Despite the advancement of medical science, diseases are part‐and‐parcel of human life. Plants have provided humans with medicines since time immemorial, and are still one of the primary sources for ...drug discovery. Brassica rapa L., commonly known as turnip, is one of the world's oldest cultivated vegetables. Besides being an important vegetable and source of oil, turnip is also used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of headaches, chest complaints, rheumatisms, oedemas, gonorrhoea, syphilis, and rabies. Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates (mainly 2‐phenylethyl, 4‐pentenyl, and 3‐butenyl derivatives) are the main constituents of turnip with diverse bioactivities, especially for the protective effect against cancers. Besides, flavonoids, phenolics, indoles and volatiles are also concomitant in this plant. Pharmacological investigation on turnip revealed the antitumor, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective, and nephroprotective effects. The anticancer property was found to be the most promising biological activity of turnip with 2‐phenylethyl isothiocyanate, phenylpropionitrile, brassicaphenanthrene A, 6‐paradol, and trans‐6‐shogaol as the major active constituents. Flavonoids and phenolics with high free radical scavenging activity should be corresponding to the antioxidant effects. Arvelexin, an indole derivative in turnip, was reported with various effects involving antiinflamatory, antihypertensive and hypolipidemic potency. In spite of many studies concerning either the chemical constituents or the biological activities of turnip, only a few cases disclosed the active ingredients responsible for diverse bioactivities. This review summarizes the research progress on the chemistry and health‐benefits of turnip over the past 20 years to provide a reference for the further investigation.
Competitive interactions drive critical ecological processes in plant communities. Yet, how competitive interactions are influenced by polyploidy that has a widespread incidence in plants remains ...largely unknown.
To evaluate the hypothesis of competitive asymmetry between polyploids and diploids, we competed tetraploid and diploid plants of perennial herbaceous Chrysanthemum indicum L. (Asteraceae) at different relative frequencies under contrasting soil water contents. We quantified the interaction intensity between competing plants of the same (intraploidy) and different ploidy levels (interploidy), and measured functional traits related to gas exchange and plant water use to understand the underlying mechanisms.
The stronger competitive effect of tetraploids on diploids than that of diploids on tetraploids provided evidence for the competitive asymmetry. As a stronger competitor, tetraploids were limited more by individuals of their own than by diploids. Such competitive asymmetry was not only maintained under reduced soil water content, but also translated into higher above‐ground biomass of tetraploids. Tetraploids showed more resource‐acquisitive traits than diploids under high soil water content and more resource‐conservative traits under reduced soil water content. As such, the higher trait plasticity in tetraploids than diploids likely explained the competitive asymmetry.
Synthesis. These results elucidate the nature and magnitude of species interactions between polyploid and diploid plants under changing environments and the underlying mechanisms, and provide important insights into the prevalence and persistence of polyploid plants under a changing climate.
These results elucidate the nature and magnitude of species interactions between polyploid and diploid plants under changing environments and the underlying mechanisms, and provide important insights into the prevalence and persistence of polyploid plants under a changing climate.
Objective: Untethered microrobots hold great promise for applications in biomedical field including targeted delivery, biosensing, and microsurgery. A major challenge of using microrobots to perform ...in vivo tasks is the real-time localization and motion control using medical imaging technologies. Here we report real-time magnetic navigation of a paramagnetic nanoparticle-based microswarm under ultrasound guidance. Methods: A three-axis Helmholtz electromagnetic coil system integrated with an ultrasound imaging system is developed for generation, actuation, and closed-loop control of the microswarm. The magnetite nanoparticle-based microswarm is generated and navigated using rotating magnetic fields. In order to localize the microswarm in real time, the dynamic imaging contrast has been analyzed and exploited in image process to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, imaging of the microswarm at different depths are experimentally studied and analyzed, and the minimal dose of nanoparticles for localizing a microswarm at different depths is ex vivo investigated. For real-time navigating the microswarm in a confined environment, a PI control scheme is designed. Results: Image differencing-based processing increases the signal-to-noise ratio, and the microswarm can be ex vivo localized at depth of 2.2-7.8 cm. Experimental results show that the microswarm is able to be real-time navigated along a planned path in a channel, and the average steady-state error is 0.27 mm (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">\sim</tex-math></inline-formula>33.7% of the body length). Significance: The colloidal microswarm is real-time localized and navigated using ultrasound feedback, which shows great potential for biomedical applications that require real-time noninvasive tracking.
Background
The presence of significant liver fibrosis is a key determinant of long‐term prognosis in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We aimed to develop a novel machine learning algorithm ...(MLA) to predict fibrosis severity in NAFLD and compared it with the most widely used non‐invasive fibrosis biomarkers.
Methods
We used a cohort of 553 adults with biopsy‐proven NAFLD, who were randomly divided into a training cohort (n = 278) for the development of both logistic regression model (LRM) and MLA, and a validation cohort (n = 275). Significant fibrosis was defined as fibrosis stage F ≥ 2. MLA and LRM were derived from variables that were selected using a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression algorithm.
Results
In the training cohort, the variables selected by LASSO algorithm were body mass index, pro‐collagen type III, collagen type IV, aspartate aminotransferase and albumin‐to‐globulin ratio. The diagnostic accuracy of MLA showed the highest values of area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC: 0.902, 95% CI 0.869‐0.904) for identifying fibrosis F ≥ 2. The LRM AUROC was 0.764, 95% CI 0.710‐0.816 and significantly better than the AST‐to‐Platelet ratio (AUROC 0.684, 95% CI 0.605‐0.762), FIB‐4 score (AUROC 0.594, 95% CI 0.503‐0.685) and NAFLD Fibrosis Score (AUROC 0.557, 95% CI 0.470‐0.644). In the validation cohort, MLA also showed the highest AUROC (0.893, 95% CI 0.864‐0.901). The diagnostic accuracy of MLA outperformed that of LRM in all subgroups considered.
Conclusions
Our newly developed MLA algorithm has excellent diagnostic performance for predicting fibrosis F ≥ 2 in patients with biopsy‐confirmed NAFLD.
Highlight
A cohort of patients with biopsy‐proven non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease were randomly divided into a training cohort for the development of a machine learning algorithm and a validation cohort. The machine learning algorithm newly developed by Feng and colleagues had excellent diagnostic accuracy in predicting fibrosis of F³2.
The mammalian gastrointestinal tract is colonized with a majority of gut microbes, affecting host metabolism and homeostasis. Gut microbiota plays a vital role in nutrient exchange, signaling ...transduction between intestinal epithelial cells, and resistance to pathogen invasion. Gut microbiota is divided into mucus layer bacteria and intestinal lumen bacteria based on the colonization distribution. Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) prefers to colonize in the intestinal mucus layer, and specifically degrades mucins to produce short-chain fatty acids, providing energy for the host and promoting colonization of the bacterium itself. Degradation of mucins prompts the host to compensate for the production of more mucins, thereby maintaining the dynamics of these proteins. In the intestinal micro-ecosystem, A. muciniphila is non-pathogenic, and its colonization with suitable abundance contributes to the development of immune system, thus promoting intestinal health. The mechanisms by which A. muciniphila bears a protective role in the host intestine are currently unclear. In this review, we summarize the microenvironment for the colonization of A. muciniphila, physiological characteristics and pathophysiological impact of A. muciniphila on intestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases, and intestinal tumors. We also provided updates for current studies on signals that A. muciniphila enhances intestinal barrier integrity and regulates immune response. Together, we conclude that A. muciniphila is a promising probiotic, which could be a microbial target for the treatment of multiple intestinal diseases.
•Akkermansia muciniphila, a commensal bacterium, plays a critical role in the maintenance of intestinal mucus integrity and dynamics.•A. muciniphila degrades mucins as carbon, nitrogen, and energy sources to produce oligosaccharides and SCFAs for the metabolism of itself and the host.•Abundance of A. muciniphila in the intestine is affected by diet, antibiotics, prebiotics, and immune regulators.•A. muciniphila alleviates the inflammatory response, reduces intestinal permeability through production of SCFAs, activation of GPRs, and inhibition of HDACs.
Substituting liquid electrolytes with solid electrolytes is considered as an important strategy to solve the problem of flammability and explosion for traditional lithium-ion batteries (LIB). ...However, neither inorganic solid electrolytes (ISE) nor solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) alone can meet the operating requirements for room-temperature (RT) all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMB). Here, we report a three-dimensional (3D) nanofiber framework reinforced polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based composite polymer electrolytes (CPE) through constructing a nanofiber framework combining polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and fast Li-ion conductor Li
0.33
La
0.557
TiO
3
(LLTO) framework by electrospinning method. Meanwhile, the PEO electrolyte filled in the pores of the PAN/LLTO nanofiber framework can effectively isolate the direct contact between the chemically active Ti
4+
in LLTO with lithium metal, thereby avoiding the occurrence of interfacial reactions. Enhanced electrochemical stability makes a wide electrochemical window up to 4.8 V with an ionic conductivity of about 9.87 × 10
–5
S·cm
−1
at RT. Benefiting from the excellent lithium dendrite growth inhibition ability of 3D PAN/LLTO nanofiber framework, especially when the mass of LLTO reaches twice that of the PAN, Li/Li symmetric cell could cycle stably for 1000 h without a short circuit. In addition, under 30 °C, the LiFePO
4
/Li ASSLMB using such CPE delivers large capacities of 156.2 and 140 mAh·g
−1
at 0.2C and 0.5C, respectively. These results provide a new insight for the development of the next generation of safe, high-performance ASSLMBs.
Graphical Abstract
Abdominal irradiation (IR) may destroy the intestinal mucosal barrier, leading to severe intestinal infection and multiple organ dysfunction syndromes. The role of intestinal microbiota in the ...development of IR‐induced intestinal injury remains largely unknown. Herein, we reported that abdominal IR altered the composition of the microbiota and reduced the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiome. Alterations of bacteria, in particular reduction of Lactobacillus, played a critical role in IR‐induced intestinal injury. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) from normal mice or administration of Lactobacillus plantarum to intestinal microbiota‐eliminated mice substantially reduced IR‐induced intestinal damage and prevented mice from IR‐induced death. We further characterized that L. plantarum activated the farnesoid X receptor (FXR) – fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) signaling in intestinal epithelial cells and hence promoted DNA‐damage repair. Application of GW4064, an activator of FXR, to microbiota eliminated mice markedly mitigated IR‐induced intestinal damage, reduced intestinal epithelial cell death and promoted the survival of IR mice. In contrast, suppression of FXR with Gly‐β‐MCA, a bile acid and an intestine‐selective and high‐affinity FXR inhibitor, abrogated L. Plantarum‐mediated protection on the ileum of IR mice. Taken together, our findings not only provide new insights into the role of intestinal flora in radiation‐induced intestinal injury but also shed new light on the application of probiotics for the protection of radiation‐damaged individuals.
Lactobacillus leads to the activation of the FXR‐FGF15 axis and attenuates DNA damage in crypt cells, and hence reduces IR‐induced intestinal damage.
The Hengduan Mountains (HDM) biodiversity hotspot exhibits exceptional alpine plant diversity. Here, we investigate factors driving intraspecific divergence within a HDM alpine species Salix ...brachista (Cushion willow), a common component of subnival assemblages. We produce a high-quality genome assembly for this species and characterize its genetic diversity, population structure and pattern of evolution by resequencing individuals collected across its distribution. We detect population divergence that has been shaped by a landscape of isolated sky island-like habitats displaying strong environmental heterogeneity across elevational gradients, combined with population size fluctuations that have occurred since approximately the late Miocene. These factors are likely important drivers of intraspecific divergence within Cushion willow and possibly other alpine plants with a similar distribution. Since intraspecific divergence is often the first step toward speciation, the same factors can be important contributors to the high alpine species diversity in the HDM.
Background & Aims
Patatin‐like phospholipase domain‐containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) rs738409 polymorphism is associated with NAFLD severity and the PNPLA3 gene is expressed in the kidneys, but whether ...PNPLA3 rs738409 polymorphism is also associated with renal tubular injury (RTI) is uncertain. We assessed the effect of PNPLA3 genotypes on biomarkers of RTI and glomerular function in subjects with NAFLD who had either normal (nALT) or abnormal (abnALT) alanine aminotransaminase levels.
Methods
Two hundred and seventeen patients with histologically proven NAFLD of which 75 had persistently nALT (below upper limit of normal for 3 months) were included. Multivariable regression analyses were undertaken to test associations between PNPLA3 genotype and biomarkers of kidney dysfunction.
Results
The nALT patient group had higher urinary neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin levels (u‐NGAL, a biomarker of RTI) (P < .001), higher albuminuria (P = .039) and greater prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD; P = .046) than the abnALT group. The association between PNPLA3 GG genotype and risk of CKD and abnormal albuminuria remained significant after adjustment for kidney risk factors and severity of NAFLD histology, mostly in the nALT group. Similarly, PNPLA3 GG genotype was associated with higher u‐NGAL levels in the nALT group, even after adjustment for the aforementioned risk factors and glomerular filtration‐based markers (β‐coefficient: 22.29, 95% CI: 0.99‐43.60, P = .041).
Conclusion
Patients with NAFLD and persistently nALT, who carry the PNPLA3 rs738409 G allele, are at higher risk of early glomerular and tubular damage. We suggest PNPLA3 genotyping may help identify patients with NAFLD at higher risk of RTI.
Sirtuins (SIRTs) are a nicotinic adenine dinucleotide (+) -dependent histone deacetylase that regulates critical signaling pathways in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Studies have identified seven ...mammalian homologs of the yeast SIRT silencing message regulator 2, namely, SIRT1-SIRT7. Recent in vivo and in vitro studies have successfully demonstrated the involvement of SIRTs in key pathways for cell biological function in physiological and pathological processes of the cardiovascular system, including processes including cellular senescence, oxidative stress, apoptosis, DNA damage, and cellular metabolism. Emerging evidence has stimulated a significant evolution in preventing and treating cardiovascular disease (CVD). Here, we review the important roles of SIRTs for the regulatory pathways involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and their molecular targets, including novel protein post-translational modifications of succinylation. In addition, we summarize the agonists and inhibitors currently identified to target novel specific small molecules of SIRTs. A better understanding of the role of SIRTs in the biology of CVD opens new avenues for therapeutic intervention with great potential for preventing and treating CVD.
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