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Konjac ( Amorphophallus konjac ) is an important food crop and a traditional medicinal herb in China. However, bacterial soft rot poses a serious threat to konjac production and quality. In this study, we identified Pectobacterium aroidearum as the causative pathogen of soft rot in konjac and investigated the antibacterial effects of kasugamycin (KSM) against this bacterium. Our results show that KSM exhibits strong antibacterial activity, significantly reducing the virulence of P. aroidearum and providing both protective and curative effects against konjac soft rot. Further mechanistic analysis reveal that KSM disrupts key gene expression associated with membrane transport in P. aroidearum , leading to inhibited swimming motility, reduced production of virulence factors, and significant alterations in cell morphology. These findings highlight the antibacterial properties of KSM against P. aroidearum , offering valuable insights into its potential application for treating bacterial soft rot in konjac.

Bacteria often use multiple transcription factors to regulate specific biological processes. Biosynthesis of heat-stable antifungal factor (HSAF) is regulated by multiple factors in Lysobacter enzymogenes . However, the mechanism of HSAF biosynthesis regulation remains largely unknown. In this study, we screened a potential HSAF biosynthesis regulator, RecX, by a DNA pull-down assay. Deletion of recX resulted in a significant increase in the production of HSAF, and overexpression of recX significantly suppressed HSAF production. Importantly, our results showe that RecX directly binds to the promoter region of the lafB gene to inhibit its transcription and thus decreases HSAF production in L. enzymogenes . These findings reveal the novel mechanism of RecX regulation of antifungal antibiotic production in L. enzymogenes .

We analyzed the routine blood indexes of 21 Asian elephants(13 males and 8 females)to provide basic data for Asian elephant conservation.Blood were collected when elephants were fasting.Results showed that there are significant differences in mean corpuscular volume(MCV),mean platelet volume(MPV)and platelet large cell ratio(P-LCR)between the male and female Asian elephants(P<0.05). Meanwhile,percentage of hemameba,lymphocyte percentage(LYM),monocyte percentage(MP),neutrophilic granulocyte percentage(MEUT),eosinophil percentage(EOSR),basophils percentage(BASO), lymphocyte number(LYMPH),monocyte number(MONO),Neutrophil number(NEUT),eosinophilic granulocyte number(EG),Basophils number(BASO),erythrocyte,hemoglobin,hematokrit(HCT),mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH),mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC),mean red cell width,red cell distribution width(RDW),platelets,platelet volume(PV),and platelet distribution width(PDW)were similar for males and females(P>0.05).\\n

Background Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a prognostic marker in various diseases, solid tumors, and hematologic neoplasms, but its prognostic significance in MM is controversial. In this study, we aimed to assess the relationship between RDW and the clinical prognosis of MM patients through a meta-analysis. Methods Relevant literature were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases according to PRISMA guideline. All relevant parameters were extracted and combined for statistical analysis. The effect size was presented as hazard ratio (HR)/odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). HR/OR > 1 in MM patients with high RDW suggested a worse prognosis. Heterogeneity test evaluation was performed using Cochran's Q test and I2 statistics. A P heterogeneity  < 0.10 or I 2  > 50% suggested significant heterogeneity. P  < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software. Results 8 articles involving 9 studies with 1165 patients were included in our meta-analysis. Our results suggested that elevated RDW is significantly associated with poor prognosis in MM (OS: HR = 1.91, 95%CI: 1.48–2.46; PFS: HR = 2.87, 95% CI: 2.02–4.07). A significant correlation was not found between RDW and International Staging System (ISS) staging (ISS III VS ISS I-II: OR:1.53; 95%CI:0.97–2.42). Conclusion Our results suggested that RDW is a robust predictor of newly diagnosed MM outcomes.

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants and “anatomical escape” characteristics threaten the effectiveness of current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines. There is an urgent need to understand the immunological mechanism of broad-spectrum respiratory tract protection to guide broader vaccines development. Here we investigate immune responses induced by an NS1-deleted influenza virus vectored intranasal COVID-19 vaccine (dNS1-RBD) which provides broad-spectrum protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants in hamsters. Intranasal delivery of dNS1-RBD induces innate immunity, trained immunity and tissue-resident memory T cells covering the upper and lower respiratory tract. It restrains the inflammatory response by suppressing early phase viral load post SARS-CoV-2 challenge and attenuating pro-inflammatory cytokine ( Il6 , Il1b , and Ifng ) levels, thereby reducing excess immune-induced tissue injury compared with the control group. By inducing local cellular immunity and trained immunity, intranasal delivery of NS1-deleted influenza virus vectored vaccine represents a broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccine strategy to reduce disease burden. Understanding the utility of SARS -CoV-2 vaccination platforms and strategies through the emerging pandemic and beyond are critical to understanding the efficacy of such interventions. Here the authors assess nasal delivery of an influenza virus based viral vector for vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in a hamsters model and assess the induced immunity.

Background: Usnea has various pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antiviral, and cardiovasculoprotective effects. Aim of the study: To investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the anti-atherosclerosis (AS) activity of Usnea ethanol extract (UEE) via the regulation of intestinal flora. Materials and Methods: The chemical composition of UEE was determined using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole exactive orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-EOMS). Thirty-six male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into six groups. A high-fat diet and intraperitoneal vitamin D3 injections were used to establish a rat model of AS. After 4 weeks of treatment with UEE, hematoxylin–eosin staining was performed to evaluate the pathomorphology of the aorta, liver, and colon. The composition and diversity of the rat intestinal flora were determined using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure the levels of plasma trimethylamine oxide (TMAO), serum bile acid (BA), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). The protein expression of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and flavin monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) in the liver and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin in colon tissue was detected via western blotting. Results: Forty-four compounds were identified in UEE. In the rat model of AS, UEE significantly prevented calcium deposition; decreased the serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, LPS, TNF-α, and IL-6; and increased the serum level of HDL-C. Additionally, all UEE dosages decreased the relative abundance of Verrucomicrobiota while increased that of Bacteroidetes . FMO3 protein expression and TMAO levels decreased, whereas CYP7A1 protein expression and BA levels increased. The absorption of intestinal-derived LPS was minimized. Furthermore, the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin was upregulated. Conclusion: UEE ameliorated AS. The underlying mechanism was the reversal of imbalances in the intestinal flora by Usnea , thereby inhibiting calcium deposition, abnormal lipid metabolism, and inflammatory response.

In this study, Pickering emulsion gels were prepared by the self-gel method based on kappa carrageenan (kC). The effects of particle stabilizers and polysaccharide concentrations on the microstructure, rheological characteristics, and texture of Pickering emulsion gels stabilized by xanthan gum/lysozyme nanoparticles (XG/Ly NPs) with kC were discussed. The viscoelasticity of Pickering emulsion gels increased significantly with the increase of kC and XG/Ly NPs. The results of temperature sweep showed that the gel formation mainly depended on the kC addition. The XG/Ly NPs addition could accelerate the formation of Pickering emulsion gels and increase its melting temperature (Tmelt), which is helpful to improve the thermal stability of emulsion gels. Cryo-scanning electron microscope (Cryo-SEM) images revealed that Pickering emulsion gel has a porous network structure, and the oil droplets were well wrapped in the pores. The hardness increased significantly with the increase of XG/Ly NPs and kC. In particular, the Pickering emulsion gel hardness was up to 2.9 Newton (N) when the concentration of kC and XG/Ly NPs were 2%. The results showed that self-gelling polysaccharides, such as kC, could construct and regulate the structure and characteristics of Pickering emulsion gel. This study provides theoretical support for potential new applications of emulsion gels as functional colloids and delivery systems in the food industry.

Purpose STING (stimulator of interferon genes) is involved in viral and bacterial defense through interferon pathway and innate immunity. Increased susceptibility to infection is a common manifestation of multiple myeloma (MM). Thus, we aimed to explore the clinical significance and possible mechanism of STING in MM. Materials and methods Immunohistochemistry and qPCR were used to detect STING expression in the bone marrow of MM patients, and flow cytometry was used to detect the amount of intracellular STING. All data were analyzed with clinical characteristics. Results STING expression was remarkably reduced in MM tissues compared to normal tissues and was not associated with stage. Multivariate analysis identified STING as an independent prognostic factor in MM patients ( P  = 0.001). In the bortezomib-containing regimens, patients with low STING expression were more difficult to achieve remission. A model incorporating STING and m-SMART significantly improved the predictive accuracy of overall survival in bortezomib regimens (AUC, 0.511 to 0.630, P  = 0.044). Bortezomib efficacy has been reported to correlate with activated immunity, but the low expression group manifested as immune apathy. Although baseline characteristics showed intergroup differences in infection, the low expression group had an increased proportion of bacterial infections (1.7-fold) and a prolonged duration of antibiotic/antifungal medication (3.55 additional days); these patients were accompanied by a decreased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and rarely activated neutrophils and leukocytes. The intracellular STING ratio was also defective in neutrophil-dominated leukocytes. Conclusion Our study revealed that STING had a strong association with bortezomib and could serve as a potential target for immunotherapy in multiple myeloma.

Background Urethral reconstruction is one of the great surgical challenges for urologists. A cell-based tissue-engineered urethra may be an alternative for patients who have complicated long strictures and need urethral reconstruction. Here, we demonstrated the feasibility of using autologous urine-derived stem cells (USCs) seeded on small intestinal submucosa (SIS) to repair a urethral defect in a rabbit model. Methods Autologous USCs were obtained and characterized, and their capacity to differentiate into urothelial cells (UCs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was tested. Then, USCs were labeled with PKH67, seeded on SIS, and transplanted to repair a urethral defect. The urethral defect model was surgically established in New Zealand white male rabbits. A ventral urethral gap was created, and the urethral mucosa was completely removed, with a mean rabbit penile urethra length of 2 cm. The urethral mucosal defect was repaired with a SIS scaffold (control group: SIS with no USCs; experimental group: autologous USC-seeded SIS; n  = 12 for each group). A series of tests, including a retrograde urethrogram, histological analysis, and immunofluorescence, was undertaken 2, 3, 4, and 12 weeks after the operation to evaluate the effect of the autologous USCs on urethral reconstruction. Results Autologous USCs could be easily collected and induced to differentiate into UCs and SMCs. In addition, the urethral caliber, speed of urothelial regeneration, content of smooth muscle, and vessel density were significantly improved in the group with autologous USC-seeded SIS. Moreover, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis were found in the control group with only SIS, but not in the experimental autologous USC-seeded SIS group. Furthermore, immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that the transplanted USCs differentiated into UCs and SMCs in vivo. Conclusions Autologous USCs can be used as an alternative cell source for cell-based tissue engineering for urethral reconstruction.

Background Contiguous gene deletion in the short arm of chromosome 4 is linked to various neurodevelopmental disorders. Methods In this study, we conducted peripheral blood chromosome G‐banding karyotyping and whole‐exome sequencing (WES) on a proband presenting with anal atresia, global developmental delay, lymphocytosis, and other multisystem anomalies. Additionally, chromosome G‐banding karyotyping was also carried out on the proband's parents and brother. Results The 7‐month‐old proband was found to have a 26.738 Mb 4p15.33‐p14 deletion as identified by chromosome G‐banding karyotyping and WES. Conclusion We identified a patient with proximal 4p deletion syndrome by karyotype and WES analysis, which might explain some of his phenotypes. Our research enhances clinicians' knowledge of this rare condition, and offers valuable genetic counseling to the affected family. Further research is necessary to identify the causative gene or critical region associated with proximal 4p deletion syndrome. Karyotypic analysis of chromosome G‐banding in proband: 46, XY, del (4) (p15.33‐ p14).