Fifteen transcription factors in the CAMTA (calmodulin binding transcription activator) family of soybean were reported to differentially regulate in multiple stresses; however, their functional ...analyses had not yet been attempted. To characterize their role in stresses, we first comprehensively analyzed the
family in silico and thereafter determined their expression pattern under drought. The bioinformatics analysis revealed multiple stress-related
-regulatory elements including
,
,
and
, 10 unique miRNA (microRNA) targets in
transcripts and 48 proteins in GmCAMTAs' interaction network. We then cloned the 2769 bp CDS (coding sequence) of
in an expression vector and overexpressed in soybean and Arabidopsis through
-mediated transformation. The T3 (Transgenic generation 3) stably transformed homozygous lines of Arabidopsis exhibited enhanced tolerance to drought in soil as well as on MS (Murashige and Skoog) media containing mannitol. In their drought assay, the average survival rate of transgenic Arabidopsis lines OE5 and OE12 (Overexpression Line 5 and Line 12) was 83.66% and 87.87%, respectively, which was ~30% higher than that of wild type. In addition, the germination and root length assays as well as physiological indexes such as proline and malondialdehyde contents, catalase activity and leakage of electrolytes affirmed the better performance of OE lines. Similarly,
overexpression in soybean promoted drought-efficient hairy roots in OE chimeric plants as compare to that of VC (Vector control). In parallel, the improved growth performance of OE in Hoagland-PEG (polyethylene glycol) and on MS-mannitol was revealed by their phenotypic, physiological and molecular measures. Furthermore, with the overexpression of
, the downstream genes including
,
,
and
were upregulated in Arabidopsis. Likewise, in soybean hairy roots,
,
and
were significantly upregulated as a result of
overexpression and majority of these upregulated genes in both plants possess CAMTA binding
motif in their promoters. Taken together, we report that
plays substantial role in tolerance of soybean against drought stress and could prove to be a novel candidate for engineering soybean and other plants against drought stress. Some research gaps were also identified for future studies to extend our comprehension of
-mediated stress regulatory mechanisms.
Soybean is one of the most widely grown oilseed crops worldwide. Several unfavorable factors, including salt and salt-alkali stress caused by soil salinization, affect soybean yield and quality. ...Therefore, exploring the molecular basis of salt tolerance in plants and developing genetic resources for genetic breeding is important. Sucrose non-fermentable protein kinase 1 (SnRK1) belongs to a class of Ser/Thr protein kinases that are evolutionarily highly conserved direct homologs of yeast SNF1 and animal AMPKs and are involved in various abiotic stresses in plants. The
gene was experimentally shown to be involved with salinity tolerance. First, using the yeast two-hybrid technique and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) technique, the GmSNF1 protein was shown to interact with the GmPKS4 protein. Second, the
gene responded positively to salt and salt-alkali stress according to qRT-PCR analysis, and the GmSNF1 protein was localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm using subcellular localization assay. The
gene was then heterologously expressed in yeast, and the
gene was tentatively identified as having salt and salt-alkali tolerance function. Finally, the salt-alkali tolerance function of the
gene was demonstrated by transgenic
, soybean hairy root complex plants overexpressing
and
gene-silenced soybean using VIGS. These results indicated that
might be useful in genetic engineering to improve plant salt and salt-alkali tolerance.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is associated with various health benefits. In this review, we searched current work about the effects of EGCG and its wound dressings on skin for wound healing. ...Hydrogels, nanoparticles, micro/nanofiber networks and microneedles are the major types of EGCG-containing wound dressings. The beneficial effects of EGCG and its wound dressings at different stages of skin wound healing (hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and tissue remodeling) were summarized based on the underlying mechanisms of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, angiogenesis and antifibrotic properties. This review expatiates on the rationale of using EGCG to promote skin wound healing and prevent scar formation, which provides a future clinical application direction of EGCG.
Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is an enzyme that plays a pivotal role in abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants by transforming the diacylglycerol into phosphatidic acid. However, there is no ...report on the characterization of soybean
genes in spite of the availability of the soybean genome sequence. In this study, we performed genome-wide analysis and expression profiling of the
gene family in the soybean genome. We identified 12
genes (namely
) which all contained conserved catalytic domains with protein lengths and molecular weights ranging from 436 to 727 amino acids (aa) and 48.62 to 80.93 kDa, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses grouped
genes into three clusters-cluster I, cluster II, and cluster III-which had three, four, and five genes, respectively. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed significant
gene expression levels in both leaves and roots coping with polyethylene glycol (PEG), salt, alkali, and salt/alkali treatments. This work provides the first characterization of the
gene family in soybean and suggests their importance in soybean response to abiotic stress. These results can serve as a guide for future studies on the understanding and functional characterization of this gene family.
Objectives
This study aimed to establish a neural‐related gene risk score (NRGRS) for the prediction of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis and explore its predictive value on the benefit ...of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.
Methods
Based on the transcriptome data of HNSCC patients (n = 546) from The Cancer Genome Atlas database, 37 neural‐related hub genes were identified by weighted gene co‐expression network analysis. Four genes (ITGA5, PYGM, GNG7 and ATP2A3) were identified to construct NRGRS using Lasso‐Cox regression method based on the derivation cohort and validated in the Gene Expression Omnibus cohort (n = 109). The survival analysis was performed to validate the prognostic value of NRGRS and immune characteristics in NRGRS‐defined subgroups were analyzed.
Results
NRGRS‐high patients had a worse overall survival than NRGRS‐low patients. Tumors with high NRGRS were more likely to have high infiltration of naive CD4+ T cells, M0, M2 macrophages and resting mast cells, which illustrated suppressive immunity and less benefit from immunotherapy therapy.
Conclusion
NRGRS strongly correlates with survival and is a promising biomarker to predict immunotherapy benefits for head and neck cancer patients. This study provides evidence for the potential correlation between neural‐related transcriptome alteration and immune activity.
While consensus on single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) for acute appendicitis is lacking, our meta-analysis evaluated the safety and efficacy of SILA compared to conventional three-port ...laparoscopic appendectomy (CTLA). A computer-based search was conducted in the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP, Wanfang, China Biological Medicine (CBM), PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing SILA with CTLA groups. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 26 RCTs were included. The meta-analysis results indicated that, compared to the CTLA group, the SILA group had a longer operation time MD = 7.97, 95 % CI (5.84, 10.10), P < 0.00001, and a higher rate of conversion to open surgery RR = 2.60, 95 % CI (1.27, 5.31), P = 0.009, but had a shorter time to return to normal activities MD = −0.76, 95 % CI (−1.15, −0.37), P = 0.0001. Additionally, the SILA group had higher satisfaction scores SMD = 1.21, 95 % CI (0.75, 1.68), P < 0.00001 and cosmetic scores SMD = 0.68, 95 % CI (0.45, 0.90), P < 0.00001. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of pain scores at 24 h postoperatively MD = −0.21, 95 % CI (−0.56, 0.14), P = 0.25, the incidence of wound infection RR = 1.13, 95 % CI (0.74, 1.73), P = 0.58, or the overall complication rate RR = 0.86, 95 % CI (0.66, 1.12), P = 0.27. SILA is a safe and effective surgical approach that allows patients to recover to normal activities earlier, particularly for patients with a strong demand for better cosmetic outcomes. However, the quality of some RCTs in this meta-analysis is low, and further verification is needed through future high-quality RCTs.
Background
Surgeons are pursuing accurate head and neck reconstruction to enhance aesthetic and functional outcomes after oncologic resection. This study aimed to investigate whether accuracy of head ...and neck reconstruction is improved with the use of three-dimensionally (3D)-printed patient-specific surgical plates compared with conventional plates.
Methods
In this comparative study, patients were prospectively recruited into the study group (3DJP16) with 3D-printed patient-specific surgical plates. The patients in control group with conventional surgical plates were from a historic cohort in the same unit. The primary end point of the study was the accuracy of head and neck reconstruction. The secondary end points were accuracy of osteotomy, intraoperative blood loss, total operative time, and length of hospital stay.
Results
The study recruited of 33 patients, including 17 in the study group and 16 in the control group. The patients’ baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups. The absolute distance deviation of the maxilla or mandible was 1.5 ± 0.5 mm in the study group and 2.1 ± 0.7 mm in the control group mean difference, − 0.7 mm; 95% confidence interval (CI) − 1.1 to − 0.3;
p
= 0.003, showing superior accuracy of reconstruction for the patients with 3D-printed patient-specific surgical plates. Improved accuracy of reconstruction also was detected in terms of bilateral mandibular angles and bone grafts. Concerning the secondary end points, the accuracy of the osteotomy was similar in the two groups. No difference was found regarding intraoperative blood loss, total operative time, or length of hospital stay.
Conclusions
This is the first study to prove that compared with conventional plates, 3D-printed patient-specific surgical plates improve the accuracy of oncologic head and neck reconstruction.
Salinity is one of the most serious factors limiting the productivity of agricultural crops, with adverse effects on germination, plant vigor, and crop yield. This salinity may be natural or induced ...by agricultural activities such as irrigation or the use of certain types of fertilizer. The most detrimental effect of salinity stress is the accumulation of Na+ and Cl− ions in tissues of plants exposed to soils with high NaCl concentrations. The entry of both Na+ and Cl− into the cells causes severe ion imbalance, and excess uptake might cause significant physiological disorder(s). High Na+ concentration inhibits the uptake of K+, which is an element for plant growth and development that results in lower productivity and may even lead to death. The genetic analyses revealed K+ and Na+ transport systems such as SOS1, which belong to the CBL gene family and play a key role in the transport of Na+ from the roots to the aerial parts in the Arabidopsis plant. In this review, we mainly discuss the roles of alkaline cations K+ and Na+, Ion homeostasis-transport determinants, and their regulation. Moreover, we tried to give a synthetic overview of soil salinity, its effects on plants, and tolerance mechanisms to withstand stress.
In higher plants, DREB1/CBF-type transcription factors play an important role in tolerance to low temperatures, drought, and high-salt stress. These transcription factors bind to CRT/DRE elements in ...promoter regions of target genes, regulating their expression. In this study, we cloned and characterized a novel gene encoding a DREB1 transcription factor from dwarf apple, Malus baccata (GenBank accession number: EF582842). Expression of MbDREB1 was induced by cold, drought, and salt stress, and also in response to exogenous ABA. Subcellular localization analyses revealed that MbDREB1 localizes in the nucleus. A yeast activity assay demonstrated that the MbDREB1 gene encodes a transcription activator, which specifically binds to DRE/CRT elements. Compared with wild-type plants, transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing MbDREB1 showed increased tolerance to low temperature, drought, and salt stresses. Analysis of the MbDREB1 promoter revealed an ABA-responsive element (ABRE), an inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1)-like binding site, two MYB recognition sites, and three stress-inducible GT-1 boxes. GUS activities driven by the MbDREB1 promoter in transgenic Arabidopsis increased in response to ABA, cold temperature, drought, and salt treatments. Interestingly, the expression of both ABA-independent and ABA-dependent stress-induced genes (COR15a and rd29B, respectively) was activated under normal growth conditions in Arabidopsis overexpressing MbDREB1. These results suggest that MbDREB1 functions as a transcription factor and increases plant tolerance to low temperature, drought, and salt stress via both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent pathways.
Background
Conventional freehand immediate placement of dental implants is technically challenging in the jaw reconstructive surgery. Computer‐aided surgery might be the best solution, however, there ...has not been any standard approach to ensure the accuracy and efficiency of simultaneous dental implants in fibula flap jaw reconstruction.
Purpose
We aim to evaluate the clinical outcome of simultaneous dental implant in fibula flap using the “three‐in‐one” patient‐specific surgical guide (3‐in‐1‐PSSG) in an open‐label, prospective, single‐arm, and single‐center clinical trial.
Materials and Methods
A novel computer‐aided designed and three‐dimensional (3D) printed 3‐in‐1‐PSSG, which contains functions of fibula segmentation, surgical plate positioning and implant placement, was used to facilitate the reconstructive surgery and simultaneous dental implant placement. The intraoperative success of dental implant placement, implant survival rate and accuracy of dental implant placement were reported.
Results
From November 2018 to June 2020, 15 consecutive patients with 48 dental implants were enrolled in this study. Fifteen 3‐in‐1‐PSSGs were fabricated with a mean number of dental implants per guide of 3.2 ± 1.5. The intraoperative success rate of this approach was 14 out of 15. With an average follow‐up period of 40 weeks, the overall implant survival rate was 83.3% (40/48). Eight implants were removed due to two fibula flap failures. The mean deviation at the implant platform and implant apex were 2.8 mm (interquartile range IQR: 1.9‐3.4) and 3.2 mm (IQR: 2.0‐4.6), and the angular deviation was 2.5° (IQR: 1.1‐6.8).
Conclusions
Our preliminary data indicated that the 3D printed 3‐in‐1‐PSSG facilitated simultaneous dental implant in fibula flap jaw reconstruction with a favorable intraoperative success and short‐term clinical outcome. It might be a viable alternative to allow one‐step immediate oral rehabilitation in patients underwent jaw reconstruction with free flaps. Long‐term results with a larger sample size are warranted.
PDF
