled assembly (SPEA) method to achieve a general synthesis of mesostructured materials requiring no direct host-guest interaction. Taking the synthesis of mesoporous metal oxides as an example, the dimethylformamide/water solvent pairs behave as surfactants and induce the formation of mesostructured polyoxometalates/copolymers nanocomposites, which can be converted into metal oxides. This SPEA method enables the synthesis of functional ordered mesoporous metal oxides with different pore sizes, structures, compositions and tailored pore-wall microenvironments that are difficult to access via conventional direct organic-inorganic assembly. Typically, nitrogen-doped mesoporous ε -WO 3 with high specific surface area, uniform mesopores and stable framework is obtained and exhibits great application potentials such as gas sensing. A solvent-pair surfactants enabled assembly method is developed to achieve a general and programmable synthesis of mesoporous metal oxides via the association of POMs with block copolymers through indirect interaction.

Surgery is the common treatment for early lung cancer with multiple pulmonary nodules, but it is often accompanied by the problem of significant malignancy of other nodules in non-therapeutic areas. In this study, we found that a combined treatment of local radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and melatonin (MLT) greatly improved clinical outcomes for early lung cancer patients with multiple pulmonary nodules by minimizing lung function injury and reducing the probability of malignant transformation or enlargement of nodules in non-ablated areas. Mechanically, as demonstrated in an associated mouse lung tumor model, RFA not only effectively remove treated tumors but also stimulate antitumor immunity, which could inhibit tumor growth in non-ablated areas. MLT enhanced RFA-stimulated NK activity and exerted synergistic antitumor effects with RFA. Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses of residual tumor tissues revealed enhanced oxidative phosphorylation and reduced acidification as well as hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment, which suggests reprogrammed tumor metabolism after combined treatment with RFA and MLT. Analysis of residual tumor further revealed the depressed activity of MAPK, NF-kappa B, Wnt, and Hedgehog pathways and upregulated P53 pathway in tumors, which was in line with the inhibited tumor growth. Combined RFA and MLT treatment also reversed the Warburg effect and decreased tumor malignancy. These findings thus demonstrated that combined treatment of RFA and MLT effectively inhibited the malignancy of non-ablated nodules and provided an innovative non-invasive strategy for treating early lung tumors with multiple pulmonary nodules. Trial registration: www.chictr.org.cn , identifier ChiCTR2100042695, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=120931 .

Background Squamous promoter binding protein-like (SPL) proteins are a class of transcription factors that play essential roles in plant growth and development, signal transduction, and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The rapid development of whole genome sequencing has enabled the identification and characterization of SPL gene families in many plant species, but to date this has not been performed in quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa ). Results This study identified 23 SPL genes in quinoa, which were unevenly distributed on 18 quinoa chromosomes. Quinoa SPL genes were then classified into eight subfamilies based on homology to Arabidopsis thaliana SPL genes. We selected three dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous representative species, each associated with C. quinoa , for comparative sympatric mapping to better understand the evolution of the developmental mechanisms of the CqSPL family. Furthermore, we also used 15 representative genes from eight subfamilies to characterize CqSPL s gene expression in different tissues and at different fruit developmental stages under six different abiotic stress conditions. Conclusions This study, the first to identify and characterize SPL genes in quinoa, reported that CqSPL genes, especially CqSPL1 , play a critical role in quinoa development and in its response to various abiotic stresses.

The development and application of virtual reality technology can help the innovative application of environmental design. This paper first focuses on the application of virtual reality technology in the natural environment based on the development of environmental design and the integration of natural geographical conditions. In fact, the focus is on the analysis of virtual reality technology. Selected 3D reconstruction technology algorithms, including camera calibration profile, pair of polar geometry and single response matrix, matching cost and quality assessment index. Finally, the natural environment simulation experiment is constructed based on virtual reality technology. The average real-time rendering FPS of the unoptimized vegetation distribution interval decreases continuously with the increase in the number of vegetation models. When the average vegetation number is around 54,672, the average FPS decreases to around per 53. When the average vegetation count is at 97,713, the average FPS drops to about 28 frames per second. The average real-time dye FPS stabilizes at around 50 after using the LOD multi-detail hierarchical model.