原发性肝癌患者肠道菌群变化与内毒素和炎性因子水平的关系

目的探讨原发性肝癌患者肠道菌群变化及其与内毒素、炎性因子水平的相关性。方法选取2018年2月至2019年10月我院收治的80例原发性肝癌患者为观察组,另选同时期80例健康体检者为对照组。观察两组对象肠道菌群情况,同时检测两组对象血清内毒素和白细胞介素6(IL-6)、白细胞介素1(IL-1)及肿瘤坏死因子α(TNF-α)水平。采用Pearson检验进行相关性分析。结果观察组患者肠道双歧杆菌、乳杆菌和拟杆菌数量低于对照组;而肠杆菌和酵母菌数量高于对照组(均P0.05)。观察组患者血清内毒素、IL-6、IL-1、TNF-α水平均高于对照组(均P0.05)。Pearson相关性分析显示,肠道双歧杆菌、乳杆菌和拟杆菌数量与血清内毒素和IL-6、IL-1、TNF-α水平呈负相关,肠道肠杆菌和酵母菌数量与内毒素和IL-6、IL-1、TNF-α水平呈正相关(均P0.05)。结论原发性肝癌患者肠道菌群紊乱与内毒素和炎症因子水平具有相关性,肠道菌群失衡可能是促进该病病情发展的原因之一。     

The impacts of Harmonia axyridis cues on foraging behavior of Aphidius gifuensis to Myzus persicae

This study investigated the effect of adult associated cues of the multicolored Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the foraging behavior of the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius gifuensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Aphididae) with three assays: 1) whole aphid leaf-disc with H. axyridis tracks; 2) aphid leaf-disc with only half contaminated with H. axyridis tracks; 3) aphid leaf-discs without H. axyridis tracks. Foraging behavior of A. gifuensis was recorded using the Observer® XT 11 and EthoVsion® XT 12. In addition, functional responses of A. gifuensis in patches with or without H. axyridis cues were also tested. Aphidius gifuensis females preferred oviposition in arenas where no adult tracks of H. axyridis were present. However, no significant difference between functional responses of A. gifuensis foraging in plants with and without H. axyridis cues was detected. Our study suggests that H. axyridis associated cues could influence the foraging behavior and activity of A. gifuensis under laboratory conditions. On the other hand, the foraging efficiency of A. gifuensis was not significantly affected by H. axyridis walking tracks in a single plant system. Aphidius gifuensis might exhibit flexible behavioral responses to predator associated cues. The risk of intraguild interactions and the possibility of mitigating such risks for parasitoids are important components for ultimately determining the compatibility of biological control agents.     

承气活血通腑汤联合穴位贴敷治疗粘连性肠梗阻的疗效及对胃肠功能和血清炎性因子的影响

目的:探讨承气活血通腑汤联合穴位贴敷治疗粘连性肠梗阻的疗效及对胃肠功能和血清炎性因子的影响。方法:选取2018年2月到2020年7月期间于我院接受诊治的粘连性肠梗阻患者60例。分组方法采用随机数字表法,将入选患者分为对照组(n=30,常规治疗)、研究组(n=30,对照组的基础上给予承气活血通腑汤联合穴位贴敷治疗),对比两组疗效、胃肠功能、炎性因子、住院时间、住院费用、临床症状评分。结果:研究组的临床总有效率较对照组高(P<0.05)。两组治疗12d后血清降钙素原(PCT)、C反应蛋白(CRP)水平较治疗前降低,且研究组较对照组低(P<0.05)。两组治疗12d后腹部胀痛、排便排气、恶心呕吐、口苦口干评分较治疗前降低,且研究组较对照组低(P<0.05)。研究组胃管拔除时间、恢复正常饮食时间均短于对照组(P<0.05)。研究组住院时间短于对照组,住院费用少于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:承气活血通腑汤联合穴位贴敷治疗粘连性肠梗阻的疗效确切,可改善患者临床症状和胃肠功能,促进患者早日恢复,减少住院费用,降低机体炎性因子水平。     

Proteomics advances for precision therapy in ovarian cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Due to the relatively low mutation rate and high frequency of copy number variation, finding actionable genetic drivers of high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is a challenging task. Furthermore, emerging studies show that genetic alterations are frequently poorly represented at the protein level adding a layer of complexity. With improvements in large-scale proteomic technologies, proteomics studies have the potential to provide robust analysis of the pathways driving high HGSC behavior.

Areas covered: This review summarizes recent large-scale proteomics findings across adequately sized ovarian cancer sample sets. Key words combined with ‘ovarian cancer’ including ‘proteomics’, ‘proteogenomic’, ‘reverse-phase protein array’, ‘mass spectrometry’, and ‘adaptive response’, were used to search PubMed.

Expert opinion: Proteomics analysis of HGSC as well as their adaptive responses to therapy can uncover new therapeutic liabilities, which can reduce the emergence of drug resistance and potentially improve patient outcomes. There is a pressing need to better understand how the genomic and epigenomic heterogeneity intrinsic to ovarian cancer is reflected at the protein level and how this information could be used to improve patient outcomes.     

Climate change and the optimal flowering time of annual plants in seasonal environments

Long‐term phenology monitoring has documented numerous examples of changing flowering dates during the last century. A pivotal question is whether these phenological responses are adaptive or not under directionally changing climatic conditions. We use a classic dynamic growth model for annual plants, based on optimal control theory, to find the fitness‐maximizing flowering time, defined as the switching time from vegetative to reproductive growth. In a typical scenario of global warming, with advanced growing season and increased productivity, optimal flowering time advances less than the start of the growing season. Interestingly, increased temporal spread in production over the season may either advance or delay the optimal flowering time depending on overall productivity or season length. We identify situations where large phenological changes are necessary for flowering time to remain optimal. Such changes also indicate changed selection pressures. In other situations, the model predicts advanced phenology on a calendar scale, but no selection for early flowering in relation to the start of the season. We also show that the optimum is more sensitive to increased productivity when productivity is low than when productivity is high. All our results are derived using a general, graphical method to calculate the optimal flowering time applicable for a large range of shapes of the seasonal production curve. The model can thus explain apparent maladaptation in phenological responses in a multitude of scenarios of climate change. We conclude that taking energy allocation trade‐offs and appropriate time scales into account is critical when interpreting phenological patterns.     

The Citrobacter rodentium Mouse Model: Studying Pathogen and Host Contributions to Infectious Colitis

This protocol outlines the steps required to produce a robust model of infectious disease and colitis, as well as the methods used to characterize Citrobacter rodentium infection in mice. C. rodentium is a gram negative, murine specific bacterial pathogen that is closely related to the clinically important human pathogens enteropathogenic E. coli and enterohemorrhagic E. coli. Upon infection with C. rodentium, immunocompetent mice suffer from modest and transient weight loss and diarrhea. Histologically, intestinal crypt elongation, immune cell infiltration, and goblet cell depletion are observed. Clearance of infection is achieved after 3 to 4 weeks. Measurement of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity, bacterial load, and histological damage at different time points after infection, allow the characterization of mouse strains susceptible to infection.The virulence mechanisms by which bacterial pathogens colonize the intestinal tract of their hosts, as well as specific host responses that defend against such infections are poorly understood. Therefore the C. rodentium model of enteric bacterial infection serves as a valuable tool to aid in our understanding of these processes. Enteric bacteria have also been linked to Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). It has been hypothesized that the maladaptive chronic inflammatory responses seen in IBD patients develop in genetically susceptible individuals following abnormal exposure of the intestinal mucosal immune system to enteric bacteria. Therefore, the study of models of infectious colitis offers significant potential for defining potentially pathogenic host responses to enteric bacteria. C. rodentium induced colitis is one such rare model that allows for the analysis of host responses to enteric bacteria, furthering our understanding of potential mechanisms of IBD pathogenesis; essential in the development of novel preventative and therapeutic treatments.     

Exogenous strigolactones impact metabolic profiles and phosphate starvation signalling in roots

Strigolactones (SLs) are important ex-planta signalling molecules in the rhizosphere, promoting the association with beneficial microorganisms, but also affecting plant interactions with harmful organisms. They are also plant hormones in-planta, acting as modulators of plant responses under nutrient-deficient conditions, mainly phosphate (Pi) starvation. In the present work, we investigate the potential role of SLs as regulators of early Pi starvation signalling in plants. A short-term pulse of the synthetic SL analogue 2′-epi-GR24 promoted SL accumulation and the expression of Pi starvation markers in tomato and wheat under Pi deprivation. 2′-epi-GR24 application also increased SL production and the expression of Pi starvation markers under normal Pi conditions, being its effect dependent on the endogenous SL levels. Remarkably, 2′-epi-GR24 also impacted the root metabolic profile under these conditions, promoting the levels of metabolites associated to plant responses to Pi limitation, thus partially mimicking the pattern observed under Pi deprivation. The results suggest an endogenous role for SLs as Pi starvation signals. In agreement with this idea, SL-deficient plants were less sensitive to this stress. Based on the results, we propose that SLs may act as early modulators of plant responses to P starvation.