Assessment of molecular markers and marker-assisted selection for drought tolerance in barley(Hordeum vulgare L.)

This review updates the present status of the field of molecular markers and marker-assisted selection(MAS),using the example of drought tolerance in barley.The accuracy of selected quantitative trait loci(QTLs),candidate genes and suggested markers was assessed in the barley genome cv.Morex.Six common strategies are described for molecular marker development,candidate gene identification and verification,and their possible applications in MAS to improve the grain yield and yield components in barley under drought stress.These strategies are based on the following five principles:(1)Molecular markers are designated as genomic‘tags’,and their‘prediction’is strongly dependent on their distance from a candidate gene on genetic or physical maps;(2)plants react differently under favourable and stressful conditions or depending on their stage of development;(3)each candidate gene must be verified by confirming its expression in the relevant conditions,e.g.,drought;(4)the molecular marker identified must be validated for MAS for tolerance to drought stress and improved grain yield;and(5)the small number of molecular markers realized for MAS in breeding,from among the many studies targeting candidate genes,can be explained by the complex nature of drought stress,and multiple stress-responsive genes in each barley genotype that are expressed differentially depending on many other factors.

Evaluating combined bevacizumab and XELOX in advanced colorectal cancer: Serum markers carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 125, carbohydrate antigen 199 analysis

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer ranks third and second among common and fatal cancers.The treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC)is generally based on XELOX in clinical practice,which includes capecitabine(CAP)and oxaliplatin.Serum tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA),carbohydrate antigen(CA)125 and CA199 are prognostic factors for various tumors.AIM To investigate evaluating combined bevacizumab(BEV)and XELOX in advanced colorectal cancer:Serum markers CEA,CA125,CA199 analysis.METHODS In this retrospective study,a total of 94 elderly patients diagnosed with mCRC were recruited and subsequently categorized into two groups based on the distinct treatment modalities they received.The control group was treated with XELOX plus CAP(n=47),while the observation group was treated with XELOX plus CAP and BEV(n=47).Several indexes were assessed in both groups,including disease control rate(DCR),incidence of adverse effects,serum marker levels(CEA,CA125,and CA19)and progression-free survival(PFS).RESULTS After 9 wk of treatment,the serum levels of CEA,CA199 and CA125 in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Moreover,the PFS of the observation group(9.12±0.90 mo)was significantly longer than that of the control group(6.49±0.64 mo).Meanwhile,there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions and DCR between the two groups during maintenance therapy(P>0.05).CONCLUSION On the basis of XELOX treatment,the combination of BEV and CAP can reduce serum tumor marker levels and prolong PFS in patients with mCRC.

Predictive model for non-malignant portal vein thrombosis associated with cirrhosis based on inflammatory biomarkers

BACKGROUND Portal vein thrombosis(PVT),a complication of liver cirrhosis,is a major public health concern.PVT prediction is the most effective method for PVT diagnosis and treatment.AIM To develop and validate a nomogram and network calculator based on clinical indicators to predict PVT in patients with cirrhosis.METHODS Patients with cirrhosis hospitalized between January 2016 and December 2021 at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University were screened and 643 patients with cirrhosis who met the eligibility criteria were retrieved.Following a 1:1 propensity score matching 572 patients with cirrhosis were screened,and relevant clinical data were collected.PVT risk factors were identified using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and multivariate logistic regression analysis.Variance inflation factors and correlation matrix plots were used to analyze multicollinearity among the variables.A nomogram was constructed to predict the probability of PVT based on independent risk factors for PVT,and its predictive performance was verified using a receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC),calibration curves,and decision curve analysis(DCA).Finally,a network calculator was constructed based on the nomograms.RESULTS This study enrolled 286 cirrhosis patients with PVT and 286 without PVT.LASSO analysis revealed 13 variables as strongly associated with PVT occurrence.Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed nine indicators as independent PVT risk factors,including etiology,ascites,gastroesophageal varices,platelet count,D-dimer,portal vein diameter,portal vein velocity,aspartate transaminase to neutrophil ratio index,and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio.LASSO and correlation matrix plot results revealed no significant multicollinearity or correlation among the variables.A nomogram was constructed based on the screened independent risk factors.The nomogram had excellent predictive performance,with an area under the ROC curve of 0.821 and 0.829 in the training and testing groups,respectively.Calibration curves and DCA revealed its good clinical performance.Finally,the optimal cutoff value for the total nomogram score was 0.513.The sensitivity and specificity of the optimal cutoff values were 0.822 and 0.706,respectively.CONCLUSION A nomogram for predicting PVT occurrence was successfully developed and validated,and a network calculator was constructed.This can enable clinicians to rapidly and easily identify high PVT risk groups.

Effects of exercise training on glucose metabolism indicators and inflammatory markers in obese children and adolescents:A metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious problem,and the efficacy of exercise therapy for these patients is controversial.AIM To assess the efficacy of exercise training on overweight and obese children based on glucose metabolism indicators and inflammatory markers.METHODS The PubMed,Web of Science,and Embase databases were searched for randomized controlled trials related to exercise training and obese children until October 2023.The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software to evaluate the efficacy of exercise therapy on glucose metabolism indicators and inflammatory markers in obese children.RESULTS In total,1010 patients from 28 studies were included.Exercise therapy reduced the levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG)[standardized mean difference(SMD):-0.78;95%confidence interval(CI):-1.24 to-0.32,P=0.0008],fasting insulin(FINS)(SMD:-1.55;95%CI:-2.12 to-0.98,P<0.00001),homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)(SMD:-1.58;95%CI:-2.20 to-0.97,P<0.00001),interleukin-6(IL-6)(SMD:-1.31;95%CI:-2.07 to-0.55,P=0.0007),C-reactive protein(CRP)(SMD:-0.64;95%CI:-1.21 to-0.08,P=0.03),and leptin(SMD:-3.43;95%CI:-5.82 to-1.05,P=0.005)in overweight and obese children.Exercise training increased adiponectin levels(SMD:1.24;95%CI:0.30 to 2.18,P=0.01)but did not improve tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)levels(SMD:-0.80;95%CI:-1.77 to 0.18,P=0.11).CONCLUSION In summary,exercise therapy improves glucose metabolism by reducing levels of FBG,FINS,HOMA-IR,as well as improves inflammatory status by reducing levels of IL-6,CRP,leptin,and increasing levels of adiponectin in overweight and obese children.There was no statistically significant effect between exercise training and levels of TNF-α.Additional long-term trials should be conducted to explore this therapeutic perspective and confirm these results.

Laparoscopic vs open surgery for gastric cancer: Assessing time, recovery, complications, and markers

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the most common cancers worldwide.Morbidity and mortality have increased in recent years,making it an urgent issue to address.La-paroscopic radical surgery(LRS)is a crucial method for treating patients with GC;However,its influence on tumor markers is still under investigation.The data of 194 patients treated at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital bet-ween January 2018 and January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients who underwent traditional open surgery and LRS were assigned to the control(n=90)and observation groups(n=104),respectively.Independent sample t-tests andχ2 tests were used to compare the two groups based on clinical efficacy,changes in tumor marker levels after treatment,clinical data,and the incidence of posto-perative complications.To investigate the association between tumor marker levels and clinical efficacy in patients with GC,three-year recurrence rates in the two groups were compared.RESULTS Patients in the observation group had a shorter duration of operation,less in-traoperative blood loss,an earlier postoperative eating time,and a shorter hospital stay than those in the control group(P<0.05).No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the number of lymph node dissections(P>0.05).After treatment,the overall response rate in the control group was significantly lower than that in the observation group(P=0.001).Furthermore,after treatment,the levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9,cancer antigen 72-4,carcinoembryonic antigen,and cancer antigen 125 decreased significantly.The observation group also exhibited a significantly lower incidence rate of postoperative complications compared to the control group(P<0.001).Additionally,the two groups did not significantly differ in terms of three-year survival and recurrence rates(P>0.05).CONCLUSION LRS effectively treats early gastric cancer by reducing intraoperative bleeding,length of hospital stays,and postoperative complications.It also significantly lowers tumor marker levels,thus improving the short-term prognosis of the disease.

Preoperative blood markers and intra-abdominal infection after colorectal cancer resection

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer(CRC)has one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates among digestive tract tumors.Intra-abdominal infection(IAI)is a common postoperative complication that affects the clinical outcomes of patients with CRC and hinders their rehabilitation process.However,the factors influencing abdominal infection after CRC surgery remain unclear;further,prediction models are rarely used to analyze preoperative laboratory indicators and postoperative complications.AIM To explore the predictive value of preoperative blood markers for IAI after radical resection of CRC.METHODS The data of 80 patients who underwent radical resection of CRC in the Anorectal Surgery Department of Suzhou Hospital affiliated with Anhui Medical University were analyzed.These patients were categorized into IAI(n=15)and non-IAI groups(n=65)based on whether IAI occurred.Influencing factors were compared;general data and laboratory indices of both groups were identified.The relationship between the indicators was assessed.Further,a nomogram prediction model was developed and evaluated;its utility and clinical applic-ability were assessed.RESULTS The risk factors for IAI after radical resection of CRC were neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet-lymphocyte ratio(PLR),systemic immune-inflammation index(SII),and carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA)levels.NLR was correlated with PLR and SII(r=0.604,0.925,and 0.305,respectively),while PLR was correlated with SII(r=0.787).The nomogram prediction model demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.968[95%confidence interval(CI):0.948-0.988]in the training set(n=60)and 0.926(95%CI:0.906-0.980)in the validation set(n=20).The average absolute errors of the calibration curves for the training and validation sets were 0.032 and 0.048,respectively,indicating a good model fit.The decision curve analysis curves demonstrated high net income above the 5%threshold,indicating the clinical practicality of the model.CONCLUSION The nomogram model constructed using NLR,PLR,SII,and CEA levels had good accuracy and reliability in predicting IAI after radical resection of CRC,potentially aiding clinical treatment decision-making.

New markers of fibrosis in hepatitis C:A step towards the Holy Grail?

In the present issue of the World Journal of Hepatology,Ferrassi et al examine the problem of liver fibrosis staging in chronic hepatitis C.They identify novel biomarkers in an effort to predict accurate fibrosis staging with the aid of the metabolome of Hepatitis C patients.Overall I think Ferrassi et al took a different approach in identifying fibrosis biomarkers,by looking at the patients’metabolome.Their biomarkers clearly separate patients from controls.They can also separate out,patients with minimal fibrosis(F0-F1 stage)and patients with cirrhosis(F4 stage).Obviously,if these biomarkers were to be widely used,tests for all the important metabolites would need to be readily available for use in hospitals or outpatient setting and that may prove difficult and above all,costly.Nevertheless,this step could eventually lead to a metabolomic approach for novel biomarkers of Fibrosis.Obviously,it would need to be validated,but could represent a step towards the Holy Grail of Hepatology.

Salivary C-reactive protein and mean platelet volume as possible diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia

BACKGROUND Neonatal sepsis,a formidable threat to newborns,is a leading cause of neonatal mortality,with late-onset sepsis manifesting after 72 hours post-birth being particularly concerning.Pneumonia,a prevalent sepsis presentation,poses a significant risk,especially during the neonatal phase when lung defenses are compromised.Accurate diagnosis of pneumonia is imperative for timely and effective interventions.Saliva,a minimally invasive diagnostic medium,holds great promise for evaluating infections,especially in infants.AIM To investigate the potential of serum C-reactive protein(CRP),salivary CRP(sCRP),and mean platelet volume(MPV)as diagnostic markers for late-onset neonatal pneumonia(LONP).METHODS Eighty full-term neonates were systematically examined,considering anthropometric measurements,clinical manifestations,radiology findings,and essential biomarkers,including serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV.RESULTS The study reveals noteworthy distinctions in serum CRP levels,MPV,and the serum CRP/MPV ratio between neonates with LONP and healthy controls.MPV exhibited a robust discriminatory ability[area under the curve(AUC)=0.87]with high sensitivity and specificity at a cutoff value of>8.8.Correlations between serum CRP,sCRP,and MPV were also identified.Notably,sCRP demonstrated excellent predictive value for serum CRP levels(AUC=0.89),underscoring its potential as a diagnostic tool.CONCLUSION This study underscores the diagnostic promise of salivary and serum biomarkers,specifically MPV and CRP,in identifying and predicting LONP among neonates.These findings advocate for further research to validate their clinical utility in larger neonatal cohorts.

Utilizing resequencing big data to facilitate Brassica vegetable breeding:tracing introgression pedigree and developing highly specific markers for clubroot resistance

Clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae is a devastating disease of Cruciferous crops.Developing cultivars with clubroot resistance(CR)is the most effective control measure.For the two major Brassica vegetable species B.rapa and B.oleracea,several commercial cultivars with unclear CR pedigrees have been intensively used as CR donors in breeding.However,the continuous occurrence of CR-breaking makes the CR pedigree underlying these cultivars one of the breeders'most urgent concerns.The complex intraspecific diversity of these two major Brassica vegetables has also limited the applicability of CR markers in different breeding programs.Here we first traced the pedigree underlying two kinds of CR that have been widely applied in breeding by linkage and introgression analyses based on public resequencing data.In B.rapa,a major locus CRzi8 underlying the CR of the commercial CR donor‘DegaoCR117’was identified.CRzi8 was further shown to have been introgressed from turnip(B.rapa ssp.rapifera)and that it carried a potential functional allele of Crr1a.The turnip introgression carried CRb^(c),sharing the same coding sequence with the CRb that was also identified from chromosome C07 of B.oleracea CR cultivars with different morphotypes.Within natural populations,variation analysis of linkage intervals of CRzi8,PbBa8.1,CRb,and CRb^(c)yielded easily resolved InDel markers(>20 bp)for these fundamental CR genes.The specificity of these markers was tested in diverse cultivars panels,and each exhibited high reliability in breeding.Our research demonstrates the value of the practice of applying resequencing big data to solve urgent concerns in breeding programs.

Recent progress in hair follicle stem cell markers and their regulatory roles

Hair follicle stem cells(HFSCs)in the bulge are a multipotent adult stem cell population.They can periodically give rise to new HFs and even regenerate the epidermis and sebaceous glands during wound healing.An increasing number of biomarkers have been used to isolate,label,and trace HFSCs in recent years.Considering more detailed data from single-cell transcriptomics technology,we mainly focus on the important HFSC molecular markers and their regulatory roles in this review.

Diagnostic significance of complete blood cell count and hemogramderived markers for neonatal sepsis at Southwest Public Hospitals,Ethiopia

BACKGROUND Neonatal sepsis is defined as an infection-related condition characterized by signs and symptoms of bacteremia within the first month of life.It is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity among newborns.While several studies have been conducted in other parts of world to assess the usefulness of complete blood count parameters and hemogram-derived markers as early screening tools for neonatal sepsis,the associations between sepsis and its complications with these blood parameters are still being investigated in our setting and are not yet part of routine practice.AIM To evaluate the diagnostic significance of complete blood cell count hemogramderived novel markers for neonatal sepsis among neonates attending public hospitals in the southwest region of Oromia,Ethiopia,through a case control study.METHODS A case control study was conducted from October 2021 to October 2023 Sociodemographic,clinical history,and laboratory test results data were collected using structured questionnaires.The collected data were entered into Epi-data 3.1 version and exported to SPSS-25 for analysis.Chi-square,independent sample ttest,and receiver operator characteristics curve of curve were used for analysis.A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS In this study,significant increases were observed in the following values in the case group compared to the control group:In white blood cell(WBC)count,neutrophils,monocyte,mean platelet volume(MPV),neutrophils to lymphocyte ratio,monocyte to lymphocyte ratio(MLR),red blood cell width to platelet count ratio(RPR),red blood width coefficient variation,MPV to RPR,and platelet to lymphocyte ratio.Regarding MLR,a cut-off value of≥0.26 was found,with a sensitivity of 68%,a specificity of 95%,a positive predictive value(PPV)of 93.2%,and a negative predictive value(NPV)of 74.8%.The area under the curve(AUC)was 0.828(P<0.001).For WBC,a cutoff value of≥11.42 was identified,with a sensitivity of 55%,a specificity of 89%,a PPV of 83.3%,and a NPV of 66.4%.The AUC was 0.81(P<0.001).Neutrophils had a sensitivity of 67%,a specificity of 81%,a PPV of 77.9%,and a NPV of 71.1%.The AUC was 0.801,with a cut-off value of≥6.76(P=0.001).These results indicate that they were excellent predictors of neonatal sepsis diagnosis.CONCLUSION The findings of our study suggest that certain hematological parameters and hemogram-derived markers may have a potential role in the diagnosis of neonatal sepsis.

Discordant patterns of genetic variation between mitochondrial and microsatellite markers in Acanthogobius ommaturus across the coastal areas of China

Acanthogobius ommaturus, which belongs to the family Gobiidae, is a euryhaline and demersal fish that is widely distributed in the coastal areas, harbors, and estuaries of China, D. P. R. Korea and Japan. In this study, the genetic diversity and genetic structure of five geographical populations of A. ommaturus was assessed using the mitochondrial hypervariable region gene and microsatellite markers. The results of the two genetic markers indicated that the A. ommaturus populations had a high level of genetic diversity. The mitochondrial marker detected weak genetic differentiation among populations, and the Neighbor-Joining tree showed that there was no obvious pedigree branches and geographic structure as well. However, population of Zhoushan showed significant genetic differentiation with other populations by microsatellite markers. The population of A.ommaturus has not experienced bottleneck effect recently. We speculated that the Pleistocene climate change and juvenile fish dispersal played an important role in the population differentiation of A. ommaturus.

Efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with thalidomide and S-1 for esophageal carcinoma and its influence on serum tumor markers

BACKGROUND Although the current conventional treatment strategies for esophageal carcinoma(EC)have been proven effective,they are often accompanied by serious adverse events.Therefore,it is still necessary to continue to explore new therapeutic strategies for EC to improve the clinical outcome of patients.AIM To elucidate the clinical efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy(CCRT)with thalidomide(THAL)and S-1(tegafur,gimeracil,and oteracil potassium capsules)in the treatment of EC as well as its influence on serum tumor markers(STMs).METHODS First,62 patients with EC treated at the Zibo 148 Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were selected and grouped according to the received treatment.Among these,30 patients undergoing CCRT with cis-platinum and 5-fluorouracil were assigned to the control group(Con),and 32 patients receiving CCRT with THAL and S-1 were assigned to the research group(Res).Second,inter-group comparisons were carried out with respect to curative efficacy,incidence of drug toxicities,STMs[carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)and macrophage inflammatory protein-3α(MIP-3α)],angiogenesis-related indicators[vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF);VEGF receptor-1(VEGFR-1);basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF);angiogenin-2(Ang-2)],and quality of life(QoL)[QoL core 30(QLQ-C30)]after one month of treatment.RESULTS The analysis showed no statistical difference in the overall response rate and disease control rate between the two patient cohorts;however,the incidences of grade I–II myelosuppression and gastrointestinal reactions were significantly lower in the Res than in the Con.Besides,the post-treatment CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels in the Res were markedly lower compared with the pre-treatment levels and the corresponding post-treatment levels in the Con.Furthermore,more evident improvements in QLQ-C30 scores from the dimensions of physical,role,emotional,and social functions were determined in the Res.CONCLUSION The above results demonstrate the effectiveness of THAL+S-1 CCRT for EC,which contributes to mild side effects and significant reduction of CA125,MIP-3α,VEGF,VEGFR-1,bFGF,and Ang-2 Levels,thus inhibiting tumors from malignant progression and enhancing patients’QoL.

Comparative analysis of Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine and inflammatory markers in diabetic and non-diabetic coronary artery disease patients

BACKGROUND Coronary artery disease(CAD)is a major cause of death worldwide,and India contributes to about one-fifth of total CAD deaths.The development of CAD has been linked to the accumulation of Nε-carboxymethyl-lysine(CML)in heart muscle,which correlates with fibrosis.AIM To assess the impact of CML and inflammatory markers on the biochemical and cardiovascular characteristics of CAD patients with and without diabetes.METHODS We enrolled 200 consecutive CAD patients who were undergoing coronary angiography and categorized them into two groups based on their serum glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)levels(group I:HbA1c≥6.5;group II:HbA1c<6.5).We analyzed the levels of lipoproteins,plasma HbA1c levels,CML,interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α),and nitric oxide.RESULTS Group I (81 males and 19 females) patients had a mean age of 54.2 ± 10.2 years, with a mean diabetes duration of4.9 ± 2.2 years. Group II (89 males and 11 females) patients had a mean age of 53.2 ± 10.3 years. Group I had moresevere CAD, with a higher percentage of patients with single vessel disease and greater stenosis severity in the leftanterior descending coronary artery compared to group II. Group I also exhibited a larger left atrium diameter.Group I patients exhibited significantly higher levels of CML, TNF-α, and IL-6 and lower levels of nitric oxide ascompared with group II patients. Additionally, CML showed a significant positive correlation with IL-6 (r = 0.596,P = 0.001) and TNF-α (r = 0.337, P = 0.001) and a negative correlation with nitric oxide (r=-4.16, P = 0.001). Oddsratio analysis revealed that patients with CML in the third quartile (264.43-364.31 ng/mL) were significantlyassociated with diabetic CAD at unadjusted and adjusted levels with covariates.

Study on Quality Markers of Poria cocos Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and Network Pharmacology Technology

[Objectives]To analyze the main chemical components of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)Poria cocos by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry,and explore the active components for P.cocos in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea(PD)by network pharmacology to predict its quality markers(Q-marker).[Methods]Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole tandem time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS)in positive and negative ion mode was used to collect high quality MS and MS/MS data of Poria cocos,and qualitative characterization of the components in Poria cocos was performed using Analyst TF 1.7.1 and PeakView 2.2 software with reference to internal databases and literature.Taking the above identified chemical components as the research object,we used network pharmacology to discover the potential effective components and their key targets of PD,and metabolic pathway enrichment analysis of the core targets was performed to screen the Q-marker of P.cocos based on the five principles of Q-marker of TCM.[Results]UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique was used to identify 41 chemical components of P.cocos,including 3 amino acids,26 triterpenoids,4 lactones,7 organic acids and 1 adenosine.It was more likely to lose H 2O and CO 2 during cleavage and break at the carbonyl group.The triterpenoids were mainly in the form of[M-H]-peaks in negative ion mode,which was easy to lose some structural fragments such as H 2O,CH 3COOH,CH 4,CO 2,etc.Further network pharmacological analysis showed that 302 targets of chemical components of P.cocos,518 targets of PD,28 common targets of component and disease,and 27 core targets such as PTGS2,ESR1,TNF,IL1B were observed by PPI interactions network analysis.451 biological processes such as hormone response and inflammatory response regulation were obtained by GO enrichment analysis.KEGG enrichment analysis showed that 89 pathways including PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway were obtained.The connectivity value of components was analyzed.The core components with the connectivity value greater than 10,including poricoic acid A,polyporenic acid,polyporenic acid C,and 25-hydroxy-3-epidehydrotumoric acid were selected,while the key targets with the connectivity value greater than 15 included TNF,PTGS2,IL1B and CASP3.Molecular docking between core components and key targets was performed,and most of the docking energy was less than-5 kcal/mol,indicating that the binding between the active components and target proteins of P.cocos was relatively stable,so 23 active components of P.cocos were determined.Following the five principles of Q-marker,four possible Q-markers of P.cocos were predicted,including poricoic acid A,pachymic acid,polyporenic acid C,and 25-hydroxy-3-epidehydrotumoric acid.[Conclusions]P.cocos was mainly composed of triterpenoids,its effect on the treatment of PD may be achieved mainly by poricoic acid A,pachymic acid,polyporenic acid C,and 25-hydroxy-3-epi-dehydrotumoric acid acting on PTGS2,ESR1,TNF,IL1B and other targets to regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway,TNF signaling pathway,etc.Based on these active components,poricoic acid A,pachymic acid,polyporenic acid C,and 25-hydroxy-3-epi-dehydrotumoric acid could be taken as Q-markers of P.cocos,which provided a solid basis for further improving the quality standard of P.cocos.

Core collection construction of tea plant germplasm in Anhui Province based on genetic diversity analysis using simple sequence repeat markers

The tea plant[Camellia sinensis(L.)O.Kuntze]is an industrial crop in China.The Anhui Province has a long history of tea cultivation and has a large resource of tea germplasm with abundant genetic diversity.To reduce the cost of conservation and utilization of germplasm resources,a core collection needs to be constructed.To this end,573 representative tea accessions were collected from six major tea-producing areas in Anhui Province.Based on 60 pairs of simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers,phylogenetic relationships,population structure and principal coordinate analysis(PCoA)were conducted.Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 573 tea individuals clustered into five groups were related to geographical location and were consistent with the results of the PCoA.Finally,we constructed a core collection consisting of 115 tea individuals,accounting for 20%of the whole collection.The 115 core collections were considered to have a 90.9%retention rate for the observed number of alleles(Na),and Shannon’s information index(I)of the core and whole collections were highly consistent.Of these,39 individuals were preserved in the Huangshan area,accounting for 33.9%of the core collection,while only 10 individuals were reserved in the Jinzhai County,accounting for 8.9%of the core set.PCoA of the accessions in the tea plant core collection exhibited a pattern nearly identical to that of the accessions in the entire collection,further supporting the broad representation of the core germplasm in Anhui Province.The results demonstrated that the core collection could represent the genetic diversity of the original collection.Our present work is valuable for the high-efficiency conservation and utilization of tea plant germplasms in Anhui Province.

Development and Characterization of Microsatellite Markers for Harpadon nehereus Based on High-Throughput Sequencing and Cross-Species Amplification in Three Myctophiformes Fishes

Harpadon nehereus is a widespread economical fish found in the coastal seas of China and has important ecological value in the marine ecosystem.H_(o)wever,its germplasm resources have been seriously degraded due to natural factors and anthropogenic activities.In this study,high-throughput sequencing was applied to search for microsatellite loci in H.nehereus transcriptome to provide references for its resource conservation and utilization.Polymorphic loci were developed by non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,and their cross-species amplified ability was detected in three related species.A total of 5652 microsatellites were identified from 16974320 unigenes.Among the primer pairs designed for 100 SSRs for PCR amplification,80%were successfully amplified,and 26 loci were polymorphic with a high number of alleles from 3 to 11 each.The expected(H_(e))and observed(H_(o))heterozygosities were 0.355–0.885 and 0.375–0.958,respectively.Most of the loci were highly polymorphic(polymorphism information content:0.316–0.852;mean:0.713),and these markers can be applied in the population genetic diversity research of H.nehereus.H_(o)wever,the transferability of these primers was low,probably because of the close relation of the collected species.In follow-up work,simple sequence repeats will be excavated with genome-based technologies,and related species will be gathered to address the present inadequacies.

Hyperglycemia in COVID-19 infection without diabetes mellitus:Association with inflammatory markers

BACKGROUND New onset hyperglycemia is common in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)infection.Cytokine storm due to COVID-19 infection is an essential etiology for new-onset hyperglycemia,but factors like direct severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)-induced pancreaticβ-cell failure have also been postulated to play a role.AIM We plan to investigate further the mechanisms underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced hyperglycemia,particularly the rationale of the cytokine-induced hyperglycemia hypothesis,by evaluating the association between inflammatory markers and new onset hyperglycemia in non-diabetic patients with COVID-19 infection.METHODS We conducted a retrospective case-control study on adults without diabetes mellitus hospitalized for COVID-19 infection.The serum levels of glucose and inflammatory markers at presentation before initiation of corticosteroid were collected.Hyperglycemia was defined as glucose levels≥140 mg/dL.C-Reactive protein(CRP)≥100 mg/L,ferritin≥530 ng/mL,lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)≥590 U/L,and D-dimer≥0.5 mg/L were considered elevated.We used theχ2 test for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables and calculated the logistic regression for hyperglycemia.RESULTS Of the 520 patients screened,248 met the inclusion criteria.Baseline demographics were equally distributed between patients with hyperglycemia and those who were normoglycemic.Serum inflammatory markers in patients with or without new-onset hyperglycemia were elevated as follows:CRP(58.1%vs 65.6%,P=0.29),ferritin(48.4%vs 34.9%,P=0.14),D-dimer(37.1%vs 37.1%,P=0.76)and LDH(19.4%vs 11.8%,P=0.02).Logistic regression analysis showed LDH odds ratio(OR)=1.623(P=0.256).We observed significantly higher mortality(24.2%vs 9.1%,P=0.001;OR=2.528,P=0.024)and length of stay(8.89 vs 6.69,P=0.026)in patients with hyperglycemia.CONCLUSION Our study showed no association between CRP,ferritin,LDH,D-dimer levels,and new-onset hyperglycemia in non-diabetic patients with COVID-19 infection.It also shows an increased mortality risk and length of stay in patients with hyperglycemia.With new-onset hyperglycemia being closely associated with poor prognostic indices,it becomes pivotal to understand the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms behind the SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced hyperglycemia.We conclude that the stress hyperglycemia hypothesis is not the only mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced hyperglycemia but rather a multicausal pathogenesis leading to hyperglycemia that requires further research and understanding.This would help us improve not only the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 disease and inpatient hyperglycemia management but also understand the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and further management.

Micropropagation of Daylily(Hemerocallis fulva)from Crown-Tip Explants and Assessment of Somaclonal Variation of in Vitro-Propagated Plants Using SCoT Markers

Determination of the somaclonal variation of in vitro-propagated plants is crucial to determine the appropriate micropropagation protocol and growth regulators for commercial scale multiplication.In this research,nine multiplication media(MM)augmented with different concentrations of 6-benzyl adenine(BA),Kinetin(Kin),and Thidiazuron(TDZ),Three rooting media(RM)supplemented with three levels ofα-naphthalene acetic acid(NAA)and three types of soil mixtures(v/v);Coco peat/Vermiculite/Sand(CVS),Peat moss/Perlite/Sand(PPS)and Peat moss/Perlite(PP)were used in the micropropagation protocol of daylily plants.MM2 showed the maximum shoot length and the number of leaves,while MM9 showed the maximum number of shoots.The RM1 showed the maximum root length and the number of roots.During acclimatization,CVS,PPS,and PP soil mixture showed similar performance except the CVS mixture showed lower performance regarding plant height and diameter.The genetic fidelity of micropropagated plants was evaluated using Start Codon Targeted(SCoT)Markers.Six SCoT primers amplified 51 scorable bands with an approximate range from 146 bp to 1598 bp size.Thirty one out of 51 loci were presented in the mother plants.40 loci were polymorphic,11 were monomorphic and 7 were unique.The amplification patterns of the micropropagated plants demonstrated genetic integrity to the mother plant ranging from 84.32 to 47.06 and somaclonal variations ranging from 52.94 with 5 mg/l BA pathway to 15.68 with 1mg/l TDZ pathway,thus demonstrating that the homogeneity and the variation of the micropropagated plants affected by the type and the quantity of the plant growth regulator used during multiplication subcultures.This research can be successfully used for other ornamental and medicinal plants’bulk multiplication,germplasm conservation,and future genetic improvement.

Genetic linkage mapping and QTL identification for salinity tolerance in Indian mustard(Brassica juncea L.Czern and Coss.)using SSR markers

Soil salinity is one of the major environmental constraints that limits crop yield and nearly 7%of the total area worldwide is affected by salinity.Salinity-induced oxidative stress causes membrane damage during germination and seedling growth.Indian mustard is a major oilseed crop in India and its production and productivity are severely affected by salt stress.Breeding Brassica cultivars for salinity tolerance by conventional means is very difficult and time-consuming.Therefore,understanding the molecular components associated with salt tolerance is needed to facilitate breeding for salt tolerance in Brassica.In this investigation,quantitative trait loci(QTLs)associated with salt tolerance were identified using F_(2:3)mapping population developed from a cross between CS52(salinity tolerant)and RH30(salinity sensitive).Parents and F_(2:3)were evaluated under controlled and salinity stress conditions for 14 morpho-physiological traits for two consecutive generations(F2 and F_(2:3)),explaining proportion of the phenotypic variance under control condition.Simple sequence repeat(SSR)markers were used for mapping studies.A genetic linkage map based on 42 simple sequence repeats(SSRs)markers was constructed covering 2298.5 cM(Haldane)to identify the loci associated with salt tolerance in Brassica juncea.Forty-one SSRs showing polymorphism in the parents(CS52 and RH30)were mapped on 8 linkage groups(C1–C8).One marker(nga 129)did not map to any of the linkage group and was excluded from mapping.Linkage group 5(C5;317.9 cM)was longest and linkage group 1(C1,255.0 cM)was shortest.Further,we identified 15 QTLs controlling 8 traits using F_(2:3)population.These QTLs explained 12.44–60.63%of the phenotypic variation with a LOD score range of 3.62–5.97.Out of these QTLs,QMI4.1 related to membrane injury showed 51.28%phenotypic variance with a LOD score of 3.34.QTL QBYP8.1 related to biological yield per plant showed 60.63%phenotypic variance at a LOD score of 3.62.The highest LOD score of 5.97 was recorded for QTL related to seed yield per plant(QSYP4.1).Major QTLs were QTL for biological yield per plant(QBYP8.1),QTL for siliquae per plant(QSP4.1),QTL for primary branches(QPB4.1),QTLs for seed per siliqua(QSS4.1,QSS4.2),QTL for seed yield per plant(QSYP4.1),and QTL for membrane injury(QMI8.1)which showed more than 50%phenotypic variance.These QTLs identified in our study need to be confirmed in other populations as well so that these can be used in marker-assisted selection and breeding to enhance salt tolerance in Brassica juncea.